...I could use your help.

My daughter, who thinks I'm pretty much the smartest guy around (I've got her bulled but that's another matter), came to me for the answer to a riddle she heard that is bugging her tremendously. It's one of these little things that makes the (endless) rounds on the net and, in this case, did not include an answer.

I was forced to admit to her that, although the wording did ring a distant bell, I could not provide an answer.


The riddle - What is it that meets all the following:

1. It's greater than God,
2. It's more evil than the devil,
3. The poor have it,
4. The rich need it, and
5. If you eat it, you die.


With the internet being the inherently flawed communications system it is, I strongly suspect that this is a mangled version of something making a bit more sense. The last three items are what seem familiar and it wouldn't surprise me to learn that the first two were mis-transplanted from some other riddle.

The best answer I can come up with is "ignorance" but, as answers go, that is far less than 100% satisfying. I am willing to bet that someone on this board has heard this one before and can supply an answer.

Hmmm?

A little private message here, CJ

Oh for heaven's sake, everyone here has been so crabby lately that we deserve a little comic relief. What is the answer?

Eager to find the answer to the riddle, I did a Google search, but I have to report that I found nothing.

I found nothing also!

I tried to post and then tried to edit.

When I got back the entire thread had gone!

Richard English

I agree with Jerry and haberdasher...

Nothing!

Ros

next to nothing: a very little. As, "It will cost next to nothing," "He eats next to nothing."

CJ's so brilliant that I'm next to nothing when I stand next to him.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hic et ubique:
CJ's so superior that I'm next to nothing (when compared to him).

---

!!!?

Where did that come from?

I've been away for about a week (and, believe it or not, not even popping in for the occasional non-logged-in peek) and things certainly seem to have changed!

We're getting crabby, are we? And Shufitz, in the past whenever someone has PT'ed me, I received an email notice of that PT but I've received none recently. If you posted a private topic message my way, I haven't seen it.


I'm sorry to report that I do not have the answer to this stupid riddle although I do have a dinner date with my daughter and her mother (my ex) tonight. Unfortunately I will have to report to them that I was unable to come up with the answer to this particular poser which will shake my daughter's confidence in her ol' man's grey matter and, conversely, confirm my ex's opinion that she got out when the gettin' was good.

Thanks all for trying.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hic et ubique:
CJ's so brilliant that I'm next to nothing when I stand next to him.

---

Hic editted his post while I wrote mine but I'm still not sure I get it.

I haven't inadvertently pissed you off, have I, Hic, ol' buddy, ol' pal?

CJ

Don't you understand nothing?

[This message was edited by jerry thomas on Thu Jul 31st, 2003 at 11:32.]

OK, first off, while I don't know why I didn't get an email notification of the PT, I did manage to wander into that section of this site to confirm that, yes, once again, it is Shufitz who takes top honors grey-matter-wise. (It usually seems to be a toss-up between him & Arnie most times, anyway.)

The correct answer has been received and will be relayed to my dinner guests tonight. My daughter's admiration for her Dad's smarts, (however, at times, unjustified) will be restored and I'll once again be able to put on "Just-look-at-what-you're-missin'" airs to my ex. God Bless the Internet!


Oh, and I am positive that there are at least three (probably six) Wordcrafters presently in possession of the correct answer, maybe more depending on Shu's willingness and/or ability to keep a secret from Kalleh.

quote:

---

Originally posted by C J Strolin:
I haven't inadvertently pissed you off, have I, Hic, ol' buddy, ol' pal?

---

Hell no, buddy! I suspect that if you I got together, we'd be regaling each other with stories far into the night. My only beef with you is that we don't see you here more often.

quote:

---

in the past whenever someone has PT'ed me, I received an email notice of that PT but I've received none recently

---

Yes, CJ, same here. I had alerted Sarah, and I made an announcement in Community that every so often people may want to check their My Pop section.

quote:

---

maybe more depending on Shu's willingness and/or ability to keep a secret from Kalleh

---

The old meany always makes me figure them out for myself!

A postnote:

Dinner was uneventful. Neither I nor my ex "got lucky" which, in all reality, is probably lucky for both of us. Plus I was denied the pleasure of being the head smart-ass at the table since she had also come up with the correct answer and, predictably, from the same place as well - the net.

I did mention, however, that several Wordcrafters had told me the answer, loud and clear, in such a way that I missed it completely and my ex thinks you're all pretty clever. Anyone wishing to be set up with said ex... No, hang on. That would be just too weird.


So what is there left to say?

Nothing...


(See you all in about a month.)

[This message was edited by C J Strolin on Fri Aug 1st, 2003 at 13:56.]