MetaFilter posts tagged with force

"Police, stop or you will be hit with 50,000 volts of electricity!"

Shepherd — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 06:11:13 -0800

Taser use in law enforcement has been under increased scrutiny in recent years, especially following the death of Robert Dziekanski in a Vancouver airport last year after being Tasered by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (previously). Now the CBC and Canadian Press have sifted through over 5,000 incident reports to create a RCMP Taser use database, tracking use of tasers by Canada's federal law enforcement by province, incident, year or stuns used. This, for instance, shows the 116 times a Taser was used in relation to an impaired driving incident in 2006 through 2007. You can even click through for details on each specific incident, including officers present, whether the subject was aware of the Taser, and whether the subject him/herself was armed. Also according to the CBC, Taser use by the RCMP has declined sharply in the last year. You can download the RCMP Operational Manual on Conducted Energy Weapons in either its newly amended (February '09) form or a original pre-amended flavour.

Force majeure axe

Tehanu — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:27:55 -0800

The WGA strike has entered its third month. Since New Year's, Worldwide Pants, the Weinstein Co., and United Artists have reached interim deals with the WGA, with rumors of more to come. Microsoft announced new deals with Hollywood companies. And on Friday, ABC Studios terminated deals with more than a dozen writers. Tonight, CBS, NBC, and 20th Century Fox have followed suit. Names of producers, writers, and shows affected are still being revealed as letters are received. Force majeure. So far, reports suggest that most or all of the people whose deals were terminated are writers without projects currently on the air-- people with a show in development or with a recent show that's no longer on the air. But names are still being reported so it's not entirely certain yet. Meanwhile, there is a rumor that a deal between the AMPTP and DGA will be announced tomorrow.

UCLAPD taser investigation

grouse — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 03:53:59 -0800

UCLA releases the results of an independent investigation into an incident where a UCLAPD officer repeatedly tasered a passively resisting student (previously on MetaFilter). The investigation found that the officer violated UCLA's use of force policies. Furthermore, it found that these policies are "unduly permissive" and that "the UCLAPD policy stands alone in its legitimization of the Taser as a pain compliance device against passive resisters." An internal investigation by UCLAPD previously determined that there was no violation.

Skateboarding IS a crime?

blaneyphoto — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:53:31 -0800

Go skateboarding Day didn't end well for a bunch of teenagers in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Youtube Video. Unreasonable/Excessive force by the police? You decide.

flashbacks of Ibiza

vronsky — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 12:46:54 -0800

FOAM When foam tests go wrong.

duck!!!

icontemplate — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 18:58:08 -0800

Aside from saving money on admission to Disney World and other theme parks, Florida residents can now use deadly force! A series of ads being runned in British papers warns potential tourists of Florida's new Shoot-First law (or the "Stand Your Ground" law for the 'backers out there). Paid for by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. [Previously on mefi]

Thune is Saved!

three blind mice — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 10:39:58 -0800

Robert Novak gets it wrong again. Predicting that Ellsworth Air Force Base in North Dakota would fall victim to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BARC) thus damaging the political career of Republican John Thune, Novak argued that the White House was "ignoring Thune" contradicting "the image of a White House that puts politics first. Instead, the Bush team looked like tone-deaf, old-fashioned Republicans interested more in going by the book than winning elections." Thune promised that only a Republican senator could save Ellsworth, South Dakota's largest employer, from closure. That promise played a prominent role in his campaign. In defeating senate minority leader Tom Daschle, Thune's victory marked the first time since 1952 that a party leader in the senate was defeated. When Ellsworth was nevertheless put on the list for closure, Thune's politcal future appeared doomed. As promised, Thune went into action. Yesterday, Thune announced Ellsworth is saved! Contrary to Novak's opinion, the image of a White House that puts politics first is as strong as ever.

Grain Power!

NotMyselfRightNow — Thu, 14 Apr 2005 10:28:56 -0800

Why should the UN spend money to feed the hungry when they can simply pay a software company to create a video game about feeding the hungry? "In an exciting and dynamic form, Food Force will generate kids' interest and understanding about hunger, which kills more people than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined,” says Neil Gallagher, the World Food Programme’s Director of Communications.

sillygwailo — Fri, 04 Jan 2002 14:58:09 -0800

sodaconstructor allows you to construct basic shapes using lines, joints, and "muscles" and adjust the settings (gravity, and I'm guessing that f and k stand for force and kinetics but I could be wrong) to create "living" creatures.