Do Elephants Jump? (37 page)

“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

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

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 of

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

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 label 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

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

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

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 Geographic
s, 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