# 1920s-style Death Rays. No, Really! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717 "2004-01-09T21:19:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717/21 "2004-01-11T19:39:35Z")
You may have to wait a lot longer, if you’re posting that question in this thread, **Polycarp**.😕 ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717/22 "2004-01-11T19:49:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Exapno Mapcase \* > \*\*You may have to wait a lot longer, if you’re posting that question in this thread, **Polycarp**.😕 \*\* It **is** connected! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TheOnlySaneOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@TheOnlySaneOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheOnlySaneOne)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717/23 "2004-01-11T21:37:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Polycarp \* > \*\*I have been waiting patiently for someone on this board to ask why fans of science fiction in general and Spider Robinson’s work in particular have been so vocal in panning _Callahan’s Key_. 🙂 \*\* Okay…I’ll bite. Why have fans of science ficiton in general and Spider Robinson’s work in particular been so vocal in panning _Callahan’s Key?_ ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717/24 "2004-01-11T22:11:52Z")
Hey, I’m in too. (As long as someone explains how one can be a fan of science fiction and also like Spider Robinson. :D) ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717/25 "2004-01-11T22:55:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheOnlySaneOne \* > \*\*Okay…I’ll bite. > > Why have fans of science ficiton in general and Spider Robinson’s work in particular been so vocal in panning _Callahan’s Key?_ \*\* Quite simple; it’s because… [spoiler]the gang from Callahan’s Bar moves _en masse_ to Key West, picking up en route half the clichés in fiction, in order to save the Universe from… a 1920’s style death ray! And this is not a joke post – that is the actual plot of the book![/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717/26 "2004-01-11T22:56:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Exapno Mapcase \* > \*\*Hey, I’m in too. (As long as someone explains how one can be a fan of science fiction and also like Spider Robinson. :D) \*\* _De gustibus non est disputandum!_😃 ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717/27 "2004-01-12T09:18:30Z")
Ahh, it’s some kind of “Scalar Weapon”. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717/28 "2004-01-12T15:21:31Z")
How about 1920s-style [cathode-rays](http://www.time.com/time/time100/scientist/profile/farnsworth.html)? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717/29 "2004-01-12T15:37:53Z")
link [http://217.206.205.129/articles/174\_deathray.shtml](http://217.206.205.129/articles/174_deathray.shtml) article on this guy. 3 pages worth, with photos. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717/30 "2004-01-12T23:26:28Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > link > [http://217.206.205.129/articles/174\_deathray.shtml](http://217.206.205.129/articles/174_deathray.shtml) > > article on this guy. 3 pages worth, with photos. This guy’s been mentioned before, but that article is the first to say that he caused a media storm pre-WWI. He could be the one. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717/31 "2004-01-13T17:39:40Z")
Here’s a link to that Fortean Times article on “Death Ray (Grindell) Matthews”: [http://www.forteantimes.com/articles/174\_deathray.shtml](http://www.forteantimes.com/articles/174_deathray.shtml) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1920s-style-death-rays-no-really/223717.md?page=1)