Friday 18 May 2007

Bette "Death Ray" Davis

Tim Blair has a quote from the Wall Street Journal obituary of Theodore H. Maiman, inventor of the laser, that is a gem of unalloyed stupidty:

He often told the story of meeting Bette Davis at a party. The movie star asked, “How does it feel to be responsible for all that death and destruction?” It took until the end of the evening for the reticent Mr. Maiman to formulate a reply: “I don’t know of anyone who’s been killed by a laser, even by accident, but I do know several people who have been healed by lasers."
If it was me, I'd have replied with "BHWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

3 comments:

jayessell said...

The illustration reminds me of the anti-magnetic canons from the motion picture "Earth vs The Flying Saucers".

(David, the link is flashubbet)

Just who is she confusing him with? Einstein? Openheimer? Teller?

Just what object is she confusing the laser with?

David said...

Link repaired.

jayessell said...

(Clicks the link)
Oh. That's better.

Like the double-barreled disintegrator in the novel "Ringworld" by Larry Niven.

One beam is positive, one beam is negative, and if both are near each other on the target, there's current flow.