The Straight Dope 11/14/2003

The Straight Dope -- By Cecil Adams
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THE STRAIGHT DOPE 11/14/2003

Dear Cecil:

Did Grigory Potemkin, one of Russian empress Catherine the
Great's ministers, actually have elaborate fake villages
constructed for Catherine's tours of the Ukraine and the
Crimea? He allegedly had these "Potemkin villages" done in
order to give Catherine a false impression of peace and
prosperity in regions that in actuality were in turmoil
and great poverty. A great example of how advisers can snow
a decision maker, but did it really happen?
--George Ehlers, Huntsville, Alabama

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Cecil replies:

You all remember Catherine the Great, right? Supposedly this
woman not only mounted horses, she had horses mount her.
Just one problem: As this column established back in 1978,
the alleged equine trysts never took place. Same with
Potemkin villages. Catherine II, who ruled Russia from 1762
to '96, did indeed make a grand tour of the Ukraine and the
Crimea in 1787, and her former lover Prince Grigory
Aleksandrovich Potemkin did lean on the peons to spruce
things up in time for her arrival. Contrary to legend,
though, there's no evidence that he (or anyone else)
manufactured the phony villages that are now so firmly
linked to his name.

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/031114.html

STAFF REPORT

Dear Straight Dope:

How do the self-proclaimed psychics that you see on TV these
days seem so convincing when they talk to people's deceased
relatives? I understand the art of "cold reading," but some
so-called "hits" seem too specific to be lucky guesses.
Also, why hasn't a disgruntled ex-employee of these shows
ever exposed these frauds? Surely they could make a buck.
-- Dean Rutherford, Hailey, Idaho

SDSTAFF Dex replies:

A good question, and one that has been discussed with great
insight on the Straight Dope Message Board.

What's impressive about psychics is the number of times
people go to a reading, or watch one of those "hotline
to heaven" shows, and say, "He told us things he couldn't
possibly have known." Psychics and their fans say it's
evidence of genuine psychic ability. But keep a couple
things in mind. . .

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

STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC - 03/09/1984

Dear Cecil: 
A bunch of us were wondering where the term "86'd" comes
from. We know about "can it" and "deep six" ... but what
about "86"? --Scott K., Los Angeles

Dear Scott:  Cecil presumes you are using the term "86" to
mean "to put the kibosh on," generally said of some 
nusually retarded scheme or idea, such as anything thought
up by the sales department, the New York office, or that
turkey who's angling for your job.   

The term derives via a roundabout route from a number code
allegedly in wide use in 1920s diners and soda fountains.
86 supposedly meant, "We're all out of the item ordered,"
said by the cook or some other honcho to a soda jerk or
similar minion.  Why 86 and not, say, the square root of
2? The most plausible explanation I've heard. . .

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_291b.html
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