Comments on: Fire Phasers! http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/04/09/fire-phasers/ Reality-based political commentary Wed, 13 May 2026 04:47:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Michale http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/04/09/fire-phasers/#comment-35139 Michale Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:40:24 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7199#comment-35139 <I>The fact that Americans are allowed to own guns is largely down to pure historical luck. It is the same reason that marijuana is illegal but tobacco isn't - history decided it should be this way. There is nothing logical, rational or well thought about their legality - just that history played it out this way.</I> Can't argue the logic.. Kudos... Michale The fact that Americans are allowed to own guns is largely down to pure historical luck. It is the same reason that marijuana is illegal but tobacco isn't - history decided it should be this way. There is nothing logical, rational or well thought about their legality - just that history played it out this way.

Can't argue the logic.. Kudos...

Michale

]]> By: michty6 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/04/09/fire-phasers/#comment-35113 michty6 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:54:24 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7199#comment-35113 The fact that Americans are allowed to own guns is largely down to pure historical luck. It is the same reason that marijuana is illegal but tobacco isn't - history decided it should be this way. There is nothing logical, rational or well thought about their legality - just that history played it out this way. If guns, just like ray guns, were invented today there isn't a chance in hell the general population would be allowed to carry them. Just like if marijuana and tobacco were just invented today there isn't a chance in hell they would make tobacco legal and marijuana illegal. The fact that Americans are allowed to own guns is largely down to pure historical luck. It is the same reason that marijuana is illegal but tobacco isn't - history decided it should be this way. There is nothing logical, rational or well thought about their legality - just that history played it out this way.

If guns, just like ray guns, were invented today there isn't a chance in hell the general population would be allowed to carry them. Just like if marijuana and tobacco were just invented today there isn't a chance in hell they would make tobacco legal and marijuana illegal.

]]> By: Chris Weigant http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/04/09/fire-phasers/#comment-35077 Chris Weigant Thu, 11 Apr 2013 23:50:35 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7199#comment-35077 Michale - Somehow I knew you'd like this column. As for civilian use, what concerns me (and what is a lot more real) are the weapons the military has been developing which are also "ray gun" weapons, but non-lethal (supposedly) for "crowd control." In particular, their "heat gun" weapon, and I believe they are working on a "sound gun" style weapon as well. They haven't been used domestically... yet. But it's another one of those "the future is now" things where technology has leapt ahead of public discussion. -CW Michale -

Somehow I knew you'd like this column.

As for civilian use, what concerns me (and what is a lot more real) are the weapons the military has been developing which are also "ray gun" weapons, but non-lethal (supposedly) for "crowd control." In particular, their "heat gun" weapon, and I believe they are working on a "sound gun" style weapon as well.

They haven't been used domestically... yet. But it's another one of those "the future is now" things where technology has leapt ahead of public discussion.

-CW

]]> By: Michale http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/04/09/fire-phasers/#comment-35050 Michale Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:34:43 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7199#comment-35050 Joshua, Yea, I have seen those.. I am trying to find one to fit my Samsung Fusion I997 :D But think about it. The TOS communicator with the flip up mesh antenna just BEGS for a cell phone version! :D Nokia made a prototype one... http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=pUeQJXznCtY#t=177s Perchance to dream... :D Michale Joshua,

Yea, I have seen those.. I am trying to find one to fit my Samsung Fusion I997 :D

But think about it. The TOS communicator with the flip up mesh antenna just BEGS for a cell phone version! :D

Nokia made a prototype one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=pUeQJXznCtY#t=177s

Perchance to dream... :D

Michale

]]> By: nypoet22 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/04/09/fire-phasers/#comment-35046 nypoet22 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:26:06 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7199#comment-35046 michale, ask and ye shall receive: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/08/05/turn-your-iphone-into-a-star-trek-communicator/ ~joshua michale,

ask and ye shall receive:

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/08/05/turn-your-iphone-into-a-star-trek-communicator/

~joshua

]]> By: Michale http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/04/09/fire-phasers/#comment-35041 Michale Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:20:21 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7199#comment-35041 <I>I hope of course that these will be made available to the public so 'law abiding citizens' (LOL) can shoot lasers at each other.</I> But, in all seriousness, you do bring up an interesting question.. Would a laser or phaser be considered a firearm or ordinance? :D But in response to your point, if cops or crooks start carrying lasers, then yes. They SHOULD be made available to law abiding citizens... Provided they meet the criteria as a "firearm" as opposed to "ordinance"... Michale I hope of course that these will be made available to the public so 'law abiding citizens' (LOL) can shoot lasers at each other.

But, in all seriousness, you do bring up an interesting question..

Would a laser or phaser be considered a firearm or ordinance? :D

But in response to your point, if cops or crooks start carrying lasers, then yes. They SHOULD be made available to law abiding citizens... Provided they meet the criteria as a "firearm" as opposed to "ordinance"...

Michale

]]> By: Michale http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/04/09/fire-phasers/#comment-35040 Michale Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:00:33 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7199#comment-35040 <I>I hope of course that these will be made available to the public so 'law abiding citizens' (LOL) can shoot lasers at each other.</I> It already is.. It's called "LAZER TAG" :D Michale I hope of course that these will be made available to the public so 'law abiding citizens' (LOL) can shoot lasers at each other.

It already is..

It's called "LAZER TAG" :D

Michale

]]> By: michty6 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/04/09/fire-phasers/#comment-35038 michty6 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:46:32 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7199#comment-35038 I hope of course that these will be made available to the public so 'law abiding citizens' (LOL) can shoot lasers at each other. I hope of course that these will be made available to the public so 'law abiding citizens' (LOL) can shoot lasers at each other.

]]> By: Michale http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/04/09/fire-phasers/#comment-35028 Michale Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:11:18 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7199#comment-35028 <I>The video, which I am too lazy to search for at the moment, shows a ship-mounted laser cannon (again, they probably call it something else, but that's essentially what it is) shooting down an unmanned drone aircraft out of the sky.</I> Just a point of Trek history.. Captain Christopher Pike, Kirk's predecessor, captained the USS Enterprise which was armed with, what was indeed called, a Laser Cannon. It was a mobile device that could be beamed off the ship to a location and tap into the ship's warp engines to bring awesome destructive power to bear. Awesome commentary!! :D Now if we can just get smartphones in the shape of the old style communicators, I'll be in hog heaven.. :D Michale The video, which I am too lazy to search for at the moment, shows a ship-mounted laser cannon (again, they probably call it something else, but that's essentially what it is) shooting down an unmanned drone aircraft out of the sky.

Just a point of Trek history..

Captain Christopher Pike, Kirk's predecessor, captained the USS Enterprise which was armed with, what was indeed called, a Laser Cannon. It was a mobile device that could be beamed off the ship to a location and tap into the ship's warp engines to bring awesome destructive power to bear.

Awesome commentary!! :D

Now if we can just get smartphones in the shape of the old style communicators, I'll be in hog heaven.. :D

Michale

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