“You can’t fire a cannon from a canoe”
The phrase "you can't fire/shoot a cannon from a canoe" seemingly dates to naval warfare from the 1800s, but there's no evidence of the phrase until the late 20th century. The…
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“They eat anything with legs except a table and anything with wings except an airplane”
Cantonese cuisine (from the Guangdong Province in southern China) has been joked about by northern Chinese for the Cantonese variety that seemingly includes every living thing. The French writer…
“Porn in a cup” (10-shot espresso drink)
The Pulp & The Bean, a Crown Heights coffee shop, in November 2010 offered "The Dieci" (Italian for "ten") -- ten shots of espresso in one cup (20 ounces). "It just…
Military-Industrial Complex
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969) delivered his presidential farewell address on January 17, 1961: "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of…
Second Chance U. (TSU nickname)
ESPN Magazine called Texas Southern University "Second Chance U." in its October 5, 2009 issue. A school such as the University of Texas recruits the top athletes in the state; TSU get…
“A politician who’s poor is a poor politician”
"A politician who is poor is a poor politician" ("Un político pobre es un pobre político") was the well-known political aphorism of Carlos Hank González (1927-2001), a…
“Long live cowboys”
"Long Live Cowboys" is a slogan that Wrangler Jeans has used since 2008. The slogan is also sometimes used by sports teams called "Cowboys" (such as the Dallas Cowboys).…
Sawdust Pie
A recipe for "sawdust pie' was published in the May 1983 issue of Bon Appetit, from Patti's 1880's Settlement of Grand Rivers, KY. The pie contains graham cracker crumbs (the…
Pizzadilla (pizza + quesadilla)
A "pizzadilla" (pizza + quesadilla) usually has circular bread covered with toppings (like pizza), but also had a layer of bread on top. Recipes vary; one website says the cut pizzadilla…
Prison Spread
"Prison spread" is an inexpensive meal that developed in California prisons. Ramen noodles, Cheetos, hot sauce, and other ingredients are put into a garbage bag and mixed together. The…
“If nominated I will not accept, and if elected I will not serve”
"If nominated I will not accept/run, (and) if elected I will not serve" is the famous "Sherman statement" on declining to run for political office, but William Tecumseh Sherman…
CanDo (Canal Downtown)
The New York Travel Advisory Bureau distributed maps in 2010 with the neighborhood name of "CanDo" for "Canal Downtown." The area is also called "Lower Manhattan" and…
“You can’t beat somebody with nobody”
"You can't beat somebody with nobody" is an old political axiom. No matter how poorly a political "somebody" is, that candidate can't be beaten by "nobody."…
Cover Jinx
Time magazine was first published in New York City on March 3, 1923. In the 1930s, it was noticed that sports figures who appeared on Time's cover appeared to be jinxed afterward. Time started…
“When you raid a whorehouse, take the piano player, too, because no one is entirely innocent”
"When you raid a whorehouse, take the piano player, too, because no one is entirely innocent" is a Wall Street saying, meaning that when stocks start to strongly fall or to strongly rise,…
“In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield”
"In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield" is a popular bit of one-line wisdom from American investor Warren Buffett. The saying means that the…
“The bears have Thanksgiving, but the bulls have Christmas” (or, “The bulls have Thanksgiving…”)
"The bears have Thanksgiving, but the bulls have Christmas," or is it "The bulls have Thanksgiving, but the bears have Christmas"? The former appears to have been cited in print…
“You can change a cucumber into a pickle, but you can’t turn a pickle back into a cucumber”
"You can change a cucumber into a pickle, but you can't turn a pickle back into a cucumber" is a saying used at Alcoholics Anonymous and other organizations. The saying means that…
“IRS: We’ve got what it takes to take what you’ve got”
"IRS: We've got what it takes to take what you've got" is a saying that's appeared on T-shirts and bumper stickers. "A tax collector has what it takes to take what…
“People who complain about taxes can be divided into two classes: men and women”
"People who complain about taxes can be divided into two classes: men and women" is an old joke showing that everybody complains about taxes. The joke has been cited since at least 1944,…