# Cecil Crystal Balls worked

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-crystal-balls-worked/1028236>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [March 5, 2026, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-crystal-balls-worked/1028236 "2026-03-05T21:06:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-crystal-balls-worked/1028236/1 "2026-03-05T21:06:18Z")

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In a column about whether or not Democracies go to war with each other- Cecil ended with two possible upcoming examples-  
India vs Pakistan (okay, this was being talked about back then). and

**Russia vs Ukraine!!!**

Of course we all know that Russia is not longer a Democracy, but still.

PS the answer was- in the words of the HMS Pinafore- “Well, hardly ever!” 😀

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**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-crystal-balls-worked/1028236/2 "2026-03-06T16:50:17Z")

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Cool. What was the date of that column? (Serious question.)

And…anything about someone named “Hister”? (Not serious).

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**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-crystal-balls-worked/1028236/3 "2026-03-06T17:00:07Z")

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Link to column:

> **[Is it true there has never been a war between two democracies?](https://www.straightdope.com/21341971/is-it-true-there-has-never-been-a-war-between-two-democracies)**

> [@](#):
>
> We now have a proliferation of poor democracies in the wake of communism’s collapse. Will they refrain from attacking one another, as their authoritarian or totalitarian predecessors did not? One considers India vs. Pakistan, Russia vs. Ukraine. Clearly the notion that democracies will not make war on one another now faces its great test.

> [@JKellyMap](#):
>
> What was the date of that column?

Oct 22, 1993

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**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-crystal-balls-worked/1028236/4 "2026-03-06T17:28:28Z")

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Keep your Deviate hands off those crystal balls.

I know you, and would hate to be a crystal ball under **your** gimlet stare.

🥸

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2026, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-crystal-balls-worked/1028236/5 "2026-03-08T01:51:06Z")

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> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#):
>
> Link to column:

Thank you!!