For the sci-fi geeks with too much money.....

[Lanius]

Situation isn't post scarcity if there is fierce competition among the various AIs for resources... and if they are expansionist..

[Harold Tuttle]

pulse rifle's need a sidearm

[AJ Dual]

Situation isn't post scarcity if there is fierce competition among the various AIs for resources... and if they are expansionist..

Just finished it, a nice story. Although I don't think the Ultrabrights expansion was realistic. They were changing whole star systems into computronium, but their capabilities didn't seem to be an order of magnitude greater than the predatory Superbrights in actual practice.

"Can't stand to spend any time in realtime." etc. Well, they could/should just edit themselves to be able to stand it.

Just as the Superbrights should have just edited themselves to not need mortal lives for sensory input.

Just my opinion, but even at sub-light expansion fronts, such runaway growth, given the age of the universe and even just Population II star systems/planets, if even one intelligence has gone this way, we'd see evidence of it, or not be here because Sol and planets were already colonized/consumed.

I see two possibilities.

1. Grey goo or strong-AI galaxy-eating computronium scenarios don't really happen.

2. They do happen, and we're living inside a simulation.

[Lanius]

Just as the Superbrights should have just edited themselves to not need mortal lives for sensory input.

Maybe it was beyond their capabilities. I mean, once it's possible to understand consciousness and thought, once those topics are researched, I expect it'll be a major feat to really understand how we think and why.

I don't think it'll happen. Simply put, people hate spam, and grey goo situations are basically spammers running amok. It'll be basically the best excuse to break out thermonuclear fireworks you can imagine, loose, uncontrolled replicators.

[lee n. field]

Just my opinion, but even at sub-light expansion fronts, such runaway growth, given the age of the universe and even just Population II star systems/planets, if even one intelligence has gone this way, we'd see evidence of it, or not be here because Sol and planets were already colonized/consumed.

I see two possibilities.

1. Grey goo or strong-AI galaxy-eating computronium scenarios don't really happen.

2. They do happen, and we're living inside a simulation.

A couple more.

3. Singularities happen, but rarely, and they burn out or transcend some more.  They don't expand to fill everything.  See Vinge's Marooned in Realtime

4. What we think are reasonable assumptions about interstellar expansion, aren't.  It  really isn't possible or practical.

5.  We're it.  Unique in the cosmos.  Either first, or only ever.

[Lanius]

Egan has a short story, in which one guy has to convince the other it just wouldn't be fair to take over the galaxy via von neumann probes while the rest of humanity is busy having fun, mostly in VR, in the solar system..

Uploading makes real estate cheap, solar system is vast, in the absence of exponential growth, there is no other reason for expansion except exploration, and that's a niche affair.

[TommyGunn]

pulse rifle's need a sidearm



............

Just what we need, a bolt action revolver ..... 

[Harold Tuttle]

it will drop a replicant at 10 paces

[Devonai]

But what if the replicant doesn't know he's a replicant?  Or the replicant is a still-hot Daryl Hannah?

[Perd Hapley]

It will still drop it at 10 paces.

[Devonai]

That's not fair.

I just realized I never responded to the OP.  $900 is pretty ridiculous for a non-functional rubber duck.  I have seen a 9x19mm replica built on a MAC, but as others have pointed out it was a very costly endeavor.  I would love to see an M41A Airsoft rifle and I would pay upwards of $300 if it was one of the high-quality brands and had a functional LED round counter.

I'm not sure, but it looks like the M41A has a barrel longer than 10".  If one were content to build a semi-auto replica it would certainly be cheaper to start with a non-NFA AO Thompson.  You could also compromise and put an Airsoft shotgun on there if you wanted to save yourself the trouble of the AOW registration.  If they ever did come out with an Airsoft version of the whole thing then you might be able to cannibalize it for the furniture.  Then you could keep the entire project under $1500.

[kgbsquirrel]

I seem to recall PTK giving the ATF a serious headache when he asked them to classify a firearm whose single receiver was designed to house both a semi-automatic rifle and shotgun. If I'm remembering right it went something like "please don't ask us to classify that, it makes our heads hurt and ears bleed." I'm thinking it might be time to entertain the notion of a true purpose built M41-A. 


Oh, gratuitous pulse rifle video....
http://youtu.be/am76xV8Aubk

[Sindawe]

2019 is not that far off.

Where the frell are my flying cars?  I was promised flying cars, but I don't see any flying cars!  Why?

Well, if I can't have flying cars I guess I'll just have to content myself with working on bioluminescent Pelvicachromis pulcher.  Sod working on just eyes.

What do you want?

Who do you serve?

Just my opinion, but even at sub-light expansion fronts, such runaway growth, given the age of the universe and even just Population II star systems/planets, if even one intelligence has gone this way, we'd see evidence of it, or not be here because Sol and planets were already colonized/consumed.

Another thought; that the universe is rife with life bearing and/or life supporting planets.  Heck, life here thrives around black smokers at the bottom of the ocean and eats freaking ROCKS.  Perhaps tool making life that lives in some sort of civilzation is sorta rare, so its left alone since there are so may other places to live with nobody to so sue for damages to the lawn when you move in.  And occasionally those other civilizations become smart/developed enough to engauge in profitable trade with.  Best to just leave primatives sit in squalor so the Primatives-Rights nuts are happy and don't get their tentics in a knot on the daily info feed.

It really isn't possible or practical.

The world is flat.  Go to far and you'll fall off the edge.

Any human being that travels faster than 15 mph will die of heart failure.

Heavier than air flight is a pipe dream.

The Internet will fail.

[Devonai]

Well, here's an Airsoft one, but if I were to spend $800 on a "sci-fi" firearm I would just get a BSG-inspired FN 5.7.

http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/airsoft/AEG_AEP_RedWolf_Custom_Guns_RWC_ALIENS_M41_A_Pulse_Rifle_Pre_Order.htm

[MicroBalrog]

2019 is not that far off.

Where the frell are my flying cars?  I was promised flying cars, but I don't see any flying cars!  Why?

[erictank]

That's not fair.

I just realized I never responded to the OP.  $900 is pretty ridiculous for a non-functional rubber duck.  I have seen a 9x19mm replica built on a MAC, but as others have pointed out it was a very costly endeavor.  I would love to see an M41A Airsoft rifle and I would pay upwards of $300 if it was one of the high-quality brands and had a functional LED round counter.

I'm not sure, but it looks like the M41A has a barrel longer than 10".  If one were content to build a semi-auto replica it would certainly be cheaper to start with a non-NFA AO Thompson.  You could also compromise and put an Airsoft shotgun on there if you wanted to save yourself the trouble of the AOW registration.  If they ever did come out with an Airsoft version of the whole thing then you might be able to cannibalize it for the furniture.  Then you could keep the entire project under $1500.

No need to cannibalize: http://www.airsoftextreme.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=664  Pulse rifle kit designed for an Airsoft M1A1 Thompson, $450.  States it fits any (airsoft) M1A1.  Shotgun doesn't work, though the slide moves.

For Airsoft use, add it to http://www.airsoftextreme.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=364_67_532&products_id=1897, the Tokyo Marui M1A1 (from what I remember, TM is the "gold standard" for Airsoft guns) at $350 - and you're STILL a hundred bucks cheaper than the non-functional wallhanger.  Or you could buy one of the cheaper ones - that site shows 3 different makers of M1A1s, going down to $160.  Or, another manufacturer has one all put together for you already, at a couple of bucks less than the kit+TM from Airsoft Extreme: http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/airsoft/AEG_AEP_RedWolf_Custom_Guns_RWC_ALIENS_M41_A_Pulse_Rifle_Pre_Order.htm.

Too bad I already have so many other things to spend money on...

ETA: didn't see that Devonai had already found the Redwolf M41A.

[Harold Tuttle]

mine can put a hurt on the local vermin

[TommyGunn]

EDIT by author.  Subject already covered.

[seeker_two]

mine can put a hurt on the local vermin

Hmmmmm....that gets me thinking....can you mount a single-shot flare pistol under a rifle and be NFA compliant?.....

[AJ Dual]

Yes.

However, if you get too smart for your britches, stick a 12ga flare adapter in there that happens to fit regular 12ga shells, you've manufactured an unregistered NFA SBS.