They can be, as this photo from the National Ray Gun Association shows. However, there were some primitive laser based versions built in the 1920s. They weren’t called “lasers” because no one had thought of the concept at that time, but they were lasers just the same.
This is all incredibly, horribly wrong.
I love it! 
You sad, sad people. The rest of the living world has tried to reach out to you, you guys seem to be beyond help. There are many other jokes out there other than retarded-ass jokes about double posting, there are also subjects worth talking about.
Please wake up, or sober-up, or do whatever it takes in order for you to re-enter society. The world would appreciate it if you could join them again, as opposed to being a cancerous source of pointless conflict, and stale humour.
Next jackass, you’re up.
Don’t be so cynical, dnooman. Even the White House admits that we have had ‘Ray Guns’ [sic] in government service!
dnooman
Let me see if I understand you correctly, we should stop fighting ignorance, and discussing esoteric scientific matters because you don’t think they’re funny?
It’s because of people like you that only a small community of enthusiasts even remembers 1920s style Death rays.
If anything, we have been quiet too long. If anything, there are not enough Death Ray threads on the SDMB.
dnooman: If your society is comprised of individuals such as yourself, I’m not interested.
Tuckerfan, my copy of Watterson has the numbers for the end-notes, but not the end-notes themselves.
(BTW, does the book end at Dr. Hobbes’ funeral, or does it go on to the last years of Prof Calvin? The paganation at the introduction of my copy suggests that the last 6 pages are missing.)
I know his ideas were a bit different, but was he really trying to get the polytheists their own country?
Wikkit, ROTFLMAO.
GQ, I’ll have to dig up my copy this weekend and check what it says, but IIRC it does mention the last years of Dr. Calvin’s life. BTW, what year is your edition again?
Feh…
My edition is the first edition, but, as I said earlier, someone ripped out the index, end-notes, bibilography, and (probably) the last 6 pages of text before I got it.
You should really try and find a third edition. It’s nearly 100 pages longer than the first edition, and contains some pretty critical corrections to errors found in the first edition.
Oh, and a rather interesting article appeared in my inbox dealing with current military research into death rays
Here’s a description of one of the units
Oh and dnooman, feel free to click that link, it goes to a page on space.com’s site.
Although I’m new to this thread, I can’t help but believe that someone has written either a limerick or haiku about 1920s Style Death Rays–or about their inventor.
Anyone remember this happening?
Yes, Bogore’s “The Sqelerpock”. Short stories and poetry, with a few nice pictures.
I love my death ray.
I keep it clean with my tongue.
My death ray shot me.
Ray of shiny zinc,
Bakelite in gaudy pink,
it’s my only kink.
Even if you declair very firmly <Voice=“Eddie Izzard”>"I have a 1920’s style death ray aimed at you this very moment! </Voice>
dressed in a smart pants suite and sparkly, but fashionable pumps? 
C’mon you guys, we’ve almost reached the goal of putting 1000 posts on this thread! 
#915
Oh, and BUMP!
#916
I can say “me too”, also.
Next time someone posts a question about quantum physics, we’ll take turns saying “fartknocker”.
Now you try…
What is quantum physics, and can it make omelettes taste better?
Sadly, it can’t.