Trends — November 1, 1999

Monday, Nov. 1, 1999 | 9:40 a.m.

When was the last time you thought long and hard about pigs? We're willing to bet it's been a while.

Time for a refresher course: Start by picking up a copy of "A Field Guide to Pigs" (Flacon Publishing, $9.95), by John Pukite. It's the sequel to the author's earlier work, "A Field Guide to Cows."

This quirky little book is packed full of more information about all of the different breeds of oinkers than one could ever hope to use. Did you know that the feet of the Mulefoot pig are syndactyl, meaning the third- and fourth-digit toe tips are fused? We thought not.

Pigs have long been the subject of many superstitions, including the one that says walking around a pigsty three times will cure illnesses. If a sow crosses the path of a bridal procession, it is supposedly bad luck. And German farmers were known to rub dill seed on their pigs to keep them from harm.

Here are some more pig tidbits to add to the useless bunch of trivia taking up space in your brain: Eighty percent of pigs raised on commercial farms today are hybrids (or crossbred). A tight curl on a piglet's tail is a sign of good health. Pigs have a terrific sense of smell and have the ability to smell things buried underground up to 20 feet away.

All washed up

Speaking of smelling ... the makers of Fa brand body wash have released the results of a survey they conducted about the showering habits of 1,000 United States residents.

Seventy-four percent of people said they shower at least once a day. Broken down by region, 67 percent of Northeasterners, 68 percent of Midwesterners, 78 percent of Southerners and 82 percent of Westerners report showering that frequently.

Besides the need to clean themselves up, 54 percent of folks said they shower as a means of relaxing; 31 percent do it to energize themselves; 23 percent use the shower to warm up or cool off; and 13 percent admitted to hopping in the shower when they needed time to themselves.

Which celebrity would women most like to shower with? In order, they are actors Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford, George Clooney and Will Smith. For men, it would be actress Pamela Anderson, model Tyra Banks, "There's Something About Mary" star Cameron Diaz and supermodel Cindy Crawford. On the other hand, 63 percent of women and 59 percent of men chose their spouse over any celebrity.

Twenty-five percent of bathers said they prefer to sing country tunes in the shower, followed by pop music (22 percent), rock (13 percent), rap (5 percent) and opera (3 percent).

Money on my back

If you haven't any money to burn, at least you can have some to wear.

Crazy Shirts, a Hawaiian company that produces novelty T-shirts, recently introduced a line of Las Vegas-inspired shirts that are dyed a dark, minty green with actual shredded U.S. currency. Logos featured on the shirts include the "Top 10 ways to spend your money in Las Vegas" and one for the fictitious Lucky Lounge & Casino.

The paper shreds used in the process are the remains of a combination of bills from $1 to $100, which averages out to about $165 per ounce. The company first experimented with natural dyes in 1996 when it introduced a Kona Coffee-colored shirt. Chocolate, beer and chile pepper shirts followed.

The money-dyed shirts are available at Crazy Shirt stores in the Forum Shops at Caesars and the Tower Shops at the Stratosphere, and by visiting www.crazyshirts.com.

Compiled by Lisa Ferguson