Images of birds flutter inside lots of English words and phrases, from “nest egg” and “pecking order,” to proverbs from around the world—including a lovely Spanish saying about how birds sense light just before dawn. Plus, how do you define “fun”...
A Pennsylvania woman says that when her stepmother was frustrated by someone, such as when the driver ahead of her was dawdling at a traffic light, she’d express her irritation with Are you posing for animal crackers? This expression goes back at...
C-r-r-r-r-reeeeeeeeaaaaaak! Last weekend, we reached into the AWWW vault and pulled out an oldie but goodie, featuring “death eatin’ a cracker walkin’ backwards,” “graveyard shift,” “saved by the bell,” and “dead ringer.” We also discussed “Bob...
magic Negro n.— «Unlike the typical bluesy earth folksy denim-overalls noble-in-the-face-of-cracker-racism aw shucks Pulitzer Prize-winning protagonist mojo black man, I am not the seventh son of a seventh son of a seventh son. » —by Paul...
skidiot n. an unsophisticated or unskilled self-styled black-hat hacker or cracker who uses computer- and network-intrusion software made by others; a script kiddie. Also skiddiot. Etymological Note: script kiddie + idiot (source: Double-Tongued...

