How do you say “not my problem”? A listener shares his go-to: Not my pig, not my farm. It means the same thing as “I don’t have a horse in that race,” or “I don’t have a dog in that fight.” Douglas...
What do you say when you answer the telephone? On the NPR science blog, “Krulwich Wonders,” Robert Krulwich notes that hello did not become a standard greeting until the Edison Company recommended the word as a proper phone greeting...
Quiz Guy John Chaneski says he’s been visiting some “niche” high schools, all of which have the word “High” in them, maybe in reverse of a standard phrase. How about this one: “The school where they study...
folk scare n.— «It’s not about all Joan, all the time. She is known for her voice—amazing—and was fortunate enough to first find success in the “folk scare,” as they call it, of the ’60s and early ’70s. But also it...
negative operating cycle n.— «You can buy an iPod nano on Apple, Best Buy, etc. for about $149. Amazon sells it for $134. That’s probably cost price. It turns out that Amazon can sell almost everything at cost price and still make a...
pill pull n.— «The drawing for post positions will be held on Wednesday, May 13th, at 5 PM Eastern Standard Time and the process for selecting the starting spots for the Preakness is done using a method called a “pill pull.” Similar...