OT: Phaser on "stun".....

[Dr Mordrid]

Nothing to do with video....yet.

http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/science....02/index.html

There are days I wish I'd had one....

Dr. Mordrid

[This_Idiot]

Hi Doc,

Yep, it's frightening. Whether it will be used in anger is another thing tho. Look at all the other crowd control measures that have been invented over the years that haven't been used in this capacity (thank god). For instance, that is where LSD came from (did you know that ? A workmate's husband studied it during his officer training in the Army). And that disgusting invention the "flechette" - a scatter charge of small barbed pieces of metal (or plastic) are fired into a crowd. Not enough to kill, but designed to incapacitate. I think that one was a Canadian invention, but could be wrong. Of course, there's always the good old "Rubber bullet", which was used fairly extensively by the British forces during the 70's in Ulster (Northern Ireland). The Chinese used tanks to good effect at Tianenmen, but that was hardly unique, it was the same tactic used in Poland by the Nazis, and Hungary and Chechoslovakia during the cold war.

It's amazing how low humankind can stoop in the name of "defence"

[Dr Mordrid]

flechette? So that's what they are called....

My dad and I made those and another little anti-personnel/vermin shell on the farm;

1. A 10g magnum shotgun shell loaded full of 200-300 glazing nails (triangular pieces of aluminum for installing window panes in a wooden frame).

2. A a string of stainless steel piano wire and 0000 buckshot. Load 'em into a 10g magnum shotgun and fire away.

#1 was hell on thieves breaking into the toolshed.

#2 was great for taking out a bunch of coyotes or wild dogs at once.

Yes, we really did use them on the farm. No police after 4:00 pm and no animal control except for our shotguns in the boonies.

We also used another little goodie when deer hunting: a sabot.

Think in terms of an antimony hardened 50 cal solid lead bullet in a peel-away plastic shell shot by a shotgun. Basically it's an armor piercing round perfect for shotting through trees.

Police still use 'em here for exploding engine blocks during pursuits. They're still legal for deer hunting as well. Our local department store sells at least 6 styles in at least 5 different shotgun guages.

Funny how it seems to be the French that keep coming up with these things....or at least naming them

Dr. Mordrid



[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 05 March 2001).]