Dear Matthew: Do insects sleep? Are there any regular animals that don’t? I guess I mean mammals, birds, and reptiles. — Carolyn Kurtz, Valley Center Well, personally, I haven’t gotten a solid eight hours since …
October 24, 1996
Straight from the Hip
Archived articles
Sleep habits of bugs and other animals
Why Goldmans can sue O.J.Simpson
Matt: How can O.J. Simpson be sued for wrongful death when we legally have to assume he didn’t do it? I can understand such a suit if the criminal court declared him guilty, but he …
October 24, 1996
Why the full Doonesbury doesn't run in San Diego
To Whom It May Concern: Have you ever noticed that comic readers in San Diego don’t receive the artist’s full comic? Notice the missing panels in “Peanuts” and “Doonesbury” in the enclosed Sunday comics sections …
October 24, 1996
Handwriting analysis and your geographic origins
Dear Matthew: Does handwriting have an accent? I mean, can graphoanalysts tell where you’re from by your writing? — Brian Bosque, San Diego Figure people from the South form big, slow, loopy letters? New Yorkers …
October 17, 1996
SDG&E hoses down their lines
Matthew Alice: A while ago I saw a high-powered hose being sprayed on high-voltage electric line harnesses. Is this bad? I also saw heavy cables being laid into the concrete at Lindbergh Field in a …
October 17, 1996
Televangelists and big hair
Matthew Alice: What is the correlation between all these Christian ministry TV shows and their exaggerated hairdos, outlandish way of dress, and bordello-like sets (i.e., Tammy Faye and the lady with the pink hair)? Does …
October 17, 1996
Men's bathroom reading habits
Matthew Alice: I was in the ladies’ room at work recently when a few of us began discussing why it is that men have the peculiar habit of taking reading material (magazines, newspapers) into the …
October 17, 1996
Chelsea's boyfriends don’t roar up to the White House and lean on the horn
Dear Matt: While my husband and I were watching the Democratic convention, I commented on how Chelsea Clinton had blossomed. I began wondering whether or not she's allowed to date. My husband says absolutely not. …
October 10, 1996
Why cotton shrinks
To: Matmail: Once again we mere mortals approach the sacred oracle at “Straight from the Hip” with a question that has no real purpose except our great thirst for your knowledge. We have a question …
October 10, 1996
The danger of licking envelopes
Do bacteriologists, physicians, and persons similarly knowledgeable concerning “germs” lick envelopes, whether from the post office or received in advertising mail? — R.N. Morgan, Hillcrest So you’re suggesting not only are we guaranteed to lose …
October 10, 1996
Your car’s license number is what border patrol wants
Matt: What information is entered into the computer by the customs officer when I return from TJ? What do they do with this information? — Mike888, the Net No surprise, the main thing is your …
October 3, 1996