Christians In Action (Central Intelligence Agency or CIA nickname)
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is the successor to World War II's Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The CIA nickname of "Christians In Action" was probably coined or at…
Archive for 02/2012
Big Blue Apple (Big Blue + Big Apple)
"Big Blue Apple" (Big Blue + Big Apple) is what New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg called New York City in February 2012, during the celebration for the Super Bowl-winning New York…
Full Blown Idiots (Federal Bureau of Investigation or FBI nickname)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was founded in 1908 and conducts federal criminal and intelligence investigations. The unflattering FBI nickname of "Full Blown Idiots" has been…
“She was only a moonshiner’s daughter, but he loved her still”
"She was only a moonshiner's daughter, but he loved her still" is an old pun on the word "still" (that can also mean "distillery"). "She may be only a…
“A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat”
"A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat" is a joke that has appeared on many Internet lists since 2000. The joke centers on "hard to beat" eggs meaning also…
“In a democracy, your vote counts; in feudalism, your count votes”
"In a democracy, it's your vote that counts; in feudalism, it's your count that votes" (or, "In a democracy, your vote counts; in feudalism, your count votes") has…
“A lot of money is tainted—‘taint yours and ‘taint mine”
"A lot of money is tainted -- 'taint yours and 'taint mine" is an old joke on the word "taint" (meaning "a trace of a bad or undesirable quality") and the…
“A clean tie attracts the soup of the day”
"The Diner's Dilemma - A clean tie attracts the soup of the day" is from the book More Murphy's Law (1982) by Arthur Bloch. A new (or newly cleaned) tie becomes an immediate…
“A financier is a pawnbroker with imagination”
"A financier is a pawnbroker with imagination" is credited to the playwright Arthur Wing Pinero (1855-1934). This is slightly incorrect. In Pinero's play, Iris (1901), one character…
“Satire is something that closes on Saturday night” (theatre adage)
"Satire is what closes on Saturday night" is a 1937 quotation of playwright George S. Kaufman (1889-1961). Kaufman co-authored many popular comedies -- and satires -- but he felt that…
“It’s lonely at the top, but you eat better”
"It's lonely at the top" is an old American proverb. The novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Marble Faun (1860) has, "It's very lonesome at the summit!"…
“If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments”
A creditor wants to be paid back, so a creditor wishes a debtor good physical and financial health. "Quickest way to get back on your feet is to miss a couple of car payments!" has been…
“A bad play saved by a bad performance” (Broadway saying)
The playwright and drama critic George S. Kaufman (1889-1961) has been said to have reviewed the comedic play Skylark (1939), by Samson Raphelson, that starred the English actress Gertrude Lawrence…
“There was laughter back of the theater, leading to the belief that somebody was telling jokes”
The playwright and drama critic George S. Kaufman (1889-1961) has been credited with saying this about an unsuccessful comedic play: "There was laughter in the back of the theater, leading to…
“The play opened at 8:40 sharp and closed at 10:40 dull” (Broadway saying)
The shortest review of a play is credited to Heywood Broun (1888-1939), who allegedly wrote this simple dismissal of the play's proceedings: "It opened at 8:30 sharp and closed at 10:40…
“I watched this play at a disadvantage—the curtain was up” (Broadway saying)
A good seat in a theater can sometimes add to the enjoyment of the entertainment; a bad seat can make the stage difficult to see or hear. A famous theatrical saying (cited in print since at least…
“Business was so bad they were shooting deer in the balcony” (Broadway saying)
"Business was so bad they were shooting deer in the balcony" is an old Broadway saying. The actor George Jessel (1898-1981) said this in 1928 to describe the immense proportions of the…
Peter Pan Economics (Peter Pan Economy)
J. M. Barrie's character of "Peter Pan" ("the boy who wouldn't grow up") has been featured in novels, stage plays, musicals and films. Peter Pan believes to himself…
Bullshit Labor Statistics (Bureau of Labor Statistics or BLS nickname)
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…
Staten Island Chuck (groundhog weather prognosticator)
The Staten Island Zoo has celebrated each Groundhog Day (February 2nd) since 1982 with "Staten Island Chuck," also known as "Charles G. Hogg." If "Chuck" sees his…