The Straight Dope 04/22/2005

The Straight Dope -- By Cecil Adams
http://www.straightdope.com

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THE STRAIGHT DOPE 04/22/2005

Dear Cecil:

I was making fun of a colleague at work who has recently
returned to smoking cancer sticks. His retort was, "Yeah,
well, tall people die younger." Since I'm about 6-7, this
hit me right in the heart--which I suspect is the organ
at fault. Is his claim true? --Tom Slattery, via
e-mail

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Cecil replies:

You actually acknowledge the possibility this shrimp may
be right? Some might call that a very untall attitude.
The classic short-guy's-nightmare response would be more
like: Look, little man (that's how 6-2 George H. W. Bush
once referred to 5-10 Nicaraguan president Daniel
Ortega), everybody knows tall people, particularly tall
men, are not only healthier, they're more successful,
smarter, sexier, and more widely looked up to (duh, but
you see how heightist bias is embedded in the language).

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/050422.html

STAFF REPORT

Dear Straight Dope:

Did the three wise men actually come to visit Jesus when
he was born, as the myth says? If three wise men from the
Orient were willing to track down Jesus when he was born,
why wasn't there a conversion of faith where they were
from? It kind of seems like European ego boosting to me.
--Ben Reeves, Tempe, AZ 

SDSTAFF Euty replies:

Okey dokey, let's do a little deconstruction here.

First, let's look at the verses in question. Since it's
the most familiar, we'll use the King James version as
our jumping off point. Here's Matthew 2:1-12:

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the
days of Herod the king, behold, wise  men from the East
came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born
king of the   Jews? For we have seen his star in the
East, and have come to worship him." When Herod the  
king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with
him; and assembling all the chief priests  and scribes
of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was
to be born. They told him,  "In Bethlehem of Judea; for
so it is written by the prophet: 'And you, O Bethlehem,
in the land  of Judah, are by no means least among the
rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who  
will govern my people Israel.'" Then Herod summoned the
wise men secretly and ascertained  from them what time
the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying,
"Go and search  diligently for the child, and when you
have found him bring me word, that I too may come and  
worship him." When they had heard the king they went
their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the
East went before them, till it came to rest over the
place where the child was.   When they saw the star, they
rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the
house they  saw the child with Mary his mother, and they
fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their  
treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense
and myrrh. And being warned in a  dream not to return to
Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. 

We'll assume the story is true, although scholars
disagree about whether it actually happened or merely
symbolized Christian belief that Jesus was the King
before whom all other kings would bow down. Certainly the
episode has its fishy aspects. 

For more, see: 
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mwisemen.html

STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC - 06/20/1986

Dear Cecil: 

Does anyone know how to spell the "mad dog's" name? Time
spells it Muammar Gaddafi, the TV stations spell it
Moammar Khaddafi, and my roommate tells me she's seen it
spelled Qaddafi. Now all of a sudden there's a rush to
start spelling it Gadhafi. What's the deal? --S. Johnsen,
Chicago  

Cecil replies:  

Lord knows I hate to be critical, but the proliferation of 
spellings for the name of Libya's head dude has been one
of the continuing scandals of American journalism. I mean, 
come on, we're trying to plumb this guy's psychic depths 
and we can't even get his name straight? Sometimes I shudder
for the future of my country.  I count at least 12 different ways
to spell the colonel's handle, including Qaddhafi (New
York Review of Books), Qaddafi (New Republic), Gaddafi
(Time), Kaddafi (Newsweek), Khadafy (Maclean's), Qadhafi
(U.S. News & World Report), Qadaffi (Business Week), and
Gadaffi (World Press Review). Libya's UN mission, in an
effort to spread further confusion, spells the name
Qathafi, and I know I've seen Gadaafi somewhere. To make
matters worse, the Library of Congress and the Middle
East Studies Association, to whom one would ordinarily
look for guidance, have a fondness for Qadhdhafi, which
is an abomination unto God. I think you now begin to
grasp the dimensions of the problem. 

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_264b.html

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