# Shaking up old arguments **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [March 19, 2005, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaking-up-old-arguments/295299 "2005-03-19T11:07:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RiverRunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@RiverRunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiverRunner)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaking-up-old-arguments/295299/41 "2008-10-16T13:32:25Z")
> [@Sample\_the\_Dog](#): > > I’ve concluded, after exhaustive research, that the “shake 'em up” column was written by Cecil under duress, is completely false, and contains encoded messages to indicate this. > > His initial response in its entirety: > . . . > Whole lotta creative and fun tinfoil-hattery > . . . > > Friends, Dopers, I submit to you, THESE ARE NOT THE WORDS OF THE MASTER! > > Be ye not deceived! Well done, **Sample**. I laughed, I cried. It moved me. Have a biscuit. (Seriously, that was great.) Oh, and “waterballs” are what Clumsy Carp used to make. RR ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaking-up-old-arguments/295299/42 "2008-10-16T13:41:10Z")
Y’all do know that **Sample\_the\_Dog** ’s post was from 2005? And he/she pretty much hasn’t posted since then. **irspariah** has resurrected a thread from long, long ago. It seems to be still live, so go right ahead, but don’t think that it’s a current conversation. ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaking-up-old-arguments/295299/43 "2008-10-17T21:42:39Z")
I saw a movie where the main character called one of these things “Rosebud”. That was his last word on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Orionizer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orionizer/32/4442_2.png) [@Orionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orionizer)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaking-up-old-arguments/295299/44 "2011-04-20T19:33:24Z")
I’ve also heard “SnowGlobes”. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaking-up-old-arguments/295299/45 "2011-04-20T21:28:01Z")
So here we are almost 6 years after this thread started, and the home page is showing this classic article again, and still the final word from Cecil on this matter is: AARRRRGGGHHHH!!! He should check this thread and set his mind at ease, as it is pretty obvious that “snowglobes” is the most common term (and the only one I’ve ever heard outside of the article and this thread), and “shake em ups” was a poorly-chosen flight of fancy that I’m sure is to be blamed on Cecil’s assistants. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaking-up-old-arguments/295299/46 "2011-04-21T03:46:56Z")
Not necessarily. It could be what Cecil’s mother called ’em. “Snowglobe” is certainly what I’m familiar with, although I can see why the ones that have flat bases instead of pedestals, and are often not round when seen from above, either, would be called “snowdomes” instead. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaking-up-old-arguments/295299/47 "2011-04-21T14:42:12Z")
The current responses on Googlefight are: shake-em-ups 1,250,000 snowdomes 17,000 snowies 5,470 snow storms 261 snow globes 233 snow domes 179 waterballs 125 waterglobes 124 These numbers come with a big however, though. When you plug shake-em-ups into google image, you don’t get pictures of those little water filled things with scenes in them that you shake to make fake snow swirl around. You mostly get pictures of different people, with an occasional martini shaker. And the numbers are changing, so I think this thread is having a bit of an effect. Therefore: snowglobes! ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaking-up-old-arguments/295299/48 "2011-04-21T14:45:58Z")
> [@palindromemordnilap](#): > > I saw a movie where the main character called one of these things “Rosebud”. That was his last word on the subject. To be fair, that was his last word on _any_ subject. ---
**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:** [April 22, 2011, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaking-up-old-arguments/295299/49 "2011-04-22T05:09:53Z")
Another vote for “snow globes.” That’s what I’ve always heard. There’s a [Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_globe), too. Also lists alternative terms, but “shake-em ups,” which I’ve never heard before, is not one of them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shaking-up-old-arguments/295299.md?page=2)