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Denver Police Order Veritas Launchers For Convention Protests

SWAT (Security with Advanced Technology) has let the cat out of the bag on some of the weapons purchased by the Denver Police Department for the August Democratic Convention:

Security With Advanced Technology, Inc. (NasdaqCM:SWAT - News) reported that its Veritas Tactical business segment has received a purchase order from the City and County of Denver, for the Company's recently introduced rifle launcher and pistol launcher as well as projectiles and associated accessories.

More...

The purchase order includes 88 of the new Mark IV launchers representing approximately 80% of the order and the PO totals in the low six figures. The Denver Police Department conducted extensive testing and evaluation of the launchers prior to placing the purchase order and has requested delivery in advance of the upcoming Democratic National Convention to be held in Denver in August.

The Rocky Mountain News has more.

The ACLU of Colorado has filed a civil lawsuit to determine the weapons purchased to be used against the protesters. Denver received $18 million of a $50 million federal grant for convention security.

There is concern among protest groups that one of those under consideration is a high-frequency sonic weapon that causes people in range to involuntarily defecate.

Political activists planning protest rallies at the upcoming Democratic Convention in Denver have their stomachs in knots over a rumor about a crowd control weapon - known as the “crap cannon” - that might be unleashed against them.

Also called “Brown Note,” it is believed to be an infrasound frequency that debilitates a person by making them defecate involuntarily.

There is some disupte over whether the "Brown Note" actually causes that response. Protest groups seem more concerned by this weapon:

More troubling to [Recreate 68's Glenn] Spangnuolo is the “Active Denial System” or “ADS,” a ray gun used to send high levels of microwave frequencies that cause a burning sensation the skin. He described ADS as an “indiscriminate weapon” and said “there’s no long-term testing on what happens to the body when exposed to those kinds of microwave frequencies.”

Spagnuolo believes that Raytheon, the company that manufactures the weapon, is planning to test a limited-range civilian version on protesters in Denver before approving its use in places like Iraq.

For more information on protest activities, here's Come Up To Denver.

If you'd like a more positive view of what Denver has to offer during the convention, here's one of my favorites -- I especially like the snowboarders and skiers towards the end (1:22 seconds in):

< DNCC Reschedules Convention Media WalkThrough | State Polling of Obama-McCain Race: A Realistic Assessment >
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  • Display: Sort:
    Wow... (5.00 / 2) (#10)
    by kredwyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:38:30 PM EST
    That's ummm...

    Hey I thought that the HRC people were elderly types.

    Rubber bullet launchers against the Fighting Grannies.

    I think the grannies can take it.

    What should the Denver PD employ (none / 0) (#12)
    by oculus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:39:16 PM EST
    against knitting needles?

    Parent
    Depends... (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by kredwyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:41:02 PM EST
    my mom's needles are the 60s metal kind. Mine are bamboo.

    Parent
    No, I think "Depends" are for (5.00 / 3) (#25)
    by Anne on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:47:20 PM EST
    the other problem...

    Parent
    The grannies might (none / 0) (#68)
    by kredwyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:26:43 PM EST
    need to bring a couple extra packages of them for the DPD.

    Parent
    I think if that's the case (none / 0) (#91)
    by blogtopus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 06:46:39 PM EST
    then a large percentage of the Grannies for Hillary will have no problem persevering in the face of the crap cannon.

    Depends: Bullet Proof Vests for the New Generation (and the old one, too)

    Parent

    Crap cannon?? How dumb are these cops?? (none / 0) (#92)
    by FlaDemFem on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 08:12:36 PM EST
    All they will do is give the protesters something really nasty to scoop and fling at the cops. At least, that would be my reaction should any weapon like that be used on me. So if they use the "crap cannon" they risk being the ones covered in crap, a lot more than one protester's worth. If I were going to be protesting and knew they were going to have the cannon, I would do a carbo stoke the night before so I would have plenty of ammo to fire back. Heh.

    Parent
    Crochet hooks? n/t (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by dianem on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:42:50 PM EST
    You don't bring a crochet hook (5.00 / 11) (#20)
    by kredwyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:43:39 PM EST
    to a knitting needle fight.

    Parent
    Hey, you fight with (5.00 / 6) (#65)
    by gyrfalcon on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:19:17 PM EST
    the weapons you've got, not the weapons you wish you had. ;-)


    Parent
    Or in the case of the DPD (none / 0) (#67)
    by kredwyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:21:22 PM EST
    The big boys have their toys...

    Parent
    Msnbc might start reporting police (4.80 / 5) (#32)
    by LoisInCo on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:51:42 PM EST
    are rightly concerned about a highly coordinated militant knitting circle.
    Keith Olbermann: " Today insurgent militant senior citizens for Clinton threatened democracy with their crafty wares and knitting tools of doom. How dare they sir, how dare they."

    /snark.

    Parent

    Madame DeFarge storms DNC. (5.00 / 2) (#40)
    by oculus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:55:21 PM EST
    Now that's an image (none / 0) (#48)
    by kredwyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:01:17 PM EST
    I'm going to be thinking about for a while.

    Parent
    Oh no!! (none / 0) (#80)
    by Fredster on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 03:41:35 PM EST
    I just visualized Cloris Leachman in History of the World Part One!

    Parent
    Me too!!! (none / 0) (#93)
    by FlaDemFem on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 08:17:26 PM EST
    I love movie, just watched it again the other day. Think we can get Ms. Leachman to re-enact the scene at the convention??

    Parent
    The DPD... (none / 0) (#19)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:43:23 PM EST
    ...isn't exactly know for their non-violent ways.  Can of soda?  Looks like a gun.  Knitting needles?  Looks like a knife.  

    I sure wouldn't be tempting them--they tend to shoot first and ask questions never.  

    Parent

    and they were no where (none / 0) (#24)
    by kredwyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:46:02 PM EST
    to be found when someone broke into my friend's car and stole his ratty old CD player.

    I'll tell you what...that was one cold ride back to Boulder in late October.

    Parent

    They should be buying muzzles (5.00 / 2) (#39)
    by Ben Masel on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:54:50 PM EST
    for the whackjob cops.

    I have to keep reminding myself (5.00 / 4) (#41)
    by Anne on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:55:56 PM EST
    that these weapons are in anticipation of the Democratic convention and not the Republican one - who does the Denver PD believe will be causing the kinds of problems that require that kind of an arsenal?

    I'm really kind of repulsed by the whole thing.

    What's next - Free Speech Zones on the other side of the mountains?

    Do the Repubs still show up (none / 0) (#71)
    by nycstray on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:37:37 PM EST
    at Dem conventions? In 1992, we were out defending the clinics as there was a large group of pro-lifers out there causing grief. Can't remember if there were any other groups as I spent my time on that one.

    Parent
    St. Paul police are stocking up (none / 0) (#75)
    by echinopsia on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:53:45 PM EST
    That whole (5.00 / 2) (#47)
    by eric on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:59:57 PM EST
    brown note thing is a fraud.  Mythbusters actually tested it and it didn't work.  They tried massive volume and multiple frequencies, but no effect.

    Heh. I'll bet they did. (5.00 / 1) (#52)
    by madamab on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:06:37 PM EST
    Those guys are great. :-)

    Parent
    Yup. (none / 0) (#62)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:15:22 PM EST
    No product remotely related to the idea of the Brown Note on the SWAT website.

    Google references a South Park episode though which made me laugh so hard I cr@pped myself.

    See, it does work.

    Parent

    I think its use is (none / 0) (#95)
    by tree on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 09:41:58 PM EST
    in psychological warfare to make people THINK they have these awesome weapons.

    Parent
    Chicago revisted? (5.00 / 4) (#55)
    by lentinel on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:10:54 PM EST
    This reminds me of the fiasco of the convention in Chicago in the 1960s.

    We have a leadership in the democratic party that is, charitably put, turning a deaf ear to the cry of the American people for justice at home and an end to the horrific war in Iraq.

    The nominee-to-be is also nowhere to be found with respect to calling for an end to the war. He is expressing Bush-like drivel about 2012.

    He is not calling for an end to the abuses of the patriot act - for which he voted - twice.

    So - what are people to do?

    Apparently, many will want to express themselves in the only manner left open to them - protest. They will herded into boxes.
    If they try to break out, they will be subjected to the inhuman treatment described above.

    And the leadership of our party is silent.
    And that, as I said, is being charitable.

    Said in a more forthright manner, we have a party that is actively seeking to suppress dissent. This is the only way, apparently, that they can give the impression of unity.

    Obama only voted for patriot once. (none / 0) (#90)
    by Ben Masel on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 06:21:11 PM EST
    Perhaps you're thinking of Clinton?

    Parent
    You're right. (none / 0) (#94)
    by lentinel on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 08:20:14 PM EST
    I thought that Obama had voted for the Patriot Act and its' renewal, but he only voted for its' renewal.

    Parent
    from mythbusters (5.00 / 1) (#58)
    by Capt Howdy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:14:08 PM EST
    The infrasonic brown note can cause a human to lose control of their bowels.

    busted

    Even after testing a wide range of sub-audible and near-sub-audible noises on him, not once did Adam lose control of his bowels. Some discomfort was reported however, due to the effects of low-frequency sound on the lungs.

    Maybe the Denver PD heard (5.00 / 1) (#61)
    by Anne on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:14:47 PM EST
    the same whispers that the AP did: that Chris Matthews is being considered for Russert's replacement on MTP.

    Couldn't they have just asked for the spit-shield contract for the MTP studio?  Given Matthews his own leg-tingler?

    I posted the poo cannon (5.00 / 1) (#70)
    by Capt Howdy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:36:39 PM EST
    thing in a newsgroup here and it looks like it may incorporated into one of our games.  they LOVE the idea.

    Police... (5.00 / 2) (#72)
    by desertswine on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:44:09 PM EST
    don't buy fancy-butt new weapons without intending to use them.

    And then there's the hundreds of provocateurs they have to employ in addition.

    Hey, I haven't seen you in ages (5.00 / 1) (#76)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:53:59 PM EST
    where ya been?

    Parent
    Hello MT... (5.00 / 4) (#77)
    by desertswine on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 03:03:15 PM EST
    Well, I've been here, just couldn't get a word in edgewise.

    I've been reading all the posts (but not all the comments).

    And...

    I have no where else to go... (sniff).

    Parent

    You must push to the front (5.00 / 1) (#83)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 04:39:32 PM EST
    and bellow.  I have missed your voice.

    Parent
    Thank you... (none / 0) (#87)
    by desertswine on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 04:57:37 PM EST
    OMG. (4.00 / 6) (#1)
    by MissBrainerd on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:27:32 PM EST
    Just how violent are the Hillary supporters planning to get?  :)

    The idea is to discourage them before they come (5.00 / 4) (#7)
    by goldberry on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:35:31 PM EST
    It's putting us on notice that they will use strong armed tactics and they are not saying what will trigger their use.  
    In 2004 in NYC, passersby on the street at the scene of a peaceful but unauthroized protest were rounded up with the protesters and hauled off to detention facilities.  It was barbaric.  

    Parent
    Yup. (5.00 / 1) (#46)
    by madamab on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:59:24 PM EST
    It's enough to make me start wearing hemp clothing!

    Seriously...this is definitely pre-emptive psy-ops. The Supreme Court isn't working, so now we're being threatened with..the cr@p cannon.

    Parent

    That's a great idea! (5.00 / 5) (#63)
    by gyrfalcon on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:17:16 PM EST
    That will make sure that the protesters are 100 percent hard-core anarchist types who will cheerfully engage in violence!

    Are these people nuts?  The way to keep protests from becoming violent is to make sure they're overwhelmingly full of peaceful people.  If they scare all us knitters and bitter old grannies away, all they'll be left with is the people looking for trouble.

    No wonder we can't get anywhere in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Good God.

    Parent

    In 2001, at the Bush inaug protest (none / 0) (#96)
    by Eleanor A on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 11:11:22 PM EST
    There were armed riot guards blocking routes to the parade.

    I expect similar in Denver.

    Parent

    It's anti-war protesters. (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by Ben Masel on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:53:23 PM EST
    The problem with buying all these "less than lethal' toys is the cops can't resist playing with them. at the 2000 Dem convention, the LAPD fired a few rounds from every toy they had.

    Parent
    The other problem with "less-lethal" (5.00 / 1) (#79)
    by shoephone on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 03:10:03 PM EST
    weapons is that they are not "non-lethal".

    As I recall from my sister's days at UC Berkeley in the early 70's, rubber bullets can still kill.

    I wrote a post about the ADS technology almost two years ago.

    Parent

    I Apologize For My Previous Comment (5.00 / 2) (#49)
    by MO Blue on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:02:35 PM EST
    and am glad that it was deleted. I did miss the snark tag. It just makes me angry when people say that Clinton's supporters or Obama's supporters will riot in the street. I think we are all better people than that.

    Not to mention I could do several hours on what I think about this type of equipment being used to discourage protests.

    Parent

    It just makes me angry when people say that Clinto (none / 0) (#97)
    by Amiss on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 11:46:29 PM EST
    n's supporters or Obama's supporters will riot in the street. But Obama supporters were threatening to riot in the street if he was not the nominee. Personally I think that has a lot to do with why some SD's voted him in.

    Since he is the presumptive nominee, I really dont think the DPD has anything to worry about.

    Parent

    I am mightily pissed but usually (none / 0) (#3)
    by oculus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:32:53 PM EST
    non-violent.

    Parent
    "pissed" isn't what they have in mind (none / 0) (#5)
    by MissBrainerd on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:33:57 PM EST
    seems more like they will make you soil yourselves!!

    Parent
    That's awesome. Who says the (5.00 / 3) (#6)
    by oculus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:34:44 PM EST
    Dems. are weak on national security.

    Parent
    I recommend a pre-protest enema... (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by goldberry on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:37:47 PM EST
    ...and Bose noise cancelling earphones.  Throw in some high impact goggles for rubber bullets.  Now what kind of clothing can you wear to protect your self from microwaves?  Do they make microwave safe ceramic clothing?  

    Parent
    I expect a "run" on adult diapers n/t (none / 0) (#14)
    by echinopsia on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:40:03 PM EST
    It all depends. (5.00 / 3) (#22)
    by oculus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:45:08 PM EST
    LOL, it might also be convenient ... (none / 0) (#27)
    by Maria Garcia on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:48:42 PM EST
    ...to schedule a colonoscopy afterwards. Might not have to drink so much of that nasty stuff.

    Parent
    Naw, (none / 0) (#59)
    by Stellaaa on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:14:31 PM EST
    they will shoot out t-shirts, like in concerts.

    Parent
    More likely, Code Pink (none / 0) (#4)
    by MKS on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:33:47 PM EST
    and other anti-war and anti-globalization folks.

    Parent
    I'm bringing my VISA card (none / 0) (#84)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 04:41:25 PM EST
    not really, I will be home in Abalama......I mean Alabama.

    Parent
    Denver police are expecting much (3.00 / 1) (#2)
    by oculus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:32:13 PM EST
    more rambunctous crowd of Clinton supporters and FL and MI people than I would have predicted.

    That looked like snark (none / 0) (#13)
    by kredwyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:39:44 PM EST
    to me...

    I took it as snark as well. (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:44:48 PM EST
    If it was snark, then it would have been (none / 0) (#26)
    by MO Blue on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:48:33 PM EST
    better to label it as such. There is no correlation between the fact that the Denver police has purchased what I consider nasty weapons and an actual threat of violence from HILLARY supporters.

    I found the comment offensive and I said so.

    Parent

    I kinda thought (none / 0) (#31)
    by kredwyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:51:29 PM EST
    that the ;-) was an indicator.

    Parent
    So... (none / 0) (#33)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:52:03 PM EST
    ...the smiley face at the end didn't clue you in, huh?  Perhaps you need a snark detention tune-up.

    Parent
    You Are Right I Did Miss The Smiley Face n/t (none / 0) (#44)
    by MO Blue on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:58:29 PM EST
    Don't normally react that way

    Parent
    I think you missed the smiley face. (none / 0) (#34)
    by oculus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:52:08 PM EST
    maybe the ordered (none / 0) (#35)
    by Capt Howdy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:52:54 PM EST
    the stuff while it still seemed possible Hillary might win and they might need it?


    Parent
    of course it was snark (none / 0) (#28)
    by Jeralyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:49:09 PM EST
    I laughed out loud.

    Parent
    Darn it. (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by echinopsia on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:59:24 PM EST
    I've been rendered humorless by unrelenting CDS.

    Sorry.

    Parent

    Definitely Missed It (5.00 / 1) (#50)
    by MO Blue on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:03:53 PM EST
    Thanks for deleting my comment.

    Parent
    Why not just hire Blackwater for (none / 0) (#23)
    by oculus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:45:54 PM EST
    cost savings?

    Because SWAT (none / 0) (#37)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:53:14 PM EST
    (Security with Advanced Technology, Inc. that manufactures the stuff) is a Denver co.

    Parent
    Ah. Buy local. Of course. (none / 0) (#43)
    by oculus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:58:21 PM EST
    wow (none / 0) (#29)
    by Capt Howdy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:50:35 PM EST
    wont be like '68.
    for so many reasons.

    Tom Hayden pronounce '68 passe. (4.75 / 4) (#36)
    by oculus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:52:59 PM EST
    He is into the hope and change aspects now.  

    Parent
    No offense, (none / 0) (#66)
    by MKS on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:19:36 PM EST
    but doesn't it wear you out being such a contrarian?

    Parent
    and (none / 0) (#69)
    by Capt Howdy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:33:21 PM EST
    I used to like Tom

    Parent
    Is this normal procedure? (none / 0) (#42)
    by JustJennifer on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:56:18 PM EST
    I can imagine ramping up personnel and planning for crowd control is SOP but the purchasing of so many weapons seems a little concerning.

    Wonder what Minneapolis is doing to prepare for the RNC?  Seems there would be a bigger risk of protesters gone wild at that convention.

    Homeland Security Grant? (none / 0) (#51)
    by MissBrainerd on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:05:46 PM EST
    In NYC they got a grant and now I have seen photos of police with machine guns in some subway stops.

    I called my local city council member about this and I never do things like that but the machine guns scared me more than any terrorist they might zap.

    Parent

    They have machine guns (none / 0) (#60)
    by madamab on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:14:38 PM EST
    in Grand Central Station too - have had them for many years now. There was a terraist bomb scare 2 days after 9/11 in Grand Central, which I imagine gave them the excuse they wanted.

    I often wonder what country I'm living in these days.

    Parent

    My first "armed patrol" (none / 0) (#64)
    by kredwyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:17:21 PM EST
    was Falls Road, Belfast circa 1997.

    It was interesting.

    Parent

    If the last 7 years have proved anything (none / 0) (#53)
    by echinopsia on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:07:10 PM EST
    It's that the RNC is impervious to protests. Who cares what you think?

    The "free speech zone" in Denver (where the permitted marches end up) is at least five blocks from the Pepsi Center.

    In Minneapolis, the free speech zone will probably be in St. Paul. Or Menomonie.

    Parent

    Oops, correcting myself: (none / 0) (#56)
    by echinopsia on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:13:12 PM EST
    There will be a "protest zone" in one of the parking lots at the Pepsi Center.

    The zone is to be in Lot A of the Pepsi Center, which is between a Conoco gas station and the Pepsi Center. It will be surrounded by fencing that is transparent in both sound and sight. The area will be 50,000 square feet. Farther out, a "soft perimeter" will permit pedestrian traffic, but no access by vehicles.

    Denver city attorney David Fine said demonstrators will not be able to hand out leaflets to the delegates as they enter.

    But the parade route still ends up five blocks away.

    Parent

    When the Republican National Conv. (none / 0) (#57)
    by oculus on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:13:18 PM EST
    was in San Diego a few years ago, the "free speech zone" was a chain link pen several blocks and a railroad crossing from the convention center.  Noticable police presence outside the pen, which was a tourist attraction.  

    Parent
    going OT. (none / 0) (#54)
    by Salo on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:09:43 PM EST
    Post-BoP, he went against the grain of Cold Warrior thinking.  Refused to send in troops to Laos (Ike's recommendation).  Ditto for VN (JCS, CIA, cong'l leaders, nearly all his NS staff in favor).  Decided against CW hawks during Missile
    Crisis by achieving a peaceful resolution with no attack/invasion of Cuba.  Test Ban Treaty.  Backchannel overtures to Khruschev and Fidel wrt easing CW tensions/beginning dialogue to new relations.  Nixed outrageous JCS proposal re Northwoods, and canned crazy cold warrior CJCS who proposed it.
    I hope and trust Obama is better informed about JFK's progressive FP legacy than some are here.  And he would do well to generally follow in Kennedy's pro-peace/non-aggressive/Pentagon-skeptical footsteps.

    MMkay.

    he signed off on the Bay of Pigs (but deprived the emigres of air support).  He backed the winning faction in Congo in a very bloody war. The cuban missile crisis probably was as close to nuclear annihilation as we will ever get.  Getting that close to a holocaust is  as close as you can get without being killed. He jumped American presence in vietnam from about 600 advisors to 17,000 in the space of about 3 years. That's an army by any measure.  Because the rebels in South Vietnam were Communist (JFK was anti-communist)he'd have adone something similar to LBJ. Another year or two and Kennedy would have dragged his rep through the mud quite throughly with antiwar critics.

    I'm not sure that Kennedy's actions in Laos were all that good. That settlement he made was broken in a few months and the Laos side of the Vietnam border became part of the Ho Che Mihn Trail in the late 1960s. Of course Kennedy was facing down a number of formidable opponents so i'm not saying this to be harsh.  I just don't see why he's admired by antiwar people so much. So much about him seems like historiography and hagiography rather than history.

    end of OT delete if you like.  I just like to discuss history


    please do it on (none / 0) (#85)
    by Jeralyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 04:49:27 PM EST
    an open thread.

    Parent
    Gee, it says it is less lethal (none / 0) (#73)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:52:27 PM EST
    I guess that probably means you can use it a lot more before you kill the same amount of people protesting than if you had used a standard weapon.  Now that's kewl isn't it? (snark alert)  Oculus and I will probably be laid out on the sidewalk due to our efforts of trying to find convention ticket scalpers :)  Long live democracy!

    infrasound = low frequency (not high-frequency) (none / 0) (#74)
    by Andreas on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 02:52:39 PM EST


    I certainly hope peaceful protests are all (none / 0) (#81)
    by JavaCityPal on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 03:48:02 PM EST
    Denver experiences.

    I read over a month ago that others found some web sites that provided lists of necessary gear to bring along. They included gas masks and protective vests.  

    If the type of troublemakers show up in Denver that came to the WTO in Seattle 8 years ago, the police will want to be prepared.

    if the same people who were at (none / 0) (#82)
    by cpinva on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 04:38:15 PM EST
    the 68 convention in chicago show up in denver, the police should be stocking up on walkers and wheelchairs, not "potentially, but not meant to be, lethal weapons". they might also want to put in an order for oxygen tanks as well.

    odd that it's always the police who are geared for combat, not the protestors. one of these days they're going to run into a truly crazed bunch, who bring their own weapons, of the high-tech variety, and they shall reap what they sowed.

    let's not give anyone (none / 0) (#86)
    by Jeralyn on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 04:51:28 PM EST
    crazy ideas like that. The protesters are non-violent.

    Parent
    Were you there in '68? (none / 0) (#88)
    by Boston Boomer on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 05:03:27 PM EST
    The protesters were mostly around my age or a little older.  I'm hardly ready for a walker or oxygen.  I'm not ready for high velocity pepper spray and microwave weapons, I admit.


    Parent
    An orgasmatron cannon.. (none / 0) (#89)
    by CSTAR on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 06:15:09 PM EST
    maybe?