American Institute of Baking; Valerie Antoine, U.S. Metric Association; Jan Armstrong, International Tennis Hall of Fame; Darrell Arnold, Western Horseman.
Glen Bacheller, Dunkin’ Donuts; Bob Baker, United Lightning Protection Association; Michele Ball, National Audubon Society; Jim Baker, WABC-TV; Richard C. Banks, American Ornithologist’s Union; Dr. Pat. A. Barelli, American Rhinologic Society; Roz Bar-row, Harper & Row; Rajat Basu, Citibank; H. R. Baumgardner, American Retreaders Association; Professor Don Beaty, College of San Mateo; Ira Becker, Gleason’s Gym; Linda E. Belisle, General Mills; Peter Berle, National Audubon Society; E. J. Blasko, Eastman Kodak; Bob Bledsoe, Texas Instruments; Ralph Bombadiere, New York Association of Service Stations; Peter Boyce, American Astronomical Society; Dan Brigham, Visa; John J. Brill, Northeastern Retail Lumbermen’s Association; Larry Brown, Volkswagen; James E. Bures, Fanny Farmer Candies; Walter F. Burghardt, Jr., American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior; Lieutenant Colonel James A. Burkholder, U.S. Air Force Academy; Thomas F. Burns, American Spice Trade Association; Kenneth H. Burrell, American Dental Association.
George F. Cahill, National Flag Foundation; Inge Calderon, American Supply Association; Dr. Bruce Calnek, Cornell University; Doug Campbell, Northern Nut Growers Association; K. L. Campbell, Firestone Tire and Rubber Company; Joan Walsh Cassedy, Transportation Research Forum; Molly Chillinsky, Coin Laundry Association; Richard W. Church, Plumbing Manufacturers Institute; Gary M. Clayton, Professional Lawn Care Association of America; Conference on the Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles; Charlotte H. Connelly, Whitman’s Chocolates; Tom Consella, John Morrell; Dr. John Cook, Georgia Dermatology and Skin Cancer Clinic; Rhoda Cook, Montana Outfitters and Guides Association; B. F. Cooling, American Military Institute; John Corbett, Clairol Corporation; B.
W. Crosby, Pepperidge Farm; Fred A. Curry, Stanley-Proto Industrial Tools.
Neill Darmstadter, American Trucking Associations; Curtiss O.
Davis, Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Jack D. DeMent, Dole Fresh Fruit Company; Mrs. David Doane, Dalmation Club of America, Inc.; Joseph M. Doherty, D.D.S., American Association of Public Health Dentistry; R. H. Dowhan, GTE Products Corporation; Dr. G. H.
Drumheller, International Rhinologic Society.
Ralph E. Eary, Scripps Howard; James E. Eisener, Suburban Newspapers of America; Dick Elgin, Department of Agriculture; Dr.
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 243
Elliot, American Dermatological Association; Kay Englehardt, American Egg Board.
Joseph D. Fabin, Department of Transportation; Dr. John Falk; Michael Falkowitz, Nabisco Brands; Fred F. Feldman, M.D.; Debbie Feldstein, National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; Robert J. Fink, Huffy Corporation; Lynn Flame, London Fog; Howard R.
Fletcher, Muscatine Memorial Park; Bob Ford, AT&T Bell Laboratories; Edward S. Ford, D.V.M., Grayson Foundation; Lynda Frank; Dudley Frazier, New American Library; William H. Freeborn, Assistant Secretary of State, Delaware; Don French, Radio Shack; David F. Friedman, Adult Film Association of America; Marvin M. Fryden-lund, Lightning Protection Institute; Frye Boots.
Scoop Gallello, International Veteran Boxers Association; Dr. M.
M. Galloway, Canada Biting Fly Centre; Dr. James Gant, Jr., International Lunar Society; J. Byron Gathright, American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons; Mary S. Gilbert, L’eggs Products; Glutamate Association; S. Gordon, Pavey Envelope and Tag Corporation; Amey Grubbs, Dude Ranchers Association.
Gerard Hageney, American Sugar Division, Amstar; E. E. Halmes, Jr., Construction Writers Association; Darryl Hansen, Entomological Society of America; Carl E. Hass, Winchell’s; Waldo Haythorne; Jim Heffernen, National Football League; C. F. Helvie, Mobil Oil Corporation; Bob Henderson, Kansas State Department of Wildlife; Tom Higham, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials; Shari Hiller, Sherwin-Williams Company; Hal Hochvert, Bantam Books; Frank Holman; Sarah K. Hood, International Banana Association; Ellen Hornbeck; Dr. Andrew Horne, Federal Aviation Authority Office of Aviation Medicine; Harry Horrocks, National Lumber and Building Materials Association; Susan R. Hubler, House Ear Institute; Michael Hubsmith, London Fog; Donald Hull, International Amateur Boxing Association; Rob Hummel, Technicolor; George Hundt, Ekco.
Patrick C. Jackman, Bureau of Labor Statistics; Beverly Jakaitis, American Dental Association; John Jay, Intercoiffure America-Canada; James H. Jensen, General Electric Lighting Group; Bob Joseph, Red Lobster.
Stanley Kalkus, Naval Historical Center; Shirlee Kalstone; Jeff Kanipe, Astronomy Magazine; Dr. Morley Kare, Monnell Institute; Blaine Keib, Hanna Refrigeration; Bill Keogh, American Bakeries; Michael R. Kershow, Bicycle Manufacturers of America; Wayne Kester, D.V.M., American Association of Equine Practitioners; Felix Kestenberg, Misty Harbor; Robert C. Knipe, Textile Care Allied Trades Association; John A. Kolberg, Spreckels Sugar Division, 244 / DAVID FELDMAN
Amstar Corporation; Al Konecny, U.S. Military Academy, West Point; Rick Kot, Harper & Row; Thomas J. Kraner, American Paper Institute.
Randy Ladenheim, William Morrow and Company; Eugene C.
LaFond, International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Ocean; Robert E. Lee, International Boxing Federation; Thomas A.
Lehmann, American Institute of Baking; B. Leppek, Huffy Corporation; Bernard Lepper, Career Apparel Institute; Belinda Lerner, National Hockey League; Naomi J. Linder, General Foods; Barbara Linton, National Audubon Society; Leo A. Lorenzen, American Planning Service; Joseph J. Lorfano, American Newspaper Publishers Association; Patricia Lortz, National Association of Bedding Manufacturers; Susan A. Lovin, Institute of Transportation Engineers; Robert Lute III.
Alan MacRobert, Sky Publishing Corporation; Ruth Mankin, Delaware Chamber of Commerce; Bob Manning, Londontown Corporation; James A. Marchiony, National Collegiate Athletic Association; Edward P. Marion, Professional Football Referees Association; Nikki P. Martin, Reynolds Metals Company; Doug Matyka, Georgia-Pacific Corporation; Marsha McLain, Pet Incorporated; Thomas H. McLaughlin, Western Pet Supply Association, Inc.; Robert L. Meckley, Westinghouse Electric Corporation; Jay L. Meikle, California and Hawaiian Sugar Company; B. G. Merritt, Eveready Battery Company; Elizabeth Crosby Metz; Carla Mikell, Colgate Palmolive Corporation; Rick Miller, Kansas State University; Dr.
William E. Monroe, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine; Montgomery Elevator Company; James H. Moran, Campbell Soup Company; Professor Richard Moran, Mount Holyoke College; Stephen L. Morgan, American Cemetery Association; Jane C. Mott, General Motors Technical Center; Ruth Mottram, Mars, Inc.; Thomas R. Myers, See’s Candies.
National Bath Bed and Linen Association; National Weather Association; New York Public Library; H. M. Niebling, North American Wholesale Lumber Association; James W. Nixon, Whitman’s Chocolates.
Richard O’Connell, Whitman’s Chocolates; Larry O’Connor, American Truck Dealers; John O’Regan, CBS-TV; Carl Oppedahl.
Eleanor Pardue, Hanes Hoisery, Inc.; Dr. Lawrence Charles Parish; Dennis Patterson, Murray Bicycle Manufacturing; Dianne V. Patterson, U.S. Postal Service; Pechter Fields Bakery; Polly A. Penhale, American Society of Limnology and Oceanography; Merrill Perlman, New York Times; Robert J. Peterson, American National Metric Council; Diane Pindle, Hygrade Company; Jack Pollack, Keith WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 245
County News; P. M. Preuss, Ford Motor Corporation; Dr. R. Lee Pyle, College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Judy Radcoff, Sherwin-Williams Company; George Rapp, Jr., University of Minnesota, Duluth; Mike Redman, National Soft Drink Association; Gloria E. Reich, American Tinnitus Association; Jim Renson, Print and Ink Manufacturers; Jeffrey Reynolds, National Dog Groomers Association; Nelson Rimensnyder, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the District of Columbia; Eugene W.
Robbins, Texas Good Roads/Transportation Association; Beverly C. Roberts, Lawn Institute; John R. Rodenburg, Federated Funeral Directors of America; Paul Rosenbaum; Lou Rothstein, Misty Harbor; Chuck Russell, Sharp Electronics.
Donna Samelson, Sun-Diamond Growers of California; Norman J. Sanchez; Sherry Sancibrian, Texas Tech University; Starr Saphir, New York Audubon Society; Armand Schneider, Federal Express; Stanley M. Schuer, Gasoline and Automotive Service Dealers Association; Henry Schwarzchild, Capital Punishment Project, American Civil Liberties Union; Janet Seagle, U.S. Golf Association; Robert Seaman; Fred Shippee, American Apparel Manufacturers Association; Joe Skrivan, Huffy Corporation; Gary D. Smith, Heinz USA; Richard N. Smith, National Bureau of Standards; Whitney Smith, Ph.D., Flag Research Center; Pedro Sole, Ph.D., Chiquita Brands, Inc.; Dick Spencer, Western Horseman; Cheri Spies, Continental Baking; Terry L. Stibal; Ed Stuart, Chrysler Motors; John J. Suarez, R.P.E., National Pest Control Association; Harold Sundstrom, Dog Writers Association of America; Virgil Swanson.
Lisa M. Tate, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States; Thomas A. Tervo, Stearns & Foster Bedding Company; Sue Thompson, AT&T Bell Laboratories; Tony Lama Company; Barbara Torres, Armour Foods; Anthony P. Travisono, American Correctional Association; Jim Trupin, JET Literary Agency.
Simone van der Woude, Consulate General of the Netherlands; Vermont-American Corporation; Elaine Viets, St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Jim Warters, Professional Golfers Association; Eric S. Waterman, National Erectors Association; Julien Weil, Royal Crown Cola; Belinda Baxter Welsh, Procter & Gamble; Al B. Wesolowsky, Journal of Field Archaeology; S. C. White, National Hardwood Lumber Association; David K. Witheford, National Research Council, Transportation Research Board; Maggie Wittenberg; Merry Wooten, Astronomical League.
About a thousand people were contacted to gather information for this book. Not everyone was cooperative, but an astonishing 246 / DAVID FELDMAN
percentage were. To those who, for whatever reason, preferred to remain anonymous, yet still provided information, I give my thanks.
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 247
Subject Index
AC and DC
Acre, origins of
Airplanes
ear popping and
feet swelling and
Alcohol, proof of
Aluminum foil, two sides of
Ants, sidewalks and
Apples, teachers and
Armpits, shaving of
Automobiles
side-view mirrors
speed limits
speedometers
tire tread
white wall tires
Baked goods
Bananas, growth of
Bathtubs, overflow mechanisms on
Batteries, volume and power loss in
Beetle, Volkswagen, elimination of
Bell bottoms, sailor and
Bicycles
crossbars on
tires and
Birds
death of
droppings of
mockingbirds, sleep pattern of
Blue, in hair rinses
“Blue blood,” origin of term
Body hair
248
loss of
pubic hair
underarm hair
Body odor, human
Book staining
Boots, fence posts and
Boxers, sniffing and
Buns
hamburger bottom
hot dog, number of in package
Bunnies, chocolate Easter
Buttons, men’s and women’s clothing and
“Caboodle,” “kit” and
Cadets, military, cap throwing and
Calculators, key pad configurations of
Candies, shapes of chocolate
Capital punishment, hours of executions and Cemeteries
financial strategies of owners of
perpetual care and
Chocolate
Easter bunnies
shapes of
Cigarettes, odor of
Clocks
hand movements
numerals
Clouds, rain and
Coca-Cola, containers for
Construction sites, pine trees and
Consumer Price Index
Copyright pages, strange numbers on
Countdown leader, film and
Cows, milking positions and
Credit card slips
Curad bandages, wrappers of
Cuts, paper, pain and
DC, AC and
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 249
Dalmatians, firehouses and
Dangerous Curve signs, placement of
Delaware, incorporations in
Dentist offices, smell of
Dogs
body odor in
circling of
laryngitis in
Doughnuts
handling in stores
origins of holes in
Driving, left-and right-hand side of road Dry-cleaning
garment labels and
raincoats and
Ears
hairy, in old men
popping in airplanes
ringing, causes of
Easter, chocolate bunnies and
Eggs, color of
sizes of
Elderly, height and the
Electricity, AC versus DC
Emmy awards, origins of name
Envelopes, window
Escalator knobs, purpose of
Evaporated milk
refrigeration of
soldered cans and
Evolution, loss of body hair and
Executions, hours of
Exterminators, hard hats and
Extremities, wrinkles on
Fahrenheit scale
increments in
zero degrees, meaning of
Federal Express, hours of employees of
250 / DAVID FELDMAN
Feet, swelling in airplanes of
Fences, height restrictions in
Fifty-five mph
speed limit of
speedometers and
Films
countdown leader in
wagon wheels in, movement of
X-rated
Fingernails, lunula and
Fireplaces, rain in
Flagpoles, balls atop
“Flammable,” versus “inflammable,” use of Flies, landing patterns of
winter and
“Flotsam,” versus “jetsam,” use of
Flush handles, toilets and
Football, game balls in
“Fore,” origin of golf expression
Freezer compartments, refrigerator
Funerals
perpetual care and
small cemeteries and
Game balls, distribution of football
Gasoline, pricing of
Glue, taste of postage stamp
Glutamates, MSG and
Golf
origin of eighteen holes in
origin of term “fore”
Goosebumps, faces and
Graduations, military academy
Grapes, raisins and
Gretzky, Wayne, uniform of
Grocery sacks, names on
Hair coloring, blue
Hair spray, unscented, smell of
Hamburger buns, bottoms of
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 251
Hard hats, exterminators and
Hat tricks, hockey
Height, voice pitch and
Height restrictions, fences and
Highways, shoes found on
Hockey
hat trick in
Wayne Gretzky uniform in
“Holland,” versus “Netherlands,” use of
Horses, sleeping posture of
Hot dog buns, number of
Hot water, noise in pipes of
Icy roads, use of sand and salt on
“Inflammable,” versus “flammable,” use of Ivory soap, purity of
“Jack,” “John” and
“Jetsam,” versus “flotsam,” use of
“John,” “Jack” and
Ketchup, bottles of
“Kit,” “caboodle” and
Label warnings, mattress
Laryngitis, dogs and
Lawns, reasons for
Leader, film
Light bulbs, three-way
burnout
functioning of
Lightning, heat
Liquor, proof and
Lobster, leftover
Lumber, measurement of two by fours and
Lunula, fingernails and
M&M’s
252 / DAVID FELDMAN
MSG, Chinese restaurants and
Mattress tags, warning labels on
Measurements
acre
meter
Medals, location of on military uniforms
Meter, origins of
Microphones, press conferences and
Mockingbirds, sleep patterns of
Moon, apparent size of
“Netherlands,” versus “Holland,” use of
Newspapers
ink smudges of
tearing of
Ocean, color of
Old men
hairy ears and
pants height and
“Oreo,” origins of name
Overflow mechanisms, kitchen sinks and
Paint, homes and white
Pants, height of old men’s
Paper bags, names on
Paper cuts, pain and
Paperback books, staining of
Pay toilets, disappearance of
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture registration Pepper, white, source of
Perpetual care, cemeteries and
Phillips screwdriver
Pine nuts, shelling of
Pine trees, construction sites and
Pinholes, bottle cap
Pork and beans, pork in
Postage stamps, taste of
Potholes, causes of
Press conferences, microphones in
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 253
Pubic Hair, human
Raincoats, dry-cleaning of
Raisins
cereal boxes and
seeded grapes and
Razor blades, hotel slots for
Refrigerators, configurations of
Reynolds Wrap, texture of two sides of