Will public protests even be possible anymore in the future?

[TomViolenz]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014 ... nd-lasers/

In the future you will not need hundreds of loyal goons willing to risk their own safety to supress a protest or uprising, just a few operators in a climatized office a few hundred miles away will suffice....

[beats me]

My only question is will the control software be an Xbox One of PS4 exclusive?

[regretfullySaid]

That would be a great club machine. Instead of the crap it normally shoots you could replace them with foam, fog, spray water, spray some hallucinogenic liquid, and also have it covered in strobes/leds/glo-cords.

I hope those things get stolen quickly.

[skullneck]

This shit is dumb. One cup of water can bring that drone down.

[regretfullySaid]

[TomViolenz]

Interesting reaction. Is it because of the utter hopelesness of the situation, that you meet it with sarcastic humor?!

You can surely not all be that blind to see where this will lead?? Right?!!!

[regretfullySaid]

Hyperbole. 'utter hopelessness'...

Yes the whole world is completely blind to what's been going on and where it's leading. Nice to assume that everyone else is a moron.

The issue is how you choose to spend your mindset about it.

If you want to be Henny Penny that's your choice.

There's some irony to this as an example was stated in the refugee thread that even people in their most dire situations are able to maintain a survival attitude, which includes humor and optimism.

Of course it's good to be realistic, but even if a wound is likely to be fatal, you can make an effort to fight to stay alive or get help or try to heal instead of just laying their saying 'I'm going to die'.

So what were you hoping for? The same old tired 'Evil west, apocalypse is coming, utter hopelessness' horseshite?

There are people who put their time, effort and sometimes lives into helping despite circumstances being hopeless or not and you preach about first world people being selfish and careless while muttering about 'utter hopelessness' while doing what exactly?

Will you still be talking about how shitty other people are after someone comes to rescue you as you're cowering in a corner saying how 'utterly hopeless' the situation is?

Other people are choosing their weapons and armor while you're choosing your coffin; please comment how guilty we all should feel for not lying down because the situation is 'utterly hopeless'.

There are dying old ladies who have more piss and vinegar.

[beats me]

I think for some people there’s an instant jump from something’s intended purpose to how it could be abused to the extreme.

But we do need people who think like that. I just don’t know if their way of thinking is going to pay off in anything other than “Ha! Told you so!”

[eyeknow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABBQw6Ffbb8

[re:dream]

Drones are easy to make. You can have anti-drones.

[TomViolenz]

Hyperbole. 'utter hopelessness'...

Yes the whole world is completely blind to what's been going on and where it's leading. Nice to assume that everyone else is a moron.

The issue is how you choose to spend your mindset about it.

If you want to be Henny Penny that's your choice.

There's some irony to this as an example was stated in the refugee thread that even people in their most dire situations are able to maintain a survival attitude, which includes humor and optimism.

Of course it's good to be realistic, but even if a wound is likely to be fatal, you can make an effort to fight to stay alive or get help or try to heal instead of just laying their saying 'I'm going to die'.

So what were you hoping for? The same old tired 'Evil west, apocalypse is coming, utter hopelessness' horseshite?

There are people who put their time, effort and sometimes lives into helping despite circumstances being hopeless or not and you preach about first world people being selfish and careless while muttering about 'utter hopelessness' while doing what exactly?

Will you still be talking about how shitty other people are after someone comes to rescue you as you're cowering in a corner saying how 'utterly hopeless' the situation is?

Other people are choosing their weapons and armor while you're choosing your coffin; please comment how guilty we all should feel for not lying down because the situation is 'utterly hopeless'.

There are dying old ladies who have more piss and vinegar.

Wow. I must have really angered you somehow....
Respect for the rant though

[TomViolenz]

Drones are easy to make. You can have anti-drones.

Guns are easy to make......

[regretfullySaid]

Drones are easy to make. You can have anti-drones.

aka garden hoses and silly string

Wow. I must have really angered you somehow....

Hardly! It's just easy to picture one of the Golden Girls running into your room, seeing you curled up in a ball in the corner, hoisting you over their shoulder, running out to drop you off on the lawn and then running back into the kitchen to turn off the stove to prevent the gas leak from continuing.

[TomViolenz]

I think for some people there’s an instant jump from something’s intended purpose to how it could be abused to the extreme.

But we do need people who think like that. I just don’t know if their way of thinking is going to pay off in anything other than “Ha! Told you so!”

Sorry, but after seeing how the surveilance capabilities are being used to extremes never witnessed before, I don't see how you can still see this as some sort of hypothetical.

The intended purpose will be to use it to the extreme.

BTW: Did you see who bought the first batch?! Mining companies!!! God forbid miners are allowed to strike for more workers rights and safety.

As to your last line: Sure I don't do anything else, but write posts on a music forum that maybe 20 people still read. Absolutely pointless, agreed. But how is that a relevant argument concerning the topic at hand?!

[TomViolenz]

Drones are easy to make. You can have anti-drones.

aka garden hoses and silly string

Don't confuse hobbyist toy drones, with real drones.
After all even Predator drones are only drones.

They have been notoriously hard to shoot down with rubber bands as the Taliban had to discover