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Shocking Clothing
harmonics writes "This is absolutely hysterical, it seems a "No-Contact Jacket" has been developed for women by MIT. This thing carries enough voltage to knock you on your duff (80,000 volts), and is decently stylish too. Now to find out how I can get my wife one. Just don't wear it in the rain!" The real question is whether the submitter knew the origin and full meaning of the word "hysterical".
Yes, but women are far too nice for that.
The jacket is designed for women only. Its small size and narrow armholes are intended to prevent men from using it as an offensive weapon. Whiton conceded that women could use it offensively, and that it would be hard for police to arrest anyone wearing one.
Men on the other hand, can't be trusted. Yet this isn't sexist somehow?
They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty nor security
I live in Manhattan. What would stop some sociopath from donning one of these jackets and getting on the subway at rush hour? I could imagine the East Village punks getting a real charge out of this (pun intended).
A taser at least resembles a weapon and give an aggressor some cue that you are wielding a weapon, this thing looks like a jacket (although it apparently doesn't sound like one). I think that's crossing a line and as such requires more thought. Maybe a warning label or something.
One cannot legally rig up a shotgun or some other dangerous device to automatically discharge upon the violation of a perimeter, how is this different? What happens to mens rea (malicious intent)? How does one assert that merely touching someone is an act for which you can cause physical harm?
It's sort of like invading and occupying a country just because they could be a threat in the future, we don't do tha...oh, wait.
The best way to do is to be.
No you can only use as much force as is necessary to protect your own life. You cant murder someone to stop him from carrying off your TV.
If the burglar enters your home armed (most dont - 'rob a house with gun in hand, get 10 to 20 in the can'), all bets are off. Then its self defense.
It's generally a case by case thing, but it make sense. Burglar or not, a human life is worth more than your piggy bank or xbox.
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
Male sexism is present all over the place.
In Seattle, there are billboards done by Dodge announcing "Gets more done than most husbands".
Can you imagine if someone went up there and replaced "husbands" with "wives"? There'd be such a HUGE backlash.
Of course, women have been and still are discriminated and such due to their sex, but it's less so all the time. However, this sort of thing only serves to spread the gap (pun not intended).
This is a lawsuit waiting to happen. I can see it now. You're in a crowded subway, and you accidentally bump into a woman wearing this. You get the shock of your life. What if you have a weak heart? What if you have a pace maker? How will this jacket effect it?
Well, if you'd read the article, you would have noticed that the jacket is not powered on 24/7. The intent is to power it up (where it actually generates sparks and makes noise) if you feel threatened by someone, or in a situation where you feel unsafe like walking to your car alone in a dark parking lot. You wouldn't have it charged entering a crowded subway. If you did, then yeah, a lawsuit is in order for using force without RCTB you were in physical danger.
-- If god wanted me to have a sig, he'd have given me a sense of humor.
Ok, woman turns on jacket and walks through dark carpark to her car...
She can't allow any of the electrified material to contact her bag whilst taking out her keys, and has to discharge it before sitting down in her car.
Shoulder bags and scarves are probably out anyway, and you don't want to be wearing it while walking your dog, or small child, in case they leap up and touch the jacket. Take care when holding metal railings in carpark staircases. Do not brush against elevator walls.
This is going to need a very good disclaimer.