# Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=222 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 223 --- ## [Transatlantic flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transatlantic-flight/164151)
**Author:** [@Emmet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emmet)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [April 1, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transatlantic-flight/164151 "2003-04-01T01:33:01Z")
The straight dope lists Alcock and Brown as flying across the atlantic in 1919. I believe I read in the Encyclopaedia Britannica that it was Alcott and Brown. I would hate to be on final Jeopardy and get the answer wro… --- ## [About the horizon thing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-horizon-thing/165037)
**Author:** [@Leifsmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leifsmama)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [March 31, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-the-horizon-thing/165037 "2003-03-31T14:36:51Z")
This column has got me curious. Is it really possible to measure the distance to the horizon accurately? How does one go about it? --- ## [heat lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heat-lightning/165231)
**Author:** [@Emmet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emmet)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 30, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heat-lightning/165231 "2003-03-30T18:28:01Z")
When I was in the service in Germany in the early 80’s I was in a 20 man tent that was erected over a concrete pad. During a thunderstorm I watched what appeared to be a bolt of lightning “walk” into the tent towards th… --- ## [Archeological findings and the far-away future](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/archeological-findings-and-the-far-away-future/164313)
**Author:** [@Ranger\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_X)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [March 29, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/archeological-findings-and-the-far-away-future/164313 "2003-03-29T16:00:59Z")
While scouring the SD archive I came across a question/answer that talked about why archeological finds are often covered by big ol’ bunches of dirt (http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3\_351b.html). Cecil spoke of ho… --- ## [Uri Geller: Ancient history, but I saw it](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uri-geller-ancient-history-but-i-saw-it/163550)
**Author:** [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Seventh_Deadly_Finn)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [March 29, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uri-geller-ancient-history-but-i-saw-it/163550 "2003-03-29T13:03:47Z")
As a features writer for a Northwest alt-weekly, I spent a day with Uri Geller, as he was in town on a book tour. I was pretty young, so I assume he thought I was stupid. I probably was, but not so stupid that I wasn’t a… --- ## [Heat lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heat-lightning/164304)
**Author:** [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [March 29, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heat-lightning/164304 "2003-03-29T07:39:25Z")
Referencing this column, Is there such a thing as heat lightning? , I found it interesting that Cecil seemed to be saying that the reason the term is “heat” lightning is because it’s reddish colored. I had always heard … --- ## [Cecil made a mistake!!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-made-a-mistake/159342)
**Author:** [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [March 29, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-made-a-mistake/159342 "2003-03-29T00:41:43Z")
From today’s classic column: BZZZTTT!!! The San Andreas is a strike-slip fault, which only involves horizontal motion, as the two continental plates are sliding in opposite directions. Cecil confused it with a thrust… --- ## [It's a cadaver, my dear Watson...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-cadaver-my-dear-watson/161498)
**Author:** [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [March 26, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-cadaver-my-dear-watson/161498 "2003-03-26T18:45:39Z")
In this classic column (Did Dr. Henry Holmes kill 200 people at a bizarre “castle” in 1890s Chicago?), Cecil mentioned Holmes was caught because he didn’t get rid of Pitezel’s body; yet according to Crime Library, the b… --- ## [Flying Across the Atlantic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-across-the-atlantic/164070)
**Author:** [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 26, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-across-the-atlantic/164070 "2003-03-26T02:14:15Z")
Another excellent staff report from bibliophage: Did others fly across the Atlantic before Lindbergh?. When was the first transatlantic flight from Brazil to Africa? I noticed that the report listed several early tran… --- ## [Don't give Chronos any static...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-chronos-any-static/162800)
**Author:** [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [March 24, 2003, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-chronos-any-static/162800 "2003-03-24T06:55:18Z")
… for Chronos did a fine job with the staff report What can I do to prevent static shock?. I just want to add that since this is a chronic (but not chronos-ic) problem in the electronics industry, there is a lot of stan… --- ## [porphyria](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porphyria/163249)
**Author:** [@distillerspunx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/distillerspunx)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [March 24, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porphyria/163249 "2003-03-24T03:09:33Z")
you have a column about porphyria on this site and i just thought i would point out porphyria has 8 different types, not 7. --- ## [Do Poisonous Spiders Lurk Under Toilet Seats?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-poisonous-spiders-lurk-under-toilet-seats/161780)
**Author:** [@chunda21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chunda21)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [March 24, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-poisonous-spiders-lurk-under-toilet-seats/161780 "2003-03-24T02:49:37Z")
I really don’t know about the US, but Aussies using thunderdunnies (outhouses to Americans) should certainly check the seat first - that Aussie country classic about the “Redback on the Toilet Seat” is no urban myth. Re… --- ## ["Illinois doesn't really lie east of the Mississippi River"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-doesnt-really-lie-east-of-the-mississippi-river/161310)
**Author:** [@coolestwhiteboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coolestwhiteboy)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [March 23, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-doesnt-really-lie-east-of-the-mississippi-river/161310 "2003-03-23T21:30:35Z")
I believe a similar thing happened with the Missouri River that affected part of Nebraska, perhaps in the Bellevue area. Does anyone have the poop on that? --- ## [Going Into Space](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-into-space/159678)
**Author:** [@coachjames](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coachjames)\ **Replies:** 168\ **Last updated:** [March 23, 2003, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-into-space/159678 "2003-03-23T11:38:00Z")
Regarding the column in the Miami Sun Post, March 6, Vol 16, No 10 about whether or not we should go into space. I think Cecil’s last sentence says it all, “But I’d be hard put to say we should send people into space ju… --- ## [Menstrual Synchrony](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-synchrony/144001)
**Author:** [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [March 23, 2003, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/menstrual-synchrony/144001 "2003-03-23T11:14:37Z")
In reference to today’s column: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/021220.html I can easily understand how a statistical fluke can give the impression of synchronicity. Statistics are slippery things even at their app… --- ## [kennedy u moron](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-u-moron/163502)
**Author:** [@cyberer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cyberer)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 23, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-u-moron/163502 "2003-03-23T06:35:50Z")
he admitted that he made up the story… i agree… but that has nothing to do with the populist allegory! it is a fictional story which tried to further prove the point of the populists you idiot. --- ## [mailbag/mspidertoilet](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mailbag-mspidertoilet/162475)
**Author:** [@wrongz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wrongz)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [March 23, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mailbag-mspidertoilet/162475 "2003-03-23T01:33:04Z")
It would appear that some spiders do lurk under toilet seats. It used to be mainly men and boys who were bit by spiders on sensitive areas in outhouses, and the villain was and is the Black Widow. We had a recent incide… --- ## [chomsky, superbabies](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chomsky-superbabies/160853)
**Author:** [@ejh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ejh)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chomsky-superbabies/160853 "2003-03-22T21:19:00Z")
original column (1) (just to get my prejudices out in the open) Chomsky’s full of it. His linguistics is crap. It changes radically every few years so that it says less and less about anything even vaguely observable … --- ## [kono is right](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kono-is-right/163302)
**Author:** [@cyberer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cyberer)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kono-is-right/163302 "2003-03-22T14:22:17Z")
Kono was right in his writings. The novel the Wizard of Oz was indeed a populist commentary. The film, while it contained many of the themes and ideas contained in the novel, was missing several key elements (i.e. the si… --- ## [dairy farming](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dairy-farming/163258)
**Author:** [@vasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vasha)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dairy-farming/163258 "2003-03-22T02:00:24Z")
I’d like to share some thoughts inspired by the column discussing PETA’s campaign against the raising of dairy animals. I apologize for the somewhat techinical tone of my prose. Perhaps someone who is a better writer w… --- ## [Was standard railroad gauge determined ...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-standard-railroad-gauge-determined/163236)
**Author:** [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-standard-railroad-gauge-determined/163236 "2003-03-22T01:58:45Z")
I generally agree with Cecil on this – people doing similar tasks (hauling human-sized cargo on wheeled vehicles) are likely to come up with similar sizes – and this anecdote makes a big deal about this obvious fact. B… --- ## [Don't Drink Your Milk!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-drink-your-milk/163157)
**Author:** [@fscker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fscker)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-drink-your-milk/163157 "2003-03-21T19:23:11Z")
“The path that transforms healthy milk products into allergens and carcinogens begins with modern feeding methods that substitute high-protein, soy-based feeds for fresh green grass and breeding methods to produce cows w… --- ## [The Tungus Effect - think of the children!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tungus-effect-think-of-the-children/158095)
**Author:** [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tungus-effect-think-of-the-children/158095 "2003-03-20T19:07:31Z")
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/030228.html As my intro astronomy teacher told our class, there was no Christmas that year. :smiley: --- ## ["A nice pie chart..."](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nice-pie-chart/161294)
**Author:** [@Pi\_Fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pi_Fan)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-nice-pie-chart/161294 "2003-03-20T18:34:47Z")
Coincidence that Cecil should use these words on his March 14 column? I think not. Obviously, Cecil is as much of a fan of Pi Day (3/14) as the rest of us… :slight\_smile: --- ## [Loophole](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loophole/154127)
**Author:** [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loophole/154127 "2003-03-20T04:19:25Z")
link Small adult child? - is this a typo? --- ## [Is the dollar bill's eye-on-a-pyramid the symbol of a secret society?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-dollar-bills-eye-on-a-pyramid-the-symbol-of-a-secret-society/162166)
**Author:** [@bassist87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bassist87)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [March 19, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-dollar-bills-eye-on-a-pyramid-the-symbol-of-a-secret-society/162166 "2003-03-19T15:11:42Z")
This article covers most everything about the theories except a few things it forgot; -first is the text out side the symbol, this reads ANNUIT COEPTIS NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM for this I get a translation: The new order of… --- ## [Car Sickness](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-sickness/950)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [March 18, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-sickness/950 "2003-03-18T13:21:39Z")
Ocular Synchronization…Eustacian Tubularity. It sounds like a Martian Geography quiz. Okay…this is meant with NO disrespect to the subjects about to be mentioned. The answer provided us by the crack SDStaff on carsicknes… --- ## [superbaby...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superbaby/162234)
**Author:** [@kizzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kizzle)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 18, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superbaby/162234 "2003-03-18T13:17:07Z")
Attn: Rob Dennet I don’t have any specific information, but hopefully what I do provide will aid you in some way. I’m currently a graduate student at Cleveland State University, and spent most of last semester studying… --- ## [if you fell into a tube through the earth](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-fell-into-a-tube-through-the-earth/158261)
**Author:** [@mumblefuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mumblefuzz)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [March 17, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-fell-into-a-tube-through-the-earth/158261 "2003-03-17T22:07:58Z")
Cecil says “I was going to calculate how long this would take, but twenty minutes of computation has produced no useful result.” This came up in a physics exam I wrote ages ago. As it happens the answer is the same as … --- ## [Interesting 'gay' (word) sighting in 1950s TV program](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-gay-word-sighting-in-1950s-tv-program/50144)
**Author:** [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [March 17, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-gay-word-sighting-in-1950s-tv-program/50144 "2003-03-17T16:25:39Z")
And in a prison context! In “The Happy Stevens” episode of “Amos ‘n’ Andy,” Kingfish and Sapphire are arguing as usual. Kingfish tells her she is grouchy all the time. Sapphire says she’s quite happy. Kingfish responds, … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=221) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=223)