2/29    "New Navy Railgun Tests Leading to Ship Superweapon by 2020"
        http://www.csua.org/u/vmd
        - Why are there fire and smoke when the bullet is propelled by EM
          force?
        - "The railgun could hit the same distant targets that Navy missiles
          strike today, he said."  Then what's the point of inventing this new
          weapon?
          \_ Railgun just shoots a projectile.  A missile is a complex
             mechanism with rockets, computers, fins, etc.  Obviously,
             just a dummy projectile is much cheaper.
          \_ you can shoot metal slugs for 1/100000 the cost of
             each missile!
             \_ I see.  Thanks to both.  -- OP
        - Which morons would shoot at their own proud insignia for target
          practice?  (See video at 0:40.)
          \_ USA USA USA!!! Go morans!
        \_ It's the aluminum casing reacting to the air.
        - "The railgun could hit the same distant targets that Navy missiles
          strike today, he said."  Then what's the point of inventing this new
          weapon?
          \_ Railgun just shoots a projectile.  A missile is a complex
             mechanism with rockets, computers, fins, etc.  Obviously,
             just a dummy projectile is much cheaper.
          \_ you can shoot metal slugs for 1/100000 the cost of
             each missile!
             \_ I see.  Thanks to both.  -- OP
          \_ missiles are expensive, cannons much cheaper.  However the
             chemistry of explosions limits muzzle velocity and range.  With
             railgun they can achive much higher muzzle velocities with
             relatively cheap projectiles.
        - Which morons would shoot at their own proud insignia for target
          practice?  (See video at 0:40.)
          \_ USA USA USA!!! Go morans!

2/29    "U.S. announces diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea"
        http://www.csua.org/u/vmc (news.yahoo.com)
        The Kim's threatening has once again worked.