Halfmoon: Solar Town, USA (nickname)
Halfmoon, New York, converted its town hall to solar energy in 1976 (during the energy crisis), and it made national news when Harry Reasoner reported on it for CBS's 60 Minutes. "Solar…
“Screw it, just do it” (“Screw it, let’s do it”)
"Screw it, let's do it" is the philosophy of English business magnate Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group. The saying was printed several times in his book, Losing My Virginity:…
White Oil (lithium nickname)
Lithium has many commercial uses, such as in batteries. Lithium was nicknamed "white oil" in April 2016 because of its white color and because of its importance to energy (like oil).…
Whammy Bar (vibrato for guitar)
American singer and guitarist Lonnie Mack (1941-2016) had a 1963 hit song titled "Wham." Mack became known for the use of a vibrato bar on his guitar., which would soon be known as a…
“You can’t go wrong with bricks and mortar”
"You can't go wrong with bricks and mortar," someone from the real estate industry might say. That is, you can't go wrong buying property. The proverb is not always true, of…
“My teacher doesn’t know anything. All she does is ask questions”
Teachers ask a lot of questions, prompting a student's comic lament: "My teacher doesn't know anything. All she does is ask questions!" The comic strip Gasoline Alley, by Frank…
“Laughter is the best medicine” (proverb)
"Laughter is the best medicine" is an old proverb that comedians and comedy clubs sometimes remind audiences with. "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up…
“I’m with stupid”
"I'm with stupid" is a saying that has been printed on many T-shirts and posters, usually with an arrow or finger pointing to the "stupid" person. "I'm with…
I-95 Primary (Northeast presidential primaries)
The U.S. presidential primaries on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, held in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, were dubbed the “I-95 Primary." Interstate…
“Where do monkeys exercise?”/“At the jungle gym.”
A children's "jungle gym" doesn't involve an actual jungle, but there's a joke: Q: Where do monkeys exercise?A: At the jungle gym. The joke -- different animals are…
“A blowfly goes into a bar…” (bar joke)
"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A version with a fly is: "A blowfly goes into a bar and asks: 'Is that stool…
“What do you call a Drosophila who likes to drink?”/” A bar fly.”
A "bar fly" is a person who sits at a bar (and is not an actual fly), but there's a joke: "What do you call a Drosophila who likes to drink? A bar fly." The joke was cited…
“Teacher: ‘You missed school yesterday, didn’t you?’ Pupil: ‘Not very much!’”
A pun about "missing" school is: TEACHER: You missed school yesterday, didn't you? PUPIL: Not very much! The joke has been printed in many newspapers since at least 1942. “Boss:…
“Mother: What did you learn in school today? Son: Not enough. I have to go back tomorrow.”
An old joke has a parent ask a child about the day in school: Mother: What did you learn in school today?Son: Not enough. I have to go back tomorrow. The joke has been cited in print since at least…
Yuge (huge)
"Yuge' (or "yooge") for "huge" has been a part of New York speech. Boxing promoter Bob Arum (born in New York City in 1931), said in 1995, "the biggest-grossing…
“Shortbread—They’re not making it any longer”
"Shortbread -- They're not making it any longer" is a popular joke about shortbread -- a type of biscuit that is still being made. The joke was cited on Twitter on September 6, 2010…
“What kind of bee gives milk?”/“A boobie.”
A milk joke is: Q: What kind of bee gives milk?A: A boobee (boobie). The joke has been cited in print since at least 1997. Google Groups: alt.tasteless.jokesthe beeJ. Johnson 4/14/97(...)Reminds me…
“The Flat Earth Society has members all around the globe”
Members of a "flat earth society" don't believe that the world is round. A joke went viral in February 2016: "The Flat Earth Society has members all around the globe." The…
Acela Primary or Amtrak Primary (Northeast presidential primaries)
The U.S. presidential primaries on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, held in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, were dubbed the "Amtrak Primary" or…
“There was an early bird special, so I ordered Archaeopteryx”
An "early bord special" has nothing to do with eating an "early bird," but there's a joke: "There was an early bird special at the diner, so I ordered…