Jewish Telegram (“Start worrying—details to follow”)
It's an old stereotype that Jews worry a lot. A joke is told that the typical 'Jewish telegram" reads: "Start worrying. Details to follow." The joke has been cited in print…
Archive for 04/2015
“Not even God can hit a 1-iron” (golf joke)
When lightning comes to the golf course, some jocular advice is to hold a one-iron aloft and start walking, because "not even God can hit a 1-iron." The advice has been cited in print…
Cannaboutique (cannabis + boutique)
A "cannaboutique" (cannabis + boutique) is a name for a marijuana shop. "Cannaboutique" was cited on Twitter on February 20, 2014. "Drove past a Cannaboutique today in…
Disaster Divide
The term "disaster divide" means that natural disasters (such as earthquakes) cause more fatalities in poorer areas than in richer areas. In richer areas, the building construction is…
Can Hear Every Valve Rattle On Long Extended Trips (Chevrolet backronymic nickname)
The Chevrolet Motor Car Company was founded in 1911 and was named after Swiss-born American race car driver Louis-Joseph Chevrolet (1878-1941). The name "Chevrolet" has had several…
Power Steak
The website Business Insider published "What's the best new 'power steak' in New York City?" by Melissa Stanger and Linette Lopez on March 25, 2015 and "Wall Street…
“Blame the Indian, not the arrow”
"Blame the Indian, not the arrow" (or "It's the Indian, not the arrow") is a saying that seems to be a modern version of "A bad workman blames his tools." When…
“Did you hear that joke about the butter?” (joke)
Butter has this popular pun: Q: Have you heard the joke about the butter? A: I butter not tell you. It might spread!! The joke has been cited in print since at least 2008. "Did you hear that…
Never A Straight Answer (NASA nickname)
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) did not have a good reputation among news reporters in the 1960s. "Redefining the acronym NASA to mean 'Never A Straight…
Tungsten Territory (Broadway)
Broadway's bright lights gave it the nickname "Tungsten Territory." Broadway columnist Walter Winchell (1897-1972) used "Tungsten Territory" in 1927 and "Tungsten…
Incandescent District (Broadway)
Broadway's bright lights gave it the nickname "Incandescent District." The term "Incandescent District" has been cited in print since at least 1905. Broadway columnist…
“What? And leave show business?” (joke)
"What? And leave show business?" (or "What? And give up show business?") is the punch line of a popular show business joke. The joke was printed in the syndicated newspaper…
Zionist World Order (Zionist + New World Order); ZWO
"Zionist World Order" (ZWO) is a popular term that refers to a totalitarian one-world government. "Zionist World Order" (Zionist + New World Order) refers to a new world order…
Bulb Belt (Broadway)
Broadway's bright lights gave it the nickname "Bulb Belt." "No-bulb belt" (Off-Broadway) was cited in print in 1928. Broadway columnist Walter Winchell (1897-1972) used…
“Swallow the whistle” (not call a penalty)
Sports referees do, on occasion, swallow their whistles, but the term "swallowed his/her whistle" is an idiom that means a referee is not going to blow the whistle to call infractions.…
“The Stanley Cup is the toughest championship to win”
"The Stanley Cup is the toughest championship to win in team sports" was cited in print in 1993. The Stanley Cup (hockey's championship trophy series) is said to be more difficult…
Glance Journalism
The Apple watch was released in April 2015 and provided at-a-glance headlines and brief news stories. Sportswriter Dan Shanoff wrote in September 2014: "And yet even that notification layer…
Make-or-Miss League (NBA basketball)
The National Basketball Association has been called a "make-or-miss league." That means that players will get their shots, and the better players and teams make them more than miss them.…
Islosers (Islanders + losers)
The New York Islanders hockey team is sometimes called the "Islosers" (Islanders + losers) by Islanders haters, such as fans of the rival New York Rangers. "Islosers" has been…
“The engineer sees the glass as twice the size it needs to be” (joke)
A popular engineering joke is: The optimist sees a glass that's half full.The pessimist sees a glass that's half empty.An engineer sees a glass that's twice as big as it needs to be!…