Dear MA: How is it that the abbr. for a pound of weight is lb? None of my English instructors could answer this but I'm confident you can. -- Dave-O, the net That's the attitude …
July 1, 2004
Straight from the Hip
Archived articles
Lb.? Why lb.?
Ming? Ming who?
Hello: If Yao Ming's last name is Ming, why does it say Yao on the back of his jersey? -- J, the net Culture check. Mrs. Ming's baby boy Yao is actually Mrs. Yao's baby …
June 24, 2004
Lumps in throats
Hey Matt: Right when we had the jolt from the last earthquake, I actually got a lump in my throat. I know that can happen when one is stressed or scared, but what causes that …
June 24, 2004
How to get into fish school
Hello Matthew: How do fish identify with other fish so as to join into a school? They can't know what they look like. -- Bob Kammerer, the net Grade point average? Name tags? Uniforms? Well, …
June 17, 2004
Got milk?
Matt Alice: My masseuse is pregnant, well endowed, and said her breasts should have extra milk. We wondered if human milk has ever been processed for general consumption. Is there a market for breast milk, …
June 17, 2004
Antibubbles
Hey Matt: I noticed a weird thing the other day while having a pint of Carl Strauss: I could swear some bubbles were actually sinking. Is that possible? What gives? -- Rob, the net Oh, …
June 17, 2004
Murphy and Miranda
Heymatt: What's the story behind Miranda in our Miranda Rights? Where they named after a real woman? If so, was she a quiet woman? And who is the Murphy of Murphy's Law? Did anything ever …
June 3, 2004
Turn down the volume!
Matthew, my friend: Why do I have to turn down the volume on the car radio when I'm doing something like looking for a street address? It's like I can't find what I'm looking for …
June 3, 2004
Easter eggs in your ears
Matt: I've noticed a trend in a lot of the newer CDs. At the end, if you keep playing, after a few minutes a "hidden song" comes on, a song not listed on the jacket. …
June 3, 2004
Freeway freq-out
Heymatt: How come there is so much FM radio interference on the 94 freeway between Lemon Grove and the 805? It sounds like overlapping Mexican stations. -- Nameless, on the road Short answer? The terrain, …
May 27, 2004
Nothing's been the same since the Great Vowel Shift
Dear Matt: Why is the English language so jacked up? Why do sometimes we pronounce "i" as "i" and other times as "e"? I'm thinking of starting a language where no "i" can be pronounced …
May 27, 2004