“Maple syrup is thicker than blood” (joke)
"Blood is thicker than water" is an old saying than means that family (blood) is more important than friends (water). A joke version of the proverb was published on Twitter on May 11,…
Archive for /P31100
“Lose one’s shirt” (become impoverished)
To "lose one's shirt" is to lose everything. "Lose your shirt" was cited in print in 1886, in a story about gambling at draw poker. "Uncle Sam (...) has not 'lost…
Bank of Japandemonium (Bank of Japan + pandemonium)
The term "Japandemonium" (Japan + pandemonium) had been used before, but the financial blog Testosterone Pit coined "Bank of Japandemonium" (Bank of Japan + pandemonium) on…
“I don’t get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day”
“We don’t wake up for less than $10,000 a day" is what supermodel Linda Evangelista said in Vogue, “Pretty Women,” by Jonathan Van Meter, October 1990. Evangelista was joking, talking…
Labor-Electoral Complex
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave a speech before the Economic Club of New York on December 18, 2013, in one of his final acts of his twelve years in office. Bloomberg spoke about the…
“Ball is life”
"Ball is life" is a saying that has been printed on many posters. The saying "ball is life" is a reverse of the older saying, "life is a ball." The "ball"…
“Jesus is the reason for the season” (Christmas saying)
'Jesus is the reason for the season" is a saying that has been printed on many Christmas gift items. Some might have been thinking that shopping (consumerism) is the reason for the…
Untaper
"Taper" became a financial buzzword in 2013, when there was speculation that the Federal Reserve would lessen its "quantitative easing" (what some have called…
“Keep your business in town if you want to keep your town in business”
Entry in progress -- B.P. Twitter Donna Eliassen@DonnaEliassenKeep your business in town to keep your town in business. Keep your business in the country to keep your country in business!…
“Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable”
"Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable" has frequently been credited to the writer Mark Twain (1835-1910), but there is no evidence that the line was said during his…
Happy Waitress (grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and tomato)
The "Happy Waitress" is a diner classic dish that consists of an open-face grilled cheese sandwich with tomato and bacon, usually served with a side order of french fries. The dish has…
Scarebus (Airbus nickname)
Airbus is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. People who believe that its planes are not safe have nicknamed the company "Scarebus" (or…
“If it’s not Boeing, I’m not going”
Boeing is an aircraft manufacturing company with corporate headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. "If It's Not Boeing, I'm Not Going" is a slogan that Boeing itself has promoted…
“Falling on your face is still moving forward”
“Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward" has been credited to American businessman and New England Patriots owner Victor Kiam (1926-2001) since at least 2004, but there…
“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies”
"Resentment is like drinking/taking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies" has been credited to Nelson Mandela (1918-2013), but the earliest citations do not appear to come…
“When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground” (proverb)
Amadou Hampâté Bâ (1901-1991), a Malian writer and ethnologist, is credited for saying before UNESCO in 1960: "En Afrique, quand un vieillard meurt, c’est une bibliothèque qui…
An apple tree on every street (2013 movie explanation)
In the comedy film Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013), television news anchorman Ron Burgundy (played by actor Will Ferrell) takes a job with e 24-hour news channel in New York City.…
New York City is shaped like an apple (1970s)
When 'Big Apple" was re-popularized by the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau in the 1970s, many ideas about the "Big Apple" origin were put forward. New York (NY) Times…
“What do you call a lawyer with an IQ of 50?”/“Your Honor” (lawyer joke)
There are lawyer jokes and there are also judge jokes. A popular lawyer/judge joke is: Q: What do you call a lawyer with an IQ of 50?A: Your Honor. The joke has been cited in print since at least…
“What do you throw to a drowning lawyer? His partners” (lawyer joke)
The drowning lawyer (or lawyers) joke has been one of the most popular of lawyer jokes. THe following joke has been cited in print since at least 1994: Q: What do you throw to a drowning lawyer?A:…