Hi! Arnold here.

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Dopefest 27 April 2008

Arnold Winkelried, member of the “Straight Dope Message Board”, welcomes you to his site.

What is “The Straight Dope”?

Hi! My name’s Arnold Winkelried. Of course, it’s not my real name, but the pseudonym that I use at the “Straight Dope Message Board”. I’m one of the members of the message board, which can answer the bizarre or hard-to-answer questions that you may have. You’ll find at the board many intelligent people that may have an answer for you.

The Straight Dope

You should also read the articles written by Cecil Adams, the author of the newspaper column “The Straight Dope”. His answers are often funny and always instructive. Here’s an example of some of the topics covered in his column (the articles are available online at the website):

Why do pigeons bob their heads?
If all one billion Chinese jumped at once, would the earth be thrown out of its orbit?
Why does Heinz ketchup say "57 varieties"? I only see one variety
Did a French vaudeville star once specialize in trained flatulence?
Did dinosaurs have a separate brain in their behinds?
Where are all the baby pigeons?
Is the Great Wall of China the only manmade object you can see from space?
Can hair turn white overnight from fright?
In "Star Trek," what exactly are "star dates"?
If aircraft "black boxes" are indestructible, why can't the whole plane be made from the same material?
Who invented the smiley face?
Why do older men have hair growing in their noses and ears?
Is Einstein's brain kept in a bottle in a small-town doctor's office near Kansas City?
Can a Munchkin be seen committing suicide in The Wizard of Oz?
Will poppy-seed bagels cause you to fail a drug test?

Why choose the name Arnold Winkelried?

Ludwig Vogel: Die Eidgenossen bei der Leiche Winkelrieds, 1841
Oel auf Leinwand, 134 x 158 cm, Oeffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel, Kunstmuseum (632)
(follow this link for a larger reproduction of this painting)

Flag of Switzerland

You may wonder why I choose the nom de plume Arnold Winkelried? It’s because I’m a Swiss citizen, and Arnold Winkelried is a Swiss hero (not as well known as Guillaume Telll outside of Switzerland, but with an equally interesting story). You can read the tale of the mighty dead of Arnold Winkelried here: Winkelried’s Death at the Battle of Sempach, 1386. Another, more romantic version, is presented at this site: “The Battle of Sempach.”, Charlotte M. Yonge (1823-1901)

Flag of the canton of Fribourg (the canton in which I lived in Switzerland)

Amnesty International

I am also a member of the international human rights group Amnesty International, and participate actively in the local group in my part of the world (Orange County, California, USA). Join Amnesty International now!

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