# enough bickering about Cecil!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 1, 2000, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691 "2000-09-01T20:38:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/1 "2000-09-01T20:38:54Z")
so in [this](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_134.html) thread, cecil writes of appearing on radio. in point of fact, this was not an uncommon occurrence. and I quote, \*\* > [@](#): > > “I got a call from a radio show producer asking me to answer questions from listeners on the air. This happens fairly often and I didn’t give the timing much thought.” \*\* has anybody heard any radio shows on which the nacreous Mr Adams has appeared? that should settle once and for all whether Cecil is real\* harrumph. jb \*providing we can get a recording of Zotti et al, and then have enough people claiming to have heard Cecil interviews, and can do a nice scientific study with controls and everything, comparing and contrasting recognizance of vocal patterns and timbre. I’m not going to write the abstract. I hate doing that. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/2 "2000-09-01T21:05:02Z")
Cecil _can’t_ go on the radio live. If he did, someone might ask him the origin of the term “street el”. Then what would he do? 😉 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/3 "2000-09-01T21:21:18Z")
what in god’s glorious forges is “street el”?!? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/4 "2000-09-01T21:23:16Z")
How would we know it wasn’t a ghost voice? ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/5 "2000-09-01T21:36:35Z")
a ghost voice into who’s ear cecil himself whispered the answers? I believe that with a sophisticated enough filtering system we could remove the voice of the speak-in and have Mr. Adams. that is, of course, assuming that they (you know, Them) would go to the trouble of hiring a vocal dummy claiming to be Cecil, and would just send Ed claiming to be cec, or make up a new guy (ala the ever-charming Mike) to disseminate the Straight Dope across our nations radio airwaves. over and out, jb ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/6 "2000-09-01T22:16:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jb\_farley \* > \*\*what in god’s glorious forges is “street el”?!? \*\* Oh, it’s just a pipe fitting that the world’s smartest human know’s nothing about. 😃 A 90 deg elbo, with female threads on one end, and male threads on the other. He know’s what it is, I’m sure. He just doesn’t know where the term came from. Cecil’s most embarrassing moment, I call it. Sorry, Unk. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2000, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/7 "2000-09-02T01:42:00Z")
A wily radio interviewer could snap a photo of the elusive Mr. Adams, or have a hidden camera. Mua ha ha ha ha! ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/8 "2000-09-03T21:46:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jb\_farley \* > \***providing we can get a recording of Zotti [snip]** All true students of the ways of _The Straight Dope_ know that an audio file of an “AnnOnline” interview with Ed is located at: [Interview with Ed Zotti](http://www.annonline.com/interviews/990325/). You have much to learn, grasshopper – just remember, a bird with stone wings can fly in but one direction. * * * I wanted a pony. Meanwhile, Cecil combats ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![BarnStormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f8ce5/32.png) [@BarnStormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnStormer)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2000, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/9 "2000-09-04T08:31:24Z")
Look in this thread: **[Where are you Cecil Adams?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=30175)** > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\* > Im going to settle this issue once & for all. According to the US trademark office, it was a trademark & oh, so sorry to anyone who thinks he was a real person: > > Word Mark > CECIL ADAMS > Goods and Services > (ABANDONED) IC 016. US 038. G & S: NEWSPAPER COLUMN. FIRST USE: 19730202. > FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19730202 > Mark Drawing Code > (1) TYPED DRAWING > Serial Number > 73631921 > Filing Date > November 24, 1986 > Owner > (APPLICANT) CHICAGO READER, INCORPORATED CORPORATION ILLINOIS P.O. > BOX 11101, FORT DEARBORN STATION CHICAGO ILLINOIS 60611 > Type of Mark > TRADEMARK > Register > PRINCIPAL-2(F) > Other Data > CECIL ADAMS DOES NOT IDENTIFY ANY PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL BUT WAS > DEVISED AS A FANCIFUL NAME > Live/Dead Indicator > DEAD > Abandonment Date > March 29, 1989 \*\* ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2000, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/10 "2000-09-04T23:08:26Z")
well yes, duh. at issue is not whether the person who orchestrates this whole affiar we call the Dope was born with the name Cecil Adams. I don’t think anyone has asserted that lately, yet this tripe (albeit very well researched tripe) keeps flashing up as the Answer. At issue is the fact that if one “Cecil Adams” (nudge nudge) has appeared on the radio, we could finally put an end to the longstanding (and not very interesting) Zotti=Adams debate. so there. put your thinkin pants on and join the hunt, sweetheart. jb ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/11 "2000-09-05T04:07:14Z")
When plumbing any utility distribution system, be it liquids or gas, there usually exists a “street” or main pipe from which other delivery pipes branch from. In days past and even now, it is the norm that if you wish to branch from an existing pipe, you must create an opening in that pipe and thread something into it to continue the new run from it. Ever try to create a contiguous male thread on the side wall of an existing length of pipe? Trust me, it’s no fun at all, and practically impossible. In addition, all lengths of pipe to be added most commonly have male threads at each end. To properly branch a new pipe off of an existing street, you first evacuate the pipe. Then you drill and tap a hole in the main pipe’s wall. That done, the most common thing to do is to install an elbow into the main pipe. This allows you the greatest latitude in positioning the new branching pipe once it is attached. Now as to elbows, there are commonly male or female elbows that have similar gender threads at each end of the fitting. To avoid using special adapter fittings known as “close nipples” or “close hex nipples” (sounds like fun, huh?), it is better to have a mixed gender elbow. This eliminates the presence of one more fitting (and potential leak point), in the installation. Also, in days of old, extra parts meant lots more labor because they were frequently fabricated on the spot by the workman. So, here we have it. You branch off of a main run of pipe (your street) by tapping a female thread into it and using a mixed gender elbow fitting to attach the new branch’s length of pipe to the street. Any plumber worth his pipe dope knows that “el” is short for elbow, and voila, that is why a mixed gender elbow is called a “street el”. Incidentally the same applies to “tee” fittings where the tee’s top bar has one male thread instead of the entire tee having female threads all the way around. This is known as a “street tee” as opposed to its cousin the “branch tee” that has a male thread at the bottom stem of the tee. Having plumbed a mile or two of semiconductor reactor piping this is what I seem to recall. Any questions Cecil? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/12 "2000-09-05T08:27:31Z")
I love you, Zenster. 😉 Peace,mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/13 "2000-09-17T04:31:58Z")
Oh yeah, Cecil, you can come out now. 😉 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/14 "2000-09-17T08:27:44Z")
[hijack] thx for the link **whitetho**. Nice to hear Ed. Personal trainer ROFLMAO . [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-bickering-about-cecil/31691/15 "2000-09-17T08:50:47Z")
from Whitetho’s link: **One of the world’s legendary recluses, Cecil Adams… has never been photographed or interviewed.** brothers and sisters in Christ, this doesn’t jibe with my first quote. I believe we have been set up. Verbal Kint is Cecil Adams! jon benet