Dear Matthew Alice: I notice that one sells anything but “fresh” Christmas trees. How fresh is “fresh”? Were these trees actually cut last weekend, or maybe last September? Does die FDA or FTC or anyone …
December 18, 1997
Straight from the Hip
Archived articles
What makes a Christmas tree "fresh"
How they spell out the word “JOY” at the Mission Valley Hilton
Dear Matthew Alice: How does the Mission Valley Hilton manage to spell out the word “JOY” every holiday season in 'what appear to be its lighted windows? Do they.perhaps have rock-bottom room rates for guests …
December 18, 1997
How to dry a comforter
Dear Matt: I bought a comforter for my bed the other day and was reading the care instructions on the label. It says I'm supposed to dry the thing in a “larger-capacity dryer with a …
December 11, 1997
Fox urine as deterrent to squirrels
Matmail: (Here's a copy of a letter I thought you might be interested in.) “After many battles with the squirrels, it seems like I've finally won. I found a Web site selling animal urines, www.websiteserv.com/predator. …
December 11, 1997
Pilots who fly over penguins and make them fall over
Dear Matt: My aunt says she read in the paper that pilots who fly over penguins in the Arctic can make them all fall over by flying very low. She says they do it as …
December 11, 1997
What he symbol "USA” splotched on the ground means
Matt. As I ride my bike through the streets of San Diego, I see various symbols, usually with arrows or dotted lines, painted on the pavement. These letters include things like “MH, ” pointing to …
December 11, 1997
Why you pull out more than one facial tissue at a time
Q: Hi, Matt! Why is it that every time I open a brand new box of facial tissues, I pull out two or three tissues at once? I only want one at a time. Why …
December 4, 1997
Why we call the gobblers turkeys
Okay, Matt: Now that turkey day is past, I'll try again: Why do we call the gobblers turkeys? Why do the Turks call them indias? And I've since learned from an Indian friend that the …
December 4, 1997
Why your ATM machine keeps asking if you speak Spanish
Matt: Okay, okay, the Braille on the ATM keys question has been addressed. Now what I want to know is, if the card/machine knows who I am, and how much money! have, and what my …
November 20, 1997
Whether to leave my computer on all day
Dear Matt: Some people leave their computers on all day; others who use their computers less intensively turn them on and off as they need them. Leaving them on full time consumes more electricity but …
November 20, 1997
Another difference between Hawaii and San Diego — tiled pools
Matmail: Just getting back from living in Maui for a couple of months. In Maui I was tiling pools. Not just the edges, but the entire pool. Coming back to San Diego, I noticed that …
November 20, 1997