M.A.: I see a few different symbols are now appearing on license plates. Little hands and hearts. How would the cops call in something like that if one of those cars was involved in a …
July 26, 2001
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Stories by Matthew Alice
How do cops call in license plates with symbols?
What causes the 10 degree temperature change between Miramar Way and Mira Mesa Boulevard?
Matt: A while ago I was coming home from a job downtown, heading north on the 15. When I got to about Miramar Way, I noticed the temperature dropped what felt like ten degrees Then …
July 19, 2001
What is the exact origin of the Seven Deadly Sins?
Dear Matt: We were wondering, just what is the EXACT origin of the Seven Deadly Sins? Are they specifically biblical in origin? Is seven a significant number? Don't some of them seem redundant? -- Pondering …
July 19, 2001
What do you think Erin Brockovich did with her two million dollar check?
Dear Matt: At the end of the movie Erin Brockovich, Erin's boss presents her with a check for "Two Million and No/100s" dollars. She is of course stunned by this genuinely "fat" bonus check. Then …
July 12, 2001
Is deodorant with anti-perspirant bad for your body?
Hey, Matt: I just received an e-mail that said deodorant with antiperspirant is bad for you to use. It said that it would clog up the sweat glands and the toxins that are trying to …
July 12, 2001
Is Dennis Hopper from La Mesa?
Matt: My friend's mother says Dennis Hopper is from La Mesa and he worked at Jack In The Box. She says she has a friend who went to school with him. Could this possibly be …
July 5, 2001
What is the meaning of the word "honky," as used by Fred Sanford in Sanford and Son?
Your Mattness: On the TV show Sanford and Son, Fred would often refer to white characters as "honky." What is the meaning of that word, as used by Fred Sanford? -- R.V., Midcity Fred (Redd …
July 5, 2001
How do you obtain a marijuana user and grower card?
Mr. Alice: This may sound off the wall, but here goes. How does one go about securing a marijuana user and grower card? I read all about these people and have yet to see any …
June 28, 2001
How do you start a bank?
Hey, Matthew: How do you start a bank? It looks like a nice gig! Banks are well-lit businesses with polite staff and (usually) docile customers. Judging from the nice locations, expensive furniture, and money they …
June 28, 2001
What happened to Ladybird Johnson's anti-billboard laws?
Hey, Matt: Have you noticed how many signs there are along the interstates these days? Temporaries, such as Miramar's Armed Forces Day Celebration sign beside 15, and permanents, such as Barona Casino's massive action board …
June 21, 2001
Is the painting of the dogs playing poker a joke?
Hey, Matt: I've always wondered about that painting of the dogs playing poker. Was that painted as a joke or was the artist serious when he did it? Where did that thing come from? -- …
June 21, 2001
Is there anywhere in San Diego where women can see men dancing for women?
I have seen in San Diego boys dancing for boys, and women dancing for guys. Is there anywhere near where us females can see the men dance for US? (example: Chippendales) -- Jan Lyons, San …
June 14, 2001
What is the difference between the terms "road" and "roadway?"
Hello: Can you tell me why the weather and traffic people insist on using the word "roadways" when describing conditions on the roads? What is the difference between a road and a roadway, anyway? Seems …
June 14, 2001
What is a cobweb?
Hey, Matt: What's a cobweb? I say they're spider webs. My wife insists they're not, but she can't tell me where she thinks they come from. Settle the argument. -- Mr. & Mrs. Clean, Santee …
June 14, 2001
Why doesn't the Costco's outdoor dining area have as many pigeons as most outdoor dining areas?
Matt: While dining on the fine cuisine served up at the Morena Boulevard Costco outdoor dining area, I noticed a distinct lack of bothersome feathered friends. What in the world do they do at Costco …
May 31, 2001
Do kids these days still get cooties?
Hey, Matt! Do kids these days still get cooties? And what's a cootie anyway? -- Buglady, San Diego Cooties live! Science has not yet found a cure. According to our survey of neighborhood short people, …
May 31, 2001
At Sea World, why can you walk around with a 16 oz. cup of beer from the concession stand, but you can't walk around with the 4 oz. sample size cups?
Dear Alice: What's up with the beer rules at Sea World? I'm an annual pass holder and often like to sample those 4 oz. cups of beer at the Hospitality Center. My question is, why …
May 24, 2001
On an average day, how many airplanes are in the sky across the United States?
Hey Matt: With dozens of flights continually taking off and landing and airlines bragging that they're adding more flights, it amazes me that they don't run into one another more often...or that we don't look …
May 17, 2001
When I put Icy Hot on my hand, I can only feel the effect on the top part of my hand. Why?
Hey, Matt: I put Icy Hot on my hand the other day because my thumb was hurting. Unfortunately I was nearly struck mute with astonishment when I found that I could feel the "icy yet …
May 17, 2001
What kind of chemical is "sodium laureth sulfate?"
Heymatt: What kind of chemical is "sodium laureth sulfate"? It seems to be the main ingredient in almost every shampoo or body wash. -- Joe E. Simpson, the net What kind? The cheap, popular, widely …
May 10, 2001
Does the hands-on-hips position help with the intake of oxygen?
M.A.: After a run or a quick walk up Cowles Mtn. I have a tendency to put my hands on my hips as I breathe deeply. This is the only situation in which I stand …
May 10, 2001
Is there such thing as a chest hair transplant?
Hi, Matt: How shallow we are. I'm a gay man chasing a younger gay man who won't give me the time of day because I don't have a hairy chest! My question: Is there such …
May 3, 2001
Are the snails in my garden edible?
M.A.: In my garden, I have been experiencing extensive damage by snails. I have been able to curb the destruction by using the infamous beer trap that works for their cousin, the slug. My question, …
May 3, 2001
Where did the term "soft core" come from, as in porn?
Matt: Where did the term "soft core" come from, as in porn? -- Jake, the net No offense, Jake, but "soft core" is...um...the opposite of "hard core," dontcha think? But, hey, that's okay. That's what …
May 3, 2001
How many bathrooms are there in the White House?
Dear Matthew Alice: How many bathrooms are there in the White House? In second grade, somebody told me there were 365. -- Silviano, Harborside School, downtown Here's a tip. Don't look at that kid's test …
April 12, 2001
What is a lifeguard supposed to do when it sees a surfer get nailed by a great white shark?
Hey, Matt: If a lifeguard all of a sudden sees a surfer just get nailed by a great white, what is lifeguard protocol? Does he have to go try to save the guy, risking becoming …
April 12, 2001
What is the meaning/origin of the word "honcho?"
Matt: I've looked through Spanish dictionaries and I can't find the meaning of the word "honcho." What is the origin of the term? -- Jake, San Diego Hey, gringo, not all words that end in …
April 12, 2001
Is it really illegal to remove a shopping cart from a grocery store's parking lot?
Hey, Matt! Someone in our apartment complex is slowly amassing a collection (five so far) of shopping carts out front near the street. Yes, true, it's unsightly, but this person has no car and needs …
April 12, 2001
Why is the alphabet in alphabetical order?
Mattster: Why is the alphabet in alphabetical order? -- A2Z, the net Hey, Matt: Something that has troubled me since childhood: Why is the letter w called "double U" when it is clearly a "double …
April 5, 2001
Why aren't there mile markers in California?
Hey, Matt: You suggested that people check their speedometers using highway mile markers. As a recent transplant from the Midwest, I am used to all of the interstates having mile markers. But here in California, …
April 5, 2001
Can you reprogram your cell phone with a different service provider?
Question: I have a dual-band Motorola StarTAC phone I got from Sprint PCS. I canceled my service with them because of NO service whatsoever. Is the phone dead now, or can it be reprogrammed to …
March 29, 2001
Why is it that when English guys sing, you don't notice their accents?
Hey, Matt: Why is it that when English guys sing, you don't notice their accents? For example, when Liam Gallagher from Oasis speaks, the accent is so thick I can barely understand a word he …
March 29, 2001
For big tires, when the rate of speed increases, does the difference in my speedometer vs. actual speed increase, decrease, or remain the same?
MA of Reader: I have a Toyota truck that has a lift on it and tires that are a little bigger than the factory tires were. The other day I passed one of those radar …
March 22, 2001
How does the Mint make a profit?
Hey, Matt: Recently the daily paper published a letter from the director of the U.S. Mint defending the issuance of the so-called "Golden Dollars." He indicated that the Mint generated a profit of $800,000,000 (that's …
March 22, 2001
Are people's birthdays distributed evenly throughout the year?
Matthew: Are people's birthdays distributed evenly throughout the year, or are there clumps of birthdays in certain months? -- Mark Holmes, Del Mar Heights Birthdaywise, we're a very clumpy country. Mostly we're busy birthin' in …
March 15, 2001
What purpose does "gleeking" serve?
What purpose does "gleeking" serve? Where is the word derived from? And do you even know what I'm talking about? -- Brian, Clairemont As if things weren't crazy enough around here, we're wearing rain ponchos …
March 15, 2001
Why do we only smell odors when we breath in?
The Big M: How come when we breathe in, you can smell odors, but when you breathe out through your nose you cannot? Do the odors we smell while breathing in disappear in some odor …
March 15, 2001
What is the story behind the Proctor Valley Monster?
Hey, MA: For years I've heard stories of the Proctor Valley Monster. Proctor Valley is northeast of Otay Lakes. Some say it's a deranged cow and others say it's San Diego's version of Bigfoot. Can …
March 8, 2001
Who built the big concrete teepee on top of a hill near Escondido, and why?
Dear Matthew Alice: I remember a long time ago there used to be a big concrete teepee on top of a hill near Escondido. You could see it from all over. Can you find out …
March 8, 2001
Why do people cry when they are sad, and when they are happy?
Hey, Matt: Why do people cry when they're sad? I can understand tears when you've got something in your eye. But crying when you're sad doesn't seem to have any biological purpose. -- Boo-hoo, the …
March 1, 2001
Should 7-Eleven change their freezer settings to save energy?
Hey, Matt: Good news! I may have solved the energy crisis in California. The temperature inside the freezer at a local 7-Eleven was minus 23 degrees Fahrenheit according to the thermometer mounted on the side …
February 22, 2001
Why does "Mayday, Mayday!" mean "help?
Mayday! Mayday! Why the heck does this mean "help"? -- At Sea, at sea It's the English spelling of the pronunciation of the French "M'aider!" "Help me!" Of course, if you've just been mugged in …
February 22, 2001
Why do we celebrate St. Valentine's Day?
Hey, Matt: Why do we celebrate St. Valentine's Day? In Mexico it is the Day of Friendship and Love. What did St. Valentine do? When did he live? -- Matias V. Garcia, the net I'm …
February 22, 2001
Is there a radio station that broadcasts commercial-free music for when you are on hold?
Matt: Today, knowing I would have to wait a while, I called two companies at the same time using two phones, one in each ear. When the hold music came on both phones, it was …
February 15, 2001
Where did the term "pink slip" come from?
Question... My boss was not happy with my performance and went ahead and canned me. Apparently he didn't appreciate me rolling in late each day, but hey, sleep is important to me. The official notification …
February 15, 2001
What is the deal with the imaginary friends that kids come up with?
Dear Matthew Alice: When my four-year-old gets in trouble for doing something he shouldn't, he usually responds, "Wasn't me. Ziggy did it." We don't know anyone called Ziggy. He's been talking about this Ziggy since …
February 15, 2001
Which snake is the most poisonous?
Dear Matthew and Alice: After many hours of Animal Kingdom, Wild Planet, and all those other nature programs, I still have one unanswered question concerning poisonous snakes. According to certain televised sources, the black mamba …
February 8, 2001
Why is hot water needed for a woman having a baby at home?
Matt: Whenever there's a movie about a woman having a baby at home, the person delivering the kid will say, "I need lots of hot water." For what? I never see them washing anything, and …
February 8, 2001
What's the deal with fast-food combos and pricing?
Matthew: What's the deal with fast-food combos and pricing? You're looking at, say, one of the breakfast combos at Carl's Jr. and decide you don't want their shitty coffee. So you say, "I'll have the …
January 25, 2001
Do identical twins have identical fingerprints?
Hi, Matt: Do identical twins have identical fingerprints? -- Bob, telephonically Their DNA will be a match, but their fingerprints won't be. The human genome carries only so much basic information, beyond which our developing …
January 25, 2001