# Weird and Unique Mnemonics **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 22, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037 "2013-01-22T20:38:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/21 "2013-01-23T16:42:13Z")
> [@conway](#): > > Most (newish) cars have a little arrow on the gas gauge indicating which side the cap is on. Most do, yes. Niether of mine fit into the “most” catagory. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/22 "2013-01-23T16:52:03Z")
When I was in middle school, I always had trouble remembering how many feet were in a mile (5280). A teacher suggested coming up with a way to remember each of the two halves separately. 52 was easy, as it’s the number of cards in a deck. 80 was harder. What’s something there’s 80? The teaches told me to just use something silly or random so I would remember that and the number by connection and made a suggestion. To this day, in my mind, 80 is the number of clams in a basket. ---
**Author:** ![Cryptic\_C62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cryptic\_C62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cryptic_C62)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/23 "2013-01-23T17:10:12Z")
There’s an intersection on my school’s campus where, as a pedestrian attempting to cross quickly, it is helpful to remember whether the inbound or outbound traffic receives the leading left turn arrow. The outbound side goes first, and happens to pass a Boloco restaurant, so I said to myself “Boloco goes first-o.” I’ve never forgotten it. ---
**Author:** ![Tamarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tamarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamarin)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/24 "2013-01-23T17:31:47Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > If by ‘most’, you mean ‘in the USA’. Yep. Most in the USA. I don’t have to do tech support for anyone outside the US…yet. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/25 "2013-01-23T20:34:23Z")
I remember hearing a long time ago a mnemonic for remembering license tags: Convert the numbers to a dollar amount, and make a short sentence for the letters. For instance, “381 IOV” might be “$3.81, I Own a Violin.” This came in pretty handy a few times before cell phone cameras. To change the subject a little bit: One of the things I’ve learned by hard experience: If you’re involved in a fender bender, the FIRST thing to do is take a picture of the other car’s license tag. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/26 "2013-01-23T21:08:22Z")
Toronto Girls Can Flirt And Other Quirky Things Canadians Do Moh’s hardness scale ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/27 "2013-01-23T21:29:22Z")
There’s one I got from a music humour book, on how to remember the order of sharps in a key signature. The order of sharps is FCGDAEB, remembered by the phrase “Father Christmas Gets Diarrhea After Eating Biscuits.” ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/28 "2013-01-23T22:42:21Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > The gas cap is on the opposite side of my car as my wife’s car. I was forever pulling up to the wrong side of the gas pump until I finally figured out this mnemonic: > > On my car the gas cap is on MY side (driver side), on her car the gas cap is on HER side (passenger). It helps that I almost always drive when we are together, regardless of which vehicle we take. Ya know. On most cars, If you look at the gas gauge there’s this little [arrow](http://www.hemanual.com/images/books/573/2/page.h50.gif)pointing to the side of the car the filler is on. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/29 "2013-01-23T23:44:38Z")
> [@Meltdown](#): > > Does anyone else have any weird mnemonic devices that help them remember stuff that may be unique to themselves? Stalac **T** ite and stalag **M** ite. I picture the **T** as hanging down from the cave ceiling and the **M** as standing up from the floor. Came up with this when I was a 12yo budding geologist only to find out later that the normal mnemonic is c for ceiling and g for ground. I’ve got more I’m sure but the OP jogged this particular memory. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/30 "2013-01-24T00:09:40Z")
> [@DataX](#): > > Bad boys rape our young girls, but violet gives willingly (resistor color codes) > > Not that I’d recommend that one - just remember it (but don’t need it) > [@lost4life](#): > > I remember that one. IIRC, they also would add Get Some Now for the tolerance bands (gold, silver, none). I had teachers vaguely refer to it, as in there’s a mnemonic device we WILL NOT be using. When I went through BE&E in '82, they taught us “Bad boys rob our young girls behind victory garden walls.” My brother taught me the other version (including “GSN”) later. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/31 "2013-01-24T00:14:45Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > A workmate recently told me a much easier one: “I have a little port left in my glass” - from this, you can get both the side and the colour of the navigation lights - port is left, port wine is red. Unless, of course, you’re drinking [white port](http://taylor.pt/en/enjoy-port-wine/pairing-port-food/white-ports/)… ---
**Author:** ![Rain\_Soaked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@Rain\_Soaked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rain_Soaked)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/32 "2013-01-24T00:27:06Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Stalac **T** ite and stalag **M** ite. I picture the **T** as hanging down from the cave ceiling and the **M** as standing up from the floor. Came up with this when I was a 12yo budding geologist only to find out later that the normal mnemonic is c for ceiling and g for ground. > > I’ve got more I’m sure but the OP jogged this particular memory. I always remember as the **T** is at the\*\* TOP\*\* of the cave and the **M** is like a\*\* Mountain\*\* rising up from the floor. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/33 "2013-01-24T00:37:06Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Ya know. On most cars, If you look at the gas gauge there’s this little [arrow](http://www.hemanual.com/images/books/573/2/page.h50.gif)pointing to the side of the car the filler is on. He probably overlooked that. But you have to forgive him since you overlooked post #6. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/34 "2013-01-24T00:40:43Z")
The classic med student’s mnemonic for the cranial nerves: “On Old Olympus’ Towering Tops, A Fat-Assed German Vends His Hops”. Haven’t a clue what the nerves are, I just remember the phrase. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/35 "2013-01-24T01:07:20Z")
Cranial nerves, as to motor, sensory, or both- Some say marry money, but my brother says bad boys marry money. Geologic timescale (ya gotta just remember precambrian goes first)- Can Orville see down my pants pocket? Tom Jones can, Tom’s queer. Here’s one for E=IR or P=IE or F=MA or speed=distance/time problems, and others- Write the symbols down like this: ## E I R Cover the one you don’t know with your finger. Examples: cover E, I R are left. IR means I times R. E=IR. Cover I, E over R is left. E over R means E divided by R, so I equals E/R. This works with all formulae in the form of X=YZ or y=x/z. Just remember to put the two multiplied in the original formula on the bottom or the one divided by the other in the original formula on the top. This trick may seem simplistic to math people, but it really helps 9th graders with lousy math backgrounds pass physical science. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/36 "2013-01-24T01:17:56Z")
Local to Williamsville East HS, circa 1982, Mr Kolis’ bio class Kolis Plays Cards On Friday and Gets Skunked Kingdom, phyla, class, order, family, genus, species. Still use it. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/37 "2013-01-24T01:37:00Z")
> [@Rain\_Soaked](#): > > I always remember as the **T** is at the\*\* TOP\*\* of the cave and the **M** is like a\*\* Mountain\*\* rising up from the floor. I always remember that a stalactite has to hang on tight to the ceiling, while a stalagmite might reach the ceiling some day. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/38 "2013-01-24T02:12:48Z")
When I played safety in high school, I used to mix up my left and right. Got really embarrassing when I was supposed to shout “Strong Left” to announce which side had more players on the line. Coach grabbed me and told me to make an “L” with my hand and thumb. “L” for left! From then on, I’d hold up my hand and my friends would think it was some hand signal. It even carried on into college ball. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/39 "2013-01-24T02:47:18Z")
I made this one up to remember the order of the Galilean moons: I Envy Great Cellists Io Europa Ganymede Callisto. My user name is a tribute to my favorite moon, Io. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037/40 "2013-01-24T03:10:47Z")
A friend wanted to be among the 1% of Americans who can name the current Supreme Court justices. She came up with . . . The conservatives are RATS : Roberts Alito Thomas Scalia. The liberals are Commies, thus KGBS : Kagan Ginsburg Breyer Sotomayer. Kennedy is Kind of in the Middle. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-and-unique-mnemonics/648037.md?page=3)