Shields up!

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2003 6:17 pm

A baffling report from TheDenverChannel.com:BOULDER, Colo. -- If you see a piercing green light shooting into the sky Sunday night, it's not aliens, it's the work of scientists at Ball Aerospace. ... Emilia Reed, a spokeswoman for Ball Aerospace, ... said the laser beam, which will originate from Ball Aerospace, would be quite spectacular at times.***Wouldn't one expect a piercing green light from aliens to come from the other direction?***The laser beam is about 40,000 times more powerful than a common laser pointer pen. The company has taken special precautions to protect aircraft and birds that might fly into the beam. ***"Notice to birds: Beware of laser!"*** "The laser system is equipped with radar that will shut down the system in the event that an object is about to enter the laser beam."***Talk about split-second timing!***[ December 07, 2003: Message edited by: blanp ]

Bumfketeer · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2003 7:11 pm

Sigh. Up against the Wall of Science.

SeaRaven · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2003 8:37 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by blanp:
[b]***Wouldn't one expect a piercing green light from aliens to come from the other direction?***
<hr></blockquote>No, at least not anyone who's been to downtown Boulder at night.

paulwiggins · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2003 8:44 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by SeaRaven:
No, at least not anyone who's been to downtown Boulder at night.<hr></blockquote>A mawkish prospect.

Gatekeeper · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2003 2:05 am

Cool. Hmm. What's the point of having a laser that's 40,000 times more powerful than a pen laser? Industrial use? Weapon?Gatekeeper-30-

Rio · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2003 2:24 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Gatekeeper:
What's the point of having a laser that's 40,000 times more powerful than a pen laser? Industrial use? Weapon?<hr></blockquote>Did you ever see the movie "Goldfinger"?'Nuff said.

Gatekeeper · **Posted:** Tue Dec 09, 2003 2:38 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Gary Kirchherr:
Did you ever see the movie "Goldfinger"?'Nuff said.<hr></blockquote>Nope. Not much of a James Bond fan ... although I did see his latest romp involving a superlaser, an ice palace, and North Korea.Gatekeeper-30-

Rio · **Posted:** Tue Dec 09, 2003 11:49 am

Well, you'll just have to see "Goldfinger" then. It just wouldn't be the same if I had to explain the association I was making. :>

Finn DeSiecle · **Posted:** Sun Dec 14, 2003 3:18 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>BOULDER, Colo. -- If you see a piercing green light shooting into the sky Sunday night, it's not aliens ...
***Wouldn't one expect a piercing green light from aliens to come from the other direction?***
<hr></blockquote>
I wouldn't expect to see it moving in either direction. It's light -- it moves at 186,000 miles per second, so to anyone watching as it was switched on, the whole beam would seem to have appeared at once (unless Boulder was settled by refugees from Krypton or something, which I concede could be the case).

Testy Copy Editors

Shields up!

Who is online

What They're Saying

Useful Links