# Column ideas 4/6/23 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [April 6, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/column-ideas-4-6-23/982266 "2023-04-06T18:21:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 64
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2023, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/column-ideas-4-6-23/982266/64 "2023-05-02T02:51:41Z")
> [@Cecil\_Adams](#): > > You want to bring something new to the conversation, not just repeat stuff. Not seeing a way to do that so far. People always want the world explained to them. Slate has The Explainer. The Washington Post has Andrew van Dam’s Department of Data. Randall Monroe made a fortune on his What If? questions. The old column would fit in with those because it dealt with facts. There are no factual answers to the question “What led to Trump” but there have been a million explanations. People stopped reading them years ago. I love facts. Facts are amazing. No only are they endlessly fascinating, but many kick at my brain, demanding answers as to why they should be true. We have a tremendously popular thread right here on the Dope: > [@Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across/851674): > > I suspect many dopers are interested in lots of far-flung concepts and disciplines beyond what the daily grind demands. As an hommage to liberal arts education and pop culture and that spirit of lifelong learning, give us a random fact you learned. Quirky, unexpected, funny, something that made you say “a-ha!” or whatever you like… And you can play more than once if you like. I’ll start: Harry S. Truman’s middle name is S. Wikipedia says: His middle name, “S” honors his grandfathers, Ander… 6438 posts. Lots of wonders. Very few answers. You could mine that one thread for years, the Dope feeding you softballs down the middle of the plate. That’s your strength. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/column-ideas-4-6-23/982266)._