# What questions would expose a youngster? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 2, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544 "2003-08-02T14:01:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/1 "2003-08-02T14:01:42Z")
In a GQ thread asking about those cables you see in the middle of the road, one poster compared their function to a service station bell hose. This prompted **Fat Bald Guy** to point out in wry amazement that there is a whole generation of people that has no idea what a service station bell hose is. What other questions/phrases might show someone’s age, or lack thereof? I have some nominees: [ul] [li]Number, please?[/li] [li]You sound like a broken record.[/li] [li]A person-to-person call.[/li] [li]Even-numbered license plates on an odd day - no gas.[/li] [/ul] What else? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/2 "2003-08-02T14:23:29Z")
You can’t put the 45 on, the needle’s broken. Isn’t that indian head that comes on TV after midnight creepy? Take the tuna out of the oven and put some canned onions on it. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/3 "2003-08-02T14:44:09Z")
Or, coming at this question from a completly different angle, you could try “Take off your pants young man.” ---
**Author:** ![SkyBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@SkyBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkyBum)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/4 "2003-08-02T15:46:27Z")
How about the old “party lines” which people used to share. I imagine this would leave most youngsters thinking of some 900 line. Or worse yet, a drug reference. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/5 "2003-08-02T15:55:50Z")
Where’s the church key? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/6 "2003-08-02T15:59:15Z")
“My phone number was Murray Hill 2-1234.” “Let’s drop a dime on him.” “No, you can’t play Super-8 films in your camcorder.” ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/7 "2003-08-02T16:18:58Z")
The vacuum line came off, so my wipers don’t work. ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/8 "2003-08-02T16:30:40Z")
[Mindset List](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Beloit+Freshman+Mindset+List&spell=1) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/9 "2003-08-02T18:05:46Z")
Is your town large enough to have postal zones? Once you’ve turned the key, press the starter button. Which do you like better, Kool-Aid or Fizzies? ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/10 "2003-08-02T18:15:43Z")
A “youngster”? I’m in my thirties, and I don’t recognise most of the above references. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/11 "2003-08-02T18:27:19Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Bricker \* **[li]You sound like a broken record.**[/li][/QUOTE] Re…cord? In all seriousness, can you someone explain the tuna and thing? ---
**Author:** ![Shaolinrabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Shaolinrabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shaolinrabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/12 "2003-08-02T18:29:28Z")
I was about to say, aren’t some of you aiming for _older_ youngsters? Sorry if you weren’t, since some of the references are actually a generation gap from my father’s era. I was never around for the age of records, and I’m a generation ahead of the current youngsters. _Young_ youngsters don’t remember _cassettes_. Some others that will differentiate your crowd from Grampa’s are: _Send him a telegraph._ _The pony express is late._ _My horseless carriage is mighty fine._ _In like Flynn._ BTW, **Q.E.D.** and **Bricker** , Direct Distance Dialing was invented by Bell Labs in 1951, guys. My _grandfather_ barely remembers the age before ten digit phone numbers. Sorry, I know I’m still technically a youngster, but you guys crack me up 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/13 "2003-08-02T18:29:54Z")
Eight tracks. Using someone else’s airline ticket. The smoking section on an airliner. Some states I believe still have deposits on bottles, but not many. “Clicker” TV remotes. The milkman. Drive-in movies. The Friday at noon air raid siren test. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/14 "2003-08-02T18:33:51Z")
You could still place a person-to-person call into the 1970s. And you could bill another number without anyone checking at the time of the call. Bankers’ hours. ---
**Author:** ![Shaolinrabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Shaolinrabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shaolinrabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/15 "2003-08-02T18:41:59Z")
**Ringo** , it’s the ‘into the 1970’s’ that I’m referring to. So, _I_ wouldn’t get it, but there’s a whole generation _below_ me as well. I mean, my God! I’m only _24_! How can there be people who can walk and talk, but don’t remember _cassette tapes_? I work with a 19 YO who looked at me like I was Grampa McGee, for crying out loud. _My Dad used to watch transformers._ Yeah? Well your Dad’s pretty cool you little snot rag. Sorry 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/16 "2003-08-02T18:44:00Z")
When my sister was finally able to get my father to go to a movie with her back in the 80s, he told her “Tell the usher we want to sit in the loges so I can smoke”. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/17 "2003-08-02T18:51:05Z")
**Even-numbered license plates on an odd day - no gas.** When? And _why?_ ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/18 "2003-08-02T18:51:13Z")
My youngest son asked me what kind of computer I had in school, I said, “_Personal Computers hadn’t been invented yet, we were just getting into calculators_”. The boy, “_Calculators?_”. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/19 "2003-08-02T18:55:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ringo \* > \*\* > > Drive-in movies. > > \*\* There are still drive-in movies. There is one about 30 minutes away from me. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/20 "2003-08-02T18:59:28Z")
Which of course brings to mind slide rules. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544.md?page=2)