# What is "Hi Opal, I burn your dog, 1920'S style death rays? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 17, 2003, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501 "2003-12-17T08:35:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Harlow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Harlow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harlow)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/1 "2003-12-17T08:35:28Z")
Can someone fill me in? ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/2 "2003-12-17T08:46:47Z")
[Hi Opal.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=117735&highlight=opal+list) [I burning your dog.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=216311&highlight=burning+your) [1920’s style death rays.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=202225) Hope that helps! 🙂 F\_X ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/3 "2003-12-17T10:54:09Z")
This would be a really useful sticky for the newbies. ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/4 "2003-12-17T12:24:27Z")
What’s a sticky? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/5 "2003-12-17T12:29:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by imthjckaz \* > \*\*What’s a sticky? \*\* It’s something with which someone gets beaten over the heady with. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/6 "2003-12-17T13:22:08Z")
**Flamsterette\_X’s** links are excellent, but the shorter answer to your question is, “They’re all in-jokes that have worn out their welcome, so pay them no attention!” OG Smash! Gotcha ya! ---
**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/7 "2003-12-17T13:49:45Z")
There’s a thread somewhere in “About This Message Board”. Oh, and a “sticky” is a “pinned” thread that always appears at the top of a forum, even if it gets no replies. It’s meant as a tool for admins to make announcements to us. Only Admins can make Sticky threads. They’re usually reminders of rules, or a scheduled service interruption, etc… ---
**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/8 "2003-12-17T13:52:24Z")
Oh jeez… I just noticed **imthjckaz** was being funny… Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/9 "2003-12-17T14:53:17Z")
There is a Doper with the name **1920s Style Death Ray**. ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/10 "2003-12-17T15:09:04Z")
whats an admin? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/11 "2003-12-17T15:39:10Z")
to everyone who says these phrases have Jumped the Shark, I say: Fucko off! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/12 "2003-12-17T15:49:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Early Out \* > \*\ ***Flamsterette\_X’s** links are excellent, but the shorter answer to your question is, “They’re all in-jokes that have worn out their welcome, so pay them no attention!” \*\* Another answer is “it’s a way for stupid and/or lazy people to try to be clever without thinking of anything original”. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/13 "2003-12-17T16:54:03Z")
Opal’s burning your 1920s style dog. Oops. ---
**Author:** ![Chavardz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Chavardz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chavardz)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/14 "2003-12-17T17:04:59Z")
dammit, horseflesh beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/15 "2003-12-17T18:05:58Z")
\*\* Flamsterette\_X \*\*, I believe you meant to put your 3 links in the following order: 1. [1920’s style death rays.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=202225) 2. [I burning your dog.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=216311&highlight=burning+your) 3. [Hi Opal.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=117735&highlight=opal+list) ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/16 "2003-12-17T19:12:24Z")
Thanks. I wanted to ask this and I did searches… but it’s hard to tell where something originated… especially Hi Opal, since you get hundreds of responses to a search. I had read the scalar weapons thread and I thought it was a continuation of a previous joke about 1920’s style death rays. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/17 "2003-12-17T19:19:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FilmGeek \* > \*\*Thanks. I wanted to ask this and I did searches… but it’s hard to tell where something originated… especially Hi Opal, since you get hundreds of responses to a search. \*\* You won’t find the absolute origin of “Hi, Opal!” here anyway. It’s older than this version of the boards; the SDMB was still at AOL when OpalCat started complaining about two-item lists. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/18 "2003-12-17T19:25:38Z")
What’s SDMB? ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/19 "2003-12-17T19:50:00Z")
All your base… [sigh] ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501/20 "2003-12-17T19:59:14Z")
Just for the record\*\*“Gotcha” \*\* doesn’t require a \*\*“ya” \*\* at the end.😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hi-opal-i-burn-your-dog-1920s-style-death-rays/219501.md?page=2)