New Smart Bullet Steers in Midair and Follows Target to Hit Targets a Mile Away

Gun violence has incessantly plagued the African American community. In 1996, 29,183 males were killed by guns: 12,014 in homicides, 15,808 in suicides, 1,004 in unintentional deaths, and 357 in deaths of unknown intent. During the same time period, firearms were the second leading cause of death for African-American males aged five to 14, and the leading cause of death among African- American males aged 15 to 24. In 2007, the homicide rate for black male teens was 67.1 per 100,000, nearly 20 times higher than the rate for white males (3.4 per 100,000). Now there may be a new factor on the horizon that may increase these morbid rates of violence. Just over the two weeks in Chicago, 55 people were shot of which 10 were killed by gunshot wounds withing 50 hours. This past Thursday, 13 people were shot and2 dead in an six hour period in Chicago.

Two researchers from Sandia National Laboratories have created a four-inch bullet that can hit a target a mile away. With the use of laser points at the target, and an optical sensor on the bullet, it locks in and follows its target until it hits it. The 4-inch-long bullet has guidance and control electronics to steer its fins in midflight as it homes in on a target as well as little fins on the bullet keep it from spinning and help “steer” its path.

Continual course adjustment means the bullet can hit laser-designated targets at distances of more than a mile making it in essence a 50 caliber self-guided , miniaturized, low-budget guided missile. “It’s a bullet that can change its flight path so that it can more accurately hit a target at long range,” said Red Jones, one of the two researchers, in an interview with ABC News.

According to a press released distributed by the New Mexico company, the bullet is a prototype, and “engineering issues remain. The new bullet can make course corrections 30 times per second and will hit within eight inches of its target.

Sandia is run by the U.S. Department of Energy and operated by Lockheed Martin, says it is looking for commercial partners to develop the new bullet for mass production. Potential customers include the military and law enforcement.

The concern is will these type of bullets, like most weapons be used to mow down traditional targets, African American males or even worse, seep into the streets as most weapons and technologies for African American males to used them on each other. The fact today remains that Blacks are victimized by offenders armed with guns at higher rates than other ethnic groups and continue to be disproportionately victims of firearms homicide

E 85

With all of this talk about fuel, rising oil and gasoline prices, it strikes me as off-based that we as a country have not mandated or twisted the arms of big oil companies and automobile manufactures to get on the ball and do something. Supposedly there is something being done, a new fuel, which has been around for a while is currently on the market. E85 is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline that is used in flexible fuel vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy is classified as an alternative fuel.
According to the federal government, an alternative fuel is a fuel that can be used over regular vehicular fuels such as gasoline and include natural gas, and alcohol (including ethanol and methanol) among others. A flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) is a vehicle that can run on a blend of ethanol up to 85% and/or straight unleaded gasoline.

Since 1869 US crude oil prices when adjusted for inflation averaged about $18.59 per barrel World crude oil prices over the same time period averaged $19.41 per barrel. In 1980 and 1990, crude oil was $37.42 and $23.19 respectively per barrel. As of June 30, 2006, U.S. crude oil prices per barrel were $73.78.
High oil prices have aided to the record earning accrued by companies like Exxon Mobil, which reported a first-quarter profit of $8.4 billion this past April. But I do not foresee any change in the cost of crude oil with increasing demand and US lazy and selfish Americans driving more each day and out penchant for large gas guzzling automobiles. They say that Alternative fuels like E85 are the wave of the future. However, auto manufactures are resisting the change especially in concert with the big oil corporate giants in the US and abroad. In addition, it is difficult to get E*% in most places. There only three laces in Georgia, nine in Texas, six in New York, and four in California. Iowa retailers indicate the highest monthly sales for E85 in comparison to any other states in the country.

Politicians should put their money where their mouth is and focus on legislation that would force big oil companies and automobile manufactures to be proactive in this quest for alternative fuels or else we may be back to the horse and carriage days on I-85 in the future – real soon.