A simple device consisting of two laser pointers designed to converge at a point 10 feet or 3.048 metres from the operator.-- coprocephalous, Feb 16 2006 (?) Inspired by, but more compact than.. Pocket_20Retractible_20Barge_20PoleThe ideal contactless distance gauge [coprocephalous, Feb 16 2006] There is something satisfying in using solid victorian materials such as brass and wood that you don't get with a laser pointer.
Plus you cannot literally 'touch' something or someone with a laser, so the pun on which it is based is lost.-- dbmag9, Feb 16 2006 What pun? There is no play on words here. You /wouldn't/ touch it with a bargepole, and so here, you can't possibly touch it.For an authentic retro 1940's feel, it should be made of bakelite and leather.-- coprocephalous, Feb 16 2006 But the idea is that you *wouldn't* touch it, not that you *couldn't* touch it. If you can't possibly touch it then that takes the point out of it (har har).-- dbmag9, Feb 16 2006 Yeah, I'm thinking a remote controlled robot device would be a better solution here, since that is the common modern solution for things you do not want to touch with a barge pole (suspicious packages, e.g.).-- DrCurry, Feb 16 2006 random, halfbakery