The Straight Dope

Is it possible to be tickled to death? Maybe. Based on a study by Joost Merloo, one can laugh oneself to death, so why not death by tickling? Just remember, it takes two to tickle, so beware. You could get a murder rap while engaging in a tickle session.

Does Preparation H cure baggy eyes? After consulting a number of sphincters and the makers of Prep H, no, it’s just for shrinking hemorrhoidal tissue.

Have you ever been plagued by an odd question or curious about something obscure or even absurd? Let Cecil Adams, self-proclaimed “world’s smartest human being,” answer your off-beat queries in The Straight Dope (“Fighting Ignorance Since 1973”), a column that runs in many weekly newspapers and also has its own Web site. Every week, Cecil enlightens and entertains by providing glib yet well-researched answers to the weird questions keeping us up at night.