The Straight Dope: Umbrella represents political weakness?

[View this message as a web page] [The Straight Dope] 06/03/2016 Dear Cecil: In news footage of President Obama in Havana, you could see him holding his own umbrella while walking in the rain. I remember reading somewhere that world leaders never hold their own umbrella for fear of identification with Neville Chamberlain, the umbrella-carrying British prime minister who opted for appeasement in dealing with Hitler, with spectacularly unsuccessful results. Was there ever such an unwritten rule? Did Obama not get the memo? Or is he a secret Chamberlain fan? — George Mannes Cecil replies: Are you kidding? Of course he’s a secret Chamberlain fan. You’re talking about the guy who (to hear some leading political thinkers tell it) embarked on an international “apology tour” in his first term, who “led from behind” in Libya, who introduced a policy of “appeasement” — that’s the term Jeb Bush used — with respect to Iran, and who practically gave away the store to Raul Castro. “The Neville Chamberlain of our time,” said Bush’s co-failed presidential candidate Lindsey Graham. Why, it’s almost as if, thanks to his rolling over for foreign foes, it’s Obama (and not, say, the GOP itself) who’s laid the groundwork for the rise to power of a nativist, proto-fascist demagogue who — For more, see: [ STRAIGHT DOPE STAFF REPORT — 02/15/2000 Dear Straight Dope: You've come to the rescue before by sorting out garbled lyrics to rock songs and whatnot. Now I need you to help me sort out a song that's been bugging me for years. I finally learned the true meaning of the confusing lines at the beginning of the Flintstones theme song ["Let's ride with the family down the street / THROUGH THE COURTESY OF FRED'S TWO FEET ..."], but I'm still baffled by a garbled line that is sung at the conclusion of the show. It sounds like "From the Davy Crackle win the fight / then the cat will stay out for the night ..." The part about the cat I get, but who the heck is Davy Crackle? — rastahomie SDStaff McCaffertA replies: I worked with heavy equipment and explosives for several years, and I can't hear, either … how'd it happen to you? The words you are trying to make out are "Some day, maybe Fred will win the fight." Here's the whole theme song, near as we can make it out: Flintstones, meet the Flintstones, They're a modern stone age family. … For more, see: [ STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC — 12/27/2002 Dear Cecil: No quotation dictionary gives the origin of the common phrase "Elvis has left the building." Who said it first? — Nicole A., Palo Alto, CA Cecil replies: Funny you should ask. The guy who said it just left the building himself. Horace Lee Logan, founder and longtime producer of Louisiana Hayride, the country-music radio show that gave Elvis his big break, died October 13 at age 86. 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 © 2016 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.