When Phones Had Cords
These sat on top of TVs to get reception from the stations.
What are antennas? They were also called rabbit ears, and reception could be spotty during storms.
A graham cracker or plain piecrust with a filling of cream cheese and sour cream are the basic ingredients for this dessert.
What is cheesecake? You won’t find many graham cracker crusts in New York City. The cheesecake there is much heavier than in other parts of the country.
This is the typical emotion signified by a red rose.
What is love? White roses are often used to express sympathy.
Whose job requires the use of a drain auger?
Plumber. A drain auger is used to unclog a drain.
One of this artist’s unforgettable hits, featured in Blue Hawaii, begins, “Wise men say only fools rush in.”
Who is Elvis Presley? The tune is “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
An item delivered by the post office and a man
What is mail/male? The first reference to a mail system dates to 2000 BC in Egypt. No doubt, it was delivered by a male.
Metal ice trays had these on top.
What is a lever? You pulled the lever to remove the ice from the tray.
Strawberries piled high with a generous dollop of whipped cream, served on this type of cake, make a favorite summer dessert.
What is shortcake? It’s a crumbly cake, more on the order of a scone or a biscuit.
Of seeing lightning and hearing thunder, we do this first.
What is seeing lightning? Light travels faster than sound, so you see lightning before you hear thunder.
Whose job is it to be in charge of a museum or art gallery?
Curator. Many museums have numerous curators, with each curator in charge of a specific section or collection.
This 1964 tune, titled “Fly Me to [this place],” was released by Frank Sinatra and Count Basie.
What is the moon? In 1954, Felicia Sanders performed it in cabarets under the title “In Other Words.”
To be wrong or make a mistake, and one who inherits
What is err/heir? We can also add the air you breathe to the list.
To make a copy of a handwritten or typed document, you slipped this between the sheets of paper.
What is carbon paper? It was black and flimsy, and it transferred more carbon to your hands than it did to the copy.
This Italian dessert features a hard shell filled with ricotta cheese and flavorings.
What are cannoli? Fillings can range from chocolate chips to orange flavoring and anything in between.
The deepest point of Earth’s surface is located in this ocean.
What is the Pacific Ocean? Known as Challenger Deep, it is nearly seven miles deep and is located in the Mariana Trench near the Mariana Islands.
What is another name for a cobbler?
Shoemaker. They also repair shoes.
This 1960 Paul Anka hit is about adolescent infatuation.
What is “Puppy Love”? “Puppy Love” begins, “And they call it puppy love; Oh, I guess they’ll never know.”
A wedding ring, a musical group, and something that is prohibited
What is band/banned? When books are prohibited for sale, they are banned. In 2009, Amazon went so far as to delete customers’ Kindle copies of George Orwell books. After a deafening public outcry, Amazon restored them.
Cameras didn’t have built-in flash capability; instead, you had to buy these if you needed more than room light.
What are flash bulbs? They were single-use items. At that time, photography was not a thrifty hobby. Film and flash bulbs were consumables, and the most expensive part of the equation was developing the film. Today, it’s all provided with smartphones.
This classic layered Southern dessert is made with bananas, vanilla pudding, whipped cream, and vanilla wafers.
What is banana pudding? Some restaurants mix it all together except for the whipped cream, but you want to layer it if you’re serving it for company.
When wearing a man’s shirt, the buttons are on this side.
What is right? Women’s shirts have buttons on the left side. There is no definitive reason for this. However, it might date back to the Victorian era, when wealthy women had dressers. Since most people are right-handed, it is believed that dressers had an easier time if the buttons were on the left. Men dressed themselves more than women did, so their buttons were on the right.
Who is trained to specialize in hearing disorders?
Audiologist. They also diagnose balance problems.
Roy Orbison’s breakthrough came in 1960 with his hit about “only” these people.
What is “Only the Lonely”? “Only the Lonely” was Orbison’s first No. 1 hit.
A type of business investment and the building in Washington, D.C., that houses the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate
What is capital/Capitol? Machinery, buildings, and other long-term physical assets made by a business are capital investments.
Before the 1980s, these one-way radio devices were primarily used by doctors.
What are pagers? Monthly rental in the 1950s was around $120.
This is the Italian version of a snow cone.
What is Italian ice? Italian ice carts replace roasted chestnut carts on the streets of major cities and at outdoor events in the summer. The creation process is similar to making sorbet.
This is the shape of a stop sign.
What is an octagon? Globally, many stop signs are red with white lettering on an octagon sign. However, there are exceptions: In Hawaii, there is a stop sign near Diamond Head that has a blue background and white lettering.
Whose job is it to decide cases in a court of law?
Judge. All judges must possess a law degree, pass the bar, and practice as an attorney prior to becoming a judge.
Dean Martin originally performed the 1954 tune that begins, “When marimba rhythms start to play, dance with me...”
What is “Sway”? The song has been featured in countless films since its release, including 2007’s No Reservations, and popular band Pink Martini performs it at most of their concerts.
Something without embellishment and a form of rapid transit
What is plain/plane? Sometimes plain is better, such as plain language.
These wall- or desk-mounted devices could be found in schools and places of business and featured a detachable compartment and a hand crank.
What is a pencil sharpener? They’ve been replaced by electric or handheld small sharpeners.
This French egg custard is served with a burnt toffee crust.
What is crème brûlée? Its name means “burnt cream.” In Spain, the same dessert is called crema Catalana.
The Statue of Liberty holds this in her left hand.
What is a tablet? The tablet is inscribed July 4, 1776, the date America declared its independence.
Whose job is it to design and construct buildings, making sure they are safe, functional, and meet building codes?
Architect. Architects typically complete a professional degree, gain supervised experience, and become licensed before practicing independently.
This 1967 hit by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles begins, “Now if there’s a smile on my face, it’s only there tryin’ to fool the public.”
What is “Tears of a Clown”? Another Robinson hit with the Miracles is “Ooo Baby Baby.”
Committee and guidance
What is council/counsel? Lawyers are referred to as counselors by the court.