Presently, the majority of the students I am watching as I write this...
Not that I don't agree with the rest of your comment, but what kind of an example is being set by spending personal time posting on Slashdot while your students sit there refusing to do their work?
There are three of them in the article, which apparently she agreed to. I'm impressed they both put their lives out on display like this, it's a pretty interesting (and quite witty) read.
12. The system of either claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the video display and the audio playback transducer are combined in a stereoscopic head set wearable by the user.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the audio portion of the pre-recorded musical performance comprises a separate instrument sound track and whereby the characteristic of the audio portion controlled by the source audio control circuit is a volume level of the instrument sound track played by the system.
19. The system of claim 13 further comprising a headset wearable by the user, the headset having left and right audio speakers and a stereoscopic video display, the left and right speakers operably connected to left and right channels on the source audio output and to the controlled audio output, and the video display operably connected to the source video output.
21. A system for allowing a player using a guitar to control simulated participation in a musical concert during synchronous playback of a pre-recorded concert video track, pre-recorded left and right concert sound tracks, and a separate pre-recorded guitar track, the system comprising:
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the musical instrument is a guitar.
"'simulate participation in a concert by playing musical instrument and wearing a head-mounted 3-D display that includes stereo speakers.' The device described in the patent also includes playback of audio and video of a prerecorded concert and a separate track of audio from the user's instrument, according to the patent form."
- Real musical instrument - Head mounted 3-D display - Prerecorded concert
VS.
- Plastic guitar - TV display - Animated characters
Saying this patent applies to Guitar Hero is like saying that milk is the same as beer. You can drink them both, but the experience is completely different.
That which may be trivial today could end up being very important in the long run. Vincent Van Gogh only sold one single painting in his lifetime, as he simply wasn't very popular. If we leave out articles on certain people or events based on our perceptions of their current importance, that information could be lost forever. Let history judge what is or is not trivial, we're just too biased to do so in the present. I'm a fan for inclusion, all the way.
What exactly has Will Wright done other than an early 80's game about building a city, and a game who's main purpose is to wash dishes and trap people in a pool?
I think the point is that Will Wright created the definitive game about building a city, and the definitive game about people washing dishes. There are other city building games, and other games where you push around people and see what they do, but none are as good as the simple and elegant creations that Will Wright has come up with. Following that logic, it's a pretty good bet that Spore will be one of the best (if not the best) game about creature evolution. I wouldn't call it hype; people love Simcity because it's just a damn good game.
It's like a new Zelda or Mario game coming out. There's no guarantee it'll be the best in its class, but I'd put money on it every time.
After reading your response, it's clear I misinterpreted your original post. I assumed you meant that it was the Koreans themselves who were engaging in this "crazy" war, and somehow the world powers were rational in their response. Obviously you meant otherwise, so I apologize for my inflammatory comments. However I do question your choice of the word "mediating" as the word itself implies America and China are neutral factions, which I think we agree they obviously aren't. I'd be more comfortable with saying "the US has prevented further escalation of the Korean conflict."
Semantic disagreements aside, thanks for adding to the actual discussion around this article, as opposed to making Robocop jokes.
As I understand it, there are still people getting killed now and then.
Then unfortunately you don't understand it at all. The last deaths actually at the DMZ happened in 1992, when a small gun battle erupted between North and South Korean troops. Three North Koreans were killed, and two South Koreans wounded. Previous to that, two American soldiers were killed in 1976 due to a dispute over a tree near the border. This certainly does not qualify as "now and then". I've seen the DMZ with my own eyes, and am in fact crossing the border into North Korea in two week's time on a hiking trip.
While the border is no doubt heavily militarized, and tensions exist, it is not as volatile as your FOX-infused imaginations would have you believe. The way I see it, this gun is much more about getting military hardware contracts for Samsung than it is about defending the border.
Here is an article about the wildlife in the DMZ of some interest. Here is the place to go if you want to take a short trip across the border Here is the standard Wikipedia article on the DMZ. Which I wish more posters in this thread would have read.
To begin with, if it weren't for China, the Soviets, Japan, and America, the Korean peninsula would be doing just fine thank you. Koreans would be united as they have been on and off for their 5000 years of history, despite repeated invasions and attempted cultural genocide. To suggest that China and the USA have somehow being "mediating" a domestic dispute between the Korean peoples is ignorant. Korea is a strategic plaything for the powerhouses of the east, and America. The South Korean people have every wish to be united with the DPRK in due time, and the last thing they want is another war, or to intensify the tension that already exists. They consider the North Korean people their brothers and sisters. My supervisor at work cannot visit her grandfather's grave because it is just across the border.
If you want to talk Crazy Olympics, look to the resolution strategies of WWII and ask how we came to be in this situation in the first place. Why do I feel so strongly about this? I live thirty minutes from the DMZ. Criticize the problems in your own backyard before you come knocking over here.
Well, I live in South Korea. There is definitely a market for this, but the question is... is there a western market? There are two channels on my basic cable setup that show live gaming competitions exclusively. There's no gaming news, no gaming documentaries, nothing but live gaming action. One of the channels is StarCraft almost 24/7, but the other one varies quite a bit. Counterstrike and FIFA are popular, but I've also seen such strange stuff as 1v1 WoW duels, and ping pong. When I first moved here, I watched some of it out of interest, but it gets old very, very fast. That may be because my Korean isn't great, and I can't fully understand the commentary. Or it may just be what the parent poster says, "gaming... does not lend itself well to passive viewing". I'd tend to agree.
As with anything, money is what matters. Some of these kids make upwards of six figures and do nothing but game. They live together and play together. This is serious stuff. As soon as some advertisers in the US figure out how much branding they can stick on these gamers' uniforms, rigs, headsets, etc then I predict things may start happening. But don't expect me to watch it.
That all said, when I walk past the studio in the COEX mall and see a huge crowd (of males AND females) cheering, oohing, and ahhhing as the headshots fly... well who am I to judge?
A spacecraft placed there would stay fixed in space, relative to Earth, making it easier to monitor. The Earth would also shield it from the Sun's radiation, which pushes gently on any objects it shines on. Any such push could change the spacecraft's position relative to the tiny "planets" held inside it.
So they've got that much of it thought out. But in regards to the mass of the spacecraft carrying this jar:
And the spacecraft components themselves would exert gravitational forces on the spheres. These forces could be minimised by making the spacecraft as symmetrical as possible and putting its heaviest components as far from the artificial solar system as possible.
"Such an experiment would be quite challenging to set up, but I don't think it is technologically impossible," says MOND expert Stacy McGaugh of the University of Maryland, US.
So while they're full aware of the problems the mass of the craft can cause, they seem to think it's possible to minimize the effects to a reasonable level.
My question is, aren't Lagrangian points going to start to get a bit crowded? There are only five to work with in our neighbourhood and who gets to say who uses which and for how long?
Everything you describe exists here in South Korea.
For the equivalent of about $8 CDN I can go to a DVD-bang, which is a small room that would comfortably fit about 4 or 5 people (who split the cost between them). There are great big comfortable couches and a quality, large flatscreen on the wall. I can pick any DVD they have in their collection, which is more than adequate. And if I do want to see a new release at a theatre... I buy my ticket and reserved seat a few days in advance, show up 2 minutes before the film starts, and sit down in my assigned seat just as the lights are dimming and previews are starting. Nobody talks, and everyone picks up their garbage as they leave. Why we can't be so civilized back home in the west is beyond me.
As an English teacher in Korea, I can assure you that this isn't unusual. Most of my students go to school from 8 am to 8 pm every day, and come home to study. Missing out on developing social skills and never learning how to have fun is the norm, rather than the exception. That aside, you're absolutely right that putting this child in University is not at all the best thing for him. Until Korea's voracious appetite for over-education calms, there will only be more of this. Someday they'll notice a correlation between time spent learning/working to their suicide rate.
That said, many schools are phasing out school on Saturday over the next two to three years.
It is worth noting that the source for the story of Archimedes "death ray" was written by a Roman almost five-hundred years after the event (if memory serves). There is no first-hand description of the construction or event, and it is more than likely a myth that was developed from his other (less ridiculous) weapons. Unfortunately I have had no luck tracking down this source, as most articles on Archimedes I can quickly find simply say "he was said to have..." and "the story is that..." (Any help or clarification is appreciated)
There are countless reasons not to subscribe to Videotron. Though slightly off topic, here are my experiences:
1) On and off internet service for 6 months. The service rep came to my apartment three times, found no issues, and said that it was probably just a temporary issue. He also said that it could be related to the strike of service people that had been going on. 2) Charged for cable television. The first day I got my bill for cable internet, I got a separate bill for cable TV. After 9 months of writing letters, the bill continued to arrive and reached almost $1k, though my net bill was paid on time each month. They only stopped bothering me once I explained the situation to the collection agency they hired. 3) Inefficient administration. When I requested a copy of the contract they claimed I signed regarding cable TV, they said that they didn't have one, and it was my responsibility to keep my copy. 4) Horrific customer service. When trying to solve that problem with the TV bills, I spent a total of 8 hours on the telephone over two days and not once got a satisfactory response or was treated like a human being. I was transferred from department to department, and often told that it was impossible for me to be receiving a bill for a service I didn't request.
I realize that the same complaints could be made about many different service providers, but I have never had the problems that I did with Videotron. I am now a Bell Sympatico subscriber, and entirely satisfied. This is just yet another example of Videotron taking the easy way out, and not standing up for their customers.
Sure, you're right. But who would actually believe this? Who would be naive enough to think that "no late fees" means you keep a movie you rent? After I saw the commercial, I was skeptical. So I went to Blockbuster and asked for details. They gave me a pamphlet that explained it clearly, and now I happen to think it's a good system.
Lawsuits like this are disappointing. Yet another example of people believing that the law should protect themselves from their own idiocy.
People kill people. The gun doesn't "encourage" anyone to go out and use it to kill, it simply provides the opportunity. GTA provides opportunities for many "immoral" acts, but it doesn't necessarily encourage all of them. It in NO way encourages the killing of prostitutes, but in a world where every NPC is able to be killed, it gives that opportunity. Play the game how you like.
In Sim City, I have the opportunity to burn down an entire neighborhood. In Rome: Total War, I have the opportunity to exterminate an entire city. But the game gives me the option to play how I wish to play, and taking away options is just increased control and regulation. I choose choice and common sense.
That all aside, I don't think any of us can say that killing people, prostitutes or otherwise, is alright. But if we pretend that murder doesn't exist, then who's going to teach morals? They don't appear out of nowhere. Sheltering children from the "horrors" of life is doing a disservice. Teaching them what is out there, and explaining what is right and wrong, is called parenting.
This topic has been beaten to death (zing!), but it saddens me to continually see politicians berating an honest industry for problems that their own governance has produced. Video games and television are a reflection and a product of our society, not the other way around.
Someone explain to me why I need to purchase a *slower* processor with less ram to do it for me?
For the same reason people purchase graphics cards with slower clock speeds and less RAM to compliment their blazing fast processors. As the article explains, the CPU is a general purpose chip. A PPU will be fully dedicated to physics, and therefore likely far more efficient. By your logic, all processes in the machine should be handled by a single chip, which while elegant, is probably not the most efficient solution. I predict we will see more specific-purpose chips being developed, not fewer.
Does this remind anyone of the scene from the classic Steve Martin comedy "LA Story"? He is trying to call his mother on his voice activated phone, and has to continually say "Mom" louder and louder each time. The phone dials wrong numbers, dials no number, and generally doesn't work. The scene points out how ridiculous it is that we waste time on time-saving features; it would have taken seconds to dial the number.
A time-saving appliance only makes sense if it: - Works reliably in real-life situations - Has no learning curve - Costs no more than the "time" you "get back" from it
Face-recognition camera phones just don't fit these criteria.
As someone who lives here, I can say that (while funny) this statement is dead wrong.
In the winter, the heat inside is turned on and the windows are shut. This can make it much warmer and stuffier than a breezy summer house on the beach. I could try storing my computer outside, but then there's all that snow...
If this tech can be used to blur faces, it can be quite easily adapted to turn cameras off altogether, with deeply troubling implications
Have we forgotten about plain old film? Or the fact that only cameras that have this feature installed will be affected? Do you actually believe that this will be legislated into each and every digital camera manufactured? Even if that were the case, that would only open up the market for imported, non-blur-enabled, or a black market of hacked de-blur-enabled cameras. No technology this restrictive will ever be all pervasive.
An HP representative said the company had no current plans to commercialize the technology, which would require widespread adoption by camera makers and possibly government mandates to be financially practical
So in short, while an interesting idea, this is yet again a patent on a system that may or may not be put to practical uses in the future. And as far as privacy goes, we have absolutely nothing to worry about. Although it's fun to be paranoid, and the technology is clever... relax.
I'm no expert, so this is just speculation. But if the surface of Mars is covered for the most part in sand and fine dust, that would do a very good job of absorbing the impact of any small meteorites. Given the high speed of the winds there, any crater formed in such loose material would surely be swept away in not too much time (and we have no idea how long ago this "rock" landed).
Slashdot Mirror
Presently, the majority of the students I am watching as I write this ...
Not that I don't agree with the rest of your comment, but what kind of an example is being set by spending personal time posting on Slashdot while your students sit there refusing to do their work?
I play games because they're fun.
There are three of them in the article, which apparently she agreed to. I'm impressed they both put their lives out on display like this, it's a pretty interesting (and quite witty) read.
From the patent itself:
12. The system of either claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the video display and the audio playback transducer are combined in a stereoscopic head set wearable by the user.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the audio portion of the pre-recorded musical performance comprises a separate instrument sound track and whereby the characteristic of the audio portion controlled by the source audio control circuit is a volume level of the instrument sound track played by the system.
19. The system of claim 13 further comprising a headset wearable by the user, the headset having left and right audio speakers and a stereoscopic video display, the left and right speakers operably connected to left and right channels on the source audio output and to the controlled audio output, and the video display operably connected to the source video output.
21. A system for allowing a player using a guitar to control simulated participation in a musical concert during synchronous playback of a pre-recorded concert video track, pre-recorded left and right concert sound tracks, and a separate pre-recorded guitar track, the system comprising:
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the musical instrument is a guitar.
I'm not sure which patent you were reading...
From TFA:
"'simulate participation in a concert by playing musical instrument and wearing a head-mounted 3-D display that includes stereo speakers.' The device described in the patent also includes playback of audio and video of a prerecorded concert and a separate track of audio from the user's instrument, according to the patent form."
- Real musical instrument
- Head mounted 3-D display
- Prerecorded concert
VS.
- Plastic guitar
- TV display
- Animated characters
Saying this patent applies to Guitar Hero is like saying that milk is the same as beer. You can drink them both, but the experience is completely different.
That which may be trivial today could end up being very important in the long run. Vincent Van Gogh only sold one single painting in his lifetime, as he simply wasn't very popular. If we leave out articles on certain people or events based on our perceptions of their current importance, that information could be lost forever. Let history judge what is or is not trivial, we're just too biased to do so in the present. I'm a fan for inclusion, all the way.
What exactly has Will Wright done other than an early 80's game about building a city, and a game who's main purpose is to wash dishes and trap people in a pool?
I think the point is that Will Wright created the definitive game about building a city, and the definitive game about people washing dishes. There are other city building games, and other games where you push around people and see what they do, but none are as good as the simple and elegant creations that Will Wright has come up with. Following that logic, it's a pretty good bet that Spore will be one of the best (if not the best) game about creature evolution. I wouldn't call it hype; people love Simcity because it's just a damn good game.
It's like a new Zelda or Mario game coming out. There's no guarantee it'll be the best in its class, but I'd put money on it every time.
After reading your response, it's clear I misinterpreted your original post. I assumed you meant that it was the Koreans themselves who were engaging in this "crazy" war, and somehow the world powers were rational in their response. Obviously you meant otherwise, so I apologize for my inflammatory comments. However I do question your choice of the word "mediating" as the word itself implies America and China are neutral factions, which I think we agree they obviously aren't. I'd be more comfortable with saying "the US has prevented further escalation of the Korean conflict."
Semantic disagreements aside, thanks for adding to the actual discussion around this article, as opposed to making Robocop jokes.
As I understand it, there are still people getting killed now and then.
Then unfortunately you don't understand it at all. The last deaths actually at the DMZ happened in 1992, when a small gun battle erupted between North and South Korean troops. Three North Koreans were killed, and two South Koreans wounded. Previous to that, two American soldiers were killed in 1976 due to a dispute over a tree near the border. This certainly does not qualify as "now and then". I've seen the DMZ with my own eyes, and am in fact crossing the border into North Korea in two week's time on a hiking trip.
While the border is no doubt heavily militarized, and tensions exist, it is not as volatile as your FOX-infused imaginations would have you believe. The way I see it, this gun is much more about getting military hardware contracts for Samsung than it is about defending the border.
Here is an article about the wildlife in the DMZ of some interest.
Here is the place to go if you want to take a short trip across the border
Here is the standard Wikipedia article on the DMZ. Which I wish more posters in this thread would have read.
Mediation? Excuse me?
To begin with, if it weren't for China, the Soviets, Japan, and America, the Korean peninsula would be doing just fine thank you. Koreans would be united as they have been on and off for their 5000 years of history, despite repeated invasions and attempted cultural genocide. To suggest that China and the USA have somehow being "mediating" a domestic dispute between the Korean peoples is ignorant. Korea is a strategic plaything for the powerhouses of the east, and America. The South Korean people have every wish to be united with the DPRK in due time, and the last thing they want is another war, or to intensify the tension that already exists. They consider the North Korean people their brothers and sisters. My supervisor at work cannot visit her grandfather's grave because it is just across the border.
If you want to talk Crazy Olympics, look to the resolution strategies of WWII and ask how we came to be in this situation in the first place. Why do I feel so strongly about this? I live thirty minutes from the DMZ. Criticize the problems in your own backyard before you come knocking over here.
Does anyone see a market for this sort of event?
... does not lend itself well to passive viewing". I'd tend to agree.
Well, I live in South Korea. There is definitely a market for this, but the question is... is there a western market? There are two channels on my basic cable setup that show live gaming competitions exclusively. There's no gaming news, no gaming documentaries, nothing but live gaming action. One of the channels is StarCraft almost 24/7, but the other one varies quite a bit. Counterstrike and FIFA are popular, but I've also seen such strange stuff as 1v1 WoW duels, and ping pong. When I first moved here, I watched some of it out of interest, but it gets old very, very fast. That may be because my Korean isn't great, and I can't fully understand the commentary. Or it may just be what the parent poster says, "gaming
As with anything, money is what matters. Some of these kids make upwards of six figures and do nothing but game. They live together and play together. This is serious stuff. As soon as some advertisers in the US figure out how much branding they can stick on these gamers' uniforms, rigs, headsets, etc then I predict things may start happening. But don't expect me to watch it.
That all said, when I walk past the studio in the COEX mall and see a huge crowd (of males AND females) cheering, oohing, and ahhhing as the headshots fly... well who am I to judge?
So they've got that much of it thought out. But in regards to the mass of the spacecraft carrying this jar:
So while they're full aware of the problems the mass of the craft can cause, they seem to think it's possible to minimize the effects to a reasonable level.
My question is, aren't Lagrangian points going to start to get a bit crowded? There are only five to work with in our neighbourhood and who gets to say who uses which and for how long?
Everything you describe exists here in South Korea.
For the equivalent of about $8 CDN I can go to a DVD-bang, which is a small room that would comfortably fit about 4 or 5 people (who split the cost between them). There are great big comfortable couches and a quality, large flatscreen on the wall. I can pick any DVD they have in their collection, which is more than adequate. And if I do want to see a new release at a theatre... I buy my ticket and reserved seat a few days in advance, show up 2 minutes before the film starts, and sit down in my assigned seat just as the lights are dimming and previews are starting. Nobody talks, and everyone picks up their garbage as they leave. Why we can't be so civilized back home in the west is beyond me.
As an English teacher in Korea, I can assure you that this isn't unusual. Most of my students go to school from 8 am to 8 pm every day, and come home to study. Missing out on developing social skills and never learning how to have fun is the norm, rather than the exception. That aside, you're absolutely right that putting this child in University is not at all the best thing for him. Until Korea's voracious appetite for over-education calms, there will only be more of this. Someday they'll notice a correlation between time spent learning/working to their suicide rate.
That said, many schools are phasing out school on Saturday over the next two to three years.
It is worth noting that the source for the story of Archimedes "death ray" was written by a Roman almost five-hundred years after the event (if memory serves). There is no first-hand description of the construction or event, and it is more than likely a myth that was developed from his other (less ridiculous) weapons. Unfortunately I have had no luck tracking down this source, as most articles on Archimedes I can quickly find simply say "he was said to have..." and "the story is that..." (Any help or clarification is appreciated)
On the other hand, Apple could also simply start their own music label and really rock the industry.
As I understand it, Apple couldn't legally create their own music label due to an agreement made with Apple Records in the 80's.
See this article for more information.
Ah yes... but the article summary says it's Australiam scientists so clearly we're talking about a hybrid.
There are countless reasons not to subscribe to Videotron. Though slightly off topic, here are my experiences:
1) On and off internet service for 6 months. The service rep came to my apartment three times, found no issues, and said that it was probably just a temporary issue. He also said that it could be related to the strike of service people that had been going on.
2) Charged for cable television. The first day I got my bill for cable internet, I got a separate bill for cable TV. After 9 months of writing letters, the bill continued to arrive and reached almost $1k, though my net bill was paid on time each month. They only stopped bothering me once I explained the situation to the collection agency they hired.
3) Inefficient administration. When I requested a copy of the contract they claimed I signed regarding cable TV, they said that they didn't have one, and it was my responsibility to keep my copy.
4) Horrific customer service. When trying to solve that problem with the TV bills, I spent a total of 8 hours on the telephone over two days and not once got a satisfactory response or was treated like a human being. I was transferred from department to department, and often told that it was impossible for me to be receiving a bill for a service I didn't request.
I realize that the same complaints could be made about many different service providers, but I have never had the problems that I did with Videotron. I am now a Bell Sympatico subscriber, and entirely satisfied. This is just yet another example of Videotron taking the easy way out, and not standing up for their customers.
That is what the ads strongly implied
Sure, you're right. But who would actually believe this? Who would be naive enough to think that "no late fees" means you keep a movie you rent? After I saw the commercial, I was skeptical. So I went to Blockbuster and asked for details. They gave me a pamphlet that explained it clearly, and now I happen to think it's a good system.
Lawsuits like this are disappointing. Yet another example of people believing that the law should protect themselves from their own idiocy.
People kill people. The gun doesn't "encourage" anyone to go out and use it to kill, it simply provides the opportunity. GTA provides opportunities for many "immoral" acts, but it doesn't necessarily encourage all of them. It in NO way encourages the killing of prostitutes, but in a world where every NPC is able to be killed, it gives that opportunity. Play the game how you like.
In Sim City, I have the opportunity to burn down an entire neighborhood. In Rome: Total War, I have the opportunity to exterminate an entire city. But the game gives me the option to play how I wish to play, and taking away options is just increased control and regulation. I choose choice and common sense.
That all aside, I don't think any of us can say that killing people, prostitutes or otherwise, is alright. But if we pretend that murder doesn't exist, then who's going to teach morals? They don't appear out of nowhere. Sheltering children from the "horrors" of life is doing a disservice. Teaching them what is out there, and explaining what is right and wrong, is called parenting.
This topic has been beaten to death (zing!), but it saddens me to continually see politicians berating an honest industry for problems that their own governance has produced. Video games and television are a reflection and a product of our society, not the other way around.
Someone explain to me why I need to purchase a *slower* processor with less ram to do it for me?
For the same reason people purchase graphics cards with slower clock speeds and less RAM to compliment their blazing fast processors. As the article explains, the CPU is a general purpose chip. A PPU will be fully dedicated to physics, and therefore likely far more efficient. By your logic, all processes in the machine should be handled by a single chip, which while elegant, is probably not the most efficient solution. I predict we will see more specific-purpose chips being developed, not fewer.
Does this remind anyone of the scene from the classic Steve Martin comedy "LA Story"? He is trying to call his mother on his voice activated phone, and has to continually say "Mom" louder and louder each time. The phone dials wrong numbers, dials no number, and generally doesn't work. The scene points out how ridiculous it is that we waste time on time-saving features; it would have taken seconds to dial the number.
A time-saving appliance only makes sense if it:
- Works reliably in real-life situations
- Has no learning curve
- Costs no more than the "time" you "get back" from it
Face-recognition camera phones just don't fit these criteria.
As someone who lives here, I can say that (while funny) this statement is dead wrong.
In the winter, the heat inside is turned on and the windows are shut. This can make it much warmer and stuffier than a breezy summer house on the beach. I could try storing my computer outside, but then there's all that snow...
If this tech can be used to blur faces, it can be quite easily adapted to turn cameras off altogether, with deeply troubling implications
Have we forgotten about plain old film? Or the fact that only cameras that have this feature installed will be affected? Do you actually believe that this will be legislated into each and every digital camera manufactured? Even if that were the case, that would only open up the market for imported, non-blur-enabled, or a black market of hacked de-blur-enabled cameras. No technology this restrictive will ever be all pervasive.
An HP representative said the company had no current plans to commercialize the technology, which would require widespread adoption by camera makers and possibly government mandates to be financially practical
So in short, while an interesting idea, this is yet again a patent on a system that may or may not be put to practical uses in the future. And as far as privacy goes, we have absolutely nothing to worry about. Although it's fun to be paranoid, and the technology is clever... relax.
I'm no expert, so this is just speculation. But if the surface of Mars is covered for the most part in sand and fine dust, that would do a very good job of absorbing the impact of any small meteorites. Given the high speed of the winds there, any crater formed in such loose material would surely be swept away in not too much time (and we have no idea how long ago this "rock" landed).