# Is the date on MDA column correct? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 28, 2009, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-date-on-mda-column-correct/497917 "2009-05-28T11:39:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-date-on-mda-column-correct/497917/1 "2009-05-28T11:39:33Z")
I’m having trouble believing the date on [this MDA question and answer](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/104/what-was-in-mda-the-hot-drug-of-the-1970s), for a couple of reasons. 1. The writer first asks: > [@](#): > > Remember MDA, the miracle drug of the early 70s? If he was writing in 1975, why would he say “the early 70s” instead of “last year” or “a couple of years ago”? 1. He closes with: > [@](#): > > In terms of value for the money, I always thought MDA beat the hell out of Yuppie drugs like cocaine. The word yuppie didn’t come into popular usage until the early 1980s, and the first printed use of it is apparently in a 1980 **Chicago** magazine story. [cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuppie) I’m guessing that the story is from either 1985, when ‘yuppie’ was still in semi-popular use, or 1995, which is a long enough time in the past that Cecil’s first comment > [@](#): > > Waxing nostalgic about the great chemicals of old strikes me as a bit weird, but I guess we have to expect this from Age of Aquarius alumni. would be more than apropos. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-date-on-mda-column-correct/497917/2 "2009-05-28T13:51:48Z")
Dunno about the date, but he forgot to mention the teeth grinding, or the next day shits! (Or so I heard!) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-date-on-mda-column-correct/497917/3 "2009-05-28T14:34:49Z")
Uncle Cece’s columns were “updated” when they were posted on the AOL website, and they have at times undergone periodic update as posted at the main Straight Dope website (post-AOL). When that happens, the date of the original column is not changed, which creates apparent anachronisms all the time. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-date-on-mda-column-correct/497917/4 "2009-05-28T14:38:04Z")
The date given is the date of original publication. The columns are sometimes updated for a variety of reasons but the “last updated” date is almost never given. Rather annoying, I admit, not least of all because I have to keep explaining it. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-date-on-mda-column-correct/497917/5 "2009-05-28T14:56:49Z")
I’ve raised this issue repeatedly… what’s the objection to posting a disclaimer that says “this article had been updated since it was originally published?” It would eliminate the confusion and doubts about credibility… besides, it seems to me that there’s a scholarly/ethical obligation to acknowledge the changes. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-date-on-mda-column-correct/497917/6 "2009-05-28T15:05:18Z")
What’s weird in this case (IMO) is that it looks like the question itself was updated, not just the answer. ---
**Author:** ![nakysnaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ba8739/32.png) [@nakysnaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nakysnaky)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-date-on-mda-column-correct/497917/7 "2009-05-28T20:55:19Z")
Cecil is such a square. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-date-on-mda-column-correct/497917/8 "2009-05-28T22:57:29Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > What’s weird in this case (IMO) is that it looks like the question itself was updated, not just the answer. Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. The question uses a term that wasn’t even invented until 5 years after the publication date. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-date-on-mda-column-correct/497917/9 "2009-05-31T05:06:35Z")
That is weird. As the one called, “Which is smarter, cats or dogs?” is still incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-date-on-mda-column-correct/497917/10 "2009-06-05T21:41:53Z")
FWIW, the first Straight Dope compilation, published in 1984, contains a reference to MDA in the index which points to a nonexistent article.