Laser pointers and the law.
http://www.abc.net.au/realm/articles/2008/04/07/2209657.htm
Now this article is what I like to see - some sensibility in the mainstream media. Well done ABC!
No human being should possess any particularly mighty laser without adequate provisions for security, of course - but there are already laws in district regarding licensing and laser safe keeping.
My only real concern is that the law won't yield adequate provision for proper private citizens to own green laser pointers with a reasoned power output, say 10mW, for astronomy.
Also, it's not like they originate these things in Australia - so if they're banned from importation and seized by customs, then that's interchangeable to a complete ban.
Yes, by all means, you've got to account for the irrational people - but I don't like eroding people's formal liberties to do it.
My other chief refer is that the primary legitimate end for private individuals to own less powerful laser pointers is to use them for astronomy - for pointing, glass sighting, alignment and to imagine virtual stars - and unmistakeably, that involves shining the laser trestle up into the night sky! My chief apprehension is that ignorant citizens, and overzealous, untaught police for that matter, will stumble upon after those who are doing that, and try and charge them, and/or seize the laser.
There seems to be a moral deal of public greenness out there about this sort of thing - laser pointers seem to be demonised a lot, and people neglect doing that they're legitimately useful. I recognize the exact same thing started episode about 10 years ago, when red 1 mW - 5 mW laser pointers started becoming very commonplace.
I design, most people - and most news articles - don't seem to even accept the distinction between a laser and a laser pointer, or that lasers have special power levels, and some are more rickety than others - if fair use is to be protected, and people are to be sensible of...
