# Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=259 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 260 --- ## [Second Amendment](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/second-amendment/75967)
**Author:** [@usurper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usurper)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2001, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/second-amendment/75967 "2001-08-15T22:28:34Z")
Although you are correct that there has been two views on the intent of the second amendment. Those two views have been the views of more modern government. It is unquestionable, from the writings of Thomas Jefferson tha… --- ## [The can-do candirú, again (new info)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-can-do-candiru-again-new-info/75613)
**Author:** [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2001, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-can-do-candiru-again-new-info/75613 "2001-08-15T22:27:23Z")
This thread is in reference to Cecil’s column, Can the candirú fish swim upstream into your urethra? (19-May-2000). My wife works part-time for the fish division of our local University museum. As such, we got invited t… --- ## [Knuckles](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knuckles/76368)
**Author:** [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2001, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knuckles/76368 "2001-08-15T12:09:55Z")
The topic titled “Knuckles” initiated by napkintosh has been moved to the appropriate forum COMMENTS ON CECIL’S COLUMN, and can be read here: Knuckles Napkin, welcome to The Straight Dope Message Boards, we’re glad to … --- ## [Don McLean Question: Prove Me Wrong, Please!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-question-prove-me-wrong-please/74267)
**Author:** [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2001, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-mclean-question-prove-me-wrong-please/74267 "2001-08-15T05:56:43Z")
Is American Pie his Citizen Kane? I also liked Vincent but has this very talented singer/composer done anything else that can top his early works? Yeah, I know he wrote Killing Me Softly but I want more!!! I just heard P… --- ## [The Math Gene...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-math-gene/75055)
**Author:** [@luthienfett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luthienfett)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2001, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-math-gene/75055 "2001-08-15T05:07:12Z")
The reason I am posting this is that I was reading Cecil’s column about whether Newton was a virgin or not. In the column,he said that “How the math gene perpetuates itself is one of the mysteries of our age” I don’t k… --- ## [shower curtains](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-curtains/76154)
**Author:** [@AngelaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelaG)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [August 14, 2001, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-curtains/76154 "2001-08-14T21:40:17Z")
My shower curtain blows out…hmmmm wonder what causes that. --- ## [Sex in zero-gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-in-zero-gravity/76171)
**Author:** [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [August 14, 2001, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-in-zero-gravity/76171 "2001-08-14T12:10:26Z")
Responding to Cecil’s column “Has anyone ever had sex in space?”: There was a porn movie made in 1999 named The Uranus Experiment: Part 2. One of the selling points of the movie is that they filmed the “1st Gangbang in … --- ## [La Cucaracha](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-cucaracha/73961)
**Author:** [@Jordi\_Pujol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jordi_Pujol)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [August 14, 2001, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-cucaracha/73961 "2001-08-14T05:09:25Z")
La Cucaracha isn’t a guy. Its a chick, a prostitute who follows the Mexican combatants around. --- ## [The Origin of "Mrs".](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-mrs/75998)
**Author:** [@Oystaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oystaman)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [August 13, 2001, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-mrs/75998 "2001-08-13T05:11:11Z")
This is about http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mmrs.html I just had to let you all know this joke. Q : What is a mistress? A : It’s halfway between a mister and a matress hehehehe --- ## [Mexican Jumping Beans](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-jumping-beans/74798)
**Author:** [@Humble\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Humble_Servant)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [August 12, 2001, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-jumping-beans/74798 "2001-08-12T15:22:48Z")
Ya know, I really loved both of today’s topics (already posted my comment on Lady Marmalade); that ol’ Cecil bite and irreverence just scrathes my itch (and I can get pretty sweaty and itchy in the dog days of August too… --- ## [Urine--Good to the last drop!!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-good-to-the-last-drop/71567)
**Author:** [@M.Peterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/M.Peterson)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [August 12, 2001, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-good-to-the-last-drop/71567 "2001-08-12T04:27:34Z")
In yesterday’s straight dope the following question was asked: “What’s more important in cleaning, soap or hot water?” In the answer was a link to an earlier column asking the following question: “Why are men supposed to… --- ## [the painted plate of death, or eating lunch on a celebrity's face](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-painted-plate-of-death-or-eating-lunch-on-a-celebritys-face/75358)
**Author:** [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [August 10, 2001, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-painted-plate-of-death-or-eating-lunch-on-a-celebritys-face/75358 "2001-08-10T01:59:00Z")
Wandering through a pawn shop with the lovely Mrs. W. this week-end, I saw an Edwin M. Knowles plate featuring a smiling Julie Andrews as Maria from “The Sound of Music”. Aha! I exclaimed to myself, the perfect plate for… --- ## [Bad Coding](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-coding/75451)
**Author:** [@jonfromdenver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonfromdenver)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [August 9, 2001, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-coding/75451 "2001-08-09T22:33:54Z")
Today’s (8/8) column (a classic pulled from the books about the “Taos hum”), has an open-ended link on it, causing half of the text on the page to appear as a blue link. Now let’s think about this…the Straight Dope is tr… --- ## [Drainage problems](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drainage-problems/75601)
**Author:** [@spando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spando)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [August 9, 2001, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drainage-problems/75601 "2001-08-09T15:29:30Z")
I found a discrepancy between two articles, though perhaps it’s only the result of a little joke by Cecil. The article about what would happen if the world stopped spinning ( http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a961122… --- ## [Laughter IS the best medicine](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laughter-is-the-best-medicine/75430)
**Author:** [@Syre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syre)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [August 9, 2001, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laughter-is-the-best-medicine/75430 "2001-08-09T07:35:57Z")
Various studies have showed immune system function to be significantly impaired in stressed or depressed individuals (see, for example, http://www.acnp.org/G4/GN401000098/CH096.html ). This strongly implies that a progr… --- ## [Notches in Dog Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notches-in-dog-tags/74828)
**Author:** [@The\_Happiest\_Girl\_Alive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Happiest_Girl_Alive)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [August 8, 2001, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/notches-in-dog-tags/74828 "2001-08-08T18:24:58Z")
OK, will SOMEBODY please 'splain the notches in dog tags? So far I’ve only gotten the runaround, with “Ewwww, it’s too gross!” which is good for getting the imaginitive juices flowing but not very satisfying in the long … --- ## [On YoYos](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-yoyos/73857)
**Author:** [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [August 8, 2001, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-yoyos/73857 "2001-08-08T18:18:56Z")
Today’s report on yoyos ( http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/myo-yo.html ) says that the ancient Greeks called it a “disk”. In my travels through old classical journals I found a reference to the yoyo as an “aristobolus… --- ## [Is fire alive?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fire-alive/74034)
**Author:** [@Old\_Peculiar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Old_Peculiar)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [August 8, 2001, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fire-alive/74034 "2001-08-08T02:10:58Z")
Just a passing thought on the “Is fire alive?” question. I have not scoured the message boards to see if this has already been mentioned, but has anyone considered evolution? I may be getting into a touchy area for some … --- ## [Fire Hydrants Freezing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-hydrants-freezing/75352)
**Author:** [@T-hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T-hawk)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [August 7, 2001, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-hydrants-freezing/75352 "2001-08-07T20:59:40Z")
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhydrant.html The report says that fire hydrants don’t freeze because the water main is located below the frost line underground. Fact is, they CAN freeze. Several years ago, a fami… --- ## [Laughter](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laughter/75150)
**Author:** [@dougrun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrun)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [August 7, 2001, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laughter/75150 "2001-08-07T19:11:32Z")
I’m suprised you didnt mention the positive physical results of laughter such as exercising the diaphram muscles and increasing airflow. Aside from that, I did a speech about Cousins and his recovery once. All the commen… --- ## [stupidest president - you can't be serious](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-president-you-cant-be-serious/69802)
**Author:** [@AndyN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyN)\ **Replies:** 118\ **Last updated:** [August 7, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-president-you-cant-be-serious/69802 "2001-08-07T17:16:21Z")
How could you possibly leave William Henry Harrison off the list? The man was - literally - to dumb to come in out of the rain. --- ## [MOVED: an i free here](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moved-an-i-free-here/75257)
**Author:** [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [August 7, 2001, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moved-an-i-free-here/75257 "2001-08-07T12:33:31Z")
The thread called “an i free here” started by vannaken has been moved to the forum “About This Message Board.” Here’s the link, though God knows why anyone would care: an i free here Vannaken, the forum “About this Mess… --- ## [Do twins have identical DNA?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-twins-have-identical-dna/74698)
**Author:** [@Muggs\_McGinnis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muggs_McGinnis)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [August 6, 2001, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-twins-have-identical-dna/74698 "2001-08-06T00:26:22Z")
The official answer is “yes” However, since there has never been a complete mapping of any single human’s genome (much less a set of twins), this assumption has never been proved. It is possible that, in some cases, th… --- ## [Civil War Marine Corps](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-war-marine-corps/74379)
**Author:** [@jazzmark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jazzmark)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [August 3, 2001, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-war-marine-corps/74379 "2001-08-03T21:05:56Z")
Exactly how was Nat Turner committing treason? The man was not a citizen of the United States. --- ## [Cremation](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cremation/74300)
**Author:** [@DaveoRad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveoRad)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [August 3, 2001, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cremation/74300 "2001-08-03T20:51:42Z")
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a981204a.html “Once the ashes cool, they’re crushed by a machine into three to four pounds of coarse white powder (more for big folks).” According to my understanding, it’s the bone… --- ## [Remus no Gullah](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remus-no-gullah/66162)
**Author:** [@City\_Gent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/City_Gent)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [August 2, 2001, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remus-no-gullah/66162 "2001-08-02T19:16:23Z")
Cecil says that the Gullah dialect appears in the Uncle Remus stories by Joel Chandler Harris. Actually, the dialogue in the Uncle Remus stories is just rural Southern. To read the Gullah dialect, see the “Daddy Jack” st… --- ## [Eat monkey brains and SMILE!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eat-monkey-brains-and-smile/74567)
**Author:** [@shannybonanny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shannybonanny)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [August 2, 2001, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eat-monkey-brains-and-smile/74567 "2001-08-02T18:58:12Z")
Awhile back I remember seeing a discussion about whether or not some Asian cultures eat monkey brains out of the monkey’s skull while it’s still alive. I remember this YUKKY movie called Faces of Death I saw part of duri… --- ## [Gay Marriage - Did Cecil Miss Something?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage-did-cecil-miss-something/74250)
**Author:** [@ScottySLC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScottySLC)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [August 1, 2001, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage-did-cecil-miss-something/74250 "2001-08-01T16:13:01Z")
I enjoyed reading Cecil’s 1/28/2000 column regarding same-sex marriage (http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000128.html). As usual, his writing was refreshingly intelligent and balanced… until I reached the last paragrap… --- ## [You could do ANYTHING with Green Stamps](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-could-do-anything-with-green-stamps/73243)
**Author:** [@Threadkiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Threadkiller)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 31, 2001, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-could-do-anything-with-green-stamps/73243 "2001-07-31T16:18:02Z")
In the article Whatever happened to Green Stamps? (24-Jul-2001) is the following: I hope that was a typo! (edited to fix vB tag) \[Edited by Arnold Winkelried on 07-20-2001 at 04:11 PM\] --- ## [Air Bags](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/air-bags/74321)
**Author:** [@SomeBloke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeBloke)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 31, 2001, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/air-bags/74321 "2001-07-31T14:15:44Z")
I remember watching a documentary a while back saying that in the US, a good proportion of people do not wear seatbelts which is why airbags in US cars are more powerful than in Europe where nearly everyone wears seatbel… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=258) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=260)