Comments on: Riot Car Shoots Water, Bullets or Poison Gas (May, 1938)

By: Village Idiot

Village Idiot — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:25:54 +0000

Um, when one group of people is attacking another, it’s usually the thugs who have the weapons. I’ve never heard anyone say “Aw, look at those thugs getting chased and beaten by an unarmed mob.” When this was published, union organizing, and especially members of the I.W.W., were often targeted with violence, so the scenario is very plausible, but most Americans don’t know much about our own history, nor care. Nowadays it’s the thugs vs. anti-WTO ‘rioters,’ so not much has changed.

What’s also interesting is how seriously a firebrand takes an offhand comment about a ridiculous concept. And it’s the village who decides who their idiot is, normally choosing the one who seems a little too different. In a village of firebrands, which mine seems to be, the title is an honor.

By: Firebrand38

Firebrand38 — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 23:56:45 +0000

Original patent may be found at http://www.google.com/patents?.....ino+Tunaya

Interesting what “Village Idiot” made of a line drawing. The guys in the turrets are “thugs” and the guys in the street become “union organizers”? Ahhh Idiots, no wonder every village wants one.

By: Stannous

Stannous — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 01:36:56 +0000

Now if we could just get rid of the humans operating the weapons and replaced them with robots…

By: Village Idiot

Village Idiot — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 10:02:41 +0000

Wow, interesting how small the thugs operating the machine guns are compared to the enormous union organizers (oops I mean “rioters”) they are squirting with water or poison gas from the high-precision nozzles. Wait a minute… poison gas?!?

By: jayessell

jayessell — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 23:29:21 +0000

A photo of the Herkimer Battle Jitney!

http://wheeledarmoredvehicles......3322c4111b

By: jayessell

jayessell — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 22:02:37 +0000

It’s the Herkimer battle jitney!

By: Sorcerer Mickey

Sorcerer Mickey — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 21:03:04 +0000

What won’t the criminal element of Metropolis think of next!

By: ajpress

ajpress — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 17:40:31 +0000

It’s the EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle!

By: ANI

ANI — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 13:12:37 +0000

this futuristic car is very similar to the illustrations found in this russian children’s book I adore – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neznaika – although the design sensibility of 1938 was still in full swing in Russia of 1954…