LaserBoy

[BigKahuna13]

Is it just me or does it seem that charging that fool from NJ with the laser pointer under the Patriot Act and potentially subjecting him to 25 years in jail
is

a) a bit excessive
b) a waste of time and taxpayer money.

btw - wasn't the Patriot Act suppose to combat terrorism, which this manifestly wasn't?

[DMC]

What does it matter... There's nothing that can be done about it...
It's not our world to ask questions like that anymore... Things just happen now..

It's like the whole House ethics thing going on...

We just need to bend over and take it... It's out of the peoples control now... The rules will be changed using the collateral aquired by the last election..

[Cityskier]

No, it was supposed to make you think it was combating terrorism while in reality it increasingly restricts your rights and access to due process while allowing excessively punitive sentences to be handed down for the crime of being a dumbass.

It makes us safer...more secure!

[SkiDork]

Kahuna, you're a pilot.

How pissed off would you be if someone lasered you on short final??????


huh? huh?

Nough said...

[BigKahuna13]

Kahuna, you're a pilot.

How pissed off would you be if someone lasered you on short final??????


huh? huh?

Nough said...

I'd be pissed no doubt. But that's not the point. Using a law that's supposed to be used to combat terrorism against someone who isn't a terrorist and didn't commit an act of terrorism is wrong. It may be legal, but it's wrong nonetheless.

It's also wrong, in my not so humble opinion, to expose someone to a stiffer jail sentence for what amounts to an act of stupidity, that in the event did no harm, than real honest-to-goodness murderers get .

Seems to me that the Jersey DA is trying to make a name for himself.

I also am under the impression, from the article in today's NY Times, that the plane was at 3,000', not on short final.

Side note: Anyone know anything about lasers. "Toy" lasers seem to have power output in the 5mW and less range. At that power level does the generated beam really pose a danger to someone's vision 3,000-4,000 feet away, especially given that the ever present air pollution in that area of Jersey probably attenuated most of the beam anyway?

[SkiDork]

Kahuna, you're a pilot.

How pissed off would you be if someone lasered you on short final??????


huh? huh?

Nough said...

I'd be pissed no doubt. But that's not the point. Using a law that's supposed to be used to combat terrorism against someone who isn't a terrorist and didn't commit an act of terrorism is wrong. It may be legal, but it's wrong nonetheless.

It's also wrong, in my not so humble opinion, to expose someone to a stiffer jail sentence for what amounts to an act of stupidity, that in the event did no harm, than real honest-to-goodness murderers get .

Seems to me that the Jersey DA is trying to make a name for himself.

I also am under the impression, from the article in today's NY Times, that the plane was at 3,000', not on short final.

Side note: Anyone know anything about lasers. "Toy" lasers seem to have power output in the 5mW and less range. At that power level does the generated beam really pose a danger to someone's vision 3,000-4,000 feet away, especially given that the ever present air pollution in that area of Jersey probably attenuated most of the beam anyway?

So if you were the victim, you would contact the DA and tell him to lighten up?

[Cityskier]

"The FBI acknowledged the incident had no connection to terrorism but called Banach's actions ``foolhardy and negligent.''"

What a flocking joke! I in no way condone what he did or want to blow off the issue...it would have been horrible IF anyone was hurt. But I'm truly disturbed that this is the kind of incident that can be prosecuted under provisions of the Patriot Act. It's very troubling. 25 years for this?

[Dr. NO]

If you is a pilot and just took off from Newark, and a laser hits your cockpit, what might you be thinking?

"uh oh, incoming !"

Some shoulder mounted devices are laser guided and at times you can see where the laser hits. Others are guide by wire, but that is another story. Another use for laser is targeting weapons. Like in the movie, when the little red dot is on your forhead, you just stand real still ! At low altitude a good rifle could cause major problems.

[SkiDork]

"The FBI acknowledged the incident had no connection to terrorism but called Banach's actions ``foolhardy and negligent.''"

What a flocking joke! I in no way condone what he did or want to blow off the issue...it would have been horrible IF anyone was hurt. But I'm truly disturbed that this is the kind of incident that can be prosecuted under provisions of the Patriot Act. It's very troubling. 25 years for this?

he won't get 25

[XtremeJibber2001]

We just need to bend over and take it... It's out of the peoples control now... The rules will be changed using the collateral aquired by the last election..

You act as if no democrats voted the Patriot Act into law. Did you representative vote against it?

E

[BigKahuna13]

We just need to bend over and take it... It's out of the peoples control now... The rules will be changed using the collateral aquired by the last election..

You act as if no democrats voted the Patriot Act into law. Did you representative vote against it?

E

The Patriot Act was literally rammed down Congress collective throat. In the days immediately after 9/11 anyone who would've voted against a bill that the adminstration was advertising as being of vital necessity to the safety of the country would've been committing political suicide. Couple that with the fact that the administration rushed the vote -- most bills take months or years to get through Congress the Patriot Act was sewed up in days -- to the point where many in Congress didn't even get a chance to read the blasted thing and this is what you get. A number of Congressmen who voted for the act are on record as regretting their vote.

So if you were the victim, you would contact the DA and tell him to lighten up?

Don't know for sure how I'd act. I'd like to think I could tell the DA that but I doubt it. More likely is that I'd ask for 5 minutes alone with the guy.

On the other hand our justice system specifically doesn't put much weight in what the victim wants because they're too close to the situation and would more than likely want revenge instead of justice.

[XtremeJibber2001]

We just need to bend over and take it... It's out of the peoples control now... The rules will be changed using the collateral aquired by the last election..

You act as if no democrats voted the Patriot Act into law. Did you representative vote against it?

E

The Patriot Act was literally rammed down Congress collective throat. In the days immediately after 9/11 anyone who would've voted against a bill that the adminstration was advertising as being of vital necessity to the safety of the country would've been committing political suicide. Couple that with the fact that the administration rushed the vote -- most bills take months or years to get through Congress the Patriot Act was sewed up in days -- to the point where many in Congress didn't even get a chance to read the blasted thing and this is what you get. A number of Congressmen who voted for the act are on record as regretting their vote.

Well people acting and not thinking should not be blamed on conservatives....

So if you were the victim, you would contact the DA and tell him to lighten up?

Don't know for sure how I'd act. I'd like to think I could tell the DA that but I doubt it. More likely is that I'd ask for 5 minutes alone with the guy.

Lol....that would happen....what would you do with your 5 minutes alone....maybe "torture" him by playing loud music haha

E

[yeti]

I suspect that they are simply trying to set precedence in dealing with such an attack should a successful one materialize.

As stated above, some antiaircraft missiles are laser guided (actually a laser is used as a designator not as guidance atleast not in any system I am familiar with) but either way people illumunating planes with their laser pointers could generate a false launch warning in a plane with such a system.

I am dubious about the blinding effects that a laster pointer would have - there are experimental lasers that can instantly fog any glass or optics they hit (be it a camera lens or an aircraft canopy - or a human cornea) but I doubt you will see them in Radio Shack anytime soon.

[BigKahuna13]

I suspect that they are simply trying to set precedence in dealing with such an attack should a successful one materialize.

As stated above, some antiaircraft missiles are laser guided (actually a laser is used as a designator not as guidance atleast not in any system I am familiar with) but either way people illumunating planes with their laser pointers could generate a false launch warning in a plane with such a system.

I am dubious about the blinding effects that a laster pointer would have - there are experimental lasers that can instantly fog any glass or optics they hit (be it a camera lens or an aircraft canopy - or a human cornea) but I doubt you will see them in Radio Shack anytime soon.

I was kind of dubious about that too, hence the question. Seems he used a
Jasper Laser Pen. According to some stuff on the manufacturers web site the beam can bounce around off the reflective surfaces in a aircraft and potentially temporarily blind a person. Also seems that upping the output on Class IIIb (<5mW) lasers, which are the most powerful you can buy without a license, is something of a cottage industry. Read some story about a guy who upped the power on one to the point where he could burn holes in plastic. Fun stuff......

Looks like cool, though expensive, toy. I'll stick with the laser level the wife got me for Christmas. Another cool toy though I still can't hang a friggin picture straight.

Lol....that would happen....what would you do with your 5 minutes alone....maybe "torture" him by playing loud music Rolling Eyes haha

Make him read your writings

[DMC]

I have a laser I use to play with my cat... She chases the red dot around... Pretty friggin funny...
My friends begal also chases the red dot around...