This is awesome. Tasers are used by many police forces and I bet you didn’t know it’s actually sort of an acronym: It stands for Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle. How’s that for useless knowledge?
The man that worked on the invention of it (Jack Cover) loved the series of young adult novels featuring Tom Swift as the protagonist. One of the stories was actually named Tom Swift and his Electric Rifle and Tom had a rifle that shot electric bolts from it. The stories were written by Victor Appleton (a house psuedonym of the Stratemeyer Syndicate- the same company that brought us The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys) beginning in the 1910s and going into the 1940s.
I think it’s awesome that the company that created the Taser uses this name. 
Jillian Chantal 
That’s actually quite awesome, Jillian, LOL. I agree with you, I think it’s great that the company uses the book name. Great Friday Fact!
By: danicaavet on April 29, 2011
at 7:34 am
I thought it was such a fun thing, I just had to share it. Glad you agree!
By: Jillian Chantal on April 29, 2011
at 7:46 am
Fascinating! I love learning these bits of info. Thanks for sharing. I agree, it’s great that they kept the name. Now I’ll sound smart next time my hubby and his friends are chatting about guns. 🙂
By: Ciara Knight on April 29, 2011
at 7:53 am
Glad to help! Impress those guys! LOL!
By: Jillian Chantal on April 29, 2011
at 8:23 am
I never knew this. Love it that the inventor had such a sense of humor.
By: Darlene on April 29, 2011
at 8:39 am
I think he was just enamored of the books! Not trying to be fuuny- maybe clever!
By: Jillian Chantal on April 29, 2011
at 8:43 am
I’m really liking your fact Fridays. Great Blog Jillian.
By: Lavada Dee on April 29, 2011
at 12:23 pm
Thanks Lavada. I appreciate it.
By: Jillian Chantal on April 29, 2011
at 12:24 pm