Dear Matt, I won't join a circus to find out so this task goes to you Matt, you find the answer to nearly anything we experience in day-to-day life. What propels the human cannonballs? I …
September 8, 2005
Straight from the Hip
Archived articles
Human ammo
Mission Bay Beacons
Matthew Alice: In Mission Bay sits an island with what looks like a large bowling pin on it. Another sits on the west side of I-5 north of Oceanside. I want to know what these …
August 25, 2005
Red Light, Green Light
Dear Matthew Alice: How did the traditions of using red lights for stop and green lights for go start? It seems pretty arbitrary to me. But I'm sure there's some weird logic behind it. And …
August 25, 2005
The Salty Atlantic
Matt: I just got back from a visit to Miami. When I was swimming in the Atlantic Ocean I could swear that the water there was saltier than it is off San Diego's Coast. True …
August 25, 2005
Black -- it's the new black
Dear Matthew Alice: Why do judges wear black robes? Do they come in different styles? What's the bill to the taxpayers so they can dress up? -- Quinn, the net Ma Alice has spent so …
August 18, 2005
Twin confusion
Dear Matt: I was wondering. If a set of identical twins married another set of identical twins, and each couple had a child, would the two children be identical? -- Ag, the net UCSD's medical …
August 11, 2005
Secrets of the slow lane
Heymatt: How come during rush hour the slow lanes are faster than the fast lanes? -- Y.F., the net First of all, because the fast lane is fast in name only. In a finely tuned …
August 11, 2005
Yay, Canada.
Matt: Why is Canada so special? -- GZ, the net Lucky for us, Canadians seem to spend most of their free time answering survey questions. Maybe we can find some clues in statistics from public …
August 4, 2005
Tsunami reckoning
Heymatt: On the day of the tsunami, did the world population go up or down. I trust it didn't stay the same. -- Joel Fentin, the net Trust misplaced, Joel. The most recent total (estimated, …
August 4, 2005
The last nine yards
Dear Matthew Alice: Can you find out where the expression "the whole nine yards" came from? -- Everyone in San Diego Things that make you go "No! Please! Leave me alone!" Somewhere in the office …
July 28, 2005
Labor pains for men
Matt: I'm quite pregnant, and my dear husband claims to be experiencing some of the same symptoms I am. Queasiness, leg and back pains, things like that. I've heard of this happening to other men. …
July 28, 2005