# 1920's Style Death Ray? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 28, 2003, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154 "2003-08-28T07:47:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/21 "2003-08-28T23:42:11Z")
Personally, I’m quite happy with my death ray; it was made in 1917 and it works fine - I find no compelling reason to upgrade. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/22 "2003-08-28T23:45:05Z")
I have a V-18 powered 1920’s style Death Ray. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/23 "2003-08-29T00:02:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*Personally, I’m quite happy with my death ray; it was made in 1917 and it works fine - I find no compelling reason to upgrade. \*\* Well, it’d be a good idea to—the directional ray-emitter doesn’t block “backwash”, if you will, causing some of the radiation intended for the target to come back at the user. Serious indigestion is usually the main side effect of this glitch, but there are a few cases of acute, unusually sonorous flatulence as well. ---
**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/24 "2003-08-29T00:18:54Z")
I still find it funny, especially when it works its way into completely unrelated threads and somehow seems to fit. Then again, I laugh at just about anything. “anything” heh That’s good. ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/25 "2003-08-29T01:56:09Z")
I am still amused. ---
**Author:** ![Freiheit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e8c25b/32.png) [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/26 "2003-08-29T03:21:37Z")
But, I don’t get it. Why is it funny to post the phrase in every nonrelated thread? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/27 "2003-08-29T03:42:36Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Joe K \* > \*\*Will it meet its demise with a 19_3\*0s-style “Death Ray”? \*\* Are its lenses and stuff made of Depression Glass? ---
**Author:** ![RealTronic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9dc877/32.png) [@RealTronic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealTronic)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/28 "2003-08-29T03:53:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Freiheit \* > \*\*But, I don’t get it. Why is it funny to post the phrase in every nonrelated thread? \*\* It’s not. Those who think it is should be executed with a… ah, you get the idea. ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/29 "2003-08-29T06:13:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > I can’t wait until this one dies out, it’s a dead horse already. Yeah, and let’s have less ambiguous thread titles too huh? ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/30 "2003-08-29T06:19:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Polycarp \* > \*\*Are its lenses and stuff made of Depression Glass? \*\* No, you’re thinking of the 1920’s style melancholy ray. ';=\> -~-~-~-~ ☹ ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/31 "2003-08-29T07:11:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hawthorne \* > \*\*[curmudgeon] Got old fast, didn’t it? \*\* About eighty years, by my reckoning. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/32 "2003-08-29T09:34:54Z")
This did have potential, but if it keeps going on and on this way, it will be looked on as stupid. As it is, it needs to die down, and then it cam become a SDMB catchphrase. ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/33 "2003-08-29T10:08:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DreadCthulhu \* > \*\*NO! There are three reasons it shouldn’t die out. > > 1. It hasn’t spread to other sites - I want this to be as big as the “All your bases” thing. > > 2. I intend to keep using it as long as people keep . . . > > 3. Hi Opal! \*\* All your 1920’s style death rays are belong to us! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/34 "2003-08-29T10:42:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sock Munkey \* > All your 1920’s style death rays are belong to us! > 😃 LMAO!!! ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/35 "2003-08-29T10:48:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*I can’t wait until this one dies out, it’s a dead horse already. \*\* dead? the original thread in GQ is on to its eighth page and shows no sign of stopping… ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/36 "2003-08-29T11:11:18Z")
I burning the horse! With my Demonically possessed 1920’s style “Death Ray”. ---
**Author:** ![chattywine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5daacb/32.png) [@chattywine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chattywine)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/37 "2003-08-29T11:34:21Z")
::hides the pie:: Watch where you’re pointing that thing!! ---
**Author:** ![Baggins111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@Baggins111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baggins111)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/38 "2003-08-29T11:41:32Z")
Now we have the Pro- 1920’s-style “death ray” lobby and the Anti-1920’s-style “death ray” lobby. Next thing you know, we’ll be standing across the street from each other holding up signs that say things like "If 1920’s-style “death rays” are outlawed, then only outlaws will post about 1920’2-style “death rays,” and “1920’s-style “death rays” KILL threads!” There’ll be a lot of shouting and finger pointing. Or has it already started? Just wait. Before this is over, the admins will be doing background checks before you can post anything about a 1920’s-style “death ray.” ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/39 "2003-08-29T13:53:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by heresiarch \* > \*\*No, you’re thinking of the 1920’s style melancholy ray. > > ';=\> -~-~-~-~ ☹ \*\* I just got this. Excellent! ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154/40 "2003-08-29T14:10:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by heresiarch \* > \*\*No, you’re thinking of the 1920’s style melancholy ray. > > ';=\> -~-~-~-~ ☹ \*\* hrmph. I was thinking it was a “Honey, I don’t like it when you do that on my face.” thing. And 1920s style “Death Rays” rock the house. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-ray/198154.md?page=3)