Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
“Gold is the money of kings; silver is the money of gentlemen; barter is the money of peasants; but debt is the money of slaves," wrote Norm Franz in his book Money and Wealth in the New…
Arthur H. ("Red") Motley (1900-1984) was the publisher of Parade Magazine whose famous salesmanship slogan was "Nothing happens until somebody sells something." Motley argued…
The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X (January 18, 1976) and Super Bowl XIII (January 21, 1979). Pittsburgh Steelers broadcaster Myron Cope (1929-2008) noticed that…
The Federal Reserve System has many critics, including some who want to "end the Fed." The term "Criminal Reserve" (cited in print since at least 2008) is an unflattering…
"Fedspeak" (also "Fed-speak" and "Fed speak") is when the Federal Reserve says something -- especially through its chairman. Alan Greenspan was Chairman of the Federal…
An old bean soup joke confuses the words "bean" with "been." A customer asks "What's this?" and the waiter replies, "It's bean soup, sir." The…
"Life is too short to drink bad/cheap wine" is a saying that's been printed on T-shirts and other items that are often sold at wineries (that sell good/expensive wine). The German…
"No matter where I serve my guests, they seem to like my kitchen best" has been a popular kitchen saying, written on many items (such as placemats). It is not known who first came up with…
The Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System has been called the "Fed Chairman" and "Fed Chief." The blog Zero Hedge on February 3, 2011 used…
Champagne has represented luxury and beer has represented a common, more-affordable drink. The term "champagne taste on a beer budget" means luxury on limited wealth. "Champagne…
Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) was known for her wit and often lunched at the Algonquin Hotel (59 West 44th Street in Manhattan), forming a "Round Table" of gossip and ideas with other…
"A waist is a terrible thing to mind" is a dieter's motto, taken from the United Negro College Fund's motto of "A mind is a terrible thing to waste" (in trademarked…
Stuffed mushrooms is a popular hors d'oeuvre, but the dish can be somewhat time-consuming to make. "Life is too short to stuff a mushroom" was written by British novelist and…
"Sourkrout and bacon will drive all cares away" is one of the proverbs in the book Proverbs of the Pennsylvania Germans (1929) by Edwin Miller Fogel. While the saying has been used by…
A popular drinking poem appeared in Prosit: A Book of Toasts (1904): "A Frenchman drinks his native wine,A German drinks his beer;An Englishman his 'alf and 'alf,Because it brings…
An "onion ring tower" is a tall stack of onion rings, usually served separately on its own dish (often with a rod in the middle of the rings). The term "tower of onion rings"…
A frequently reprinted poem (attributed to "Anonymous") about food is: "I eat my peas with honey; I've done it all my life. It makes the peas taste funny, But it keeps them on…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google BooksHandbook of Heavy Tailed Distributions in FinanceBy Svetlozar T. Rachev Amsterdam: Elsevier2003Pg. 70:Tail dependenceThere is a saying in finance that in times…
The "Greater Fool Theory" applies to a mania, such as for internet stocks (in the 1990s) or for real estate (in the 1970s). The investing fundamentals of holding that asset might be poor,…
The military base of Fort Hood, outside of Killeen, has been called "The Great Place" since at least 1987, when a book was published titled Fort Hood, Texas: the great place. A local sign…