“We didn’t lose—we just ran out of time”
"We didn't lose -- we just ran out of time" is an excuse sometimes used in football, where the team that scores last often wins the game. Football Hall of Famer Doak Walker…
Archive for 06/2012
“The first period is won by the best technician…” (wrestling adage)
A popular wrestling saying is, "The 1st period is won by the best technician. The 2nd period is won by the kid in the best shape. The 3rd period is won by the kid with the biggest heart."…
Alligator Spread
An "alligator spread" is a transaction is where the investor is unlikely to make much of a profit even if the markets move in the direction anticipated, primarily because the investor is…
“Sitting on a gold mine” (possessing something of great value)
To be "sitting in a gold mine" is to be in possession of something of great value, often without knowledge or understanding of that value. The American idiom usually does not require…
Earned Media (Free Media)
"Paid media" is when someone takes out advertising and pays for it. Political campaigns often try for "free media" as well, such as exposure on television talk shows and news…
Democrazy (democracy + crazy)
"Democrazy" (democracy + crazy) is a term to describe a democracy gone crazy, perhaps by corrupt politics and elections. "Democrazy" has been cited in print since at least 1853…
Battleground State
A "battleground state" is one of the fifty states of the United States that could support either one of the two political parties, Republican or Democrat. Political candidates for…
Cemetery Vote
The "cemetery vote" in politics means dead voters still on the election voting rolls and who show up to vote -- through voter fraud, of course. The term "cemetery vote" has been…
Swing State
A "swing state" is one of the fifty states of the United States that could support (or "swing" to) either one of the two political parties, Republican or Democrat. Political…
“Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death and sweet as love”
"Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death and sweet as love" is usually said to be a Turkish proverb, but no Turkish source has been cited. "Coffee, to be good, must be black…
Wingery (Buffalo wings + eatery)
A "wingery" (Buffalo chicken wings + eatery) is a restaurant that specializes in serving Buffalo chicken wings. "Wingery" can also mean the skill of someone who cooks Buffalo…
“Miss one day of practice, I notice; miss two, the critics notice; miss three, the audience notices”
A famous quote is popular with anyone who practices, from pianists to ballet dancers to golfers. "If I miss one day's practice, I notice it. If I miss two days' practice, the critics…
“The best exercise is the one you will do” (exercise adage)
People often ask, "What's the best exercise -- jogging or lifting weights?" "The best exercise is the one you will do" is the answer given by many fitness professionals. If…
“Never stand when you can walk, never walk when you can run” (exercise adage)
"Never stand when you can walk, never walk when you can run" is advice given to people to discourage them from being sedentary. Charles E. Page, M.D., wrote in Health Culture in 1900:…
“Lips that touch wine shall never touch mine”
"Lips that touch liquor/wine shall never touch mine" was a popular temperance saying in the late 1800s and early 1900s. "The lips that touch liquor shall never touch mine" has…
“Fight a boxer and box a fighter” (boxing adage)
"Fight a boxer and box a fighter" (or "box a fighter and fight a boxer") is a boxing adage that means a boxing match should be a contrast of styles. The French boxer Georges…
“The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war”
Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) said in 1939, "The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war." The saying was also used by U.S. General Hugh Aloysius Drum…
“The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle”
"The more you sweat in practice/training, the less you bleed in battle" is a popular sports and fitness adage, often printed on T-shirts. "The more you sweat in peace, the less you…
“You can get a man with face powder, but it takes baking powder to keep him”
"You can get a man with face powder, but it takes baking powder to keep him" means that beauty ("face powder") attracts a man to a woman, but good cooking ("baking…
“This is a self-cleaning kitchen—clean up after yourself”
"This is a self-cleaning kitchen -- clean up after yourself" is a popular sign in many kitchens, printed on many refrigerator magnets. The saying has been cited in print since at least…