“If you come to a fork in the road… take it!” Baseball legend Yogi Berra was famous for such head-scratching observations. What most people don’t realize, though, is that the former Yankees star often wasn’t the first...
It’s common for Southern moms to promise their children a Yankee dime if they complete a chore. The thing is a Yankee dime is a motherly kiss — much less exciting than an actual dime. It’s a phrase that plays on Yankee thrift, and...
anticipointment n.— «It’s what I call “anticipointment.” […] You can’t make a promise and then have people feel you broke it, or you’re worse off than when you started. So now they just need to live up to it.» —“B...
yellow bird n.— «For another, ward leaders have been known to take street money from candidates, promise support and then not deliver. There is a name for this, too. These ward leaders are called “yellow birds,” after the old airline...
surplusing n.— «The employees will have the opportunity to “follow the work,” as AT&T puts it, thus skirting a promise it made in its current contract with the union not to engage in “surplusing,” which is...
song sharking n.— «The personals are full of them; want ads promising easy fame and fortune for people with undiscovered talent. Music industry neophytes show up, audition, and receive every promise under the sun, if they put up a little...