“If it’s stupid but works, it isn’t stupid”
"If it's stupid but (it) works, it isn't stupid" is one of "Murphy's Law of Combat" that was printed by David Evans in the Chicago (IL) Tribune in 1989; Evans…
“Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder” (military saying)
"Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder" -- that is, it's probably of the cheapest quality -- was part of a jocular "Murphy's Laws of Combat"…
“Take a song to church” (music saying)
A musical artist can "take a song to church," meaning to give a performance like one in a church. Adding a gospel choir is one way to "take a song to church." A singer who belts…
“A closed mouth doesn’t get fed”
"A closed mouth doesn't get fed" means that unless one open's one's mouth and communicates, one doesn't get "fed" information or answers. Similar sayings…
“Slicker than owl shit” (very slick)
To be "slicker than owl shit" is to be very slick. The expression is popular throughout the South, but possibly originated in Texas. "Alcalde oil is as slick as owl grease" was…
“You can’t take the honky tonk out of the girl”
"You can take the girl out of the honky tonk, but you can't take the honky tonk out of the girl" was a line in the film Sweet Home Alabama, released on September 27, 2002.…
Bankageddon (bank + Armageddon)
A "bankageddon" (bank + Armageddon) occurs when banks are unstable; there are bank runs and subsequent bank holidays (closures). The term "Bankageddon" (capitalized) has been…
“Work on the business, not in the business”
"Work on the business, not in the business" is a business saying that was probably coined by Michael E. Gerber, author of The E-Myth series of books about business entrepreneurship.…
“Liquidity begets liquidity”
"Liquidity begets liquidity" is a financial saying meaning that once a market is proven to have liquidity (active buying and selling), more investors join in and there is more liquidity.…
“Good help is hard to find”
According to modern accounts, some slaveholders after the Emancipation Proclamation or after the Civil War refused to give up their slaves, stating "good help is hard to find." This story…
“One ‘aw, shit’ wipes out a thousand ‘attaboys’”
"One 'aw, shit' wipes out a thousand 'attaboys'" means that one mistake (also "aw. shucks" or "oh no") ruins many good works…
“Done like a dinner”
To be "done like a dinner" is to be finished and utterly defeated. "We did him then, and I'm glad he's done now: such a man as that ought to be done like a dinner" was…
“The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores”
College basketball coach and television commentator Al McGuire (1928-2001) is credited for saying, "The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores." That is, a college…
Vaticanista (Vatican correspondent)
"Vaticanista" is an Italian word meaning a news correspondent in Vatican City who reports on the Holy See. The term "Vaticanista" (also "vaticanista") usually appears…
Selection Sunday
"Selection Sunday" is commonly known as the day college basketball teams are selected to participate in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament, but the term…
Bracketology (Bracketologist)
"Bracketology" is a term that began to describe the participants in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament. A "bracketologist" examines the college…
Uncle Sam Day
U.S. President George H. W. Bush declared "Uncle Sam Day" for September 13, 1989. The date September 13, 1766 was the birthday of Samuel Wilson, the Troy (NY) meat packer who some believe…
“Peace through strength”
"Peace through strength" is said, in the Wikipedia entry, to date back to Roman times. However, English language citations of the saying are almost nonexistent until the 1930s. Prime…
MSNBC White (CNN nickname)
CNN is a U.S. cable news channel that was founded in 1980. The blog Ace of Spades HQ nicknamed CNN as "MSNBC White" (after MSNBC, the progressive political news and opinion channel)…
Bailout
A "bail out" (now the one-word "bailout") is a financial rescue to a failing entity, such as a government loan to support a failing bank. The term began in 1932 with the…