Black text on a white background.

This button may have been given out at a computer conference to promote Google Pixel machines, PEL (Pixel Elements LTD.) or Pixel, a Greek computer magazine. With the exception of Pixel magazine, the former two only had a brief existence during the 1980's. The button may also have been manufactured by Computer World magazine. 

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An illustration of a boy with a manic expression holding an axe. Under the illustration is orange text with a black outline and the background is blue on top and orange on the bottom. 

"When you call me that, smile" is a catch phrase from the novel The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains written by Owen Wister. The story takes place in the Old West, and the main character is call "The Virginian." His name is never revealed. The Virginian is a ranch hand at Sunk Creek Ranch, located in the state of Wyoming. The line comes from a scene when the Virginian is gambling with the antagonist, Trampas. It was the Virginian's turn to bet but he was silent. Trampas said, "Your bet, you son of a b----." The Virginian pulls out his pistol and says very calmly and gently, "When you call me that, smile."

This is a humorous take on the phrase showing that the wearer may take enjoyment from the retaliation of their provocative wearable.

Brown text in various fonts on a white background. 

Newfoundland is known for its precipitation, mostly in the form of rain, with heavy fog, too.  Sunshine is mostly found in the summer months, so while you might get a tan if you try, you're just as likely to rust from that wonderfully varied maritime climate.  Did you know that Newfoundland is the world's 16th-largest island, and Canada's 4th-largest?  Long inhabited by the Paleo-Eskimo Dorset culture, Europeans first visited Newfoundland in the 11th century when Leif Eriksson landed on its shores, calling it Vinland.

An illustration of a boy flying off the planet earth with curved red text above the illustration. Everything is set on a dark blue background.

"Way out" is a colloquial term to describe someone or something that is far removed from reality or convetion.

The phrase was originated among the beatniks in the late 1950s. The Oxford English Dictionary cites the first use of the word with that meaning in the song Somewhere there's Music by G. Lea: "I turn on [sc. smoke marijuana] a little and I get way out." 

An illustration of a pig offering a fish to a cow and chicken. 

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Time-sharing is either when a person gets the right to use and a fraction of the title or right to use for a period of time. These can include condos, cruises, campground, planes and range from $500 to $85,000. It started in the 1960s in Europe for resort condos so people could afford to go on nice vacations.

Red text on a white background surrounded by a ring made of blue and white squares. 

“Tie the bull outside” is a jokey way of saying “leave the nonsense at the door,” with bull standing in for bullshit—a euphemism in use since the early 20th century. The line shows up early in pop culture, notably on a Mutt & Jeff tobacco insert titled “Tie That Bull Outside” (Kinney Brothers T88, c. 1906–1910). Collector lists suggest the quip was already a familiar punchline by the 1910s.

The phrase took on political overtones in 1912, when Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive “Bull Moose” Party made headlines. Bud Fisher, creator of Mutt & Jeff, riffed on this by drawing Mutt telling Roosevelt to “tie his bull outside,” and the expression came to signal disbelief or rejection. It even appears in literature: in John Dos Passos’s Three Soldiers (1921), a patient’s claim that the war is over draws the reply, “Tie that bull outside.”

As a pin-back, the slogan works as a mid-century “ice-breaker” button: a quick, cheeky way to call out exaggerated talk. Collectors often connect versions of the button to the post-1912 Bull Moose moment, reading them as playful parodies rather than official campaign pieces. Fisher is credited with multiple variations of the design, sometimes seen alongside the popular “I’m the guy” buttons from Hassan Cigarettes.

An illustration of the planet earth with yellow text circling it on a red background.

Stop the World-I Want to Get Off is a musical that was co-written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley. Both individuals worked on the music, lyrics, and accompanying book for the production. The musical debuted in England in 1961 and falls in the comedy and parody genre.

The musical itself centers around the main character Littlechaps’ life, following him from birth to death. At various points during the musical, particularly when Littlchap is going through bad experiences, he will stop the world. In these moments, Littlechap will break the fourth wall and address the audience. This act of stopping the world and wanting to leave during unsavory experiences is what inspired the title. Since this time, stop the world has become a common phrase in the English language when things are not going well for someone.

An illustration of the Alfred E. Neuman holding an umbrella, with rain coming down within it. To the right of the illustration is black and red text on a white background. 

Mad magazine was first published in New York in 1952. The magazine is known for it's humourous parodies that poke fun at American culture. It has helped shape the sense of humour of generations.

An illustration of a car driving away with blue text above the illustration. Everything is set on red background.

The use of the verb "split" came in to the vernacular in the 1950s when it became popular among the hipsters of the beat generation. To say that one is going to "split" means that they are going to leave a place, preferably as fast as possible.