The Right to Bear Lasers...

[Tonitrus]

http://www.gizmag.com/spyder-3-krypton-laser/19747/

Perhaps you were one of the first people to buy a standard red laser pointer when they first came out. Then, you jumped on the bandwagon when the more powerful green laser pointers showed up. Now, you're just willing to admit it: you want the most powerful handheld laser that it is legally possible to own. Well, according to the folks at Wicked Lasers, that would be their Spyder 3 Krypton. Just how powerful is it? Let's put it this way, the website warns users not to point it at aircraft or satellites.

Yep, with a claimed range of 85 miles (137 km), the top-end model Krypton can apparently shoot its 1-watt beam through the earth's atmosphere and into outer space. It puts out 86 million lux, which reportedly makes its projected dot appear 8,000 times brighter than the Sun. The laser does at least come with safety goggles, plus it has a coding feature that keeps unauthorized users from being able to turn it on.

It is also said to be the first laser to incorporate an internal thermopile detector. This lowers the operating current to stabilize the device's temperature, when excess heat is detected.

Has personal, publicly-available laser technology gone too far with devices that can easily blind other people, and dazzle satellites?

I tend to think it is getting to the point that manufacture and availability needs to be more seriously controlled.

[Ideologue]

Next, you'll tell me that people shouldn't be allowed to own anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.  How do we defend ourselves from the government then?

[Razgovory]

I don't see anything in this about bears.

[mongers]

You can't legislate for how stupid people are, ..... actually that's a good reason why you should.

IMHO if some uses a powerful laser to attack someone or distract a pilot then they should have the same laser turned on their own eyes; say one eye gone for first offence. 

[Razgovory]

Typing in "Bear lasers", did give me a bunch of Timesque pictures of a bear riding Abe Lincoln.

[dps]

Has personal, publicly-available pointy stick technology gone too far with devices that can easily blind other people?

[Eddie Teach]

I don't see anything in this about bears.

[Josquius]

Couldn`t old school laser pointers blind people?
I remember back when they first came out and there was a lot of fuss about that, I remember throwing a kid in a swimming pool for pointing one at me because I was afraid he`d blind me.... Weren`t they banned in the UK for this?
At the least I`m sure there was a lot of panic and fear about it even if they couldn`t actually do so.

[Habbaku]

Typing in "Bear lasers", did give me a bunch of Timesque pictures of a bear riding Abe Lincoln.

Why would a bear ride Abe Lincoln?

[dps]

Couldn`t old school laser pointers blind people?
I remember back when they first came out and there was a lot of fuss about that, I remember throwing a kid in a swimming pool for pointing one at me because I was afraid he`d blind me.... Weren`t they banned in the UK for this?

I really doubt that you throwing some kid into a swimming pool lead to a ban of laser pointers in Britian.

[Josquius]

Couldn`t old school laser pointers blind people?
I remember back when they first came out and there was a lot of fuss about that, I remember throwing a kid in a swimming pool for pointing one at me because I was afraid he`d blind me.... Weren`t they banned in the UK for this?

I really doubt that you throwing some kid into a swimming pool lead to a ban of laser pointers in Britian.

For the massed fear of blinding I mean.

[Razgovory]

Typing in "Bear lasers", did give me a bunch of Timesque pictures of a bear riding Abe Lincoln.

Why would a bear ride Abe Lincoln?

Cause some idiot thought it would be cool to draw it that way.

[MadImmortalMan]

Couldn`t old school laser pointers blind people?
I remember back when they first came out and there was a lot of fuss about that, I remember throwing a kid in a swimming pool for pointing one at me because I was afraid he`d blind me.... Weren`t they banned in the UK for this?

I really doubt that you throwing some kid into a swimming pool lead to a ban of laser pointers in Britian.

For the massed fear of blinding I mean.

Probably. You folks are quite fond of banning things that scare you. Which is everything.

[jimmy olsen]

Next, you'll tell me that people shouldn't be allowed to own anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.  How do we defend ourselves from the government then?

Wisconsin has banned hunting with rail guns.

[Habbaku]

Couldn`t old school laser pointers blind people?
I remember back when they first came out and there was a lot of fuss about that, I remember throwing a kid in a swimming pool for pointing one at me because I was afraid he`d blind me.... Weren`t they banned in the UK for this?

I really doubt that you throwing some kid into a swimming pool lead to a ban of laser pointers in Britian.

For the massed fear of blinding I mean.

Probably. You folks are quite fond of banning things that scare you. Which is everything.

I don't get why they don't just ban fear.