“J” Street, Washington D. C. and
“Jack [playing card]”
Jack Daniel’s and “Old No. 7”
“Jack,” “John” versus
Jack-o’-lanterns, Halloween and
Jams, contents of
Japanese
baseball uniforms
boxes, yellow color of
flags, red beams and
Jars, food, refrigeration of opened
“Jaywalking”
Jeans
blue, orange thread and
294 / DAVID FELDMAN
Levis, colored tabs on
origin of “501” name
sand in pockets of new
“Jeans [pants]”
“Jeep”
Jellies, contents of
Jellies, grape, color of
Jello-O, fruit in
Jeopardy, difficulty of daily doubles in
“Jerkers”
Jet lag, birds and
“Jetsam,” versus “flotsam”
“Jig is up”
Jigsaw puzzles, fitting pieces of
Jimmies, origins of
“Jink”
“John,” versus “Jack”
Johnson, Andrew, and 1864 election
“Joshing”
Judges and black robes
Judo belts, colors of
“Juggernaut”
Juicy Fruit gum, flavors in
“K rations”
“K” as strikeout in baseball scoring
Kangaroos, pouch cleaning of
Karate belts, colors of
“Keeping up with the Joneses”
Ken, hair of, versus Barbie’s
Ketchup, Heinz, labels of
Ketchup bottles
narrow necks of
neck bands on
restaurants mating of
“Ketchup”
“Kettle of fish”
Keys
automobile, door and ignition
piano, number of
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teeth direction
to cities
“Kidnapping”
Kids versus adult goats
Kilts, Scotsmen and
Kissing
eye closure during
leg kicking by females
“Kit cat club”
“Kit,” “caboodle” and
“Kittycorner”
Kiwifruit in gelatin
Kneading and bread
Knee-jerk reflex in humans
Knives, dinner, rounded edges of
Knives, serrated, lack of, in place settings Knobs versus handles, on doors
“Knock on wood”
“Knuckle under”
Knuckles, wrinkles on
Kodak, origins of name
Kool-Aid and metal containers
Kraft American cheese, milk in
“L.S.,” meaning of, in contracts
Label warnings, mattress
Labels on underwear, location of
Labels, food, lack of manufacturer street addresses on
“Ladybug”
Ladybugs, spots on
Lakes
effect of moon on
fish returning to dried
ice formations on
versus ponds, differences between
versus ponds, water level of
wind variations
“Lame duck”
Lane reflectors, fastening of
Large-type books, size of
296 / DAVID FELDMAN
Laryngitis, dogs, barking, and
Lasagna, crimped edges of
“Last ditch”
“Last straw”
Laughing hyenas, laughter in
Lawn ornaments, plastic deer as
Lawns, reasons for
“Lawyer”
“Lb. [pound]”
Leader, film
“Leap year”
Leather, high cost of
Ledges in buildings, purpose of
Left hands, placement of wristwatches on
“Left wing”
Left-handed string players, in orchestras Leg kicking by women while kissing
Legal-size paper, origins of
“Legitimate” theater, origins of term
“Let the cat out of the bag”
Letters
business, format of
compensation for, between countries
Letters in alphabet soup, distribution of Levi jeans
colored tabs
origin of “501” name
Liberal arts, origins of
Lice, head, kids and
License plates and prisoners
License plates on trucks, absence of
“Licking his chops”
Licorice, ridges on
Life Savers, wintergreen, sparkling of, when bitten Light bulbs
air in
fluorescent, stroking of
halogen
high cost of 25-watt variety
in traffic signals
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 297
loosening of
noise when shaking
plinking by fluorescent
three-way, burnout
three-way, functioning of
wattage sizes of
Light switches, height and location of
Lighters, disposable, fluid chambers of
Lightning, heat
Lights in freezers
“Limelight”
Lincoln, Abraham, and Andrew Johnson
Linens, unpleasant smell in
Lions, animal trainers and
Lips
black, on dogs
upper, grooves on
Liquids as treatment for colds
Liquor, proof and
Liquor distilleries during Prohibition
Lizards
eyes during sleep
sunburn and
“Lobster Newburg”
Lobsters
ambidexterity
color of, when boiled
leftover, in restaurants
“Loggerheads”
“Lollipop”
Lone Ranger, origins of
“Long in the tooth”
“Loo”
Looking up while thinking
Loons, lunatics and
Loose-leaf paper, recycling of holes in
Lotion, after shave, and stinging
“Love Jones”
“Lucre”
Lumber, measurement of two by fours and
298 / DAVID FELDMAN
Lunatics, loons and
Lunula, fingernails and
“Lynching”
M&M’s
blue
colors of
imprinting of
meaning of name
peanuts in plain
seams, lack of
Macadamia nuts and shells
Macaroni, elbow, shape of
Magazines
address orientation
Boulder, Colorado and subscriptions
jumps in
labels, pink stripe on
omission of page numbers on
subscription insert cards in
Mail
CAR-RT SORT on envelopes
compensation for, between countries
first class versus priority
translation of foreign
undeliverable, fate of
Mail chutes, unclogging of, in skyscrapers Mailboxes and postmaster general approval Mail-in refunds, versus coupons
Mail-order ads, delivery time promises of
“Make no bones about it”
Mall, shopping, entrances, doors at
Mandarin oranges, peeling of
Manhole covers, round shape of
Marching, stepping off on left foot when
Marching bands, formations of
Margarine, versus butter, in restaurants
Margarine sticks, length
of
Marmalades, contents of
Marshals’ badges, shape of
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 299
Marshmallows, invention of
Martial arts, sniffing and
Martinizing, One Hour
Mascara, mouth opening during application of Matchbooks, location of staples on
Matches, color of paper
Math, school requirement of
Mattress tags, warning labels on
Mattresses, floral graphics on
Maximum occupancy in public rooms
Mayonnaise, Best Foods versus Hellmann’s
Mayors, keys to cities and
McDonald’s
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
300 / DAVID FELDMAN
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 500
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
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 301
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
302 / DAVID FELDMAN
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
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 303
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
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
304 / DAVID FELDMAN
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
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“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
306 / DAVID FELDMAN
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