AP: Ray gun makes targets feel they are on fire

[Bucky]

Ray gun makes targets feel they are on fire
AP: 26/01/2007

Moody Air Force Base, Georgia: The military's new weapon is a ray gun that shoots a beam that makes people feel as if they will catch fire.

The technology is supposed to be harmless - a non-lethal way to get enemies to drop their weapons. Military officials say it could save the lives of innocent civilians and service members in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

<von snippen-kutten>

During the first media demonstration of the weapon on Wednesday, airmen fired beams from a large dish antenna mounted atop a Humvee at people pretending to be rioters and acting out other scenarios US troops might encounter.

The crew fired beams from more than 450 metres away, nearly 17 times the range of existing non-lethal weapons, such as rubber bullets. While the sudden, 54-degree Celsius heat was not painful, it was intense enough to make participants think their clothes were about to ignite.

Call me cynical, but something in my gut tells me that the effects of this heat ray may be a bit more long term than what the army's sharing with us. F'rinstance, what does this do with pierced earrings? What does it do with jewelry? With earphones? With contact lenses? What if I'm wearing a prophylactic at the protest? (It could happen!)

[rug]

1. Digitized clap?

[Swamp Rat]

2. That's for the "stop the war in Iran" protests

[ShortnFiery]

3. When they demonstrated it on CNN,

the Bimbo News Model eek-ed like a mouse when this heat-ray supposedly hit her.

I kid you not - we've got spoiled IDIOTS reporting our news. :eyes:

[Vanje]

4. Now EVERYONE can enjoy hot-flashes

[sodenoue]

5. finally!

a gov weapon that can be defended against with TINFOIL!

to your battle stations everyone!

[originalpckelly]

6. Well, I guess that explains my dislike of Ray gun.

[seemslikeadream]

7. Democracy Now

Listen to Segment at 17:40

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/26/1559232

[cynatnite]

8. Didn't they say years ago smoking was good for you? n/t