Hey, Matt: So over the holidays, I'm back East sitting with my folks and my sister's family (all dr's and rn's) and the topic of graveyard shift comes up. They all say that this term …
January 30, 2003
Straight from the Hip
Archived articles
Just ring the bell if you're not really dead.
Hey, what's swimming in my water dish?
Dear Matthew Alice: I am puzzled by my kitty's habit of sloshing his drinking water around with his paw before drinking it. I have tried coloring the water, theorizing that he is unable to see …
January 30, 2003
Beach Boys puzzle old car freaks.
Matt: An old Beach Boys song goes, "It happened on the strip where the road is wide/ Two cool sharks sittin' side by side/ My fuel-injected Stingray and a 413/ Revin' up our engines and …
January 23, 2003
Chutes and Ladders, a game for wussies?
Matt, you snake: What's up with the kids' game Chutes and Ladders? In Mexico it's called Snakes and Ladders. Did they change the name in the U.S. because people here are afraid of snakes and …
January 23, 2003
We used to be where the moon is now.
To Them That Runs the Ship: A long time ago I had a friend who kept Hubble telescope photos on the walls at work and just generally "knew stuff." Anyway, one day he walks up …
January 23, 2003
ABC gum. Disgusting! Especially in Singapore.
Hey, Matt: I have always wanted to know...why do people leave already chewed gum in public places. It is everywhere! It is disgusting! Could they be fined for littering? -- S.P., Spring Valley Was planning …
January 16, 2003
What are pool balls made of?
Heymatt: What are pool balls made out of? I thought the might be made out of ceramics of some kind. -- Lea Dean, South Africa Before 1910 or so, ivory (from Zimbabwean elephants, in particular) …
January 16, 2003
Food that even a gull won't touch.
Hey Matt: My family and I were picnicking at the beach when my daughter threw some biscuits for the sea gulls to eat. Out of curiosity, I threw some pieces of fried chicken their way …
January 16, 2003
Would you please read me the riot act?
Dear Matthew Alice: My wife has threatened on several occasions to read me the riot act, but she can't seem to find a copy of it. If she could find a copy of it, what …
January 2, 2003
The Year-end Quiz: How Smart Are You in 2002?
According to Grandma Alice, the Christmas theme at our house this year will be Homeland Security. She's registered at the local army surplus store so we'll know exactly what to put in her stocking. The …
December 19, 2002
It's the facultative diapause season
Matt: I have some friends who live in the Frozen North. They claim that when they close up all the windows for winter, flies collect on the window sill and lie dormant for the rest …
December 5, 2002