Green Lasers - Be Careful Terrorism Concerns!

All,

I've been "quiet" on this subject for a while and haven't wanted to
bring it up.

But I want to issue a word of caution to all those with green laser
pointers as I just saw another article about this on the front page of
CNN.

View the below links and you'll see how big of an issue this is
becoming.

I know people are using these to point out constellations, etc., but
I'd be very careful that you're not pointing anywhere near an aircraft.
Remember these things do have a range and it might be hard at night to
gauge the altitude of a plane. You might think you're shooting under
one when infact you're shooting right into it.

I don't think we want to see anyone doing public outreach getting
arrested and with all the recent press it's only a matter of time till
people start calling the police from a park or wherever after seeing
someone from a distance pointing one up in the sky for Astro Uses.

Be Careful! I think it's only a matter of time till a crackdown on
lasers happens.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/29/laser.plane/index.html - Lasers
illuminate airline cockpits on approach
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/09/ter....ap/index.html - US
warns of terrorist lasers

And for those who have never read FAA rules regarding laser uses, go to
the FAA website and search for lasers. I'm pretty sure the last time I
did I found a document that stated any laser over 5mw required a permit
for use. Do some research before buying some of these high powered
units as you may be breaking the law!

I'm glad I don't own a green laser
Regards,
Ted A. Nichols II
President - ASH
www.astrohbg.org

Typical liberal thinking. A handful of miscreants cause the problem, so all
of us collectively should lose the right to own a green laser, except of
course, anyone in the government, since they are honest and know best...
Orion

"Ted Nichols II" wrote in message
oups.com...
All,

I've been "quiet" on this subject for a while and haven't wanted to
bring it up.

But I want to issue a word of caution to all those with green laser
pointers as I just saw another article about this on the front page of
CNN.

View the below links and you'll see how big of an issue this is
becoming.

I know people are using these to point out constellations, etc., but
I'd be very careful that you're not pointing anywhere near an aircraft.
Remember these things do have a range and it might be hard at night to
gauge the altitude of a plane. You might think you're shooting under
one when infact you're shooting right into it.

I don't think we want to see anyone doing public outreach getting
arrested and with all the recent press it's only a matter of time till
people start calling the police from a park or wherever after seeing
someone from a distance pointing one up in the sky for Astro Uses.

Be Careful! I think it's only a matter of time till a crackdown on
lasers happens.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/29/laser.plane/index.html - Lasers
illuminate airline cockpits on approach
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/09/ter....ap/index.html - US
warns of terrorist lasers

And for those who have never read FAA rules regarding laser uses, go to
the FAA website and search for lasers. I'm pretty sure the last time I
did I found a document that stated any laser over 5mw required a permit
for use. Do some research before buying some of these high powered
units as you may be breaking the law!

I'm glad I don't own a green laser
Regards,
Ted A. Nichols II
President - ASH
www.astrohbg.org

Typical liberal thinking. A handful of miscreants cause the problem, so
all
of us collectively should lose the right to own a green laser, except of
course, anyone in the government, since they are honest and know best...
Orion

I was thinking much the same thing, except that I would say "typical
right-wing thinking - anti-terrorism extremism and fear mongering". Maybe
political labels/stereotypes aren't very useful?

Dennis

Orion wrote:
Typical liberal thinking. A handful of miscreants cause the problem, so all
of us collectively should lose the right to own a green laser, except of
course, anyone in the government, since they are honest and know best...
Orion

Typical right-wing paranoia.

1. No one has suggested that we should lose the right to own a green
laser.

2. In case you hadn't noticed, our civil liberties are under attack by
an extreme-right wing regime, no by so-called liberals. If green lasers
are banned, it will be that extreme-right wing regime that does it.

3. There is cause for concern over astronomers using lasers; our
extreme right-wing regime came to power by spreading fear among the
population and then spreading the lie that only they could protect us.
Amazing that this tactic, which has been used by anti-democratic forces
for thousands of years (most notably 1933-1945), still works. It
doesn't fool the educated, of course (that's the hated group of
literate people collectively referred to by the extreme right as
"elitist liberals,") but it worked with a very tiny majority of voters,
who, out of fear, even voted against their own economic interests --
which conventional wisdom says is something that large numbers of
voters won't do. Add the fear vote to the guaranteed vote of the
nation's racists and a certain influential cult in a western state, and
you've got the sweet stench of victory.

So when the Homeland Security Gestapo descends on your star party
because the guy in the nearby trailer park has decided that you are an
Enemy of the State, I would suggest contacting the NRA. This issue will
soon catch their attention, if it hasn't already, and they'll be
defending your right to own a gigawatt green laser to defend your home
against elitist liberal marauders.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

Our club discovered that one night, the first night someone had a green
laser out at our dark site there was a joint excise between the US and
Australian Airforce, the flight path to the war game zone was straight over
our dark site and the Jets where entering the zone low, the first flight of
jets that the laser hit frighten the life out of us, afterburner's fired up
as they pulled up/away, we just thought it was pilots having a bit of fun
until a few fly overs later another flight of jets flew into the path of our
laser, this time we saw the laser hit one of the jets and afterburners fired
again, we realised what was happening then. We do not want to use the use
of our dark site and our dark site is in a direct flight path between the
Airforce airfield and their training grounds and is government land so we
have banned the use of green lasers during military excises. We did contact
the Airforce and as long as we do not use them during military exercises the
airforce won't create any fuss. Lucky for us the only time they fly over
our dark site is during military exercises.


"Ted Nichols II" wrote in message
oups.com...
All,

I've been "quiet" on this subject for a while and haven't wanted to
bring it up.

But I want to issue a word of caution to all those with green laser
pointers as I just saw another article about this on the front page of
CNN.

View the below links and you'll see how big of an issue this is
becoming.

I know people are using these to point out constellations, etc., but
I'd be very careful that you're not pointing anywhere near an aircraft.
Remember these things do have a range and it might be hard at night to
gauge the altitude of a plane. You might think you're shooting under
one when infact you're shooting right into it.

I don't think we want to see anyone doing public outreach getting
arrested and with all the recent press it's only a matter of time till
people start calling the police from a park or wherever after seeing
someone from a distance pointing one up in the sky for Astro Uses.

Be Careful! I think it's only a matter of time till a crackdown on
lasers happens.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/29/laser.plane/index.html - Lasers
illuminate airline cockpits on approach
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/09/ter....ap/index.html - US
warns of terrorist lasers

And for those who have never read FAA rules regarding laser uses, go to
the FAA website and search for lasers. I'm pretty sure the last time I
did I found a document that stated any laser over 5mw required a permit
for use. Do some research before buying some of these high powered
units as you may be breaking the law!

I'm glad I don't own a green laser
Regards,
Ted A. Nichols II
President - ASH
www.astrohbg.org

In Davoud wrote:

2. In case you hadn't noticed, our civil liberties are under attack by
an extreme-right wing regime, no by so-called liberals.

Only because that's what's in power at the moment, although I question
your use of "extreme".

And what does "right wing" mean these days anyway? One flavor of
authoritarianism is as bad as the next, regardless of what direction it
comes from.

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN

On 29 Dec 2004 23:32:51 -0800, "Ted Nichols II"
wrote:

All,

I've been "quiet" on this subject for a while and haven't wanted to
bring it up.

But I want to issue a word of caution to all those with green laser
pointers as I just saw another article about this on the front page of
CNN.

View the below links and you'll see how big of an issue this is
becoming.

I know people are using these to point out constellations, etc., but
I'd be very careful that you're not pointing anywhere near an aircraft.
Remember these things do have a range and it might be hard at night to
gauge the altitude of a plane. You might think you're shooting under
one when infact you're shooting right into it.

I don't think we want to see anyone doing public outreach getting
arrested and with all the recent press it's only a matter of time till
people start calling the police from a park or wherever after seeing
someone from a distance pointing one up in the sky for Astro Uses.

Be Careful! I think it's only a matter of time till a crackdown on
lasers happens.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/29/laser.plane/index.html - Lasers
illuminate airline cockpits on approach
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/09/ter....ap/index.html - US
warns of terrorist lasers

And for those who have never read FAA rules regarding laser uses, go to
the FAA website and search for lasers. I'm pretty sure the last time I
did I found a document that stated any laser over 5mw required a permit
for use. Do some research before buying some of these high powered
units as you may be breaking the law!

I'm glad I don't own a green laser
Regards,
Ted A. Nichols II
President - ASH
www.astrohbg.org

A nationwide ban on cellphone use while driving would
save more lives than 9/11 cost.
-Rich

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 10:51:10 -0500, Davoud wrote:

Orion wrote:
Typical liberal thinking. A handful of miscreants cause the problem, so all
of us collectively should lose the right to own a green laser, except of
course, anyone in the government, since they are honest and know best...
Orion

Typical right-wing paranoia.

1. No one has suggested that we should lose the right to own a green
laser.

2. In case you hadn't noticed, our civil liberties are under attack by
an extreme-right wing regime, no by so-called liberals. If green lasers
are banned, it will be that extreme-right wing regime that does it.

Wasn't France the first country to ban laserpointers to some extent?

"Bert Hyman" wrote in message
om...
In Davoud wrote:


And what does "right wing" mean these days anyway? One flavor of
authoritarianism is as bad as the next, regardless of what direction it
comes from.

Amen Bert...

Clear skies,
Roger
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
R o g e r H e r z l e r
"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"
journey through your universe: http://astronomylinks.com/
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"RichA" wrote in message
...

A nationwide ban on cellphone use while driving would
save more lives than 9/11 cost.
-Rich

ONLY if we get to ban all other forms of distraction as well - radios, tv's,
wives, kids, etc.. )

I would support tough penalties if you cause an accident and it can be
proven you were doing something distracting, like talking on a phone, or
changing the radio station (have you tried fiddling with Sirius or XM -
yikes), smacking the yelling kids in the backseat and so forth.

Clear skies,
Roger
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
R o g e r H e r z l e r
"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"
journey through your universe: http://astronomylinks.com/
NOTE: Incoming e-mail with .ZIP and .EXE attachments are
automatically deleted.