Utica: City that God Forgot (nickname)
The city of Utica (NY) experienced a manufacturing decline in the second half of the 20th century and, allegedly, was called the "City that God Forgot." However, "The city that God…
Archive for /P27840
Binghamton, Johnson City, Endicott: Triple Cities
Several cities have been called "Twin Cities." Columbus (GA), Phenix City (AL) and Girard (AL) were called 'Triple Cities" by at least the 1890s. The western New York cities of…
“Can I claim the government as a dependent on my taxes?”
"Can I claim the government as a dependent on my taxes?" is a jocular saying that has been printed on ecards and bumper stickers. "I still can't figure out why I can't list…
“A fool and his money are soon audited”
"A fool and his money are soon parted" is a popular English proverb that dates to the 1500s. A fool and his money are soon audited" is a jocular variation on the saying that has been…
“Ban pre-shredded cheese. Make America grate again!”
"Make America Great Again" is a political slogal that was used by Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) in the 1980s. American businessman and politician Donald Trump used the slogan since at least…
“He is a big clog in their machine”
A "cog in the machine" is something that helps the machine run. A "clog" (a shoe) in the machine might make the machine stop running. "Clog" is a malaprop for the…
“What’s black and white and never right?”/“A hockey referee.”
An ice hockey referee wears a black-and-white jersey. Vern Buffey titled his hockey memoir, Black and White and Never Right: A Hockey Referee (1980). It not known when the "black and white and…
“Ban pre-shredded cheese. Make America grate again!”
"Make America Great Again" is a political slogal that was used by Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) in the 1980s. American businessman and politician Donald Trump used the slogan since at least…
Minnesota: New England of the West (nickname)
"New England of the West" is an old nickname for Minnesota. In the first half of the 19th century, many new areas of the west wanted to be compared to the success of New England. The…
Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul)
Two cities that are close neighbors are sometimes called "twin cities." ""Our line commences at the twin cities of Pittsburgh and Allegheny, the metropolis of Western…
“Thank you, craft beer, for making my alcoholism seem like a neat hobby”
"Thank you, craft beer, for making my alcoholism seem like a neat hobby" is a jocular line that has been printed on T-shirts and ecards. The original line -- with "micro…
“Prayers work best when you have big players”
University of Notre Dame head football coach Frank Leahy (1908-1973) wrote 10 thoughts in 1946, one of which was: "7 -- Prayers work better when your players are big." The line is often…
“Can February March?”/“No, but April May.”
An old calendar pun is: Q: Can February March?A: No, but April May. The joke has been cited in print since March 1886, when it was printed in several American newspapers. The joke originally…
“Play building and loan” (joke)
There's an old "Building and Loan" joke: She: Let's play Building & Loan.He: OK. How do you play?She: You get out of the building and leave me alone. The joke has been cited…
“Diner: Is soup on the menu? Waiter: No, I wiped it off.”
An old restaurant joke about something "on the menu" is: Customer: "Is there any soup on the menu today?"Waiter: "There was, sir, but I just wiped it off." The joke…
Minnesota: Bread and Butter State (nickname)
Minnesota has been called the "Bread and Butter State" because of its wheat and dairy production. For the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, New York, in 1901, the state of Minnesota…
Wisconsin: America’s Dairyland (nickname)
The state of Wisconsin has long been known for its dairy industry. A 1924 newspaper ad for "Pabst Wonder Cheese" called Wisconsin "America's fairest dairyland." "Made…
St. Paul Sandwich
The St. Paul sandwich is a sandwich that contains egg. The original "St. Paul" sandwich dates to the 1890s, and a "St. Paul" sandwich (or "egg foo young" sandwich) has…
“Don’t be evil” (Google motto)
"Don't be evil" is the motto of Google, an American multinational technology company. Google engineer Amit Patel wrote the saying on whiteboards in 1999. In 2000, when the company…
Income Reduction Service (Internal Revenue Service or IRS nickname)
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collects revenue for the United States federal government. The IRS taxes income, and the IRS nickname of "Income Reduction Service" has been used…