“If it doesn’t look good, don’t put it on your front porch”
"If it doesn't look good, don't put it on the/your front porch" appears to be a real estate adage (make your house look the best), but is usually a Southern mother's advice…
Archive for 08/2013
“We win as a team and we lose as a team” (teamwork adage)
"We win as a team and we lose as a team" is a teamwork adage that has been said by many players and coaches in many team sports. "We win as a team and lose as one" was said in…
“I’ll be here all week. Try the veal.” (stand-up comedian joke)
"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, you've been a wonderful audience. I'll be here all week. Try the veal. And don't forget to tip your servers" is a classic line that a…
“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it”
"Don't knock it 'til you've tried it" is something someone might say to another to get that person to try a new product. "Don't knock it 'til you've…
“A bubble is a bull market in which you don’t have a position”
Dominic Frisby, of MoneyWeek, wrote in November 2009: "One of my definitions of a bubble is 'a bull market in which you don't have a position'. How many of those that say gold…
“There’s no place like home” (“Home, Sweet Home”)
"There's no place like home!" is one of the most famous of all American expressions. John Howard Payne (1791-1852) wrote these lyrics for "Home, Sweet Home" in the opera…
“Safe as houses”
The term "safe as houses" was popularized in England in the 1850s. "Safe" means a sure an secure investment; a person who buys a house is not speculating and has a solid…
“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard”
"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard" (or "Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard") is a popular sports saying that has been printed on many…
Micro-bakery
A "micro-bakery" (or "microbakery") is a small bakery that usually specializes in a small variety of products. Often the "micro-bakery" is the oven of someone's…
Poor Door
New York City grants tax breaks to developers who set aside a certain portion of their buildings for affordable housing. An Extell building at 40 Riverside Boulevard, between 61st and 62nd streets,…
“After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF”
"After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as posters, buttons and T-shirts. The "WTF" stands for…
“If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun”
"If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun" is a saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as posters, T-shirts and wall plagues. The saying is almost always credited to…
“Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick and pull yourself together”
"Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick and pull yourself together" is a saying that has been credited to actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011) that has been printed on many posters.…
“Morning has broken; Mr. Coffee has spoken”
"Morning has broken; Mr. Coffee has spoken" is a saying that has appeared on posters. "Morning Has Broken" is a classic song that was popularized by Cat Stevens in 1971. The…
“A bad plan is better than no plan” (chess adage)
"A bad plan is better than no plan (at all)" is a popular chess adage that is also used in business. Chess champion Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941) wrote in Chess Strategy (1915): "An…
“My advice to you is to start drinking heavily”
Lines from the film National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) are frequently quoted. Flounder was in charge of his brother Fred's car, but the fraternity boys wrecked it. "You fucked…
Texas of Asia (Mongolia nickname)
The country of Mongolia is sometimes called the "Texas of Asia" because both Mongolia and Texas have horses and plenty of flat, open land. "Mongolia -- The Texas of Asia," by…
Texas of Africa (Nigeria nickname)
The country of Nigeria, in West Africa, has been called the "Texas of Africa." Nigeria is a large country (just as Texas is a large state), Nigeria has oil (just as Texas has oil), and…
Texas of Kazakhstan (Shymkent city nickname)
Shymkent, the capital city of South Kazakhstan Province, has been called the "Texas of Kazakhstan" since at least 2007. Shymkent is in the south (like Texas) and its people are considered…
Faultitasking (fault + multitasking)
"Faultitasking" (fault + multitasking) is the chaos that happens when attempting to do too many things all at once. The term "faultitasking" appeared in "That Should Be a…