Friday, August 8 2008, 03:32 am

Toys that are not Toys

Everyone has a toy that is pretty much useless. I've had some when I was a kid, but it has been a long time since that time. It was about time! For the past several years I grew a fascination for lasers and finally pulled the trigger and bought one. The result:


Let me say first that this is not a laser pointer and especially not a toy; it is a laser. However, it is very cool. Laser experts will know by the brand name that this is not the "best" laser, but I purchased it brand new for half the sticker price so I didn't lose out all that much. Why would I purchase this? The cool factor - that's it. Your typical laser pointer at Wal-Fart can be rated around 2mw. This is a 35mw rated, which I've tested to be fairly accurate, and you can see the beam of light at night. It's also possible to pop balloons or thin paper with the correct setup and makes pointing out stars in the night sky a wonder in itself. Cool, right? :)

I've seen quite a few videos on Youtube of kids with these and shining them all about, which is disappointing to see. Every precaution should be taken to not shine these kinds of lasers in any direction of any living creature. Even if you hate their guts. Lasers are serious tools and should have your full attention when in use. Now, I just need to save up and buy the laser I really want: a blue one! (*cough* 2,000)