The term ‘crank pots’ is a slang reference for a number of extremely miffed elderly gentlemen. Its use was particularly popular amongst young males throughout the early 1900s in New York City, during the, now infamous, ‘War on Youth’.

Many cheeky young New Yorkers were often caught purposely winding up ‘crank pots’ on street corners, a practise commonly referred to by the youth as ‘cranking the pot’. One particular situation, believed by many to cause the outbreak of war, arose when several young men rallied together during their clay modelling lesson and produced ‘The Giant Geriatric’. The 24′ high statue, hand crafted in extremely careful detail, was wheeled into the central square of a park overnight and left as a giant effigial insult.

Like many wars, the ‘War on Youth’ had a defined start time and date that everybody remembers clearly. There was no clearly defined reason for fighting and there has never been a clear winner. It also has no clearly defined end date. In fact, by many historian’s reckoning, the ‘War on Youth’ is officially still being fought.