In August of 1974, faced with Congressional hearings, a mountain of bad press and the looming threat of impeachment over the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon became the first president in…
“Wise Latina” and “Too big to fail” – two top quotes of 2009 that were actually uttered years ago
Every year, a number of “quotes of the year” lists are published. My favorite is the annual list issued by Fred R. Shapiro, editor of the excellent Yale Book of…
Yes, Ivory Soap is “99 44/100% pure.” And, yes – Marilyn really was an Ivory Snow Mom.
One of the most famous and long-lasting advertising slogans in history is the Ivory Soap slogan “99 44/100% Pure.” As recorded in the U.S. Trademark Database, it was first used…
Did Alan Greenspan’s “irrational exuberance” refer to the economy or his sex life?
Is it just me, or do profound statements by economic pundits seem a lot like predictions made by the Delphic Oracle or Nostradamus? Their statements are murky enough to be…
The “pearl of great price”: an allegory for people who don’t want to win the lottery
Every once in a while, there’s a news story about somebody who won millions in a lottery and ended up being miserable as a result. I remember one from a…
Lee Atwater and the Republican Party’s “big tent.”
In November of 1989, the first year of George H. W. Bush’s presidency, there were two closely watched gubernatorial elections — one in Virginia, the other in New Jersey. The…
Jefferson’s bloody “Tree of Liberty” quote still fertilizes freedom and fanaticism
One of the signs held by a gun-toting protester against the Democratic health care proposal earlier this year said “IT IS TIME TO WATER THE TREE OF LIBERTY!” This is…