White House Name Origins
8 March 2001Did the White House obtain its name when it was repainted white after the British burned it in 1814?
Tagged "Colored Perceptions"
Etymology of Pink Slip
Did the term 'pink slip' originate because employees were commonly sent dismissal notices printed on pink slips of paper?
Etymology of Blackmail
Was blackmail so designated because letters of extortion were sent by mail?
Etymology of Blue Laws
Were American 'blue laws' so named because they were originally printed on blue paper?
Etymology of Red Light District
Did 'red light district' come from railway brakemen leaving their lanterns on cathouse porches?
Most Popular View all
Does This Photograph Show Two Boys — One Vaccinated, One Not — Who Were Exposed to Smallpox?
13 June 2018In the early 1900s, Allan Warner documented several cases of smallpox and the effects of vaccinations.
Is This Video of a ‘Gyro Drop’ Amusement Park Ride Real?
14 June 2019The "Gyro Drop" is a real amusement park ride, but a popular video of it relies on some imagination.
Did U.S. Taxpayers Pay Over $90 Billion More Under Trump’s Tax Law?
11 June 2019The IRS collected $93 billion more from taxpayers in fiscal year 2018 than 2017, but that doesn't mean it's a harbinger of things to come.
Is This the ‘Sonic’ Character’s New Redesign?
10 June 2019Graphic artists "gotta go fast" to get Sonic the Hedgehog redesigned in time for the movie's 2020 release.
Did Obama Pledge ‘More Flexibility’ Toward Russia After the 2012 Election?
13 December 2016In 2012, President Obama was overheard over a hot microphone telling President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia he would have "more flexibility" to negotiate with Putin after the election.