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Whence "in the not-too-distant future"?

unregistered_animagus — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:48:20 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "in the not-too-distant future"? I'm pretty darn sure I first encountered it through MST3K, and have thereafter sub-defined it as "Next Sunday, A.D." ...in fact, for years I've interpreted its use as an under-the-radar MiSTie shibboleth.

BUT surely there must be an earlier origin? (Crow: "No! And don't call me Butt Shirley!")

/mst3k nerd

It just strikes me as odd that the particular construction of "not-too-distant" would replace the use of "near" so frequently without deliberate precedent.

You belong, you belong, you belong to the Merry Marvel Minutae Society!

EatTheWeak — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:19:59 -0800

Calling all Marvel readers! I've got a question about Daredevil's origin that my own Marvel nerdiness has failed to answer! Okay, so everyone knows the basic Daredevil origin story - young Matt Murdoch is nearly struck by a truck carrying hazardous, radioactive chemicals and is instead struck blind when a barrel of these chemicals comes loose and splashes him in the face. In time, Murdoch discovers that this accident has also granted him preternatural sensitivity in his four remaining senses. As an adult, these senses allow him to operate as the urban vigilante Daredevil.

My question regards those chemicals - to your knowledge, has any Marvel comic ever addressed what chemicals were involved, where the truck was going, where the truck came from, who or what created those chemicals in the first place or what became of the rest of them once the truck got where ever it was headed?

I'm aware that some versions of the Ninja Turtles origin story tie the Turtle's mutation pretty closely to Murdoch's accident, in kind of a tongue-in-cheek fashion, but what I'm curious about it how and if this truck and its cargo have been addressed in 616 Marvel Universe canon. Has Marvel ever tackled this? And if so, in what comic? Which issues?

Thanks, True Believers!

Origin of phrase "The righteous man champions the lost cause..."

victoriab — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:30:11 -0800

I'm trying to locate the origin of the phrase "The righteous man champions the lost cause, knowing that all other causes are just merely events." I'm trying to source this for a friend. Sadly, I don't have any additional information to work with and my weak Google searches have been fruitless. Thanks

Origin of nude Jonas Brothers Gone Wild photos? (blurred-out nsfw)

Quarter Pincher — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:28:58 -0800

Are these blurred-out shots of the Jonas brothers authentic? If not, that's some darn good photoshopping. Any details on where this might have come from, or the nature of the originals if they were edited (aside from the blurs, obviously)..?

I got it from here.

Where can I buy Ojen liqueur?

justrobin — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:48:34 -0800

My father asked me. Figured I could find it, quick. I've used google et al and can't seem to lock down anything but a likely country of origin, Spain(?)... Still, the question is: Where can Ojen liqueur be purchased in the US? But any details regarding its origin/production (/existence?) would probably be useful.

Where did the phrase "open nosed" come from?

skechada — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:21:42 -0800

Where does the phrase "open nosed" come from, and what exactly does it mean? After re-watching Deadwood and hearing the phrase "open nosed" (as in coming up on someone open nosed), I'm curious as to where this phrase comes from. From the context, I assume it means finding someone with their guard down, but I'm not sure.

Who is Senator Clay Davis based on?

8699oriel — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:57:02 -0800

Who are the actual people Senator Clay Davis (a character in the HBO show The Wire) is based on? Everywhere I search online, the articles say that the creator of The Wire based Davis on 3 Maryland State Senators and that Davis' penchant for saying "Partner" was from a particular person that all Baltimoreans would know without saying the name. I've only lived in Baltimore 4 years and don't know who this is or the other 2.

What is the origin of the phrase "by the balls"?

sciurus — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:52:07 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "by the balls" as in: "He's really got you by the balls."? My mom thinks it is a biblical reference where dudes would grab each other by the balls when they entered into an agreement with each other. Her priest disagrees, so now my mom wants to find out exactly what the origin of that phrase is.

I believe I have placed this question in the correct category.

To go with the blue hair?

FuManchu — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:01:43 -0800

Why is blue eyeshadow so common? Blue eyeshadow seems to be, by far, the most common non-skintone eyeshadow. Why blue? All searching provides are judgement calls on whether it is still fashionable to wear it.

Is there some apocryphal origin, at least? Most standard makeup seems to be in shades that are already natural -- even clown-red lipstick. But natural blue eyelids I haven't seen.

Please help me scratch this itch.

Where does this shirt pattern come from?

karl88 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:22:20 -0800

What is the origin of these shirts? I have this shirt. i want to know where it comes from. not where it's made, but where in the world does this pattern and style come from? PatternShirt01.jpg PatternShirt02.jpg thanks!

Finger-lickin' acknowledgment?

asras — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:36:58 -0800

Help me find out more about this gesture, where a person licks their finger and either points to the ceiling or draws a line in the air. I'd like to find out more about the origin of this gesture. It's not hard to deduce it's meaning from the context, but I'd also be interested in a definition of it.

It's easier to show than explain; Viggo Mortensen does it towards the end of this awesome interview with Jon Stewart while Colbert rattles off facts about Aragorn.

Also, here, J.D. [the guy in the white jersey] does it right after he says, "Thank you, football for dummies." [at 0:27]

I've seen it a few other places too, and I've always been curious about it. Links to other instances of this gesture in pop culture also appreciated!

What's the Origin/Artist's Name of "Weird Puppet Being Held While Woman Gets Milk Poured On Her Head"

Zampa — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:57:22 -0800

Could someone name the artist who created http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/4508/strangeza8.jpg, and the other images in the series? I know it was part of an art photography piece, but I can't recall the artist's name, or the link.

Looking for books that take a philosophical look at the origin of the universe and where mankind is heading (among other things)

iceman7 — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 04:08:34 -0800

Why are we here? What started it all? What is the purpose of life? Where is technology taking us? What will happen to humans eventually? I'm looking for books that discuss the above questions. I don't want the readings to be too dry and textbook like. Thanks a bunch.

Earliest use of "Techno"

urbanwhaleshark — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:02:37 -0800

The origins of "Techno" - the earliest recorded use of the term. I'm cross-posting this from uk-dance.org.

"The earliest references I can find to the use of the word "techno" to describe a form of music are both from 1988 - "Techno: The Dance Sound of Detroit" (Virgin Records LP, 1988) and Q magazine "'techno’ is the futuristic, synthesizer-based sound of Detroit" (October 1988, p.65).

Earlier uses of the term are in combined term only (e.g. in 1980 the New York Times uses "techno-pop" to describe Carly Simons' album "Come Upstairs"). Does anyone have any pre-1988 uses of "techno" in an uncombined form?"

Following the thread the earliest discoveries we've found, in terms of music, have been c.1984.

Does anyone have any earlier references?

Can I show you my exquisite collection of etchings?

juv3nal — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:24:53 -0800

What's the origin of/meaning behind the idiom of inviting a lady to inspect one's collection of etchings as a (euphemized/veiled?) sexual proposition? I might have the exact formulation wrong, came across kind of vague and inconsistent uses of it in some hard boiled Hammett/Chandler kind of stuff.

Do Fedex Overnight packages have the location of origin postmarked or printed on them in any way?

dkleinst — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:36:53 -0800

Do Fedex Overnight packages have the location of origin postmarked or printed on them in any way? If so - do any other mail services not have this feature?

If you can answer this, then you aren't just another...

girlpublisher — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 20:45:25 -0800

Does anyone know the origin of the phrase "not just another pretty face"? I've tried searching online, but all I get are sites that use the phrase. I added search terms such as "origin", "source", "history", etc. to no avail. I also tried a couple of sites devoted to English language cliches. Help? Suggestion for search terms or non-online sources?

Origin of "we are all [blank] now"

Urban Hermit — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:02:34 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "we are all [blank] now"? The earliest 'famous' usage I'm aware of is Nixon's "we are all Keynesians now," but I don't know if that was really where it started.

Does the phrase "please, not in the face!" come from anywhere in particular?

so_necessary — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:48:29 -0800

Does the phrase "Please, not in the face!" (in reference to a metaphorical imminent beating) have a definitive, particular origin from a famous film or some other piece of pop culture? Or has it just sort of established itself from actual beatings?

Swanning around origin

tellurian — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 21:03:48 -0800

I'm looking for the earliest appearance of the phrase 'swanning around' - To travel around from place to place aimlessly. A friend says that she had read somewhere that its origins are in World War II and refers to the appearance of the tank turrets and guns and how they used to look a little lost as they were moving about so it became 'to swan'.
The on-line dictionaries I've consulted cite Jeffrey Archer! “Swanning around Europe nowadays, are we?”. The oldest Google book usage I could find was 1923 (Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry), so I'm sure my friend is wrong unless she mixed up the World Wars. Has anyone got a Partridge handy to look up swan? Can any of you dig up something earlier?
Also, a search for 'swan around' turns up a 1907 mention, but without preview, so I can't see the context. Considering the title (Our Plymouth Forefathers: The Real Founders of Our Republic), it may well be - 'they decided to cook a turkey because there were no swan around'.

Whence the beatings?

bumpkin — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 14:21:21 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "the beatings will continue until morale improves". Google has failed me on this, only the hive mind will save me.

Help me find the origins of this phrase...

sholdens12 — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 17:28:07 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "The future is now"?

Right up my alley

punkbitch — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 09:13:01 -0800

What is the origin of the phrase "right up my (his, her, etc.) alley"??? Is it as simple as referring to being "in my neighborhood of expertise" or is there some sort of bowling reference going on? Google's letting me down here -- but maybe my search capacities are a little rusty.

Where does "for those of you following along at home" come from?

AgentRocket — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 10:14:54 -0800

What's the origin of the phrase "For those of you [playing/following/scoring] along at home?" I just used this expression and am curious where it comes from. My best guesses are old school television/radio game shows, or maybe radio baseball. (Though I have no evidence, I particularly like the baseball idea because it gives me a warm, fuzzy picture of a prototypical 1940s kid listening along to the game and keeping a box score).

Google gives 42,600 results for "playing along at home," 27,300 for "following along at home," and 199 for "scoring along at home," so perhaps my theory is bunk.

Can anyone provide me with the answer?

Origin of "420"

goalyeehah — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 21:55:56 -0800

What is the origin of "420" I was at a party last night and a topic of discussion moved to smoking pot. We were both wondering where did the term "420" come from. She heard that it meant 4:20PM was the best time to smoke. Any tokers on this one?