Joan Mullet of Goshen, Indiana, writes: Marilyn: My husband visualizes time as moving from right to left. I see it moving from left to right. Does this reflect right brain/left brain...

Bernie Lally of West Springfield, Massachusetts, writes: Marilyn: When you wrote about fireplaces, you didn't mention colonial central stack fireplaces. (November 1, 2009) Our house was built in...

Manuel Lopez of Westwood, California, writes: Marilyn: A friend says that a person who eats a pound of chocolate may gain more than one pound because the chocolate could have more than 3500...

Matthew Andrews Oak Harbor, Washington, writes: Marilyn: About short vs. long shelf-life milk: There are three types of pasteurized milk. You mention two: normally-pasteurized milk and...

Lola Hagstrom of Huntington Beach, California, writes: Marilyn: Where can I buy the UHT Milk that you wrote about? (October 25, 2009) Many stores have something like it, but all the packages have...

When watching TV, I notice that the wheels on cars often seem to be spinning backward. Why does this happen? —Martha Moren, Turlock, Calif. As you know, a motion picture is, in fact, a sequence of...

Misty Covington of Sparks, Maryland, writes: Marilyn: I did a double-take when I read a word puzzle from another reader in your column. (October 25, 2009) I wrote that puzzle--which you published in...

Feng Liu of Beijing, China, writes: Marilyn: As you've known you were smart since you were very young, why didn't you choose a career in scientific research? Marilyn responds: I had no interest...

Kyle McDonald of Caseyville, Illinois, writes: Marilyn: While reminiscing privately a few years ago, I noticed something contradictory in many of my memories: They weren't in my perspective. They...

Dave Donahue of Stilwell, Kansas, writes: Marilyn: For several years, I was a night owl and a dedicated fan of Jay Leno. After the show, I would go to bed and sleep soundly. Now the show is much...

Grover Ericksen of Hendersonville, North Carolina, writes: Marilyn: Your answer to the question about flight (October 18, 2009) should have mentioned that the wings need to have an airfoil shape,...

Pete Davis of Evans, Georgia, writes: Marilyn: When using one crutch or a cane, should the support be on the same side as the bad foot (or leg)? Or should the device be held on the opposite side?...

Feeding most wild animals is discouraged because the practice makes them dependent on humans. Yet feeding birds is accepted. Why the difference? —B. Chafin, Decatur, Ga. The sheer volume of food is...

James Santiago of Albuquerque, New Mexico, writes: Marilyn: I disagree with your reply about wasting water. (September 20, 2009) Retaining water in the man-made distribution system leaves less...

Jay Stevens of Angola, Indiana, writes: Marilyn: In your comments about running ceiling fans in heating season, you noted that the writer should compare the expense of operating the fan to the...

To William B. of Hudson, Wisconsin, Dan H. of Springfield, Massachusetts, Rick H. of Hagerstown, Maryland, Dan L. of Chesterfield, Virginia, Jim L. of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Chuck M. of Wichita,...

Barbara Birkholz of Fennville, Michigan, writes: Marilyn: I'm writing about the Jack and Jill clunker puzzle. (September 20, 2009) Why doesn't Jack just trade his SUV for the hybrid? What do not I...

Tina Shaycort of Melissa, Texas, writes: Marilyn: When a person travels by car at, say, 50 mph, this speed is relative to the road. You stated that New York City spins at about 775 mph. (September...

Dolores Rich of Hunting Beach, California, writes: Marilyn: What type of ability does one use to solve Numbrix puzzles? Marilyn responds: Numbrix is designed to exercise one's fluid...

Is it true that burning wood in a fireplace will make your home-heating energy costs go up instead of down? (Don’t include the cost of the wood.) —John Clapsaddle, Ellicott City, Md. Yes. A fire...

Alan Moger of Waterford, Connecticut, writes:Marilyn: In the question about the number of people with surnames in the first half of the alphabet versus the second half, the letters specified were...

Jane Tierney of Kansas City, Missouri, writes: Marilyn: I recently found your daily diet at your Web site. Do you still follow it? If so, did you get used to the smaller breakfast and lunch easily?...

Matthew White of Portland, Oregon, writes:Marilyn: Here's an idea--Make a structure as a dog entrance to the house. As the dog trots through, his feet are washed and dried, and his coat is fluffed...

Gus Nielson of Seattle, Washington, writes:Marilyn: I have some intelligent friends who are really into astrology. Not the newspaper horoscope kind, but the charts and data kind. They swear it's...

Allen Bunn of Blytheville, Arkansas writes:Marilyn: I am an early-to-bed and early-to-rise type. When I get up around 5 am, I look at the temperature. After dawn, I see that the temperature has...

Greg Sanders of Evanston, Illinois, writes: Marilyn: I have a girlfriend who is extremely intelligent.  Her personality is amazing. She is somewhat homely but attractive in a unique way. She...

What do these words have in common: about, bring, carouse, drag, equality, fox, ground, hill, irate, jangle, know, late, mat, never, opinions, part, roar, strait, table, vindicate, washes, your,...

John Doe of Denver, Colorado, writes: Marilyn: I'm writing about Jack and his gas-guzzling SUV. (September 20, 2009) Great commercial for hybrid cars. So, Jack and Jill get rid of a car. I don't...

Bill Brunone of Marietta, Georgia, writes: Marilyn: It was easy to walk away from the question about the SUV and the economy car without understanding your meaning. (September 20, 2009) The question...

Lee Scheffler of West Newton, Massachusetts, writes: Marilyn: Your comments about wasting water didn't include an important point. (September 20, 2009) Any water system has both a finite supply and...