Al Ruechel, Your Technology

The Straight Dope is the brain child of one Cecil Adams, a newspaper columnist claims to know the answer to every question. Adams has put his articles together for a Web site.

For example, he talks about the classic Chuck Berry song "Johnny B. Goode." No, it never became a No. 1 hit, though it is probably the signature song of the early days of rock 'n' roll.

The song peaked at No. 8.

Look on the home page to "Ask Cecil," and select "Straight Dope archive." There are pages and pages of questions Cecil has answered for readers since 1984, like "Why do pigeons bob their heads? Because it helps them balance when walking, or does it help them with depth perception?" Apparently, both.

"Does the U.S. Government keep alien space shps at Area 51?" No. Technically, there is no Area 51, though there is an area on a grid map numbered 51.

Under recent classic columns is the question, "Is there such thing as a left-handed cat?" Yep, it has been tested. Like people, feline southpaws are in the minority.

"What's better for the environment: electric hand dryers or paper towels?" The answer: Electric dryers. Making paper towels, cutting the trees, packaging the towels and transporting them costs more than a hand dryer. Scientific studies prove it.

"Why do wet things look darker than dry things?" The answer: When something is wet, light bounces around inside the moisture on the surface more than when it is dry. The more light is absorbed, the darker the object appears.

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