# Time-traveler in 1928 Charlie Chaplin film **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 25, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330 "2010-10-25T20:39:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/81 "2010-11-03T18:16:13Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > What was she using for a cell phone tower? You don’t want to know. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/82 "2010-11-03T18:22:48Z")
> [@bup](#): > > [Previous thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=583094) > > Damn \*\*mlees \*\*and his time travel machine. Nope, no machine. Just speedy little gnome-like feet! ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/83 "2010-11-03T18:43:29Z")
You think that’s bad, somebody used their time machine and posted about this before I did. 😃 Edit: But seriously, every time I posted “time traveler” the search function kept giving me an error. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/84 "2010-11-03T18:59:50Z")
Maybe she was looking for a part to an old computer… ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/85 "2010-11-03T20:10:01Z")
> [@Meatros](#): > > Maybe she was looking for a part to an old computer… Worse: She was endeavoring to construct a mnemonic memory circuit using stone knives and bear skins. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/86 "2010-11-03T20:12:29Z")
I can’t see the vid, cause it’s blocked at work. So I’m working without pertinent information. That would have been 1928. So it was before transistor radios. And she’d have had to be toting a big purse to carry a [late twenty’s hearing aid](http://deafness.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=deafness&cdn=health&tm=135&f=00&su=p736.9.336.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/did/). She could, of course, be nuts and talking into her compact; but that wouldn’t be much fun for speculations. Hmmm. I’ll think about it and check out YouTube when I get home. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/87 "2010-11-03T20:12:50Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Worse: She was endeavoring to construct a mnemonic memory circuit using stone knives and bear skins. Nice! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/88 "2010-11-03T20:15:57Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I can’t see the vid, cause it’s blocked at work. So I’m working without pertinent information. That would have been 1928. So it was before transistor radios. And she’d have had to be toting a big purse to carry a [late twenty’s hearing aid](http://deafness.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=deafness&cdn=health&tm=135&f=00&su=p736.9.336.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/did/). > > She could, of course, be nuts and talking into her compact; but that wouldn’t be much fun for speculations. Hmmm. I’ll think about it and check out YouTube when I get home. In the other thread about this topic **Fried Dough Ho** linked to [this](http://www.hearingaidmuseum.com/gallery/Carbon/WesternElectric/info/westelect34a.htm) ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/89 "2010-11-03T21:19:00Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > What was she using for a cell phone tower? Actually, if she is a time traveller, this can easily be explained. In 2010 cell phones require towers and other infrastructure to work. Time travel is also not possible in 2010 as far as we know. However, in the future (from our perspective), cell phones might very well not need any infrastructure (invented in the relentless quest to have cell phones work everywhere). Time travel might also be possible by then. Therefore, she’s talking into a futuristic cell phone that doesn’t require cell phone towers and can work anywhere / anytime. QED ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/90 "2010-11-03T22:13:38Z")
The future may indeed see cell phones which can work without a network of towers. However the future will also see concealable hands-free cell phones. Because we have those now, in the present. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/91 "2010-11-04T01:14:28Z")
Hey, if you want unequivocal proof of time travel, look in the background of [this photo](http://guanolad.com/stuff/timemachine.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![BaconAndEggs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@BaconAndEggs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaconAndEggs)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/92 "2010-11-04T01:31:11Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Hey, if you want unequivocal proof of time travel, look in the background of [this photo](http://guanolad.com/stuff/timemachine.jpg). What am I supposed to be looking for? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/93 "2010-11-04T01:59:21Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Hey, if you want unequivocal proof of time travel, look in the background of [this photo](http://guanolad.com/stuff/timemachine.jpg). You mean the Orgasmatron? ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/94 "2010-11-04T02:02:32Z")
> [@BaconAndEggs](#): > > What am I supposed to be looking for? 😕 I believe the tardis is lurking there. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/95 "2010-11-04T02:40:54Z")
I think it’s a man trying to cover his face, the feet are too big for a lady IMHO > [@GuanoLad](#): > > Hey, if you want unequivocal proof of time travel, look in the background of [this photo](http://guanolad.com/stuff/timemachine.jpg). Hey!, I’m not stout. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/96 "2010-11-04T02:54:19Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > A woman in a blurry black-and-white move holds her hand up to her face as she walks through the frame, and you believe the most rational explanation is that she is a time traveler, and she’s using a cell phone? > > I say if you can’t think of anything more rational than this, your logic circuits are fried. Having wasted three minutes watching the video (does it get better if you watch all 8 minutes? :dubious: ) I must say I agree with **Machine Elf**. The idiot who made this should come to U.S.A. and become a Tea Bagger. (It seems not unlikely that the woman is one of the millions(?) of us who talk to themselves, moving their lips. I’ve thought of wearing some kind of fake cell-phone myself to get fewer stares! 🆒 ) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/97 "2010-11-04T02:57:57Z")
Merged today’s MPSIMS thread with the existing IMHO thread – thereby messing with space _and_ time. **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/98 "2010-11-04T03:00:00Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Merged today’s MPSIMS thread with the existing IMHO thread – thereby messing with space _and_ time. > > **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator Things just keep getting crazier and crazier! :eek: Edit: Also, this is the first time I’ve ever had a thread of mine merged with another. Cool. ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/99 "2010-11-04T03:29:30Z")
Similar to what a few posters said up there, I was thinking “so, they’ve mastered time travel, yet still have to use hand-held cell phones?” ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330/100 "2010-11-04T04:32:26Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > Hey!, I’m not stout. :mad: If it’s either that or ‘weak’ I know which I’d choose. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-traveler-in-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/558330.md?page=6)