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Green Security Clearance Laser Pistol Available
nazgul000 writes "You thought those green laser pointers sold by ThinkGeek and others were pretty cool, didn't you? Well, think again." It seems obligatory to point out that even laser pointers, and certainly anything more powerful than those, are capable of causing real damage.
I remember reading that traditional "red laser" pointing devices were being banned from British football matches because fans would point them in to the eyes of goalkeepers. Someone told me that they were at a Liverpool match once and one of the goalkeepers had about 8 red dots all over his body when he made a save.
Now we've got something that can fry the friggin ball itself...
Anyone want to bet on the "responsible adult" factor for international soccer fans.
These things are a bad idea....
------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/index.html for the governmental take on this sort of thing.
Aside from that, It's pretty easy to bang together anywhere from one to thirty watts or so of genuine tm00 when you need to. The laser diode bars out of high-end (real) laser printers do an pretty good job of pumping either gas or solid phase lasers. Microwave oven parts and glass tubing can be recycled into a pretty good nitrogen laser, and you don't even need a vacuum pump...
*whup* "Get along, little electrons. Heeyah!"
At >100mw, 540nm, if your window is reasonably clean, there should be no need at all to roll it down.
SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
Pretty freaking sad when athletes and musicians have to start wearing these any time they're in front of a crowd.
That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/09/terrorist.laser.a p/
U.S. warns of terrorist lasers
Pilot group: Increase in laser incidents
Friday, December 10, 2004 Posted: 6:28 PM EST (2328 GMT)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Terrorists may seek to down aircraft by shining powerful lasers into cockpits to blind pilots during landing approaches, U.S. officials warned in a bulletin distributed nationwide.
The memo, sent by the FBI and the Homeland Security Department, says there is evidence that terrorists have explored using lasers as weapons.
There is no specific intelligence indicating al Qaeda or other groups might use lasers in the United States, they added.
"Although lasers are not proven methods of attack like improvised explosive devices and hijackings, terrorist groups overseas have expressed interest in using these devices against human sight," the memo said.
"In certain circumstances, if laser weapons adversely affect the eyesight of both pilot and co-pilot during a non-instrument approach, there is a risk of airliner crash," the agencies said.
In September a pilot for Delta Air Lines reported an eye injury from a laser beam shone into the cockpit during a landing approach in Salt Lake City, Utah. The incident occurred about 5 miles (9 kilometers) from the airport. The plane landed safely.
FBI and other federal officials are investigating. It is not clear if a crime was committed or if the laser was directed into the cockpit by accident.
Steve Luckey, a retired airline pilot who is chairman of the Air Line Pilots Association's national security committee, said pilots are concerned about a recent increase in laser incidents, but do not know what to make of them. He said he has learned of two or three cases in the past 90 days.
"The most recent incidents appear to be aimed at pilots in the vicinity of airports," Luckey said. "A few seem to be intentional, and we're wondering why and what's going on."
Lasers can cause temporary blindness and severely damage the eye by burning the retina. The bulletin notes they are "relatively inexpensive, portable, easy to conceal and readily available on the open market."
Lasers are commonly used in a number of industries and are featured in outdoor light shows. A variety of more powerful military-grade lasers are produced around the world, but there is no evidence that terrorist groups have managed to obtain one, according to federal officials.
The bulletin was sent late last month to law enforcement officials and key government agencies and industries. A copy was obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.
and this one:
www.harktheherald.com/modules.php?op=modload& name=News&file=article&sid=36048
Delta pilot's eye injured after laser beam shines in cockpit
Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 12:00 AM
Mark Thiessen THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SALT LAKE CITY -- Federal officials are investigating a Delta Air Lines pilot's claim that he received an eye injury from a laser beam that was shone in the plane's cockpit while on approach for landing.
There were no other reported injuries in the late-evening incident on Sept. 22, and the plane from Dallas landed safely.
The pilot, a first officer who has not been named, reported the injury to local officials after the beam was directed at the cockpit of the Boeing 737 about five miles outside Salt Lake City, said local Transportation Security Administration Director Earl Morris.
Neither FBI Special Agent Bob Wright nor TSA spokesman Nico Melendez would confirm published reports that a doctor who examined the pilot confirmed he had suffered a burned retina from exposure to a laser device.
But Morris said it was his understanding the pilot is on restrictive leave until his eye heals, and TSA has been working with him in the investigation. The other pilot was not injured.
Part of the investigation will involve determining whether the laser light was beamed acci
Ok, I know I'm not the only one who has thought of this, but why not build a lawn mower out of this laser? It would be silent, energy efficient, compact, lightweight, non-polluting, and cheap to build and maintain. Just mount a spinning mirror to the bottom of a regular power mower and shine the laser down on it. You could even diffuse the beam so that it becomes "non-lethal" after 1 meter or so. It wouldn't even have to have an grass discharge outlet (clippings (c|w)ould burn up completely?) that usually let's all kinds of objects fly out at you.
:)
/me runs to USPO!
This would be a much safer lawn mower than the one you have in your garage right now. Think about it; how many times have you run across rovers dog bone remains and had them shoot out at high speed? What about accidentally sticking your foot/hand in the path of the blade? At least with the laser it will make a clean cut.
Hell, I'd pay $1000 for a power mower with those qualities! I recently paid $300 for a crappy mower and good ones are going for $500. Then there's the upkeep (spark plugs, oil changes, fuel consumption, etc.) that rack up at least $100/year. In 5 year's time, this mower would pay for itself.
Hmmmm...I gotta go now...
KangarooBox - We make IT simple!
Sounds like he may be a future Darwin Awards candidate.