# How does someone become an "SD Science Advisory Board" member? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 16, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841 "2015-10-16T20:21:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/1 "2015-10-16T20:21:30Z")
See subject. I suspect it has a lot to do with cookies, flowers, or that special boot polish. As long as I’m posting, **How do you find the first post someone ever made?** is one I came up against: I noticed **Eutychus** being goofy, as is usual and correct, in a thread game, and then noticed he was a Recognized Smart Guy Big Shot, and started snooping, and gave up because it was stupid. Not that I’m :dubious:'ing at Eutychus or the PTB at SD who elevated him to such an exalted state. Just interested. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/2 "2015-10-16T21:05:20Z")
You get that title by writing and publishing a Staff Report. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/3 "2015-10-16T21:25:41Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > You get that title by writing and publishing a Staff Report. And, as a practical matter, I’m not even sure TPTB even accept Staff Reports anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/4 "2015-10-16T21:31:53Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > … > As long as I’m posting, > > **How do you find the first post someone ever made?** > … Nm. Realized I can do it with some Google footwork, as explained in the sticky. Was trying to see if the “last” or “first” option in Statistics would pop it up. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/5 "2015-10-17T00:09:22Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > You get that title by writing and publishing a Staff Report. Nope, that ain’t it. I have a Staff Report to my credit and all I got was the respect and admiration of my peers. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/6 "2015-10-17T01:13:35Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Nope, that ain’t it. I have a Staff Report to my credit and all I got was the respect and admiration of my peers. You are then, to me, and always will be, a Recognized Smart Guy Big Shot. Just not to SD. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/7 "2015-10-17T01:24:13Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > And, as a practical matter, I’m not even sure TPTB even accept Staff Reports anymore. **Elendil’s Heir** just had one published. Look in Comments on Cecil’s Columns/Staff Reports for the comments on his recent article on Benedict Arnold. When I was a mod, the rules for being an SDSAB were that you had to write a certain number of columns, and, even more limiting, you had to maintain a level of contribution. A column here or there (sorry, **Silenus** ) is not sufficient, nor is writing a boatload in a year or three, and then contributing nothing for the next five years. My knowledge could, obviously, be outdated. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/8 "2015-10-17T07:13:13Z")
You have to be someone that Ed asks for advice. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/9 "2015-10-17T09:11:04Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > **How do you find the first post someone ever made?**. You don’t need Google. Go to the Straight Dope’s advanced search page. user name: whatever you want find posts from: Any date and newer sort results by: last posting date ascending Search in forum: all open forums Show results as: posts This will return the person’s first 500 posts in chronological order. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/10 "2015-10-18T01:44:09Z")
Sexual favors may or may not be involved. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/11 "2015-10-18T13:25:31Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Sexual favors may or may not be involved. Oooh, _fav_ours. So that’s why it didn’t seem to help that I kept dipping my bits in chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/12 "2015-10-18T16:40:56Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > **Elendil’s Heir** just had one published. Look in Comments on Cecil’s Columns/Staff Reports for the comments on his recent article on Benedict Arnold. I’m a bit surprised by the current date. I was unaware that new Staff Reports were still being published. New staff reports mostly stopped being published quite a few years ago. **C K Dexter Haven** used to manage assignment and submissions. > [@](#): > > When I was a mod, the rules for being an SDSAB were that you had to write a certain number of columns, and, even more limiting, you had to maintain a level of contribution. A column here or there (sorry, Silenus) is not sufficient, nor is writing a boatload in a year or three, and then contributing nothing for the next five years. When I became an SDSAB in 2000, the requirements were to write three Staff Reports. I actually got the title after writing a couple of articles plus helping Cecil with a column. While there may have been a nominal requirement to keep writing reports, I don’t recall anyone ever losing the title for lack of productivity. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/13 "2015-10-18T16:44:39Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I’m a bit surprised by the current date. I was unaware that new Staff Reports were still being published. > > New staff reports mostly stopped being published quite a few years ago. **C K Dexter Haven** used to manage assignment and submissions. I’ve seen several in the past few weeks besides the one by **Elendil’s Heir**. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/14 "2015-10-20T22:24:05Z")
Now that I think of it, **Dex** sent me a PM suggesting (or agreeing to my nudge?) that I write a Staff Report on something or other after some looked-brainy-enough-to-him post. Which leads to this extension of OP: **How Do You Get to Write a Staff Report?** Is it only a result tap from above, or do you accept pitches, as a regular thing? And if so, to whom should they be addressed? (Now that **Dex** is happy, I hope, among his grandchildren). Also **Colibri** mentions that he “helped Cecil…” Hmm…I thought Cecil was a Fata Morgana of the intellect, the One Who Cannot Be. He is spoken of only as such around here. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/15 "2015-10-21T16:20:13Z")
So far as I know, **Dex** and the rest of the administration has always continued to be open to Staff Report contributions; it’s just that the usual contributors dried up. But if you want to write one, go ahead and drop a line to **Dex**. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/16 "2015-10-21T16:37:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > it’s just that the usual contributors dried up. I may be flaky, but I haven’t completely dried up yet. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/17 "2015-10-21T18:30:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So far as I know, **Dex** and the rest of the administration has always continued to be open to Staff Report contributions; it’s just that the usual contributors dried up. But if you want to write one, go ahead and drop a line to **Dex**. I thought **Dex** was ex-…Happy among his grandchildren, that is, no longer tilling the fields of SD. So, **Chronos** : The Hidden Master…What’s He like? Can it be put in words? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/18 "2015-10-21T19:29:11Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So far as I know, **Dex** and the rest of the administration has always continued to be open to Staff Report contributions; it’s just that the usual contributors dried up. But if you want to write one, go ahead and drop a line to **Dex**. **Dex** [retired from the boards](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740216) in November of last year and has not posted since. If he is still handling Staff Reports I am unaware of it. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/19 "2015-10-24T02:36:27Z")
I figure I’d better post, or people will keep on randomly guessing. Dex is no longer involved. Mail Ed Zotti or the general Straight Dope e-mail if you want to write a Staff Report. Ed is extremely busy from time to time, so you may need to give the mail a bump if he doesn’t reply. Perhaps two bumps. I do not think there is still an “official” policy regarding the number of reports you need to write to be SDSAB. No one has received the title in some time. Ed is the decisionmaker. Disclaimer: I work for Sun-Times Media but I am not the big guy. Don’t mail your submissions to me please (some do from time to time). Una, For the Straight Dope ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841/20 "2015-10-24T15:45:45Z")
Hi **Una**! Somehow I thought you too had hung up your shoelaces. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-someone-become-an-sd-science-advisory-board-member/734841.md?page=2)