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General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Tonitrus on September 07, 2011, 07:10:56 PM

Title: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Tonitrus on September 07, 2011, 07:10:56 PM
http://www.gizmag.com/spyder-3-krypton-laser/19747/

QuotePerhaps 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.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Ideologue on September 07, 2011, 07:14:24 PM
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?
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Razgovory on September 07, 2011, 07:16:27 PM
I don't see anything in this about bears.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: mongers on September 07, 2011, 07:17:00 PM
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.  :cool:
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Razgovory on September 07, 2011, 07:19:40 PM
Typing in "Bear lasers", did give me a bunch of Timesque pictures of a bear riding Abe Lincoln.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: dps on September 07, 2011, 07:42:39 PM
Has personal, publicly-available pointy stick technology gone too far with devices that can easily blind other people?
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Eddie Teach on September 07, 2011, 07:43:29 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on September 07, 2011, 07:16:27 PM
I don't see anything in this about bears.

(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fny-image0.etsy.com%2Fil_170x135.254779136.jpg&hash=17d11b239df354e242e15e7994b9dd6922f1d585)
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Josquius on September 07, 2011, 07:44:30 PM
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.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Habbaku on September 07, 2011, 07:45:16 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on September 07, 2011, 07:19:40 PM
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?
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: dps on September 07, 2011, 07:48:42 PM
Quote from: Tyr on September 07, 2011, 07:44:30 PM
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.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Josquius on September 07, 2011, 07:50:30 PM
Quote from: dps on September 07, 2011, 07:48:42 PM
Quote from: Tyr on September 07, 2011, 07:44:30 PM
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.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Razgovory on September 07, 2011, 07:57:22 PM
Quote from: Habbaku on September 07, 2011, 07:45:16 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on September 07, 2011, 07:19:40 PM
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.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: MadImmortalMan on September 07, 2011, 10:21:46 PM
Quote from: Tyr on September 07, 2011, 07:50:30 PM
Quote from: dps on September 07, 2011, 07:48:42 PM
Quote from: Tyr on September 07, 2011, 07:44:30 PM
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.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: jimmy olsen on September 07, 2011, 10:40:41 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on September 07, 2011, 07:14:24 PM
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.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Habbaku on September 07, 2011, 10:43:41 PM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on September 07, 2011, 10:21:46 PM
Quote from: Tyr on September 07, 2011, 07:50:30 PM
Quote from: dps on September 07, 2011, 07:48:42 PM
Quote from: Tyr on September 07, 2011, 07:44:30 PM
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.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: viper37 on September 07, 2011, 11:21:15 PM
Quote from: Tonitrus on September 07, 2011, 07:10:56 PM
Has personal, publicly-available laser technology gone too far with devices that can easily blind other people, and dazzle satellites?
It could make a cool James Bond movie.  A guy walks into a shop, buy a laser pointer, proceed to shoot a sattelite and ask a million $ ransom.  No wait, that's the other spy movie I'm thinking of :P
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Razgovory on September 07, 2011, 11:28:19 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on September 07, 2011, 10:40:41 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on September 07, 2011, 07:14:24 PM
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.

Like guns mounted on rails?
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Eddie Teach on September 07, 2011, 11:28:57 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on September 07, 2011, 10:40:41 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on September 07, 2011, 07:14:24 PM
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.

Next thing you'll tell me you can't use grenades to go fishing.  :(
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: jimmy olsen on September 08, 2011, 01:13:58 AM
Quote from: Razgovory on September 07, 2011, 11:28:19 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on September 07, 2011, 10:40:41 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on September 07, 2011, 07:14:24 PM
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.

Like guns mounted on rails?
No, guns that use electormagnets to accelerate bullets to mach 7
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Martinus on September 08, 2011, 01:17:39 AM
Quote from: Habbaku on September 07, 2011, 07:45:16 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on September 07, 2011, 07:19:40 PM
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?

Abe Lincoln was gay, a bottom and into big hairy dudes? Think before you post, please.  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Tamas on September 08, 2011, 03:43:30 AM
Ok so tell me a single reason why 1 watt lasers should be legal for private use? And don't come with guns - I am fond of liberal gun laws.
You need guns for self- and property defense. But what the fuck do you need a 1W laser for? Beside accidently or deliberately blinding and burning people?
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: The Brain on September 08, 2011, 03:44:25 AM
Quote from: Tamas on September 08, 2011, 03:43:30 AM
Ok so tell me a single reason why 1 watt lasers should be legal for private use? And don't come with guns - I am fond of liberal gun laws.
You need guns for self- and property defense. But what the fuck do you need a 1W laser for? Beside accidently or deliberately blinding and burning people?

Freedom? Also: gold standard.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Martinus on September 08, 2011, 04:17:44 AM
Quote from: Tamas on September 08, 2011, 03:43:30 AM
Ok so tell me a single reason why 1 watt lasers should be legal for private use? And don't come with guns - I am fond of liberal gun laws.
You need guns for self- and property defense. But what the fuck do you need a 1W laser for? Beside accidently or deliberately blinding and burning people?

I fail to see what makes the case for gun ownership different from the one for laser ownership, per se. Sure, the scale of damage should factor into it - but so it should into gun control, no?

The argument that guns are needed for "self- and property defense" but lasers can be only used for "blinding and burning people" is idiotic. Both can be used to hurt people. Both can be used for defense.
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Tamas on September 08, 2011, 04:21:24 AM
Quote from: Martinus on September 08, 2011, 04:17:44 AM
Quote from: Tamas on September 08, 2011, 03:43:30 AM
Ok so tell me a single reason why 1 watt lasers should be legal for private use? And don't come with guns - I am fond of liberal gun laws.
You need guns for self- and property defense. But what the fuck do you need a 1W laser for? Beside accidently or deliberately blinding and burning people?

I fail to see what makes the case for gun ownership different from the one for laser ownership, per se. Sure, the scale of damage should factor into it - but so it should into gun control, no?

The argument that guns are needed for "self- and property defense" but lasers can be only used for "blinding and burning people" is idiotic. Both can be used to hurt people. Both can be used for defense.

how on earth will you defend yourself with a laser? Much easier to just tackle the bastard
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: jimmy olsen on September 08, 2011, 04:59:07 AM
Quote from: Tamas on September 08, 2011, 03:43:30 AM
Ok so tell me a single reason why 1 watt lasers should be legal for private use? And don't come with guns - I am fond of liberal gun laws.
You need guns for self- and property defense. But what the fuck do you need a 1W laser for? Beside accidently or deliberately blinding and burning people?
Killer robots?
Title: Re: The Right to Bear Lasers...
Post by: Tamas on September 08, 2011, 06:37:52 AM
I have given this further thought.

From cutting stuff down from hard-to-reach places, to scaring various animals away from places they are not supposed to be, I have come up with several possible civilian uses for a laser with an 85 miles range.

I hereby withdraw my reservations, and announce that I want one.