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DemBones DemBones Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:00 AM
Original message
Are You Older Than Dirt? Take This Test and Find Out!


Answers at the bottom -- no cheating! Post your score in a reply and share a memory or two. :7


1. In the 1940s, where were automobile headlight dimmer switches located?

a. On the floor shift knob
b. On the floor board, to the left of the clutch
c. Next to the horn

2. The bottle top of a Royal Crown Cola bottle had holes in it. For what was it used?

a. Capture lightning bugs
b. To sprinkle clothes before ironing
c. Large salt shaker

3. Why was having milk delivered a problem in northern winters?

a. Cows got cold and wouldn't produce milk
b. Ice on highways forced delivery by dog sled
c. Milkmen left deliveries outside of front doors and milk would! Freeze, expanding and pushing up the cardboard bottle top.

4. What was the popular chewing gum named for a game of chance?

a. Blackjack
b. Gin
c. Craps!

5. What method did women use to look as if they were wearing stockings when none were available due to rationing during W.W.II?

a. Suntan
b. Leg painting
c. Wearing slacks

6. What postwar car turned automotive design on its ear when you couldn't tell whether it was coming or going?

a. Studebaker
b. Nash Metro
c. Tucker

7. Which was a popular candy when you were a kid?

a. Strips of dried peanut butter
b. Chocolate licorice bars
c. Wax coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water inside

8. How was Butch wax used?

a. To stiffen a flat-top haircut so it stood up
b. To make floors shiny and prevent scuffing
c. On the wheels of roller skates to prevent rust

9. Before inline skates, how did you keep your roller skates attached to your shoes?

a. With clamps, tightened by a skate key
b. Woven straps that crossed the foot
c. Long pieces of twine

10. As a kid, what was considered the best way to reach a decision?

a. Consider all the facts
b. Ask Mom
c. Eeny-meeny-miney-mo

11. What was the most dreaded disease in the 1940's?

a. Smallpox
b. AIDS
c. Polio

12. "I'll be down to get you in a ________, Honey"

a. SUV
b. Taxi
c. Streetcar

13. What was the name of Caroline Kennedy's pet pony?

a. Old Blue
b. Paint
c. Macaroni

14. What was a Duck-and-Cover Drill?

a. Part of the game of hide and seek
b. What you did when your Mom called you in to do chores
c. Hiding under your desk, and covering your head with your arms in an A-bomb drill.

15. What was the name of the Indian Princess on the Howdy Doody show?

a. Princess Summerfallwinterspring
b. Princess Sacajewea
c. Princess Moonshadow

16. What did all the really savvy students do when mimeographed tests were handed out i n school?

a. Immediately sniffed the purple ink, as this was believed to get you high
b. Made paper airplanes to see who could sail theirs out the window
c. Wrote another pupil's name on the top, to avoid their failure

17. Why did your Mom shop in stores that gave Green Stamps with purchases?

a. To keep you out of mischief by licking the backs, which tasted like bubble gum
b. They could be put in special books and redeemed for various household items
c. They were given to the kids to be used as stick-on tattoos

18. Praise the Lord, and pass the _________?

a. Meatballs
b. Dames
c. Ammunition

19. What was the name of the singing group that made the song "Cabdriver" a hit?

a. The Ink Spots
b. The Supremes
c. The Esquires

20. Who left his heart in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />San Francisco?

a. Tony Bennett
b. Xavier Cugat
c. George Gershwin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWERS

1. b) On the floor, to the left of the clutch. Hand controls, popular in Europe, took till the late '60s to catch on.

2. b) To sprinkle clothes before ironing. Who had a steam iron?

3. c) Cold weather caused the milk to freeze and expand, popping the bottle top.

4. a) Blackjack Gum.

5. b) Special makeup was applied, followed by drawing a seam down the back of the leg with eyebrow pencil.

6. a) 1946 Studebaker.

7. c) Wax coke bottles containing super-sweet colored water.

8. a) Wax for your flat top (butch) haircut.

9. a) With clamps, tightened by a skate key, which you wore on a shoestring around your neck.

10. c) Eeny-meeny-miney-mo.

11. c) Polio. In beginning of August, swimming pools were closed, movies and other public gathering places were closed to try to prevent spread of the disease.

12. b) Taxi. Better be ready by half-past eight!

1 3. c) Macaroni.

14. c) Hiding under your desk, and covering your head with your arms in an A-bomb drill.

15. a) Princess Summerfallwinterspring. She was another puppet.

16. a) Immediately sniffed the purple ink to get a high.

17. b) Put in a special stamp book, they could be traded for household items at the Green Stamp store.

18. c) Ammunition, and we'll all be free.

19. a) The widely famous 50's group: The Inkspots.

20. a) Tony Bennett, and he sounds just as good today..
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SCORING

17- 20 correct: You are older than dirt, and obviously gifted with mental abilities. Now if you could only find your glasses. Definitely someone who should share their wisdom!

12 -16 correct: Not quite dirt yet, but your mind is getting keen.

0 -11 correct: You are not old enough to share the wisdom of your experiences.

Send this to your friends with your score in the subject line!
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Love Bug Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:05 AM
Response to Original message
1. Question:
Wasn't "Princess Summerfallwinterspring" on Mr. Rogers?
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ProdigalJunkMail Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:06 AM
Response to Reply #1
3. she may have moonlighted
but definitely Howdy Doody!

theProdigal
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July Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:14 AM
Response to Reply #1
6. I thought it was Winterspringsummerfall?
But I don't remember the show too well.
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Lydia Leftcoast Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 11:45 AM
Response to Reply #6
24. Princess Summerfallwinterspring was not a puppet
but a young woman in an Indian costume. Sadly, she was killed in a car accident some time during the run of the show (this was not dealt with on the show--I only heard about it later), and they did not replace her character with a puppet. The only female puppet was Heidi Doody, Howdy's sister.
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Gildor Inglorion Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 12:54 PM
Response to Reply #24
28. What about Flub-A-Dub?
Somehow I thought "it" was female....but that's been a LONG time.
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Gildor Inglorion Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 12:51 PM
Response to Reply #6
27. I remember it that way, too
But I'll confess to being a touch dyslexic. I wouldn't have missed the show!
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ProdigalJunkMail Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:05 AM
Response to Original message
2. dear god
I only missed one and I am NOT all that old...

theProdigal
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supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:11 AM
Response to Reply #2
4. Spent too much time
with your grandpa. ;-)

I got 16, but only missed one from the 40s: the Studebaker.
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ProdigalJunkMail Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:14 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. no such thing
as too much time with him! wish I could have more...

theProdigal
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supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:17 AM
Response to Reply #5
7. So do I
Edited on Thu Mar-11-04 10:18 AM by supernova
:hug:

Edit: I miss a lot of the older folks I used to hang out with. I miss their balance, perspective, and good humor in trying times.
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ProdigalJunkMail Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:42 AM
Response to Reply #7
14. i am blessed that I still get to hang
with some of the elder generations. With their long view on life, they have really helped me to keep certain things in perspective. So, I guess, in a way, I am old as dirt :-)

theProdigal
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TXlib Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:20 AM
Response to Original message
8. 12, but I knew several answers that I was too young to experience myself
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Maeve Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:24 AM
Response to Original message
9. My kids could get a lot of these
But we've made sure they have a well-rounded education! Some are before my time, too, but I LOVE that sort of trivia!

And I think my Mom still has a laundry sprinkling bottle down in the basement, somewhere...
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supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:28 AM
Response to Reply #9
10. I remember mixing starch and water
to do the ironing. We didn't have a bottle, always. Sometimes we just had to sprinkle it on by hand. I also remember putting damp shirts in the freezer to keek them wet until you were ready for them.
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RebelOne Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 11:10 AM
Response to Reply #10
19. Oh yes, I remember that well.
Usually always had a lot of damp shirts in the freezer.
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nannah Donating Member (690 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:33 AM
Response to Original message
11. 20 was my score
and when i was thinking about the dimmer switch, i began tapping the floor with my left foot. and In addition to the crowd on howdy doody: p summerfallwinterspring, buffalo bob, clarabell , and chief thunderthud...

who remembers captain video and his video rangers????

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elfwitch Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 01:14 PM
Response to Reply #11
31. when I was a kid
We still had cars with dimmers on the floor.
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Jim__ Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:36 AM
Response to Original message
12. 17, but, I already knew ...
that I was older than dirt.
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liberalitch Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:42 AM
Response to Original message
13. Old as dirt.....
At 39?

....Or just a history teacher?

YOU DECIDE!
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Gman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:44 AM
Response to Original message
15. 17... but I wasn't born until 1954
Old, but I remember my parents talking about a lot of these things.

And, hell, I owned pickup trucks with the dimmer on the floor up into the late 80's.
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DarkPhenyx Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 10:44 AM
Response to Original message
16. OK, the test is broke. I'm older than dirt...
...at 36 yo. Somehow I just don't think so.
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VelmaD Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 11:12 AM
Response to Reply #16
20. Me too...
Edited on Thu Mar-11-04 11:13 AM by VelmaD
I knew a bunch of those. My parents were both kids in the 1940s and teens in the 50s so I heard about all that stuff. I'm older than dirt at 33. Who knew? :)
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Spider Jerusalem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 11:03 AM
Response to Original message
17. I got all of 'em...
and I'm only 26. I have WAY too much useless information in my head, I think.
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supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 11:25 AM
Response to Reply #17
22. You should get out more
You're way too smart! ;-)
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RebelOne Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 11:08 AM
Response to Original message
18. Yep, I'm older than dirt. 17 correct.
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NoPasaran Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 11:24 AM
Response to Original message
21. Ahhh, mimeograph ink
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asjr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 11:31 AM
Response to Original message
23. Dirt doesn't get any older
than me. And I had one of those Studebakers!
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LynneSin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 12:02 PM
Response to Original message
25. I got 12 but some of those were basic logic
I figured milk would freeze and expand.

In the beginning of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" they had a scene where kids got mimeographed tests and they all sniffed them.

Everyone knows Tony Bennett's signature song is "left my heart in San Francisco"

So technically it should be 9 - which keeps me pretty young!!
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Raven Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 12:28 PM
Response to Original message
26. Only one wrong...I'm ancient but my memory's good!
I got #6 wrong What a fun quiz!
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kimchi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 01:09 PM
Response to Original message
29. I must be older than dirt..
Edited on Thu Mar-11-04 01:11 PM by kimchi
and I'm not even 40 yet!

I suppose I listened to my parents' stories more than I thought.

on edit: mimeographs and wax bottles I remember we still had in the 70's. Also, my mom had a car with the dimmer on the floorboard; I learned to drive with it.
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elfwitch Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 01:13 PM
Response to Original message
30. My score 19...
But I was born in 1971.
I am just a pop culture nut!!
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Demonaut Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 01:29 PM
Response to Original message
32. My 85 CJ 7 has the dimmer switch left of the clutch
not too old, the car is very retro and easy to work on
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Adams Wulff Donating Member (658 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 01:31 PM
Response to Original message
33. 18 right, and I'll be 45 next week!
really looking forward to that.
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TrogL Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 01:35 PM
Response to Original message
34. As if I wasn't upset enough already
I'm older than dirt.
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Lindsay Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 01:40 PM
Response to Reply #34
35. Heck, I'm old enough to remember
when they invented dirt.
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DemBones DemBones Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 05:02 PM
Response to Original message
36. BONUS QUESTIONS:

Who said "Plunk your magic twanger, Froggie?"

a) Howdy Doody
b) Andy Devine
c) Big John and Little Sparky


Who was Perry Mason's district attorney rival?

a) Paul Drake
b) Arthur Tragg
c) Hamilton Burger

On Topper, the martini drinking St. Bernard was named...

a) Neil
b) Rolo
c) Marcel

Who asked, "Why's everybody always pickin' on me?"

a) Bad Bad Leroy Brown
b) Charlie Brown
c) Buster Brown

Which of these is NOT a James Dean movie?

a) Giant
b) East of Eden
c) The Wild Ones


Which group was a one hit wonder with "Book of Love"?

a) The Penguins
b) The Monotones
c) The Moonglows


ANSWERS WILL BE POSTED LATER!









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DemBones DemBones Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 06:35 PM
Response to Reply #36
38. Answers to Bonus Questions


b) Andy Devine said, "Froggie, plunk your magic twanger."

c) Hamilton Burger was the DA. Paul Drake was Perry Mason's assistant and Arthur Tragg was a cop.

a) Neil was the St. Bernard who loved martinis. (I loved the "Topper" show!)

b) Charlie Brown, in the song "Charlie Brown." ("He's a clown, That Charlie Brown.")

c) "The Wild Ones" was NOT a James Dean movie.

b) The Monotones were the one-hit wonder group that did "Book of Love."
The Penguins did "Earth Angel," IIRC.

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LuLu550 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-11-04 05:11 PM
Response to Original message
37. Drat! Got them all right by first had experience!
How about Winky Dink, Romper Room, and Sky King?
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