Emerald City (Eugene nickname)
The name "Emerald City" was popularized in the Oz books by L. Frank Baum (1856-1919) and the movie The Wizard of Oz (1939). The city of Eugene, Oregon, has called itself the "Emerald…
Archive for 06/2012
Track Town, USA (Eugene nickname)
The city of Eugene, Oregon, has been called "Track Town, USA" (or "Tracktown, USA") since at least 1980. Hayward Field has been the home to the University of Oregon's track…
Rip City (Portland nickname)
Bill Schonely was announcing a Portland Trail Blazers basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 18, 1971 (the Trail Blazers, playing in their first season, would lose, 136-114),…
Top Shelf (premium or best quality liquor)
'Top shelf" means "top notch," or something that is premium or high quality. "Top shelf" has been cited in print since the 19th century, but "top shelf" (or…
Oregonian (inhabitant of Oregon)
An inhabitant of the state of Oregon is called an "Oregonian." The "Oregonian" name has been cited in print since at least October 1838, when the newspaper The Oregonian, and…
Oregroanian (The Oregonian newspaper nickname)
The Oregonian is a daily newspaper published in Portland, Oregon, since 1850. The newspaper has been nicknamed The Oregroanian (Oregonian + groan) by some critics since at least 2000. Another…
Boregonian (The Oregonian newspaper nickname)
The Oregonian is a daily newspaper published in Portland, Oregon, since 1850. The newspaper has been nicknamed The Boregonian (bore + Oregonian) by some critics since at least 1994. Another…
People’s Republic of Portland (Portland nickname)
Many places that are perceived to be liberal have been nicknamed "The People's Republic of ----," in a mocking imitation of The People's Republic of China. The city of Portland…
“Oregonians don’t tan, they rust”
"Oregonians don't tan, they rust" is a classic joke about Oregon's rainy weather. Ron Abell, president of the James G. Blaine Society, told jokes about Oregon's weather to…
Puddletown (Portland nickname)
The city of Portland is sometimes called "Puddletown" because of the puddles made by all its rain. The "Puddletown" nickname has been cited in print since at least 1981 and has…
Little Beirut (Portland nickname)
When President George H. W. Bush visited Portland in May 1990, 25 people were arrested after a four-hour confrontation with police. When President Bush visited Portland again in September 1991, 400…
“The mountain is out” (Mount Hood is visible)
"The mountain is out (today)" means that the sky is clear and Mount Hood is visible from the city of Portland. "Oh, look: the mountain is out today" was cited in Bennett…
Bridgetown (Portland nickname)
The city of Portland has been nicknamed "Bridgetown" because of the many bridges crossing the Williamette river (11 bridges) and Columbia river (3 bridges). Deborah Betron founded…
Sunshine State (Florida nickname)
Florida has officially been called the "Sunshine State" since 1970. Unofficially, Florida had been called the "Sunshine State" since at least May 1906. L. Bradford Prince…
“A campaign for re-election is a referendum on the incumbent”
A popular political adage is that a re-election campaign is "a referendum on the incumbent." The challenger is looked at secondarily, but the primary focus of an election is the…
“You can’t beat a horse with no horse” (political adage)
"You can't beat a horse with no horse" is a racetrack saying meaning that you must have a horse in the race to beat another horse. The saying has been almost exclusively used in…
Movement Conservativism (Movement Conservative)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Movement conservatismThe term movement conservatism was an inside term describing conservatism in the United States and New Right. According to Nash (2009)…
Beervana (Portland nickname)
"Beervana" (beer + nirvana) is a nickname for the city of Portland, where brew-pubs are almost everywhere. Portland's craft beer movement started in the 1980s and the…
Beaver State (Oregon nickname)
Oregon is known as the "Beaver State" because fur companies operated in Astoria from 1811. "DEMOCRACY OF OREGON. -- The gallant Democracy of the Beaver State are actively in…
Stumptown (Portland nickname)
"Stumptown" (or "Stump-town") is a Portland nickname, perhaps most popularly used since 1999 in the business name "Stumptown Coffee Roasters." According to Oregon, end…