Ever wonder where the term "hooker" comes from? Of course you have, and you probably figured it had to have roots in New York City, too. According to Ephemeral NY, it all has to do with Corlears Hook, which was named in the 17th century for the Van Corlears family. By the 1830s it became the city’s most notorious red-light district, and the women of Corlears Hook were "the lowest and most debased of their class. They were flashy, untidy, and covered with tinsel and brass jewelry. Their dresses are short, arms and necks bare, and their appearance is as disgusting as can be conceived.” (Guessing this didn't make it into the Gentleman's Directory of 19th Century Brothels.) more ›

Apparently, Mayor Bloomberg uses the word unconscionable so much that the Times poured 969 other words into analyzing the verbal tic. According to the article, Bloomberg’s U-bombing is definitely excessive; he drops the heavy pejorative in situations that don’t merit it, like when a reporter dared ask him if his trip to Israel was calculated to woo Jewish voters. (“That’s unconscionable. You should be ashamed to ask that question,” he reportedly snapped.) more ›