Elvis factor
n.— «What is the Elvis Factor? I once read that 10 percent of the American people think Elvis still alive, and 8 percent believe that if you send him a letter, he will answer it. That’s the Elvis factor. You have to remember that, no matter what, 10 percent of the people are probably not capable of clear, rational thought.» —“FAQ” by Larry Elder LarryElder.com , 2002. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Amid a 1796 heat wave, Jane Austen wrote to her sister, “What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Jane Austen’s Continual State of Inelegance in a 1796...
The Merriam-Webster.com dictionary now includes an entry for TL;DR, also rendered as TLDR. It’s a speedy way of dismissing overlong text or introducing a shortened version of something. This useful locution also inspired AI;DR, short for AI;didn’t...