What mountain is depicted in the Paramount logo? Why do women laugh hysterically?
Dear Cecil: Would like some enlightenment on the following: (1) Which is the mountain depicted in the logo of Paramount Pictures? (2) Why do women laugh hysterically? — Rajeev Balakrishnan, Hyderabad, India I turned this one over to my assistant Jill, thinking to hone her skills on a couple softballs. She riposted as follows: (1) Mount Everest. (2) Because of men. “Now, Jill,” I said, “millions rely on the Straight Dope as their primary information resource. We mustn’t settle for the cheap laugh. Are you sure you’ve thoroughly explored these answers?” “Well,” she said, “I could be wrong about Mount Everest.” One despairs. However, as it turned out, the identity of the mountain was the weak link of the entire investigation. (And yes, I know it doesn’t make any conceivable difference. It’s the principle of thing.) The people we initially spoke to at Paramount thought it was Mount Everest, but we strongly suspected these people had no idea whatsoever. (This is a common phenomenon in the e
