Don't Tase me bro!

Tasers are perhaps the coolest thing Sci-Fi has ever suggested that has actually come into fruition. Although to be fair, automatic doors from Star Trek are the only other ones so far. As undeniably awesome as Tasers are, there aren't too many of them about, until now!

Yes, that's right, exciting taser-based news ahoy! The government has announced plans to issue additional Tasers to the Police.  Currently, 3,000 specially trained firearms officers carry the non-lethal weapons. 

For some bizarre reason, Amnesty International has a problem with this, and Tasers in general.  Were they never children? These hippys say that it's dangerous to be shot with 50,000 volts of electricity. Don't they realise it's the amperage that kills you? Do they not watch Mythbusters? Anyway, Amnesty International, call me old fashioned, but I reckon the chances of getting all brock-up by a Taser are significantly less than being shot by the MP5 or sidearm of Armed Response. (An MP5 is a gun, by the way, not a music file.)  

The man responsible for selling the Taser to the UK's Police forces, Peter Boatman, claims to have been shot by the device over 200 times, and describes it as like "bad cramp all over your body"  but says the pain stops the instant the device is shut down.  The same cannot be said about a bullet to the torso.

Also, if you are in a position where the police are going to Tase you, you're doing something wrong. So, you know, don't. If you are in the unlucky position of being suspecting of doing something wrong, but haven't, like Jean Charles De Menezes, wouldn't you prefer a temporary electric shock to a permanent death?

Why is it there aren't other inventions from Sci-Fi in the shops already?  Fair enough, a lot of stuff from Star-Trek was pretty ambitious, but in the 42 years since the original series started, someone should have invented something, surely? Or the Bond gadgets?  At least the dagger-shoe from "From Russia with Love" or the Rocket-fag from "You Only Live Twice" should be in the shops by now.  I'm sure someone from Aston Martin has that DB5 from "Casino Royale" sat on their drive.  Come on, share the wealth.