Rock Star Economy
A country is said to have a "rock star economy" (or "rockstar economy") when the economy is famously successful, like a rock star. The term "rock star economy" was…
Fast Fine (fast food/fast casual + fine dining)
The restaurant concept of "fast fine" (fast food/fast casual + fine dining) was created by restaurateur Pierre Panos, who opened his Fresh To Order (F2O) restaurant chain in 2005. F2O…
“A panda walks into a restaurant…” (joke)
"A panda walks into a restaurant" is the start of a classic joke. After the panda enjoys the meal, he shoots at the waiter and exits. The restaurant manager runs after the panda, who says…
“I just flew in and boy, are my arms tired!”
"I just flew in from (Chicago, Los Angeles, New York) and boy, are my arms tired!" is a classic joke told by American comedians. That is, the arms had been flapping like a bird's…
Washington Demands Cash (Washington, D.C. nickname)
The United States capital of Washington, District of Columbia ("D.C."), has been nicknamed "Washington Demands Cash" since at least 1958. The joke, however, has only rarely been…
“Racing improves the breed”
"Racing improves the breed" is a popular adage of many kinds of racing. "That racing improves the breed of running horses, is not denied" was cited in print in 1835. Throughout…
“Why do we put candles on top of a birthday cake?” (joke)
A popular joke about birthday cake is: Q: Why do we put candles on top of a birthday cake?A: Because it's too hard to put them on the bottom! The joke has been cited in print since at least…
“Is it OK to use the AM radio after noon?”
"Is it OK to use the AM radio after noon?" is a jocular one-liner that has been cited in print since at least 1995. The pun is on the two definitions for "AM" -- "ante…
“Why do we bake cookies and cook bacon?”
"Why do we bake cookies and cook bacon?" is a jocular one-liner that has been cited in print since at least 2006. It's not known who first used the line. Geeks to Go…
“It just takes one team to draft you” (player draft adage)
"It just takes one team to draft you" (or "it just takes one team to fall in love with you") is a popular draft adage, especially in the NFL college draft. Most teams might not…
“I’m not fat—I’m cultivating mass”
"I'm not fat -- I'm cultivating mass" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many T-shirts. The line was spoken on the American television sitcom It's Always Sunny in…
“If I ever had to run for my life, I would probably die”
"If I ever had to run for my life, I would probably die" is a jocular statement made by an out-of-shape person that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts, hats and…
“If you see me running, call the police”
"If you see me running, call the police" is a jocular statement by a non-runner that has been printed on many ecards. "Mon, if you ever see me running, please call the Police, it…
“The only thing I fear more than the government shutting down is the government staying open”
"The only thing I fear more than the government shutting down is the government staying open" is a jocular saying that has been cited on Twitter since April 7, 2011. The saying originated…
“Beer is best drunk in the shadow of the brewery”
"Beer is best drunk in the shadow of the brewery" is a beer saying that means that beer is best when it's fresh (close to or "in the shadow of" the brewery). It's not…
“Don’t bore us, get to the chorus” (music adage)
"Don't bore us, get to the chorus" is a songwriting adage of unknown authorship. A song's chorus is usually its most memorable part, and listeners often like to sing it. If a…
“I hate losing more than I love winning”
It's often assumed that players love to win (to get a reward), but often what motivates them is that they hate to lose (fear of pain). "I hate losing more than I love winning" was…
Fedstapo (federal government + Gestapo)
Nazi Germany's Gestapo was its official secret police; the term "Gestapo" has later been used to describe forceful, authoritarian tactics. "Fedstapo" (federal government +…
Economic Moat
American investor Warren Buffett said in 1985: "There are some businesses that have very large moats around them and they have crocodiles and sharks and piranhas swimming around them. Those…
“If you can’t drive to it, don’t lend to it”
Money is often spent locally. "If you can't drive to it, don't lend to it" and "if you can't drive to it, don't invest in it" are popular adages. "We…