“Why does a round pizza come in a square box?”
"Why does a round piza come in a square box" is a question that has been added to many lists of supposedly unanswerable (or "stupid") questions. A frequently given answer is…
“A boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money”
"A boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money" is a popular saying that has been printed on gift items, such as T-shirts and posters. "A yacht, they say, is a hole in the…
“Pay the farmer or pay the doctor”
"Pay the farmer or pay the doctor" means that one should eat healthy food (that costs a little more than processed food) and stay healthy, or one should pay the doctor after eating…
“When the tide goes out, the table is set” (seafood harvesting adage)
"When the tide goes/is out, the table is set" is a seafood harvesting adage popular in the Pacific northwest. Razor clams, clams, oysters, mussels, crabs, seaweed, limpets and other sea…
BLT (Bites, Licks and Tastes)
"BLT" usually refers to a BLT sandwich (bacon, lettuce and tomato). Dieting organizations such as Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig have another meaning for "BLT" -- bites, licks…
“You can’t wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time”
"You can't wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time" means that one can't despair ("wring your hands") and take action ("roll up your…
Founder’s Trap
"Founder's trap" describes a problem that many new companies experience. A founder might be able to handle most of the responsibilities of a small company, but that founder might be…
Founder’s Syndrome
"Founder's syndrome" is not a medical condition, but describes a problem that many new companies experience. A founder might be able to handle most of the responsibilities of a small…
Founder’s Disease
"Founder's disease" is not a medical condition, but describes a problem that many new companies experience. A founder might be able to handle most of the responsibilities of a small…
“Honesty is not only morally right, it’s also highly efficient”
"Honesty is not only morally right, it's also highly efficient" is a popular saying that has been printed on a sign. Randy Pausch (1960-2008), a professor at Carnegie Mellon…
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way”
"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way" is a frequently used saying about leadership. H. Reginald Buckler (1840-1927) wrote in 1889: "And what is it to be…
“The difference between a boss and a leader: a boss says ‘Go!’ — a leader says ‘Let’s go!’”
The syndicated newspaper column "Office Cat by Junius" (Edgar Allan Moss of Marion, IN) published a list of sentences in November 1931 comparing a boss to a leader, titled "The…
“Consulting: If you’re not part of the solution, there’s good money in prolonging the problem”
“You’re either part of the solution or you’re part of the problem" is a famous 1968 quotation by writer and political activist Eldridge Cleaver (1935-1998). The line has been frequently…
Greedy One Percent (Grand Old Party or GOP nickname)
"Greedy One Percent" is a slogan that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts and buttons. The Occupy Wall Street movement in 2011 featured the slogan, "We are the…
“Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July; Democrats believe every day is April 15th”
U.S. President Ronald Regan (1911-2004) said in September 1984, at Union-Endicaott High School (Endicott, NY): "The main difference between ourselves and the other side is: We see an America…
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that an airplane takes off against wind”
"The Country Parson" comic strip, by Frank A. Clark, from September 6, 1955, said: "When everything seems to be goin' against you, remember that the airplane takes off against…
Hong Kong on the Hudson (Hudson Yards)
The Hudson Yards on Manhattan's far west side are train tracks for the MTA's West Side Yard. In the 2000s, just after New York City lost its bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics (that would…
“Rehab is for quitters”
"Rehab is for quitters" is a popular saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts and posters. The saying has been cited in print since at least 1996 and is of…
“You don’t win silver—you lose gold”
Nike, Inc., an athletic apparel company, posted a billboard in Atlanta at the time of the 1996 Summer Olympics: "You Don't Win Silver — You Lose Gold." The advertisement was…
“If you’re not paying for it, you are the product”
MetaFilter poster blue_beetle wrote on August 26, 2010: "If you are not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold." This means that, while Google and…