# John Titor Time Traveler detractors: Identify this picture and win $100! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 16, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739 "2004-09-16T21:27:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/21 "2004-09-19T17:08:49Z")
That’s looks exactly like what was under the hood of my old DeLorean. Unfortunately I can’t confirm this, because the car disappeared mysteriously during the 1980s when I loaned it to my uncle Marty. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/22 "2004-09-19T17:16:19Z")
has anybody else noticed the ironic timing of this contest? It fits right in with the news scandal over the faked documents on CBS “60 Minutes”. The CBS documents claim to be from the past, (imitating old 1970’s typewriters), but are actually made with the latest computer software. And this “time travel” diagram claims to be from the future, but was obviously made with 1970’s -style (or earlier) hand drafting techniques. (The numbers aren’t centered in the circles , the shades and hatching on the cut-away edges isn’t uniform.The poor guy sure didnt have any access to modern CAD drafting software.) OOPS–I forgot! Surely by 2036, they will have perfected the CAD drafting software so much that it perfectly re-creates the old hand-drawn techniques. Gosh,Golly, Gee Wilickers…I’m so gullible… I should have known… ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/23 "2004-09-19T17:23:44Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > That’s looks exactly like what was under the hood of my old DeLorean. Unfortunately I can’t confirm this, because the car disappeared mysteriously during the 1980s when I loaned it to my uncle Marty. Great Scott! ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/24 "2004-09-19T19:38:25Z")
Looks like the power supply for a 1920s style death ray. _ducks_ ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/25 "2004-09-19T19:43:10Z")
I remember that thing! That was the thread-moving device back when we were on UBB. Sadly, I’ve misplaced the owner’s manual, so no $100 for me. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/26 "2004-09-19T20:21:38Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > I remember that thing! That was the thread-moving device back when we were on UBB. > > Sadly, I’ve misplaced the owner’s manual, so no $100 for me. No No No, it’s the interim server used during the most recent upgrade. It rearranges the posts, [see](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=276145). ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/27 "2004-09-19T21:00:22Z")
It looks like one of those Jefferson Starships I’ve heard so much about. Either that or a doomsday machine(and not just because I think that everything looks like a Doomsday machine). ---
**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:** [September 19, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/28 "2004-09-19T21:53:19Z")
> [@Trigonal Planar](#): > > Looks like the power supply for a 1920s style death ray. > > _ducks_ No, I’ve seen some of those, and it looks nothing like that. Is there an engineer in the house? ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/29 "2004-09-19T22:08:02Z")
…what is the contest, exactly? To identify the seminal source of the aforementioned image? ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/30 "2004-09-19T22:09:28Z")
…and how is the contest holder going to award a prize if said contest holder doesn’t know the answer herself? ---
**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:** [September 19, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/31 "2004-09-19T22:12:44Z")
> [@js\_africanus](#): > > …what is the contest, exactly? To identify the seminal source of the aforementioned image? Yep. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/32 "2004-09-20T00:42:36Z")
> [@Governor Quinn](#): > > Yep. That’s going to be a tough one. ---
**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:** [September 20, 2004, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/33 "2004-09-20T00:58:33Z")
It looks sort of like part of an [electron microscope](http://www.hqrd.hitachi.co.jp/arle/images/drawing.gif), but I still maintain it’s just something somebody drew, not based on any kind of real machine (or at least not one that actually _does_ anything). ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/34 "2004-09-20T01:07:57Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > It looks sort of like part of an [electron microscope](http://www.hqrd.hitachi.co.jp/arle/images/drawing.gif), but I still maintain it’s just something somebody drew, not based on any kind of real machine (or at least not one that actually _does_ anything). 'll have to take issue with that. It’s damn fine toaster. I won’t hear a word spoken against it’s toasting prowess. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/35 "2004-09-20T01:27:51Z")
I recognize that; it really is a part of a [time machine](http://web.acsalaska.net/~fmurtley/mrpeabodyandsherman.jpg)! ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/36 "2004-09-20T03:15:24Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > I recognize that; it really is a part of a [time machine](http://web.acsalaska.net/~fmurtley/mrpeabodyandsherman.jpg)! Quiet you!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/37 "2004-09-20T03:46:34Z")
> [@js\_africanus](#): > > That’s going to be a tough one. Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/38 "2004-09-20T04:22:49Z")
> [@astro](#): > > 'll have to take issue with that. It’s damn fine toaster. I won’t hear a word spoken against it’s toasting prowess. Dude, that’s not a toaster- it’s a breadster! It makes toast into bread… by sending it _back in time._ :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/39 "2004-09-20T10:01:28Z")
Why are your puny minds unable to comprehend that in 2036 time machines will look like toasters with vacuum tubes? ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2004, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739/40 "2004-09-20T11:14:34Z")
No, no, no - its a chemical processing plant shrunk down to fit into a 1960’s school case to be operated by gnomes. Some parts I can identify: 2 and 19 - distillation columns 3 - Larox pressure filter 5 - dryer or pass-through lyphilizer 15 - filtration column 14 - storage tank 28 - reaction vessle 10 - polishing filter 11 - mono pump 15 - exhaust 21 - yep, toaster 22 - centrifuge 23 - large scale GMP production freeze dryer 35 - hopper Come to think of it, there is no indication of scale - perhaps it is a **WMD** plant hidden in a giant school case. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-titor-time-traveler-detractors-identify-this-picture-and-win-100/264739.md?page=3)