Ripley's Believe It or Not by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for April 20, 2021

A woman has a flat tire along a busy highway. Being resourceful, she pulls her car over to put on the spare. First, however, she lifts a couple of lifesize cardboard cutouts of men wearing overcoats and holding them open, revealing themselves in all their dubious glory. This has the desired effect, as traffic slows down, making it safer for her to change her tire.

Just then a policeman pulls up behind her and gets out of his car. “Ma’am,” he begins (all cops say “Ma’am”) “what is the meaning of this obscene display?”

“Why, officer,” she replies, “I’m just trying to be safe. Those are my emergency flashers. “

If I had Silver’s panache I’d say something like “Eromlig. Out!” but I think, after that one, I’ll just endeavor to make a quiet getaway…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sliced_bread#1943_U.S._ban_on_sliced_bread

I can see the signs in the bakery: “Is This Sandwich Necessary?”

If I recall, sliced bread was first made in the 1920s, roughly 20 years before the ban thereof during the war. So was sliced bread banned because of metal shortages to make knives and weapons?

In 1946, a business man was in an airport and asks the guy next to him if he has the time. The guy puts down his two suitcases and speaks into his watch, “Hold on dear. Somebody else is talking to me”. The businessman is flabbergasted. “Are you telling me that your watch is also a telephone?!?” The guy replies “Yes. It’s my new invention. The first ever mobile phone”. The businessman is so in awe, that he insists on buying it. He even goes as high as offering $10,000 for it. So the guy sells the businessman the watch, who then starts to walk away. The guy lifts up his two suitcases and says “Wait. you forgot the batteries.”

“You’ll never believe where I’m calling from!”

Eh? Why’d they ban sliced bread for?

I remember in 1978, I saw someone for the first time, on the road talking on a phone just like that in his car, we kept staring, we were so awestruck by the technology.

I guess the 1920’s ship to shore radiotelephone calls don’t count as mobile phone calls

Sliced bread ban was based on costs of cutting machines, waxed paper wrapping, and overall price to consumer.

By 1966 the 80lb dumbbell phone was down to about 8 lbs in a leather carry bag which plugged into the lighter in a vehicle. We had a nokia and it worked ok and it certainly wasn’t easy to leave the house without it. Just too big to forget, unlike current ‘toys.’

After all the centuries of falcon training and breeding, what would a falcon say if it suddenly developed the parrot’s ability to talk? Got a feeling it wouldn’t be pleasant.

The sliced bread ban didn’t last long from what I read recently. People complained a lot about it. Considering all the rationing, I don’t blame them.

And sliced bread is more closely related to peanut butter than toasters.

Take care, may famed roller skate key polisher Diane Jamesford be with you, and gesundheit.

I well remember my bag phone that I installed in my ’76 VW Bus. I had an antenna on the roof which greatly improved reception. For a time, it had better reception than the digital cell phones with its 4 watt output.

Why was sliced bread banned during WWII?

White bread should have STAYED banned. It has ZERO food value.

Sliced bread soon continued after soldiers complained that their shingles were uneven.

The commonality is that falcons and parrots kill with their beaks, not their feet. But falcons would never ask for a cracker nor use fowl language.

My father did not answer the call upon seeing his caller ID said it was about his car warranty.

So, at the height of WWII – saying something was the best thing since sliced bread was more of an insult than a compliment?

I contacted the folks at Ripley’s, and explained that I’ve been having problems with insomnia, and would really appreciate an extra-boring strip that would help me doze off. Boy, did they come through like champs! A big shout out to them… for… zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

I remember the CB craze in the 70s.

Which made that the worse thing since sliced bread…

Also, new world vultures are related to storks, not hawks & eagles.

Slice bread banned? That’s plain dumb and stupid.