# Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=264 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 265 --- ## [Circus peanuts](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circus-peanuts/67845)
**Author:** [@monoufo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monoufo)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [June 10, 2001, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circus-peanuts/67845 "2001-06-10T18:51:00Z")
I recently re-read lots of one of Cecil Adams’ books that i own. i read the part about Circus peanuts. I want to tell everyone that i really do love circus peanuts. They aren’t too easy to find all the time, and even wh… --- ## [Tapping Cans](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tapping-cans/62185)
**Author:** [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2001, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tapping-cans/62185 "2001-06-09T03:53:09Z")
Regarding Will tapping a pop can keep the carbonation from exploding on opening? Plus: why do we tap cigarettes?: I ran across this same topic at Last Word, Why do cans of drink not spray if you tap them first?. They co… --- ## [Moths and Lights](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moths-and-lights/67720)
**Author:** [@deepbluesea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deepbluesea)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [June 6, 2001, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moths-and-lights/67720 "2001-06-06T14:28:48Z")
Last night, I read Cecil’s column on moths and lights. Now, this was an admirable column, it goes without saying, and entirely correct in every detail - I mean, it’s Cecil’s. Still, I could not help but notice, as I was… --- ## ["the whole 9 yards revisited"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-9-yards-revisited/65154)
**Author:** [@RubberEntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RubberEntropy)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [June 6, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-9-yards-revisited/65154 "2001-06-06T00:46:16Z")
Hi all, I’ve just been looking at an old discussion on the origin of the expression “the whole 9 yards”. Various explanations have been offered, none of which I find convincing. I hereby offer another for peer review. T… --- ## [Seven deadly sins](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-deadly-sins/67532)
**Author:** [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [June 5, 2001, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-deadly-sins/67532 "2001-06-05T13:30:19Z")
I got this reply from a friend re: todays question regarding the seven deadly sins: Actually “Sloth” refers to ones apathy towards the church. --- ## [No pink/orange rabbits](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-pink-orange-rabbits/65828)
**Author:** [@BunRab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunRab)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [June 5, 2001, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-pink-orange-rabbits/65828 "2001-06-05T08:54:09Z")
Having fed many, many carrots to my rabbits and guinea pigs (I am defending the computer cables against Sniffy and Paddy O’Bunny even as we speak; thank goodness, the guinea pigs are in cages), I have to wonder why rabbi… --- ## [Seven Virtues?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-virtues/67408)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [June 4, 2001, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-virtues/67408 "2001-06-04T06:52:58Z")
I seem to recall that there are also seven virtues, parallel to the Seven Deadly Sins. (Why are the “Seven Deadly Sins” so Deadly?) I think faith, hope and charity are three - what are the other four? --- ## [Newborns, Hospitals, and the dreaded ACLU](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newborns-hospitals-and-the-dreaded-aclu/65423)
**Author:** [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [June 4, 2001, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newborns-hospitals-and-the-dreaded-aclu/65423 "2001-06-04T00:32:48Z")
Cecil’s “classic” column debunking the myth of a baby-naming law left out another factor mitigating against the existence of such statutes: Jewish, and perhaps other, religious and cultural practices. Many Jewish familie… --- ## ["lightning ball" gizmos](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightning-ball-gizmos/64983)
**Author:** [@sford](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sford)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2001, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightning-ball-gizmos/64983 "2001-06-03T17:56:58Z")
In http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mplasmasphere.html, Chronos gives a pretty good explanation of the plasma sphere device. But he leaves out one important part (possibly so as not to over-complicate the answer). The… --- ## [Humor in the Bible](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humor-in-the-bible/67055)
**Author:** [@roryaxis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roryaxis)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2001, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humor-in-the-bible/67055 "2001-06-03T03:01:29Z")
In a column on the ark of the covenant, there was made mention of a joke, which was then left out of the bit about Biblical humor. It concerns the enemy capturing the Ark, and then the whacky sitcomesque hijinks that ens… --- ## [Is there a face on Mars?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-face-on-mars/64977)
**Author:** [@Sir\_Christopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Christopher)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2001, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-face-on-mars/64977 "2001-05-31T22:19:24Z")
In the Dec. 12 2000 Mailbag letter, the conclusion is made that there is no face on Mars, at least not one artificially created. This could possibly be a partial truth. In the book “The Mars Mystery” by Graham Kennedy, … --- ## [Warm Milk](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warm-milk/66423)
**Author:** [@declana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/declana)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2001, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warm-milk/66423 "2001-05-31T21:47:30Z")
In the recent (5/24/01) Staff Report “Why does warm milk make you sleepy but cold milk doesn’t?” SDSTAFF Ken responds: “In addition there is anecdotal evidence that the warm milk reminds us of the time when we were infan… --- ## [Cecil's Poor Grammar](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecils-poor-grammar/58625)
**Author:** [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Replies:** 36\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2001, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecils-poor-grammar/58625 "2001-05-31T01:52:46Z")
In many of Cecil’s old columns, he uses phrases like “a couple times” or “a couple things.” This used to crop up a lot in his writing, and it always bugged me. Shouldn’t the phrasing be “a couple of times” and “a couple o… --- ## [Civet Butt-Scraping](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civet-butt-scraping/66492)
**Author:** [@jcdevildog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jcdevildog)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [May 29, 2001, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civet-butt-scraping/66492 "2001-05-29T22:38:24Z")
Buddy the Devil Dog, my pet–er, animal companion–has to go to the vet periodically to have his anal glands “expressed”, i.e., squeezed dry. I’ve watched this process, and it doesn’t appear to cause him any discomfort; an… --- ## [In Like Flynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-like-flynn/66476)
**Author:** [@Nathaniel\_DesH\_Petrikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nathaniel_DesH_Petrikov)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 29, 2001, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-like-flynn/66476 "2001-05-29T08:06:26Z")
Apropos Mr. Adams’s suggestion that people before the sexual revolution of the 1960’s did not make sexual references (except Mae West, of course): According to my parents, who attended college immediately after World Wa… --- ## [Henry O - More on legality of names](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henry-o-more-on-legality-of-names/65446)
**Author:** [@Deuce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deuce)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2001, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henry-o-more-on-legality-of-names/65446 "2001-05-28T22:06:21Z")
I recall reading an article a few years back in the Readers Digest (Canadian) magazine. It was about an oriental gentleman in British Columbia who used to be named Henry O (this comment just to avoid period confusion). H… --- ## [Quasars](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quasars/66197)
**Author:** [@sford](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sford)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2001, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quasars/66197 "2001-05-28T19:10:28Z")
Quasars have an interesting history. Originally, they just looked like stars. But when astronomers began using red-shifts to measure the distances to far-away objects, it was realized that these things were tremendiously… --- ## [Toejam Football Answer...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toejam-football-answer/65762)
**Author:** [@Mikell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikell)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2001, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toejam-football-answer/65762 "2001-05-28T05:24:57Z")
I’ve always heard that toejam football is English slang for the sport rugby. Anyone else think this? --- ## [Weird Drawing by Slug (I acknowledge that's not very specific)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-drawing-by-slug-i-acknowledge-thats-not-very-specific/66739)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2001, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-drawing-by-slug-i-acknowledge-thats-not-very-specific/66739 "2001-05-28T03:37:55Z")
I have a question, but it relates more to a drawing by Slug than one of Cecil’s columns. On p. 82 of The Straight Dope,\* there’s a strange drawing by Slug. It shows a man, in profile, with a bowler, black jacket and tie… --- ## [What'd that cat say his name was?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatd-that-cat-say-his-name-was/66543)
**Author:** [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [May 26, 2001, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatd-that-cat-say-his-name-was/66543 "2001-05-26T10:09:29Z")
In the column Does kopi luwak coffee come from pre-eaten beans? Cecil mentions the Indonesian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). What’s the straight dope on that critter’s scientific name? --- ## [Myth: Porphyria=Vampirism](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myth-porphyria-vampirism/89)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [May 26, 2001, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myth-porphyria-vampirism/89 "2001-05-26T06:13:17Z")
OK, since I managed to annoy my idol Cecil Adams by bringing up spaghetti sucking, I might as well bug him again. In her book, American Vampires, Norine Dresser examines the American obsession with and transformation of… --- ## [Blue men](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-men/65937)
**Author:** [@Autarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autarch)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2001, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-men/65937 "2001-05-24T09:53:41Z")
A comment regarding the Irish phrase “fear gorm” (or “fir gorum” in Scots Gaelic, meaning “blue man”). It originated as there was already a term “fear dubh” (black man) which referred to old Nick. Naturally, confusion co… --- ## [Earthworms](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earthworms/65730)
**Author:** [@BADope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BADope)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2001, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earthworms/65730 "2001-05-24T02:23:05Z")
Check out this link: http://www.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues00/aug00/phenom\_aug00.html --- ## [More about The Finger](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-about-the-finger/65634)
**Author:** [@JessicaBabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessicaBabe)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [May 23, 2001, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-about-the-finger/65634 "2001-05-23T03:33:48Z")
In England, I noticed that they have a version of the finger that involves making a peace-sign-like V, except you have the back of your hand towards the person, and you make an upwards motion. It was explained that this … --- ## [Moon go boom](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-go-boom/38731)
**Author:** [@Gollum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gollum)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [May 22, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-go-boom/38731 "2001-05-22T17:57:14Z")
In the vein of the original column i’d just like to know how all you ingenius little gnomes out there would actually go about blowing up the moon. Stuff the consequences, I just want ideas about how to it. The less conve… --- ## ["A well-regulated militia"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-well-regulated-militia/66015)
**Author:** [@John\_M.Wiley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_M.Wiley)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [May 22, 2001, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-well-regulated-militia/66015 "2001-05-22T15:25:37Z")
Greetings Cecil and staff, I appreciated Cecil’s reply in http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5\_123.html dealing with the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. A very well reasoned response to an emotionally cha… --- ## [Shrunken head manufacture](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrunken-head-manufacture/66107)
**Author:** [@Threadkiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Threadkiller)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [May 22, 2001, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrunken-head-manufacture/66107 "2001-05-22T12:27:21Z")
I meant to jump on this earlier but it took me awhile to pull out the resource. In a different thread the SDMB wanders a little off topic. But I would like to address the original column question: How are shrunken heads… --- ## [Pinworms](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinworms/46427)
**Author:** [@Budyonni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budyonni)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [May 22, 2001, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinworms/46427 "2001-05-22T06:05:50Z")
I didn’t have time to confirm that the scientific names are the same, but horses are also infected by pinworms. These nasty buggers also cause the horse to rub their tush on any object handy. I recall reading in my horse… --- ## [Possible explanation of](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-explanation-of/66129)
**Author:** [@nateJC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nateJC)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [May 21, 2001, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-explanation-of/66129 "2001-05-21T22:37:48Z")
To comment on Cecil’s Sept. 11th, 1998 article “What Does ‘kumbaya’ mean?”, perhaps we should look to Hebrew to remedy our translation troubles: “kumbaya” is very similar to the Hebrew words “kuma” meaning arise, “bo” m… --- ## [Chlorophyll hides Reds and Oranges](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chlorophyll-hides-reds-and-oranges/65738)
**Author:** [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [May 19, 2001, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chlorophyll-hides-reds-and-oranges/65738 "2001-05-19T23:32:36Z")
This week’s column, titled “The Pink Stuff,” states: “Carotenoids ae often found in conjunctin with chlorophyll, the chemical that makes plants green. When chlorophyll production stops in autumn, the green fades but the … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=263) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=265)