Off Topic (2 Viewers)

[The_Doc_Man]

One common "conspiracy theory" option is that Area 51 is actually running tests on a new generation of ships with incredible performance and those sightings were merely test flights. The source is not unknown - it is a government that likes to keep secrets, so it differs from your first bullet by having a well-known and perfect understood origin.

 

[moke123]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1382923075470159872

 

[AccessBlaster]

One common "conspiracy theory" option is that Area 51 is actually running tests on a new generation of ships with incredible performance and those sightings were merely test flights. The source is not unknown - it is a government that likes to keep secrets, so it differs from your first bullet by having a well-known and perfect understood origin.

Where did Area 51 get their radical new ideas like the stealth bomber for instance?

Supposedly we did not have the ability to miniaturize things like radios and did not have transistors until around Roswell 1947.

 

[Isaac]

So basically they are miniature and various 'leaks' from the ever-developing super secret military stuff! I can get on board with that - probably true

 

[AccessBlaster]

 

[AccessBlaster]

 

[Isaac]

With respect to gun control, although I lean conservative on it, I do wonder (sincerely) what might be the effect, IF, we could actually remove most guns from circulation. Meaning ALL circulation. To the point where the viewpoint which I now have, the common sense "if you ban guns, only criminals will have guns", since they obviously will still be able to get guns, just maybe not legally...........would no longer apply.

But theoretically, if the circulation and existence of them actually could be eliminated, then where would we be? I suppose then there would still be the other valid typical concerns: 1) unable to defend yourself to the 'max' against all other violence, 2) unable to deter hypothetical rogue government.

I just pictured another weird thing. If common civilian guns became much more high tech, to where they could be remotely disabled. Actually I'm not sure where I was going with that. Probably I saw "I, Robot" too many times over the past few weeks on cable.

 

[AccessBlaster]

 

[Darrell]

Probably I saw "I, Robot" too many times over the past few weeks on cable.

Ugh.. Once was enough for me. A completely miserable take on Asimov's great collection of short stories!

 

[Isaac]

Ugh.. Once was enough for me. A completely miserable take on Asimov's great collection of short stories!

Me too, but my wife has a habit of watching movies several times as they play over and over during a several week period. I believe we hit roughly 5x on The Proposal over the last year!

 

[The_Doc_Man]

With respect to gun control, although I lean conservative on it, I do wonder (sincerely) what might be the effect, IF, we could actually remove most guns from circulation. Meaning ALL circulation. To the point where the viewpoint which I now have, the common sense "if you ban guns, only criminals will have guns", since they obviously will still be able to get guns, just maybe not legally...........would no longer apply.

But theoretically, if the circulation and existence of them actually could be eliminated, then where would we be? I suppose then there would still be the other valid typical concerns: 1) unable to defend yourself to the 'max' against all other violence, 2) unable to deter hypothetical rogue government.

I just pictured another weird thing. If common civilian guns became much more high tech, to where they could be remotely disabled. Actually I'm not sure where I was going with that. Probably I saw "I, Robot" too many times over the past few weeks on cable.

If we are looking at hypotheticals and science fiction solutions, the A.E. vanVogt novel The Weapon Shops of Isher had an interesting approach. You could own a gun but it would be tied to some part of your brain (somehow) and you could ONLY use the gun for defense. Some sort of AI in the gun could tell your intent and lock itself up if you were being nefarious.

While I recognize that the movie I, Robot was a mish-mosh of several of Asimov's stories, it DID include a nice non-Asimov concept. The premise was that the V.I.K.I. would protect people by preventing them from doing anything. As we well know, the most secure computer in the world is one that doesn't do anything. AND the second most secure computer in the world is one that has no contact to the outside world. So the robots picked option #2 because option #1 risked greater harm to humans than simple isolation.

As a computer person and an avid reader of Asimov when I was younger, I of course saw flaws here and there - but I am able to suspend my sense of doubt when I know that something is going to take me for a ride of my imagination. So I didn't think I, Robot was absolutely terrible. Just not the best robot movie I've ever seen. But heck, it was a fun ride.

 

[moke123]

You have smart phones, smart watches, smart cars, etc. Why not smart guns? They exists but the 2nd amendment crowd thinks that the government will somehow be able to turn them off so there is incredible resistance.

 

[Steve R.]

We have "smart" cars. I have not been following the subtleties of car "black boxes" but from the conspiracy angle, there have been rumors to the effect the cars (in the future) will have a kill switch which the police can activate to disable a car that they are pursuing. Most cars also come equipped with GPS now, so their location will always be known. My car, I already know, spies on me.

I haven't gone back to search through my SF collection, but there have been numerous, usually funny, short stories of home appliances (AI based) refusing to "work" or turning in their owners to the police for some sort of absurd violation.

More or less random news stories. Both stories are from 2014.

Remote Kill Switches Disable Cars With Missed Payments

Devices are being installed in cars that can disable them at any time, and in any place, with the push of a button on a phone or computer.

www.nbcnews.com

Decoding What's Inside Your Car's Black Box | Edmunds

With event data recorders now in 96 percent of new cars, it's important that drivers know what they are, how they work and who controls the data they produce.

www.edmunds.com

 

[Isaac]

You have smart phones, smart watches, smart cars, etc. Why not smart guns? They exists but the 2nd amendment crowd thinks that the government will somehow be able to turn them off so there is incredible resistance.

Why not? I'm not sure why not, but what would the actual plan be? So let's say we have smart guns. How would that help? Or what would the plan be to reduce cases of malicious usage? The only possible answer does actually have to do with turning them off at the right moment....doesn't it?
I'm just trying to develop this thought a little, I also was thinking about this

 

[AccessBlaster]

The problem with smart technology on guns is simple, they may not go bang when you need it.

It's interesting how the people who create the mess always seem to have a solution to fix it.

 

[Steve R.]

 

[Isaac]

Has anyone come across any information that has to do with the Pfizer vaccine causing weird mental changes of any kind?

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Wifey and I had both rounds of Pfizer. We're just as crazy as ever. Or at least I can't tell the difference.

 

[AccessBlaster]

Has anyone come across any information that has to do with the Pfizer vaccine causing weird mental changes of any kind?

After my first Pfizer jab, I felt the sudden urge to smash a Starbucks window. I should have an update after my next jab on Thursday 4/29

 

[Isaac]

Well, my 2nd one was definitely when it 'got interesting'. Got jabbed Fri 7:20 AM, went to bed feeling fine. Told son "so many rumors - HA - I've beaten it!". Woke up a couple hours later shaking like a can in a paint shaker from head to toe. Major fever, didn't take my temp so can't say, but my body felt like it had just come out of the oven to the touch. Freezing cold. Then hot, then cold, all the usual feverish feelings. Solid fever and shaking for the first 8 hours, then couldn't move for about 15 hours. Slept most of yesterday (Sat), was up to a very casual engagement in the evening, barely. Feeling almost normal now. Oh, almost forgot about the splitting headache, fortunately, had something leftover on hand for that.

Heck of a 'vaccine' !!