🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <7480@public.BTR.COM> grady@public.BTR.COM ( ) writes:
>Just to take this thread on a morbid twist,
>does anyone know what voltage and amperage
>is used in state executions?

Dunno, but I've "heard" that a person can be killed using a common 1-1/2V
"D" cell battery, some wire, and two needles.

No, you DON'T strangle the person with the wire, shove the battery down
his throat, and bury him under a cross made from the needles!  :-)

As it was related to me years ago, the point (no pun :-) of the needles
was to penetrate the epidermis and present the battery's voltage to the
highly-conductive "inner" layers of the person's body; if, say, one
needle pierced each arm, the current would pass through the heart causing
fibrillation leading to death.

Probably a 12V car battery and jumper cables (with one clamped to, say, the
big toe and the other to one's opposing arm) would effect the same result;
'twould probably hurt, too!  :-)

Which reminds me: I remember some 40 years ago the Rye Beach Amusement Park
in New York had a "ride" in the fun house which was a 30' or so diameter
cone whose apex was about 3' higher than the circumference: the trick was not
to be "spun off" as the wheel/cone was spun faster.  No sweat ... 'til the
ride operator starting turning on the sparks.  ZZZZ-Z-A-P, *P*O*W*.  The
shock would cause one to release one's hands and, of course, be spun off.

My recollection was the shock was imparted through bolts whose heads were
flush with the wooden surface of the "wheel/cone."  Wonder what voltage
was used?   Wonder if such "rides" still exist in amusement parks?

Hmmm, what with all the concern about falsely-triggered car alarms awakening
neighborhoods, what about having one's car charged up to some potential?

Thief attempts to break in, ZZZ-Z-A-P *P*O*W*.  Only a millisecond disturbance
to the neighbors, followed by the thief's quiet wimperings!   :-)

Hmmm, would probably need a remote-control device to disable such a system
for legitimate entry.

Thad Floryan [ thad@btr.com (OR) {decwrl, mips, fernwood}!btr!thad ]