“Sports is the toy department of life”
"Sports is the toy department of (human) life" was first said by New York City sportswriter Jimmy Cannon (1909-1973). It's not known when he first said it, however. The saying means…
“When a habit begins to cost money, it is called a hobby”
"When a habit begins to cost money, it is called a hobby" is a jocular one-line saying that appears to have been coined in the "Little Liz" newspaper comic strip in January…
“Diet is a four-letter word”
A "four-letter word" usually means a profanity. "Diet" is a four-letter word (that is, something profane and not to be discussed) for certain people who like to keep their food…
“Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need more”
"Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need more" is a saying that has been cited in print since at least 1961. Addison H. Hallock has been most frequently credited for…
“You are who you pretend to be (in politics)”
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922-2007) wrote in the introduction to his novel Mother Night (1961): "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." "You are…
“A consultant is someone who saves his client almost enough to pay his fee”
"A consultant is someone who saves his client almost enough to pay his fee" is a jocular saying that has been attributed to Arnold H. Glasgow, an American psychiatrist, since at least…
“What do you get when you ask a politician for the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?”
"Do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god?" is a sworn oath. Politicians are often said to have a problem…
“Government does not solve problems—it subsidizes them”
"Government/Washington does not solve problems -- it subsidizes them" is a line that Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) used many times as governor of California and while campaigning for…
“A bargain is something you don’t need at a price you can’t resist”
"A bargain is usually something you can't use at a price you can't resist" (or, in a later form, "A bargain is something you don't need at a price you can't…
“Efficiency is a highly developed form of laziness”
"Efficiency is a highly developed form of laziness" is a saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts, hats and buttons. The lazy person wants to be efficient so he…
“Teaching is the greatest act of optimism”
"Teaching is the greatest act of optimism" has been credited to Colleen Wilcox, a Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools for 14 years. It's not known when Wilcox said the…
Cafeteria Germ (clostridium perfringens nickname)
Clostridium perfringens has been nicknamed the "cafeteria germ" since at least 1983. The germ grows when large quantities of food are prepared long before being consumed and are left out…
“Life is like a box of chocolates, the best ones are half-eaten”
The movie Forrest Gump (1994) contained the famous line: "My momma always said, 'Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.'" There have been…
CBO (cheddar-bacon-onion sandwich)
McDonald's fast food restaurants introduced the "CBO" (cheddar-bacon-onion) sandwich in 2012. The sandwich can be made with either meat or chicken. The "CBO" was introduced…
Great Stone Toilet Bowl (Guggenheim Museum)
The Simon R. Guggenheim Museum, at 1071 Fifth Avenue, was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) and completed just after his death. The design of the museum caused much controversy. Reactions…
“The 12-Step Chocoholics Program: Never be more than 12 steps away from chocolate”
The first "twelve step program" was used by Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1930s. "The 12-step chocoholics program: Never be more than 12 steps away from chocolate" is a jocular…
“Caramels are just a fad, but chocolate is a permanent thing”
Milton Snavely Hershey (1857-1945) established the Lancaster Caramel Company in 1885; he visited Chicago's World Columbian Exposition in 1893 and became fascinated with the German…
“Nuts just take up space where chocolate ought to be”
"Nuts just take up space where chocolate ought to be" is a jocular saying indicating that the speaker is a chocolate lover. The saying has been cited in print since 1999 and is of unknown…
“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate”
"There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate" is a saying that has been printed on many gift items The saying was created by Linda Grayson's Printwick…
“‘Quotes on the Internet are becoming less and less reliable.’—Abraham Lincoln”
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) said many famous quotes, but has many more quotations falsely attributed to him. The Internet (invented over 100 years after Lincoln's death) is full of the real…