# Looking for an item.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-item/5896>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 7, 2000, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-item/5896 "2000-01-07T05:22:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2000, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-item/5896/1 "2000-01-07T05:22:00Z")

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Several years ago I ran across an  
item written lke a letter,  
generally talking about various  
things that would lead the reader  
to believe that a very important  
question was going to be asked at  
the end. At the end of the letter  
was the question, Do you think  
that Jeff will ever be as tall as  
Mutt?  
My question is, have you ever  
heard or know where I can obtain a  
copy of this?

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**Author:** ![hightechburrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f6c823/32.png) [@hightechburrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hightechburrito)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2000, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-item/5896/2 "2000-01-07T05:34:00Z")

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It sounds like a question off of an IQ test that goes like:  
If Bill is taller than Jeff and Jeff is shorter than John, who is taller Jeff or Bill?

P.S. Please don’t tell me that my question doesn’t make any sense, because I already know that.

* * *

How could I charge full price to the man whose lust for filthy magazines kept me in business through that first shaky year. Oh, by the way, here’s your new issue of “Gigantic Asses.”  
-Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2000, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-item/5896/3 "2000-01-07T11:01:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> If Bill is taller than Jeff and Jeff is shorter than John, who is taller Jeff or Bill? P.S. Please don’t tell me that my question doesn’t make any sense, because I already know that.

What doesn’t make sense about it? Is this question on an IQ test for 3rd graders?  
Ignore the part about John and the question answers itself. If Bill is taller than Jeff,  
xxxxxxx, who is taller, Jeff or Bill?

Kinda like asking who’s buried in Grant’s tomb.

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**Author:** ![mr\_john](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@mr\_john](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_john)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2000, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-item/5896/4 "2000-01-07T19:18:00Z")

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So is it Jeff,Bill, or John that is taller than Grant? I think Wilbur is talking more about something akin to the reference in my sig line.

* * *

“Pardon me while I have a strange interlude.”-Marx