Straight Answers

I saw that Ronda Bumgardner resigned as your "Straight Answers" columnist. What's going to happen with the column? - Readers.

"Straight Answers" isn't going away. But we're making some changes in its length and its focus. The changes reflect a tightening of newsroom resources in tough economic times as well as a recognition of all the tools that readers these days have at their disposal to find out information.

First, some history. "Straight Answers" is a version of SAM, a column that began life as the Sentinel Answer Man, a feature in The Sentinel of Winston-Salem, N.C. When the paper closed in 1985, the column transferred to the Winston-Salem Journal - both were owned by Media General - and was renamed Straight-Answer Man. Its author for many years was David Watson. When he died in 2000, Bumgardner took over the column, and she became the Straight-Answer Ma'am. But behind the scenes, SAM has always had help with research, transcribing voicemail and writing answers. It's bigger than any one individual at the paper.

For many of the questions we receive, the answers are as close as your computer mouse. Others require digging and telephone calls. Those will be our first priority for the column.

The goal is the same as it always was, to give straight answers to your questions. We want to hear from you. Here's how to get in touch. By e-mail, AskSAM@wsjournal.com; by writing, Ask SAM, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. And you can find SAM on the Web at www.journalnow.com/asksam.

What are the dates in 2009 to cut wild onions in your yard? - E.L.

It's a sure sign that spring is on its way when readers start to ask when to mow wild onions. For years, this has been one of SAM's most-asked questions. Readers have written recently to ask for the information again.

Scientists dispute it, but many readers say that mowing onions (and other weeds) when the moon is in the proper astrological signs will keep them from coming back. The proper astrological signs are the barren signs of Leo, Gemini and Virgo. Leo, "a barren, fire sign ... favorable only for the destruction of noxious growth" is supposed to be the most effective. It is generally considered that the hotter the day, the better.

Blum's Farmer's and Planter's Almanac, which is published in Winston-Salem, says that the best days to destroy weeds this month are March 10, 11 and 12. Next month the best days will be April 7, 8, 9, 19 and 20.

You can find gardening signs for the rest of the year in the 2009 almanac. The almanacs have a distinctive red cover and are sold in hardware and grocery stores.

I was traveling recently and saw some artworks featuring "Loss Cat." Is that based on a real poster for a real lost cat? - D.B.

The "Loss Cat" poster is poignant in its misspelled depiction of Speckles, an appealing-looking cat peering from a window who is described as "limps, dirty, not tag.... Needs medicines. Foam."

The Web site at www.losscat.net deepens the sadness, saying that the fliers first appeared in Atlanta in 2001, and that despite all the attention it received nationwide, "Speckles is still AWOL."

Happily, however, according to the Savannah Morning News, this is a fictional poster. It is the work of Atlanta artist R. Land.

The 2005 newspaper story says that Land has been painting full time for more than 20 years. He gained more attention in 2004, when the Cartoon Network released Aqua Teen Hunger Force with a custom DVD package that Land designed.

Loss Cat has become something of a pop-culture icon.

Comedian Fred Armisen from Saturday Night Live uses Loss Cat as his pseudonym for guest appearances on Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

And the poster became the inspiration (and cover image) for a song by the band Eyeball Skeleton.