The Straight Dope 12/20/2002

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The Straight Dope -- By Cecil Adams
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THE STRAIGHT DOPE 12/20/2002

Dear Cecil:

A while back I read an article about how sperm may be an
antidepressant for people who ingest it in one way or
another. But that's not my question. What interests me is
that a few months later, I read an article about the
scientist who proposed that theory. He said what started him
down that line of thinking was that he read a study about
how cohabiting lesbians' menstrual cycles don't sync up. He
theorized it was because of their lack of sperm ingestion.
Last I heard (but I have been out of Catholic school for
over 17 years), nuns in a convent don't ingest sperm, yet
their menstrual cycles sync up. So what's the deal with
cohabiting lesbians? --Gordon, Brooklyn, NY

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Cecil replies:

Whoa. So many opportunities here for . . . well, I was going
to say "tasteless remarks," but in discussions like this
even the most innocuous comment can get you into trouble. So
never mind that--and while you're at it, forget about
cohabiting lesbians, sperm ingestion, and nuns. The real
news is that menstrual synchrony, first proposed in the
world of science more than 30 years ago and now widely
accepted as fact, may be nothing but a misperception.

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/021220.html


STAFF REPORT

Dear Straight Dope:

As I'm delving further into the Old Testament, I'm noticing
something--I recall a tradition (probably Catholic, so
correct me if I'm wrong) regarding the ranks of angels,
cherubim, seraphim, and so on. If there's rank in heaven,
then this implies inequality in the spirit world, and while
we're at it, if archangels are the warriors ( I know St.
Michael is up there) then this would imply the good angels
would have to PHYSICALLY FIGHT demons to get them out of
heaven. Granted I haven't gotten very far into the
scriptures yet, but I'm wondering where these traditions
came from since I haven't seen them mentioned yet. While I
don't expect the definitive answer on this, perhaps you can
tell me how and why these traditions got started and who
started them. Just how do angels and demons allegedly get
their stripes? What is the order of ranks among the angels?
--Just Curious Ted

SDSTAFF Dex replies:

Seeing as it's Christmas Eve, I bet you're also going to
want to know about the famous angel Hark, as in, "Hark, the
herald angel, sings." Patience, lad. All will be explained
in the fullness of time.

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


STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC - 08/17/1973

Dear Cecil: 

In reading I have come across a reference to "felo-de-se,"
which seems from the context to mean "suicide"--but I'm not
sure. Can you help? --D.C., Los Angeles  

Dear D.:
 
"Felo-de-se" is a Latin phrase meaning "evildoer upon
himself," or, simply, a suicide. In England before 1870 a
distinction was made between a suicide, which was the name
given to an act of self- destruction committed by a person
of unsound mind, and a felo-de-se, which was committed
somebody who was sane. If a self-destruction was judged a
felo-de-se, the deceased's estate was generally forfeited to
the crown. England has had some interesting suicide laws.

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_139.html

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