# \*sigh\* The world don't end like it used to **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 21, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-the-world-dont-end-like-it-used-to/644740 "2012-12-21T15:03:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-the-world-dont-end-like-it-used-to/644740/1 "2012-12-21T15:03:32Z")
[Those were the days](http://davidszondy.com/future/Dystopias/endworld.htm) . . . ☹ ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-the-world-dont-end-like-it-used-to/644740/2 "2012-12-21T15:17:02Z")
Where’s the kaboom? Where’s the Earth-shattering kaboom? ---
**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:** [December 21, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-the-world-dont-end-like-it-used-to/644740/3 "2012-12-21T15:19:50Z")
I disagree. The end of the world is exactly as it was last time. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-the-world-dont-end-like-it-used-to/644740/4 "2012-12-21T15:24:56Z")
…And I was so looking forward to not having to pay the Christmas credit card bill. ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-the-world-dont-end-like-it-used-to/644740/5 "2012-12-21T15:45:13Z")
I’ve always liked this end of the world: > [@](#): > > CARL PHILLIPS > Good heavens, something’s wriggling out of the shadow like a gray snake. > Now it’s another one, and another one, and another one! They look like > tentacles to me. I can see the thing’s body now. It’s large, large as a bear and it > glistens like wet leather. But that face, it… Ladies and gentlemen, it’s > indescribable. I can hardly force myself to keep looking at it, so awful. The > eyes are black and gleam like a serpent. The mouth is V-shaped with saliva > dripping from its rimless lips that seem to quiver and pulsate. The monster or > whatever it is can hardly move. It seems weighed down by… possibly gravity > or something. The thing’s… rising up now, and the crowd falls back now. > They’ve seen plenty. This is the most extraordinary experience, ladies and > gentlemen. I can’t find words… I’ll pull this microphone with me as I talk. I’ll > have to stop the description until I can take a new position. Hold on, will you > please, I’ll be right back in a minute… > > ANNOUNCER > We are bringing you an eyewitness account of what’s happening on the > Wilmuth farm, Grovers Mill, New Jersey. > > ANNOUNCER > We now return you to Carl Phillips at Grovers Mill. > > CARL PHILLIPS > Ladies and gent… Am I on? Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, here > I am, back of a stone wall that adjoins Mr. Wilmuth’s garden. From here I get a > sweep of the whole scene. I’ll give you every detail as long as I can talk and as > long as I can see. > More state police have arrived They’re drawing up a cordon in front of the pit, > about thirty of them. No need to push the crowd back now. They’re willing to > keep their distance. > The captain is conferring with someone. We can’t quite see who. Oh yes, I > believe it’s Professor Pierson. Yes, it is. Now they’ve parted and the Professor > moves around one side, studying the object, while the captain and two > policemen advance with something in their hands. > I can see it now. It’s a white handkerchief tied to a pole… a flag of truce. If > those creatures know what that means… what ANYTHING means… > Wait a minute! Something’s happening… > > (HISSING SOUND FOLLOWED BY A HUMMING THAT INCREASES IN > INTENSITY) > > CARL PHILLIPS > A humped shape is rising out of the pit. I can make out a small beam of light > against a mirror. What’s that? There’s a jet of flame springing from that mirror, > and it leaps right at the advancing men. It strikes them head on! Good Lord, > they’re turning into flame! > > (SCREAMS AND UNEARTHLY SHRIEKS) > > CARL PHILLIPS > Now the whole field’s caught fire. > > (EXPLOSION) > > CARL PHILLIPS > The woods… the barns… the gas tanks of automobiles… it’s spreading > everywhere. It’s coming this way. About twenty yards to my right… > > (ABRUPT DEAD SILENCE) > > ANNOUNCER > Ladies and gentlemen, due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable > to continue the broadcast from Grovers Mill. Evidently there’s some difficulty > with our field transmission. However, we will return to that point at the > earliest opportunity. \*\*PDF: \*\*[http://pascalfroissart.online.fr/3-cache/1938-wells-koch.pdf](http://pascalfroissart.online.fr/3-cache/1938-wells-koch.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-the-world-dont-end-like-it-used-to/644740/6 "2012-12-21T16:17:32Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [_sigh_ The world don’t end like it used to > Those were the days](http://davidszondy.com/future/Dystopias/endworld.htm) . . . ☹ Oh, stop whimpering! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-the-world-dont-end-like-it-used-to/644740/7 "2012-12-21T19:49:21Z")
Well, eye of the hurricanes notwithstanding, I heard that Lenny Bruce _still_ is not afraid. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-the-world-dont-end-like-it-used-to/644740/8 "2012-12-21T22:58:49Z")
Dammit. I guess I have to go shopping for Christmas now.