Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was founded in 1944-1945 and seeks to foster international development and sound monetary currencies. Some critics of the IMF maintain that its development…
"When everybody gets to one side of the boat, it usually tips over" is an old Wall Street saying of unknown authorship. The saying describes market panics or manias when everyone starts…
The term "seminar caller" was coined by conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh by at least July 1996. A "seminar caller" makes an "astroturfed" call to a…
"Sheriff of Wall Street" was the nickname given to Eliot Spitzer (New York State Attorney General, 1999-2006) in 2002 for his high-profile cases against Wall Street. Rudy Giuliani (U.S.…
"If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen" is a humorous saying that's been on bumper stickers since at least 2000. The comedian Bobby Ramsen told this joke to Parade…
"Fiatsco" (fiat money + fiasco) is a financial slang term used by those who don't hold much faith in the value of the U.S. dollar (paper money). The tem "fiatsco" appears…
"People fear what they don't understand/know" ("fear of the unknown") has been cited in print since at least the 1910s and is of no specific authorship. The saying has been…
"Meet and greet" has been cited in print since at least 1960 and means a welcoming event for a person or persons. "Eat and greet" is a "meet and greet" event where…
The Platte River in the Midwestern United States was named after the French word "platte" (meaning "flat"). In April 1889, humorist Edgar Wilson "Bill" Nye (1850-1896)…
An "awesome sauce" can be a very good sauce placed on food. The slang term "awesome sauce" describes someone or something "awesome," with "sauce" added as an…
A "crumbtard" (crumb + retard) is a term for one of the great masses of people who are left with "crumbs" while the super-rich take the whole economic pie. The term…
Bed Bath & Beyond is a home products retailer, formed in 1971 and headquartered in Union, New Jersey. Some customers have found the store's products to be expensive. The Bed, Bath &…
Goodwill Industries International, Inc., was founded in 1902 and received its "Goodwill Industries" name from its Brooklyn branch. The nonprofit Goodwill Industries is known for accepting…
"CNNBCBS (a division of ABC)" was featured on the "Lisa's Wedding" segment of the animated television sitcom The Simpsons, with the airdate March 19, 1995.…
Yum! Brands licenses KFC (a fried chicken franchise restaurant), Taco Bell (a Tex-Mex franchise restaurant), Pizza Hut (a pizza franchise restaurant), Long John Silver's (a seafood franchise…
"Some (men) are wise and some are otherwise" has been cited in print since at least 1659, when it was listed in James Howell's Proverbs. "Some are wise, and some are…
Harland David Sanders (1890-1980), known as "Colonel Sanders," founded Kentucky Fried Chicken (now KFC). Since at least 1993, the name "Colonel Sanders" has been called…
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) was established as the Bureau of Labor in 1884. Some of the statistics that it compiles include the consumer price index and unemployment rates. Critics of…
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was formed in 1914 to act against trusts. The FTC's mission is to protect the consumer and to ensure fair business practices. The FTC has on its website and…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Walter WristonWalter Bigelow Wriston (August 3, 1919 – January 19, 2005) was a banker and former chairman and CEO of Citicorp. As chief executive of Citibank…