If you are starting a new topic, please provide the link to the Straight Dope column that you are referring to. This makes it easier for others to stay on topic and to respond. To do this, simply highlight the url (in that space above), and add a tag before it like this: then, without spaces, paste in the url and put an end tag (again, without spaces) like this:
If these instructions aren’t clear enough, here is a link with simple instructions for using UBB code on this message board. It will also teach you to do things like use italics and quoting other messages. http://www.chicagoreader.com/ubb/ubbcode.html
Thanks,
Jill