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Five US Navy SEAL Units Are Now Testing Brain-Zappers (military.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the elite-ectro-cranial-stimulation dept.

Five different Navy SEAL units are testing "transcranial electrical stimulation," reports Military.com, with one command's spokesperson saying the early results "show promising signs... we are encouraged to continue and are moving forward with our studies." The device's manufacturer says the number of devices being tested is "in the double digits," and believes the "neuro-priming" device could improve shooting performance, adding "it's kind of all about just training a little bit smarter." schwit1 quotes their report: Transcranial electrical stimulation was one of the technologies touted by then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter in July 2016 as part of his Defense Innovation Unit (Experimental) initiative. Since then, multiple SEAL units have begun actively testing the effectiveness of the technology, officials with Naval Special Warfare Command told Military.com... At a conference near Washington, D.C., in February, the commander of all Navy special operations units made an unusual request to industry: Develop and demonstrate technologies that offer "cognitive enhancement" capabilities to boost his elite forces' mental and physical performance. "We plan on using that in mission enhancement," Rear Admiral Tim Szymanski said.
Admiral Szymanski says experiments found that operators monitoring screens reportedly maintained peak performance for 20 hours -- rather than experience the usual drop-off in concentration after 20 minutes.

77 of 120 comments (clear)

  1. No drugs. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    That part is cool at least.

    1. Re:No drugs. by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      What do drugs do? Well, in a nutshell, they interact with certain parts of your body, more often than not parts of your brain, causing it to function differently.

      What does this do again?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  2. Soooo missleading Title... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I expected, they want to zapp the brains of the enemies.... For that they could simply use Fox News...

    1. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      Yeah, my first thought was this referred to an offensive weapon they were using - not an attention aid for the Seals themselves.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    2. Re: Soooo missleading Title... by TheOuterLinux · · Score: 1

      I thought that too at first. If cops are getting death drones, why not at this point? Science!

    3. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

      Yes, as opposed to melting the brains of the viewer, which is the job of CNN. Kind of like a frontal lobotomy on a screen...

      But then pacification of travelers has always been the primary reason for plying CNN incessantly in airports.

      --
      "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    4. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by OrangeTide · · Score: 5, Interesting

      What passes for patriotism now is merely willful ignorance. And this sort of mindless nationalism passed off as if were patriotism is nothing new.

      “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.”
      -- Theodore Roosevelt

      “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
      -- Mark Twain

      “He who joyfully marches to music rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.”
      -- Albert Einstein

      “I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions.”
      -- George Carlin

      “It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen.”
      -- Aristotle

      “Patriotism ... is a superstition artificially created and maintained through a network of lies and falsehoods; a superstition that robs man of his self-respect and dignity, and increases his arrogance and conceit.”
      -- Emma Goldman

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    5. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Or any of the leftist media... Clinton News Network, Nothing But Clinton, Clinton Broadcasting System, Always Backing Clinton, and foremost... Methodologically Supporting Nothing But Clinton.

      Get back in your cave under the bridge, troll. Your candidate lost after an effort that was just as tragic as your cause... the undermining of Bernie Sander's campaign on her way to a candidacy with nothing on the platform except another four years of the failing Obama policies.

      If you need to feel better about yourself.. maybe you could petition for a group hug with Jabba the Michael Moore... or a night with favors from Madonna? Maybe you can schedule a pity party with your compatriots that didn't get their trophy for showing up?

      Peace out you lib-tard.

    6. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by tquasar · · Score: 1

      I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

    7. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      What passes for patriotism now is merely willful ignorance. And this sort of mindless nationalism passed off as if were patriotism is nothing new.

      It's called jingoism - extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy (Websters)

      There are plenty of patriotic Americans out there. They just don't happen to be beating their chest and braying about how patriotic they are. The chest beaters are very interesting, in a check out their motives and actions, because they might be doing something.

      Always be suspicious of anyone or any group who claims they are a patriot, and for some reason people who do not act like them are not.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    8. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      Could you point to some examples of this so-called "jingoism" as you think it applies to the contemporary United States? Where do you think the foreign policy is "belligerent"?

      What about examples of "extreme chauvinism" or "extreme nationalism"?

      Do you think it is going too far to suggest that people that hope the United States is attacked because "it deserves it" aren't really patriotic? What about people that hope for its military or political defeat?

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    9. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by guises · · Score: 1

      ... Huh. I always thought that jingoism was referring to a particular type of journalism - one which relied on jingles, basically simplistic little soundbites, rather than anything more in-depth or comprehensive. (i.e.: "Remember the Maine.") Now I don't know what to call that.

    10. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1

      For that they could simply use Fox News...

      That would violate the Geneva Convention ban on Joke Warfare: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

      "Wenn ist das Nunstück git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!"

      Y'all just laughed yourselves to death, after reading that!

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    11. Re: Soooo missleading Title... by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Please be more specific, what is morally wrong, zapping people who love the US or loving the US?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    12. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by tehcyder · · Score: 1
      The original is funnier:

      I'd rather have a full bottle in front of me than a full frontal lobotomy.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    13. Re: Soooo missleading Title... by GLMDesigns · · Score: 1

      The US is morally wrong?

      What part of individual freedom and limited government as written in the US Constitution is morally wrong?

      So, you're for the individual being nothing more than a cell in the collective body? You, and I, and every other individual (the smallest minority group) have no value, in and of ourselves?

      --
      If you're scared of your govt then you need to further restrict its powers
      Vote 3rd Party in 2016 and beyond
    14. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by denzacar · · Score: 1

      Sounds more like you're describing a thought terminating cliche.

      As for jingoism, it's from a 19th century song.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

      --
      Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
    15. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      Could you point to some examples of this so-called "jingoism" as you think it applies to the contemporary United States?

      Thought you'd never ask!

      France. While helping us with the war effort in Afghanistan since 2001, when they objected to war number 2 in Iraq, many of us turned on the cheese eating surrender monkeys with a vengeance.

      Where do you think the foreign policy is "belligerent"?

      What about examples of "extreme chauvinism" or "extreme nationalism"?

      Perhaps you weren't around during the runup to the war in Iraq. If not, check some history heaven help anyone who questioned Hussein being behind the 9-11 attack.

      As well, imagine Mexico building a wall on Mexican soil, and demanding the US pay for it. Yet that is okay do do in the revers? Belligerence has become a core competency of our foreign policy.

      Do you think it is going too far to suggest that people that hope the United States is attacked because "it deserves it" aren't really patriotic?

      Non-sequitar, and a strawman as well. Who are these American citizens who want the US attacked and defeated? I know perhaps thousands of people of all political stripes in a lot of settings. I do not know one person who want's the US to be attacked. And non US citizens are not US citizens, so patriotism isn't relevant.

      By the way - your response shows you are an example of a jingoist.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    16. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      As for jingoism, it's from a 19th century song.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

      Yes, some in Great Britain wanted to invade Russia.

      Jingo as a word is a minced oath, which means "by Jingo" was a substitute for "by Jesus.

      Here are the words:

      "We don't want to fight but by Jingo if we do

      We've got the ships, we've got the men, we've got the money too

      We've fought the Bear before, and while we're Britons true

      The Russians shall not have Constantinople.

      Oddly enough, the song starts out with a lie - they really wanted a war with Russia. Wonder how that would have turned out......

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    17. Re: Soooo missleading Title... by TheCarp · · Score: 2

      > What part of individual freedom and limited government as written in the US Constitution is morally wrong?

      You are putting words in his mouth. I live here in the US and I certainly don't look at our country and say "paragons of freedom and limited government", not by a long shot.

      If anything, the betrayal of those principles is why I would agree, there is no reason to love the US. We are liberties pretenders. We have made an entire industries out of imprisoning people for what they would choose to put in their own body, then used it to justify more and more surviellance and restrictions on liberty.

      That is before even getting to the murderous terrorism we call foreign policy.

      --
      "I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
    18. Re: Soooo missleading Title... by GLMDesigns · · Score: 1

      We have made an entire industries out of imprisoning people for what they would choose to put in their own body, As a libertarian I agree. The solution is easy. Vote for people who are for smaller, more constitutionally, limited government. Does the Federal Government have the power to dictate what you put in your body? (See the enumerated powers in Article 1, Section VIII.)

      The answer is NO.

      --
      If you're scared of your govt then you need to further restrict its powers
      Vote 3rd Party in 2016 and beyond
    19. Re: Soooo missleading Title... by Gr8Apes · · Score: 1

      If anything, the betrayal of those principles is why I would agree, there is no reason to love the US. We are liberties pretenders. We have made an entire industries out of imprisoning people for what they would choose to put in their own body, then used it to justify more and more surviellance and restrictions on liberty.

      You should move to Iran, China, N Korea, or a good number of other countries and give your speech against your new government a try. If you're able, get back to us after you do so.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
    20. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by Thud457 · · Score: 1

      Joke's on you, mate! I'm illiterate.

      --

      the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    21. Re: Soooo missleading Title... by Gr8Apes · · Score: 1

      Actually, I'm saying that perhaps it's not as bad as the GP made it out to be. You are free to do exactly what he did in the US.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
    22. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by budgenator · · Score: 1

      Actually we gave Mexico $74 Million US to go toward building a wall on their southern border. Mexico has a very big problem with illegal immigration, just like the US.

      --
      Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
    23. Re:Soooo missleading Title... by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      Actually we gave Mexico $74 Million US to go toward building a wall on their southern border. Mexico has a very big problem with illegal immigration, just like the US.

      Have any photo cites of that wall?

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    24. Re: Soooo missleading Title... by TheCarp · · Score: 1

      How does "not as bad" fit into this at all? We are liberties pretenders.

      The ability to complain is requisite for freedom; not sufficient alone. As long as people can be imprisoned, and are at terribly frightening rates; the highest in the world, we are not free.

      As long as all the government needs to do to put you in prison is produce a physical object and claim you had it, whether that object is guns, or drugs, or religious symbols or any simple thing....we have no freedom.

      As long as we can be survieled and have evidence trails "Constructed" to deny us the right to a fair trial, hell, while the president can deny us a fair trial.... we have no freedom.

      Being able to complain about it is....nice. I will give you that.

      --
      "I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
    25. Re: Soooo missleading Title... by Gr8Apes · · Score: 1

      The ability to complain is requisite for freedom; not sufficient alone.

      And as noted, we have that and others do not. I agree that there's quite a few infringements happening, but the push back is already underway, and hopefully will be rolled back. If it is, we can thank Trump for pushing it to the point where enough people got incensed and decided it was better that the government wasn't able to do these things.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
  3. Guinea pigs. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And if they don't work, well, I'm sure the VA will be happy to take care of your cognitive capabilities/disabilities, like they do every other soldier. Ahem.

    1. Re:Guinea pigs. by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Yeah, because they had so many other options in life. Take a look at your average US soldier and tell me that this person had a chance to a sensible career outside the military.

      Not because he's stupid or lazy, mind you, but simply because he didn't have the money to go to one of the more expensive colleges. I know a few people who served and still serve in the US military. The stories they tell are surprisingly similar.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  4. "hyper-elasticity" or placebo? by whoever57 · · Score: 1

    the headset purports to work by stimulating the brain to enter a state of hyper-elasticity,

    Sounds like pure BS to me. However, I wonder if the placebo effect extends to this type of training.

    --
    The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    1. Re:"hyper-elasticity" or placebo? by denzacar · · Score: 1

      Placebo doesn't improve your shooting/aiming skills.
      Nor driving skills.

      --
      Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
  5. I wouldn't mess with the elite brains by Snotnose · · Score: 1

    I'd do my testing on prison inmates or drug addicts. See how long they can concentrate on making a shank, or not scoring. See what the initial results are, and check out the long term effects.

    SEALs are the best of the best, odds are dicking with their brains will give bad results more often than good.

    1. Re: I wouldn't mess with the elite brains by nullchar · · Score: 1

      Fighter pilots already use amphetamines, and many other chemical cognitive enhancers are in use.

      Like in sci-fi, the drugs are electro + chemical, for whatever your goal: performance, high, control, apathy, etc.

      Agreed that I wouldn't "test" this on the elite, but if it's gone this far in trials, you know it's been tested on the non-best already.

  6. Wait a minute... by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

    Admiral Szymanski says experiments found that operators monitoring screens reportedly maintained peak performance for 20 hours -- rather than experience the usual drop-off in concentration after 20 minutes.

    Was the Admiral perchance wearing one of these devices when he was interviewed? Because this sounds suspiciously like a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode...

    --
    #DeleteChrome
    1. Re: Wait a minute... by nullchar · · Score: 1

      I've always wanted to try that game, just to see...

    2. Re:Wait a minute... by cstacy · · Score: 1

      Not "The Game", but rather the WW III soldiers depicted in TNG.

      http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/...

      https://s-media-cache-ak0.pini...

      http://startrek-originals.com/...

    3. Re:Wait a minute... by aicrules · · Score: 1

      For the amount of times that crew and systems were hijacked/compromised you'd think there would be some super locked down procedures and policies preventing it from happening so easily. Like when Data locks out command functions emulating Picard's voice. What the hell? So Macaulay Culkin "Kevin" could take over the Enterprise? Still love the show but they had a deficit of learning from certain mistakes lol

  7. Oh, the military? Well then... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Remember, the military once tried to have a woman co-habitat with a dolphin to establish communications.

    So maybe pump the brakes.

  8. A cup of coffee works just as well. by TheOuterLinux · · Score: 1

    If the point is to stimulate the brain, coffee works too. Caffeine is technically a psychoactive drug. Controlled frying of your brain can't be good for you.

  9. Consequences by JimSadler · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Making the brain work in ways other than our nature intends will yield a crop of disabled and troubled Seals.

    1. Re:Consequences by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Don't worry! With our new budget cuts, they'll be out on the streets in no time!

    2. Re:Consequences by ravenshrike · · Score: 1

      In nature it's a bad idea to get continuously engrossed in something because then something else can come along and eat you. The limit is probably not an issue of endurance or health.

    3. Re:Consequences by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      Making the brain work in ways other than our nature intends will yield a crop of disabled and troubled Seals.

      he same though occured to me. This is changing some chemistry in the brain. I suspect that if it works, a fair amount of recuperation will be needed afterwards at the very least.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    4. Re:Consequences by geekmux · · Score: 1

      Making the brain work in ways other than our nature intends will yield a crop of disabled and troubled Seals.

      Give me a break. The FDA has probably done more to regulate around the way "nature intends" our minds and bodies to work more than any other single factor. The most popular preservatives and additives in our food supply today aren't natural or healthy.

      As far as boosting the attention span of SEALs who are put in situations that mandate intense concentration and alertness, I'd say this is more of a survival tactic than anything else.

  10. ADD / ADHD by jenningsthecat · · Score: 3, Interesting

    FTS: "... experiments found that operators monitoring screens reportedly maintained peak performance for 20 hours -- rather than experience the usual drop-off in concentration after 20 minutes.

    I've read that TES helps people with ADD / ADHD - it's good to see experimental results from a different field of application that suggest it may be true. It just might be time for me to build my own TES device.

    --
    'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
  11. Hemmingway by magical+liopleurodon · · Score: 1

    Didn't go so well for Hemmingway.....

  12. Re:I guess that's easier than reading a book by ravenshrike · · Score: 1

    Apparently you don't read either. If you did you'd know the attention span limit was true of almost all humans regardless of IQ.

  13. Re:Long-term effects by CrankyFool · · Score: 1

    The "nice" thing about this is that you can't actually sue the US government for this sort of stuff because of Sovereign Immunity[tm]

  14. Terminal Man by enkidu · · Score: 1

    Sounds like a great idea, not! Nobody knows what the long term effects will be for this kind of experimentation. They should do some long term studies on volunteers first before making this kind of stuff widespread.

    --

    There is no trap so deadly as the trap you set for yourself
    -Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye
  15. A note for readers: by cold+fjord · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In viewing the above post you must keep in mind that the Left has decreed that dissent is no longer "racism" as it was deemed under President Obama. Now that a Republican president holds power, dissent is again the highest form of "patriotism" , and the military and political defeat of the United States is the goal of true "patriots." .

    --
    much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    1. Re:A note for readers: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      In viewing the above post you must keep in mind that the Left has decreed that dissent is no longer "racism" as it was deemed under President Obama. Now that a Republican president holds power, dissent is again the highest form of "patriotism" , and the military and political defeat of the United States is the goal of true "patriots." .

      Dissent never was racism. Much of the attacks on Obama were, however, at some level based in racism rather than policy. The most legitimate attack on Obama was his red line that he decided not to take action against. A president should never make a threat he is not prepared to keep on some level. That doesn't mean they should never back down, but it is nonetheless important to be taken seriously. Of course that action is a tempest in a teacup compared to Trump.

      Dissent for Trump is not because he is a republican, or at the very least that is way down on the list of reasons. The Huckster of Hate is no republican. The only thing he seems to believe in is himself. I'd rather have pence. At least he does seem to have some ethical standards, even if they are somewhat repulsive.

      Politically we were defeated. A foreign government succeeded in influencing an election in a major way. Now I'd argue that it likely was enough to tilt the election to their candidate, though it will likely be very difficult to prove. The election was, nevertheless very close. I'm sure it is not politically correct to say that we were defeated, but we were. Accept it, and fix it. The solution, other than trying to stop future attacks succeeding, is to quite simply insist our politicians speak the truth.

      I don't care what letter is after their names, we need to get rid of the people that can't agree on objective reality. We need to get rid of the people that will stand by and smile faintly when a mugging occurs, as long as it occurs to a political opponent. We need people of good moral character as our leaders. We must insist on it. Now the false argument usually goes something like, well Obama lied about keeping your doctor. While technically true, since he should have said, If you like your plan you can keep your plan, provided it already meets the proposed minimums or it changes to meet them. That is not quite as catchy, but it would have been true. Also arguments that essentially boil down to, "We'll he did it too," are exceptionally stupid. Even if true, you don't use bad behaviour to excuse more bad behaviour. You criticize both.

      That is also a tempest in a teacup compared to the Donald. Heck, he even lied about the weather at his inauguration, and we have pictures. Said that God made the rain leave. As far as militarily, well, we aren't going to lose our country in a war any time soon.

      Objective reality is the key. First we must agree that such a thing exists, then agree what things are defined by it. Then we must defend it at all costs.

    2. Re:A note for readers: by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Disagreeing with something Obama said or did is no more or less racist than disagreeing with something Trump did or said is patriotic. If someone does something stupid, it should be pointed out, not ignored or even celebrated for all the wrong reasons.

      Then again, the US didn't have a president worth the name since Eisenhower moved out of the White House.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    3. Re:A note for readers: by OrangeTide · · Score: 3, Informative

      I think the accusations of right wing racism during Obama's Presidency had more to do with the memes giving the President and First Lady various chimpanzee photoshop treatments. I received a lot of ridicule for finding it tasteless and not laughing with everyone else. I takes no effort to attack someone's race, but it has no power any more either as we all see the weakness in that kind of personal attack.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    4. Re:A note for readers: by aardvarkjoe · · Score: 1

      I think the accusations of right wing racism during Obama's Presidency had more to do with the memes giving the President and First Lady various chimpanzee photoshop treatments.

      Did you object to the the same thing being done to Bush?

      If not, then you are the racist, since you have a double standard for how we treat people of different races.

      --

      How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
    5. Re: A note for readers: by Type44Q · · Score: 1

      Then again, the US didn't have a president worth the name since Eisenhower moved out of the White House.

      JFK couldn't have been too bad or he'd have played ball and they'd have let him live.

    6. Re:A note for readers: by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      Did you object to the the same thing being done to Bush?

      If not, then you are the racist, since you have a double standard for how we treat people of different races.

      I did not object, and I was a registered Republican at the time. And no, that's not racism. You severely misunderstand what racism is. Racism is not rudeness or crude insults, it's a type of systematic discrimination.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    7. Re:A note for readers: by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      it was of course racist and illegal.

      I don't think it is illegal, and I don't agree it should ever be. I just want to point out that it's a shitty thing to do, and that society need not respect people who behave in a racist way. I'm a believer in ostracizing those who practice deviant behavior, rather than overtly punishing them. Of course if you wish to operate a business then you have more limitations placed on you in that sense, as we already accept that you at least need to adhere to various local, state and federal requirements in order to operate businesses.

      The problem I keep seeing is so many people don't even know what racism is, and there is a lot of me-too-ism. Where white people want to participate by showing they can be a victim too. It is extremely unlikely for a white person to be a victim of racism in most of the world. There are probably more active cases of smallpox today than of racism against whites. (at least by the definitions that I find have any meaning)\

      If you're white, it's simply going to be beyond your experience. And you will only be able to understand racism at on an intellectual and theoretical level. A white person trying to understand a black person's experience of racism will be as difficult as a man trying to understand a woman's experiences of childbirth. You can be very knowledgeable in both, and even describe each experience accurately, but you will never experience it first hand.

      (I am disappointed that I did not receive any edge lord replies, yet)

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    8. Re:A note for readers: by aardvarkjoe · · Score: 1

      Did you object to the the same thing being done to Bush?

      If not, then you are the racist, since you have a double standard for how we treat people of different races.

      I did not object, and I was a registered Republican at the time. And no, that's not racism.

      Of course it is. A fairly minor incident of it, to be sure, but racism all the same.

      To be clear, what is racist isn't the comparison of Bush to a chimpanzee. What is racist is the attitude that a white president and a black president need to be treated differently.

      --

      How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
    9. Re:A note for readers: by budgenator · · Score: 1

      I'd have gone with sock-monkey rather than chimpanzee.

      --
      Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
    10. Re: A note for readers: by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      JFKs cardinal sin was to pick a VP that isn't worse than him.

      Take a look at the VPs since and tell me that they are not essentially just assassination insurance.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  16. No danger? by ch0knuti · · Score: 1

    And so begins the zombie apocalypse.

  17. Sounds as amoral as using drugs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    To me this sounds as amoral as using drugs in combat.

  18. Army once again leads the way by TJHook3r · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm beginning to wonder if the military is not just a clever invention by scientists to get funding for cool stuff like the internet, VR, smart drugs and electrical brain zappers... If academics asked for this research directly they would be laughed out of the country, but if they dress it up as new ways to kill foreigners it's suddenly ok... people have such weird priorities!

    1. Re:Army once again leads the way by budgenator · · Score: 1

      "The purpose of the Office of the President is not to wield power, but to draw attention away from it." Douglas Addams

      --
      Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
  19. Not a single intersting comment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    An interesting technical subject (TDCS seems to well-tolerated) with obvious general applications (long sessions of flow without drugs), and this is the quality of comments? Poor old Slashdot, I think we're done.

    1. Re:Not a single intersting comment by Johann+Public · · Score: 1

      Well, you're not the only one disappointed...& use of tCDS wouldn't necessarily even make the "educated stupid" / Intellectual Yet Idiots any "smarter", in that it would probably make them better at operating ill-formed minds. There was at least one good post: https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... But yes, truly tragic. Makes me miss kuro5hin!

    2. Re:Not a single intersting comment by Johann+Public · · Score: 1

      What I find truly idiotic is the association with PES. Performance enhancement in general seems like something libertarian/ancap/anarchist minds might approve of. I wonder what's happened to the intelligent people on the internet? Surely not all have hopped off to greener ponds...

    3. Re:Not a single intersting comment by Johann+Public · · Score: 1

      Obscure internet forums (generally) > reddit, most social media, etc.

  20. That's oddly named by drew_kime · · Score: 1

    Shouldn't it be "Defense Innovation, Experimental"? Ooh, wait, bad acronym.

    --
    Nope, no sig
  21. Students by Thelasko · · Score: 1

    There are also reports that college students are using this technology to get better test scores.

    --
    One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
  22. side effects may include murderdeathkill by Thud457 · · Score: 1

    I hope this works better than the procedure to make soldiers not require sleep.

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  23. The advertisement: by stolidobserver · · Score: 1

    As Seen on Napoleon Dynamite!

  24. Re:Long-term effects by budgenator · · Score: 1

    The "nice" thing about this is that you can't actually sue the US government for this sort of stuff because of Sovereign Immunity[tm]

    You can if they allow you to, the USG is amazingly permissive about such suits.

    --
    Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
  25. I just wonder... by dddux · · Score: 1

    will we end up as being Klingons, Ferengi, Vulkans, or Humans. That's all. So far I'm inclined to believe some mix between Klingons and Ferengi. Stupid, greedy, warmongering savages.

    --
    "It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." - Jiddu Krishnamurti
  26. This will be used to abuse children by beastofburdon · · Score: 1

    Coming soon, this device will be required to be worn by all boys in grade school.
    Side affects, what side affects? This will only be used on men and boys, it's not as if society cares about them enough to worry about side affects.

  27. Leary stuff... by martinfb · · Score: 1

    I thought the already perfected LSD et al?!...

    --


    Self-importance and self-indulgence is the root of ALL evil.