>> Fortunately it's usually pretty easy to tell

Glad to know. Reminds me of people doing time runs in games (course this makes more sense as emulators can mess up timing); the pieces should be viewed the lens of the process (e.g. Anne Frank's diary is inseparable from it). Hell, art forgeries can gain their own fame if good enough:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmyr_de_Hory

"I thought Raul Julia was Puerto Rican. I didn't know he was ... Cuban!" - mst3k, Overdrawn at the Memory Bank

Points for most even handed comment in thread so far (except mine of course :). The problems with this isn't technology but people (they are always getting in the way!). UAVs could serve a niche use, but the benefits of using locals (where applicable) can't be over emphasized. Teach a man to fish and all that.

Love the Coca-Cola distribution system. Talk about thinking inside the crate.

Schizo doesn't count as even handed? Who said that?

>> These high tech devices will be stolen by the bucket load.

If these "high tech devices" were just parachuted modules, that wouldn't be the issue. This thing, well yeah. Parachuted supplies might be spotted. If technique is used long enough, you might have people watching out for them. Then stealing them before the intended recipient or shaking them down. If THAT became a problem, the people needing it wouldn't want these drops drawing attention them because they don't want to be curb stomped by some thug.

>> Google for copper theft and that even happens in the west.

Alabama =? National Champions ... Roll tide I guess...
http://blog.al.com/wire/2011/08/alabama_leads_the_nation_in_th.html

So bad, they park police next to the utility trucks now.

The bigger concern wouldn't be flying UAVs in bad conditions as GP mentioned, but protecting the supplies from drop to receipt. Honestly, snow storms would help for lot of medical supplies (e.g. penicillin) - too bad the places that could benefit the most are in hot/arid/desert conditions.

This submission is lacking, but not for the reasons given. These are not the first people to do this - and really it is just combo thing anyways (i.e. airdrops + UAVs) like smartphones so it's all about execution and detail.

I agree talking about storms is misleading, but if not talking geomagnetic, solar, or severe thunder storms it shouldn't be issue for radio communication at the proper frequency range. If you can, you're better off waiting for conditions to clear. If the supplies had to be flown, you could mitigate some problems by flying above the cloud.

The signal should be encrypted, but physically intercepting aid is ALWAYS a problem. Probably not a big deal in this case though. 1. Not as much supplies, so not as much motivation to intercept. 2. These would probably not be Predator sized UAVs, so difficult to detect. 3. Hitting a small target at a high altitude with conventional guns? This is real life.

Spot

There is already different levels of testing/fielding of this technology. See:

http://defense-update.com/products/q/quickmeds.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAI_RQ-7_Shadow

See shadow:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAI_RQ-7_Shadow

It would be disingenuous to not mention world editors when talking about "cheating" in minecraft. Not to say I even agree with that label (and it usually comes from ones that haven't created huge in game constructions), however there is editor haters and in-world builders are keen to emphasize the methodology used (often recording it). Again, I think art can be judged on the product (e.g. "classical" ) AND/OR the process (e.g. sand mandalas). Creating something in a computer modeler/editor takes some skill and good eye for symmetry, lines, and details as well. Does it take as long? Of course not; the process/product is just a different school of art. Adversity can produce great art, but it is not the only progenitor.

Google "minecraft ghibli world" and read some of the comments by the "haters". I don't even know (or care) if it is editor or in-game created, and maybe it was just one or two comments. I should know better than to read youtube comments.

For something almost purely process, see "minecraft far lands or bust". I would argue that this too is art.

You'll never top the universe ... until the end when get to pop out our own bubble universes. Mine's going to have blackjack and hookers. Course the Me in Mine is an amalgamation of entities spread out over space-time. You know, on second thought .. forget the blackjack.

>> they'll have forgotten about it in a month or two anyway

Huh? Women (hell even 8yr old girls) don't forget ANYTHING done or said to them.

Oooh.. I want to try.

I don't always use multiple inheritance ... but when I do I use pure abstract interfaces.

6) Dupe (CmdrTaco is dead long live CmdrTaco)

OMG .. you've started Train flame war. This will be too nerdy for even slashdot's blood.

They just don't want people to know all their medical information got compromised as well. Just kidding (for now) but only a matter of time before some major RHIO/HIE/NHIN to be breached.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/03/health-net-inc-security-lapse-leads-to-loss-of-personal-information-for-nearly-2-million-current-and.html
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/administrative/breachnotificationrule/breachtool.html

Just proves again .. Doctors and the medical industry fail at computers.