Fat Apple (fat + Big Apple)
Hillary Clinton was a United States Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009, but she wasn't born in New York and hadn't lived in New York long before she was elected to office. When…
Archive for 04/2016
“A person who speaks good English in New York sounds like a foreigner”
New York speech (or "New Yorkese") is, perhaps, not perfect English. "A person who speaks good English in New York sounds like a foreigner" is a popular quote from comedian…
“Save your pennies and the sales tax will take care of them”
Pennies are almost worthless, but are often used to pay the odd amounts after a sales tax is added. "Save up your pennies and the sales tax will take care of them" is a sales tax saying…
“Save your pennies and the sales tax will take care of them”
Pennies are almost worthless, but are often used to pay the odd amounts after a sales tax is added. "Save up your pennies and the sales tax will take care of them" is a sales tax saying…
Murderapolis (murder + Minneapolis)
The city of Minneapolis (MN) was dubbed "Murderapolis" (murder + Minneapolis) by some in the 1990s after an increase in crime. Mark Koscielski, a gun shop owner, sued Minneapolis for its…
Minnesota: “Where the elite meet the sleet”
"Where the elite meet to eat" was the slogan of Duffy's Tavern, an American radio situation comedy, airing from 1941 to 1951. "Where the elite meet (the) sleet" is a…
“The guy who said that the truth never hurts never had to fill out a form 1040”
"The guy who said that the truth never hurts never had to fill out a form 1040" is a popular tax-day joke. "The guy who said that the truth never hurts never had to make out a 1040…
“Many are cold, but few are frozen”
"For many are called, but few are chosen" is from the New Testament, Matthew 22:14. "Many are cold, but few are frozen" is a jocular variation or eggcorn" of the biblical…
Minnesota: “Land of the ski and home of the crazed”
"O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?" is the famous last line of the first stanza of "The Star Spangled Banner," the national anthem of the United States.…
Minnesota: “Land of Two Seasons: Winter Is Coming and Winter Is Here”
"Land of 2 seasons: Winter is coming, Winter is here" was cited with other "Minnesota slogans" in the newsgroup rec.humor in January 1990. The "Land of Two Seasons: Winter…
“Television enables you to be entertained in your home by people you wouldn’t have in your home”
English television host David Frost (1939-2013) is frequently credit with this line: "Television is an invention that permits you to be entertained in your living room by people you…
“The reason Uncle Sam has to wear such a tall hat is that he’s always passing it around”
A jocular line about Uncle Sam appeared in Earl Wilson's syndicated entertainment column in January 1962: "'We wondered,' said Arnold Glasow, 'why Uncle Sam wore such a…
“The reason Uncle Sam has to wear such a tall hat is that he’s always passing it around”
A jocular line about Uncle Sam appeared in Earl Wilson's syndicated entertainment column in January 1962: "'We wondered,' said Arnold Glasow, 'why Uncle Sam wore such a…
“Taxpayer: A person who resents that death and taxes don’t come in that order”
"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes" is an old saying. A variation is: "Taxpayer: A person who resents that death and taxes don't come in…
“The man who butts his head against the stock market soon learns why it’s called Wall Street”
Wall Street. the financial center of the United States, originally had a wall, but it was removed by 1700. A joke about the name "Wall Street" circulated in newspapers in April 1924:…
Minnesota: Minny (abbreviation)
"Minny" is an abbreviation of 'Minnesota." The term has been most frequently used in sports, especially in newspaper headlines. "'SHI' AND 'MINNY'…
“The reward for saving your money is being able to pay your taxes without borrowing”
"The reward for saving your money is being able to pay your taxes without borrowing" is a jocular line that's popular at tax time. "The master farmer is the farmer who can pay…
Binghamton: Valley of Opportunity (nickname)
Many places have advertised themselves as a "Valley of Opportunity." Bitterroot Valley, in southwestern Montana, advertised that it was a "Valley of Opportunity" in 1907.…
Binghamton: Carousel Capital of the World (nickname)
Binghamton, in Broome County, New York, is called the "Carousel Capital of the World." George F. Johnson (1857-1948), a shoe manufacturer in the Triple Cities area, donated six carousels…
Utica: Second Chance City (nickname)
The city of Utica, in Oneida County, New York, saw its population decrease as industry moved out after 1950. However, refugees moved to the city in the 1980s and 1990s, boosting the population.…