10 Comments

1. Tom Moore

   I didn’t read the whole story, but I believe it is entirely inappropriate for the new District Court to be installing a “death ray.”

   I am all in favor of the criminal justice system employing innovative methods, and I realize that there is no way to stop the march of progress, but really — most crimes heard by the district courts are misdemeanors and motor-vehicle violations. Quite literally frying convicted criminals for minor crimes seems a little excessive. Perhaps it would be an appropriate punishment for those who run red lights, but I would draw the line there.

   I would urge District Court administrators to reconsider this approach.

2. Cindy Cotte Griffiths

   Tom, we need to forge ahead with the most innovative punishments available, so you shouldn’t be so quick to judge the “Death Ray”. These are hard economic times and crime is on the rise, so the deterrents need to escalate as well.

   (P.S. You NEVER fail to bring me to complete and hearty laughter so, thanks, I needed it.)

3. Ramon Miro

   Get into it!

4. Chas Hausheer

   I’m with Tom on this. I would add however a giant knob on the side of the building so the amplitude of the Death Ray could be adjusted to fit the crime. Heck such a knob could only enchance the appearance of this ugly building.
   In addition with the ray under control the Mayor and Council could hold solar fish fries and barbeques on the sidewalk outside City Hall. The City might also want to consider marketing tanning lotion AND sun block - cover both ends of the market. Think of the revenue this might generate for the City’s coffers. Can’t you just see Mayor Phyllis out on the sidewalk hawking “Rock-Tan” and “City Sun Block”; spf 45 of course.

5. Frank Anastasi

   I walked through it on Nov 15 just before 5 pm. as I was going up the ramp to City Hall. It was wild! I walked back and forth through it a couple times and was really shocked how hot it was compared to just beyond it’s influence. Of course it must move as the sun moves throughout the afternoon. And I looked at the bushes, but I didn’t see any obvious damage.

   I suggest we name it the Senator Ida Ruben Courthouse Heat Beam (I don’t think it could kill anyone). After all, she picked out the windows - as well as the limestone used to sheath the building (according to November 28, 2005 e-mails between the MD DGS and DMJM, the designer, obtained by Move The Courthouse). A value-engineering study said these touches added millions of dollars in unnecessary costs to the courthouse. Not that anything changed. Now, it looks like we will waste more money trying to fix the problem.

   Did you know that it was in a State Senator’s job description to select building materials for public works projects? Funny the professionals didn’t think about this - I mean most Cub Scouts know that you can build a solar hot-dog cooker with aluminum foil - it’s the same principle. Tune in to ABC news 7 at 5:00 they are running a story on this tonight.

6. robert winfield

   this is like the solar death ray at the new casino in los vegas. the patrons are getting fried out by the swimming pool, at least one lawyer got zapped

   http://www.dailytech.com/Hotel+Accidentally+Makes+Solar+Death+Ray+Burns+Lawyer/article19756.htm

   Additionally, If you have Vinyl siding and your neighbors have these sun reflecting windows, Vinyl siding (may) melt, slump, frie, etc, it is no longer covered by warrenties

   http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/window-reflections-can-melt-vinyl-siding

7. Frank Anastasi

   uh oh, a lawyer, they burned the wrong person there.

   We could print T-shirts with ” I Survived the District Court Death Ray” for people who have had close encounters with it. I can see a drawing with the courthouse in the background and a laser-beam ray shooting out and zapping some hapless passerby. It could be our new City of Rockville logo. Breaking News Alert - video report at 5:20 ABC 7 news.

8. Cindy Cotte Griffiths

   Frank, thanks for letting us know about the second News 7 report. We did catch it last night. One man showed how the plastic around his side-view mirror had been melted. A sign should warn people about parking their cars on the street in front of City Hall because they could be damaged.

   My family stopped by and just experienced the Death Ray! It really was very hot even on this cold day. This is for real.

9. Andrew Field

   “this is like the solar death ray at the new casino in los vegas. the patrons are getting fried out by the swimming pool, at least one lawyer got zapped”

   Just one so far? …well, at least its a start!

10. Brigitta Mullican

    The news broadcast reported a simple solution..coat the reflecting windows.

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