Grimace, identity of
“over 95 billion served” signs
sandwich wrapping techniques
straw size
Measurements
acre
meter
Measuring spoons, inaccuracy of
Meat
children’s doneness preferences
national branding
red color of
Meat loaf, taste in institutions
Medals, location of on military uniforms
Medical conditions, in hospitals, guidelines for
Medicine bottles, cotton in
Memorial Day, Civil War and
Men
dancing ability of
feelings of coldness
remote controls and
Menstruation, synchronization of in women
Menthol, coolness of
Meter, origins of
Miami, University of
football helmets
“Hurricanes” nickname
Mickey Mouse, four fingers of
Microphones, press conferences and
Migration of birds
Mile, length of, origins of
Military salutes, origins of
Milk
as sleep-inducer
fat content in lowfat
in refrigerators, coldness of
Indianapolis
national brands
plastic milk containers
single serving cartons of
skim versus nonfat
skin on, when heated
Milk cartons
design of
difficulty in opening and closing of
Milk cases, warnings on
Milk Duds, shape of
Millimeters, as measurement unit for film
“Mind your P’s and Q’s”
Mint flavoring on toothpicks
Mint, U.S., and shipment of coin sets
Minting of new coins, timing of
Mirrors in bars
Mirrors, rear-view
Mistletoe, kissing under, origins of
Mobile homes, tires atop, in trailer parks
Mole hair, color of
Money, U.S.
color of
stars on
Monitors, computer, shape of
Monkeys, hair picking of
Monopoly, playing tokens in
Montreal Canadiens, uniforms of
Moon
apparent size of, at horizon
effect on lakes and ponds
official name
quarter-, vs. half-
Moons on outhouse doors
Mosquitoes
biting and itching
biting preferences
daytime habits
male versus female eating habits
Moths, reaction to light of
Mottoes on sundials
Mountains
falling hot air at
versus hills
Movie actors and speed of speech
Movie theaters
bells in
in-house popcorn popping
Movies, Roman numerals in copyright dates in
“Mrs.”
MSG, Chinese restaurants and
“Mugwump”
Muppets, left-handedness of
Murder scenes, chalk outlines at
Musketeers, Three, lack of muskets of
Mustaches, policemen and
“Muumuu”
“Mystery 7,” in $25,000 Pyramid
Nabisco Saltine packages, red tear strip on
Nabisco Shredded Wheat box, Niagara Falls on
Nail polish and fingernail yellowing
“Namby pamby”
National Geographics, saving issues of
Navy and Army, Captain rank in
Necklaces and clasp migration
Neckties
direction of stripes on
origins of
taper of
Nectarines, canned, lack of
Needles, holes in, of syringes
Neptune’s moon, Triton, orbit pattern of
Nerdiness and eyeglasses
“Netherlands,” versus “Holland”
New York City and steam in streets
“New York” steaks, origins of
New Zealand, versus “Old Zealand”
Newspapers
ink and recycling of
ink smudges on
jumps in
tearing of
window cleaning and
yellowing of
Niagara Falls on Nabisco Shredded Wheat box
“Nick of time”
Nickels, smooth edges of
“Nickname”
Nightclubs, lateness of bands in
“Nine-day wonder”
Nine-volt batteries, shape of
Nipples, purpose of, in men
“No bones about it”
“No Outlet” signs, versus “Dead End” signs
Noise, traffic, U.S. versus foreign countries
North Carolina, University of, and Tar Heels
North Pole
directions at
telling time at
Nose rings and bulls
Noses
clogged nostrils and
runny, in cold weather
runny, kids versus adults
wet, in dogs
Nostrils, clogged
Notches on bottom of shampoo bottles
Notre Dame fighting Irish
NPR radio stations, low frequency numbers of
Numbers, Arabic, origins of
Nutrition labels, statement of fats on
Nuts
Brazil, in assortments
Macadamia shells
peanuts in plain M&M’s
peanuts, and growth in pairs
“O’” in Irish names
Oakland A’s, elephant on uniforms of
Oboes, use of as pitch providers, in orchestras
Occupancy, maximum, in public rooms
Oceans
boundaries between
color of
salt in
versus seas
Octopus throwing, Detroit Red Wings and
“Off the schneider”
Oh Henry, origins of name of
Oil
automotive, after oil change
automotive, grades of
“Okay,” thumbs-up gesture as
Oktoberfest, September celebration of
Old men
hairy ears and
pants height and
“Old No. 7” and Jack Daniel’s
“Old Zealand,” versus New Zealand
Olive Oil, virgin
Olives, green and black, containers of
“On pointe” and ballet
“On tenterhooks”
“On the Q.T.”
“Once in a blue moon”
“One fell swoop”
One Hour Martinizing
One-hour photo processing, length of black-and-white film and
Onions and crying
Orange coffee pots, in restaurants
Orange juice
price of fresh versus frozen
taste of, with toothpaste
Orange thread in blue jeans
Oranges, extra wedges of
Oranges, mandarin, peeling of
“Oreo,” origins of name
Outhouse doors, moons on
Ovens, thermometers in
Overflow mechanism, kitchen sinks and
Oxygen in tropical fish tanks
Oxygen masks, inflation of airline
“P.U.,” origins of term
“Pacific Ocean”
Page numbers on magazines
Pagination in books
Pain, effect of warmth upon
Paint, homes and white
Paint, red, on coins
Painters and white uniforms
Palms, sunburn on
Pandas, double names of
Pants, height of old men’s
“Pantywaist”
“Pap test”
Paper
legal size, origins of
recycling of holes in loose-leaf
Paper cups, shape of
Paper cuts, pain and
Paper mills, smell of
Paper sacks
jagged edges on
names on
Paper towel dispensers, “emergency feed” on
Paperback books, staining of
Papers, yellowing of
“Par [golf course]”
“Par Avion” on air mail postage
“Pardon my French”
Parking lots, sea gulls at
Parking meters, yellow “violation” flags and
“Parkway”
Parkways, parking on, versus driveways
Parrots and head bobbing
Parting of hair, left versus right
Partly cloudy, versus partly sunny
Partly sunny, versus partly cloudy
“Pass the buck”
Pasta
boxes, numbers on
foaming when boiling
holes in
Pay phones, collection of money from
Pay toilets, disappearance of
PBX systems
“Pea jacket”
Peaches
canned, and pear juice
fuzziness of
Peanut butter, stickiness of
Peanuts
allergies to
growth in pairs
honey roasted, and airlines
origins of comics name
Pear juice in canned peaches
Pears and apples, discoloration of
Pebbles, spitting by fish of
“Peeping Tom”
Pencils
architectural and art, grades of
carpenter’s, shape of
color
numbering
Penguins
frostbite on feet
knees
Penicillin and diet
Penmanship of doctors, bad
Pennies
lettering on
smooth edges of
vending machines and
Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture registration, baked goods
Penny loafers, origins of
Pens
disappearance of
holes in barrel of cheap
ink leakages in
Pepper
and salt, as condiments
and sneezing
white, source of
Pepsi-Cola, trademark location of
Perfume
color of
wrists and
Periods in telegrams
Permanent press settings on irons
Permanents, pregnancy and
Perpetual care, cemeteries and
“Peter out”
Phantom limb sensations, amputees and
Pharmacists and raised platforms
Philips screwdriver, origins of
Philtrums, purpose of
Photo processing, one-hour, length of black-and-white film and
Photographs
poses in
red eyes in
stars in space and
Photography
color of cameras
hand position of men in old
hands on chins in
Polaroid prints, flapping of
smiling in old photographs
Physical exams, back tapping during
“Pi” as geometrical term
Piano keys, number of
“Pig in a poke”
Pigeons
baby, elusiveness of
loss of toes
whistling sound in flight
Pigs
curly tails of
Pigs (cont.)
pink hair color of
roasted, and apples in mouths of
Pilgrims, buckled hats of
Pillow tags, label warnings of
Pilots
and dimming of interior lights
female, dearth of, on airlines
“Pin money”
Pine nuts, shelling of
Pine trees, construction sites and
Pineapple in gelatin
Pinholes, on bottle caps
Pink as color for baby girls
“Pink lady”
Pink stripes on magazine labels
“Pinkie”
Pins in men’s dress shirts
“Pipe down”
Pipes, kitchen, shape of
Pirates
earrings on
walking the plank
Pistachio ice cream, color of
Pistachios, red color of
Pita bread, pockets in
Pitcher’s mounds
location of
rebuilding of
Pittsburgh Steelers, emblems on helmets of
Planets, twinkling of, at night
Plastic bottles, beer and
Plastic cups, shape of
Plastic deer ornaments on lawns
Plastics, recyclable, numbers on
Plates
repositioning of
round shape of dinner
Plots, farm, circular shape of
Plug prongs
holes at end of
three prongs versus two prongs
Plum pudding, plums in
Plumbing
kitchen, shape of
sound of running water
Pockets in pita bread
Poison ivy, grazing animals and
Polaroid prints, flapping of
Poles
directions at
telling time at North and South
Pole-vaulting
preparation for different heights
women and
Police
and crowd estimates
flashlight grips
radar and speed measurement
Police car beacons, colors on
Police dogs, urination and defecation of
Policemen and mustaches
Ponds
effect of moons on
fish returning to dried
ice formations on
versus lakes
versus lakes, level of
Poodles, wild
Pool balls, dots on
“Pop goes the weasel”
Popcorn
“gourmet” versus regular
popping in-house, in movie theaters
versus other corns
Popes
name change of
white skullcap of
white vestments of
Popping noise of wood, in fires
Pork and beans, pork in
“Port”
“Porthole”
Post office, translation of foreign mail and
Postage and ripped stamps
Postage Stamps
leftover perforations of
taste of
Postal Service, U.S., undeliverable mail and
Pot pies, vent holes in
Potato chips
bags, impossibility of opening and closing
curvy shape
green tinges on
price of, versus tortilla chips
Potato skins, restaurants and
Potatoes, baked, and steak houses
Potholes, causes of
“Potter’s field”
Power lines
humming of
orange balls on
Prefaces in books, versus introductions and forewords
Pregnancy, permanents and
Pregnant women, food cravings of
Preserves, contents of
Press conferences, microphones in
“Pretty kettle of fish”
“Pretty picnic”
Pretzels, shape of
Priests, black vestments and
Priority mail, first class versus
Prisoners and
license plate manufacturing
Prohibition, liquor production of distilleries during
Pronunciation, dictionaries and
“P’s and Q’s”
Pubic hair
curliness of
purpose of
Public buildings, temperatures in
Public radio, low frequency numbers of
Pudding, film on
Punts, measurement of, in football
Purple
Christmas tree lights
paganism
royalty and
“Put up your dukes”
Putting, veering of ball toward ocean when
“Q.T.”
“Qantas,” spelling of
Q-Tips, origins of name
“Quack [doctor]”
“Quarterback”
Quarterbacks and exclamation, “hut”
Quarter-moons versus half moons
Quarts and gallons, American versus British
Queen-size sheets, size of
Rabbit tests, death of rabbits in
When Do Fish Sleep? Page 27