Why do Clocks run clockwise? (38 page)

in public buildings

perception of air versus water

Ten percent of brain, alleged use of

“Ten-foot pole”

Tennis, scoring in

Tennis balls

fuzziness of

high-altitude

“Tenterhooks”

Tequila, worms in bottles of

Thanksgiving, Thursday and

“That’s all she wrote”

Theater, “legitimate,” origins of term

Thermometers

color of liquid in

in ovens and refrigerators

placement of

standing temperature of

Thimbles, holes in

Thinking, looking up and

“Third degree”

“Third world”

Thread, orange, and blue jeans

Three Musketeers, musketlessness of

“Three sheets to the wind”

Three-way light bulbs

WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 323

burnout of

functioning of

Throat, uvula, purpose of

Throwing, sex differences in

Thumb notches in dictionaries

Thumbs-up gesture, “okay” and

Thursday, Thanksgiving and

Tickets, red carbons on airline

Tickling of self

Ticklishness of different parts of body

Ticks, diet of

Ties, origins of

Tiles, ceramic, in tunnels

“Tinker’s dam”

Tinnitus, causes of

Tips, waiter, and credit cards

Tiredness and eye-rubbing

Tires

atop mobile homes

automobile tread, disappearance of

bicycle

bluish tinge on new whitewalls

inflation of, and gasoline mileage

white wall, size of

Tissue paper in wedding invitations

Title pages, dual, in books

Toads, warts and

“Toady”

“Toast [salute]”

Toasters, one slice slot on

Toenails, growth of

Toffee, versus caramels

Toilet paper, folding over in hotel bathrooms Toilet seats in public restrooms

Toilets

flush handles on, location of

loud flushes of, in public restrooms

seat covers for

“Tom Collins [drink]”

“Tommy gun”

324 / DAVID FELDMAN

Tongues, sticking out of

Tonsils, function of

Toothpaste

expiration dates on

taste of, with orange juice

Toothpicks

flat versus round

mint flavoring on

Tootsie Roll Pops, Indian and star on wrappers of Toques, purpose of

Tornadoes

lull before

trailer parks and

Tortilla chips

black specks on

price of, versus potato chips

Tortillas

black specks on

size of, versus corn

Touch tone telephones, keypad configuration for Towels

number of, in hotel rooms

smell of used

textures of

Traffic control

55 mph speed limit

traffic lights

Traffic flow, clumping of, on highways

Traffic jams, clearing of, on highways

Traffic lights

colors on

timing of, in New York and Washington D.C.

Traffic noise in U.S., versus other countries Traffic signal light bulbs, lifespan of

Traffic signs

“DONT WALK,” lack of apostrophe on

“FALLING ROCK,” purpose of

placement of “Dangerous Curve”

Trailer parks

tires atop mobile homes in

WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 325

tornadoes and

Train stations, ceilings of

Trains

backwards locomotives in

“EXEMPT” signs at railroad crossings

Tread, tire, disappearance of

Treasurer, U.S., gender of

Treasury, printing of new bills by

Treble clefs, dots on

Trees

bark, color of

growth in cities

growth on slopes of

Triton, orbit pattern of

Tropical fish, oxygen in

Trucks

idling of engines of

license plates on

origins of term “semi” and

“Tsk-Tsk,” stroking of index fingers and

Tuba bells, orientation of

Tuesday

release of CDs

U.S. elections and

Tumbleweed, tumbling of

Tuna, cat food, cans of

Tunnels, ceramic tiles in

Tupperware and home parties

“Turkey,” in bowling, origin of term

Turkeys

beards on

white versus dark meat

Turn signals in automobiles, clicking sounds of
TV Guide
, order of listings in

Twenty-four second clock in NBA basketball Twenty-one as age of majority

Twenty-one gun salute, origins of

“Twenty-three skidoo”

Twins, identical, DNA and

Twitches during sleep

326 / DAVID FELDMAN

TWIX cookie bars, holes in

“Two bits,” origins of term

Two by fours, measurement of

Two-minute warning, football and

Typewriter keys, location of

“U” in University of Miami football helmets Ultraviolet and attraction of insects

Umpires and home plate sweeping

“Uncouth”

Underarm hair, purpose of

Underwear, labels on

Uniforms

painters’ whites

surgeons’, color of

United States Mint and shipment of coin sets United States Postal System (USPS)

CAR-RT SORT on envelopes

undeliverable mail

University of Miami

football helmets

“Hurricanes” nickname

University of North Carolina and Tar Heels University of South Florida, location of

Unleaded gasoline, cost of

Unlisted telephone numbers, charges for

Unscented hair spray, smell of

“Upper crust”

Upper lips, groove on

UPS

shipment of coin sets

used trucks, nonexistence of

Urinals, ice in

Urination, running water and

Uvula, purpose of

Vaccination marks, hair growth and

Valve stems on fire hydrants, shape of

VCRs, counter numbers on

Vegetable oil, vegetables in

WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 327

Vegetable oils, vegetables in

Vending machines

bill counting and

freezing of soft drinks in

half dollars and

pennies and

placement of snacks in

“Use Correct Change” light on

Vent windows, side, in automobiles

Vestments

color of Catholic priests’

color of popes’

Videocassette boxes, configuration of

Videocassette recorders

counters on

power surges and

Videotape recorders

“play” and “record” switches on

storms and

Videotape versus audiotape, two sides of

Videotapes, rental, two-tone signals on

Violin bows, white dots on frogs of

Virgin acrylic

Virgin olive oil

Vision

Vitamins, measurement of, in foods

Voices

causes of high and low

elderly versus younger

perception of, own versus others

Volkswagen Beetles, elimination of

Vomiting and horses

“Waffling”

Wagon wheels in film, movement of

Waiters’ tips and credit cards

Walking the plank, pirates and

Walking, race, judging of

Wall Street Journal
, lack of photographs in Warmth and its effect on pain

328 / DAVID FELDMAN

Warning labels, mattress tag

Warts, frogs and toads and

Washing machine agitators, movement of

Washing machines, top-versus bottom-loading, and detergent Washington D.C., “J” Street in

Watch, versus clock, distinctions between

“Watch,” origins of term

Watches and placement on left hand

Water

bottled, expiration dates on

chemical manufacture of

clouds in tap water

color of

Water faucets

bathroom versus kitchen

location of, hot versus cold

Water temperature

effect on stain

versus air temperature, perception of

Water towers

height of

winter and

Water, boiling, boiling, during home births Water, cold, kitchen versus bathroom

Watermelon seeds, white versus black

Wax, whereabouts in dripless candles

“Wear his heart on his sleeve”

“Weasel words”

Weather [see also particular conditions]

clear days following storms

forecasting of, in different regions

partly cloudy versus partly sunny

smell of impending rain

West coast versus East coast

Wedding etiquette, congratulations to bride and groom and Wedding invitations, tissue paper in

Weigh stations, highway, predictable closure of Wells, roundness of

Wendy’s hamburgers, square shape of

Western Union telegrams

WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 329

exclamation marks and

periods

Wet noses, dogs and

Wetness, effect of, on color

Whales, sperm, head oil in

Whiplash, delayed reaction of

Whips, cracking sound of

Whistling at sporting events

White Castle hamburgers, holes in

White chocolate, versus brown chocolate

“White elephant”

White paint on homes

White pepper, source of

White wine, black grapes and

White-wall tires

bluish tinge on

thickness of

Wigwams near highway

Wind on lakes, effect of different times on Window cleaning, newspapers and

Window envelopes, use by mass mailers

Windows, rear, of automobiles

Windshield wipers, buses versus automobile Wine

chianti and straw-covered bottles

dryness of

temperature of serving, red versus white

white, black grapes and

Wine glasses, types of

Wine tasters, drunkenness in

Wing-tip shoes, holes in

Winter, first day of

Wisdom teeth, purpose of

Women

dancing ability

fainting

feelings of coldness

group restroom visits

hair length of aging

leg kicking when kissing

330 / DAVID FELDMAN

remote control usage

spitting

uncomfortable shoes

Wood, popping noise of, in fires

Woodpeckers, headaches and

Wool

shrinkage of, versus wool

smell of, when wet

Worms

appearance on sidewalk after rain

as fish food

birds and

in tequila bottles

larvae and

survival during winter

Wrapping

Burger King sandwiches

chewing gum

gift box chocolate

Wrinkles on extremities

Wrists as perfume target

Wristwatches, placement on left hand

X

as symbol for kiss

as symbol in algebra

“X ray”

“Xmas,” origins of term

X-rated movies, versus XXX-rated movies

“XXX [liquor]”

Yawning, contagiousness of

Yeast in bread, effect of

Yellow, aversion of insects to

Yellow Freight Systems, orange trucks of

Yellow lights, timing of, in traffic lights Yellow Pages, advertisements in

Yellowing of fingernails, nail polish and YKK on zippers

Yogurt

WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 331

fruit on bottom

liquid atop

Zebras and riding by humans

ZIP code, addresses on envelopes and

“Zipper”

Zippers, YKK on

Zodiac, different dates for signs in

Zoo animals, rocking in

332 / DAVID FELDMAN

WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 333

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About the Author

DAVID FELDMAN is the author of the Imponderables

® series, as well as
Who Put the Butter in Butterfly?

and How to Win at Just About Everything
. He has a master’s degree in popular culture from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and consults and lectures on the media. He lives in New York City.

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ALSO BY DAVID FELDMAN

Do Elephants Jump?

How Do Astronauts Scratch an Itch?

What Are Hyenas Laughing at, Anyway?

How to Win at Just About Anything

How Does Aspirin Find a Headache?

Are Lobsters Ambidextrous?

(Originally published as
When Did Wild Poodles Roam
the Earth?
)

Do Penguins Have Knees?