Dear Matthew Alice: A friend of mine has pointed out that at the shooting range of the San Diego Police Department all of the silhouettes the police practice shooting at are black. She maintains that …
April 29, 1999
Straight from the Hip
Archived articles
Are all police dept silhouettes that are used on shooting ranges black?
Why can't you flip a video cassette and use the other side?
Dearest Matt: Why can you flip over an audio cassette and use the other side, but you can't do that with a videotape? -- Reese, San Diego Reese, my friend, you can't flip over an …
April 29, 1999
Why is there an expiration date on sour cream?
Hey, Matt: Why, why, WHY is there an expiration date on sour cream? It's already sour. -- JBee, Encinitas It's already a little sour. After three weeks or so, it gets reeeeeeely sour. Then the …
April 29, 1999
What is the combined load capacity of all the pickups in SD county?
Matthew Alice: I'm new to San Diego, having just moved here from England. There seems to be a fascination with pickup trucks here, but I've yet to see one carrying a load. What is the …
April 22, 1999
Were there any quarters produced in 1975?
Matt: My son is four. He loves to earn quarters. While sorting through his cache of coins, I was trying to put together a sentimental set of one quarter from each year since my birth …
April 22, 1999
What happens to un-purchased milk?
I was buying milk at the grocery the other day when I realized a habit of mine. There's always "newer" milk mixed in with the older milk, y'know? There's milk that's due to spoil a …
April 22, 1999
Can you make a list of the steepest streets in San Diego?
Matt: Would you do a favor for all us bike riders and make a list of the steepest streets in San Diego? -- A. Rider, San Diego Dear Matthew Alice: What are the steepest street …
Who was the original April Fool?
Matt: Who was the original April Fool? Where did the day come from? -- The Weaver Family, La Mesa Nobody's positive, but best evidence says it was a Frenchman. It's 1564, and the French king …
April 15, 1999
Why isn't there keg beer in Mexico?
Why is there no keg beer in Mexico? -- S.B. in Clairemont Ah but there is, my friend. Not much, but some. In a few big Mexican clubs, mostly. Especially those run by Americans. Both …
April 15, 1999
What does evolution have against the tail?
Matthew: I was lying awake the other night wondering where tails went. Almost all of the dinosaurs had tails -- tails aplenty, tails to write home about, even the fast and agile dinosaurs, for whom …
April 1, 1999
Why does raspberry syrup become "globby" when added to coffee?
Dear Mr. Alice: I am a barista at a local coffeehouse. Among the common items one finds on our menu are flavored syrups used to enhance the various coffee drinks: vanilla, hazelnut, and so forth. …
April 1, 1999