# Why does the G.Q. Forum have this description? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 12, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084 "2013-02-12T15:41:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/1 "2013-02-12T15:41:39Z")
Main SDMB page descriptor for G.Q. is as follows: > [@](#): > > General Questions > Got a factual question for the Teeming Millions (and possibly Cecil) to consider? Post it here. When is the last time Cecil replied to a question posted in G.Q. ? How many times since we migrated from AOL has Cecil replied to a question posted in G.Q. ? And so we’re not splitting hairs, since the text reads " and possibly Cecil ", I’m not asking when his minion has. I’m asking when He has, since his name is invoked. If the answer is never, perhaps an edit of what posters can expect from G.Q. is in order? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/2 "2013-02-12T15:52:58Z")
Technically, that description does not say that Cecil will answer the question in GQ. It says that he will possibly consider it. The use of “possibly” covers all bases. It includes that he won’t consider it. And there have been several of the weekly Cecil columns in which Ed or Una have answered a question that originated in a GQ question. Cecil is whoever is doing the work and writing the column that appears under that name. That also is a truthful response to the wording. Is the wording overly coy? Of course. But so’s the whole Cecil persona by now. You might as well call the column Hi Opal. Traditions and brandings are idiomatic: they don’t have to make logical sense. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/3 "2013-02-12T15:56:09Z")
I get it, I’m a '99er. But at this point it seems disingenuous. And is the grammar hiding the truth? Yes. Michelle Obama might consider your post. Mark Wahlberg might. Charles Manson might. Anyone with Internet access _might_. Cecil is mentioned because it makes readers think that He might not only read and consider but reply. Hence my O.P. And, we’ve all been warned not to post " Hi, Opal " and so we do not. Especially when we’ve just moved from the 2nd of a list and have to compose the 3rd item. That’s been made clear to be a very very very bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/4 "2013-02-12T16:03:00Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Charles Manson might. Anyone with Internet access _might_. Surely Charley doesn’t have internet access, right?:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/5 "2013-02-12T16:06:03Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > And, we’ve all been warned not to post " Hi, Opal " and so we do not. Especially when we’ve just moved from the 2nd of a list and have to compose the 3rd item. That’s been made clear to be a very very very bad idea. 1. We have? 2. Cite? 3. Hi, Opal. I do remember we’re not supposed to invoke any sort of “buck-eye” variant comment towards her. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/6 "2013-02-12T16:08:30Z")
There are 23 Straight Dope columns by Cecil Adams [attributed to questions from the SDMB](https://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl=en&safe=off&tbo=d&q=%22via+the+straight+dope%22++%22cecil+replies%22+site%3Awww.straightdope.com&oq=%22via+the+straight+dope%22++%22cecil+replies%22+site%3Awww.straightdope.com&gs_l=serp.12...124588.129505.0.131380.16.16.0.0.0.0.159.1224.13j3.16.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1.2.serp.pZoSAf_pMIQ). I didn’t take the time to cross reference each one of them with the corresponding post on the message board, but I am confident most of them came from GQ. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/7 "2013-02-12T16:12:33Z")
The forum description is there to inform people that Cecil might use their questions as the basis for a column if the thread topic is interesting enough. He’s done that at least a few times. Here are some examples: [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2993/](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2993/) > **[“A plane is standing on a runway. …” No, it’s not. Here’s why.](https://www.straightdope.com/21343763/a-plane-is-standing-on-a-runway-no-it-s-not-here-s-why)** > **[What the heck is “leetspeek?”](https://www.straightdope.com/21343563/what-the-heck-is-leetspeek)** > **[“A plane is standing on a runway. …” No, it’s not. Here’s why.](https://www.straightdope.com/21343763/a-plane-is-standing-on-a-runway-no-it-s-not-here-s-why)** He’s hardly ever posted in GQ. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/8 "2013-02-12T16:13:45Z")
Nicely Google’d !! **Drunky Smurf** , I’ve been Searching for the cite. Unfortunately, there are billions ( 😃 ) of posts that contain the prohibited words and yet I can’t find the warning against it. I didn’t mean to say it was a banning offense, but back in the day when it was mighty popular, I do remember a Mod or Admin warning us off of continuing to use it. Lemme check the various rules per Forum and see if it’s listed in there. ETA: **Marley** thank you. I did a search by His name for posts going back 10 years and almost all of them are Comments on his own column. A few smatterings in MPSIMS and one I saw in G.D. Look, I only point it out because in the descriptor for G.Q. that little tease is used. Yes, it’s true, he could go in and post to anyone’s thread. But he’s got precious little time to expend surfing the boards ! ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/9 "2013-02-12T16:19:50Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The forum description is there to inform people that Cecil might use their questions as the basis for a column if the thread topic is interesting enough. He’s done that at least a few times. Here are some examples: > > [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2993/](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2993/) > > [“A plane is standing on a runway. …” No, it’s not. Here’s why. - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2642/a-plane-is-standing-on-a-runway-no-its-not-heres-why) > > [What the heck is “leetspeek?” - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2432/what-the-heck-is-leetspeek) > > [“A plane is standing on a runway. …” No, it’s not. Here’s why. - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2642/a-plane-is-standing-on-a-runway-no-its-not-heres-why) > > He’s hardly ever posted in GQ. The first cite you gave, [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2993/](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2993/) , is signed by gfactor. Not Cecil Adams. Are you stating that gfactor is Cecil Adams ? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/10 "2013-02-12T16:21:10Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Yes, it’s true, he could go in and post to anyone’s thread. But he’s got precious little time to expend surfing the boards ! That’s what Little Ed is for. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/11 "2013-02-12T16:26:58Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > **Drunky Smurf** , I’ve been Searching for the cite. Unfortunately, there are billions ( 😃 ) of posts that contain the prohibited words and yet I can’t find the warning against it. There isn’t one. People have probably been told (or even warned) to knock it off with that stuff because Dopers are experts at running jokes into the ground, and some of the buckeye stuff became borderline (or not so borderline) harassment of **OpalCat**. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone was told “Enough with ‘Hi Opal’ already” at some point, but there’s no blanket rule against either. People frequently misunderstand instructions like these. > [@"The Usual Suspects"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-usual-suspects/564961/69): > > That’s my understanding. Some folks took it way too far and were basically pursuing the user in question about the board, trying to bait said user repeatedly after the subject had been long dropped. It was obnoxious behavior by a few that was addressed as such. > [@Cartooniverse](#): > > The first cite you gave, [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2993/](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2993/) , is signed by gfactor. Not Cecil Adams. > > Are you stating that gfactor is Cecil Adams ? No, I just didn’t read that one carefully enough. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/12 "2013-02-12T16:31:09Z")
Interesting, I’d no recollection of any ugliness regarding **OpalCat** or anyone following her around. I believe you 100% that it was handled in a non-formal way. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/13 "2013-02-12T16:37:51Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Interesting, I’d no recollection of any ugliness regarding **OpalCat** or anyone following her around. It’s not really worth remembering. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/14 "2013-02-12T18:21:10Z")
It’s to trick people into joining, don’t you know? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/15 "2013-02-12T18:42:43Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > The first cite you gave, [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2993/](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2993/) , is signed by gfactor. Not Cecil Adams. > > Are you stating that gfactor is Cecil Adams ? > [@Marley23](#): > > No… Too late! You’ve already revealed Cecil’s true identity! ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/16 "2013-02-12T19:41:46Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Interesting, I’d no recollection of any ugliness regarding **OpalCat** or anyone following her around. I believe you 100% that it was handled in a non-formal way. It wasn’t really people following her around as so much as people popping into a thread **just** to say something referencing buck-eyes the cookies, which she had mentioned in some thread or other that the name of the cookie bugged her, and not actually say anything about the topic of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/17 "2013-02-12T19:55:35Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Surely Charley doesn’t have internet access, right?:dubious: Charley don’t surf? ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/18 "2013-02-12T20:07:03Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Charley don’t surf? Of course not. That’s why we’re taking the beach from him! ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/19 "2013-02-12T20:51:04Z")
I love the smell of napalm in the morning… it smells like… Victory !!! Poor example. I would guess that Charlie doesn’t surf. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084/20 "2013-02-12T21:17:36Z")
I don’t know what the problem is. Cecil answers all my questions directly. You just have to use the special … nm, I’ve said too much. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-g-q-forum-have-this-description/650084.md?page=2)