During one semester in the late =
1990’s I taught a logic class at Pillsbury College, and asked this =
question:
“If Philadelphia is 100 =
miles from New York and Chicago is 1000 miles from Philadelphia and Los =
Angles is 2000 miles from Chicago, how old am I?” =
One =
student in the back of the class raised his hand and when called upon =
said, "Dr. Bob, you must be 50."
I =
was stunned. He was absolutely correct, so I asked, “Tell me, how =
did you arrive at the answer so quickly?"
The =
student said, "You see Dr. Bob, I have a brother who’s 25 and he’s =
only half as crazy as you are."
[True =
story]
~~~ =
ANSWERS to =
yesterday’s quiz for the under-30 crowd
1. FUDDY-DUDDY is =
someone very old fashioned, out of touch, and probably a bit =
stuffy
2. DEAR JOHN is the =
name for the letter from a soldier’s sweetheart saying their romance was =
ending as she had found another in his absence.
3. TRICKS is asking =
“How are things?” Women seldom said this because of moral =
concern that some might think a “trick” was a term =
prostitutes used
4. DAVENPORT is a =
couch or sofa, eponym from furniture maker of couches, Alfred H. =
Davenport of Boston.
5. LONG-DISTANCE is =
a meaningless phrase in a cell-phone world, reflecting on exorbitant =
charges for non-local land-line calls.
6. 8-TRACK (or =
CASSETTE or TAPE or VHS) is a recording on tape. Tape is another term =
rendered obsolete in a digital world.
7. LITTLE BLACK =
BOOK is a small notebook with names and phone numbers of current and =
potential dating candidates or business =
contacts.
8. WET RAG (or wet =
blanket) is something one might smother a flame with but focused on =
people who put a damper on the party.
9. WHOOPEE (as in =
“making” it) refers to any level of romantic intimacy, an =
older version of “hooking up”.
10. ROLODEX is a =
file on the desk that held all of your “contacts”, neatly =
typed (maybe “typewriter” should be added to this quiz)) and =
filed on cardboard cards.
11. MOOD RING is =
like wearing a thermometer on your finger (the liquid crystal changes =
colors depending on body temperature). For youth today, using emojis to =
express moods is better than a ring.
12. JUST ONE MORE =
THING is the phrase of the rumpled TV police detective Columbo. He’d =
question some poor weaselly suspect, then shamble off, only to turn back =
around with his head slightly bowed and one finger in the air . . . and =
administer this coup de grace on them.
13. THRILL OF =
VICTORY, AGONY OF DEFEAT is the opening catchphrase of Wide World Of =
Sports (1961-1998) showcasing otherwise-unavailable footage =
of good/bad sports.
14. UP YOUR NOSE =
WITH A RUBBER HOSE is the primo insult used on TV by Vinnie Barbarino =
(Welcome Back, Kotter).
15. FOTOMAT is a =
little drive-through coffee shop style building where you’d physically =
drop off your film to have it developed the next day. I need more =
time to explain was a CAMERA is or what FILM is. Trust me, =
I’m not making these words up.
16. WALKMAN =
predated MP3’s (another outdated term), a small cassette player =
with AA batteries and headphones for personal =
music.
17. GOT YOUR EARS =
ON? Is a CB (Citizens Band) radio question whether another listener can =
communicate.
18. PASSION PIT is =
a Drive-in Movie theater where you could take a date and retain the =
intimacy and anonymity of your private vehicle.
19. FUZZ-BUSTER is =
an electronic device in a car telling the proximity of a police radar =
unit.
20. GOOD NIGHT, =
JOHN BOY is at the end of each episode of The Walton’s (TV show), =
telling the story of Depression-era close-knit family in =
rural Virginia. Often used as last words in any visit between older =
folks today.
So, hope you =
enjoyed. Good night, John Boy . . .
~~
Dr Bob =
Griffin
[email protected] www.grif.net =
"Jesus Knows Me, This I =
Love!"