Cheesecrap Factory (Cheesecake Factory nickname)
The Cheesecake Factory is a restaurant chain that began in California in the 1970s. The unflattering nickname of "Cheesecrap Factory" has been cited in print since at least 2005.…
“You can’t pick cherries with your back to the tree”
"You can't pick cherries with your back to the tree" has been attributed to American financier J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) since at least the 1980s, but there's no…
“Definition of obscene profits — something you always hear about but never experience yourself”
Mark Skousen's book, The Maxims of Wall Street (2011), contains: “Definition of obscene profits — something you always hear about but never experience yourself.” That is, an…
Monetary Morphine (printing money)
Richard Fisher, head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, explained in March 2012 that the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program (printing money) had caused some people to expect…
“All currencies eventually go to zero”
"All (fiat/paper) currencies eventually go to zero" means that all paper money -- not backed up by anything -- will eventually be worthless. It's not clear who first said this…
FoodPolitik (food + realpolitik)
"FoodPolitik" (food + realpolitik) is the title of a food politics column by Rick Berman on the blog The Daily Caller, published since September 20, 2010. "Food Politics" is the…
Field-to-Fork
"Field-to-fork" is a popular food industry expression, referring to the entire process from when food is made ("field") to when food is consumed ("fork"). The term…
Dish Pig (a person who washes dishes)
A "dish pig" (or "dishpig") is someone who washes dishes. Dish pigs, like real pigs, have dirty environments. The term "dishpig" has been cited in print since at least…
Pittsburgh Rare
"Pittsburgh rare" (also called a "Pittsburgh steak" or cooked "Pittsburgh-style") is a steak that's charred on the outside, but raw on the inside. In October…
Bubble Dancer (a person who washes dishes)
"Bubble dancing" is a humorous term for dishwashing (and its soap bubbles) that developed among soldiers in 1941; a person who washes the dishes is a "bubble dancer." The…
Basketball (Basket Ball)
The game of basketball (first spelled "basket ball") became popular in 1892. The first college basketball game was played at Cornell University in February 1892. Supposed basketball…
Pop-Up Restaurant
A "pop-up restaurant" is a temporary restaurant, often established for a certain event or season. The term "pop-up restaurant" has been cited in print since at least 2006;…
Pop-Up Café
The New York City Department of Transportation initiated a pilot "pop-up café" plan in the summer of 2010 and then started some cafés in 2011. Parking spaces are removed to create small…
Gutter Café (Gutter Dining)
Brooklyn's Smith Street was awarded the borough's first "gutter café" (also called a "pop-up café") in March 2011. Restaurant seating is quite literally in the…
“Same shit, different asshole” (political adage)
"Same shit, different asshole(s)" means that no matter who gets elected, it's still the same bad stuff. A saying in similar form is "same shit, different day." "Same…
Enforcement Theater
"Enforcement theater" is when arrests are made and/or lawsuits are filed, providing to the public the "theater" (or "theatrical performance") that the law is being…
“Take only pictures, leave only footprints” (parks policy)
"Take only pictures, leave only footprints" is a saying that has appeared on park signs and literature, instructing visitors to cause as little harm to the environment as possible. The…
Wild Art (photo unaccompanied by a story)
"Wild art" is a photo unaccompanied by a news story. For example, a photo of the first snowfall of the year can be newsworthy, but usually doesn't require a news story. The term…
“Talent on loan from God”
A biblical view is that all life on the earth is "on loan" from God. The conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has joked that he has "talent on loan from God," cited…
“Taking away the punch bowl” (Federal Reserve saying)
The Federal Reserve saying of "taking away the punch bowl just when the party is getting good" means that the Federal Reserve seeks to avoid creating monetary bubbles in the economy.…