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July 3, 2019
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Bold stripes, bright stars, brave hearts”

"Bold stripes, bright stars, brave hearts" is a patriotic saying that has been printed on many images. "Bold stripes, bright stars, brave hearts. #FourthOfJuly…

June 26, 2014
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Bomb into the Stone Age” (total destruction)

To bomb a military enemy "back into the Stone Age" is to create total destruction. (The Stone Age was a primitive civilization.) Ever since atomic bombs were used in warfare in 1945,…

May 27, 2014
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Borders, language, culture”

"Borders, language, (and) culture" is the catchphrase of conservative radio talk show host Michael Savage. Savage believes that a nation is defined by these three things. "Borders,…

September 22, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Born Free, Taxed to Death”

"Born Free, (But) Taxed to Death" is a common anti-tax slogan, found on T-shirts and bumper stickers. The saying has been cited in print from at least 1974 and has been popular in…

October 18, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Born, raised and protected by God, guns, guts & glory”

"Born, raised and protected by God, guns, guts & glory" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "god, guns, guts and glory .sig snipped" was posted on the…

October 17, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Both the Democrat and the Republican are running for president of Ohio”

The Democratic and Republican presidential candidates ignore states where the election is not in question and spend almost all of their time in contested or "battleground" states. The…

December 8, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Boy, did I call it or what?—George Orwell”

"Boy, did I call it or what? -- George Orwell" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. English author George Orwell (1903-1950) didn't actually say this, but…

December 26, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Brave enough to inject unknown substances into the body, but afraid to breathe air”

"Brave enough to inject unknown substances into the body but afraid tp breathe air" (people wearing face masks are shown in an image) is a saying that has been printed on many images. The…

April 19, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Bro even sleeping gettin boring now”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic resulted in many people being locked down at home. Many of these people were bored. "i cannot believe i’m saying this , but even sleeping got boring to me…

December 18, 2015
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Budget: A mathematical confirmation of your suspicions”

"Budget: A mathematical confirmation of your suspicions" is a jocular quotation that was credited to A. A. Lattimer (or "Latimer") in 1949. Nothing else is known about this…

November 8, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Build Back Better—brought to you by people who have never built anything”

Entry in progress -- BP “This build back better thing must be waiting on the building permits” and “There is no plan to fix anything because the plan was to destroy everything” are related…

April 9, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Bumping elbows is the new first base”

"First base," in sexual terms, is usually kissing. The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic encouraged "social distancing" (six feet away) and changed the bases. "Is the new…

October 3, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status”

"Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status" is a one-line saying from educator and business author Laurence J. Peter (1919-1990). Peter…

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

“Bureaucracy is a method for transforming energy into solid waste”

"Bureaucracy is a method/process for converting/transforming energy into solid waste" is a bumper sticker saying that has been cited in print since at least 1981. The authorship of the…

August 13, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Bureaucracy is the art of making the possible impossible”

"Politics is the art of the possible" ("Die Politik ist die Lehre vom Möglichen") is an 1867 quotation that has been credited to German statesman Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898).…

August 17, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Bureaucrats cut red tape—lengthwise”

"Bureaucrats cut red tape -- lengthwise" (that is, in the least efficient way) is a joke that was printed on bumper stickers in the 1980s. The joke has been cited in print since at least…

November 20, 2024
Food/DrinkGovernment/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Buy me chickens & tell me you don’t trust the government”

"Buy me chickens & tell me you don't trust the government" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The speaker intends to eat healthy by raising the chickens.…

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

“Buy me plants & tell me you don’t trust the government”

"Buy me plants & tell me you don't trust the government" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The speaker intends to grow healthy food. "Buy me plants and tell…

November 25, 2025
Food/DrinkGovernment/Law/Military/Religion /HealthHolidays/Events/Parades

“By accepting their pardons, the turkeys are admitting guilt”

The U.S. president pardons turkeys at Thanksgiving, but were the turkeys ever really guilty of anything? "By accepting the pardon, the turkeys admitted their guilt" was posted on…

December 7, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Camera catches looters stealing trillions” (Congress joke)

"Camera catches looters stealing trillions" (with a photo of the Congress of the United States) has been printed on many images. "Camera Catches Looters Stealing Trillions"…

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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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