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December 19, 2011
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer”

“The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer" was a popular slogan of United States armed forces in World War II, cited from 1942. The saying appears to have been…

April 20, 2024
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The dinosaurs didn’t ‘rule the earth,’ they were just alive. Stop giving them credit for administrative skills…”

It's often said that dinosaurs once ruled the earth. "The dinosaurs didn’t 'rule the earth,' they were just alive. Stop giving them credit for administrative skills they…

October 16, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The DMV be like you forgot to bring the Declaration of Independence”

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is known for long lines, and people are often frustrated when they finally get to the front of the line, only to be told that they have to come back with more…

October 16, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The DMV be like you forgot to bring the original copy of the Constitution”

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is known for long lines, and people are often frustrated when they finally get to the front of the line, only to be told that they have to come back with more…

April 9, 2014
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The dollar votes more times than the man”

"The dollar votes more times than the man" means that one person has only one vote, but one rich person can use his or her money to influence the vote many times. American political…

December 28, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The dots are practically almost touching each other, and people still cannot connect them”

"The dots are practically almost touching each other, and people still cannot connect them" is a saying that has been printed on several images. The saying usually applies to the COVID-19…

December 28, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The dots are practically touching and some people still can’t connect them”

"The dots are practically almost touching each other, and people still cannot connect them" is a saying that has been printed on several images. The saying usually applies to the COVID-19…

October 5, 2024
Food/DrinkGovernment/Law/Military/Religion /HealthWork/Businesses

“The drinking will continue until the economy improves”

"The drinking will continue until the economy improves" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. “The firings/floggings/beatings will continue until morale improves”…

March 28, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The duration of a mass shooting depends entirely on the proximity of a second gun”

A mass shooting stops if a second gun or (a third gun) is close by, either owned by a private citizen or by police. "The duration of a mass shooting is dependent upon the proximity of a second…

March 28, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The duration of a mass shooting is dependent upon the proximity of a second gun”

A mass shooting stops if a second gun or (a third gun) is close by, either owned by a private citizen or by police. "The duration of a mass shooting is dependent upon the proximity of a second…

March 28, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The duration of a mass shooting is determined by the proximity of a second gun”

A mass shooting stops if a second gun or (a third gun) is close by, either owned by a private citizen or by police. "The duration of a mass shooting is dependent upon the proximity of a second…

April 16, 2024
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The earth is not overpopulated, the government is”

"Our Earth is not overpopulated, the g0vernment is" (shown on an image) was posted on Instagram by 1776.american.mama on August 8, 2023, and this received over 71,000 likes. "Earth…

February 9, 2018
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The earth used to be flat…until they buried yo mama”

A popular "yo mama" insult "fat joke" is: "The earth used to be flat...until they buried yo mama." "Yo mamas so fat, the earth was flat until somebody buried…

April 13, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The Eiffel Tower is the Empire State Building after taxes”

"The Eiffel Tower is the Empire State Building after taxes” was supposedly said by an American during a visit to France in 1950 or 1951. New York's Empire State Building was then the…

May 2, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /HealthMedia/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“The elephant in the room doesn’t disappear just because you censor and ignore it”

To ignore "the elephant in the room" is to consciously or subconsciously avoid a big issue, perhaps in the hope that it will go away. “The elephant in the room doesn’t disappear just…

January 3, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The empire has no clothes”

Entry in progress -- BP Wikipedia: The Emperor's New Clothes"The Emperor's New Clothes" (Danish: Kejserens nye klæder) is a literary folktale written by Danish author Hans…

April 1, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The enemy doesn’t have to defeat you. All he has to do is to distract you”

"The enemy doesn’t have to defeat you. All they have to do is distract you" is a saying that has been printed on several images. "If the enemy can't destroy you he'll…

April 1, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The enemy doesn’t have to defeat you. All they have to do is distract you”

"The enemy doesn’t have to defeat you. All they have to do is distract you" is a saying that has been printed on several images. "If the enemy can't destroy you he'll…

December 12, 2009
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The evil of two lessers” (voting for “the lesser of two evils”)

An American voter often has to choose between a Democrat candidate and a Republican candidate, neither of whom the voter likes. A vote is cast for "the lesser of two evils" -- the least…

March 28, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“The F in communism stands for food”

"The F in communism stands for food" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Of course, there is no letter "F" in the word "communism." The joke/saying means…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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