“Money can’t buy happiness”
"Money can't buy happiness" is a simple and seemingly timeless proverb. In the 2000s, medical researchers found the old aphorism to be scientifically true. Others argue, however,…
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“If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is”
"If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is" was a catchphrase used by the Better Business Bureau to alert the public to shady business practices. The phrase was used since at least…
“Who died and made you king/ God/ boss/ president?”
"Who died and made you (this high position)" is a common put-down of a person who usually doesn't have that high position, but who aspires to it (or a person who has that high…
Fifth Taste or Fifth Flavor (umami)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: TasteTaste (or, more formally, gustation) is a form of direct chemoreception and is one of the traditional five senses. It refers to the ability to detect the…
Chubbing
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google BooksHatchet Jobs and Hardball: The Oxford dictionary of American political slangBy Grant BarrettPublished by Oxford University Press US2004Pg. 80:chubbing n.…
“Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic” (a futile or pointless activity in a losing situation)
"Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic" is a metaphor for making cosmetic changes in an ultimately failing endeavor. The phrase is used often in business, politics and sports. The…
Adzillatron (Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium scoreboard nickname)
The giant scoreboard at the Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium was dubbed "Godzillatron" by July 31, 2006. Texas Longhorn fans quickly criticized the many advertisements on the…
“Liberate Texas next—they’ve got oil, too”
The United States liberated Iraq (an oil-rich nation led then by Saddam Hussein) in 2003. The United States president was George W. Bush, the former Republican governor of Texas. A button at the…
“The ark was built by amateurs, but professionals built the Titanic”
"The ark was built by amateurs, but professionals built the Titanic" is a popular saying meaning that the accepted wisdom isn't always accurate. The Biblical Noah built an ark and…
Launching Pad (New Yankee Stadium nickname)
The new Yankee Stadium (opened in 2009) quickly gained a reputation for being home-run-friendly. The Colorado Rockies' Coors Field has allowed the most home runs in a single season, and the…
Bandbox (Bronx Bandbox=New Yankee Stadium)
The new Yankee Stadium (opened in 2009) quickly gained a reputation for being home-run-friendly. The Colorado Rockies' Coors Field has allowed the most home runs in a single season, and the…
Petco Park East or Petco East (Citi Field nickname)
Citi Field is the ballpark for the New York Mets that opened in 2009. Even before it opened, fans noted Citi Field's cavernous dimensions and speculated that it might be a difficult park to…
Coors Field East or Coors East (New Yankee Stadium nickname)
The new Yankee Stadium (opened in 2009) quickly developed a reputation as a baseball park where it's easy to hit home runs. Nicknames for the new stadium include "Bronx bandbox" (or…
Belly-up
kkEntry in progress -- B.P. Merriam-Webster DictionaryMain Entry: bel·ly–up Pronunciation: \-ˈəp\ Function: adjective Etymology: from the floating position of a dead fish Date: 1939 :…
Gelato District
"Gelato District" is a coinage of New York magazine on June 15, 2008 for the Greenwich Village South area that features several shops that sell gelato. In 2009, Apple Core Hotels began…
Rockefinger or Rockefeller Salute (Nelson Rockefeller’s middle finger gesture)
"Rockefinger," "Rockefeller salute" and "Rockefeller gesture" are names for the middle finger protruding from a clenched fist -- also called "the finger,"…
Beer Belly
"Beer belly" is one of several slang names for abdominal fat. Male beer drinkers often develop "beer barrel" bellies -- also called "beer gut." The term "beer…
“We will serve no swine before its time” (low-and-slow cooking)
"We will sell no wine before its time" was the memorable advertising line spoken by actor/director Orson Welles (1915-1985) for California's Paul Masson Vineyards in 1976. The…
Housemade
"Housemade" (or "house-made") is another food industry term for the over-used "homemade." The terms "housemade" and "homemade" imply that the…
“If you see a Swiss banker jumping out of a window, follow him” (Voltaire?)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: VoltaireFrançois-Marie Arouet (21 November 1694 – 30 May 1778), better known by the pen name Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer, essayist, and…