Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Jonas SalkJonas Edward Salk (October 28, 1914 – June 23, 1995) was an American medical researcher and virologist, best known for his discovery and development…
Several publications have been called the "capitalist bible." Adam Smith's An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776) has frequently been called the…
The Wall Street Journal has been a financial newspaper since its founding in 1889. Writers at the libertarian website, LewRockwell.com, have accused the Journal of having a neoconservative foreign…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google BooksMay 1917, American Cookery, pg. 768, col. 2:Good Rule for SuccessSuccess is the art of making your mistakes when no one is looking. — Life. TwitterShort…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google News Archive27 August 1959, The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA), "Shop With Sue," pg. 8, col. 6 ad:. Colleague — Someone called in at the last minute to…
"I'm taking Viagra and drinking prune juice -- I don't know if I'm coming or going" is a popular joke. Viagra is trademarked with a first use of April 6, 1998. " The…
The comedienne Joan Rivers said that she didn't like to jog. "The first time I see a jogger smiling, I'll consider trying it," she was quoted in the New York (NY) Daily News in…
New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra is known for his quotations ("Berraisms") as well as his play. The Yankees were playing the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1947 World Series, and Berra was…
A "go cup" (or "to-go cup") is a (usually plastic) cup that one can use to carry a drink out of a restaurant or a bar. New Orleans, Louisiana, has had "go cups" since…
The Wall Street Journal has been a financial newspaper since its founding in 1889. Many newspapers that are called "journal" are unflatteringly nicknamed "urinal," and The Wall…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wiktionary: a new broom sweeps cleanProverba new broom sweeps clean1. New management will often make radical changes.…
The SAT test (popularly used in college admissions) once stood for "Scholastic Aptitude Test" and then "Scholastic Assessment Test." There have been many backronyms (back…
"Flavorgasm" (flavor + orgasm) is a very favorable experience with food or drink. "Flavorgasm" was the Urban Dictionary "Urban Word of the Day" on November 30, 2008.…
Entry in progress -- B.PGatorade Wikipedia: Gatorade showerThe Gatorade shower, also known as the Gatorade dunk and the Gatorade bath, is an American sports tradition that involves dumping a cooler…
"Spring Forward, Fall Back" is how people set clocks, but there is a joke: "If it weren't for Spring Forward and Fall Back, I'd never get any exercise at all."…
Enzo Cangemi of Ovest Pizzoteca & Bar (513 West 27th Street in West Chelsea, Manhattan) invented the La Margherita cocktail. The cocktail is inspired by the Margherita pizza (tomato, mozzarella…
Thanksgiving and Hanukkah rarely occur on the same date, but one such overlap is November 28, 2013. The day was dubbed "Thanksgivukkah." One product made specifically for Thanksgivukkah…
Thanksgiving and Hanukkah rarely occur on the same date, but one such overlap is November 28, 2013. The day was dubbed “Thanksgivukkah" (or, less frequently, "Thanksgivukah").…
"RINO" (Republican In Name Only) spawned many similar political acronyms. When John Boehner became Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2011, some said that he was 'Speaker In…
Yahoo! is a California-based Internet company that was founded by Jerry Yang and David Filo in January 1994 and was incorporated on March 1, 1995. The word “yahoo” was used in Jonathan…