Bullionaire (bullion + -aire)
A "bullionaire" (bullion + -aire, as in "millionaire" and "billionaire") is someone who holds precious metals, such as gold or silver -- usually in a large amount.…
“Too big to comply”
"Too big to comply" is a saying that means a company or a government agency is so big that it must have its own law -- and can't comply with laws that apply to everyone else.…
The Great Mentioner
The media always comes up with a handful of familiar names as potential candidates for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations. Who decides on this small group of names? Russell…
Gundamentalist (gun + fundamentalist); Gundamentalism
A "gundamentalist" (gun + fundamentalist) is someone who believes in the right to bear arms as a matter of personal faith (if not law). The term "gundamentalist" was cited in…
Ammosexual (ammo + sexual)
An "ammosexual" (ammo + guns) is someone who loves ammo (ammunition) and guns. "Sexual" is a suffix in such terms ad "metrosexual" and "homosexual."…
The Young Turds or The Dumb Turds (The Young Turks nickname)
The Young Turks (TYT Network) was founded in 2002 and bills itself as "The Largest Online News Show in the World." The Young Turks were given the nickname "The Young Turds" in…
“Earth without art is just eh”
"Earth without art is just eh" is a jocular one-line saying that has been printed on many posters. "Did you know you can't spell Earth without art?" was posted on Twitter…
City With No Limits (Houston slogan)
The Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) announced a 2014 campaign for a new slogan for the city of Houston -- "Houston: The City With No Limits." The campaign sought to highlight Houston as…
“Tips are for waiters” (Wall Street adage)
"Tips are for waiters" is a stock market adage that dates to at least 1989. The adage holds that one should rely on business fundamentals, not stock tips. If someone is on the inside…
“Housing IS the business cycle”
"Housing is the business cycle" is the title of a 2007 paper by Edward Leamer, an American professor of economics and statistics. Leamer wrote: "Housing is the most important factor…
Coney Island’s Fifth Avenue (Riegelmann Boardwalk)
The Coney Island Boardwalk opened in 1923 and is officially called the Riegelmann Boardwalk, after Brooklyn Borough President Edward Riegelmann (1870-1941). Both the NYC Department of Parks &…
“All work and no play will make you a manager”
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" is a proverb that dates to at least the 17th century. "All work and no play will make you a manager" is a popular anti-proverb.…
“He can take his’n and beat your’n, or take your’n and beat his’n” (coaching adage)
One coach (especially a football coach) often compliments another coach, saying that the coach can take his players and beat your players or take your players and beat his players. The success came…
Bagnut or Dogel (bagel + donut)
Bagels and donuts both have holes in them -- what if they could be combined? "Bagnut" and "doughngel" were cited in print in 2003. "Dogel" was cited in print in 2008.…
Wake and Bake (marijuana-infused coffee)
Marijuana was legalized in the state of Washington, and Mirth Provisions ("Legal" beverages) of Longview, Washington, introduced marijuana-infused coffee in 2014. "We call it the…
Debt Star (debt + death star)
The Star Wars science fiction movies featured the Death Star -- a fictional space station capable of destroying a planet with its laser weaponry. In early 2009, a graphic poster was made of the…
Big Apple Blizzard (Dairy Queen dessert)
Dairy Queen (DQ) opened its first Manhattan restaurant in May 2014. Dairy Queen first introduced its Blizzard dessert (soft serve ice cream with mixed-in extras) in 1985. To celebrate the Manhattan…
“Science flies you to the moon; religion flies you into buildings”
Victor J. Stenger, an American particle physicist and religious skeptic, wrote in The New Atheism:Taking a Stand for Science and Reason (2009): "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us…
“Republicans fear their base; Democrats despise their base”
Political commentator David Frum posted on Twitter on August 10, 2010: "More proof of my longtime thesis, Repub pols fear the GOP base; Dem pols hate the Dem base." The saying is usually…
Ramenrrito (ramen + burrito)
Presstea (167 Seventh Avenue South in Manhattan) introduced the "ramenrrito" (ramen noodles + burrito) in 2013. The name "ramenrrito" was trademarked with a first use in…