“The big apple gets a disproportionate share of the national sap” (1909)
A 1909 citation by Harper's editor Edward Sandford Martin (1856-1939) is often given as the first citation of "the Big Apple" to mean New York City. It probably shouldn't be…
Archive for 07/2026
“The Great Big Red Apple that grows in the very top of the tree” (1917)
The moniker of "Land of the Big Red Apple" (for apple-growing regions) and the saying of "Big apples are top of the barrel/tree" were very popular in the 1900s and 1910s. Peter…
“Walked outside and the heat slapped me in the face like I owed it money”
Extreme heat can feel like a brutal slap in the face -- "like I owed it money," as many people have said. "when i step outside the heat slapped me in the face like i stole…
“We look forward to the time when the power of love will replace the love of power. Then our world will know the blessings of peace”
On July 1, 2026, Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov climbed to the top of the Empire State Building in New York City and displayed a banner that read, "When the power of love beats the love of…
“Civilization will really begin when the power of love replaces the love of power”
On July 1, 2026, Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov climbed to the top of the Empire State Building in New York City and displayed a banner that read, "When the power of love beats the love of…
“You know a restaurant is expensive when a menu item says ‘market price’”
Restaurants often put some items, such as seafood, as "market price" (abbreviated "MKT"). That menu item is usually very expensive. "You know a restaurant expensive when a…
“Pro Tip: If you are at a nice restaurant and something on the menu is listed as ‘Market Price’, be sure to use a limit order to get a better deal”
Restaurants often put some items, such as seafood, as "market price" (abbreviated "MKT"). That menu item is usually very expensive. "You know a restaurant expensive when a…
“You know it’s hot when you go outside and it’s hot”
"You know it’s hot when you go outside and it’s hot" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. The joke is that there is no joke. "You know it's hot, when…
“When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace”
On July 1, 2026, Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov climbed to the top of the Empire State Building in New York City and displayed a banner that read, "When the power of love beats the love of…
“I love when restaurants put ‘market price’ next to certain menu items. Like yeah, I’ve been monitoring scallop futures all week”
Restaurants often put some items, such as seafood, as "market price" (abbreviated "MKT"). That menu item is usually very expensive. "You know a restaurant expensive when a…
“I don’t understand why so many Americans are confused about how offsides works in soccer. It’s easy, if anything exciting happens, that’s offsides”
Americans watching World Cup soccer are often confused by offsides rules. "You’re exaggerating; it’s at least 90% of the US doesn’t know how offsides works" was posted on X/Twitter…