[A Rising Thunder] The assassination technique -- I don't think it works!

[Loren Pechtel]

They decided it's based on using muscle memory to make the victim
carry out a simple action.

So far everything we've seen is *ALMOST* consistent with this but it's
not going to work.

Open the desk drawer, grab the gun and shoot yourself?

I see two judgment calls that can't be made from muscle memory:

1) Where is the drawer? (Actually, where is he in regards to his
desk. Does he always sit in exactly the same position??)

2) Where is the gun? It's in the drawer but unless it's got
something to anchor it in place it's not going to be in exactly the
same position every time that drawer is opened.


Consider the muscle memory skill I know best--typing. The last I
timed myself (admittedly long ago) I could do 80 words per minute on
short words. That requires my keyboard to be perfect, though. Twist
it a fraction of an inch and I'm lucky to do 20 wpm and with a bunch
of errors besides.

[Doug Jones]

On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:58:08 -0800, Loren Pechtel

Post by Loren Pechtel
They decided it's based on using muscle memory to make the victim
carry out a simple action.
So far everything we've seen is *ALMOST* consistent with this but it's
not going to work.
Open the desk drawer, grab the gun and shoot yourself?
1) Where is the drawer? (Actually, where is he in regards to his
desk. Does he always sit in exactly the same position??)
2) Where is the gun? It's in the drawer but unless it's got
something to anchor it in place it's not going to be in exactly the
same position every time that drawer is opened.

Not to mention that I seriously doubt most people would practice
opening a drawer, removing a gun, and putting it into their mouth on a
regular basis.

What we've been shown in previous incidents is a set of actions
(attempted assassination of Honor, etc.) are relatively complex
actions and not something you would expect "muscle memory" to be able
to handle. I think this is a case of Weber trying to come up with an
"explanation" that doesn't quite work.

[Loren Pechtel]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:42:43 -0500, Doug Jones

Post by Doug Jones
On Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:58:08 -0800, Loren Pechtel

Post by Loren Pechtel
They decided it's based on using muscle memory to make the victim
carry out a simple action.
So far everything we've seen is *ALMOST* consistent with this but it's
not going to work.
Open the desk drawer, grab the gun and shoot yourself?
1) Where is the drawer? (Actually, where is he in regards to his
desk. Does he always sit in exactly the same position??)
2) Where is the gun? It's in the drawer but unless it's got
something to anchor it in place it's not going to be in exactly the
same position every time that drawer is opened.

Not to mention that I seriously doubt most people would practice
opening a drawer, removing a gun, and putting it into their mouth on a
regular basis.

That's not the issue. Mesa has someone else practice doing it and
then the commands are encoded and given to the victim.

Post by Doug Jones
What we've been shown in previous incidents is a set of actions
(attempted assassination of Honor, etc.) are relatively complex
actions and not something you would expect "muscle memory" to be able
to handle. I think this is a case of Weber trying to come up with an
"explanation" that doesn't quite work.

They specifically addressed that one. He drew, held the gun flat and
swept the area. There's nothing fancy about that.

I do agree that he tried to explain it and set limits on what it could
do and blew it. He just doesn't realize how complex some actions we
don't think about are.