Odd Jobs
What do Iceberg Movers do?
Relocate Icebergs that block shipping routes or pose a threat to marine traffic. They use tug boats and cranes to carefully reposition these large ice masses.
Pen caps contain a small hole in the tip to prevent what?
Choking. The reason is to prevent the cap from completely obstructing the airway if accidentally inhaled. And, to equalize the pressure inside the pen to keep it from leaking
How much is the federal minimum wage?
$7.25/hr. It was set in 2009 and hasn’t changed since
Someone who’s always working can be coined with this title:
Work-a-holic
What human job was replaced by the automated bowling alley?
Pinsetter. By the 1960s bowling equipment companies stopped making parts for manual lanes. A few manual lanes remain operational as curiosities, employing the occasional pinsetter but otherwise the job is now completely gone
What is the job title of someone who paints themselves metallic and stands still in urban high traffic tourist locations?
Human Statue
What food did they use to erase pencil mistakes before erasers?
Stale Bread. Draughtsmen and painters would use balls of bread to remove unwanted marks before the properties of ordinary rubber were discovered.
How much do teachers get paid a year?
$65,100 per year
What is a “blue collar worker”?
This phrase refers to a working class employee who does manual labor
What did a switch board operator used to do?
Switchboard operators were responsible for physically connecting calls by inserting phone plugs into jacks
A chandler makes what kind of products?
Candles and soap!
What ancient civilization invented scissors?
Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians created this nifty tool in 1500 B.C. by fastening two bronze blades together with a metal strap. The scissors next fell into the hands of the Romans via trade in 100 A.D. It was them who upgraded the design to the cross-blade style we use today
How much does the president of the US make per year?
$400,000 per year
What do you call a boss who excessively observes and oversteps on small tasks?
A micromanager
What delivery job did the updated refrigerator replace?
Milk man. By the 1960s, reliable electric in-home refrigeration reduced the need for regular dairy deliveries by prolonging the products shelf-life.
What does a slopseller sell?
Cheaply made clothes. A ‘slop’ refers to a loose smock or overall
What office supply was used as first aid during the Vietnam war?
Superglue! Soldiers would apply superglue to stop bleeding. When superglue came into contact with an open wound, it would seal within seconds and the bleeding would stop.
How much does Elon Musk make in an hour?
$3.6 million/hr
When someone works really hard on something they put what three things into it?
Blood, sweat, and tears!
What did a lamplighter used to do?
Before electric street lights, a lamplighter would go around town extinguishing and lighting gas-burning street lamps. When cities replaced gas lamps with electric light bulbs, lamplighters became jobless.
What does a Foley Artist do?
They recreate everyday ordinary sounds for film and tv in a controlled environment
What office stationary did King Louis XV famously use first?
The Stapler. At this time, the king of France, King Louis XV, was the first to use a stapler to bind his royal papers. Allegedly, each staple bore the insignia of the royal court and was made out of solid gold and encrusted with precious stones.
What is the highest paying job in the US?
Pediatric Surgeons. They make $559,000 per year!
What horror movie popularized this phrase? “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”?
The Shining (1980) starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall
What 17th century healthcare job became extinct after being replaced with proper medical techniques?
Plague Doctors. These physicians were hired by the affected cities to treat infected patients regardless of income, especially the poor, who could not afford to pay