# Straight Dope turns 38 years old today **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 2, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-turns-38-years-old-today/569931 "2011-02-02T19:32:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-turns-38-years-old-today/569931/1 "2011-02-02T19:32:04Z")
[The First Straight Dope Column](http://www.straightdope.com/pages/faq/firstcolumn) appeared on this day exactly 38 years ago. Although since Chicago has been covered under a few meters of snow, I suspect Ed Zotti, Cecil’s most recent editor, has been fighting for survival today in his “Ice House” (nee “Barn House”) and may not have had much time to celebrate. My contribution has been to plant a question comparing the vacation possibilities of the French Riviera and Acapulco – hopefully this give assistants Una and Fierra a nice break from their usual assignments. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-turns-38-years-old-today/569931/2 "2011-02-03T00:29:08Z")
Only fitting that this would be noticed by you, [del]member #114[/del] **whitetho**. Since the earliest Boards, you’ve always been there. You were perhaps the first to cause Cecil to re-examine one of his columns, causing him to coin the expression(paraphrased) “C’mere, Little Ed, we have to talk…” I’m not aware of any member who has supported Cecil more than you have. You always talk positively about Cecil and his mission. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-turns-38-years-old-today/569931/3 "2011-02-04T00:59:07Z")
> [@whitetho](#): > > My contribution has been to plant a question comparing the vacation possibilities of the French Riviera and Acapulco – hopefully this give assistants Una and Fierra a nice break from their usual assignments. Well, we just got off a plane we shared with the cheerleading squad from a professional football team…seriously. That was a nice break. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-turns-38-years-old-today/569931/4 "2011-02-04T01:18:35Z")
Along with the date, I think the mods/admins deserve recognition as well. All that hard work and aggravation for no pay? No way **I’d** do it. Thanks to all of you! Quasi ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-turns-38-years-old-today/569931/5 "2011-02-04T04:23:11Z")
And California’s State Flag (you know, the one with the extinct bear on it?) is [one hundred years old today](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_California). The bear’s name is “Monarch” wouldn’tyaknow. Perhaps the Perfect Master will show how the two events are tied together? ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-turns-38-years-old-today/569931/6 "2011-02-04T09:51:11Z")
I was born October 1st 1974. Could it be that The Dope and I twinkled into being simultaneously? ETA: Nevermind. I’m a year off. I could have sworn the shirt said 1974, but I haven’t worn it in awhile. And I didn’t even catch that I only turn 37 this year and not 38. Damn you deductive/math skillz. Damn you. ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-turns-38-years-old-today/569931/7 "2011-02-04T15:07:41Z")
> [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](#): > > I was born October 1st 1974. Could it be that The Dope and I twinkled into being simultaneously? > > ETA: Nevermind. I’m a year off. I could have sworn the shirt said 1974, but I haven’t worn it in awhile. And I didn’t even catch that I only turn 37 this year and not 38. Damn you deductive/math skillz. Damn you. But today isn’t October 1st anyway. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-turns-38-years-old-today/569931/8 "2011-02-04T18:34:38Z")
But it’s close enough to 9 months prior to 0ctober 1st for a bad attempt at gestational humor…