# Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=319 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 320 --- ## [Why hymens?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hymens/121)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [July 2, 1999, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hymens/121 "1999-07-02T21:52:00Z")
Cecil did a pretty good job of summarizing the theories why hymens might exist - except for one which just occurred to me. I’ve been rereading a bunch of Stephen Jay Gould’s books (great essays, if you like essays), and … --- ## [$1000](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000/964)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 2, 1999, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1000/964 "1999-07-02T15:22:00Z")
I once asked my bank to cash a check with $1000 bills. They said they couldn’t get them because the bills were no longer printed. A few years ago I saw a woman peel 5 $1000 bills from a roll at a Las Vegas blackjack tabl… --- ## [Listing Sources re polydactyl cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listing-sources-re-polydactyl-cats/963)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 2, 1999, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listing-sources-re-polydactyl-cats/963 "1999-07-02T12:33:00Z")
RE your “mailbag” article on polydactyl cats the researcher listed ( SDSTAFF Jill ) apparently lifted some data and some close to verbatium statements without attribution from the below listed website. A note about sour… --- ## [light bulbs and microwaves](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-bulbs-and-microwaves/962)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [July 2, 1999, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/light-bulbs-and-microwaves/962 "1999-07-02T12:15:00Z")
So… I ordered a Popeil Pocket Microwave oven, and tried this. But, I figured, I would go one better, and try fluorescent bulbs. Now, I have shards of glass all over, and no light. Any thoughts? \ ----Typer --- ## [The Baking Soda answer STINKS!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-baking-soda-answer-stinks/956)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [July 2, 1999, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-baking-soda-answer-stinks/956 "1999-07-02T07:40:00Z")
Hoooooo boy, I think the Advisory Board had better get some advice, preferably from Cecil himself. The answer to the baking soda question wasnt even half-baked. The fact is that baking soda neutralizes acids. I don’t see… --- ## [Polydactyl cats and "mittens"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polydactyl-cats-and-mittens/955)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [July 2, 1999, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polydactyl-cats-and-mittens/955 "1999-07-02T02:33:00Z")
In one place, the recent mailbag article seemd to imply that double-pawed cats are also called “mitten footed cats”. (I couldn’t tell for sure from the wording; perhaps “mitten footed cats” referred to a different kind o… --- ## [Zee vs. Zed](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zee-vs-zed/954)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [July 1, 1999, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zee-vs-zed/954 "1999-07-01T22:46:00Z")
The Americanized attempt to force “zee” on us is not working! I sang the alphabet song with rhyming “zee” throughout my childhood years, and I now pronounce the letter almost invariably as “zed”, to the extent to which I… --- ## [Recycling Dentures](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recycling-dentures/953)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 1, 1999, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recycling-dentures/953 "1999-07-01T14:34:00Z")
There is a large outdoor sculpture park in NY State called Storm King Art Center. I think that if all of these dentures were built into an IMMENSE work, they could be showed there. But…a title?..a title?.. --- ## [Neil Armstrong's Famous Line Conspiricy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrongs-famous-line-conspiricy/120)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 1, 1999, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrongs-famous-line-conspiricy/120 "1999-07-01T02:26:00Z")
We all know Armstrong’s famous moon landing line “That’s one small step for \[a\] man, one giant leap for mankind.” — Neil A. Armstrong But maybe the “supposedly” dropped “a” was no accident. With the addition of the “a”… --- ## [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_090.html](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/http-www-straightdope-com-classics-a1_090-html/119)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 30, 1999, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/http-www-straightdope-com-classics-a1_090-html/119 "1999-06-30T19:42:00Z")
HEY!! Who’s taking liberties with the Master’s prose? “Why do we itch? - why do we twitch? - is Hillary Clinton” Sheesh. At least Cecil would have treated us to an exposition on Wiccan First Ladies! --- ## [One use of calculating Pi!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-use-of-calculating-pi/118)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [June 30, 1999, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-use-of-calculating-pi/118 "1999-06-30T18:18:00Z")
Well, here’s one kinky use of Pi I have, though admitedly it brands me as an incurable geek… I keep a printout of the first 100,000 decimals of Pi (20 pages) by the computer. You want a random number? Just pick up the p… --- ## [To be Jewish and an Athiest](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-be-jewish-and-an-athiest/947)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [June 30, 1999, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-be-jewish-and-an-athiest/947 "1999-06-30T14:09:00Z")
Your answer to the question “Can an Atheist be Jewish?” was okay until the end, when, by positing that “action is what matters in Judaism”, you conclude that “belief means nothing.” Nothing could be further from the trut… --- ## [Income tax](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/income-tax/117)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [June 30, 1999, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/income-tax/117 "1999-06-30T06:44:00Z")
I just obtained my copy of Triumph of the Straight Dope, and while perusing it, I came upon the following claim: The richest Americans “paid 10 percent of the taxes. That’s a mere 67,000 households, who on average paid … --- ## [Magnets](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnets/116)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [June 30, 1999, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnets/116 "1999-06-30T05:02:00Z")
A group of scientists in England using huge elctromagnets and enough power to supply a small town have magnetized and levitated such things as strawberries and spiders. They plan to someday levitate humans. --- ## [baby corn](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-corn/945)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 1999, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-corn/945 "1999-06-28T12:33:00Z")
Isn’t “baby corn” on salad bars really just a kind of squash?? --- ## [Vowel Shift](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vowel-shift/115)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 1999, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vowel-shift/115 "1999-06-28T05:32:00Z")
OK, I just read the classic column on the “Great Vowel Shift”. According to it, the way vowels are pronounced changed during the period 1350 - 1550. How do we know how anything was pronounced in 1350 - 1550? It isn’t li… --- ## [Tea-Boiling](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-boiling/943)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 1999, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-boiling/943 "1999-06-28T03:23:00Z")
In re he mailbag question about boiling water for your tea ‘just so’ - I was always told that the bitterer oils and essences of the tea come out when the water is too hot - so you want to get it just right around 212 F, … --- ## [Adrenal gland death](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrenal-gland-death/114)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [June 27, 1999, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrenal-gland-death/114 "1999-06-27T20:31:00Z")
Well, I just read over the article on removing the adrenal glands, and while it mentions that removing these little beauties is bad for your health, it is not specific as to exactly what happens. So, what, besides not ge… --- ## [Is pi an inexact number?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pi-an-inexact-number/940)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 26, 1999, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pi-an-inexact-number/940 "1999-06-26T13:01:00Z")
From what I remember back in school we were taught that “inexact numbers” were those that had repeating or otherwise infinite sequences. The name referred to the representation of the number (in base 10) rather than the … --- ## ["A" or "An"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-or-an/112)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [June 25, 1999, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-or-an/112 "1999-06-25T05:38:00Z")
I recently saw a reference to “An White House enquiry”; I was brought up putting “An” in front of words begining with a vowel, “A” in front of others. For some historical reason which escapes me the letter “H” got the “A… --- ## [info on snowglobes](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/info-on-snowglobes/113)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 24, 1999, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/info-on-snowglobes/113 "1999-06-24T18:20:00Z")
i am looking for information about making snow globes aka “water globes, waterdomes” Thanks to everyone who helps i9n this search :slight\_smile: deweeeeeee --- ## [Millenium Fever -- is there a cure?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millenium-fever-is-there-a-cure/111)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [June 24, 1999, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millenium-fever-is-there-a-cure/111 "1999-06-24T12:58:00Z")
\ Cecil, Cecil, Cecil… I finally received my copy of “Triumph of the Straight Dope” and was quite thrilled… until I read the Preface. How can it be? How can the bastion of truth and goodness that is the Straight Do… --- ## [Conciousness](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conciousness/110)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [June 24, 1999, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conciousness/110 "1999-06-24T12:21:00Z")
I’m afraid this column completely misses the boat. Thinking is not conciousness. Conciousness is an awareness. For example, a sleepwalking person may may hold a conversation with you, or may perform other tasks which cle… --- ## [Italian Cooking and tomatoes?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-cooking-and-tomatoes/109)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [June 24, 1999, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-cooking-and-tomatoes/109 "1999-06-24T00:34:00Z")
I read somewhere that tomatoes were one of the vegetables that were brought from the New World to the Old. As I was eating pizza the other night, the thought occured to me: what did Italian cooks do before they had the t… --- ## [Quaker Oats Logo](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quaker-oats-logo/938)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [June 23, 1999, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quaker-oats-logo/938 "1999-06-23T22:07:00Z")
Who in the hell is John Penn? Did you perhaps mean William? --- ## [Origin of Chef's Chapeau](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-chefs-chapeau/937)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [June 23, 1999, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-chefs-chapeau/937 "1999-06-23T14:50:00Z")
I thought it was created and worn first by that famed 13th Century sadist…Toquemada. --- ## [What is "wind chill" all about?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wind-chill-all-about/935)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [June 23, 1999, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wind-chill-all-about/935 "1999-06-23T11:27:00Z")
It’s not just that your brain thinks it’s colder than it really is; because of the wind your skin is losing heat faster, and frostbite will occur more quickly than if there is no wind. Trust me on this - i’m from Saskatc… --- ## [Dr Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/934)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [June 23, 1999, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/934 "1999-06-23T01:00:00Z")
I can assure you that Dr Pepper with cane sugar tastes distinctly different from (and better than) Dr Pepper with corn syrup. In areas with a significant Jewish population, the recipe for Dr Pepper and many other sodas i… --- ## [J Street in Washington, DC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/j-street-in-washington-dc/108)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [June 22, 1999, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/j-street-in-washington-dc/108 "1999-06-22T19:25:00Z")
Just found the column from waybackwhen about the absence of a “J” Street in our fair capital. I believe Cecil got it wrong when he said Pierre L’Enfant didn’t include a ‘J’ in the lettering system because of an article I… --- ## [Devils running hell](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devils-running-hell/932)
**Author:** [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [June 22, 1999, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/devils-running-hell/932 "1999-06-22T16:16:00Z")
You said that devils running hell was a modern notion, 400 - 500 years or so, but devils seem to run hell in Dante’s Inferno, and that was published more like 600 - 700 years ago. Did Dante originate the idea? Satan hims… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=318) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/comments-on-cecils-columns-staff-reports/7.md?page=320)