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posted by martyb on Friday February 19 2016, @11:42AM   Printer-friendly
from the blinded-by-the-light dept.

In yet another laser beam incident, crew on a flight carrying Pope Francis reported a laser beam sighting to air traffic control in Mexico City:

Alitalia flight AZ4000 was travelling from Havana with the Pope on board, and was preparing to land when the laser was spotted.
No crew or passengers were injured by the beam, the airline added.

[...] "This is yet another incident that shows how serious and widespread the issue of laser attacks on aircraft is," said Jim McAuslan, General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa), in response to the case involving the Pope's plane. "Modern lasers have the power to blind and the potential to dazzle and distract pilots during critical phases of flight," he told the BBC. "Shining a laser at an aircraft is illegal and dangerous and puts all those on board and on the ground nearby at completely unnecessary risk."

Aboard the plane headed from Rome to Mexico, the Pope said that contraception may be the "lesser evil" for women at risk of catching the Zika virus. In comments made on the ground, he chastised Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump for his plan to build a wall on the Mexican border.


In another story from the UK laser crime beat, Englishman Philip Houghton has been sentenced to 20 weeks in prison for admitting to shining a laser pen at a Humberside Police helicopter that was investigating a shooting.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 19 2016, @07:04PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 19 2016, @07:04PM (#307021)

    There are aircraft specific laws about tons of stuff less dangerous than lasers. Tickling, sneezing, ice cream, etc:

    IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR A PILOT TO TICKLE A FEMALE FLYING STUDENT UNDER HER CHIN WITH A FEATHER DUSTER IN ORDER TO GET HER ATTENTION.
    - COLUMBIA, PA

    IT IS A VIOLATION FOR A WOMAN OVER 200 POUNDS AND ATTIRED IN SHORTS TO PILOT OR RIDE IN AN AIRPLANE.
    - POCATALIGO, GA

    LINGERIE CAN'T BE HUNG ON A CLOTHESLINE AT THE AIRPORT UNLESS THE UNDIES ARE CAREFULLY HIDDEN FROM PRYING EYES BY A "SUITABLE SCREEN".
    - KIDDERVILLE, NH

    NO FEMALE SHALL APPEAR IN A BATHING SUIT AT ANY AIRPORT IN THIS STATE UNLESS SHE IS ESCORTED BY TWO OFFICERS OR UNLESS SHE IS ARMED WITH A CLUB. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS STATUTE SHALL NOT APPLY TO FEMALES WEIGHING LESS THAN 90 POUNDS NOR EXCEEDING 200 POUNDS, NOR SHALL IT APPLY TO FEMALE HORSES.
    - KENTUCKY

    IT IS A VIOLATION OF LOCAL LAW FOR ANY PILOT OR PASSENGER TO CARRY AN ICE CREAM CONE IN THEIR POCKET WHILE EITHER FLYING OR WAITING TO BOARD A PLANE.
    - LOWES CROSSROADS, DELAWARE

    PILOTS AND PASSENGERS ARE PROHIBITED FROM EATING ONIONS BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7 A.M. AND 7 P.M.
    - BLUFF, UT

    CITIZENS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER AN AIRPLANE WITHIN FOUR HOURS OF EATING GARLIC.
    - WAKEFIELD, R.I.

    NO FEMALE WEARING A NIGHTGOWN CAN BE TAKEN FOR A FLIGHT ON A PRIVATE PLANE.
    - HEADLAND, AL

    IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO EAT ICE CREAM IN THE LOCAL AIRPORT WITH A FORK.
    - BICKNELL, IN

    NO MARRIED MAN CAN GO FLYING ON SUNDAY.
    - BURDOVILLE, VT

    NO MARRIED MAN CAN GO FLYING WITHOUT HIS SPOUSE ALONG AT ANY TIME, UNLESS HE HAS BEEN MARRIED FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS.
    - WEST UNION, OH

    NO ONE CAN PLAY CARDS ON THE AIRPORT GROUNDS WITH A WOMAN, A CHILD, OR AN INDIAN.
    - WHITE HORSE, NM

    NO ONE - MAN, WOMAN, OR CHILD - CAN BE SEEN FLYING WHILE BAREFOOT.
    - FAIRPLAY, CO

    DON'T LET YOUR HORSE FALL ASLEEP IN THE AIRPORT.
    - PEEWEE, WEST VIRGINIA

    WOMEN WHO ARE SINGLE, WIDOWED, OR DIVORCED ARE BANNED FROM PARACHUTING ON SUNDAY.
      - CRAWFORD, NEBRASKA

    NO TURTLE RACES SHALL BE HELD AT THE AIRPORT.
    - BOURBON, MISSISSIPPI

    PEOPLE CANNOT PLAY CHECKERS AT THE AIRPORT, "LEST THEY ACQUIRE A TASTE FOR
    GAMBLING".
    - CLEARBROOK, MINNESOTA

    CITIZENS CANNOT CARRY A SLINGSHOT ON AN AIRPLANE WITHOUT SPECIAL PERMISSION.
    - OKANOGAN, WA

    NO PILOT CAN EAT UNSHELLED ROASTED PEANUTS OR WATERMELON WHILE FLYING.
    - LEADWOOD, MISSOURI

    NO PERSON IS ALLOWED TO READ THE SUNDAY PAPER WHILE SITTING IN A CHAIR AT THE AIRPORT WHILE CHURCH SERVICES ARE GOING ON.
    - UPPERVILLE, VA

    NO FLYER MAY WEAR A PAIR OF PANTS WITH HIP POCKETS WHILE FLYING.
    - GUYMAN, OK

    GARGLING IS PROHIBITED WHILE FLYING.
    - HACKBERRY, ARIZONA

    LOUD BURPING WHILE WALKING AROUND THE AIRPORT IS PROHIBITED.
    - HALSTEAD, KANSAS

    IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO SNEEZE IN AN AIRPLANE.
    - LYNCH HEIGHTS, DELAWARE

    NO FLYING INSTRUCTOR "CAN PLACE HIS ARM AROUND A WOMAN WITHOUT A GOOD AND LAWFUL REASON" (WHILE FLYING).
    - ROCK SPRINGS, WY

    JUGGLING IN FRONT OF AN AIRPLANE IS ILLEGAL.
    - WELLSBORO, PA

    ROOSTERS MAY CROW, ONLY IF IT IS DONE AT LEAST 300 FEET FROM THE AIRPORT.
    - STUGIS, MICHIGAN

    http://www.fly-buy.me/2012/07/aviation-law-gone-awry.html [fly-buy.me]

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 19 2016, @09:38PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 19 2016, @09:38PM (#307083)

    Are any of these true? Or are they true by nature that they've been in fortune files and usenet for decades? I took one at random, the burping prohibition in Halstead, and I can't find any actual law anywhere, just the same lists that you put up.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 20 2016, @12:50AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 20 2016, @12:50AM (#307186)

      Is it safe to assume they are fake then? Apparently it is illegal to post the actual laws online so people can check:

      Government officials have threatened "rogue archivist" Carl Malamud with legal action many times for his efforts to make public government documents widely available for free, but the state of Georgia has set a new standard for fighting this ridiculous battle: It's suing Malamud for infringing its copyright of state laws by -- horrors -- publishing them online.

      The state's lawsuit, filed last week in Atlanta federal court, accuses Malamud of piracy -- and worse, of "a form of 'terrorism.'" His offense: Through his website, public.resource.org, he provides members of the public access to a searchable and downloadable scan of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated -- that is, the entire body of state law. The state wants a court order forcing Malamud to stop.

      http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-state-of-georgia-copyright-wall-20150727-column.html [latimes.com]