“Turn your sets off there” (an insurmountable lead)
Warner Wolf, a sports broadcaster who did a sports roundup on CBS television local news in New York City in the 1980s, often said, "Turn you sets off there!" The catchphrase means that…
Archive for 11/2013
Banana Ball (golf)
A "banana ball" in golf is a ball that is sliced into a curved path (like the shape of a banana). "Banana ball" has been cited in print since at least 1947. "Banana…
Banana Balls (crazy)
"Banana balls" is slang for crazy. "Bananas" -- without "balls" -- has long meant "crazy." Both "banana" and "balls" are part of a…
Doc Shock
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") was widely promoted by President Barack Obama with, "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. Period."…
“Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him…”
"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him, better take a closer look at the American Indian" is a quote that has been credited to…
“They say Republicans are for the rich, Democrats are for the poor”
The Looking Spoon posted the following in November 2013 as one of 20 essential conservative quotations: "They say Republicans are for the richDemocrats are for the poorIf they need more voters…
Chopstick-Straw (Soup Sticks)
Julian Lechner invented the product "Soup Sticks" (or "Chopstick-Straws") in 2013. The chopsticks are also straws, eliminating one extra utensil from the food table. Julian…
“It was raining cats and dogs and I stepped in a poodle”
"To rain cats and dogs" means to rain heavily. The idiom has been cited in print since at least the 17th century. "It was raining cats and dogs and I stepped in a poodle" (a pun…
FOMOH or FOMOOH (Fear Of Missing Out on Hockey)
"FOMO" (Fear Of Missing Out) has been cited in print since 2004. For the 2013 NFL football season, Verizon advertised "FOMOF" (Fear Of Missing Out on Football). A September 2013…
“A reindeer walks into a bar…” (bar joke)
"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." One of the oldest and most popular of bar jokes is: A reindeer walked into a bar and…
“Everything but the kitchen stove”
"Everything but the kitchen stove" is an expression that means absolutely everything (except one, such as a sink or stove that is attached to the house). The New York (NY) Herald…
“A hamburger walks into a bar…” (joke)
"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." One of the oldest and most popular of bar jokes is: "Ham sandwich walks into a bar and…
Abovetexas (Oklahoma nickname)
The People's Cube blog, on October 18, 2013, posted the satirical story, "Oklahoma to change name to Abovetexas." The term "Oklahoma" is not politically correct, but…
“A termite walks into a bar and asks, ‘Is the bar tender here?’” (bar joke)
"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." One of the oldest and most popular of bar jokes is: "A termite walks into a bar and…
Any Body Can Dance (“ABCD” backronym)
"ABCD (Any Body Can Dance)" is a saying that is becoming increasing popular in dance. ABCD: Any Body Can Dance (2013) was the title of an Indian film. ABCD: Any Body Can Dance (2003) was…
Brooklynification
"Brooklynification" is a term that means an area is being gentrified and is suddenly hip and multi-cultured, like the borough of Brooklyn since the 1990s. "Burlington is currently in…
“Never trust a skinny ice cream man”
"Never trust a skinny ice cream maker" was said by Ben Cohen (co-founder of Ben & Jerry's) from at least 1991. The popular version of the quote is the slightly incorrect…
Over For America (Organizing For America or OFA nickname)
Barack Obama's organization for his presidential run in 2008 was called 'Obama For America" (OFA). When Obama became president in January 2009, the organization was renamed…
“Vinegar (wine’s angry brother)”
The novelist Tom Bobbins wrote in his book Villa Incognito (2003): "The mystery of mayonnaise—and others besides Dickie Goldwire have surely puzzled over this—is how egg yolks, vegetable…
“Five percent of people think, ten percent of people think they think”
American inventor Thomas Edison (1847-1931) is often credited for saying: “Five percent of the people think, ten percent of the people think they think, and the other eighty-five percent would…