Dont bring a green laser pointer to WSP :-O

Szaki wrote:
Last summer I did fly with my red Swiss army knife on my key chain. I forgot
about it and security never caught it. It was in my hand bag. They even
pulled me over, had to take my shoos off, they checked my hand bag, but it
was in the front pocket of the bag.
When I got home, pulled my keys out, I realized the pocket knife was with me
all the time.
So much for homeland security.
I could've hijack the plane, some 200 people all scared to death from my
little red Swiss knife, even had a nail filer on it, making it 100x more
dangerous. It also had the tiny built in red light, could've blind the
pilots, crashing the plane.
Oh yes, I could've even start Third world war I think, with that little red
Swiss Army knife.
Very, very scarry.
JS

"Mij Adyaw" wrote in message
news:sZ%Hd.11597$nt.7215@fed1read06...

The government also banned those tiny key chain Swiss Army Knives because
they are worried that a terrorist could use it to takeover an aircraft. It
is simply another example of unjustified overreaction. Long live the
National Green Laser Pointer Association!!!

Does anyone know where I can get a key-chain green laser pointer to go
with my jigawatt green anti-tank laser?

-mij

Even scarier story:

I was flying back from Dublin to England. I *always* carry my *full*
Swiss army knife with me wherever I go. I usually remember to pack it in
my luggage instead of keeping it in my pocket, but this time I
completely forgot because I had left my car keys in the hotel and was
trying to figure out how I was going to drive home from the airport
without them. I was standing in the queue for the x-ray machine, when I
put my hand in my pocket and realised my knife was still there. I was
quite upset because it was a gift and I've had it for about 15 years. I
thought for sure it would confiscated. I decide to put it in my backpack
with a bunch of other stuff and hope that the metal in those items might
"disguise" what it was. Well, it worked. Went strait through the x-ray
without any problems.

Another side note to this story is that when I arrived in England there
was no customs/immigration at all, and I was using my US passport. I do
have indefinite leave to remain in the UK, but that's not really the
point...

--
-Sayf

Due to recent local events, it has become necessary for the Stick-It-To-Us
Astronomical Society of the Persian Islands, to completely ban the use
of using telescopes in the first 10 degrees off the horizon at SITUAS
sponsored events.

There are reports that astronomers are now pointing their telescopes too
close to the horizon giving the potential to invade private dwellings.
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY any such people viewing less then 10 degrees off the
horizon for Star Parties or any other SITUAS public even SHALL BE
PROHIBITED.

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 23:22:40 -0800, "Szaki"
wrote:

Last summer I did fly with my red Swiss army knife on my key chain. I forgot
about it and security never caught it. It was in my hand bag. They even
pulled me over, had to take my shoos off, they checked my hand bag, but it
was in the front pocket of the bag.
When I got home, pulled my keys out, I realized the pocket knife was with me
all the time.
So much for homeland security.
I could've hijack the plane, some 200 people all scared to death from my
little red Swiss knife, even had a nail filer on it, making it 100x more
dangerous. It also had the tiny built in red light, could've blind the
pilots, crashing the plane.
Oh yes, I could've even start Third world war I think, with that little red
Swiss Army knife.
Very, very scarry.
JS

The box cutters the Arabs used in 9/11 have blades about 1" long.
-Rich

Sayf Connary wrote:

Szaki wrote:

Last summer I did fly with my red Swiss army knife on my key chain. I
forgot about it and security never caught it. It was in my hand bag.
They even pulled me over, had to take my shoos off, they checked my
hand bag, but it was in the front pocket of the bag.
When I got home, pulled my keys out, I realized the pocket knife was
with me all the time.
So much for homeland security.

Yours still isn't much good. They have (post 9/11) let someone board a
plane to London with a coat pocket full of live ammunition. They got
pulled in transit at London Heathrow where the security staff are well
trained and paid sufficiently well to be alert and properly effective.

Oh yes, I could've even start Third world war I think, with that
little red Swiss Army knife.
Very, very scarry.
JS

A Swiss army knife is not the tool of choice for plastic surgery.


Even scarier story:

I was flying back from Dublin to England. I *always* carry my *full*
Swiss army knife with me wherever I go. I usually remember to pack it in
my luggage instead of keeping it in my pocket, but this time I
completely forgot because I had left my car keys in the hotel and was
trying to figure out how I was going to drive home from the airport
without them. I was standing in the queue for the x-ray machine, when I
put my hand in my pocket and realised my knife was still there. I was
quite upset because it was a gift and I've had it for about 15 years. I
thought for sure it would confiscated. I decide to put it in my backpack
with a bunch of other stuff and hope that the metal in those items might
"disguise" what it was. Well, it worked. Went strait through the x-ray
without any problems.

Surprising. You were very lucky. Whenever I fly through Heathrow with
anything remotely sharp like a minature screwdriver lost deep the folds
of my camera bag they always pick it up. Ditto for steel nail files.

It is annoying to lose these tools. I would happily pay good money to
put them in a Jiffy bag to be airmailed back to my home. Losing the same
size useful mini screwdriver out of a set is annoying.

Another side note to this story is that when I arrived in England there
was no customs/immigration at all, and I was using my US passport. I do
have indefinite leave to remain in the UK, but that's not really the
point...

That is unusual. There is normally a customs and immigration when ever
you enter the UK from EU Schengen countries. Exceptionally the cowboys
at Newcastle airport have been known to feed flights to the domestic
route. But it has never happened to me at any other UK airport.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Can I bring my 50 caliber machine gun? For those nasty mosquitoes in
Florida, you know!?
JS

I think you will find that owning an automatic weapon of any sort without the
proper credentials and paper work is likely to get you into serious trouble...

jon

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 22:10:03 -0700, David wrote:

Chris, what are the other ones ? If my new scope would be ready, I would
go this year.

Well, for me there are two- its size is the first; just too large for my tastes.
But above all is the location- there is simply no more miserable place on Earth
than Florida. Winter or summer, north or south, when I have to go there I
suffer. The one great benefit of global warming over the next century will be
the submersion of that great pustule on the posterior of America (the final
irony, as Florida becomes a blue state!) Do you want to know how I really feel
about Florida? g

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

Charlie Hubbard wrote:

Really? I have no idea where the truth lies but my first thought was
the ban was probably put in place for fear of legal trouble or
insurance problems.



That's what I said....PC over-reaction. It's the same time of mentality
(or lack thereof) that leads to trying to eliminate Christmas
celebrations because some one _might_ be offended-----or to schools
forbidding kids from playing "tag" because there _might_ be legal or
insurance problems if some one gets hurt.

I'm aware of a high school that has gone so far to avoid legal trouble
or insurance problems that they have banned the use of scissors anywhere
in the building (possible to get cut!), banned the use of cutting tools
in shops and labs and cooking areas (potential weapons!) and outlawed
bunsen or alcohol burners in labs (risk of fire!). Another high school
considered for awhile the closing of the student parking lot (allowing
them to park might be considered encouraging the students to
drive--which could result in an accident and the school might be blamed!)

These things, including the original subject we're discussing, are
simple knee-jerk reactions of PC anal retentive individuals with a
modicum of authority.

Wayne Howell
Photon Phlats Observatory
Port Townsend, WA

Oh well, the pointers are best used at public educational outreaches and
not star parties.

Matthew Ota

Hi Matthew:

I agree.

You know, it's not like green lasers suddently hit the market a month ago.
They've been in the hands of plenty of amateurs for the last four years. And
they haven't caused much in the way of problems at any star party that I'm
aware of. Most amateurs I've met at star parties are considerate of their
brother and sister amateurs (or at least become considerate when reminded) so
as not to raise a ruckus with those prized Jedi Lightsabers. ;-)

But anybody should run their star party just the way they want to, and, as you
note, green lasers are really best in an instructional setting, anyway. Shame
to see rule making proceeding because of what the government _might_ think,
though. ;-)


Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Does anyone know where I can get a key-chain green laser pointer to go with
my jigawatt green anti-tank laser?


NO! You'll PUT YOUR EYE OUT! :-)

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Now now, we're only miserable half the year.... it's a joy to observe
here in the winter, lots of clear nights while the rest of you are
listening to the wind blow from the latest winter storm...

However the light dome situation along the east coast is getting
ridiculous...




Chris L Peterson wrote:
On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 22:10:03 -0700, David
wrote:

Chris, what are the other ones ? If my new scope would be ready, I
would
go this year.

Well, for me there are two- its size is the first; just too large for
my tastes.
But above all is the location- there is simply no more miserable
place on Earth
than Florida. Winter or summer, north or south, when I have to go
there I
suffer. The one great benefit of global warming over the next century
will be
the submersion of that great pustule on the posterior of America (the
final
irony, as Florida becomes a blue state!) Do you want to know how I
really feel
about Florida? g

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com