“Like taking candy from a baby” (something easy)
"Like taking/stealing candy from a baby" means that something is easily done; a baby can't fight back. Babies don't have teeth to eat candy, of course, but the expression…
Archive for 06/2012
“Don’t take candy from strangers”
"Don't take candy from strangers" is a popular admonition that parents give to children. In July 1874, Charley Ross (age four) was lured from his Philadelphia home by strangers…
Ballers’ Paradise (Barclays Center nickname)
The New Jersey Nets planned to move to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the 2012-13 season, when the team would become the Brooklyn Nets. Nets point guard Deron Williams was shown the under…
The City That Works (Portland slogan)
Portland's slogan is 'The City that Works," made official by the city council in 1995. The slogan was printed on city vehicles along with a telephone number for people to call if…
Cherry City (Salem nickname)
Salem (Oregon's capital city) has been called the "Cherry City" since at least 1907. Salem held its first cherry fair in 1903, the 1906 fair was held along with the midsummer meeting…
De-Portland (Portland nickname)
The city of Portland acquired the nickname "De-Portland" or "Deportland" ("deport-land") in 2000 when several news articles stated that the Portland International…
“Politicians who complain about the press are like sailors complaining about the sea”
"Politicians who complain about the press/media are like sailors complaining about the sea" is a modern political proverb meaning that press criticism of politicians comes with the job…
Oregon, Things Look Different Here (Oregon slogan)
"Oregon, Things Look Different Here” is the Oregon slogan introduced in 1988 to replace the previous slogan (since 1984), “Oregon, You're More Than Welcome.” The previous slogan had…
Oregon, You’re More Than Welcome (Oregon slogan)
"Oregon, You're More Than Welcome Here” is the Oregon slogan introduced in 1984 to supplement the previous slogan (since 1959), “Pacific Wonderland” The slogan attempted to remedy a…
Oregon, We Love Dreamers (Oregon slogan)
"Oregon, We Love Dreamers" is the Oregon slogan that the Oregon Tourism Commission introduced in December 2003 to replace the previous slogan (since 1988), "Oregon, Things Look…
Pacific Wonderland (Oregon slogan)
"Pacific Wonderland" is the slogan that Oregon chose for its 100th anniversary (in 1959) and 150th anniversary (in 2009) to display on license plates. The original issue of license plates…
White Fort State (Oregon nickname)
Oregon was called the White Fort State, Hard Case State, Beaver State and Pacific State in The Teachers World (September 1893). The "White Fort State" nickname appears nowhere else in…
“Rowing is the only sport that originated as capital punishment”
“Rowing is the only sport that originated as a form of capital punishment" refers to the history of galley slaves. The popular rowing aphorism has been cited in print since at least 2002.…
“Rowing is the only sport you can win sitting on your butt going backwards”
"Rowing is the only sport you can win sitting on your butt going backwards" is a jocular saying about rowing; one can also "win by going backwards" in backstroke swimming and…
Web Foot State (Oregon nickname)
Oregon has been called the "Web-foot State" because it rains so much in the state, only animals with webbed feet were said to be able to live there. "The land of the…
Hard Case State (Oregon nickname)
Oregon has been called the "Hard Case State" because life for its earliest settlers was very hard. Inhabitants of Oregon were called "Hard Cases" by at least April 1845.…
Sunset State (Oregon nickname)
When Oregon joined the Union in 1859, it was the westernmost state -- the place where the sun last set on the United States. The Oregon nickname of "Sunset State" has been cited in print…
P-Town (Portland nickname)
The city of Portland has been called "P-town" since at least the 1990s. Other cities have also been called "P-town" -- such as Provincetown, Massachusetts. Wikipedia: Nicknames…
Soccer City, USA (Portland nickname)
The Portland Timbers team in the North American Soccer League (NASL) was so popular that a sign read "SOCCER CITY U.S.A." in July 1975. The NASL folded in 1984; a team called the Portland…
PDX (Portland nickname)
The city of Portland is sometimes called "PDX" after the airport code (cited in print since at least 1948-49) for Portland International Airport. In 1987, Portland State University chose…