Great Unravelling
"The Great Unravelling" is when the financial markets unwind, often with an event such as a crash. American economist and New York (NY) Times columnist Paul Krugman popularized the term…
Archive for 04/2015
“When does it rain money?”/“Whenever there’s some change in the weather.”
A popular weather joke is: Q: When does it rain money? A: Whenever there's some change in the weather. "When is it likely to rain money?" was cited in print in 1940. "When does…
“It rains on rich and poor alike, but the rich have better umbrellas”
"He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" is from the New Testament, Matthew 5:45. "The rain falls on the just and the…
“The fourth win in a series is always the most difficult to get”
It requires four victories for a team to win a best-of-seven-games playoff series. It's often said that the fourth win is the hardest to get. "The fourth one is the toughest to win"…
“The best pitch is strike one” (baseball adage)
What's the best pitch in baseball? A fastball? A slider? A curve? "That's easy. The best pitch is a strike," said New York Giants manager Leo Durocher (1905-1991) in 1953.…
“I’d rather be lucky than good”
"I'd rather be lucky than good" is a popular sports saying. "It is better to be born lucky than good-looking" is a somewhat similar saying that was popular in the late 19th…
“Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal”
"Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal" is a motivational saying that has been printed on many posters. "Obstacles are those frightful things you see…
“Try and fail, but don’t fail to try”
"Try and fail, but don't fail to try" is a motivational saying that has been printed on many posters. "Is it not better to try and fail than to fail without trying?" was…
“The difference between a rut and a grave is the depth”
"The difference between a rut and a grave is the depth" is a saying that has been printed on many posters. Brooklyn clergyman S, Parkes Cadman (1864-1936) said in 1902: "He (Cadman…
Hack-a-Player or Hack-a-Shaq (basketball foul strategy)
Shaquille O'Neal was a powerful force in the NBA when he got the basketball near the basket, but he was only a .527 career free throw shooter. Teams tried a "hack-a-Shaq" strategy --…
“Nothing to it, but to do it”
"Nothing to it, but to do it" means that a task can be done, but requires dedication. "Nothing to it but to do it" has been cited in print at least as early as 1907.…
“Tomorrow doesn’t care what today’s food tasted like”
"Tomorrow doesn't care what today's food tasted like" is a saying of unknown origin that has been cited in print since at least 2008. For example, to a person working out in the…
“You can’t push yourself forward by patting yourself on the back”
“You can’t push yourself forward by patting yourself on the back" is a motivational saying that has been cited in print since at least 1921. Authorship is unknown. "You cannot propel…
Disinfowars (disinfo + InfoWars)
American radio host and documentary filmmaker Alex Jones owns the website InfoWars.com, usually reporting alternative news that is left out of the mainstream media. A derogatory nickname of…
Grimbo (Greece/Greek + limbo)
"Grimbo" (Greek/Greece + limbo) is a term that was used to describe the weak Greek economy in 2012 and in 2015. In October 2012, "Grimbo" was used by Alex White of JP Morgan. In…
FBI (football intelligence/instincts)
"FBI" usually stands for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In football, "FBI" stands for "football intelligence" or "football instincts." Football teams…
“It’s not rocket science”
"Rocket science" is used in an idiom that means "a complex subject." "It's not rocket science" is a popular saying; an earlier saying is "it's not brain…
“It’s not brain surgery”
"Brain surgery” is used in an idiom that means “a complex subject.” “It’s not brain surgery” is a popular saying; a later saying is “it’s not rocket science.” "This was…
Chow Mein Stem (Broadway; Mott Street)
Broadway has been called "the Main Stem" since at least the early 1900s. The Broadway nickname of "Chow Mein Stem" (chow mein + main stem) reflects a time when chow mein…
“Tastes like cardboard”
"Tastes like cardboard" is a popular saying, even though most people have never eaten cardboard. The saying has applied to foods such as bad bread and bad pizza. "The cake tastes…