Any one on my wave length about the latest ' laser- terrorism threats?'

[Catamount]

Could it be 'Turd blossom's new diversions?
What do you guys think about the timing?

[Obviousman]

1. I doubt it

n/t
PolitiKoll Discussion

[CraZdem4life]

2. :-\

i dunno...laser-terroism sounds too star-wars. how could terrorists get military-strength lasers?

[Clark2008]

22. Us.

That's where all terrorists have gotten anything - from the U.S. - and the sneaky, greedy bullshiters that own our country now.

[tngledwebb]

41. How did they hijack 4 passenger jets one morning three years ago

within USA air space, and accomplish everything that followed that day, including crashing into the Penatagon while Rummy was there?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

3. I think...

No, it's more like KNOW that if these things are happening, then there is no way that they could be coming from the ground.

Google "lasers+blooming"

[benburch]

8. Actually they could be on the ground.

If the pilot can see a spot on the ground, a laser there could hit his eyes.

[benburch]

11. What bothers me...

is that a visible laser is not the thing to use to blind a pilot.

A bright visible laser causes one to use one's blink and aversion reflex.

Whereas a infrared or ultraviolet laser can destroy the retina without the victim experiencing any sensation of discomfort.

So, why is a visible light laser being used?

[benburch]

4. Hmmm...

I think it's just some nutcase with a laser.

You can buy such a laser not that much money, and then mount it on a nice telescope to use for aiming.

This is not something that it would take any significant resources to pull off.

[crispini]

10. What about targeting a laser from the ground

to 60,000 feet? the fella on countdown tonight opined that it would take a lot more than someone with a toy to do this-- said computer targeting would have to be involved.

[benburch]

13. Nonsense...

I could do this with an 8" commercial spotting scope and a nice stable yoke mounting.

The slew rate isn't that great, and a pair of X-Y rate knobs ought to suffice.

Gunners did more difficult things daily in WW-II.

[crispini]

19. Well, I don't know squat about it.

David Mackett from the Airline Pilots Security Alliance said it. :shrug: the big thing that he said IMO was that this wasn't kids with laser pointers or a prank. what do you think about that, do you agree that it was deliberate?

[benburch]

20. If it actually happened, it is deliberate.

But it might still be kids, or at least, teens. I was a sort of mad scientist type at that age, and though destruction would never have been something I would have done, I certainly made my share of dangerous technical gadgets. Jacob's Ladders, Tesla Coils, gasoline cannons, rockets, etc... So don't underestimate what a smart and pissed off youngster could do.

[crispini]

23. Linky;

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2004-12-29-laser-beam_x.htm

Relevant points:

- Monday: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
- Colorado Springs, Monday night
- 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

Still think it's kids? :shrug:

[benburch]

24. Yep, still could be kids.

How many copycats do you suppose there are?

[crispini]

26. yeah, but it's not like it's gotten all that much MSM publicity lately?

unless there's a "lazer phreaks" board somewhere? :shrug:

[benburch]

27. Slashdot.org nt

[Carolab]

30. September 22 over Cleveland

weird multicolored light effects over Cleveland, multiple callers on a local radio show about it, photos on a thread right here on this forum, even knocked out the radio show three times during that day, stopped traffic on a highway outside of town

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x201647#202442

[Catamount]

36. Thanks for the link, if nothing else....

It's lucky for *, with natural disasters outside the US,and now this--------keeps the msm too busy to think about Conyers and the subpoenas, etc.
What next?

[Catamount]

12. I heard on Air America .....

that this kind of thing is extremely sophisticated and could not be done by amators..I think it was on Ed Schultz, anyone else hear this too?

[benburch]

14. Well, unlikely an amateur could MAKE the laser.

But he could BUY it.

Really, this wouldn't be hard to pull off.

I hope they catch whatever damned fool is doing this.

[Turn CO Blue]

29. Amen to that. I work for a medium-size airline.

I can't imagine what the hell these laserspotting people are up to, but I don't even want to imagine the worst of the outcomes.

[sepia_steel]

32. How could it just be 'kids'?

From 9,000 feet, keeping up with the cockpit at 300mph?

[benburch]

38. At a distance of ten miles...

The angular rate of motion is small, and an aircraft in a landing pattern follows a very predictable course. Trust me on this. Antiaircraft gunners in WW-II solved similar intercept problems on a daily basis.

[lizzieforkerry]

5. We were thinking the same thing. n/t

[missouri dem 2]

6. I won't be flying around January 6th.

[NYC]

7. Could be.

Whom can you trust?

[Nothing Without Hope]

9. At this point, I don't believe ANYTHING without confirmation

The timing is indeed suspicious, though other aspects don't seem to fit another Rovian extravaganza. I'll wait to see what develops before forming a judgement one way or the other.

[proudbluestater]

28. Timing is suspicous indeed! Anytime * gets some well-deserved

bad press, suddenly it's time to bring on the turrism. Baloney.

[Nothing Without Hope]

49. Too true. Sad how we have to disbelieve everything now n/t

[Last Lemming]

15. Entirely and completely bogus

Nuts--5 instances reported by the FBI this week--instances of what? By who? All those terrorists out there--there hasn't been a successful terrorist prosecution in this country in the last four years

--I mean they are just making this stuff up and then they are just laughing at us--"boy, they really fell for that one"

I still think the "Al Qaada Headquarters" sign--allowing us to correctly identify Al Qaada headquarters in Fallugha--was the all time best

Of course ditto everything--and I mean everything--about Abu
Musab Zarqawi--terrorist mastermind--he should get his own show--this obvious fabrication seems even to have JUan Cole fooled

And don't get me started on the beheadings

[ZRB]

16. I wouldn't put it past that dipshit to do anything

Laser terrorism, bio-terrorism. Anything to do with "terror" makes this administration giggle like schoolgirls on reefer.

[McCamy Taylor]

17. Probably US military testing another weapon on US civilans

they do it all the time. As long as they dont actually blind a pilot or down a plane they wont think anything of it. The stoy I heard made it sound like the technology was pretty advanced for pranksters and terrorists would be too easy to nab, just follow the trajectory of the laser and look for muslim types. Much more likely to be US military testing a weapon.

I am sure our government would love to be able to assassinate people by taking out the pilots of commercial planes. Would probably give Karl Rove a major boner knowing that potetntial witnesses against him in Votergate would no longer be safe even in commercial planes.

[Vektor]

18. I think it's kids playing with laser pointer pens. n/t

[sepia_steel]

33. LOL. Riiight.

;)

[Vektor]

47. Tee-heeee

:-)

[propagandafreegal]

21. I'm with you. I'm the ULTIMATE skeptic right now. I think the CIA or

whomever did it :P

[LiberalHeart]

25. Tonight the news reported there's been 6 or 7 instances....

...of these laser "attacks" since Christmas, but I recall reading about at least two other laser "attacks" several weeks ago. Pilots were temporarily blinded by the lights, but were expected to recover fully.

I'm not sure I'm recalling this correctly, but I *think* one of those longer-ago instances took place in Colorado and it involved a female pilot.

I wonder if these lasers could be anything like the lasers used in light shows. In my town lasers of various colors dance across the sky in coordination with music during our pre-fireworks show on the riverbank.

And I'm recalling the blue lights that shone in tribute where the towers stood: were those lasers? I'm trying to get an idea of how big the beam would be -- substantial, like those blue lights, or just one of those thin red lines that some stun guns have to help with the aim?

[Catamount]

31. I think they were narrow green lights n/t

[Chimpanzee]

34. I heard the guy from the Airline Pilots Security Alliance

He was very informed and credible. He said there was no way this could be an amateur, that it would require computer tracking, etc. He also said that if they have a wide beam it could completely blind the cockpit and if this happened during takeoff it could easily be catastophic. I wouldn't just laugh this off as kids playing.

[magellan]

35. Must be pretty dumb, bored terrorists

Why the hell bother with all the high technology and risk being caught beforehand as they're doing, when they can just strap some homemade bombs on and wander into the nearest skyscraper, train depot or major sports event?

Pleeze. This has "homegrown in Bush** kook" written all over it.

[EuroObserver]

37. See here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x214695
And here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4136463.stm

[EuroObserver]

39. Sorry, my mistake

First link points back to this same thread.

I was trying to alert a different thread.

[Mr.Green93]

40. It is about control

The BATF wants to ban/control the private use of all lasers.

[ZRB]

43. Good point. n/t

[Quakerfriend]

42. CNN just reported (8 am EST) that a pilot in NJ

had 3 lasers pointed into his cockpit yesterday.

I would like to see a few of these pilots interviewed.

Did anyone notice how right after 11/2 they talked about a new form of terrorism almost daily-- chance of terrorist attack on the food supply, lasers etc.

All I can say is that as long as this administration does not secure our boarders, our ports or our public transportation systems they are just a farse.

This was confirmed for me when 48 hrs before the election we saw that fake "American terrorist" tape that looked just like KKKRove himself!

[madison2000]

44. Maybe its aliens?

:tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat:

[Catamount]

48. LOL n/t

[EMunster]

45. Maybe if we aim a laser in Kerry's eye we'd finally get FBI's attention.

[we can do it]

46. I think you're right...

another smoke sceen

[bunny planet]

50. who knows, he certainly can't pull out those Osama tapes ad infinitum.

They are losing their ability to shock us with the tapes. It's scary to think of what else they may be dreaming up to 'divert' our attention.

[Vinca]

51. I don't think it's your basic Home Depot level and

I suspect there is a plot by someone to bring down airliners. Your basic "level the photographs on the wall" laser couldn't track a jet (as far as I know). I'm betting - and this is off the top of my head, no info from anywhere but my imagination - they're (Usama's crew, garden variety American nuts, who the hell knows) - after Air Force One. This has to be a major consideration. I doubt the feds are telling us everything.

[crispini]

52. Ooo, good point.

Air Force One -- hadn't thought of that.

Yeah, I'd put my money on the garden variety American nuts. This just doesn't strike me as terra-ist kind of thing. </completely uniformed opinion>

[Catamount]

53. Airforce One.....

I think I know where you're going with this!