http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2008/12/30/don_t_phase_me_bro Comments On: Don't Phase Me, Bro! by Paul Constant en-us Copyright 2009 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0800 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:15:00 -0800 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
Time to build our reflective gold shields, crystal ball orbs and gold lame outfits to thwart PHaSR cops.

If we cover ourselves in UPC barcodes, would the PHaSR gun be overwhelmed?

Posted by yawp]]> Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:15:57 -0800 The Stranger Posted by nerd]]> Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:04:20 -0800 The Stranger Posted by rupaul]]> Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:10:05 -0800 The Stranger
There is pretty good review material in the Emergency Medicine academic literature about the use of tasers vs. physical immobilization for the violent individual (they are usually brought to an ER for medical clearance before going to central booking). While there are still fatalities, the taser has dramatically reduced the risk of sudden death that was seen so many times in patients prior to taser use. This is found even excluding death due to gunshots - restraint alone, even without chokeholds or inappropriate police behavior, is associated with incidents of sudden death especially in the mentally ill and stimulant-intoxicated. There's some debate as to why, but most think that the extreme amount of effort to get a frantically violent patient restrained, transported to the hospital, and give effective injectable sedation is much longer when no taser is used. The numbers are pretty solid.

Most taser-associated deaths that do occur are still associated with drug-abusing patients, often after police have attempted to restrain them first, so it's not totally clear-cut. There's a bit of uncertainty as to whether the cause of death is the taser or the restraint and drugs prior.

The potential for abuse is always there, and perhaps a bit more likely since police are less afraid of killing someone. But overall it seems like a net number of lives saved. Whether these roast-rays will be more or less effective/safe is uncertain.

One source below:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16997…
Posted by Yeek]]> Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:39:36 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Captian Kirk]]> Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:11:18 -0800 The Stranger
Fun fact: just like oxygen, nitrogen, and salt are transparent to IR, some materials are transparent to microwaves. Good ceramics are transparent - a good mug of tea placed in a microwave will only have its water heated. Cheap-ass mugs made of the wrong kind of ceramics will burn your hand. Another example: liquid water will heat, but ice won't - it's transparent to microwaves. That's why you have to put meat on the defrost cycle. The microwaves have to slowly heat up the thin liquid layer on the outside of the meat first, then that heat needs to thermally transmit through the meat to melt the ice. The microwaves can't melt the ice directly. Ever try to cook a frozen piece of chicken in the microwave? You'll get crispy white edges with a frozen center.
Posted by Chris]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:27:00 -0800 The Stranger Posted by DD]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:03:48 -0800 The Stranger Posted by 4f...sake]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:29:09 -0800 The Stranger
Note: 'stun' is for little bitches.
Posted by violet_dagrinder]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:10:24 -0800 The Stranger
Police have killed people using tasers in situations where they would not have normally used guns.

I oppose the development and deployment of this weapon as should you.
Posted by I am your Mother]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:35:39 -0800 The Stranger
That's what the cops need: silly string.
Posted by seattle98104]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:50:54 -0800 The Stranger
True. Now they have two: Torture and Murder. Unless you count the rare times when they torture someone to death.

I can think of a million nonlethal things I'd like to see done to the treasonous bastards who design and use these things against civilians.
Posted by Stoppin ze throwinze]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:37:55 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Will in Seattle]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:29:28 -0800 The Stranger Posted by flasher702]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:26:44 -0800 The Stranger
The real issue here is not that cops are being equipped with funky new rayguns. Previously, they had three levels of force: harsh language, thumpy sticks, and bullets. Now they have a new option to insert in there, and say what you like about it, tasers and phasers and microwave guns are a lot less lethal than bullets.

No, the big issue is that when you equip cops with new toys, they need to be trained in appropriate use. Tasers are being used as come-alongs, which is not appropriate use. This is not the fault of the weapon, but of policy and application. I had a friend who had a psychotic break and attacked three cops with a chain; he is now dead because none of them happened to be carrying a taser. One of the cops was running back to his car to get his taser when another cop fired five times. That's what tasers are for: disabling people who are immediately dangerous but don't need to be killed.
Posted by breklor]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:10:48 -0800 The Stranger Posted by laterite]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:09:42 -0800 The Stranger
They get you with sound.

And then crank it up to 11.
Posted by Will in Seattle]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:58:42 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Urgutha Forka]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:57:54 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Greg]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:54:24 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Simac]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:45:48 -0800 The Stranger