Thursday, February 26, 2015
The Straight Dope Fighting Ignorance Since 1973 Cecil Adams
- Link to The Straight Dope
- Wikipedia - The Straight Dope & Cecil Adams
CECIL ADAMS?
"Cecil Adams is the worlds most intelligent human being. We know this because: (1) he knows everything, and (2) he is never wrong. How do we know that Cecil knows everything and is never wrong? Because he said so, and he would never lie to us ... more"
It sounds as convincing as Stone Colds famous bark (And thats the bottom line! Cause Stone Cold said so!)!
According to Wikipedia, "Cecil Adams is a name, generally assumed to be a pseudonym, which designates the unknown author or authors of The Straight Dope..."
THE STRAIGHT DOPE?
The Straight Dope is a popular question-and-answer newspaper column published in the Chicago Reader (an alternative weekly), syndicated in thirty newspapers in the United States and Canada, and available online. The column derives its name from the American idiom meaning roughly "the honest truth" and covers practically any subject. History, science, old wives tales, urban legends and inventions are among the most frequently recurring topics. The column appears under the tagline "FIGHTING IGNORANCE SINCE 1973 (ITS TAKING LONGER THAN WE THOUGHT) (Source)."
"Billed as the "Worlds Smartest Human Being", Cecil Adams responds in this popular column to often unusual inquiries with abrasive humor (often directed against the questioner), and at times exhaustive research into obscure and arcane issues, urban legends, and the like. On more than one occasion, Cecil has been forced to retract an answer or at least modify it substantially when confronted by "the teeming millions", which he does in a gentlemanly and good-humored manner, often claiming overwork and staff shortages" ...more
JUICE?
Whether he is the worlds most intelligent (or funniest) human being or not, is certainly questionable, but I believe his columns provides us with a wonderful opportunity to engage our reflective thinking and tickle our creative minds to ask questions that we often take for granted, or dont bother figuring out (Right Brain activity!). You never know, such unusual inquiries (Think-out-of-the-class!) could actually spark the next great idea, invention or innovation. Here are some of these unusual questions answered by Cecil Adams that might tickle you to explore The Straight Dope site further:
- Why are races always run in a counterclockwise direction?
- Does smoking have any health benefits?
- If Pluto is a dog, what is Goofy?
- Whats the best way to kill cockroaches?
- Why do we sleep?
Also, check out the sites active message boards and FAQs (Really funny!). Finally, if you want to ask him a question, click here!
Actually, what I really like about this resource is not Cecil Adams answers, but all the unusual and funny questions asked by people. Some of these questions (creatively adapted!) are great to loosen up the students and get them ready for more serious discussions related to the subject. Hey, why dont we ask the so called boring questions in a more creative manner. Add some spice!
Cecil Adams, if you are really the "Worlds Smartest Human Being!", I believe you should be able to discover this blog, and answer me this simple, but important question:
Why Do Monkeys Eat Bananas?
