Wildcat Bank (Wildcat Money)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wildcat banking refers to the unusual practices of banks chartered under state law during the periods of non-federally regulated state banking between 1816 and 1863 in the…
Archive for 01/2013
Pet Bank
'Pet bank" is a derisive term that was applied to state banks that were selected to receive government deposits in 1833, taking the place of the Second United States Bank that President…
Relief Rally
A "relief rally" (or a "sigh-of-relief rally") is when a market picks up after a period of bad or uncertain news. For example, at the end of 2012, the federal government in…
Island of Misfit Toys (Harry Chapin Playground, Brooklyn Heights)
Brooklyn's Harry Chapin Playground was a place where used toys could be dropped off so that other children could play with them. The playground was nicknamed "The Island of Misfit…
Pearl of the Prairie (El Campo nickname)
The term "pearl of the prairie" has been used since at least 1880, when there was a show titled Buffalo Bill at bay or, The pearl of the prairie. According to The Handbook of Texas…
Big Cave
Willie Morris (1934-1999) was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and became editor of Harper's magazine in 1967. An article in the June 1967 Harper's was titled "A provincial in New York:…
Ice Cream Fruit (cherimoya nickname)
The cherimoya is a fruit of the species Annona cherimola and is commonly found in Peru. as well as other parts of South America and Central America. It has been called the "ice cream…
Weed Candy
"Weed candy" is candy that is made with marijuana as an ingredient. The candy is often packaged to look like brand name candy, with just slightly different names. California police gave…
“If you are going to tell a lie, tell a big one” (the big lie)
The expression "the big lie" was popularized by Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf (1925), published in an abridged English edition in the fall of 1933 and in a more complete English…
“Snitches get stitches and end up in ditches”
"Snitches get stitches" (also "snitches wear stitches") is a street slang warning not to cooperate with the police ("snitch") or there will be violence…
“There is no First Amendment without the Second Amendment”
"There is no First Amendment without the Second Amendment" is a popular saying among Americans against gun control legislation. The American Revolution was fought with guns; the Second…
“Recruiting is a lot like shaving—miss one day and it shows” (college athletic recruiting)
University of Southern California head basketball coach Bob Boyd wrote in March 1970 that he had this sign in his office: "Recruiting is Like Shaving. If You Don't Do It Every Day,…
American Spring
The "Arab Spring" revolutions of early 2011 led some to call for an "American Spring" to change the way the United States is governed. The term "American Spring" has…
“Money follows ministry”
"Money follows ministry" has been called the cardinal principle of Christian fundraising. If a ministry is meeting people's needs, then the money to keep it going will follow. The…
“Goals change games” (soccer adage)
"Goals change games" is a soccer cliché that has been cited in print since at least the late 1990s. The saying has been credited to both Ron Atkinson and Andy Gray. Wikipedia: Ron…
“A hit dog will holler”
"A hit dog will holler" is an old proverb that has been popular in the southern United States. It means that a person who is offended by something someone has done will tell that person.…
Mediot (media + idiot)
"Mediot" (media + idiot) is a term used by those who don't like the media. The term dates to at least 1988, when Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Bell refused to talk to the media…
“What’s the difference between a cactus and a caucus?” (joke)
An old political joke runs: "What's the difference between a cactus and a caucus? The cactus has all the pricks on the outside." Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973), a Democratic senator…
“You can take that to the bank and smoke it”
"You can take that to the bank and smoke it!" is a combination of the sayings "take it to the bank" (a sure thing) and "put that in your pipe and smoke it" (said after…
“The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese”
"The early bird catches the worm" is a proverb dating from at least the 17th century; it means that whoever does something first has the best chance of success. However, the person who…