styropyro in popular science

Our own styropyro Drake Anthony and his laser shotgun is on page 84 of October 2015 Popular Science.

Now more than ever we must all continue to remain very safety conscious and as always continue to protect others even if it means over preaching safety, especially to all newcomers, teaching safety first will be our lifeblood and it is the right thing to do as technology marches forward at light speed.

Why am I not surprised Good for you
I especially like the part that says "but it isn't illegal"

Congratz Styro!

Mine usually arrives a bit late, but I'll have to check it out when it does!

Thats awesome styro!

joeybab3 said:

Thats awesome styro!

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Did you get a chance to read the article?
I mean do you get popular science?
In case you don't it says he got a job at the physical chemistry lab at his university where he is using lasers to make MRI instruments more sensitive, how cool is that?

While I have not yet read the article, I have to say that I am a bit disturbed to hear that this is being published for a host of reasons. Just recently Wired published an article about the best way to make an AR-15 lower, that being utilizing the Ghost Gunner CNC device. I was really angry about this because Wired under the guise of an article on technology, did this for shear sensationalism the proof being that it was their cover story. As a died in the wool libertarian, patriot, 2nd amendment defender, I say that we do not need this kind of article which will only serve to support the gun grabbing, liberal individuals who are destroying our country. I suspect you get the gist of where I am going with this.

On 29 August, I happened to run into Styropyro's Youtube video showcasing his "shotgun." I could relate to his showmanship and enthusiasm simply looking back to my youth filled with elaborate pranks and hooligan activity such as building TV and radio jammers, feeding Dick Gregory dollars into dollar bill changing machines, and as will be mentioned, enjoying phone phreaking machines. (Parenthetically, when the US government complained to Gregory about this at the time he said, something like, "If the government can't tell the difference between me and George Washington, they really have a problem.") I suspected Styropyro was a member of the Forum. I wrote this PM to him:


As the staff of every 3 letter agency in DC must keep busy to maintain their jobs, especially those with LE arms, they are always looking for new things for which they need to stick their noses in. From my experiences in medicine I have seen this with FDA and DEA the details of which are not important. As an example, I was personally involved with the GHB date rape scare. When Dr. Ward Dean asked me to review and write a forward to his book GHB, while I did have a concern for its addictive liability, I agreed to write it anyway because it has clinical efficacy in a number of conditions such as depression, narcolepsy, and insomnia and because I did not want sensationalism to force the government's to legislate against it. In 2000 it was placed in the Schedule I category (no legitimate use) although when sold as sodium oxybate (by a Big Pharma charging a fortune,) it is considered Schedule III. Additionally, GBL, (γ-Butyrolactone achieved Schedule I status.) GBL is a solvent which was widely used in industry.

As I have said before in other threads, bureaucrat are chaffing at the bit to do something about "drones," the new scare word that describes what was always a harmless hobby called RC, radio controlled model planes. The same is true for lasers which are already controlled by the FDA. Does anyone reading this think our government friends want the public to have unrestricted access to what Styropyro created? As diodes are manufactured that are capable of higher and higher optical power you can bet that our government minions will be looking for an "incident" to which they can respond so new legislation can be enacted which will restrict not only lasers but their components.

To this day there is some controversy about Tesla's death. Was he murdered over his death ray? There is no question that an inventor can have an untimely demise. When Gerald Bull failed to sell his long range artillery to the US he turned to a much maligned dictator, one Saddam Hussein who retained his expertise immediately, not just for his "super weapon," but for some Scud design help. The Israelis were not too happy with this arrangement and warned Bull not once, but several times, albeit not directly but with several threatening break-ins to his apartment. Alas, Bull failed to heed the warnings and was allegedly dispatched. Although credit is usually given to Israel, a number of other countries may have done the deed including the US.

Knowledge is a wonderful thing, especially in scientific endeavors which offer humankind technology which can better our lives. I cannot only relate to Stryopro personally but i see in him the genius of the hackers of my generation who created the phone phreaking boxes that allowed me to make free phone calls. We all know what became of these guys. If you don't, I should think the names Steve Wozniak, and Steve Jobs should ring a bell...no pun intended. Styropyro is cut from the same cloth. However, the ability to disseminate information easily was not available to our phone phreaking friends.

The apprehension let alone the dissemination of knowledge demands a responsibility of those who acquire or create it.

The knowledge with respect to making an A-15 should be protected for use by true patriots and should therefore not have been sensationalized. While Styropyro's device is certainly noteworthy from a scientific perspective, the jump from promulgating its mere existence to finding the "how to make" instructions is not much of a leap. So, I think I wise to be very careful and one should be circumspect before making such information widely known by publication in a major media outlet.

So, Styropyro, when you perfect cold fusion, please don't let the cat out of the bag too quickly! (Yes, while I may be joking, I have no doubt that you are capable of making major contributions to the scientific body of knowledge or creating something significant. I seriously respect your intelligence and ability. I just hope you attain maturity with a slop which rises more steeply than your creative abilities and use your intelligence wisely.)

Did you read the article, it is in a very positive light and it's actually quite validating.
It makes the video that has 5 million views less abrasive, this is actually a good thing, our young scientist is helping save lives with his research.
Hooray for lasers and Hooray for small inventors and scientist, we have proof of a winner here.

Ooh I bet Nichia will love that

Congrats!!!

Andrew124C41 said:

While I have not yet read the article, I have to say that I am a bit disturbed to hear that this is being published for a host of reasons. Just recently Wired published an article about the best way to make an AR-15 lower, that being utilizing the Ghost Gunner CNC device. I was really angry ...............

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I had an Instructable up a year ago. It was allllllll. All the research and experience. In one place. Anyone with a computer, even teenagers with a vise and 30 bucks could make a laser using my instructions and have all the knowledge on what not to do such that their diode didn't brake by accident - that's the most important buffer keeping newbies from swarming all over those 5w diodes. I didn't really capitalize on safety too much though, just on one page. It got 100k+ views in a month. Needless to say, I unpublished it. Though it was great for publicity for the laser hobby and could have influenced availability of laser parts and homemade lasers on ebay, it was too dangerous.
I fear that one day, the gum'ment is going to shut down DTR's laser shop.

There would have to happen a whole lot for DTR's shop to be shut down by the government. He's only selling diodes, that can be used for a large variety of things. Sure, you can build handheld lasers with them. But the audience for 100$+ handheld lasers is so small compared to the audience that have 10$ mass produced lasers from China. If they're going to take measures in the future, then it'll be the chinese lasers that get addressed first.

I'm happy for styro, but I agree this isn't very good for the hobby. Publicity will be our doom :/

I would not be surprised at all if something interfered with DTR selling whether it be ebay or above. I can guarantee that Jordan has his ear to the ground. He does not just sell diodes. I consider it a privaledge to be able to purchase a complete module if I want and do not take this for granted.

RedCowboy said:

Did you read the article, it is in a very positive light and it's actually quite validating.
It makes the video that has 5 million views less abrasive, this is actually a good thing, our young scientist is helping save lives with his research.
Hooray for lasers and Hooray for small inventors and scientist, we have proof of a winner here.

Click to expand...

Red,

No I did not read the article yet. As I said, I saw his video and others that he has done on Youtube. I made it very clear at the end of my post that I respect styropyro's intelligence and I am not surprised to learn that he is doing something very positive in his university. My concern is that in the internet age virtually everyone has access to the internet.

I remember back in the 80s, pre-internet, when I first got my FFL/Class III, suppressor parts and instructions were advertised in gun magazines. You could very easily build your own suppressor by purchasing kits. ATF did away with that pretty quickly. Amazingly, there are people today selling similar things under the guise of gun cleaners online. (I think they are ATF fronts but of course I may be wrong.) ATF stepped in on the AR-15 "drop in" conversion as well.

I had a friend who was a top gun smith who at one time worked for H & K and later Sig Sauer. He showed me a "problem" with the HK 94 that has not been identified and fixed. It can be converted to full auto with a matchbook. As far as I know he never published that information and only a few people know this is possible. Can you imagine what would happen if he made a YouTube video!?

Honestly, I identify with him, particularly the carefree, wacky manner of his video. In the 90s I had a friend, later business partner who was a bored millionaire with an immeasurable IQ. He not only had a huge Class 3 business and personal collection, but received training in explosives and had a blasters license and business. I have the uncanny ability to make a perfect imitation of Bullwinkle's voice. We made a video which I narrated in Bullwinkle's voice placing a number of old dynamite charges in holes in the ice of his large pond on 90 acres of property. We set it off. In the same video Bullwinkle narrated how to properly attach a suppressor to an MP 5. He says, "this is useful when you need to kill quietly." I am trying to get across an inane, wacky, playful video I did....when I was in my 40s!

The difference is I have never converted the tape to video to upload to Youtube and I never would. Getting a zillion hits on You Tube because I taught people how to use explosives would be in my opinion, highly irresponsive even if done by Bullwinkle. Parenthetically, we had planned, as crazy as this sounds, to open up a blasting camp somewhere out west. We were only in the conception stage when OK City happened...that was the end of that idea. Now, post 9-11, the whole blasting/explosives industry has changed and only a few, large companies control it....no more mom and pop sales of explosives.

Less is more.

AgentMcBaine said:

I had an Instructable up a year ago. It was allllllll. All the research and experience. In one place. Anyone with a computer, even teenagers with a vise and 30 bucks could make a laser using my instructions and have all the knowledge on what not to do such that their diode didn't brake by accident - that's the most important buffer keeping newbies from swarming all over those 5w diodes. I didn't really capitalize on safety too much though, just on one page. It got 100k+ views in a month. Needless to say, I unpublished it. Though it was great for publicity for the laser hobby and could have influenced availability of laser parts and homemade lasers on ebay, it was too dangerous.
I fear that one day, the gum'ment is going to shut down DTR's laser shop.

Click to expand...

AgentMcBaine...believe me... I get it and support what you did. See what I said to Redcowboy.

Andrew124C41 said:

Red,

No I did not read the article yet. As I said, I saw his video and others that he has done on Youtube. I made it very clear at the end of my post that I respect styropyro's intelligence and I am not surprised to learn that he is doing something very positive in his university. My concern is that in the internet age virtually everyone has access to the internet.

I remember back in the 80s, pre-internet, when I first got my FFL/Class III, suppressor parts and instructions were advertised in gun magazines. You could very easily build your own suppressor by purchasing kits. ATF did away with that pretty quickly. Amazingly, there are people today selling similar things under the guise of gun cleaners online. (I think they are ATF fronts but of course I may be wrong.) ATF stepped in on the AR-15 "drop in" conversion as well.

I had a friend who was a top gun smith who at one time worked for H & K and later Sig Sauer. He showed me a "problem" with the HK 94 that has not been identified and fixed. It can be converted to full auto with a matchbook. As far as I know he never published that information and only a few people know this is possible. Can you imagine what would happen if he made a YouTube video!?

Honestly, I identify with him, particularly the carefree, wacky manner of his video. In the 90s I had a friend, later business partner who was a bored millionaire with an immeasurable IQ. He not only had a huge Class 3 business and personal collection, but received training in explosives and had a blasters license and business. I have the uncanny ability to make a perfect imitation of Bullwinkle's voice. We made a video which I narrated in Bullwinkle's voice placing a number of old dynamite charges in holes in the ice of his large pond on 90 acres of property. We set it off. In the same video Bullwinkle narrated how to properly attach a suppressor to an MP 5. He says, "this is useful when you need to kill quietly." I am trying to get across an inane, wacky, playful video I did....when I was in my 40s!

The difference is I have never converted the tape to video to upload to Youtube and I never would. Getting a zillion hits on You Tube because I taught people how to use explosives would be in my opinion, highly irresponsive even if done by Bullwinkle. Parenthetically, we had planned, as crazy as this sounds, to open up a blasting camp somewhere out west. We were only in the conception stage when OK City happened...that was the end of that idea. Now, post 9-11, the whole blasting/explosives industry has changed and only a few, large companies control it....no more mom and pop sales of explosives.

Less is more.

Click to expand...

You can still legally make explosives for your own use, but you must obey all other laws. Noise ordinances to you name it.
What is the limit on how much tannerite a person can set off at once, 50 pounds isn't it and never for commercial use.
You can still make your own firearms for your own use, but again you must obey all other laws.
We are supposed to be a free people and when we lose freedom of speech and knowledge becomes illegal we are done.
We are nearing a tipping point and our constitution is hanging by a thread, this next election will have much to do with our direction or at least how fast we fall.
For information purposes only has always been the disclaimer and we are headed into bondage as we lose the right to share knowledge as knowledge is the ultimate power and our servant-masters wish to deny us knowledge in order to control us.
Why do think the slave masters forbid their slaves to read books?
They knew if they could gain knowledge they could free them selves.
I stand against limiting what we are allowed to know or say in every possible way, be dammed the tiny fraction of mad men and terrorist, because if we let our fear of them win then we will lose our freedom and we will become the slaves.

I could go on and on about all the ways a mad man could reign down horror on the world with commonly available items but I will bite my tongue.
But understand that no technical manual is needed for a mad man to know how to use a can of gas and a match.
We can not allow our freedom of speech to be limited out of fear of what could be done by mad men or we will not be allowed to talk about 5 gallon buckets because a person could drown in one.

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Atomicrox View Post
I'm happy for styro, but I agree this isn't very good for the hobby. Publicity will be our doom :/

Sorry for the double post, I keep forgetting to use the mutiquote.

It's not publicity that will harm us, it's bad publicity.

Styro being employed by his university and using lasers to make MRI sensors more sensitive could/will allow us to find cancer earlier and so much more.

This is good publicity on the back of what could have been viewed as risky publicity, this is a turn for the better and I appreciate styro turning loose of his autonomy to help and protect us.