# Without saying your age, what's something from your childhood that a younger person wouldn't understand? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 25, 2021, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138 "2021-10-25T01:08:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 48
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/943 "2022-03-22T17:03:12Z")
I remember a news story about theft-of-service. One anecdote was a guy who had the basic cable service but not the premium movie channel “Z” (this was in the late seventies or early eighties). One of the neighbor kids came over and asked if he could watch a movie on Z - his TV set was broken or something. The guy said, sorry, I don’t have Z. The kid then climbs up a utility pole, opens an _unlocked_ box, pulls out a metal filter, climbs down and says “You do now.” ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/944 "2022-03-22T17:13:50Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Are there studded tires any more? Studded tires are still legal in six states; I’ve seen (well, heard) them in use in Colorado in recent years. > [@EnolaStraight](#): > > I haven’t seen winter tires in 30 years! > > NOT off-road knobbies for 4x4s, but winter treads for a passenger sedan’s standard-sized wheels. I have snow tires for my car and my wife’s car. In some areas of the country they don’t make sense, but here in SE Michigan, they’re really handy. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/945 "2022-03-22T17:27:13Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > You’re lucky he wasn’t an angry, violent drunk He was a timid, cool dude who struggled with English and was excited to be visiting friends in Florida. I wouldn’t have bought him a few drinks if I wasn’t comfortable with him. ETA: another cool thing about that flight. The majority of the passengers were Puerto Rican. They burst into applause when the plane touched down. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/946 "2022-03-22T17:30:24Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > He was a timid, cool dude who struggled with English and was excited to be visiting friends in Florida. I wouldn’t have bought him a few drinks if I wasn’t comfortable with him. Glad it worked out. In my time, I’ve known a few timid, shy people (including women) who turn obnoxious and physical when drunk. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/947 "2022-03-22T17:34:30Z")
Heh. Some/most of my besties are drunks. I am a pretty good judge of character when it comes to my fellow drunks. 🍻 ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/948 "2022-03-22T17:39:36Z")
👍 👍 👍 ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/949 "2022-03-22T18:28:37Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > > [@kayaker](#): > > > > With drink service the flight attendant sold him one drink, but later refused him another. I ordered a few and resold them to him. When we were deplaning he gave me a big hug > > You’re lucky he wasn’t an angry, violent drunk. So was everybody else on the plane. Also lucky he wasn’t the puking and/or pissing version. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/950 "2022-03-22T19:02:06Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I was at a buddy’s house in Pittsburgh one night drinking/smoking/etc when we heard a commotion outside. It was 2 am. His next door neighbor had an extension ladder set up against a telephone pole. We went back inside and minded our own business. Cable went out for a few minutes, then came back on. > > From that moment on my buddy had HBO. Years later HBO sent him a bill for years of service. He called them, denied doing anything illegal. They stopped sending him bills. The guy I bought my house from worked for the local cable company (I forget the name, it was one of the multitude which were assimilated into Comcast). Some time after the sale closed he informed me that the house had every channel the company offered and I’d never have to pay a dime. I got the impression that he was pissed at the realtor for refusing to make that a selling point. It was a measure of how much I detested the company in question that I never availed myself of his petty thievery – I bought a satellite dish instead. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/951 "2022-03-23T00:47:23Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Are there studded tires any more? On both my pick up and the car, put them on after Thanksgiving, take them off end of March. They are nothing unusual around here. This year the graveled, mile-long one-lane road up the hill to our house was solid ice for about three months. The city plows and sprinkles gravel on it all winter but it is ice. You can barely walk on it without ice cleats (which are standard footwear in the country). ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/952 "2022-03-23T14:21:04Z")
> [@EnolaStraight](#): > > I got a two-fer for ya! > > Just this past Sunday in the Porta-Cochere a customer was driving out with studs on WINTER TIRES! > > I haven’t seen winter tires in 30 years! > > NOT off-road knobbies for 4x4s, but winter treads for a passenger sedan’s standard-sized wheels. In NE Minnesota a lot of people use them. My husband has them for his car. Every fall and spring he takes his car and tires to Sam’s Club where they switch them out. Some places will even store the tires that you’re not using for you. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/953 "2022-03-23T14:58:29Z")
Colorado Mountains here. My Wife and I run good snow tires year round. We have very, very long winters and it’s pointless to change them out. My Wife had to rent a car because hers is in the shop. It had ‘All’ season tires on it. Jeep Compass. Should do fine, but I winched it out twice in two days. I don’t run studded snow tires anymore. The newer rubber compounds for snow tires are good enough, and I do quite a bit of highway driving. Studded snow tires are pretty noisy. It depends on where you live of course. All seasons are fine for most folks. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/954 "2022-03-23T16:17:03Z")
All seasons aren’t the same thing as all weathers. The latter are relatively new. Still not as good as switching if you commonly drive in really heavy winter road conditions; and likely not necessary if you almost never do; but may be a good choice for people in the middle. > **[The difference between all-weather and all-season tires](https://driving.ca/auto-news/news/whats-the-difference-between-all-weather-and-all-season-tires)** > > As you plan to swap those winter tires for a spring set, here are a few good reasons to consider all-weather tires, instead of all-season ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/955 "2022-03-23T16:25:54Z")
Thread is too long to read every one, but I immediately thought of sea monkeys. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/956 "2022-03-23T16:49:25Z")
Deleted. Getting off subject. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/957 "2022-03-23T19:07:09Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I never did see anyone hanging up a cloak! Even when LAUSD’s oldest extant school was established during the Johnson\* administration, I doubt anyone said “cloak” outside of vampire stories and fables. \*Andrew, not Lyndon. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/958 "2022-03-23T19:35:26Z")
[First they were there, then they were gone, and now they’re back.] Somebody has already mentioned the NBC Peacock, which reminds me of the NBC Chimes or “audio logo”. They used to use this way back in the days of scripted radio programs, often while proclaiming “Three Chimes Mean Good Times”. They must have dropped this before I was born because I never knew about them. In the _Seinfeld_ finale Elaine imitates them at one point, but I had no idea what that meant. And now the Chimes seem to be back. I often hear them when watching NBC news items on Roku. So if you’re REALLY old or really young you probably grew up knowing about the NBC Chimes. But if you’re merely old like me then you didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/959 "2022-03-23T19:57:10Z")
> [@Esprise\_Me](#): > > and think that 1998 and 2002 are like, totally different historical epochs I suspect 9/11 was the big break; fashion wise, music wise, and technology wise, those two years weren’t _that_ far apart, at least for an adult. Now if you were to ask me how different say… 1985 and 1989 were, that’s a different story 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/960 "2022-03-24T08:04:06Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > reminds me of the NBC Chimes or “audio logo”. They used to use this way back in the days of scripted radio programs, often while proclaiming “Three Chimes Mean Good Times”. Trivia: The notes are G, E, C because the network was once owned, long, long ago by the General Electric Company. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/961 "2022-03-24T15:51:58Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Trivia: The notes are G, E, C because the network was once owned, long, long ago by the General Electric Company. According to Wikipedia, this is considered to be folklore. > **[NBC chimes | "General Electric Company" folklore](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC_chimes#%22General_Electric_Company%22_folklore)** > > A commonly suggested explanation for the chimes' "G-E-C" sequence is that it comes from the initials of the General Electric Company (GE). In 1987, Robert C. Wright, the president and C.E.O. of NBC, testified before the U.S. Congress that "Not everyone knows that GE was one of the original founders of RCA, NBC's former parent, and that the notes of the famous NBC chimes are G-E-C, standing for the General Electric Company." References to this purported link date back to at least 1945. Howev In 19... > [@](#): > > The small handheld chimes commonly used when the NBC chime sequence was being developed had only four tones: G, F, C and E. Given these limited choices, it was most likely only a coincidence that the adopted sequence matched GE’s initials, and while useful as a mnemonic for remembering the notes’ correct sequence, there is little evidence actually supporting any link. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/962 "2022-03-24T16:15:15Z")
How about curb feelers? I remember those were pretty standard on cars . . .until they weren’t. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138.md?page=47) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138.md?page=49)