"Smart Guns" may someday actually be something reliable...
Currently they are so far from that condition that EVERY piece o legislation mentioning them exempts police, military, and anyone else that is responsible for defending "Those In Power" from any requirement to use them
Though the death threats and ignorance so far exhibited are just wrong... my family and I deserve the same reliability that TPTB's guardians do...
Springs, levers, and some moderately accurate machining makes for a weapon that goes "boom" every time the trigger is pulled... nothing less is acceptable
Some folks decide that management suits them better than engineering and move in that direction without actually giving up their interest in the nuts and bolts of the business.
Good managers are pretty rare in my experience, if you define "Good" as knowing the basics of the technical jobs of people they supposedly tell what to do...
Harder to find yet are managers that delegate appropriately to the lowest practical level, supervise unobtrusively, and see their primary task as making sure that talent is recognized, materials are obtained on time, and hard work rewarded
Funny thing... but THOSE managers just seem to get jobs done on time, have fewer errors, and keep corporate knowledge levels up by retaining the "good ones"
Good Engineers don't usually convert to good managers, but that doesn't mean that there aren't "Good Engineering Managers" that break the "Pointy Haired Boss" stereotype.
Where government needs to be involved escapes me completely
The ONLY reason I can see for this OR "The Internet Kill Switch" would be to interrupt communications and coordination between Citizens in case of the government doing something untoward and wanting to isolate a group/town/region from communicating with the outside world
I try not to be a conspiracy nut... but sometimes the only reasonable answer isn't reasonable at all!
I sit here looking at the inop fingerprint scanner in my high end laptop and just shake my head...
The ONLY technology I need in a defensive firearm... is a well designed mechanism that DOESN'T go bang unless you pull the trigger... and GOES BANG every single time you do...
I'll posit that Private Property is the difference...
The government has no authority to monitor my activities without warrant on sworn testimony of probably cause... any more than they have the authority to go through my personal posessions, writings, etc...
As a property owner, I have the right to do pretty much anything I desire... limit access, monitor activities, and record audio/video as I please
Even IF the government somehow defies that difference, I would object to any survelience system that wasn't completely open to the public with each and every feed... ESPECIALLY those in public places like courthouses, police stations, and other government buildings... avilable 24/7 to US Citizens...
After all with several million watching their favorite feed the likelyhood of a crime committed by ANYONE, whether a citizen, law enforcement type, or politician, going unwitnessed would be very small!!!
The worst effect of DRM is it's insistance that EVERYONE is a Pirate, thief, dishonerable... however you put it, the COMPANY that adds DRM just doesn't trust it's customers
Sites like Baen Books have successfully released non-DRM books for years without piracy significantly affecting their, or the author's income... INCLUDING E-Book copies of an author's full collection bound into first run hardbound copies.
People who actually understand the implications of DRM are justifiably outgraged by being considered a thief simply because they want to BUY an artist/writer/film maker's work
Unfortunately some of them react in the most predicatble way... in addition to "voting with their wallet" they obtain non-DRM files for works they choose to enjoy.
The typical person, and despite all indications to the contrary I feel that includes me... tends to have an original book/CD/DVD as well as archival copies or use copies to enjoy while leaving the original safely stored...
Some of my favorite writers I enjoy so much that the signed hardbound book is on the shelf, a paperback copy loaned out to a friend, a digital copy on one of my tablets, and the audiobook on my phone so I can enjoy it while working/driving/relaxing...
Uninformed article trying to raise the ire of those equally ignorant... a manufacturing license covers any sort of action except full auto...
ANYONE can manufacture a firearm for their own use if they follow a couple of rules like "distinctive markings" and a rifled barrel.
The ONLY confusion is in the mind of those who think it's too easy...
CRIMINALS have had access to full auto weapons built in small shops as long as there have been machine guns... It's a BIG problem in countries that have total bans on firearms since it takes nothing more than the machines an automotive repair shop would need...
They typically come with a federal land grant. A six by six by three foot plot in whichever military cemetery has room.
ze
The Silver, and Bronze medals are usually a bit less costly.
The problem with this medal is that is "outranks" the Bronze Star that the guy holding the LASER designator is probably going to deserve for being on scene in person while the "driver" and "shooter" are sitting in an air conditioned box a few thousand miles closer to safety.
While the grunt and his LASER gun are escaping and evading back to friendly territory the heroes at home will be picking up their dry cleaning, stopping by the IGA to grab some milk and bread for the wife and spending the evening in front of the TV with the family.
On a particular hard day them might even hoist a few at the club in celebration of a successful mission...
Don't misunderstand me... It's great that the techies and stationary pilots are being recognized... It just seems strange to make that recognition count more for promotions than actually being IN the war zone...
Kinda like giving achievement awards for the Very Best Video Game Ever!!!
Once all those "free" copies are downloaded Adobe can not only make money by offering upgrade pricing... but can write off the fair market value of each and every registered copy as "advertising cost"
Someone could get a big bonus this year if they spin it right!
I can just see this fantasy weapon issued to military and police... while the user is waiting for it to boot, recognize and authorized user, and ping the location for possible conflicts a baseball bat would be used to take them out...
There are reasons that even the fantasy legislation that's already been enacted in some states exempts police and military weapons...
I've wanted a cool smart weapon since reading The Weapon Shops of Isher... ESPECIALLY one that won't work for any government agent!!! But technology isn't there yet
Most managers of MW jobs that I informally interviewed while working on a business degree had the same criteria for employees.
They were looking for someone reliable
Their biggest problem was getting people hired that would show up when scheduled, do the job they were assigned and come back in for the next shift.
It was a pretty low bar... but I heard multiple stories about new hires that got a shirt and hat and went down the road where they could get 75 cents an hour more... keeping their souvenir shirt/hat and forgetting to mention they wouldn't be at work...
I suspect that this software developer wouldn't do much better flipping burgers or pumping gas... his attitude just won't cut it.
OTOH, One of my friends looked for a part time job while her kids were in school during the day... got hired... showed up for work and did the job... and was running her own Burger King in three months... Some companies really do reward those who step up and do the work
People who spend their lives at a desk MIGHT justify the expense of a phone switch, infrastructure, etc...
OTOH, putting a mid-level cellphone in the hands of each employee, using group texting for announcements, having that phone in the conference room, server farm, and out on-site... can about the same annual costs
Evil Geniuses in Upper Management realize that if you give mobile tools like cellphones and laptops to employees they will contribute massive hours of overtime without compensation... The Pointy Haired types will worry about non-business use between bouts of productivity...
Tablets, BT headsets, VOIP apps, and an internal "social network" might, in the near future... beat anything we've seen yet for business communications...
You COULD ask to see their "Life Cycle Management" documentation folder(s)
IMHO... If they don't understand the question you're probably going to want more money...
One of my former students called me years back with the announcement that the brief (two hours or less) "Life Cycle Management" addendum I'd made to the Systems Development/CASE class I was teaching got him a promotion to a senior analyst position... That was the one area that none of the other candidates could discuss...
Apparently it wasn't something that everyone was teaching as part of the process of developing maintainable code and data structures...
My NOT being a full time programmer OR teacher might affected how strongly I've felt it necessary to include that subject.. but whenever I've had to go back to a former project... having a fully documented system has kept me from the necessity of reinventing the wheel...
Sports are artificial constructs in which the players agree to a set of rules... real life isn't a sport.
As others have pointed out, what if that person's concentration results in world improving discoveries or the next amazing invention?
I'll take it a bit further...
Why should ANYONE who is an adult be subjected to regulation about anything they choose to do to their own body/mind?
Whether or not you are "medically trained" just being a slashdot member I'm fairly certain that you yourself research effects, side effects, dosages, and contraindications as well as anyone else?
I'll admit that I'm Darwinian enough to want warning labels taken off of things that any idiot ought to realize they need to use carefully and/or read up on before trying...
But warning labels or not... isn't any risk taken assumed by the person making the final decision(s) on what to do?
Putting laws between people and their own bodies is Bad Government... Laws ought to cover ACTIONS that affect others.
DUI and "public intoxication" are illegal... so much so that diabetics have been shot with Tasers for not responding to police appropriately (at least in the officer's estimation)
We've got the social and public results under control... or at least we've got "available" the means of enforcing acceptable behavior in public.
We've even got excessive laws that allow one's private behavior to be intruded on and punished no matter how little it affects others...
Somewhere we've given up our autonomy for some set of social mores to which we might not subscribe at all... imposed on us by those most interested in gaining power over others...
Today's disastrous effects of violating the standards of "Political Correctness" in the workplace are a prime example of that power... Where the mere misspeaking of one's opinion using the "wrong" word can end a career... (sorry, I'm not perfect and sometimes the "right" word escapes me when I'm in a passionate discussion)
Further, we can't determine a person's exact "state of mind" with any real certainty so why are some crimes "worse" because of what someone thinks?
It is quite possible that there are adults among us that don't need a Nanny State to guide us in our daily lives, including whether we chose to use Adderall to enhance our ability to concentrate or steroids to give us an energy boost... (assuming we're not contracting with others to refrain from either practice...)
/rant off: OK, now I'll got and take MY meds... 8)
I think in the short run of a hydrogen economy, you'll have hydrogen refueling stations, but in the long run, people will be making personal stations too. Besides harmless emissions from hydrogen, the cost of fuel will be extremely low compared to gasoline.
Aside from the unintended consequences of adding tons of water vapor to the atmosphere it's a great idea
Increasing concentrations of the most powerful greenhouse gas, increased precipitation over the most populous regions of the world, and local climattic changes like Phoenix AZ's humidity increase that no longer allows the use of cheap evaporation coolers... are ALL easily projected results
Considering that doing this today will require massive use of fossil fuels, and future expansion will require potentially ecologically damaging processes to produce solar panels the "carbon footprint" of massive hydrogen production/use might worsen any AGW effects...
Because of this, I want to become a hobbyist, and maybe own my own refueling station some day, but I don't want to get too involved if I can't afford a hydrogen compressor. Anyone know of a place to get a hydrogen compressor for under $12k?
I'm sure someone will find you a compressor the markets always respond to demand... especially for clean, nearly free energy sources...
Well the question is if the case would ever get to trial. The US has show that it has no problems keeping people prisoner for years without a chance to defend themselves.
And just justifying that by pointing to the released prisoners found back on the battlefield is nonsense!!!
They can't ALL be Bad Guys despite being captured in a war zone... even if they were caught red handed waging war in civilian dress against the Laws of War...
As the guy that used to correct, grade, and return school flyers sent home while my BIL was living with us I think that testing is NEEDED...
Grammer, spelling, and word choice errors were in each and every product sent home... SUPPOSEDLY prepared by the teachers, administration, and even some signed by the School Principal...
I think we just wrote off that year of his "education" when we sent him back to his mom....
A teacher OUGHT to be able to get a passing score on ANY class material they've taught for two years or more... period!
That in no way means that "actual magic", you know... gods and stuff, or pointing your finger and chanting "Booga booga" to invoke a spel is technology..
If that gesture, and the vocalization that goes with it had been the result of years of development... theory, observation, experiment, peer review of the results and publication in journals for those interested in the subject.... would that change anything?
Using the "Scientific Method" to harness an unknown (to us) type of energy would satisfy me as science/technology....
After all, if you take certain rocks, process them a certain way, and then arrainge the resulting material just right you can power an aircraft carrier for it's entire projected lifespan on one fueling....
Slashdot Mirror
"Smart Guns" may someday actually be something reliable... Currently they are so far from that condition that EVERY piece o legislation mentioning them exempts police, military, and anyone else that is responsible for defending "Those In Power" from any requirement to use them
Though the death threats and ignorance so far exhibited are just wrong... my family and I deserve the same reliability that TPTB's guardians do...
Springs, levers, and some moderately accurate machining makes for a weapon that goes "boom" every time the trigger is pulled... nothing less is acceptable
We think way faster than any reasonably normal speaking tempo.
That gives time to process the lecture. Taking notes helps that process IF you aren't attempting to transcribe the whole thing...
Key bullet points, quotes, and references are a lot more useful than getting the whole nine yards on paper..
OTOH I type comfortably at speeds fast enough to catch all of the above on my laptop...
Some folks decide that management suits them better than engineering and move in that direction without actually giving up their interest in the nuts and bolts of the business.
Good managers are pretty rare in my experience, if you define "Good" as knowing the basics of the technical jobs of people they supposedly tell what to do...
Harder to find yet are managers that delegate appropriately to the lowest practical level, supervise unobtrusively, and see their primary task as making sure that talent is recognized, materials are obtained on time, and hard work rewarded
Funny thing... but THOSE managers just seem to get jobs done on time, have fewer errors, and keep corporate knowledge levels up by retaining the "good ones"
Good Engineers don't usually convert to good managers, but that doesn't mean that there aren't "Good Engineering Managers" that break the "Pointy Haired Boss" stereotype.
for quite a while.
Where government needs to be involved escapes me completely
The ONLY reason I can see for this OR "The Internet Kill Switch" would be to interrupt communications and coordination between Citizens in case of the government doing something untoward and wanting to isolate a group/town/region from communicating with the outside world
I try not to be a conspiracy nut... but sometimes the only reasonable answer isn't reasonable at all!
Come to Montana, have the wrong address on your and pay your $80 fine...
Welcome to the real world and State's Rights!
I sit here looking at the inop fingerprint scanner in my high end laptop and just shake my head...
The ONLY technology I need in a defensive firearm... is a well designed mechanism that DOESN'T go bang unless you pull the trigger... and GOES BANG every single time you do...
I'll posit that Private Property is the difference...
The government has no authority to monitor my activities without warrant on sworn testimony of probably cause... any more than they have the authority to go through my personal posessions, writings, etc...
As a property owner, I have the right to do pretty much anything I desire... limit access, monitor activities, and record audio/video as I please
Even IF the government somehow defies that difference, I would object to any survelience system that wasn't completely open to the public with each and every feed... ESPECIALLY those in public places like courthouses, police stations, and other government buildings... avilable 24/7 to US Citizens...
After all with several million watching their favorite feed the likelyhood of a crime committed by ANYONE, whether a citizen, law enforcement type, or politician, going unwitnessed would be very small!!!
The worst effect of DRM is it's insistance that EVERYONE is a Pirate, thief, dishonerable... however you put it, the COMPANY that adds DRM just doesn't trust it's customers
Sites like Baen Books have successfully released non-DRM books for years without piracy significantly affecting their, or the author's income... INCLUDING E-Book copies of an author's full collection bound into first run hardbound copies.
People who actually understand the implications of DRM are justifiably outgraged by being considered a thief simply because they want to BUY an artist/writer/film maker's work
Unfortunately some of them react in the most predicatble way... in addition to "voting with their wallet" they obtain non-DRM files for works they choose to enjoy.
The typical person, and despite all indications to the contrary I feel that includes me... tends to have an original book/CD/DVD as well as archival copies or use copies to enjoy while leaving the original safely stored...
Some of my favorite writers I enjoy so much that the signed hardbound book is on the shelf, a paperback copy loaned out to a friend, a digital copy on one of my tablets, and the audiobook on my phone so I can enjoy it while working/driving/relaxing...
Uninformed article trying to raise the ire of those equally ignorant... a manufacturing license covers any sort of action except full auto...
ANYONE can manufacture a firearm for their own use if they follow a couple of rules like "distinctive markings" and a rifled barrel.
The ONLY confusion is in the mind of those who think it's too easy...
CRIMINALS have had access to full auto weapons built in small shops as long as there have been machine guns... It's a BIG problem in countries that have total bans on firearms since it takes nothing more than the machines an automotive repair shop would need...
That "might makes right" thing is a True Democracy...
That's why The Founders created a Representative Republic instead. So that the 94% couldn't persecute the 6% AND visa versa.....
They typically come with a federal land grant. A six by six by three foot plot in whichever military cemetery has room.
ze The Silver, and Bronze medals are usually a bit less costly.
The problem with this medal is that is "outranks" the Bronze Star that the guy holding the LASER designator is probably going to deserve for being on scene in person while the "driver" and "shooter" are sitting in an air conditioned box a few thousand miles closer to safety.
While the grunt and his LASER gun are escaping and evading back to friendly territory the heroes at home will be picking up their dry cleaning, stopping by the IGA to grab some milk and bread for the wife and spending the evening in front of the TV with the family.
On a particular hard day them might even hoist a few at the club in celebration of a successful mission...
Don't misunderstand me... It's great that the techies and stationary pilots are being recognized... It just seems strange to make that recognition count more for promotions than actually being IN the war zone...
Kinda like giving achievement awards for the Very Best Video Game Ever!!!
Once all those "free" copies are downloaded Adobe can not only make money by offering upgrade pricing... but can write off the fair market value of each and every registered copy as "advertising cost"
Someone could get a big bonus this year if they spin it right!
I can just see this fantasy weapon issued to military and police... while the user is waiting for it to boot, recognize and authorized user, and ping the location for possible conflicts a baseball bat would be used to take them out...
There are reasons that even the fantasy legislation that's already been enacted in some states exempts police and military weapons...
I've wanted a cool smart weapon since reading The Weapon Shops of Isher... ESPECIALLY one that won't work for any government agent!!! But technology isn't there yet
Most managers of MW jobs that I informally interviewed while working on a business degree had the same criteria for employees.
They were looking for someone reliable
Their biggest problem was getting people hired that would show up when scheduled, do the job they were assigned and come back in for the next shift.
It was a pretty low bar... but I heard multiple stories about new hires that got a shirt and hat and went down the road where they could get 75 cents an hour more... keeping their souvenir shirt/hat and forgetting to mention they wouldn't be at work...
I suspect that this software developer wouldn't do much better flipping burgers or pumping gas... his attitude just won't cut it.
OTOH, One of my friends looked for a part time job while her kids were in school during the day... got hired... showed up for work and did the job... and was running her own Burger King in three months... Some companies really do reward those who step up and do the work
Guess it sucks to be a Microsoft Phone user...
WAH!!!
It's a habit... and not necessarily a good one...
People who spend their lives at a desk MIGHT justify the expense of a phone switch, infrastructure, etc...
OTOH, putting a mid-level cellphone in the hands of each employee, using group texting for announcements, having that phone in the conference room, server farm, and out on-site... can about the same annual costs
Evil Geniuses in Upper Management realize that if you give mobile tools like cellphones and laptops to employees they will contribute massive hours of overtime without compensation... The Pointy Haired types will worry about non-business use between bouts of productivity...
Tablets, BT headsets, VOIP apps, and an internal "social network" might, in the near future... beat anything we've seen yet for business communications...
A Jensen Lan Manager tool kit in the locking case, and a Fluke Networks MicroScanner2 ought to keep you in business...
http://www.stanleysupplyservices.com/ is a one stop shop for all of the above.. and their prices aren't too bad.
If you need more than that you probably need to bring in a tech that has them...
A BIG, HEAVY, LOCKING tool cabinet wouldn't be a bad idea after you've put a couple of grand in easily portable tools and test equipment..
This is Not A Problem...
After all the Supreme Court has decided we ARE the race we claim to be...
Just pick your target score and fill out your applications accordingly
You COULD ask to see their "Life Cycle Management" documentation folder(s)
IMHO... If they don't understand the question you're probably going to want more money...
One of my former students called me years back with the announcement that the brief (two hours or less) "Life Cycle Management" addendum I'd made to the Systems Development/CASE class I was teaching got him a promotion to a senior analyst position... That was the one area that none of the other candidates could discuss...
Apparently it wasn't something that everyone was teaching as part of the process of developing maintainable code and data structures...
My NOT being a full time programmer OR teacher might affected how strongly I've felt it necessary to include that subject.. but whenever I've had to go back to a former project... having a fully documented system has kept me from the necessity of reinventing the wheel...
.
Just hold your phone out in front of you, and wave you other arm and legs to control. It's so simple, even a three year old can do it.
ONLY a three year old could do it!(VBG)
Sports are artificial constructs in which the players agree to a set of rules... real life isn't a sport.
/rant off: OK, now I'll got and take MY meds... 8)
As others have pointed out, what if that person's concentration results in world improving discoveries or the next amazing invention?
I'll take it a bit further...
Why should ANYONE who is an adult be subjected to regulation about anything they choose to do to their own body/mind?
Whether or not you are "medically trained" just being a slashdot member I'm fairly certain that you yourself research effects, side effects, dosages, and contraindications as well as anyone else?
I'll admit that I'm Darwinian enough to want warning labels taken off of things that any idiot ought to realize they need to use carefully and/or read up on before trying...
But warning labels or not... isn't any risk taken assumed by the person making the final decision(s) on what to do?
Putting laws between people and their own bodies is Bad Government... Laws ought to cover ACTIONS that affect others.
DUI and "public intoxication" are illegal... so much so that diabetics have been shot with Tasers for not responding to police appropriately (at least in the officer's estimation)
We've got the social and public results under control... or at least we've got "available" the means of enforcing acceptable behavior in public.
We've even got excessive laws that allow one's private behavior to be intruded on and punished no matter how little it affects others...
Somewhere we've given up our autonomy for some set of social mores to which we might not subscribe at all... imposed on us by those most interested in gaining power over others...
Today's disastrous effects of violating the standards of "Political Correctness" in the workplace are a prime example of that power... Where the mere misspeaking of one's opinion using the "wrong" word can end a career... (sorry, I'm not perfect and sometimes the "right" word escapes me when I'm in a passionate discussion)
Further, we can't determine a person's exact "state of mind" with any real certainty so why are some crimes "worse" because of what someone thinks?
It is quite possible that there are adults among us that don't need a Nanny State to guide us in our daily lives, including whether we chose to use Adderall to enhance our ability to concentrate or steroids to give us an energy boost... (assuming we're not contracting with others to refrain from either practice...)
I think in the short run of a hydrogen economy, you'll have hydrogen refueling stations, but in the long run, people will be making personal stations too. Besides harmless emissions from hydrogen, the cost of fuel will be extremely low compared to gasoline.
Aside from the unintended consequences of adding tons of water vapor to the atmosphere it's a great idea
Increasing concentrations of the most powerful greenhouse gas, increased precipitation over the most populous regions of the world, and local climattic changes like Phoenix AZ's humidity increase that no longer allows the use of cheap evaporation coolers... are ALL easily projected results
Considering that doing this today will require massive use of fossil fuels, and future expansion will require potentially ecologically damaging processes to produce solar panels the "carbon footprint" of massive hydrogen production/use might worsen any AGW effects...
Because of this, I want to become a hobbyist, and maybe own my own refueling station some day, but I don't want to get too involved if I can't afford a hydrogen compressor. Anyone know of a place to get a hydrogen compressor for under $12k?
I'm sure someone will find you a compressor the markets always respond to demand... especially for clean, nearly free energy sources...
Well the question is if the case would ever get to trial. The US has show that it has no problems keeping people prisoner for years without a chance to defend themselves.
And just justifying that by pointing to the released prisoners found back on the battlefield is nonsense!!!
They can't ALL be Bad Guys despite being captured in a war zone... even if they were caught red handed waging war in civilian dress against the Laws of War...
As the guy that used to correct, grade, and return school flyers sent home while my BIL was living with us I think that testing is NEEDED...
Grammer, spelling, and word choice errors were in each and every product sent home... SUPPOSEDLY prepared by the teachers, administration, and even some signed by the School Principal...
I think we just wrote off that year of his "education" when we sent him back to his mom....
A teacher OUGHT to be able to get a passing score on ANY class material they've taught for two years or more... period!
That in no way means that "actual magic", you know... gods and stuff, or pointing your finger and chanting "Booga booga" to invoke a spel is technology. .
If that gesture, and the vocalization that goes with it had been the result of years of development... theory, observation, experiment, peer review of the results and publication in journals for those interested in the subject.... would that change anything?
Using the "Scientific Method" to harness an unknown (to us) type of energy would satisfy me as science/technology....
After all, if you take certain rocks, process them a certain way, and then arrainge the resulting material just right you can power an aircraft carrier for it's entire projected lifespan on one fueling....