Generation Debt
"Generation Debt" refers to a generation of young citizens who will have to pay off crushing personal college debts and a crushing federal debt, all while trying to find a good job in a…
Archive for /P34140
Debt-Serfdom
"Debt-serfdom" (or "debt serfdom") is a condition where someone works like a serf or slave to eliminate a large debt. The term "debt serfdom" has existed since at…
“I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet” (aphorism)
"I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet" means that, while one can despair about one's wealth or situation, there is always someone poorer or less…
Pink Slime
"Lean beef trimmings" is the official name of a product by Beef Products Inc. of ground-up connective tissue and beef scraps. The mixture is treated with ammonia hydroxide to kill…
“Political campaign: a matter of mud, threat, and smears”
"Political campaign: a matter of mud, threats, and smears" appeared in a humor handbook in 1958 and was used to describe John F. Kennedy's campaign in 1960. "Mud, threat(s) and…
Waterburger (Whataburger nickname/pronunciation)
Whataburger is a chain of fast food restaurants (specializing in the "Whataburger" hamburger) that began in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1950. People often call "Whataburger" as…
Cheesecrap Factory (Cheesecake Factory nickname)
The Cheesecake Factory is a restaurant chain that began in California in the 1970s. The unflattering nickname of "Cheesecrap Factory" has been cited in print since at least 2005.…
“You can’t pick cherries with your back to the tree”
"You can't pick cherries with your back to the tree" has been attributed to American financier J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) since at least the 1980s, but there's no…
“Definition of obscene profits — something you always hear about but never experience yourself”
Mark Skousen's book, The Maxims of Wall Street (2011), contains: “Definition of obscene profits — something you always hear about but never experience yourself.” That is, an…
Monetary Morphine (printing money)
Richard Fisher, head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, explained in March 2012 that the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program (printing money) had caused some people to expect…
“All currencies eventually go to zero”
"All (fiat/paper) currencies eventually go to zero" means that all paper money -- not backed up by anything -- will eventually be worthless. It's not clear who first said this…
FoodPolitik (food + realpolitik)
"FoodPolitik" (food + realpolitik) is the title of a food politics column by Rick Berman on the blog The Daily Caller, published since September 20, 2010. "Food Politics" is the…
Field-to-Fork
"Field-to-fork" is a popular food industry expression, referring to the entire process from when food is made ("field") to when food is consumed ("fork"). The term…
Dish Pig (a person who washes dishes)
A "dish pig" (or "dishpig") is someone who washes dishes. Dish pigs, like real pigs, have dirty environments. The term "dishpig" has been cited in print since at least…
Pittsburgh Rare
"Pittsburgh rare" (also called a "Pittsburgh steak" or cooked "Pittsburgh-style") is a steak that's charred on the outside, but raw on the inside. In October…
Bubble Dancer (a person who washes dishes)
"Bubble dancing" is a humorous term for dishwashing (and its soap bubbles) that developed among soldiers in 1941; a person who washes the dishes is a "bubble dancer." The…
Basketball (Basket Ball)
The game of basketball (first spelled "basket ball") became popular in 1892. The first college basketball game was played at Cornell University in February 1892. Supposed basketball…
Pop-Up Restaurant
A "pop-up restaurant" is a temporary restaurant, often established for a certain event or season. The term "pop-up restaurant" has been cited in print since at least 2006;…
Pop-Up Café
The New York City Department of Transportation initiated a pilot "pop-up café" plan in the summer of 2010 and then started some cafés in 2011. Parking spaces are removed to create small…
Gutter Café (Gutter Dining)
Brooklyn's Smith Street was awarded the borough's first "gutter café" (also called a "pop-up café") in March 2011. Restaurant seating is quite literally in the…