Sidewalk Superintendent
"Sidewalk superintendent" was John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s idea. During the Depression, many unemployed workers sat at the construction sites, watched, and commented…
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus
Siegel-Cooper’s Statue of the Republic (Minnie Clark, model)
The Statue of the Republic, by sculptor Daniel Chester French (1850-1931) was the largest and most symbolic of the Chicago Columbian Exposition (World's Fair) of 1893, Irish-born Minnie Clark,…
Signing Statement
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Signing statementA signing statement is a written pronouncement issued by the President of the United States upon the signing of a bill into law. They are…
Sikh Day Parade
The Sikh Day Parade began in the 1980s. It's quickly becoming a popular New York City ethnic parade. More Sikh immigrants have perhaps located in Queens than any other borough.…
Silent Dining
The restaurant Eat, in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, began "silent dining" in September 2013. Patrons were required to eat in silence. The term "silent dining" had been cited earlier,…
Silent Service (United States Postal Inspection Service or USPIS nickname)
The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) remains little-known, even though it claims an origin back to 1772 and colonial Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin. The USPIS investigates all…
Silicon Alley
"Silicon Alley" was always a name more than a place. It was meant to imitate California's Silicon Valley nickname. Mark Stahlman claims that he coined it and that he had Broadway in…
Silicon Bayou (New Orleans nickname)
New Orleans, in a borrowing from Silicon Valley, has been called a "Silicon Bayou" or (less frequently) "Silicon Swamp." "Embracing the name 'Silicon Bayou,' the…
Silicon Forest
Oregon has a "Silicon Forest" of high-tech companies located near Portland, between Beaverton and Hillsboro. Lattice Semiconductor Corporation trademarked "Silicon Forest" with…
Silicon Hills (Austin nickname)
The city of Austin is sometimes called "Silicon Hills." The name is a take-off on "Silicon Valley" (California) and "Silicon Prairie" (Dallas-Fort Worth) of the late…
Silicon Prairie
Texas has many high tech industries. The nickname "Silicon Prairie" (a take-off of California's "Silicon Valley") dates from 1979, and it was much imitated by other cities…
Silicon Swamp (New Orleans nickname)
New Orleans, in a borrowing from Silicon Valley, has been called a "Silicon Bayou" or (less frequently) "Silicon Swamp." "'Silicon swamp' forming" by Jane…
Silicone City (Houston nickname)
"Silicone City" is a nickname for Houston that first appeared in a lengthy story in the August 1995 Texas Monthly. The silicone breast implant was invented in Houston in 1962 by doctors…
Silk Stocking District
I live in the "Silk Stocking District" on the upper east side of Manhattan. The term is an old one, meaning wealthy people who dress expensively. 8 September 1895, New York Times, pg.…
Silver Alert 〈“Amber Alert” for seniors〉
The "Silver Alert" was signed into Texas law in 2007 to protect elderly people with dementia-related diseases (such as Alzheimer's) who wander away from their usual residences. The…
Silver Boot Series (Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers)
The "Silver Boot Series" (formally called the "Lone Star Series") is when baseball's Houston Astros play the Texas Rangers. The winner of the series receives the Silver…
Silver, Wine, Art and Gold (SWAG backronym)
"Silver, Wine, Art and Gold" form the backronym (back-acronym) for the word "swag." SWAG (2011), a book by Joe Roseman, both coined and popularized the term. Roseman argues that…
Silverbug or Silver Bug (silver enthusiast)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google BooksA Breed of Barren Metal; or, Currency and interest, a study of social and industrial problems,By J. W. Bennett Chicago, IL: C.H. Kerr & Co.1895Pg. 226:The…
Silverite
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary)ˈsilverite, n.Etymology: < silver n. and adj. + -ite suffix1.Chiefly U.S.An advocate of a silver monetary standard.1886 Science 7 267 The…
Simon Says (Simple Simon Says)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Simon SaysSimon Says (or Simple Simon Says) is a children's game for three or more players. One player takes the role of "Simon" and issues…