Matt: In my ponderings, accompanied by snacks, I've often wondered why our stomachs can digest everything from cake to goat meat, but it doesn't digest itself. How come? -- Eating and Wondering, San Marcos Matmail: …
February 18, 1999
Straight from the Hip
Archived articles
Why doesn't our stomach digest itself?
Is Paul from The Wonder Years really Marilyn Manson?
Greetings: Could it be true that the sweet geek Paul from The Wonder Years is now the ever-disturbing Marilyn Manson? We heard this nasty rumor. Could your li'l elves investigate this for us? -- Paul's …
February 18, 1999
Is it legal not to mention the "fine print?"
To: [email protected] Subject: gyms I recently terminated my membership at the [name omitted] gym and was outraged that they are charging me for two months of fees beyond my cancellation date. They say they are …
February 4, 1999
Can you be arrested for shooting/killing an alien (ET)?
Señor Mattolio: Some questions people ask you are pretty weird. I have one that you'll probably think is weird, but I think it could happen, because people from other planets or from somewhere in space …
January 28, 1999
Can birds smell?
Matt: I was contemplating my parakeet the other morning when my wife was cooking something very aromatic, and it occurred to me -- can birds smell? I've never seen Woody sniff his dish of seeds …
January 28, 1999
Does the volcano in Pahoa, Hawaii have an effect on electronics?
Matthew: I was on vacation in Pahoa, on the island of Hawaii, recently, and I had trouble with my camera. Sometimes the autofocus wouldn't work, or the shutter. A resident of the town told me …
January 21, 1999
When you sneeze, how long can germs live outside the body?
Dear Matthew: Of course, I don't have any germs (and if I did, they'd be good for people), but when one of those people sneezes, exactly how long do their germs live outside their bodies, …
January 21, 1999
Are there any permanent physiological side effects from tattoos?
Dear Matthew Alice: I'm reading a mystery novel written in Japan in the 1940s that has a lot of information about tattoos in it. I wanted to check out one quote that seems pretty amazing. …
January 14, 1999
If you build an automobile or submarine, what safety requirements are required?
To My Most Dearest Matt: Let's say that hypothetically I made an automobile. What sort of specifications and safety requirements would I have to meet in order to get it registered in the State of …
January 7, 1999
A year of questions for Matthew Alice.
No whining. You've had a whole year to prepare. If you broke up into study groups as I suggested, you should have no trouble. If not, consider adding this to your New Year's resolution list, …
December 23, 1998
What is the "glow stick" liquid made of, and is it toxic?
Dear Mr. Alice: I recently attended a white-trash theme party which featured a real live stripper who, as part of her act, opened up glow sticks (the kind kids get at Halloween) and poured the …
December 10, 1998