“The state bird is the (construction) crane”
"Crane" can mean a bird or it can mean a machine used in construction. Hawaii grew rapidly in the 1960s and early 1970s that a popular joke was that the state bird was the construction…
Archive for 02/2016
National Felons League (National Football League or NFL nickname)
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league, headquartered in New York City. The NFL has been dubbed the "National Felons League" by those who've…
Returnship (return + internship)
A "returnship" (return + internship) is a program designed to bring talented people back to the workplace after a break. The program was designed especially for women who take a pregnancy…
“Jokes about German sausage are the wurst”
Wurst has the worst puns. "German sausage ads are the wurst" was cited on Twitter on September 23, 2009. "German sausage puns are the wurst" was cited on Twitter on December 4,…
“What did my parents do before the Internet?” (joke)
What did people do before the Internet? A joke was cited on Twitter on March 14, 2012: "I wonder what our parents did for entertainment before mass TV/internet/video games? My 38 brothers and…
“Traffic signals in New York are just rough guidelines”
David Letterman, the host of television's Late Night with David Letterman from New York City, commented about driving in the city: "Traffic signals in New York are just rough…
“As Iowa goes, so goes Iowa” (Iowa caucus as bellwether)
"As Maine goes, so goes the nation" is an old political saying from the 1800s. In 1972, the Iowa caucus became the first political event of the U.S. presidential election. The winner of…
Iowa: “As Iowa goes, so goes Iowa”
"As Maine goes, so goes the nation" is an old political saying from the 1800s. In 1972, the Iowa caucus became the first political event of the U.S. presidential election. The winner of…
Maine: “As Maine goes, so goes the nation”
"As goes Maine, so goes the nation" usually means that the winner of Maine's presidential vote will win the presidential election. This was not the original form of the phrase, nor…
New Hampshire: “Iowa picks corn, New Hampshire picks presidents”
New Hampshire likes to brag that its primary is more important that the Iowa caucus to the presidential election cycle. In 1988, Vice President George H. W. Bush lost the Iowa caucus to Kansas…
Iowa: “Iowa picks corn, New Hampshire picks presidents”
New Hampshire likes to brag that its primary is more important that the Iowa caucus to the presidential election cycle. In 1988, Vice President George H. W. Bush lost the Iowa caucus to Kansas…
Iowa: Full Grassley (politician visiting each county)
Chuck Grassley was first elected U.S. Senator in Iowa in 1980. During his campaign, Grassley visited each of Iowa's 99 counties -- something he would repeat every year in office. U.S.…
Iowa: “Three tickets out of Iowa” (Iowa caucus adage)
The Iowa caucuses provide the first presidential voting in the United States. The political proverb is that "three tickets come out of Iowa" -- the first, second, and third place caucus…
“How much does a hipster weigh?”/“An Instagram.”
A viral joke about Instagram is: Q: How much does a hipster weigh?A: An Instagram. The joke was cited on Twitter on May 22, 2012. Wikipedia: Instagramnstagram is an online mobile photo-sharing,…
South Dakota: Blizzard State (nickname)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google Books28 April 1888, The Railway News, pg. 693:This blizzard was supposed to come from what is called now the Blizzard State — Dakota. Google BooksOctober 1889,…
Brutus Salad
The Caesar salad is so popular that some chefs make a "Brutus salad" (after Marcus Junius Brutus the Younger, who participated in the assassination of Julius Caesar). However, it appears…
“My dream job would be getting paid to sleep”
People are sometimes asked about their dream job. A funny response is: "My dream job is getting paid to sleep." "My dream job would be getting paid to sleep" was cited on…
“A lollipop is a cross between hard candy and garbage”
Not everyone likes lollipops. American comedian Mitch Hedberg (1968-2005) said: "A lollipop is a cross between hard candy and garbage." It's not known when Hedberg first used the…