# Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=260 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 261 --- ## [Meaning of Ramen](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-ramen/69618)
**Author:** [@onigame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/onigame)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [July 31, 2001, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-ramen/69618 "2001-07-31T08:17:09Z")
In the June 13th Staff report: http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mramen.html \> “Ramen” is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters lo mein, which means “boiled noodles.” Nope. “Lo Mein” means “dredged no… --- ## [shaken, not stirred](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaken-not-stirred/73737)
**Author:** [@tegatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tegatu)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 31, 2001, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaken-not-stirred/73737 "2001-07-31T02:32:09Z")
Further to the column about whether martinis should be shaken or stirred, it’s very easy to tell the difference between a shaken and stirred martini - look at them! The shaken one will be opaque due to the microbubbles … --- ## [Ivy League](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivy-league/70570)
**Author:** [@renigademaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/renigademaster)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [July 28, 2001, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivy-league/70570 "2001-07-28T23:58:26Z")
What I learned about the Ivy League was that it was composed of the first 4 colleges in the US. Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and William and Mary. Hence IV. My history teacher was a graduate of Princeton and he had a book t… --- ## [Why does the shower curtain blow in?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-shower-curtain-blow-in/72688)
**Author:** [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 28, 2001, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-shower-curtain-blow-in/72688 "2001-07-28T21:39:06Z")
Well, it looks like we may finally have an answer to the question posited in this classic column. In yesterday’s New York Times, this article describes a computer model of the shower curtain problem. Basically, the aero… --- ## [Slug's drawing/Leo Carrillo](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slugs-drawing-leo-carrillo/74044)
**Author:** [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 28, 2001, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slugs-drawing-leo-carrillo/74044 "2001-07-28T19:56:52Z")
Sorry if this should go to GQ. Slug’s drawing for the column La Cucaracha has the male cockroach saying Les Went! This has to indicate that he grew up with The Cisco Kid and Pancho(Carrillo) saying “les went” or perhap… --- ## [The origin of Black Irish](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-black-irish/72566)
**Author:** [@Cait](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cait)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [July 28, 2001, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-black-irish/72566 "2001-07-28T19:53:59Z")
There were a few things about your answer re:the origin of the term “Black Irish” that I wanted to address. The original Gaels were invaders from “Milesia” who invaded Ireland approx. 1200 BCE. These invaders came from … --- ## [Excellence in Straight Dope yo-yo research . . . .](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excellence-in-straight-dope-yo-yo-research/73921)
**Author:** [@yoyopro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyopro)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 28, 2001, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excellence-in-straight-dope-yo-yo-research/73921 "2001-07-28T17:21:11Z")
That was a very well done column on the yo-yo . . . but I expect no less from the Straight Dope. Dr. Lucky Meisenheimer is without question the absolute authority, you went to the right guy. And by the way that is his re… --- ## [Okay, so what's the third-oldest toy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-whats-the-third-oldest-toy/73867)
**Author:** [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [July 28, 2001, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-so-whats-the-third-oldest-toy/73867 "2001-07-28T03:04:03Z")
In this fascinating column, Dex mentions that “the yo-yo is the world’s second oldest toy–only dolls are older.” Marvelous little factoid, definitely something to file away. It also feels cool just to hold a yo-yo, knowi… --- ## [Post Mortum Pregnancy Issues](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-mortum-pregnancy-issues/73996)
**Author:** [@Mr.SeverhadKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.SeverhadKW)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 28, 2001, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-mortum-pregnancy-issues/73996 "2001-07-28T00:36:07Z")
All Right, here’s the situation. My wife was recently creamated after an untimely demise. The issue I have is that she was pregnant at the time, and due to the nature of the auto accident our child to be was unable to su… --- ## [On the Wider Significance of Yo-Yo](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-wider-significance-of-yo-yo/73950)
**Author:** [@Juan\_Agudelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juan_Agudelo)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2001, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-wider-significance-of-yo-yo/73950 "2001-07-27T12:35:26Z")
I just read the yo-yo column Who invented the yo-yo, and why?, and couldn’t help but notice the side note: ¿Does it mean that stupid jerks are only considered as such when they are not into politics, and otherwise are … --- ## [Yo-yo performance in zero g](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-yo-performance-in-zero-g/73866)
**Author:** [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2001, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-yo-performance-in-zero-g/73866 "2001-07-27T03:20:06Z")
Loved today’s Staff Report on yo-yo’s. My curiosity was piqued, however, by the mention of NASA’s yo-yo experiments in space. In zero g (yeah, yeah, I really mean “free fall”), the yo-yo’s apparently do not “sleep” at th… --- ## [More on Chinese Keyboards](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-chinese-keyboards/45676)
**Author:** [@onigame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/onigame)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2001, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-on-chinese-keyboards/45676 "2001-07-27T02:00:10Z")
Part of this message has been mailed to Cecil (just for the heck of it). In regards to: 1995-12-08, “How can the Chinese use computers, since their language contains so many characters?” http://www.straightdope.com/… --- ## [Seatbelts - what about trains?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seatbelts-what-about-trains/72088)
**Author:** [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2001, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seatbelts-what-about-trains/72088 "2001-07-27T01:56:43Z")
Unca Cece’s column on seatbelts in school buses got me to thinking about seatbelts in trains. There aren’t any on Amtrak trains. So the Feds (who run Amtrak) don’t even give train passengers the option of wearing seatbe… --- ## [Japanese/Chinese keyboards](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-chinese-keyboards/44077)
**Author:** [@Keenath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keenath)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2001, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-chinese-keyboards/44077 "2001-07-27T01:46:00Z")
Actually, Cecil, not to be an annoyance, but your answer is fairly obsolete. Back in the days of typewriters, Orientals had to do all that, and possibly ten years ago, but these days there’s a much better way. I admit t… --- ## [Movies Formatted to Fit Your TV Screen](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-formatted-to-fit-your-tv-screen/73891)
**Author:** [@Avi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avi)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2001, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-formatted-to-fit-your-tv-screen/73891 "2001-07-26T21:53:16Z")
Well, Cecil invited film fans to rise up in protest, so I suppose I must… I won’t list specific films ruined by Pan and Scan. I don’t need to - I can just use Cecil’s primary example: \<\ **Author:** [@Drake\_Christensen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drake_Christensen)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2001, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fungus-on-mir/72397 "2001-07-26T06:42:56Z") http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010713.html One minor point that Cecil forgot to mention is that the fungus has already been back on earth for years. In addition to the samples brought back for study, surely a lot o… --- ## [Wide Screen Television in Australia](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wide-screen-television-in-australia/73591)
**Author:** [@Redboss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redboss)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2001, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wide-screen-television-in-australia/73591 "2001-07-24T12:29:42Z")
This is a response to Cecil’s column on TV formats, which was fascinating. However, things have changed a little. Here in Australia, home of the rapidly-adopted technological advance, we now have wide-screen TV. Well, s… --- ## [33 on the Rolling Rock label](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/33-on-the-rolling-rock-label/72951)
**Author:** [@rolling33rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolling33rock)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2001, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/33-on-the-rolling-rock-label/72951 "2001-07-23T19:27:46Z")
Hello to all! i have a comment on the answer to “Why is there a 33 on the Rolling Rock label?”. i do not know why there is a 33, but any of the explanations sound good. My comment is that the “Poem” on the label is quo… --- ## [Electronic Intelligence Collection and YOU!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electronic-intelligence-collection-and-you/73343)
**Author:** [@rugby007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rugby007)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electronic-intelligence-collection-and-you/73343 "2001-07-23T17:16:14Z")
I notice a subtle difference between the published version of Cecil’s answer to this question (The Honolulu Weekly, vol 11, Number 29, 18-24 July 2001, p. 37) and the online version. I think Cecil’s got it right online. … --- ## [Is it suicide if you kill your clone?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-suicide-if-you-kill-your-clone/73199)
**Author:** [@Jordi\_Pujol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jordi_Pujol)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2001, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-suicide-if-you-kill-your-clone/73199 "2001-07-23T16:38:02Z")
Is it suicide if you kill your clone? And what if you look your clone right in the eye? Will you explode, or go to another dimension, or is like when you put two mirrors facing each other…you’ll get copied into infinity? … --- ## [Hancock and the Ark](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hancock-and-the-ark/29459)
**Author:** [@tvalley00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tvalley00)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2001, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hancock-and-the-ark/29459 "2001-07-23T13:07:35Z")
RE: What happened to the Ark of the Covenant? Cecil’s Science advisory board commented: “Hancock’s story, interesting enough and well told, has the problem that he never saw the Ark either … he just saw the church, they… --- ## [Pennies from Hell](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pennies-from-hell/70378)
**Author:** [@JonathanTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonathanTheRed)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2001, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pennies-from-hell/70378 "2001-07-23T07:45:22Z")
If we eliminate the penny, we ought to go whole hog and eliminate the nickel as well. Then we’d quote prices in tenths, instead of hundredths like we do today. A gallon of milk will cost you $3.8, a loaf of bread $2.7, a… --- ## [Eskimo words for snow](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eskimo-words-for-snow/72478)
**Author:** [@Todd999H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todd999H)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [July 22, 2001, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eskimo-words-for-snow/72478 "2001-07-22T11:29:05Z")
In Linguistics, The Eskimo/snow question is a variation of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. It sounds good, but it’s wrong. Here’s the theory: Eskimos have 9 or 18 or 27 (or some big number) of words for snow. Ed Sapir and B… --- ## [Disney animators take drugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-animators-take-drugs/73206)
**Author:** [@Jordi\_Pujol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jordi_Pujol)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 20, 2001, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-animators-take-drugs/73206 "2001-07-20T16:45:09Z")
Is it true that Disney animators used to take drugs? I recently saw the “pink elephants” part from Dumbo, and it looks like an acid trip. --- ## [Whose face is on the $1,000 bill?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-face-is-on-the-1-000-bill/72472)
**Author:** [@GhentZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GhentZ)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 20, 2001, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-face-is-on-the-1-000-bill/72472 "2001-07-20T06:24:14Z")
OK, you guys brought up that Salmon Portland Chase was a Supreme Court Justice (he was actually nominated and replaced his predecessor as Chief Justice, as I recall). That’s most likely not the reason he was shoved onto … --- ## [Wicker Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wicker-man/73049)
**Author:** [@Jordi\_Pujol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jordi_Pujol)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2001, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wicker-man/73049 "2001-07-19T18:38:02Z")
The tradition of torching statues is alive and well in the city of Valencia, on the east coast of Spain. Valencianos are ethnically Gallic; Catalan is their principal language. The “Fallas” festival is said to have orig… --- ## [Pink Floyd and Wizard of Oz was intentional](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-floyd-and-wizard-of-oz-was-intentional/72615)
**Author:** [@ScOo\_gUy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScOo_gUy)\ **Replies:** 87\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2001, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-floyd-and-wizard-of-oz-was-intentional/72615 "2001-07-19T13:43:06Z")
I would like to know the reasons why the people who think this wasn’t intentional and comments from the people who know the truth. --- ## [What's more important in cleaning, soap or hot water?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-cleaning-soap-or-hot-water/71397)
**Author:** [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2001, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-cleaning-soap-or-hot-water/71397 "2001-07-19T06:13:24Z")
I just wanted to point out some additional information related to the Staff Report What’s more important in cleaning, soap or hot water? A recent article on Medscape (free registration required) addressed skin hygiene.… --- ## ["Strong enough for a man, pH balanced for a woman"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strong-enough-for-a-man-ph-balanced-for-a-woman/71388)
**Author:** [@Threadkiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Threadkiller)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strong-enough-for-a-man-ph-balanced-for-a-woman/71388 "2001-07-19T05:12:16Z")
This may have been discussed before. If so I profoundly apologize but the search engine is not working worth a darn so here goes. What’s the big deal about “pH balanced” soap? Followup: Is pH-balanced soap impossible? … --- ## [Avogadro's Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avogadros-number/72487)
**Author:** [@cwu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwu)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [July 18, 2001, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avogadros-number/72487 "2001-07-18T23:29:08Z")
Please, a gas with an atmoic mass of M does not “weigh” M grams. It has a MASS of M grams. May seem trivial, but it’s important. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=259) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=261)