Matt: The hatred of women is misogyny, but what about the hatred of men? Lovers of All, San Diego An interesting commentary, when we all know misogyny but not its male counterpart. The word isn't …
April 6, 2006
Straight from the Hip
Archived articles
The Mis-sing Word
Homegrown Home Grown
Matt: Back in the mid-1970s I lived in San Diego. While I was there I discovered the Home Grown albums that were produced yearly by radio station KGB. I purchased one every year until I …
April 5, 2006
Death by Spitwad
Dear Matt: Is my paper-chewing habit killing me? For years I've been tearing off fingernail-sized bits from legal pads, computer paper, note cards, paper napkins, and an occasional Reader movie review, chewing them into paper …
March 30, 2006
Plain Vanilla
Heymatt: Why do stores south of the border have such an abundance of vanilla extract for sale? The world wonders. Mark, Ocean Beach Well, at any rate, you wonder, Mark. I'm more likely to wonder …
March 30, 2006
Knob Quandry
Heymatt: Why are bathroom doorknobs silver on the inside and brass on the outside? Jeff, Tierrasanta I'm not sure what this says about the research elves, but they spent an awful lot of time dissecting …
March 30, 2006
Nail Polish News
A question for Matthew Alice: What with Darfur, Iraq, and Anna Nicole Smith, it is probably shameful to ask, but...what is the difference between topcoat and basecoat in the world of nail polishing? Same formula, …
March 22, 2006
High-seas Homicide
Dear Matt: If my wife bumps me off here in San Diego, it's homicide and the county D.A. will prosecute. But what if we're off shore in her private dinghy? Who has jurisdiction? Suppose we're …
March 16, 2006
Where It's @
Matt: Where did the @ symbol come from? -- Lance, Chula Vista We have some late-breaking news on the "at" symbol, or "commercial a" symbol, whichever you choose to call it. Time was that linguists …
March 16, 2006
A Head on the Freeway
Heymatt: Alongside the 5 freeway heading north somewhere around the airport there is a pink building with a huge white rendition of Michelangelo's "David" painted on the side. I want to know why. -- Susie …
March 16, 2006
No More Hiccups, or Questions About Them
Heymatt: What can you do to get rid of hiccups? Must be something.... -- Mary, via e-mail They've made headlines lately. Too bad for Florida teenager Jennifer Mee; her 15 minutes of fame were wasted …
March 15, 2006
Damp Plastic
Dear Matthew Alice: Now that my wife is pregnant with our first child, I have the responsibility of doing the dishes a little more often while she naps. One thing I keep noticing is no …
March 15, 2006