Hey, Mr. Matt: Where are you from if you're from the boonies? -- My Hometown, the Boonies Nobody was from the boonies before the mid-1960s or so. That's when the word "boondocks" was shortened to …
November 29, 2001
Straight from the Hip
Archived articles
Where exactly are the boonies?
Why do some birds tweet and some birds screech?
Matt: Why do some birds make song, where others hoot (owls), caw (crows), or coo (pigeons)? What is the explanation for such a range of sounds from similar species? -- GC in LJ What's the …
November 21, 2001
How do you get out of a sinking car?
Dear Matt: My friends and I were talking and started wondering how to escape a sinking car. In the movie stunt people seem to escape with ease, yet in newspaper articles it seems that many …
November 21, 2001
Can a big meal temporarily affect your hearing?
Dear Matthew Alice: I recently heard that eating a big meal can affect a person's hearing. After a person has eaten, he cannot hear as well. Is this true? -- P.S., San Diego Can you …
November 21, 2001
How did six feet become the standard burial depth?
Hey, Matt: How did six feet become the standard burial depth? -- LB, Poway Was it ever? Don't think so. S'mattera fact, there's no law in California or in most other states that says a …
November 15, 2001
Dogs can smell better than people, but exactly how much better?
M: While sipping on a cocktail, my Uncle Crazy was babbling scores of unproven facts, when out came the claim that our best friend, the dog, as a sense of smell 200,000 times better than …
November 15, 2001
Why do we eat chickens and not, say, seagulls?
Matt: How did humans come to their regular raising and consumption of chickens? Why not pigeons, seagulls, or crows? How long has man been eating chicken, and why is this particular type of fowl so …
November 8, 2001
Who decides what songs are played on oldies stations?
Heymatt: By now the role of "independent promoters" in funneling record company money to radio stations in exchange for a coveted spot on their extremely limited play lists is pretty well known. But what's the …
November 8, 2001
What's the deal with girls' bikes?
Dear Matthew Alice: Why are there men's and women's bikes? If the center bar was originally placed to accommodate "ladies wear," then what gives? I saw a newer design this week, and it was not …
November 1, 2001
Why are some envelopes marked "Place Stamp Here"?
Dear Matthew Alice: I was paying my bills when a question occurred to me that only you could answer. Why is it that envelopes that come with bills are always marked "Place Stamp Here" or …
November 1, 2001
Did Dr. Laura lie to me?
Dear Matt-Al, Knower of Any and All Stuff Profound and Minute: A couple of months ago I watched Dr. Laura on a cable news commentary program. She stated to her hosts that her TV show …
November 1, 2001