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April 23, 2024
Government/Law/Military/Religion /HealthWork/Businesses

“Civil engineering implies the existence of criminal engineering”

"Civil engineering" is professional engineering discipline, but there is no "criminal engineering" discipline. "if there is a BE in civil engineering, there should also be…

June 13, 2015
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Civil servant missile—it doesn’t work and it can’t be fired”

A joke has been told in several countries (United Kingdom, Canada, India and the United States) about the new "civil servant" missile -- "It doesn't work and it can't be…

August 4, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Civil War jokes? I General Lee don’t find them funny”

Confederate General Robert E. Lee (1807-1870) has a name that sounds like the word "generally" (General Lee). "Civil War jokes? I General Lee don't find them funny" is a…

November 20, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Clean sperm is the new Bitcoin”

"Unvaccinated/Unvaxxed sperm is the new/next Bitcoin" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The Covid-19 mRNA vaccines contain spike proteins that many believe impair male…

April 26, 2019
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Clients go to jail and lawyers go to lunch”

"Clients go to jail and lawyers go to lunch" is an old saying of unknown origin. This was printed in the Chicago (IL) Tribune on November 19, 1991: "An old joke about the judiciary…

November 14, 2019
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Climate change doesn’t care if you believe in it or not”

"Science/Gravity/Global warming/Climate change doesn't care if you believe in it or not" is a saying that has been printed on several images. The saying means that there are…

May 30, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Close enough for government work” (“Good enough for government work”)

"Government work" is often thought of as less efficient than private sector work, where there is no monopoly and the work must compete with others. "Close enough for government…

October 10, 2017
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Cockroaches survive nuclear war. Which means America will still have a functioning government”

A popular meme is that cockroaches can survive a nuclear war. "In the event of nuclear war the only things that will survive are cockroaches. Which means Britain will still have a functioning…

September 24, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Coercion is not consent”

"Coercion is not consent" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The saying has been used in rape situations, and the saying has also been used regarding Covid vaccine…

April 21, 2024
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Coercion is the central principle of all government”

"Coercion is the central principle of all government" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Coercion is the central principle of government . -LORD ARMSTRONG" was…

April 21, 2024
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Coercion is the central principle of government”

Entry in progress -- BP

December 13, 2024
Food/DrinkGovernment/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Coffee was just voted the best drink. But it was unfair, there were absent tea ballots”

"Absentee ballots" are not "absent tea ballots," but there are jokes. Some of the puns involve Earl Grey, the name of a tea. "Earl Grey was away on business during the…

January 22, 2017
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Coincidence is the word we use when we can’t see the levers and the pulleys”

American science fiction and fantasy author Emma Bull wrote in the novel Bone Dance: A Fantasy for Technophiles (1991): "Coincidence is the word we use when we can't see the levers and…

August 6, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Coinciditis—Myocarditis that coincidentally only affects the vaccinated”

"Coinciditis -- Myocarditis that coincidentally only affects the vaccinated" is a saying that has been shown on many images. The word "coinciditis" (coincidence + -itis) refers…

April 12, 2016
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery”

"Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery" is a saying that has been attributed to U.S. President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) and that has been printed on…

January 29, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Colonel Sanders chicken recipe has been kept more secure than US classified documents”

A possession of classified documents story in January 2023 involved U.S. President Joe Biden, just as a similar story had involved former president Donald Trump. It was joked that the secret KFC…

June 14, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Colt: The original point and click interface”

"The original point and click interface" (a gun) is a pro-gun saying that has been printed on many images. "Smith & Wesson: the original point-and-click interface" was…

September 24, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /HealthTransportation

“Come the Rapture, can I have your car?” (bumper sticker)

"Come the Rapture, can I have your car?" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. "IN CASE OF RAPTURE, CAN I HAVE YOUR CAR?" was posted on the newsgroup…

February 21, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Come-to-Jesus” Meeting

"Come to Jesus" (and the "come to Jesus meeting") was an early 20th century Christian message, often spread by traveling preachers who held tent meetings. A different and later…

May 15, 2016
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Committee work is like a soft chair—easy to get into but hard to get out of”

"Committee work is like a soft chair -- easy to get into but hard to get out of" is a jocular saying about committees. "Committee work is easy to get into but hard to get out of --…

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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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