“What this country needs is more free speech worth listening to”
"What this country needs is more free speech worth listening to" is a popular quotation of uncertain origin. It has been cited in print since at least 1948, shen it was included in a…
Archive for 08/2014
“One of my chief regrets is that I couldn’t sit in the audience and watch me act”
John Barrymore (1882-1942) was an American actor of stage and screen. The following barrymore comment was cited in print in 1938 about his many years in the theatre: "One of my chief regrets…
“I went to the corner shop—bought four corners” (joke)
"Went to the corner shop -- bought four corners" is on several lists of the funniest jokes of all time. The joke has been credited to British prop comedian Tommy Cooper (1921-1984), but…
New York’s Biggest Little Zoo (Staten Island Zoo)
The Staten Island Zoo opened in 1936 and is only 8 acres -- much smaller than the 265-acre Bronx Zoo. The Staten Island Zoo has been called New York's "biggest little zoo" since at…
“I hit two great balls on the golf course—I stepped on a rake” (joke)
An old joke has a golfer say this after a bad round of golf: "I hit two great balls on the golf course -- I stepped on a rake at the sand trap." The joke has been cited in print in 1985,…
“Everyone looks good in shorts” (football adage)
Football players wear shorts for light practices, without hitting. "Everyone looks good in shorts" means that players can't be properly evaluated during these light practices.…
“Cake solves everything”
"Cake solves everything" is a jocular saying of unknown authorship. This saying implies that if people sit down and eat cake, everyone will be in a better mood and arguments will cease.…
“There are two types of windows—windows that leak and windows that will leak”
Joseph Lstiburek is a forensic engineer; EcoHome magazine called him the "father of building science." Lstiburek wrote in Fine Homebuilding (April/May 2004): "There are only two…
“The best gun is the one you have with you”
People who carry a handgun for protection often want to know if they're carrying the correct weapon. "The best gun is the one you have with you" is a popular saying. "The best…
Popera (pop/popular + opera)
"Popera" (pop/popular + opera) is an operatic style meant to appeal to a popular audience that normally doesn't like opera. The term "popera" has been used infrequently…
“You can’t make a soufflé rise twice”
In 1948, New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey (1902-1971) ran for president of the United States -- and lost again. After Dewey's defeat in November 1948, Alice Roosevelt Longworth (1884-1980)…
“Baseball is a game of adjustments”
Many sports have been called "a game of adjustments." "Football is a game of adjustments" was cited in print in 1959. "This (baseball -- ed.) is a game of adjustments"…
“Everyone thinks they are an expert in education because they went to school”
"Everyone thinks they are an expert in education because they went to school" is a saying of unknown authorship. "It is as if everyone is an expert in education because everyone has…
“Then you were a prospect and now you are a client” (joke)
A popular business joke shows the difference between sales promises and business reality. A man dies and is told that he can tour heaven and hell, and then choose which place to spend eternity. He…
Lone Star Tick
The "lone star tick" (Amblyomma americanum) has been cited in print since at least 1899. The tick can be found in Texas, but also throughout the Midwest and in the east coast of the…
“Play me or trade me”
"Play me or trade me" is a demand that a little-used player makes to the management of the team. "Trade me or play me" was supposedly said by St. Louis Cardinals player Pepper…
“The difference between the Boy Scouts and the Army is that the Scouts have adult supervision”
"The difference between the Boy Scouts and the Army is that the Scouts have adult supervision" is a joke that was cited in a 1970 book about he Vietnam War. "Army" is often…
“What’s worse than raining cats and dogs? Hailing taxis” (joke)
"Raining cats and dogs" is an old expression for a heavy rain. It does not mean a literal rain of animals, but there is a weather joke: "What’s worse than raining cats and dogs?…
Brat Pack
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Brat PackThe Brat Pack is a nickname given to a group of young actors who frequently appeared together in teen-oriented coming-of-age films in the 1980s. First…
CTFK (Catch The Falling Knife)
The expression "never try to catch a falling knife" means not to invest in a stock that is plunging -- it can always go lower, and it's dificult to determine when the price has hit a…