Onion Ring Tower (Towering Onion Rings)
An "onion ring tower" is a tall stack of onion rings, usually served separately on its own dish (often with a rod in the middle of the rings). The term "tower of onion rings"…
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“I eat my peas with honey; I’ve done it all my life…” (poem)
A frequently reprinted poem (attributed to "Anonymous") about food is: "I eat my peas with honey; I've done it all my life. It makes the peas taste funny, But it keeps them on…
“In a financial crisis, all correlations go to one”
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google BooksHandbook of Heavy Tailed Distributions in FinanceBy Svetlozar T. Rachev Amsterdam: Elsevier2003Pg. 70:Tail dependenceThere is a saying in finance that in times…
Greater Fool Theory
The "Greater Fool Theory" applies to a mania, such as for internet stocks (in the 1990s) or for real estate (in the 1970s). The investing fundamentals of holding that asset might be poor,…
The Great Place (Fort Hood nickname)
The military base of Fort Hood, outside of Killeen, has been called "The Great Place" since at least 1987, when a book was published titled Fort Hood, Texas: the great place. A local sign…
“If you torture the data long enough, it will confess”
"If you torture the data long enough, it will confess" has come to mean that if you manipulate the data long enough, you'll finish the the result you want. Some people has asserted…
“Never bet on a possibility against a certainty”
"Never bet against a certainty" or "never bet against a sure thing" has long been common wisdom. But what about having good odds on a possibility? "Never bet on a…
“Trading opportunities are like buses; if you miss one, another will come along soon”
"Trading opportunites are like buses/streetcars/trains; if you miss one, another will come along soon" means that nothing is so special that there's not another financial opportunity…
“You’re only as good as your last trade” (Wall Street adage)
"You're only as good as your last trade" is an old adage for traders on Wall Street, cited in print since at least 1987. It's another version of the saying, "What have you…
“Insurance is sold, not bought”
"Insurance is sold, not bought" is a popular axiom of the insurance business (especially for life insurance), cited in print since at least 1916. Insurance can be complicated and, unless…
“Local advertising is sold, not bought”
"Local advertising is sold, not bought" is a popular axiom of advertising. Many local businesses don't have large advertising budgets -- if any at all. A newspaper or a website, for…
“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste”
"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste," said Rahm Emanuel, the incoming White House Chief of Staff, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on November 19, 2008. The…
“The cure for high prices is high prices” (“The cure for low prices is low prices”)
"The cure/remedy/solution for high prices is high(er) prices" is a popular commodities axiom. With high prices or higher prices, supply is increased and demand is decreased, thus lowering…
Astroturf (Astroturfing)
"AstroTurf" is a proprietary name (trademarked in 1968) for an artificial grass. While a "grassroots" political campaign has authentic support, an "astroturf" campaign…
Rathole (“money down the rathole”)
To throw or to pour something "down a/the rathole" means to put it in an endless space (where lots of rats enter and leave). "Money down a/the rathole" is money wasted, not to…
Chaircreature (Chairman of the Federal Reserve nickname)
"Chaircreature" was a character in the television science fiction series, The Tomorrow People (1979). The creature chaired the Galactic Federation. Chairmen (and chairwomen) have been…
“A safety net should be a trampoline as opposed to a hammock”
“We want to make the safety net a trampoline as opposed to a hammock,” said Massachusetts Governor William Weld in July 1991. The "safety net" and "hammock" imagery --…
Rent-a-Crowd (Rent-a-Mob)
"Rent-a-crowd" (or "rentacrowd") and "rent-a-mob" (or "rentamob") are terms dating from the mid-1960s referring to fake agitation for or against a cause or a…
“Leverage is a double-edged sword”
A "double-edged sword" has two cutting edges; in finance, a "double-edged sword" means something that has both potential benefits and liabilities. Financial leverage can…
“Never sell what you haven’t got”
"Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) was reported by at least 1870 to have said "Never sell what you haven't got." According to some accounts, Vanderbilt said this…