“How many people work here?” / “Oh, about half.” (joke)
The question "How many people work here?" (meaning "how many employees are there") and the jocular answer "About half" (meaning "half of the employees work and…
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“I’d rather be led to hell than managed to heaven”
"I'd rather be led to hell than managed to heaven" is a quotation of unknown authorship about the perils of over-managing employees. The quotation first appeared in Linux chat groups…
“Committees have become so important nowadays that subcommittees have to be appointed to do work”
"Committees have become so important that a subcommittee has to be appointed to do the work" is a jocular saying that has been cited in print since at least April 1964, when it was…
“Why is it called ‘rush hour’ when your car barely moves?”
"Rush hour" was named because people rush out of their homes to their workplaces in the morning, or out of their workplaces to their homes in the late afternoon. Traffic is usually at its…
“He who is content with his lot probably has a lot”
"He who is content with his lot probably has a lot" is a pun on "his lot" (meaning "his allotted or apportioned share") and "a lot" (meaning…
“The cream rises until it sours”
Dr. Laurence J. Peter, along with co-author Raymond Hull (1919-1985), wrote The Peter Principle (1969), stating "in a hierarchy every employee tend to rise to his level of incompetence."…
Fumbling, Bumbling Idiots (Federal Bureau of Investigation or FBI nickname)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was founded in 1908 and conducts federal criminal and intelligence investigations. The unflattering FBI nickname of "Fumbling, Bumbling Idiots"…
“If you want to put yourself on the map, publish your own map”
A business is said to be "on the map" when it becomes known to many and/or influential clients. "If you want to put yourself on the map, publish your own map" is a jocular…
“Exceptions prove the rule—and wreck the budget”
A budget often comes with conditions or exceptions. "'Exceptions prove the rule' -- and wreck the family budget" was written by newspaper columnist Olin Miller in May 1963.…
“There is hardly anything that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper”
"There is scarcely anything in this world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the buyers who consider price only are this man's lawful prey" is a…
“Nothing succeeds like success”
"Nothing succeeds like success" and "fortune favors the fortunate" are proverbs that mean that one success (or fortune) will lead to another. The proverb was popular in 19th…
“Nothing recedes like success”
"Nothing succeeds like success" is a French proverb from the 19th century. "Nothing recedes like success" -- that is, nothing goes away faster than success -- is a jocular…
Saleathon (sale + marathon)
A "saleathon" or "sale-a-thon" (sale + marathon) is an event that retailers often hold featuring discounted products. "Saleathon" has been cited in print since at…
Sellathon (sell + marathon)
A "sellathon" or "sell-a-thon" (sell + marathon) is an event that retailers often hold featuring discounted products. "Sellathon" has been cited in print since at…
Red Tag Sale
A "tag sale" is a retail sale where the sale items bear a colored tag. "Red tag sale" has been cited in print since at least 1888, "blue tag sale" since at least 1890…
Saleabration (sale + celebration)
A "saleabration" or "sale-a-bration" (sale + celebration) is an event that retailers often hold featuring discounted products. "SALEabration" has been cited in print…
Sellabration (sell + celebration)
A "sellabration" or "sell-a-bration" (sell + celebration) is an event that retailers often hold featuring discounted products. "Sell-abration" has been cited in print…
Doorbuster
A "doorbuster" (also "door-buster" or "door buster") is a sale on goods that is so low-priced that customers will wait for the store to open and seemingly break down…
“‘Nouvelle cuisine’ is French for ‘not enough food’”
The term "nouvelle cuisine" (French for "new cuisine") was popularized in the 1960s and was characterized by an attractive food display of small portions. "Nouvelle Cuisine…
“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…