Hello?
Here’s a question I never thought I’d ask: When someone calls you on the phone – assuming you don’t let it go to voicemail – do you say “hello?”
You probably do, but Gen Z doesn’t!
That’s right, when young people actually pick up the phone they don’t say anything, because they expect the caller to say “hello” and initiate the call. After all, it’s YOU who called THEM. They just sit there and remain quiet, waiting.
What’s funny – or sad, depending on your viewpoint – is that, even when these people are expecting a phone call from someone at a specific time, say a boss or potential employer, they still don’t say hello!
Some of this, these people will tell you, is practical. They get so many spam calls and robocalls and calls from people recording your voice and using it later to scam them, it’s just common sense not to say anything at first.
First, I would say this is overly paranoid. Second, if you’re that worried, either let it go to voicemail or don’t answer the phone at all. Three, and most importantly…what the hell?
And let me get this straight. When one of these hello-phobic people calls someone else, they say “hello” first?
I actually don’t think this is all about phone safety. I think cell phones and texting and social media have changed the way that we communicate. A lot of people, especially those on the younger side, simply don’t want to deal with people, whether it’s on the phone or in person. They’d rather text back and forth. It’s so much more convenient!
Maybe everyone should just get landlines again. I don’t remember getting many spam or robocalls on my landline either. But everyone these days is in their own world with their own phones.
Young people should watch more old movies. I think everyone should watch old movies in general, but specifically younger folks should watch the scenes where someone answers the phone. They say hello! It was so normal!
If more kids watched old movies, then they’d know how to use a rotary phone.
What will phones be like in 50 years? Oh, we probably won’t even have phones. We’ll have tiny boxes attached to our brains and we can just think of calling someone and they’ll get our thoughts instantly on their own brainbox.
Chicken Scratch
What does the USPS – celebrating its 250th anniversary this month – do if they can’t read your terrible handwriting? CBS News has the story. I never knew this!
Uploaded to YouTube by CBS Evening News
Who Is Buried in Grant’s Tomb?
It’s an old joke question, which I first heard on Groucho Marx’s You Bet Your Life. “Who is buried in Grant’s Tomb?” It’s one of those questions that gives the answer, and was used to give contestants on the show an easy way to win something.
But actually, nobody is buried in Grant’s tomb! You don’t bury people in tombs! Not technically, anyway.
The New York Post asked people visiting the landmark in Morningside Heights the question and got different responses. The park ranger who works there says that at least one person asks her that question EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Headline of the Week
“Snack Company Rewind Launches 9-Volt Battery-Flavored Chips to Capitalize on Nostalgia”
RIP Tom Lehrer, Ryne Sandberg, Cleo Laine, Kenneth Washington, Morton Mintz, Joan Anderson, Marlene Warfield, and George Kooymans
Tom Lehrer was a popular satirist whose music skewered politics and culture in the 1950s and ’60s. His songs were often heard on shows like That Was the Week That Was and The Electric Company. He died Saturday at the age of 97.
Ryne Sandberg was a standout second baseman for the Chicago Cubs. He was a 10-time All-Star and was the National League MVP in 1984. He died Monday at the age of 65.
Cleo Laine was an acclaimed jazz vocalist. She died last week at the age of 97.
Kenneth Washington played Baker on the last season of Hogan’s Heroes and appeared on Adam-12, Star Trek, I Dream of Jeannie, and Marcus Welby, M.D. He died earlier this month at the age of 88.
Morton Mintz was a veteran consumer investigative reporter who wrote for the Washington Post and authored several books. He died Monday at the age of 103.
Did you play with the Hula Hoop as a kid? You have Joan Anderson to thank for that, even though her role in its popularity wasn’t known until the 2018 documentary Hula Girl. She died earlier this month at the age of 101.
Uploaded to YouTube by The Atlantic
Marlene Warfield played the housekeeper on the last season of Maude and appeared in such films as Network, Across 110th Street, and The Great White Hope (reprising her role from the original stage version). She died in April at the age of 83.
George Kooymans was the co-founder and guitarist for Golden Earring, known for such songs as “Radar Love” and “Twilight Zone.” He died last week at the age of 77.
This Week in History
Beatrix Potter Born (July 28, 1866)
She was the British author known for her children’s stories featuring animals, including the classic The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
Olympics Return After 12 Years (July 29, 1948)
The break was because of World War II.
This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Parker Pens and Pencils (July 27, 1929)
If the post office can’t read your envelopes, maybe you need a better writing instrument.
August Is National Sandwich Month
Is it weird I only eat sandwiches in the summer? It’s my go-to meal because it’s hot and humid and I don’t want to turn on the oven and I don’t want to prepare some big meal. I just need something quick and easy.
Curtis Stone has a Tomato and Avocado Panini with Mozzarella and Pesto, while The Pioneer Woman has an Air Fryer Grilled Cheese and a Monte Cristo. You can make Martha Stewart’s Favorite Egg Salad Sandwich, Rachael Ray’s Hawaiian-Style Sloppy Joes, or Guy Fieri’s Jambalaya Sandwich.
I’ve mentioned Sandwiches of History before. It’s one of my favorite YouTube channels. In these two videos, host Barry Enderwick tries the Mustarded Meat Sandwich and the Coca-Cola Chicken Sandwich.
I picked the former because it sounds like I might like it, while I picked the latter because, well, things go better with Coke.
Next Week’s Holidays and Events
U.S. Coast Guard Day (August 4)
The U.S. Coast Guard came about in 1790 when “the first Congress authorized the construction of ten vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws and to prevent smuggling.”
Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day (August 8)
I try to pick different holidays every year but I always mention this one. I mean, look at the name!
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Comments
Regarding the use of “hello” when answering a phone call, the OED says the first published use of “hello” goes back only to 1827. And it wasn’t mainly a greeting back then. People in the 1830’s said hello to attract attention (“Hello, what do you think you’re doing?”), or to express surprise (“Hello, what have we here?”). Hello didn’t become “hi” until the telephone arrived. It was Thomas Edison who put hello into common usage. He urged the people who used his phone to say “hello” when answering. His rival, Alexander Graham Bell, thought the better word was “ahoy.”
The phone has become almost a joke AS a communication device now, across the board. It’s a nightmare. Although I still say ‘hello’ when it rings, most of the time there’s no one there. When I call it back as a ‘missed call’, it’s either a disconnected number or in some cases, a person’s number who didn’t call me. I apologize. and they’re usually understanding of the weirdness. “Please enter your access code” is another lousy roadblock!
If younger people though aren’t answering ‘hello’ period, on expected calls, that’s just sad. It could be a potential employer, and their loss. As far as those two teens that were bumbling around trying to figure out how to use a landline to make a call with the receiver ON the hook, what can I say? I knew exactly what to do at age 3.
Anyone who’s serious about getting their letter delivered should make the effort (even if for selfish reasons) that it’s legible. If you don’t have beautiful AND legible handwriting (like some of us did at 7 years old), or don’t know, yes, print or type the the address. If your handwriting’s not fancy (my sister’s) but readable, that’s fine!
Thanks for the video of Joan Anderson regarding the Hula Hoop. She was deprived millions in royalties and more the right lawyers would have seen to it she got, but I understand what happened; especially back then. I loved her good attitude and healthy living. Living to 101 was a lot longer I’m sure, than most of those crooks who cheated her!
Really nice 1929 art deco Parker pen ad aimed at the ladies, with an attractive use of cursive here too, of course.
I’ve learned it’s best to print addresses in ALL CAPS or type it out. I know sometimes it’s hard to read the way some people write numbers. That, in my opinion just adds more deciphering work.
Ryne Sandberg, hall of fame second baseman was probably the best to ever play that position. He was also a great leader, motivator, and just all-around good guy.