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March 15, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Anti-science is reading a notice on a mask box that it doesn’t protect against viruses…”

Many people wore face masks during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. However, the boxes that the masks came in usually admitted that a mask does not provide adequate protection against viruses.…

July 19, 2019
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Ants on a log, floating down the river to the waterfall” (bureaucracy)

"Ants on a log, floating down the river (to the waterfall), and each ant thinking he was steering" is an old political saying/metaphor. This was printed in The Daily Gazette (Lawrence,…

November 22, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Any country with ‘democratic’ in the title isn’t”

"Any country with 'democratic' in the title isn't" was written by sportswriter Jim Murray (1919-1998) in the Los Angeles (CA) Times on August 3, 1980. The German Democratic…

November 13, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Any government body that mandates something that they exempt themselves from…”

"Any government body that mandates something on the public that they all exempt themselves from can never be trusted" is a saying that has been printed on an image. During the COVID-19…

January 19, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Any government that wages psychological warfare on its own citizens…”

"Any government that wages psychological warfare on its own citizens has declared itself an enemy of the people" was posted on Twitter by "Alex ‘Being free is our birthright!"…

November 8, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him…”

"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him, better take a closer look at the American Indian" is a quote that has been credited to…

November 29, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Any party which takes credit for the rain must take blame for the drought”

Dwight Morrow (1873-1931) gave a speech in October 1930, during his successful campaign for U.S. Senate from New Jersey: "Any party which takes credit for the rain must not be surprised if its…

November 11, 2014
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Any sufficiently advanced bureaucracy is indistinguishable from molasses”

"Any sufficiently advanced bureaucracy is indistinguishable from molasses" is a jocular quotation that has been included in many quotations collections. The saying has been cited in print…

February 6, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Anybody can make a baby, but you need a license to fish”

"Can’t believe they let just anyone make babies but you gotta have a license to fucking fish" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The actor Keanu Reeves said in the…

February 8, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Anyone can use my French Revolution joke. It’s royalty free”

The French Revolution deposed of royalty. "You can use my French Revolution joke. It's royalty free" was posted on Reddit -- Dadjokes on July 31, 2021. "Anyone can use my French…

May 16, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Anyone else think Pokémon characters Koffing and Weezing look similar to the Coronavirus?”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic reminded many of the Pokémon characters "Koffing" (coughing) and "Weezing" (wheezing). "I would've thought Koffing or Weezing…

July 12, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Anyone trying to disarm you is not your friend”

"Anyone trying to disarm you is not your friend" and "Anyone trying to disarm you is your enemy" are pro-gun sayings. "Registration always Precedes Confiscation! ANYONE…

July 12, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Anyone trying to disarm you is your enemy”

"Anyone trying to disarm you is not your friend" and "Anyone trying to disarm you is your enemy" are pro-gun sayings. "Registration always Precedes Confiscation! ANYONE…

January 23, 2019
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Anyone who believes in exponential growth in a finite world is either a madman or an economist”

“Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist" is a quote that has been credited in 1973 to English-born American economist…

June 4, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Anything I don’t like should be banned. Everything I like should be a human right…”

"Anything I don't like should be banned, anything I like is a human right" was posted on Twitter by Murdos on August 16, 2015. “Anything I like should be mandatory, and anything I…

January 18, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /HealthPets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)

“Apparently, a cat has caught COVID-19. Don’t ask meow!”

A COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic joke is that a cat got Covid-19, or that a cat gave Covid-19 to its owner. The punchline: "Don't ask meow." ("Don't ask me how.")…

October 29, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“AR—means the gun was manufactured in Arkansas” (joke)

AR-15 and AK-47 are rifles, but they are not named after the postal codes for Arkansas (AR) and Alaska (AK). A joke (shown on a meme) was poste on Facebook by George Baylor on October 22, 2019:…

January 28, 2016
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Are birth control pills tax-deductible?”/“Only if they don’t work.”

What's tax deductible? There's an old joke: Q: Are birth control pills tax-deductible?A: Only if they don't work. In 1967, a newspaper article said that birth control pills are tax…

January 2, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Are there any countries that tax their citizens and send some of it to Americans?”

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 originally planned for only $600 of relief to Americans, who had been suffering all year from the 2020 COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. However, the bill…

March 25, 2024
The Big Apple1980s-present: Big Apple work by Gerald Cohen, Barry PopikGovernment/Law/Military/Religion /HealthNames/Phrases

“Are there doctors in New York since it’s called the Big Apple?”

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is a famous saying. New York City is called the "Big Apple." "there are no doctors in New York because it’s the Big Apple" was…

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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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