# Alternatives to The Straight Dope column **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 28, 2018, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923 "2018-06-28T15:39:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/1 "2018-06-28T15:39:40Z")
Since The Straight Dope is calling it quits, I was wondering about alternatives that capture the feel/facts/snark that Cecil Adams has given us throughout the years. Here in Portland we have [Marty Smith’s _Dr. Know_](http://www.wweek.com/news/2018/06/27/do-they-put-something-in-the-mount-tabor-reservoir-to-make-it-turquoise/) column, published in the local alterna-weekly _Willamette Week_. any others? ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/2 "2018-06-28T15:54:10Z")
The (UK) Guardian has Notes & Queries. [Notes and queries | Lifeandstyle | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/notes-and-queries) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/3 "2018-06-28T15:57:31Z")
It doesn’t have the same question-answer thing going on, but [Mental Floss](http://mentalfloss.com/) is good for answering your weirdest questions. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/4 "2018-06-28T18:22:15Z")
I didn’t realize it was ending ☹ That note on the main page was a very nice testimonial about our humble message board. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/5 "2018-06-28T18:25:08Z")
XKCD’s [“What if?”](https://what-if.xkcd.com/) would be an excellent blend of facts and humor, but it hasn’t been updated much recently. There are lots of archive articles to browse through, though. ETA: Plus, he occasionally references the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/6 "2018-06-28T18:32:26Z")
WHAT??? Holy shit. I have learned SO much here. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/7 "2018-06-28T20:29:38Z")
NO! You LIE! FAKE NEWS. I can’t hear you LA LA LA LA LA LA! ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/8 "2018-06-28T21:16:57Z")
The boards are continuing though, didn’t Cecil say? How will that work? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/9 "2018-06-28T21:21:15Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > The boards are continuing though, didn’t Cecil say? How will that work? Didn’t read like it to me. It seemed like archives would be available though. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/10 "2018-06-28T21:25:55Z")
> [@](#): > > The Straight Dope Message Board (SDMB), the online community that has grown up around the column, will remain open for business. Looks like it will remain, from that text at least. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/11 "2018-06-29T01:10:17Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Looks like it will remain, from that text at least. Oh. That’s great. It would be a pretty silly move to remove it considering the presence that it has on the web. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/12 "2018-06-29T10:43:16Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Didn’t read like it to me. It seemed like archives would be available though. I find your lack of faith disturbing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/13 "2018-06-29T12:15:03Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I find your lack of faith disturbing. > > 🙂 I’ve asked the question twice at ATMB. Krickets. I guess we will find out when we can’t raise the site. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/14 "2018-06-29T12:45:06Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I’ve asked the question twice at ATMB. And it has been answered at least that many times by Ed himself-This board still makes money for the owners, and it will continue for the foreseeable future. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/15 "2018-06-29T13:53:46Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And it has been answered at least that many times by Ed himself-This board still makes money for the owners, and it will continue for the foreseeable future. No need to snark. I read the article a few times yesterday and did not see that the SDMB would remain open. A number of other people where unsure as well. Perhaps the article has been edited to clear this up. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/16 "2018-06-29T14:46:42Z")
Did they ever say if the column was really published by the same guy with the penname Cecil? Seems unlikely one guy did it from Feb 1973 to June 2018. I guess one guy that started in his early twenties could have worked that long. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/17 "2018-06-29T14:56:14Z")
Most people advance a career by moving to other better paying jobs with more responsibilities. It would be remarkable if the same writer kept the same job for 45 years. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/18 "2018-06-29T15:10:22Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > No need to snark. I read the article a few times yesterday and did not see that the SDMB would remain open. A number of other people where unsure as well. Perhaps the article has been edited to clear this up. It was answered in the thread [“A note from Cecil Adams about The Straight Dope”.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=857634) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/19 "2018-06-29T15:15:05Z")
LOL there are thousands of threads here. People don’t read every one. Especially a thread in about this message board. I RARELY ever look in that section. Cafe, IMHO, and Mundane are where I visit and post. I go to General Questions every couple of days. I was completely blindsided by this news. My bookmark goes directly to the board. I hadn’t been to the column’s web page in a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923/20 "2018-06-29T15:27:40Z")
Anyway, back to the question at hand-Are there any other “Answer Person” columns left out there? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternatives-to-the-straight-dope-column/816923.md?page=2)