If there is, I thought that maybe Cecil would pick questions from this board to use for the column.
Maybe he does, and maybe some of the questions replied to by others in “Cecil’s Mailbag” has questions culled from here.
Anyway, MY point is this - Has Cecil or the mods ever taken questions posted on this board for use in either place? If not, why not? If so, which ones?
Yer pal,
Satan
Cecil pulls inspiration from many sources, including this board.
So y’all keep posting, 'cause you never know where lightning will strike.
your humble TubaDiva
Translation: No, and you don’t know.
I don’t think that’s a fair translation at all, Satan.
I’ve seen mailbag items that are the same as messages posted here. I have not compared to see if the names were the same, or if it was a coincidence (I didn’t particularly care). I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Cecil respond in the column to comments made about his columns on the MB. I couldn’t point to any specifics; I’m just relying on my memory. And I have forwarded several questions to the proper authorities saying, “Hey, this one would be cool to answer.” Often, though, what happens is that a question posted to the MB ends up getting answered by other folks here. If they get it right, there is no real reason to address it separately as a Mailbag item, for example.
Actually not true in either case, Satan. And what’s with the attitude?
Cecil has pulled questions from the board and used them in columns . . . both on AOL and here. He’s also taken stuff from the USENET groups.
However, there’s no telling what will get his attention or strike his fancy; I don’t choose for Cecil, none of us do.
What about this has you all snitty, anyway? Did you send Cecil something and he didn’t acknowledge it? I’ve worked for Cecil for over 3 years now and he’s said maybe two words to me in all that time.
When I say something, it’s as truthful as I know it to be. If it’s just supposition, I label it as such; if it’s something I know to be true, I style it so. What did I say that is difficult to grok?
your humble TubaDiva
Cecil only does one column a week. If a question is posted here, and someone is able to answer it, why would Cecil want to put it in a column?
Cecil writes; he gets paid for writing. He doesn’t get paid for taking stuff that others have written (like, on the Message Boards) and putting it in his column.
People with questions can pose them directly to Cecil, or can post them on the Message Boards. Questions posted here generally stay here, although sometimes we get duplicates (obviously.) Cecil generally does not read the Message Boards for questions.
Questions sent to Cecil are screened, first by Jane (to get rid of stuff that Cecil shouldn’t waste his time on.) Some of them are given to Staff to be turned into Mailbag items. For instance, questions that have been answered before by others, often the Staff just compile a response based on the research already done.
Cecil then picks which questions he wants to write about. Some of the “rejects” are passed over to the Staff, for Mailbag use.
So it’s really three separate arenas – the column, the Mailbag, and the Message Boards.
But there has been some overlap. The most obvious overlap is in the books, where the last two books have included quotes, questions/answers, and funny responses from the Message Boards.
There have also been occasions when Cecil has taken comments on his columns from the Message Boards, and written follow-up columns in response.
Tubadiva said:
Well, now I feel better – I’ve only worked here for a short while and he’s never said anything to me. Although he did admit I was right in the Glass Melding thread, so I’ll have to just carry on with that compliment to support me. 
Really? Wow. After Mr. Adams butted up next to me in the “Cecil’s Equiptment” thread yesterday, he showed up at my place right at dinnertime, insulted my meatloaf, goosed my wife, and left the toilet seat up when he left…
Uke
Now THAT answers my question…
THAT on the other hand does NOT.
Attitude? Well, I considered your answer, Tuba, to be trite. Nothing personal, I just called a spade a spade. I appreciate getting the correct answer, no matter whom it is from.
You see, while this board is not here SPECIFICALLY for Cecil to use for fodder (and I’m not suggesting he take OUR answers - surely the smartest human being in the world would be able to take the various WAGs and biased opinions by us Teeming and come up with the REAL answer to a GOOD question), I just figured it was implied that he MIGHT use this as a source for queries if a good question came up.
I can say it is a fact that many good questions have came up here, and it is my opinion that some of them remain unanswered (and I’m not just talking about “great Debates” where there is no “correct answer” in a lot of cases).
I was looking to see if that was the case.
But as I look at the answers to my question above, I see that two moderators have differing opinions as to WHAT the correct answer is.
So I’ll modify it slightly, to see if this helps get to the crux of the matter: Please show me a column Cecil used that was gotten not from a direct question to him via e-mail or snail mail, but came from the boards. Or the usenet group even.
I am not doubting this happened, I am just curious. Really. I don’t post questions here thinking Cecil will reply - I’m not that naive or egotistical - I just wonder if it happens, that’s all.
Whoa, Satan… I don’t think Tuba and I said anything different.
I said “Cecil generally does not read the Message Board for questions.” (Bold font added for emphasis.)
Tuba said, “You never know where lightning will strike.”
Tuba and I are saying the same thing, but she’s said it positively and I’ve said it negatively. He only publishes 52 columns a year, and there are way more questions here than that (even allowing the occasional two-question columns.)
[[Cecil then picks which questions he wants to write about. Some of the “rejects” are passed over to the Staff, for Mailbag use.]]
And occasionally a question is passed to the Mailbag staff, then given back to Cecil for the column when the Mailbag staffperson deemed himself/herself unworthy of such a fine topic. He’s taken a couple of my mailbag questions back and when I saw his treatment of them I wanted to break my keyboard over my knee and save the teeming millions from my painfully amateurish writing forever. Not sure if any of these came from the site, but I believe Cecil occasionally scans the site for column fodder.
Let’s also keep in mind that Unca Cece has NOT released a new book since this Message Board started up.
Ranger Jeff
*The Idol of American Youth *
I feel sorry for you people.
Cecil and I talk all the time.
I have his home phone number.
We exchange greeting cards.
I’ve seen him naked.
In fact, I am Cecil. Yeah, that’s right…
Oh, yeah? Then write something Cecil-like.
“It’s bacon!!”
Wally will have to come back as Cecil…
The board is mostly a sort of substitute for Cecil. If you sent a question to Cecil months ago and he did not answe, try the board. Satan is expecting a bit much.
What is the order of the mailbag index?
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/index.html
how do we know what’s new?
Properly indexing the Mailbag (heck, the entire Archive) is one of those pesky little chores we need to get to.
It IS pending . . . soon as we can get to it, we promise.
your humble TubaDiva/SDStaffDiv
for the Straight Dope
The Mailbox is indexed alphabetically by the last name of the maternal grandmother of the the person who did the research. However, since that would let some people predict the next post (which would throw off the betting odds), Ed tosses in a randomizer based on the age of the oldest sibling of the person who asked the question.
CKDextHavn - Oh my! LMAO
Thank you
trisha