Frankly Michael, it might be better to leave your cheap shots at the President out of this forum. No, your comment did not only have to do with the Patriot act. I don't think Guy put any words in your mouth. His comments were on point. Read your own post. Siegfried ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Carnes" <moogiebird@earthlink.net> To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 9:11 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Re: When lasers are outlawed etc...
My point in starting a variant of this thread wasn't to argue it rationally. Rationality doesn't matter in this case. What we have is a somewhat overwrought national panic which will be used by the press when it gets viewers. Congress will be urged to "Do Something" and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they did. Americans have never been known for their rationality (just look in the White House ;-), so be prepared to watch this story run its course. We were all too willing to trample all over the Constitution with the Patriot Act, so get ready for more of the same.
Two more cents:
I have found my green laser to be very useful for identifying objects in the night sky for attendees at our public star parties and for pointing out objects to friends at private star parties. Yes, we could get along without the lasers, but I find the use of a laser much less objectionable than using a bright flashlight with a tight beam, as many have done, to point out objects at public star parties. Asking 20 persons in a group to all look through the finder on a telescope to see where it is pointed is not very practical. The laser is also much easier than another method: "Go three fingers to your left - no, your other left - from that bright star over that way - no the other way - until you come to a not-so-bright star just above that tree - no, THAT tree..." I can't see any connection between the use of a laser and how well one learns or does not learn the nighttime sky. I use mine to help others learn the nighttime sky. Whether they want to pursue their interest further has always been up to them.
Well, maybe that was worth only 1/2 cent.
Kim Hyatt Architect 1849 East 1300 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84108 Tel: 801.581.0561 Mobile: 801.631.5228 kimharch@msn.com<mailto:kimharch@msn.com>
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