One step closer to Skywalker

http://singularityhub.com/2011/05/19/man-chooses-to-cut-off-his-hand-–-and-get-a-bionic-one-video/

We all remember when Luke Skywalker got his hand cut off! It was the high point of the best movie in one of the world's greatest science fantasy epics ever.

We all remember how Luke got a replacement hand pretty damn quick that is just about as good as the original.

Well, we're one step closer.

Just watch the video in this article, you will be AMAZED.

I want a lightsaber that doesn't automatically restrict itself to 3 feet in length.

Okay, I'm going to just say it: Obi-Wan was full of shit. Light sabers are as brutal and vicious as a blaster (I mean, what's worse, horrible lacerations and second/third degree burns...or horrible lacerations and second/third degree burns AND dismemberment), and UNLIKE a blaster, they require intense training and dedication to use well.

That's NOT good.

One of the reasons the USA was able to break free of the British Empire was due to the fact that we had the weapons and ability to use them. Guns are, to be frank, easier to train.

It takes generations to whip up a good longbowman, and a lifetime to make a really good swordsman. That's part of why knights were at the top of the heap for so long. And because they could thrash the pants off anyone who rose up against them, they stayed on top of the heap.

It wasn't until the pike and crossbow kicked off the infantry revolution and the gun cemented it that things started to change for the freer in Europe. Obviously, there were other facets (such as the increase of commerce and the growth of the 'merchant' class, as well as general educations levels improving), but ignoring the effect of weapons that can be used by COMMON PEOPLE rather than the elite is just...stupid.

Lightsabers are just an artifact of this paradigm.

Give me a blaster any day.

And more importantly, THE HAND IS WHAT WAS IMPORTANT!

Jesus, we're only looking at a significant step towards full functionality for people who until VERY recently were looking forward to a lifetime of USING A HOOK!

Heck, it's only a matter of time before our 'fake' hands are stronger than biological ones!

I'm waiting for the skullgun.

Interestingly, I once heard that while the British were getting really screwed over on the ground, Nealson started hunting around to see if he could find any longbow men, as the longbow would be ludicrously effective against "modern" infantry, as they were in tight formation.

Of course, something else that would be effective against "modern" infantry.

Dragons.

Which were just as likely as fielding enough longbow men in time to change the course of the war. As my history professor put it: "English Longbow men were FREAKING MUTANTS."

Apparently their right arms tended to be bigger than the left, and they had bone spurs on their wrists from firing that honking bow since they were old enough to pull the damn thing.

So, English Army = Original X-Men? YOU DECIDE!

...we're getting off track.

THAT HAND IS SO FUCKING COOL!

HE CAN TIE HIS SHOES!

That's better than I can do!