Stardate 20010909.1026 (On Screen): And from the "You can find
anything on the web" file, we have a site which sells synthetic ruby rods. I used to have one of these, way back when. A jewelry hobbyist store near where I lived sold them. They were rejects with off-balance coloring, and I used to carry one as a pocket piece, just because it was fun to play with as a fiddle-toy and it made a cool conversation piece. You could easily write on a beer-bottle with one, and I must admit that it represented a temptation when I saw people illegally parked in wheel-chair spots (back when those were new, they got abused a lot) to leave a helpful message etched on the widnshield of the car. I never did that but I sure considered it a few times. The one I had was about 3" long, but I actually wish it had been shorter, because it eventually broke. If it hadn't been quite so long I might still have it. Maybe I'll order another one -- and get a sapphire one to go next to it. Just in case. (After all, you never know when you might need to write on glass.)
(discussion in progress)
