Hey, Matthew! I have a lot of memories about favorite snack foods from when I was growing up, none of which are on the market today. My strongest memory was Scooter Pies, a lot like …
February 28, 2002
Straight from the Hip
Archived articles
Whither the Scooter Pie...
Why do dogs' back ends sometimes drift to the side when they run?
Ahoy, Matt: I've noticed that many of our canine friends seem to walk, um, well, sort of sideways. It's like their hind legs are going faster than the front ones and are catching up. Usually …
February 21, 2002
Saltine crackers: 13 holes? 16 holes? What's the story?
Hey: Do the Keebler elves have names? Are they related to your elves? -- Skitch, Solana Beach To Matthew Alice: Recently I bought a box of crackers, specifically a 16-oz. box labeled Krispy original. The …
February 21, 2002
Death of a lightbulb: the full story.
Matt: Why does a lightbulb burn out just as you turn it on and never when it's been on for a while? -- LLN, La Jolla As a lighted bulb glows away, minute bits of …
February 21, 2002
What's this light show in my eyes?
OK, I got a question for ya: What are those weird patterns and designs and colors you see when you close your eyes and push on your eyeballs with your hands? What is that? How …
February 14, 2002
Can you flash your car lights and turn the traffic light green?
M-Alice: Returning home from Lindbergh Field late at night, the taxi driver stopped for the traffic light at the corner of Laurel Street and India. He began to flash the taxi headlights on and off. …
February 14, 2002
Help! My legs fall asleep when I'm on the toilet.
Wizard of Alice: How come my legs fall asleep when I'm on the toilet but not when I'm working at my computer? -- RV, the net I really don't want to know any more about …
February 14, 2002
Silica gel. Good to eat?
Hey, Matt: Inside my new VCR box I found a small pouch labeled as silicate for desiccation, and it also said "Do Not Eat." Not that I would ever eat silicate, but what exactly would …
February 14, 2002
How do they make the sound of a punch in the movies?
Mattmonger: Growing up on television and movies, I was continually presented with one man hitting another man in the face with a closed fist. It always had this distinctive noise: a sound somewhere between meaty …
February 7, 2002
Collectible china puppies -- are they worth anything?
Quick, Matt! Need an answer ASAP! My wife wants to start buying those sets of china dog figurines sold by the Franklin Mint. You see the ads in Parade magazine. Are they worth anything? Does …
February 7, 2002
Why do I bite my nails?
Hey, Matt: I have this really gross habit of biting not only my fingernails but the skin around them. I've been doing this since I was a little kid and have been told it's a …
February 7, 2002