Here's the deal. In memory of our beloved, but now defunct, "Ask the Hedgehog" column, we put up Ask XXXX columns where we try to answer the questions of others. The funnier the questions, the better. I'll start with Ask Alex. The idea . . .

Here's the deal. In memory of our beloved, but now defunct, "Ask the Hedgehog" column, we put up Ask XXXX columns where we try to answer the questions of others. The funnier the questions, the better. I'll start with Ask Alex. The idea is that we have one column at a time until it dwindles away, then start up another as someone thinks about it. By having a group, people can be notified when a new one shows up (including me, chief addict!), but no one who's uninterested gets spammed. It's also moderated to limit content.

There's no set schedule, but I do insist that, if you're going to put up an Ask XXXX article, you be available to answer questions for at least three hours. If we haven't had one in a while, and you'd like one, write one. Or beg and plead someone funny who you think would be willing to write one. If this works, we never have to go without those answers to our burning questions again.

If it doesn't work, so what? Lots of groups go nowhere. Feel free to tell your interested friends since my friends list is relatively short.