# cattle mutilation, Modification?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cattle-mutilation-modification/300050>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [April 19, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cattle-mutilation-modification/300050 "2005-04-19T14:21:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cattle-mutilation-modification/300050/1 "2005-04-19T14:21:00Z")

</div>

In the classic column about [cattle mutilations](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_281.html), Cecil says at the end.

> [@](#):
>
> Typically, however, many people prefer to believe in the Great Conspiracy. Ain’t it tragic? You let your Straight Dope subscription lapse, and next thing you know you’re lining your hat with tinfoil to keep out the cosmic rays.

Was this added recently to drum up subscriptions to the SDMB?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cattle-mutilation-modification/300050/2 "2005-04-19T22:56:19Z")

</div>

I don’t know about that, but I’m unimpressed with the accuracy. Tinfoil hats are to ward off the orbital mind-control lasers!

Cosmic rays indeed.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cattle-mutilation-modification/300050/3 "2005-04-20T11:20:17Z")

</div>

Cecil could just as easily be talking about your subscription to the newspaper that carries TSD. Newspapers are always concerned with circulation and subscription numbers, because people buy subscriptions and advertisers will pay more for a spot in a paper with high numbers.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Josh120](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ab097/32.png) [@Josh120](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Josh120)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cattle-mutilation-modification/300050/4 "2005-04-21T13:05:04Z")

</div>

It seemed more of a one-liner to me. Nothing more and nothing less.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cattle-mutilation-modification/300050/5 "2005-04-21T14:44:18Z")

</div>

The earliest copy of that page on [archive.org](http://www.archive.org/), from [1999](http://web.archive.org/web/19991018192835/http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_281.html), appears to be exactly the same as the one today, minus the cartoon.