When I was growing up, a uniquitous TV ad — and on radio too — was for “Carter’s Little Liver Pills.” I was never sure what these pills did, but the ads were so prolific that they spawned a saying, “More than Carter has little liver pills.”

This saying, for instance, could be applied to money: “He has more dollars than Carter has little liver pills.”

Oddly enough, Carter’s Little Pills are still available and made in Canada. Note that “Liver” has been deleted. This is because, as I understand, the Federal Trade Commission in the U.S. had the manufacturer delete the word since the pills had nothing to do with the liver. In fact, they were advertised for use in digestion and in enhancing one’s energy.

Who knows what they really did, or do now? You can buy a box on Amazon if you like, but they look pretty pricey.

The only reason I bring this up is that I read an article yesterday that talked about how certain words and phrases would instantly date you as being in your 70s. I couldn’t find that article today when I was looking for it, but the Carter usage is one example. Those “little liver” ads appeared in the 1950s and early 1960s on TV.

Word examples that date you might include “icebox.” What we now call refigerators were once non-electric and you needed to add huge ice cubes to cool them down. I still hear myself referring to my fridge as an icebox from time to tim.

“Passion pit” referred to drive-in movie theaters because that’s where guys would take “chicks” (women) to score romantically and, hopefully, sexually.

The phrase “flip your lid” meant losing it mentally and psychic-ly. “Made in the shade” meant to have it easy or to have a good time at doing something.

Anyway, this topic ain’t too “bitchin’” so let’s “take a hike” on the whole subject and “find ouir groove” elsewhere.