The Straight Dope: What’s so awful about nails on a chalkboard?

[View this message as a web page]( [The Straight Dope]( 10/20/2017 Dear Cecil: There are certain sounds that drive us batty. For many people, it's nails on a chalkboard. For me, it’s the squeaking sound of styrofoam. What causes this reaction? — Brepark, via the Straight Dope Message Board Cecil replies: I’ve gotta say, it’s a tribute to the unique awfulness of the sound made by nails on a chalkboard that we’re even still talking about it — when was the last time you saw a chalkboard, anyway? Back in 2000, dry-erase whiteboards were reportedly outselling the traditional blackboard four to one; by now the latter is practically a relic. Here at the Straight Dope, though, we’ve stayed on the case for 30 years. For more, see: [( STRAIGHT DOPE STAFF REPORT — 04/19/1999 Dear Straight Dope: I consider myself pretty hip. I'm fairly in tune with my generation of fellow twenty-somethings. I know the difference between Beck and Montovani. So why is it that, when everytime I run into one of these "Church of the SubGenius" sites on the web, I have absolutely no clue as to what the hell its getting at? What's the deal with these kooks? I can fathom the put-up of sci-fi doomsday cults, but the overall tenor of weirdness just boggles me. You've managed to debunk Dungeons and Dragons for us. Now how about putting these specimens under the microscope? — bergevb@bsk.com SDStaff Eutychus replies: If you're just running into this kind of stuff on the web, you haven't been paying attention. Ever watch "Pee-Wee's Playhouse?" Take a look at his bulletin board usually right before he hops on his bicycle at the end of the show. You'll see a black and white picture of a grinning, pipe smoking man, That's Bob. Watch "Rugrats?" Catch the repeated references such as "as Bob is my witless" or "children are a gift from a Bob." It's much more prevalent than you may think. For more, see: [( STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC — 05/13/2005 Dear Cecil: Many years ago I was told there were Nike missile sites along the Chicago lakefront. Supposedly they were scattered from Grant Park to somewhere north of Lincoln Park, and consisted of underground bunkers that would open to let the launching platform rise up and fire the missile. Was that a cold war urban legend? — Larry Cywin, Gainesville, Florida Cecil replies: Nope, that was cold war reality. Chicago's lakeside rockets were more conspicuous than most, but in the 1950s and '60s more than 50 U.S. cities, military bases, etc., were surrounded by Nike missile batteries, the better to fend off Soviet bombers. Soviet bombers, you say? For more, see: [( YOUR AD HERE! Your direct line to thousands of the smartest, hippest people on the planet, plus a few total dipsticks. For rates and details contact Rich at [rhummel@suntimes.com](. Copyright © 2017 Sun-Times Media, LLC. This email was sent by The Straight Dope, Sun-Times Media, LLC., 350 N. Orleans, 10th Floor, Chicago, IL 60654 [Unsubscribe/update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. To change or update your newsletter subscription preferences, or to unsubscribe from all Chicago Reader and Straight Dope newsletters and promotional communications, [click here](. Please allow 72 hours for this change to take effect.