Here's another question from my inquisitive space monkey, Kyle 2/12/01

    How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

    Well I figured this question was inevitable. Okay let's examine this question step by step. First of all what the heck is a wood chuck? Technically a woodchuck is: wood·chuck (w‹d“ch¾k”) n. A common burrowing rodent (Marmota monax) of northern and eastern North America, having a short-legged, heavy-set body and grizzled brownish fur. Also called groundhog. Regional: whistle pig. [By folk etymology, probably of New England Algonquian origin.] So basically it's a groundhog.

    Now what is chucking? Once again technically it is: chuck1 (ch¾k) tr.v. chucked, chuck·ing, chucks. 1. To pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin. 2.a. To throw or toss: chucked stones into the water. And I always thought it meant to throw up... I guess you learn something every day.

    So the question is how many trees can a groundhog throw? This question is absurd since there's no way a "whistle pig" could throw trees unless they are some kind of uber (super) groundhog. Though there is the second definition of chuck meaning to pat or squeeze... I could maybe see ground hogs rubbing up against a tree once and a while. Those groundhogs are dirty animals... So if the question is how many trees a groundhog can grope?" I bet they could probably do at least 5 a day. Hey, they may be pesky but I don't see them as very quick animals. There now the age old question is answered and we can never bring it up again. Kind of makes you think twice about the meaning of tongue twisters.