# Are scalar weapons for real? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879 "2003-08-04T12:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 44
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/861 "2003-10-16T05:28:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rodrigo \* > **Did the deflector dish do anything aside from being fudged with?** It was supposed to deflect space debris while the ship was travelling at high speed. That’s why it’s always on the front. A disintegrator ray would have worked just as well, and would have been more visually appealing. Or, they could have just done the logical thing, and traveled through hyperspace like all intellegent spacefarers. Given coments about Hobbes firing a transmogrifier from a blimp, am I to believe that he and Calvin were able to improve it from the original corrugated bio-matter enclosure? ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MonkeyMule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMule)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/862 "2003-10-16T05:46:40Z")
NO NO NO!! THe dish only worked at impluse! the warp field protected the ship at faster then light travel. Do not debate me as it will result in a 1920’s style ass-whooping to the dome 😉 ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/863 "2003-10-16T08:08:57Z")
Impulse is pretty darn fast. Actually, IIRC they did travel through hyperspace when in warp. What happens if you take 2 death rays and cross the beams? Any volunteers? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![T.Slothrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@T.Slothrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.Slothrop)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/864 "2003-10-16T08:16:26Z")
don’t cross the beams. I have heard that is a _bad thing_. ---
**Author:** ![frixxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@frixxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frixxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/865 "2003-10-16T12:09:30Z")
**//_crackle_^^…must try and reach…board getting too …** #^^ Governor 3 Qui^^ is too close…%^\* Must...tell Tucker--f@#@# to stop...Y% Been held prisoner …@!%6 the mob is watching! -- @- #-- – Must get in to()ch with…someone …2 make…them aw@r3…&)~ Death------Ray research has - gone,…^@\*%…too far… will .f.4#FK3 contact . . \>? soon… ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/866 "2003-10-16T12:45:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by VernWinterbottom \* > \*\*Plans are still up in the air, I hear, but they’re leaning toward Cleveland. > > **Tuckerfan** , you’re right about Prof. Calvin’s “experiments.” The old timers around here always talk about A) The Hurricane of '38 and B) the Great Blimp Scare. \*\* If I recall correctly, didn’t Prof. Calvin once book himself to be at five different places at once while at MIT, and that he used that appearance to demonstrate his duplicator? ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/867 "2003-10-16T20:41:51Z")
Ah, they’re 1920s style cloning rays. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/868 "2003-10-16T20:43:24Z")
Prof. Calvin was last seen urinating on a Ford, or maybe a Chevy. Probably both, if he can duplicate himself. Just don’t cross the beams. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/869 "2003-10-17T00:48:10Z")
Here is a semi-serious question for the topic: Lets say that I build myself a Death Ray. Would that be illegal, assuming I don’t kill/harm people with it? Is there any law against building a death ray (or uber-laser, etc)? ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/870 "2003-10-17T01:38:19Z")
Technically, it’s not a death ray until you kill something with it. So no, you don’t have to harm people, but you’ll probably get charged with cruelty to animals. The Zottis ran their own hamster farm, so that every ray could be certified as a death ray before it was shipped. I’m a bit surprised that Hampster hamster, who runs this board, has allowed us to continue so long. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/871 "2003-10-17T03:17:48Z")
Actually I heard that if you own a Class IIIB laser product in the U.S., you’re required to register it with the government. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/872 "2003-10-17T03:25:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aryk29 \* > \*\*Prof. Calvin was last seen urinating on a Ford, or maybe a Chevy. Probably both, if he can duplicate himself. \*\* All accusations of Prof. Calvin and public urination appears to be connected to a smear campaign run against him after death by the aging Hugo Robson, who had lost his post at UCLA to Calvin in 1971. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/873 "2003-10-17T03:27:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aryk29 \* > \*\*Actually I heard that if you own a Class IIIB laser product in the U.S., you’re required to register it with the government. \*\* True, but death rays are classified as Class I laser products, with do not require registering. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/874 "2003-10-17T06:30:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Governor Quinn \* > \*\*All accusations of Prof. Calvin and public urination appears to be connected to a smear campaign run against him after death by the aging Hugo Robson, who had lost his post at UCLA to Calvin in 1971. \*\* Actually, I’d be tempted to put a Calvin/Ford sticker on a Ford, or Calvin/Chevy on a Chevrolet, just out of spite. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/875 "2003-10-17T12:52:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Governor Quinn \* > \*\*All accusations of Prof. Calvin and public urination appears to be connected to a smear campaign run against him after death by the aging Hugo Robson, who had lost his post at UCLA to Calvin in 1971. \*\* Sorry, no. Long before this there were cases of people in South Dartmouth, MA, getting peed on from the Goodyear blimp while Prof. Calvin was around. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/876 "2003-10-17T13:47:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by frixxxx \* > \*\*\*_//crackle^^…must try and reach…board getting too …\*\*#^^ Governor 3 Qui^^ is too close…%^\* Must...tell Tucker--f@#@# to stop...Y% Been held prisoner …@!%6 the mob is watching! -- @- #-- – Must get in to()ch with…someone …2 make…them aw@r3…&)~ Death------Ray research has - gone,…^@_%…too far… will .f.4#FK3 contact . . \>? soon… \*\* You young kids and your “Leet Speak.” 19205-57Y13 |)347|-| R4Y5 R0X0R |)o0|)!!!11111oneoneone ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/877 "2003-10-17T20:45:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by VernWinterbottom \* > \*\*Sorry, no. Long before this there were cases of people in South Dartmouth, MA, getting peed on from the Goodyear blimp while Prof. Calvin was around. \*\* Can you name any source that says this before Robson bought a one-page ad in the “Los Angeles Times” on July 16th, 1971? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/878 "2003-10-17T22:31:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aryk29 \* > \*\*Actually, I’d be tempted to put a Calvin/Ford sticker on a Ford, or Calvin/Chevy on a Chevrolet, just out of spite. 😃 \*\* Heh, considering some of the Fords I’ve own, a Calvin/Ford sticker on one would be **appropriate**! ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/879 "2003-10-17T22:54:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Governor Quinn \* > \*\*Can you name any source that says this before Robson bought a one-page ad in the “Los Angeles Times” on July 16th, 1971? \*\* From the New Bedford Standard-Times, September 5, 2003: > [@](#): > > . . .the private estate [at Round Hill, South Dartmouth, was] created by Hetty Green’s son, Col. Green (1868-1936), when she died in 1916 and he inherited the 250-acre property and half of the estimated $100,000,000 fortune amassed by his notorious mother. > In addition to the splendid gray stone mansion, completed in 1921, the Colonel (an honorary title) established an airport, complete with a hangar where a Goodyear blimp was berthed, a coffer dam where the Charles W. Morgan, the last of the New Bedford sail-powered whaling ships was docked, his yacht, the United States – and a 50,000 gallon water tank used to supply it --and WMAF, an early radio broadcasting station. > There were poultry houses, a blacksmith shop, garages, windmills, a bathhouse and swimming pool – one of the largest in the country at 75 by 200 feet – a root cellar, a cemetery and a massive barn. > In addition, Col. Green invited scientists from MIT to Round Hill, where they did research on meteorology, aircraft navigation and radio communication. What’s left of their facilities, too, can still be found. Prof. Calvin was at Round Hill very early in his MIT career, ca. 1936, very near the end of Col. Green’s life. At about this same time, one finds news articles, also in the Standard-Times, with titles such as **Sorry, ma’am, that was no seagull** reporting that people were getting doused with eather significant quatities of urine. These were always in the proximity of Round Hill while the blimp was flying. By 1971, poor old Prof. Calvin’s instances of public urination were the result of the leaky absorbant undergarments he wore later in life. ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/880 "2003-10-17T22:57:18Z")
That should read “_rather_ significant quantities of urine.” Sorry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879.md?page=43) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879.md?page=45)