“Buy straw hats in the winter” (Wall Street proverb)
"Buy straw hats in the winter" (out of season, when the prices are cheapest) is an old Wall Street proverb that's usually credited to financier Russell Sage (1816-1906). Another…
Buda (summary)
The city of Buda (a growing suburb of Austin, the Texas state capital) has a disputed origin of its name. It had long been thought that "Buda" was a corruption of the Spanish word…
Marfa (summary)
The city of Marfa in West Texas had long thought to have been named by a railroad executive's wife after reading a Russian novel. ("Marfa" is Russian for the woman's name…
“Keep Denton Chido”
"Keep Denton Chido" ("chido" is Spanish for "cool") is a 2008 entry in another city knockoff of the slogan "Keep Austin Weird." The seemingly endless…
Caesarism
While the United States presidency had long had no formal term limits, it was generally respected that no president would serve longer than the two terms served by the first president, George…
“If Santa Claus should fail to call, bears may come to Broad & Wall” (Santa Claus Rally)
A "Santa Claus Rally" is a stock rally at the end of the year, at Christmas and New Year's Day. Yale Hirsch first described the rally in his Stock Trader's Almanac. By 1972,…
“Sell down to the sleeping point” (Wall Street proverb)
The stock market sometimes causes many people to lose sleep. An old Wall Street proverb is to "sell down to the sleeping point" -- that is, only assume the risk that can make you sleep…
“Bear markets slide down a slope of hope” (Wall Street proverb)
The Wall Street proverb that "bear markets slide down a slope of hope" is cited in print from the 1990s. It is said that bear markets begin when there is great hope and optimism. An…
“Bull markets climb a wall of worry” (Wall Street proverb)
An old Wall Street proverb says that the stock market "climbs a wall of worry" to march into bullish territory. The "wall of worry" phrase is cited in print from at least the…
“Take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila”
"I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila" has appeared on gift items since the 1990s/early 2000s. (Also given as: "I take life with a grain of salt,…
University of Havana-North (Columbia University)
Television show commentator Bill O'Reilly (host of he O'Reilly Factor on Fox News) called Columbia University "University of Havana-North" in his "Talking Points" memo…
“Buy when there’s blood in the streets” (Baron Rothschild in 1871)
"Buy low, sell high" is the mantra of making money on Wall Street, but when is it low enough to buy? According to one Wall Street proverb, the time to buy is when there is "blood in…
“Sell on Rosh Hashanah, buy on Yom Kippur” (Wall Street adage)
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, followed by Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). Many of New York City's stock traders are Jewish. A Wall Street adage arose by about the 1920s; "Buy…
Goldmine Sacks or Goldmine Sachs (Goldman Sachs nickname)
Goldman Sachs is a leading financial firm, headquartered in lower Manhattan. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the company made so much money (and made its employees so wealthy) that it was nicknamed…
Texas Pink Cloud (cocktail)
Texas Pink Cloud is another "everything-but-the-kitchen-sink" cocktail that mixes together vodka, white rum and tequila, with sweet and sour mix, pin colada mix and Margarita mix also…
Texas Apple Delight (cocktail)
Texas Apple Delight is a simple cocktail that mixes rum, apple juice and Gatorade. The drink appears in print in the 2000s and is of unknown origin. The WebtenderTexas Apple DelightIngredients:1…
Texas Sweat (cocktail)
Texas Sweat is a cocktail that has a little of everything, including vodka, rum, gin, tequila and grenadine. The drink is cited in print since at least the early 2000s. The WebtenderTexas…
Texas Rattlesnake (cocktail)
The "Texas Rattlesnake" cocktail contains no rattlesnake, but it does have a bite. The usual ingredients are Yukon Jack Canadian whisky, cherry brandy, Southern Comfort, and sweet and…
Texas Kool-Aid or Texas Cool-Aid (cocktail & wine & Crown Royal nickname)
Kool-Aid is a popular artificially-flavored drink mix. What is a Texas Kool-Aid (also spelled "Texas Cool-Aid")? A Texas Kool-Aid cocktail consists of Creme de Noyaux, melon liqueur,…
Sunny San Leon (San Leon nickname)
San Leon in Galveston County has been called "Sunny San Leon" since at least 2003. San Leon has also been called "a small drinking village with a large fishing problem."…