“What a house! Nothing but rooms!”
Yankee catcher Yogi Berra (1925-2015) moved into a large house in New Jersey in 1961, and he was asked to describe the place. Berra said: "What a place it is. Nothing but rooms." The…
“We made too many wrong mistakes”
The New York Yankees had a terrible season in 1959, finishing with a 79-75 record and failing to make the playoffs. Yogi Berra (1925-2015), a star player on the club, was quoted in November 1959:…
“It gets late early out there”
"It Gets Late So Early" was a 1955 song hit by Lefty Frizzell. New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra (1925-2015) talked about the shadows in left field at Yankee Stadium in the fall, when he…
“If you don’t go to other people’s funerals, they won’t come to yours”
"If you don't go to other people's funerals, they won't come to yours" is a popular joke saying to explain attendance at funerals. "If I don't attend other…
“You can observe a lot by watching”
New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra (1925-2015) was named the team's manager in October 1963, replacing Ralph Houk (1919-2010). Berra told reporters that he'd learned from coaches Houk…
Unicorn Wine
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wine SpectatorWhat's a Unicorn Wine?Parsing sommelier speakPosted: Oct 24, 2013 10:30am ET By Jennifer Fiedler(...)On March 1, Michael Mina wine director Rajat Parr…
“People who say ‘good morning’ should be forced to prove it”
"Good morning!" is a common greeting. "What's good about it?" is a frequent -- and usually unwelcome -- response. "People who say 'Good morning' should be…
“Anyone who says ‘good morning’ on a Monday is a sociopath”
Monday is the traditional start of the work week. A "good morning" greeting on Monday morning is often not appreciated. "Someone who says 'GOOD MORNING' on a monday…
Welfarian (someone on welfare)
A "Welfarian" (or "welfarian") is a welfare recipient. "Welfarian" has been cited in print since at least 1978. The term "Welfarian" a high-sounding name…
Economissed (economist/economy + missed; The Economist nickname)
"Economissed" (economist/economy + missed) is a jocular term for when an economic forecast (or an economic forecaster, such as an economist) misses the mark. The weekly newspaper The…
United States of Amnesia
The United States of America has sometimes been dubbed the "United States of Amnesia." These critics charge that Americans often forget things -- usually the bad things, like slavery.…
Good Karma Jar (tip jar)
"Good Karma Jar" is another name for a tip jar, where that name or "Tipping Is Good Karma" has been printed on stickers. A March 1995 New York (NY) Times article on coffee bar…
“Ready, Freddy” (“Ready, Freddie”)
"Ready, Freddie/Freddy" is to be very ready. It is a response to "Are you ready?" asked by someone who is sometimes -- but usually not -- named "Freddy" or…
“People are dying to get in” (cemetery joke)
An old cemetery joke goes: Q. Why do they build a fence around a graveyard?A. Because people are just dying to get in. "As the saying goes, people must be just dying to get in (the cemetery --…
Money Doctor (Doctor of Medicine or MD backronym)
A doctor can hold a Ph.D. degree or an M.D. degree. However, someone with an M.D. (medicine) is more likely to make more money than someone with a Ph.D. in English literature. A popular saying…
Poor, Hungry Doctor (“Ph.D.” backronym)
A doctor can hold a Ph.D. degree or an M.D. degree. However, someone with an M.D. (medicine) is more likely to make more money than someone with a Ph.D. in English literature. A popular saying…
Master Bullshit Artist (“MBA” backronym)
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree doesn't always impress everyone and has sometimes been given the backronym (back acronym) of "Master Bullshit Artist." The nickname…
Mediocre But Arrogant (“MBA” backronym)
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree doesn't always impress everyone and has sometimes been given the backronym (back acronym) of "Mediocre But Arrogant." The nickname…
More Shit or More of the Same (Master of Science or MS backronym)
The Bachelor of Science degree is often jokingly called the B.S. ("bull shit"). The Master of Science degree (M.S.) is often given the backronym (back acronym) of "more shit" or…
Bull Shit (Bachelor of Science or BS backronym)
"B.S." has been used for "bull shit" since at least the 1910s. "B.S." also stands for the "Bachelor of Science" degree. There is no exact date for when the…