Daily Archives: May 21, 2003

trees don’t talk

At an outdoor party this weekend, a very drunk boy decided to climb a tree. Luckily, he came down alive and only passed out when the distance between him and the ground was simply his height. It was a scary moment, as people have died doing similarly stupid things at these kinds of parties… on the dance floor, in front of everyone. Terrifying and a reminder of why all drug use must be taken seriously (including alcohol).

On a mailing list discussing this incident, a mantra for outdoor parties was set in place: “the tree is not telling you to climb it but the water is telling you to drink it.” This made me smile.

no contact jacket

The No-Contact Jacket is a wearable defensive jacket created to aid women in their struggle for protection from violence. When activated by the wearer, 80,000 volts of low amperage electric current pulses just below the surface shell of the entire jacket. This exo-electric armor prevents any person from unauthorized contact with the wearer’s body. If an assailant were to grab hold of the wearer the high voltage shocking exterior would interrupt their neurological impulses which control voluntary muscle movement. The neuromuscular system would be overwhelmed causing disorientation and loss of balance to occur and of course pain. The pain experienced is non-lethal but is enough of a shock to effectively and immediately deter contact with her body and provide a critical life saving option for escape.