Realville (a town in the real world)
"Realville" isn't any actual city or town, but it's an expression for a place that exists "in the real world" and has real world problems. Politicians and economists…
Archive for 05/2012
“Kill for show and pass for dough” (handball/racquetball adage)
"Kill for show and pass for dough" is a saying that has been used in handball since at least 1999 and in racquetball since at least 2000. A "kill shot" contacts the front wall…
Nationalized Public Radio (NPR or National Public Radio nickname)
NPR (formerly National Public Radio) is funded, in part, with taxpayer dollars. Conservative and libertarian groups often insist that government has no role in funding a radio network. The NPR…
“Chocolate, men, coffee—some things are better rich”
"Chocolate, men, coffee -- some things are better rich" is a humorous saying that has been printed on gift items such as coffee mugs and refrigerator magnets. The order of the three…
“Coffee keeps me busy until it’s time to be drunk”
"Coffee keeps me busy until it's time to be drunk" is a humorous saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as coffee mugs and refrigerator magnets. The items have been…
“You don’t have to be crazy to work here, but it helps”
"You don't have to be crazy to work here, but it helps" is a jocular sign that has been placed in many workplaces. "You don't have to be crazy to work here...but it…
“String tight for control, loose for power” (racket adage)
"Tight for control, loose for power" is an adage for stringing a tennis racket or racquetball racquet, cited in print since at least 1983. The theory is that looser strings result in…
“Dress for the job you want, not for the job you have” (employment adage)
"Dress for the job you want, not for the job you have" is a popular employment adage, given to people looking for a job or hoping for a promotion from a present job. John T. Molloy's…
“You can expect what you inspect” (management adage)
"You can expect what you inspect" has been credited by Wikipedia to the American statistician and author W. Edwards Deming (1900-1993), but there's no evidence that he either coined…
Department of Hopeless Security (Department of Homeland Security or DHS nickname)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was formed in 2002, after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The DHS operates the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Citizenship and…
“You can’t catch a walk” (baseball adage)
"You can't catch/defend/defense a walk" means that a pitcher shouldn't give up a walk (a free pass to first base) and should let the batter hit the ball, where a catch (or…
“Two-out hits will get you to heaven” (baseball adage)
Two-out hits in baseball help extend an inning (and the game, if it's the ninth and final inning). "Two-out hits will get you (in)to heaven" is a baseball adage that emphasizes how…
SWATing (Swatting)
"Swatting" (also "SWATing" or "SWATting") is when someone calls emergency service (such as "911") from an undetectable location to report a nonexistent crime…
“A goal is a dream with a deadline” (management aphorism)
"A goal is a dream with a deadline" means that a goal is a dream fitted to reality, with a deadline for its accomplishment. The saying has been attributed to Napoleon Hill (1883-1970),…
“Don’t expect what you don’t inspect” (management adage)
"Don't expect what you don't inpect" (also "Never expect what you don't inspect" or "You can't expect what you don't inspect") is from The…
“You can’t tell the players without a score card”
"You can't tell the players without a score card/scorecard" is what baseball vendors yelled in the 1890s and 1900s to sell their score cards for a nickel. "You can't tell…
“Take one for the team”
To "take one for the team" means a personal sacrifice a player makes for the benefit of the team. The expression began in baseball and has been cited in print since at least 1969. A…
“A win is a win” (sports adage)
"A win is a win (is a win)" is often said by the coach and players of a winning team, meaning that all that matters is the victory. If a heavy favorite pulls out an unexpectedly narrow…
Demorrhoids (Democrat + hemorrhoids)
"Demorrhoids" (Democrat + hemorrhoids) is an unflattering term used by people who don't like Democrats. The term "demorrhoids" (either upper or lower case, but usually…
“The best teams make the playoffs; the hottest team wins the championship”
"The best teams make the playoffs and the hottest team wins the championship" means that the team with the best regular season record doesn't always win the championship. The regular…