

Ask HN: Local politics and the speed of light – forwarding an innovative agenda? - johnkrnn

Long-time reader, 1st-time poster<p>I am not a physicist - but I was watching a local news channel and heard a politician (Sen. Chuck Schumer) claim that green laser beams travel faster than [red] ones. All else being equal, the speed of light is the speed of light.<p>This was part of a segment outlining an initiative to reduce the number of incidents with lasers and aircraft. I understand that this is serious, and that there are more incidents involving green lasers than other colors - but what is the real problem, and how is vilifying green lasers an appropriate response to the underlying issue?<p>Links in comments.<p>I thought back to an adolescent me: exploring technology and gadgets - and how taking tools and toys out of young mind stifles thought and growth… At what point do we stop restricting products based upon their potential uses? Especially in a land where gun ownership is a God given right.<p>The thought transitioned to regulatory and political environments (specifically American - although not specifically an American problem) and how disconnected it is from technology and innovation - and in this case: basic scientific fact. It seems to me, if you are trying to keep powerful lasers out of the hands of pranksters, then regulate the power - not the color.<p>This disconnect extends in the arena of digital money (bitcoin), and host of digital services (Netflix, Airbnb, Uber etc). The Fed wants same day settlement and lower friction transactions - but we continue to both balk on a concise digital money strategy and disparage digital currency adoption . “The world of bit bumping up against the world of atoms” (T Kalanick) - the friction is caused by the agile and innovative digital world colliding with the real world and our laws and regulations.<p>Are incumbent enterprises and politicians disconnected to a point beyond hope?<p>How do we best forward an innovative agenda inside organizations and states on a political level?
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johnkrnn
Video Clip of news report (sorry for the quality):
[http://youtu.be/MAwzFvdbFcU](http://youtu.be/MAwzFvdbFcU)

Full story from NY1: [http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-
boroughs/news/2015/03/15/schumer-...](http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-
boroughs/news/2015/03/15/schumer-calls-for-ban-on-high-powered-lasers-.html)

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whighlander
Schumer is the same idiot for whom all issues involving Anthropogenic Global
Warming -- is "Settled Science" \-- Prof. Einstein Call your Publicist
immediately

