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Comment Re:Not ill timed... (Score 1, Insightful) 633

I'm not sure the gun ownership laws in the US are the major issue, to me (as an outsider, European) it seems more a society thing, the whole 'right to bear arms' doesn't sound like a healthy mindset to me.

Not only that but the attitude of a large proportion of people in the US seems to be that "because I have the right to own a gun I should own one!" where as the vast majority of western Europeans, even though in many cases they *could* own a gun, would think "why would I want a gun?".

One thing they're trying out in the UK at the moment, to try and discourage smoking, is a complete ban on tobacco advertising, including in the shop. So anywhere that sells tobacco products has to keep them out of site, behind a screen with no branding visible. If you were a shop that only sold tobacco products I believe you would have to have a plain front to the shop with no products or branding visible.

Maybe something like that, over time, could help discourage the 'gun culture' that seems endemic in the USA..?

Comment Re:Old Idea (Score 1) 70

From TFA:

The air delivery vehicles to be developed by the program need to meet certain criteria. These include the ability to drop payloads of up to 3 lb (1.4 kg) within 10 m (33 ft) of a target landing spot and cover a lateral distance of over 150 km (93 mi) when released from a stationary balloon at 10,670 m (35,000 ft).

That would require a glide ratio of nearly 15:1 so a parachute (or even a paraglider) wouldn't quite do the job. I'm imagining it'll be something like a self steering mini hangglider or sailplain.

Of course being unpowered the aircraft's range will depend on wind direction (it won't get as far flying into a head-wind). The one thing I am curious about is how they are going to control the direction of the craft once launched if it truly is unpowered.

Comment New Top Gear (Score 1) 294

Netflix are also producing Clarkson, May and Hamond's new show. It won't be called Top Gear of course, the BBC still own the name, but it's being made by the original production crew and the same cast of course.

Personally I'm looking forward to the three way super-hybrid showdown (McLaren P1, Porsche 918 Spyder, and Ferrari La Ferrari) which I've been informed will be filmed next month...

Disclosure: I don't work for Netflix but am friends with one of the ex Top Gear staff.

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