"...She and the other volunteers took their shocks on padded mats. A nitrogen cartridge propelled the metal probes of the taser and they hooked into the [subject]'s back, trailing thin, curling wires. Each [subject] stiffened. Two spotters caught their flattened bodies, then lowered them gently to the floor. ..." [LINK - if you stand the smell]
"...back..."
FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE.
If tasers are so safe, cardiac-wise, then all such demos should be aimed directly at the subject's chest (as they are typically used on the street) instead of into the back.
Have you noticed that many of the mysterious taser-associated deaths (in those perfectly clear cases where no other rational causes of death can be found), seem to have a statistical-surplus of taser hits to the chest?
The fact that at virtually ALL training sessions and demos, the taser darts are ALWAYS aimed into the subject's back (or similar cardiac-safe areas) is clear evidence that even the people that design these events (almost certainly Taser) are not really so confident as they claim to be about the devices' actual level of safety.
If they actually were perfectly confident, then they wouldn't have taken such blatantly obvious precautions.
FAKE. Utterly FAKE.
Taser uses these sort of FAKE demos to wash-out the denominator of their field statistics.
FAKE.
I guess it is true that only a coward would shoot someone in the back. In this case the coward is Taser. Frightened to death they are.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query FAKE. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query FAKE. Sort by date Show all posts
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Friday, July 17, 2009
Taser X3 - Triple FAKE demo
Taser International is still frightened to DEATH of shooting their products into anything but the BACKS (never the chest) of their idiot volunteers.
See the triple FAKE demo here: [LINK]
When it comes to claims that these demonstration indicate anything to do with taser safety, they are FAKE FAKE FAKE. [LINK]
They're still DEATHLY afraid of The 2008 Taser Challenge [LINK].
See the triple FAKE demo here: [LINK]
When it comes to claims that these demonstration indicate anything to do with taser safety, they are FAKE FAKE FAKE. [LINK]
They're still DEATHLY afraid of The 2008 Taser Challenge [LINK].
Friday, October 16, 2009
Taser training and demos - FAKE FAKE FAKE
Keep in mind that, for years, Taser International has held up the many taser hits that occur during training and demonstrations as some sort of supporting evidence of the taser's cardiac safety. And many review-type "studies" and reports make mention of the same thing, and then use it to support their conclusions that tasers-R-safe.
1) It's already been pointed out that taser training and demonstration hits have virtually always been fired into the idiot volunteers' backs, never their chests. Scroll through the posts here [LINK].
That's the biggest difference (back versus chest) between these FAKE taser hits during training, and the real world where people sometimes die almost immediately after being tasered.
And I question the motivation of those that would obviously know about this difference, and yet fail to explicitly highlight it in their "studies".
2) And it was recently noted here that the "Training Cartridges" have darts that have a penetration depth about 40% shorter than the real world darts. [LINK] Again, nobody bothers to mention these details when they conduct their little "studies" and write their little reports.
Well tonight, the penny dropped. There's a third difference (4th if you include the typical duration delta between 1-5 seconds vs. 31 seconds).
3) If you've seen the FAKE taser training and demonstration hits, another constant factor are the two helpful folks providing support so that the idiot volunteer doesn't fall down and hurt themselves.
But, in the real world, the taser is intended to knock people off their feet. They fall down. And when, in the real world, the subject falls down, they will dislodge taser darts, break off wires, roll around so the dart and/or wire are making electrical contact with who-knows-where on their body?
By providing unrealistic anti-fall support, the training protocol ALSO ENSURES that the taser waveform current is making contact with the back, and ONLY the back.
With taser hits during training:
- No rolling around on live taser wires carrying 50,000 volts that can jump at least two inches.
- No unforeseen current injection points.
- No possibility of invisible, zero evidence transcardiac pathways.
When I watch the Dziekanski video again tonight it was clear that the Closing Submission from Taser International to the Braidwood Inquiry was a hopeless and misleading over-simplification.
THEY HAVE NO IDEA where the taser waveform current may have been injected as Mr. Dziekanski flailed his arms like a windmill, fell down, and then rolled and squirmed on the floor.
Mr. Dziekanski was dead within minutes. And Taser International would like us to believe it was due to a history of drinking. [LINK]
1) It's already been pointed out that taser training and demonstration hits have virtually always been fired into the idiot volunteers' backs, never their chests. Scroll through the posts here [LINK].
That's the biggest difference (back versus chest) between these FAKE taser hits during training, and the real world where people sometimes die almost immediately after being tasered.
And I question the motivation of those that would obviously know about this difference, and yet fail to explicitly highlight it in their "studies".
2) And it was recently noted here that the "Training Cartridges" have darts that have a penetration depth about 40% shorter than the real world darts. [LINK] Again, nobody bothers to mention these details when they conduct their little "studies" and write their little reports.
Well tonight, the penny dropped. There's a third difference (4th if you include the typical duration delta between 1-5 seconds vs. 31 seconds).
3) If you've seen the FAKE taser training and demonstration hits, another constant factor are the two helpful folks providing support so that the idiot volunteer doesn't fall down and hurt themselves.
But, in the real world, the taser is intended to knock people off their feet. They fall down. And when, in the real world, the subject falls down, they will dislodge taser darts, break off wires, roll around so the dart and/or wire are making electrical contact with who-knows-where on their body?
By providing unrealistic anti-fall support, the training protocol ALSO ENSURES that the taser waveform current is making contact with the back, and ONLY the back.
With taser hits during training:
- No rolling around on live taser wires carrying 50,000 volts that can jump at least two inches.
- No unforeseen current injection points.
- No possibility of invisible, zero evidence transcardiac pathways.
When I watch the Dziekanski video again tonight it was clear that the Closing Submission from Taser International to the Braidwood Inquiry was a hopeless and misleading over-simplification.
THEY HAVE NO IDEA where the taser waveform current may have been injected as Mr. Dziekanski flailed his arms like a windmill, fell down, and then rolled and squirmed on the floor.
Mr. Dziekanski was dead within minutes. And Taser International would like us to believe it was due to a history of drinking. [LINK]
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Yet another FAKE taser demo
A recent episode of a TV show called Time Warp (on The Discovery Channel) featured, everyone's favorite occasional contributor to unintentional deaths, the taser.
The TV show, being a rather mindless and uncritical propaganda piece for Taser, included the inevitable FAKE demonstration where the idiot volunteer takes a short X26 taser hit TO THE BACK.
In the real world taser hits are quite often to the chest, and they sometimes contribute to the victim's death, and there seems to be a correlation between these two. But in these FAKE demos, the taser is ALWAYS aimed at the back and everyone goes home happy and stupid.
The following screen capture ('fair use'/'fair dealing' of this copyrighted image righteously claimed, see legal notice in right hand column) shows Taser spokespuppet Steve Tuttle standing on his hind legs at the left, the stage magician wielding the X26 taser standing BEHIND the volunteer, the brainwashed volunteer with his back to the taser, and the mindless TV host who is so ill-informed of the overall taser issue that he doesn't know enough to ask the volunteer to turn around to make it a more realistic test.
These tasered-in-the-back demos are FAKE
Until Taser changes its demonstration policy to mandate that all taser demonstrations will be aimed directly at the volunteer's chest, and held for several of the 5-second cycles, then we should consider these FAKE demos to be obvious evidence of Taser's own internal uncertainty of the real-world safety of tasers with respect to internal risk factors associated with occasional, possibly fatal, cardiac effects.
Why else would Taser make sure that all their idiot demo volunteers and brainwashed police trainees are ALWAYS tasered in the back, and NEVER in the chest? Are they frightened of something?
Go ahead Taser - change your demo policy.
I double-dare you.
Everyone else should pay attention to this sort of cheap stage trickery and ask themselves WHY DOES TASER AVOID THE CHEST for demos?
And why has nobody else in the entire world asked Taser to explain this interesting and yet trivial observation?
PS: As I have previously mentioned, if required to eliminate secondary injuries from taser barbs hitting the face, it's trivial to don a face shield.
The TV show, being a rather mindless and uncritical propaganda piece for Taser, included the inevitable FAKE demonstration where the idiot volunteer takes a short X26 taser hit TO THE BACK.
In the real world taser hits are quite often to the chest, and they sometimes contribute to the victim's death, and there seems to be a correlation between these two. But in these FAKE demos, the taser is ALWAYS aimed at the back and everyone goes home happy and stupid.
The following screen capture ('fair use'/'fair dealing' of this copyrighted image righteously claimed, see legal notice in right hand column) shows Taser spokespuppet Steve Tuttle standing on his hind legs at the left, the stage magician wielding the X26 taser standing BEHIND the volunteer, the brainwashed volunteer with his back to the taser, and the mindless TV host who is so ill-informed of the overall taser issue that he doesn't know enough to ask the volunteer to turn around to make it a more realistic test.
These tasered-in-the-back demos are FAKE
Until Taser changes its demonstration policy to mandate that all taser demonstrations will be aimed directly at the volunteer's chest, and held for several of the 5-second cycles, then we should consider these FAKE demos to be obvious evidence of Taser's own internal uncertainty of the real-world safety of tasers with respect to internal risk factors associated with occasional, possibly fatal, cardiac effects.
Why else would Taser make sure that all their idiot demo volunteers and brainwashed police trainees are ALWAYS tasered in the back, and NEVER in the chest? Are they frightened of something?
Go ahead Taser - change your demo policy.
I double-dare you.
Everyone else should pay attention to this sort of cheap stage trickery and ask themselves WHY DOES TASER AVOID THE CHEST for demos?
And why has nobody else in the entire world asked Taser to explain this interesting and yet trivial observation?
PS: As I have previously mentioned, if required to eliminate secondary injuries from taser barbs hitting the face, it's trivial to don a face shield.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Taser testing versus taser actual usage
I read an account of a journalist volunteering to be tasered. Reportedly the Taser-wank carefully connected (by hand) one taser lead to the victim's belt-buckle and another to his pant cuff (at the ankle).
Now, right off the bat, that seems fake. How often does a taser shot result in such a barb placement (ankle)? The current basically went down one leg.
FAKE!!! FAKE !!! FAKE !!!
So here is my proposed New Years Resolution for Taser Inc.
From now on, when tasering subjects either for training or demonstration purposes, carefully place the barbs so that the maximum possible potentially heart-stopping current goes through the chest. After all, the ever-faithful police and grade-school drop-out security thugs AIM at the chest of the victims.
Also have the subject stand in a location about five feet from a heavy desk so that they'll have a good chance of whacking their head on the way down. This is to Taser's benefit because for everyone with a cracked skull, that's one less potential heart stoppage. I'm trying to be generous with this suggestion - honest.
Also, for these tests, hold the button down for about 90 seconds. This seems to be a duration that is actually being used in the field.
Finally, video every test and submit all of them to YouTube.
Happy New Year.
Now, right off the bat, that seems fake. How often does a taser shot result in such a barb placement (ankle)? The current basically went down one leg.
FAKE!!! FAKE !!! FAKE !!!
So here is my proposed New Years Resolution for Taser Inc.
From now on, when tasering subjects either for training or demonstration purposes, carefully place the barbs so that the maximum possible potentially heart-stopping current goes through the chest. After all, the ever-faithful police and grade-school drop-out security thugs AIM at the chest of the victims.
Also have the subject stand in a location about five feet from a heavy desk so that they'll have a good chance of whacking their head on the way down. This is to Taser's benefit because for everyone with a cracked skull, that's one less potential heart stoppage. I'm trying to be generous with this suggestion - honest.
Also, for these tests, hold the button down for about 90 seconds. This seems to be a duration that is actually being used in the field.
Finally, video every test and submit all of them to YouTube.
Happy New Year.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Fake demos and the faking fakers that fake them
When tasers are shot towards people on the street, they are usually aimed at the front of the victim. When victims die (as seems to happen once in a while), there seems (based on the news) to be a statistical surplus of hits to the chest.
When tasers are used during training and demonstrations, they are almost always fired into the subject's back. People are sometimes hurt during such training, but deaths associated with being tasered in the back are essentially non-existent.
This story includes a picture of a typical fake taser demo into the back. [LINK]
Until Taser starts mandating taser training hits directly to the chest, then you can't believe any of their claims. If they worry about darts hitting eyes, then reel out the wires and tape them to the subject's chest directly across the heart. The fact that they don't use this method for training is very revealing.
Fake. Cheap stage trick.
There is also the open question about the "low powered" training tasers mentioned in the recent Troopergate story.
[Updated]
When tasers are used during training and demonstrations, they are almost always fired into the subject's back. People are sometimes hurt during such training, but deaths associated with being tasered in the back are essentially non-existent.
This story includes a picture of a typical fake taser demo into the back. [LINK]
Until Taser starts mandating taser training hits directly to the chest, then you can't believe any of their claims. If they worry about darts hitting eyes, then reel out the wires and tape them to the subject's chest directly across the heart. The fact that they don't use this method for training is very revealing.
Fake. Cheap stage trick.
There is also the open question about the "low powered" training tasers mentioned in the recent Troopergate story.
[Updated]
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Turn around and try again
A taser can prevent injuries to officers, citizens and subjects
Especially if they would be restricted to shooting them in the subject's back (never chest).
Another FAKE demonstration:
After making sure everyone was ready, Whisnant said, "Taser, Taser, Taser," and pulled the trigger. The weapon's two small probes flew into Duckett's back. [LINK]
Have a look at the picture at the above link. How often does this happen in the real world?
In fact, this training methodology is evidence that those that recommend such FAKE 'in the back' shots for training (Taser themselves) are not quite as certain about the taser's safety as they say.
FAKE.
Especially if they would be restricted to shooting them in the subject's back (never chest).
Another FAKE demonstration:
After making sure everyone was ready, Whisnant said, "Taser, Taser, Taser," and pulled the trigger. The weapon's two small probes flew into Duckett's back. [LINK]
Have a look at the picture at the above link. How often does this happen in the real world?
In fact, this training methodology is evidence that those that recommend such FAKE 'in the back' shots for training (Taser themselves) are not quite as certain about the taser's safety as they say.
FAKE.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Change 'BACK' to 'FAKE' in 4 steps
(CBC News) Vancouver - ...During his testimony, Reilly said studies commissioned by Taser International have pronounced the weapon as safe, but he pointed out that those studies avoided delivering the Taser's probes to the chest. "If you were concerned about avoiding a heart incident, that would be one reason why you'd put the Taser darts on the back," he told the inquiry. [LINK]
Those studies and statistics where the X26 barbs are placed anywhere except on the chest can be summarized by the word: FAKE.
I am not all that interested in taser safety where the taser is applied to someone's elbow, or thigh, or back. Let's sort out the worst case (chest, heart) and then we can extrapolate for the probable increased field safety of 'Drive Mode' and random barb placement (and missing the target completely). As opposed to washing out the denominator with FAKE data which is what someone would do if they had something to hide.
Those studies and statistics where the X26 barbs are placed anywhere except on the chest can be summarized by the word: FAKE.
I am not all that interested in taser safety where the taser is applied to someone's elbow, or thigh, or back. Let's sort out the worst case (chest, heart) and then we can extrapolate for the probable increased field safety of 'Drive Mode' and random barb placement (and missing the target completely). As opposed to washing out the denominator with FAKE data which is what someone would do if they had something to hide.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Training Cartridges - darts about 40% shorter
Most taser training and demonstration hits are applied anywhere EXCEPT the idiot voluteers' chest. This issue was first mentioned on this blog in May of 2008 [LINK].
In fact, many taser training and demonstrations are accomplished with carefully applied alligator clips attached to the idiots' lower torso and one ankle.
Talk about "avoiding the chest"... ...Taser International's highly FAKE demonstration and training protocols have been avoiding the chest for many years. Coincidence? LOL. And Taser International has been quoting these FAKE demonstration and training hits as an indicator of safety. If you've been fooled, then look at who has been playing you like a trumpet.
Another thing worth mentioning is that the taser darts used in training, and probably in many studies, have a penetration depth about 40% shorter (0.25 vice 0.40 inch) than those used on the street. It probably doesn't matter for all those FAKE back hits, but if any chest hit studies used training cartridges and failed to highlight this difference, and depending who was involved in the study and in supplying them with cartridges, then it would not be unreasonable to wonder if such lack of complete details was intentional.
Fair Use / Fair Dealing claimed
In fact, many taser training and demonstrations are accomplished with carefully applied alligator clips attached to the idiots' lower torso and one ankle.
Talk about "avoiding the chest"... ...Taser International's highly FAKE demonstration and training protocols have been avoiding the chest for many years. Coincidence? LOL. And Taser International has been quoting these FAKE demonstration and training hits as an indicator of safety. If you've been fooled, then look at who has been playing you like a trumpet.
Another thing worth mentioning is that the taser darts used in training, and probably in many studies, have a penetration depth about 40% shorter (0.25 vice 0.40 inch) than those used on the street. It probably doesn't matter for all those FAKE back hits, but if any chest hit studies used training cartridges and failed to highlight this difference, and depending who was involved in the study and in supplying them with cartridges, then it would not be unreasonable to wonder if such lack of complete details was intentional.
Fair Use / Fair Dealing claimed
Friday, February 6, 2009
Video of more FAKE taser training hits to the BACK
Ardmore Police Get New Tasers and Get Tased [LINK]
Follow the 'Featured Video' link on the above-linked page to watch the KTEN video.
Note how each and every police trainee is tasered in the BACK in accordance with Taser's policy of generating FAKE taser deployment numbers for use in the denominator washing of their taser safety data.
(Previous posts related to denominator washing [LINK])
Background - News reports seem to show a trend that people that die after being tasered are quite often tasered in the chest. Basically, there seems to be a statistical surplus of taser hits to the chest amongst those that die.
Those the truly believe that tasers-R-safe (cardiac-wise) should, logically, be very quick to welcome the opportunity to have all these taser trainees tasered in their chest (exactly in the manner that the taser is used on the street) to help establish evidence for their position. The fact that they don't avail themselves of this excellent opportunity is highly indicative.
Hey Taser - I double-dog-dare you to change your training policy. Have all the trainees turn around, don a suitable face shield, and take the full 5-second taser hit directly to their chest. And if they're so tough, repeat the exposure for several cycles.
If you don't invoke this policy change, then perhaps it is because you're very scared of the possible outcome. It certainly would be awfully embarrassing to have a healthy, drug-free customer killed during his taser training.
See also The 2008 Taser Challenge [LINK] from May 2008. We're coming up on the 1st anniversary of this simple challenge.
Follow the 'Featured Video' link on the above-linked page to watch the KTEN video.
Note how each and every police trainee is tasered in the BACK in accordance with Taser's policy of generating FAKE taser deployment numbers for use in the denominator washing of their taser safety data.
(Previous posts related to denominator washing [LINK])
Background - News reports seem to show a trend that people that die after being tasered are quite often tasered in the chest. Basically, there seems to be a statistical surplus of taser hits to the chest amongst those that die.
Those the truly believe that tasers-R-safe (cardiac-wise) should, logically, be very quick to welcome the opportunity to have all these taser trainees tasered in their chest (exactly in the manner that the taser is used on the street) to help establish evidence for their position. The fact that they don't avail themselves of this excellent opportunity is highly indicative.
Hey Taser - I double-dog-dare you to change your training policy. Have all the trainees turn around, don a suitable face shield, and take the full 5-second taser hit directly to their chest. And if they're so tough, repeat the exposure for several cycles.
If you don't invoke this policy change, then perhaps it is because you're very scared of the possible outcome. It certainly would be awfully embarrassing to have a healthy, drug-free customer killed during his taser training.
See also The 2008 Taser Challenge [LINK] from May 2008. We're coming up on the 1st anniversary of this simple challenge.
Monday, May 12, 2008
More than 14 million years - or something like that...
(CP) Legal power of Taser is cause for concern at Canadian inquests
You can read the entire article at [LINK]. My role is to examine the propaganda coming from Taser spokespuppets.
(CP) VANCOUVER — ...Steve Tuttle, spokes[puppet] for Taser International... "Look at our 14-year track history... ...more than a million exposures to the Taser system in the field and with volunteers."
"million exposures": The vast majority of these exposure are 'FAKE'. By fake I mean that the typical training scenario puts the X26 barbs anywhere on the trainee except across the chest. Even in actual street deployments, the 'Drive Mode' where the device is applied to the lower torso appears to be far more common than using the stand-off mode where the barbs are fired towards the chest. And even if the barbs are fired, they're only going to actually land on the chest in the worst location in some fraction of those incidents.
Taser is 'Denominator Washing'. [LINK] "More than a million" is meaningless. The X26 barbs on chest number is unknown, but it is certainly a very tiny fraction of that meaningless washed-out denominator.
What is the death rate when the barbs actually do land on the chest? [LINK][LINK][LINK]
"14-year track history": Taser's Smith admitted that "...the original technology did not work that well". And then he went on to describe the (19Hz) X26. [LINK] The X26 taser has been out since 2003. The taser-associated death rate started to go up dramatically starting at about the same time. See figure below and [LINK] for details and source links.
You can read the entire article at [LINK]. My role is to examine the propaganda coming from Taser spokespuppets.
(CP) VANCOUVER — ...Steve Tuttle, spokes[puppet] for Taser International... "Look at our 14-year track history... ...more than a million exposures to the Taser system in the field and with volunteers."
"million exposures": The vast majority of these exposure are 'FAKE'. By fake I mean that the typical training scenario puts the X26 barbs anywhere on the trainee except across the chest. Even in actual street deployments, the 'Drive Mode' where the device is applied to the lower torso appears to be far more common than using the stand-off mode where the barbs are fired towards the chest. And even if the barbs are fired, they're only going to actually land on the chest in the worst location in some fraction of those incidents.
Taser is 'Denominator Washing'. [LINK] "More than a million" is meaningless. The X26 barbs on chest number is unknown, but it is certainly a very tiny fraction of that meaningless washed-out denominator.
What is the death rate when the barbs actually do land on the chest? [LINK][LINK][LINK]
"14-year track history": Taser's Smith admitted that "...the original technology did not work that well". And then he went on to describe the (19Hz) X26. [LINK] The X26 taser has been out since 2003. The taser-associated death rate started to go up dramatically starting at about the same time. See figure below and [LINK] for details and source links.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Top Mountie Bill Elliott tasered
OTTAWA — The head of the RCMP has been stung lately by criticism about Tasers. Now Commissioner William Elliott has been zapped by one of the electronic guns. Elliott was willingly Tasered on Thursday during a visit to Alberta... Alberta Solicitor General Fred Lindsay and one of the minister's assistants were also shocked with the electronic stun gun. [LINK]
Congratulations, but these FAKE demos [LINK] prove absolutely nothing.
Were you tasered across the chest? [LINK]
Was the 5-second cycle repeated several times? [LINK]
Are you more susceptible than average? [LINK]
Are you an unlucky sort?
Sorry, but look: we have an actual death rate happening in the real world. [LINK]
These FAKE demonstrations accomplish NOTHING except to wash-out the statistics.
So, let's balance it out with some additional extracts from the same article:
In April 2003, the RCMP issued an operational bulletin prohibiting use of the Taser on civilian volunteers for demonstration purposes. However, the force has frequently turned the weapon on officers in training sessions. At least one Mountie and several U.S. police officers have sued over injuries allegedly sustained during instruction.
More than 300 people in North America, including 20 in Canada, have died after being Tasered. ...
Tasers are now the subject of several inquiries. The weapons came under intense scrutiny last fall when public outrage greeted the release of amateur video of the death of Robert Dziekanski. The RCMP blasted the Polish immigrant with a Taser as he tried to find his mother last October at Vancouver International Airport.
A Canadian Press analysis of 563 Taser incidents reported by the RCMP between 2002 and 2005 revealed that more than three-quarters of suspects were unarmed.
The reports also suggested a pattern of use by the Mounties as a quick means to keep relatively low-risk prisoners, drunks and rowdy people in line. More recent reports released by the RCMP have been heavily censored to remove key details such as exact dates and injuries linked to the stun guns. ...
The latest issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal calls for more independent study of possible Taser health risks.
Congratulations, but these FAKE demos [LINK] prove absolutely nothing.
Were you tasered across the chest? [LINK]
Was the 5-second cycle repeated several times? [LINK]
Are you more susceptible than average? [LINK]
Are you an unlucky sort?
Sorry, but look: we have an actual death rate happening in the real world. [LINK]
These FAKE demonstrations accomplish NOTHING except to wash-out the statistics.
So, let's balance it out with some additional extracts from the same article:
In April 2003, the RCMP issued an operational bulletin prohibiting use of the Taser on civilian volunteers for demonstration purposes. However, the force has frequently turned the weapon on officers in training sessions. At least one Mountie and several U.S. police officers have sued over injuries allegedly sustained during instruction.
More than 300 people in North America, including 20 in Canada, have died after being Tasered. ...
Tasers are now the subject of several inquiries. The weapons came under intense scrutiny last fall when public outrage greeted the release of amateur video of the death of Robert Dziekanski. The RCMP blasted the Polish immigrant with a Taser as he tried to find his mother last October at Vancouver International Airport.
A Canadian Press analysis of 563 Taser incidents reported by the RCMP between 2002 and 2005 revealed that more than three-quarters of suspects were unarmed.
The reports also suggested a pattern of use by the Mounties as a quick means to keep relatively low-risk prisoners, drunks and rowdy people in line. More recent reports released by the RCMP have been heavily censored to remove key details such as exact dates and injuries linked to the stun guns. ...
The latest issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal calls for more independent study of possible Taser health risks.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Change 'BACK' to 'FAKE' in 4 steps (again)
Another FAKE taser demonstration where the taser is fired into the person's BACK to ensure a much higher level of cardiac safety. It would be bad form to have volunteers for demonstration accidentally dying. See the picture at this [LINK].
On the street, there appears to be a statistical surplus of taser hits to the chest associated with those that die.
On the street, there appears to be a statistical surplus of taser hits to the chest associated with those that die.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Tasmanian Taser Fake
Constable Pat Allen of the Tasmanian Police Association wants all front line officers to have tasers. So he arranged to be tasered in the back (not the chest). [LINK]
Another fake demonstration of purported 'safety'. Real men take their demo taser hits directly into the chest - a full 31 second blast. Only wussies take their demo taser hits in their back.
[Correction: Sorry - I forgot about puffters. Make that "...wussies AND puffters..."]
The Police Association President Randolph Wierenga says tasers are perfect to fill the gap between lethal and non-lethal force. [ibid]
That gap also seems to be about where their real-world safety lies too; somewhere in-between lethal and non-lethal.
It certainly makes for a more interesting day when you never quite know exactly what will happen when you pull the trigger.
Another fake demonstration of purported 'safety'. Real men take their demo taser hits directly into the chest - a full 31 second blast. Only wussies take their demo taser hits in their back.
[Correction: Sorry - I forgot about puffters. Make that "...wussies AND puffters..."]
The Police Association President Randolph Wierenga says tasers are perfect to fill the gap between lethal and non-lethal force. [ibid]
That gap also seems to be about where their real-world safety lies too; somewhere in-between lethal and non-lethal.
It certainly makes for a more interesting day when you never quite know exactly what will happen when you pull the trigger.
- Will it work, or will it fail?
- Will the subject fall down, or just ignore it?
- Will the subject live, or will he die?
Friday, February 6, 2009
And Police Chief Wulgaert survived!
Police Chief Steven Wulgaert (we first met him [here]) took a taser hit for charity. [LINK]
Was he tasered in the chest, like it's often done on the street?
No, he was tasered in his back [see picture].
Was he hit with multiple 5-second cycles as happens on the street?
No.
So just one complete 5-second cycle then?
No, just 2 seconds [see linked-in story].
And - surprise, surprise - he didn't die from any cardiac-related effects.
Wouldn't that be called a 'FAKE' tasering? I mean... ...it's certainly not a 'real' tasering.
So, are any volunteers or trainees ever going to get a REAL taser hit? To the chest. With multiple 5-second cycles. Any at all? We need at least several hundred to even try to be able to prove or disprove the real-world safety.
Oh wait - what about... [LINK] ...?
Don't forget, Taser used to claim that such FAKE demos were 'evidence' of safety. Chairman Smith himself even mentioned grand (denominator-washed) totals that included such rubbish during his testimonies before inquiries.
[Picture credit: Fox11online.com - Fair Use/Fair Dealing claimed.]
Was he tasered in the chest, like it's often done on the street?No, he was tasered in his back [see picture].
Was he hit with multiple 5-second cycles as happens on the street?
No.
So just one complete 5-second cycle then?
No, just 2 seconds [see linked-in story].
And - surprise, surprise - he didn't die from any cardiac-related effects.
Wouldn't that be called a 'FAKE' tasering? I mean... ...it's certainly not a 'real' tasering.
So, are any volunteers or trainees ever going to get a REAL taser hit? To the chest. With multiple 5-second cycles. Any at all? We need at least several hundred to even try to be able to prove or disprove the real-world safety.
Oh wait - what about... [LINK] ...?
Don't forget, Taser used to claim that such FAKE demos were 'evidence' of safety. Chairman Smith himself even mentioned grand (denominator-washed) totals that included such rubbish during his testimonies before inquiries.
[Picture credit: Fox11online.com - Fair Use/Fair Dealing claimed.]
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Safety vs. Risk
It's very important to put some approximate numbers to the two sides of the taser risk of death issue so that we don't get wrapped around the axle with misleading nonsense.
This post will also shred the subtle '1/N' debating trick being used by Taser et al.
To be crystal clear, we're talking about internal risk factors (such as cardiac effects, for example). We're not talking about "falling down and banging heads", nor about "drowning in puddles."
Also, we're talking about inherent risks when the X26 darts hit the chest; not diluted by all the possible external safety factors (such as misses, or fake demos).
Taser et al claim that the risk of death is "one in millions", or even "one in ten millions", of deployments. [LINK] In other words, they claim that a taser-caused death is only a theoretic risk, but that it has never happened to date. Not once. Therefore they're not liable for any deaths so far. None. Ka-ching.
Informed critics look at the available data, adjust out the intentional dilution factors - such as the many FAKE demos and training sessions, where the darts are shot or placed on the volunteers back (NEVER on the chest). Curious little detail that observation is... [LINK] [LINK]
The raw data suggests that when X26 taser darts hit the subject's chest on the street, there is a moderate risk of strangely temporally-associated death at the low end of single digits. Maybe 2%, maybe 5%. Something in that range. [LINK][LINK][LINK]
These are the taser-associated deaths that Taser et al spend so much effort trying to explain away.
But there have been more and more examples where there are no reasonable alternate explanations for a given death, and the coroner is backed into a corner with Taser lawyers on one side, and the "Excited Delirium" excuse on the other.
Many of the Taser-R-Safe studies (such as the US NIJ study - another story in itself [LINK]) have only provided evidence that there is "not a high risk of death". Not a high risk.
Well duh. We're not talking about a high risk of death. [LINK] We're worried about those occasional people that are being killed and they did not deserve to die.
At least one expert in statistics has commented that many of Taser's studies were not designed to find low to moderate risks. Their sample size was simply too small to provide any evidence whatsoever about low to moderate risks. These studies should be lining the cages of parrots somewhere. [LINK]
Now - looking at these now-hopefully clarified claims, and examining the available information, it becomes perfectly clear that Taser's safety claims are off the mark by many orders of magnitude.
Their entire justification, training, sales, policies, everything - it is all based upon these claims of essentially-perfect safety.
If the claims are wrong - then the entire basis for the taser is fatally flawed.
The distinctions in the arguments are subtle, and many of the more rabid pro-taser fan-boys may lack the intellectual capacity to comprehend.
But it is critically important to understand that the real argument is not about the various ~97% versus 100.00000...% claims of "safety".
It's about the inverse...
It is about the huge, monstrous, incredibly large difference between a claimed "0.0000001%" risk of death, and the real world facts that seem to indicate a risk of death (when totally undiluted) of about 3% (roughly).
It's a huge gap. Six or seven orders of magnitude...
[This post derived from comment posted here LINK]
This post will also shred the subtle '1/N' debating trick being used by Taser et al.
To be crystal clear, we're talking about internal risk factors (such as cardiac effects, for example). We're not talking about "falling down and banging heads", nor about "drowning in puddles."
Also, we're talking about inherent risks when the X26 darts hit the chest; not diluted by all the possible external safety factors (such as misses, or fake demos).
Taser et al claim that the risk of death is "one in millions", or even "one in ten millions", of deployments. [LINK] In other words, they claim that a taser-caused death is only a theoretic risk, but that it has never happened to date. Not once. Therefore they're not liable for any deaths so far. None. Ka-ching.
Informed critics look at the available data, adjust out the intentional dilution factors - such as the many FAKE demos and training sessions, where the darts are shot or placed on the volunteers back (NEVER on the chest). Curious little detail that observation is... [LINK] [LINK]
The raw data suggests that when X26 taser darts hit the subject's chest on the street, there is a moderate risk of strangely temporally-associated death at the low end of single digits. Maybe 2%, maybe 5%. Something in that range. [LINK][LINK][LINK]
These are the taser-associated deaths that Taser et al spend so much effort trying to explain away.
But there have been more and more examples where there are no reasonable alternate explanations for a given death, and the coroner is backed into a corner with Taser lawyers on one side, and the "Excited Delirium" excuse on the other.
Many of the Taser-R-Safe studies (such as the US NIJ study - another story in itself [LINK]) have only provided evidence that there is "not a high risk of death". Not a high risk.
Well duh. We're not talking about a high risk of death. [LINK] We're worried about those occasional people that are being killed and they did not deserve to die.
At least one expert in statistics has commented that many of Taser's studies were not designed to find low to moderate risks. Their sample size was simply too small to provide any evidence whatsoever about low to moderate risks. These studies should be lining the cages of parrots somewhere. [LINK]
Now - looking at these now-hopefully clarified claims, and examining the available information, it becomes perfectly clear that Taser's safety claims are off the mark by many orders of magnitude.
Their entire justification, training, sales, policies, everything - it is all based upon these claims of essentially-perfect safety.
If the claims are wrong - then the entire basis for the taser is fatally flawed.
The distinctions in the arguments are subtle, and many of the more rabid pro-taser fan-boys may lack the intellectual capacity to comprehend.
But it is critically important to understand that the real argument is not about the various ~97% versus 100.00000...% claims of "safety".
It's about the inverse...
It is about the huge, monstrous, incredibly large difference between a claimed "0.0000001%" risk of death, and the real world facts that seem to indicate a risk of death (when totally undiluted) of about 3% (roughly).
It's a huge gap. Six or seven orders of magnitude...
[This post derived from comment posted here LINK]
Saturday, April 19, 2008
"Hamilton police shot and killed dozens last year."
The above headline is fake.
But taser fan-boys would have us believe that it would be true if the police have their taser-toys taken away.
The actual story is that a taser ignited something flammable injuring someone that was being tasered. The story [LINK] ends with the following sentence:
"Hamilton police discharged their Tasers 50 times last year."
50 times per year. This rate of [mis]use reveals the claim that "tasers replace guns" as the bald-faced lie that it is.
Tasers are obviously replacing lower forms of lawful force (talking, waiting, the simplest of martial arts).
That makes their net benefit to society -> negative.
But taser fan-boys would have us believe that it would be true if the police have their taser-toys taken away.
The actual story is that a taser ignited something flammable injuring someone that was being tasered. The story [LINK] ends with the following sentence:
"Hamilton police discharged their Tasers 50 times last year."
50 times per year. This rate of [mis]use reveals the claim that "tasers replace guns" as the bald-faced lie that it is.
Tasers are obviously replacing lower forms of lawful force (talking, waiting, the simplest of martial arts).
That makes their net benefit to society -> negative.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
"Tasering could affect heartbeat..."
"Canadian researchers are reporting that research suggests stun gun discharges are able to stimulate heart muscle under certain circumstances."[LINK]
Yeah, is that surprising?
"The researchers from the University of Toronto and two Toronto hospitals found that the positioning of the barbs, which transmit the electrical impulses from the device, played a key role. Placing them across the chest, nearest the heart, simulated 'the worst-case scenario of creating a current vector that directly passes through the heart,' the researchers reported.
If the barbs were placed away from the chest and across the abdomen, none of the 56 test discharges stimulated the heart, 'suggesting that the location of the barbs had a crucial influence on stimulating the heart'. "
Taser will protest that the study is not valid for this and that reason. Blah blah blah.
I would like to point out that this study supports my conclusion that the vast majority of Taser's "600,000 safe demonstrations" (or whatever), rarely if ever applied across the chest, are basically FAKE and serve no purpose except to wash-out the denominator of their statistics.
See The 2008 Taser Challenge - [LINK]
Yeah, is that surprising?
"The researchers from the University of Toronto and two Toronto hospitals found that the positioning of the barbs, which transmit the electrical impulses from the device, played a key role. Placing them across the chest, nearest the heart, simulated 'the worst-case scenario of creating a current vector that directly passes through the heart,' the researchers reported.
If the barbs were placed away from the chest and across the abdomen, none of the 56 test discharges stimulated the heart, 'suggesting that the location of the barbs had a crucial influence on stimulating the heart'. "
Taser will protest that the study is not valid for this and that reason. Blah blah blah.
I would like to point out that this study supports my conclusion that the vast majority of Taser's "600,000 safe demonstrations" (or whatever), rarely if ever applied across the chest, are basically FAKE and serve no purpose except to wash-out the denominator of their statistics.
See The 2008 Taser Challenge - [LINK]
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Taser's cheap stage trick
Headline:
"Tasers offer police additional nonlethal options"
- by The Republican Newsroom [LINK]
Several points need to be made here:
1) Note that the misleading word "nonlethal" is back (as opposed to less-lethal).
2) Many cults use painful rites of passage as part of their brainwashing.
3) Note the continuing use of FAKE demos into the trainee's (cardiac safer) back.
The fact that essentially all taser training hits and demos are into the back (never the chest) is clear and compelling evidence that Taser International (who influences the training standards to the point of control) understands the risks of chest-side taser hits. They want to build up the number of deployments without taking the risk of killing some of their customers.
Face shields and personal cups would be perfectly acceptable, as would use of manually-applied alligator clips. Just put the current into the chest across the heart and let's see if Taser's confident claims of cardiac safety really hold water. If you really believe Taser's claims of cardiac safety, then there is no reason not to start clipping the taser wires across the chest so that the current vector passes through the area of the trainee's heart. It needs to become the standard training method - not just some small sample. Across the heart hits need to be S.O.P.
The current situation is clear and compelling evidence that Taser International understands the risk of the cardiac effects of taser hits to the chest.
If they disagree, then they only need to change their training standards as described above (chest, clips, across heart) and let it run for a year or so.
"Tasers offer police additional nonlethal options"
- by The Republican Newsroom [LINK]
Several points need to be made here:
1) Note that the misleading word "nonlethal" is back (as opposed to less-lethal).
2) Many cults use painful rites of passage as part of their brainwashing.
3) Note the continuing use of FAKE demos into the trainee's (cardiac safer) back.
The fact that essentially all taser training hits and demos are into the back (never the chest) is clear and compelling evidence that Taser International (who influences the training standards to the point of control) understands the risks of chest-side taser hits. They want to build up the number of deployments without taking the risk of killing some of their customers.
Face shields and personal cups would be perfectly acceptable, as would use of manually-applied alligator clips. Just put the current into the chest across the heart and let's see if Taser's confident claims of cardiac safety really hold water. If you really believe Taser's claims of cardiac safety, then there is no reason not to start clipping the taser wires across the chest so that the current vector passes through the area of the trainee's heart. It needs to become the standard training method - not just some small sample. Across the heart hits need to be S.O.P.
The current situation is clear and compelling evidence that Taser International understands the risk of the cardiac effects of taser hits to the chest.
If they disagree, then they only need to change their training standards as described above (chest, clips, across heart) and let it run for a year or so.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Seeing my predictions come true...
On March 16, 2009, I posted a comment on the Truth...Not Tasers 'List of the Dead' [LINK].
"...I'd actually expect that Taser [International] would put an increased emphasis for aiming lower on the torso."
The context of this prediction was in relation to the FAKE taser training and demonstration hits to the back, always the back, almost never to the chest. I have repeatedly challenged Taser International to turn the trainees around and let's just see how "safe" the X26 taser really is.
Of course there is no way that they would allow that to happen. It would be difficult to explain away if they started to see police trainees occasionally dropping dead of "sudden death during taser training".
But even with the obviously-inverted context, my prediction is essentially an exact match for the new taser targeting guidelines that Taser International released about seven months after my prediction. These new taser targeting guidelines put an increased emphasis on aiming lower on the torso.
That's a 3-pointer.
"...I'd actually expect that Taser [International] would put an increased emphasis for aiming lower on the torso."
The context of this prediction was in relation to the FAKE taser training and demonstration hits to the back, always the back, almost never to the chest. I have repeatedly challenged Taser International to turn the trainees around and let's just see how "safe" the X26 taser really is.
Of course there is no way that they would allow that to happen. It would be difficult to explain away if they started to see police trainees occasionally dropping dead of "sudden death during taser training".
But even with the obviously-inverted context, my prediction is essentially an exact match for the new taser targeting guidelines that Taser International released about seven months after my prediction. These new taser targeting guidelines put an increased emphasis on aiming lower on the torso.
That's a 3-pointer.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
