# ENOUGH with the 1920's death rays! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 8, 2003, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256 "2003-09-08T08:24:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/1 "2003-09-08T08:24:04Z")
It was funny for a while,. but it’s been played out. Am I the only one who feels this way? ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/2 "2003-09-08T09:52:44Z")
Ah, they’re 1920’s style “Death Rays”. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/3 "2003-09-08T10:12:47Z")
What’s the best way to kill a running joke? Hint: The answer is not “Start another thread about it.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/4 "2003-09-08T10:40:15Z")
I sooo agree. It’s past time we went on to the 1940’s style Death Rays! - Rune ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/5 "2003-09-08T10:43:43Z")
My shopping list on my fridge reads as follows: Cat food Toilet roll 1920s style “death ray” Butter **mrs jjimm** (who isn’t in on the joke) saw this yesterday and said “but honey, why didn’t you say before? There’s a 1920s style ‘death ray’ store right next to my office.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/6 "2003-09-08T10:45:46Z")
It’s odd that people have typed out “Hi Opal!” forever-- and still do–and people don’t complain about that as they do the death ray thing. It’s called a 1920’s style Death Ray. Does that help? ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/7 "2003-09-08T11:34:34Z")
I’m sure a few months ago there was a wave of complaints about “Hi Opal!” and now you don’t see it as much as you did at one time. Personally, I don’t mind the old 1920s style “Death Ray” post when it has some sort of relation to the topic of the thread, rather than just being plumbed into any old thread, seemingly mindlessly. ---
**Author:** ![Zorro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ad7895/32.png) [@Zorro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zorro)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/8 "2003-09-08T13:53:43Z")
It seems to have had a cumulative, gradual effect on me. After weeks of noticing that this was popping up all over the place, I finally went into ten minutes of uncontrollable laughter today when I read about the 1890s Death Rays. ---
**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/9 "2003-09-08T14:47:58Z")
> [@](#): > > My shopping list on my fridge reads as follows: > > Cat food > Toilet roll > 1920s style “death ray” > Butter Sound like you’re making pie! Good eats. ---
**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:** [September 8, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/10 "2003-09-08T15:24:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\*What’s the best way to kill a running joke? > \*\* Use a 1920’s Style Death Ray! YAY!! I was first! ---
**Author:** ![verbenabeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@verbenabeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verbenabeast)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/11 "2003-09-08T17:39:00Z")
careful how far you “lead” it… some running jokes are faster than others… ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/12 "2003-09-08T18:07:30Z")
Lost: One 1920’s-style “death ray.” Metallic blue with bright red knobs and trigger. Answers to “Zippy.” Reward offered. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/13 "2003-09-08T18:40:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by I Love Me, Vol. I \* > **It’s odd that people have typed out “Hi Opal!” forever-- and still do–and people don’t complain about that as they do the death ray thing.** Perhaps, but many people, including Opal herself, are _still_ explaining the joke. I’ll bet she wishes it would just go away. ---
**Author:** ![Moeman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@Moeman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moeman)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/14 "2003-09-08T19:43:09Z")
There are some things IMHO wrong with this thread. 1.) I believe that the 1920’s style Death Ray was actually designed in the 1910’s and should be renamed to reflect this fact. 2.) The more threads talking about the subject will keep the joke going and going like the Energizer Bunny. 3.) Hi Opal ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/15 "2003-09-08T21:16:22Z")
“It’s odd that people have typed out “Hi Opal!” forever-- and still do–and people don’t complain about that” I think they did, which is why we don’t notice it so much anymore. ---
**Author:** ![fizzygoodmakefeelnice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@fizzygoodmakefeelnice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzygoodmakefeelnice)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/16 "2003-09-08T21:27:55Z")
I actually really like the 1920’s style “death ray” joke. Quite often when people drop it into a thread it’s quite funny. However, I hatehatehate the numerous threads which have popped up going “hey guys, this thing has got old, drop it now ok?” Anyway, I think it’ll be funnier in a few months when everyone has forgotten about. ---
**Author:** ![bittersweet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@bittersweet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bittersweet)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/17 "2003-09-08T21:31:33Z")
Hi, I’m **Baffled** …nice to meet y’all! 😕 ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/18 "2003-09-08T21:49:23Z")
I still have a Weebl and Bob screensaver. ---
**Author:** ![fizzygoodmakefeelnice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@fizzygoodmakefeelnice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzygoodmakefeelnice)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/19 "2003-09-08T22:17:50Z")
Crumpets ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256/20 "2003-09-08T22:36:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fizzygoodmakefeelnice \* > \*\*Crumpets \*\* I must have you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-1920s-death-rays/200256.md?page=2)