# Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=16 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 17 --- ## [The Colo(u)r of Bugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colo-u-r-of-bugs/777034)
**Author:** [@PitJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PitJ)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [January 26, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colo-u-r-of-bugs/777034 "2017-01-26T02:48:48Z")
At the end of this column, SDStaff Doug raises the question that is even more interesting, which is: “Why are cartoon honeybees black and yellow when real honeybees are actually brown?” Jesus H. Christ, I thought, that… --- ## [Was Cleopatra Black?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-cleopatra-black/778040)
**Author:** [@waddlingeagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waddlingeagle)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [January 25, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-cleopatra-black/778040 "2017-01-25T21:46:27Z")
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1703/was-cleopatra-black The practice of teaching Afrocentrism as ‘history’ may be more widespread than the SD Staff realizes. We are getting far more liberal arts grads these da… --- ## [Has human evolution stopped?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-human-evolution-stopped/770732)
**Author:** [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [January 24, 2017, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-human-evolution-stopped/770732 "2017-01-24T19:03:46Z")
Link to column. I’ve often wondered if humans could be bred as we breed dogs, given enough time of course and the requisite absolute dictatorship. In time could we have as many varieties of humans with as many different… --- ## [Can you get amnesia from a blow to the head? April 16, 2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-amnesia-from-a-blow-to-the-head-april-16-2004/240396)
**Author:** [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [January 24, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-amnesia-from-a-blow-to-the-head-april-16-2004/240396 "2017-01-24T17:31:16Z")
Today’s Column: Reading today’s column, and specifically the section about events triggering a total recall of sorts, something occured to me… Many mornings, when I wake up, I can’t really recall my dreams from the nig… --- ## [Hell -- hot or cold?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-hot-or-cold/777020)
**Author:** [@bertzpoet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bertzpoet)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [January 24, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hell-hot-or-cold/777020 "2017-01-24T16:25:24Z")
In Dante’s epic poem, The Inferno, there were nine circles with various horrible punishments. The final circle had sinners embedded in a frozen icy lake. Those who committed more severe sin were deeper within the ice. J… --- ## [Is scopolamine as scary as its reputation?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scopolamine-as-scary-as-its-reputation/777076)
**Author:** [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [January 16, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scopolamine-as-scary-as-its-reputation/777076 "2017-01-16T16:44:52Z")
Link to Cecil’s column. Cecil reports that " by the 1920s scopolamine had become the first drug billed as a truth serum." He goes on to say that interrogators found that the side effects of a very dry mouth, unconducive… --- ## [Is Suicide illegal?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-suicide-illegal/776970)
**Author:** [@LubbockGayMale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LubbockGayMale)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-suicide-illegal/776970 "2017-01-13T03:50:26Z")
In Texas, attempted suicide can cause you to be arrested and held for observation. I’m not aware of any DA who has actually prosecuted an attempt, but the arrest allows the ‘victim’ to be held for 48 hrs or so, and usual… --- ## [Follow-up to "Was Luther responsible for the Holocaust?"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/follow-up-to-was-luther-responsible-for-the-holocaust/775516)
**Author:** [@benjwhite9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benjwhite9)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/follow-up-to-was-luther-responsible-for-the-holocaust/775516 "2017-01-09T18:02:22Z")
The 12/23/2016 Straight Dope discusses the question “was Martin Luther responsible for the Holocaust?” I don’t disagree with anything said in that column, but one thing not mentioned is that the majority of Germans in t… --- ## [Camels can swim, and so can sloths](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camels-can-swim-and-so-can-sloths/776703)
**Author:** [@LAV25](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LAV25)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2017, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/camels-can-swim-and-so-can-sloths/776703 "2017-01-09T07:49:45Z")
Just read the “Is the Camel the only animal that can’t swim?” column, and it’s suggested towards the end that sloths can’t swim. Saw on cable a few years ago that they can, and this clip says they can actually swim fast… --- ## [Sati in India](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sati-in-india/104413)
**Author:** [@Starlet\_Of\_India](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starlet_Of_India)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [January 6, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sati-in-india/104413 "2017-01-06T23:15:23Z")
The practice of Sati has only been practiced in regions of India where women were able to inherit. There’s a great deal of material regarding women’s Role and status in Inda, I highly recommend Kali’s Yug and Daughters O… --- ## [Shrimp Poop](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrimp-poop/776446)
**Author:** [@RassleBear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RassleBear)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [January 6, 2017, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrimp-poop/776446 "2017-01-06T13:43:48Z")
I was born and raised (most of my life) in New Orleans. We know to remove that black “vein” when peeling raw shrimp. Of course, when they are boiled and THEN peeled, it’s more difficult to do. My comment and question… --- ## [What laws apply to crimes committed in space?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laws-apply-to-crimes-committed-in-space/774863)
**Author:** [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [January 5, 2017, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-laws-apply-to-crimes-committed-in-space/774863 "2017-01-05T19:22:14Z")
Well done. Some knotty legal issues addressed in an interesting way. Two typos I noticed… Needs a period and a capitalized “As”: \*On the other hand, the 1979 Moon Agreement, mandating that lunar resources be shared… --- ## [25 or 6 to 4 explained by Chicago.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4-explained-by-chicago/775936)
**Author:** [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [January 2, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4-explained-by-chicago/775936 "2017-01-02T16:37:13Z")
Here is the original article on the Dope. I guess it has already been explained years ago, but here is a recent video confirming it means “25…or 26 to 4 AM”, a time. Here is the video. Not sure if that contains any ne… --- ## [Fast Train, c. 1930](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-train-c-1930/775533)
**Author:** [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [December 24, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-train-c-1930/775533 "2016-12-24T15:42:35Z")
Posted on wrong board. --- ## [About Santa Claus](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-santa-claus/775436)
**Author:** [@tavaritz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavaritz)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [December 24, 2016, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-santa-claus/775436 "2016-12-24T01:05:26Z")
Hello. My take on the article Is there a Santa Claus?: Of course there is Santa Claus or whatever you might call the equivalent in your culture, but (s)he is just a cultural concept maintained by adults for the childre… --- ## [On camels and whether other animals can't swim.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-camels-and-whether-other-animals-cant-swim/775201)
**Author:** [@waddlingeagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waddlingeagle)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 20, 2016, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-camels-and-whether-other-animals-cant-swim/775201 "2016-12-20T09:11:27Z")
I have a few notes on Jill’s column on whether animals cannot swim. She seems to limit the discussion to vertebrates, which seems reasonable. Who cares whether earthworms can swim? Well, okay – I can vouch for the fa… --- ## [Is there any basis for Holocaust denial?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-basis-for-holocaust-denial/774237)
**Author:** [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [December 20, 2016, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-basis-for-holocaust-denial/774237 "2016-12-20T07:26:18Z")
Link to column One thing the column doesn’t cover is the 6 million figure, mentioned in the OP. I don’t think it’s Holocaust denial to question that figure, although I think many European countries deem it so. I don’t m… --- ## [What's the true story on ethanol?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-true-story-on-ethanol/774141)
**Author:** [@sbunny8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sbunny8)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [December 16, 2016, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-true-story-on-ethanol/774141 "2016-12-16T18:00:57Z")
Link to column #2481 I think Cecil missed a few points here. He says Pimentel originally claimed that “making a gallon of ethanol takes 70 percent more energy than the finished product contains” and then revised his es… --- ## [autisic kids](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autisic-kids/773622)
**Author:** [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [December 10, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autisic-kids/773622 "2016-12-10T16:31:43Z")
As some one whos disabled and related to autistic people i’m surprised the master didn’t mention the fact that they don’t hide handicapped kids as much as they used to … When I was a child most severely handicapped ki… --- ## ["You don't have to live like a refugee"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-live-like-a-refugee/769309)
**Author:** [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [December 10, 2016, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-live-like-a-refugee/769309 "2016-12-10T15:05:20Z")
So, was the Tom Petty reference planned from the start, or did it just slide nicely into that segment of the article? Made me do a double-take. --- ## [An infinite question: Why doesn't .999~ = 1?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-infinite-question-why-doesnt-999-1/766711)
**Author:** [@engjs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engjs)\ **Replies:** 808\ **Last updated:** [December 10, 2016, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-infinite-question-why-doesnt-999-1/766711 "2016-12-10T02:11:54Z")
Re: An infinite question: Why doesn’t .999~ = 1? .333~ is not 1/3. The two differ by an infinitesimal. An infinitesimal is a number so small that it may as well be 0. For practical purposes you can treat .333~ as the l… --- ## [Fart proudly](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fart-proudly/774262)
**Author:** [@toefungus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toefungus)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2016, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fart-proudly/774262 "2016-12-09T09:57:00Z")
For a minute I though you were going to reference Benjamin Franklyn’s treatise on farting: --- ## [Cage Free Chickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cage-free-chickens/772083)
**Author:** [@MisterAnon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterAnon)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [December 6, 2016, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cage-free-chickens/772083 "2016-12-06T05:38:36Z")
So maybe you have doubts about how the birds are farmed and you don’t trust the images of happy chickens in the enclosed brochure and on the website. How do you verify how the chickens spend their days? Caged birds are … --- ## [Deafness and visualization](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deafness-and-visualization/773671)
**Author:** [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 5, 2016, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deafness-and-visualization/773671 "2016-12-05T10:17:08Z")
Re: Cecil’s column “In what language do deaf people think?” It brought to mind this old thread, and it occurs to me that this is the ideal counterargument to those who posted (starting at #10) that they didn’t believe … --- ## [Ancient autism](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-autism/773621)
**Author:** [@Alex\_Aknow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Aknow)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [December 4, 2016, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ancient-autism/773621 "2016-12-04T08:31:59Z")
Hi Cecil, are there any examples in ancient literature such as Greek plays, the Bible or even Shakespeare of characters who fit the autism and Asperger spectrum syndromes? Alex Downunder --- ## [Cartoon on Main Page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-on-main-page/773794)
**Author:** [@Skinnybones\_Lampshade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skinnybones_Lampshade)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 4, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-on-main-page/773794 "2016-12-04T03:40:13Z")
On the home page of The Straight Dope, there is presently a cartoon whose caption reads,“Are there more autistic kids around now?”, referring to a Cecil Adams post and its update. I’m baffled by the cartoon. It seems to… --- ## [Nuclear war? It's less likely with Trump](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-war-its-less-likely-with-trump/773016)
**Author:** [@Madman2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madman2001)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [December 2, 2016, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-war-its-less-likely-with-trump/773016 "2016-12-02T22:25:01Z")
Cecil: Your reference to Trump’s election raising the risk of nuclear war again shows that you are more interested in pushing the party line – in this case, the Democratic Party line – than you are in pushing the truth. … --- ## [Napoleon's penis](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/napoleons-penis/773626)
**Author:** [@bertzpoet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bertzpoet)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [December 2, 2016, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/napoleons-penis/773626 "2016-12-02T11:18:03Z")
John Lattimer, the urologist who last had the item, died in 2007. His collection will have gone somewhere. Lattimer, my professor at medical school, was also a firearms expert and wrote a major debunking of the multipl… --- ## [Most venomous creature on earth](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-venomous-creature-on-earth/772183)
**Author:** [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2016, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-venomous-creature-on-earth/772183 "2016-11-28T06:10:08Z")
Original column According to what I’ve read the harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex Maricopa, has an LD50 of just 0.12 mg per kg of body weight which would seem to beat out the Taipan listed in the column. --- ## [Semi-lethal injections](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-lethal-injections/771504)
**Author:** [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [November 25, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-lethal-injections/771504 "2016-11-25T21:28:30Z")
Regarding Cecil’s column on problems with lethal injection. Another problem is the history of many of the criminals. Many have been heavy drug users. Very often their veins are messed up and finding a good one is hard. … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=17)