Carl Pettit
The Real Story Behind the Phrase ‘As Pleased As Punch’
If your best friend sidles up to you and tells you that he or she is “as pleased as punch,” then you know that person is very pleased indeed.
But how did this phrase come into being in the first place?
What’s the Real Story Behind the Term ‘Freelancer?’
For a lot of people these days, the job market is still a pretty gloomy affair. Temporary jobs, part-time work and freelancing have all been on the rise. Well, for those of you who make your bread and butter by freelancing, you can take heart. You’re in the company of proud, if somewhat immoral, warriors.
What’s the Real Story Behind the Phrase ‘Pardon My French?’
When you tell someone, “please pardon my French,” you are in fact apologizing for your offensive language. When French people speak French, they don’t say, “pardon my English” when they want to cuss someone out.
So what’s going on here? Do the French have better curse words than we do?
Where Is It Illegal in the US for Men to Wear Strapless Dresses?
It all starts the same — you and your buddies are pounding down beers at your favorite bar, and before you know it, you’re running down the street in your girlfriend’s dress while your friends are passed out on the sidewalk. It may be fun to party real hard like this sometimes, but it’s actually illegal to replicate this scenario somewhere in the US… the dress part, anyway.
The Real Story Behind the Expression ‘Face the Music’
When a parent, a boss, a co-worker or someone in a position of authority tells us that we have to ‘face the music,’ we know we’ve probably done something wrong, and now we’re in for a bit of trouble.
Where on Earth does this expression come from, though?
What’s the Real Story Behind the Popular Soft Drink Coca-Cola?
Nothing could be more American than sitting down with your friends, in a restaurant or during the big game, and enjoying a great big glass of Coca-Cola, right? Coca-Cola means Santa Claus, family outings and summertime fun… in other words, pure Americana.
So, what does Coca-Cola have to do with America’s war on drugs?
Can You Guess the Country That Banned Donald Duck?
Perhaps hate is too strong of a sentiment, but one nation, it seems, was so offended by Disney’s Donald Duck that it banned the depictions of the character from the country. Can you guess the country?
What’s the Real Story Behind Men Wearing Ties?
Despite what many a working stiff might think, men do not wear neckties to facilitate strangulation when their bosses are less than pleased with their work.
So, why do men wear this variable, often quite fashionable, and utterly useless piece of business attire?
Where Did the Phrase ‘Got You Over a Barrel’ Come From?
If someone has you ‘over a barrel,’ it’s never a good sign. This phrase means you’re in an extremely vulnerable position, and another human being (most likely not a friend) is taking advantage of that vulnerability.
What Exactly Is the History Behind Mardi Gras?
After Hurricane Katrina devastated the Atlantic Coast in 2005, New Orleans, and the region as a whole, gained more prominence in the national and international news, and rightly so.