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Entry from November 14, 2007
WD-40 (White Democrat Over 40)

WD-40 is a popular lubricant, often used in Texas. In 2003, some Texas Democrats referred to themselves as the “WD-40s” (White Democrats Over 40). The WD-40 company actually sent the Democrats a letter alleging trademark infringement.  The term “Anglo Democrat” is now sometimes used.
   
The joke about WD-40 (“for things that should move, but don’t”) and duct tape (“for things that do move, but shouldn’t”) dates to the 1990s.
   
   
Wikipedia: WD-40
WD-40 is the trademark of a widely used penetrating oil (cleaner, lubricant and anti-corrosive solution) spray. It was developed in 1953 by Norm Larsen (then working for the Rocket Chemical Company) to eliminate water and prevent corrosion on electrical circuitry. It also has many household uses.
 
WD-40 stands for “Water Displacement, 40th attempt”, a name which came from Larsen’s laboratory notebook. Larsen was attempting to concoct a formula to prevent corrosion by displacing water, and arrived at the formula on his 40th attempt. One myth is that “WD” stands for “war department”.
 
WD-40 was first used by Convair to protect the outer skin of the Atlas missile from rust and corrosion. The product first became commercially available on store shelves in San Diego in 1958.
 
Wikipedia: Ardmore, Oklahoma
Ardmore is an important business, cultural and tourist destination city, as well as the county seat of Carter County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2006 census estimates, the city had a population of 24,535, while the Ardmore micropolitan statistical area totaled 56,665. Ardmore is located 90 miles equidistant from Oklahoma City and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas at the junction of Interstate 35 and U.S. Route 70, and is generally considered the hub of the 10-county region in South Central Oklahoma, also known as Arbuckle Country and Lake & Trail Country.
(...)
Ardmore gained relative notoriety in May of 2003 when the 51 Democrats from the Texas Legislature defected to Ardmore as to avoid a hotly-contested redistricting battle, which inevitably led to a case that was settled in June 2006 by the U.S. Supreme Court.     
   
Google Groups: his.internet.users
Newsgroups: his.internet.users, dc.general
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (David Paper)
Date: 1996/09/06
Subject: Re: Bell Atlantic replies!
 
“One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop.”
 
Google Groups: alt.education.research
Newsgroups: alt.education.research, k12.chat.teacher, k12.ed.math, k12.ed.science
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (James David Button)
Date: 1996/11/11
Subject: Re: Why are we worse in math & science than foreign nations? 
 
If it moves and shouldn’t, use duct tape.
If it doesn’t move and should, use WD-40.
 
Dave Button—Science Department
Osbourn Park High School
Prince William County Public Schools
8909 Euclid Avenue
Manassas, Virginia, 22111  
   
Associated Press Online (May 26, 2003)
WD-40 Objects to Texas Democrats’ Moniker
Dateline: AUSTIN, Texas
Talk about slippery politicians.
 
The makers of the lubricant WD-40 are objecting to some Texas lawmakers calling themselves “the WD-40s”—a name they say describes them because they’re white Democrats over 40.
 
The group entered the spotlight two weeks ago when they were among 51 Democrats who fled Texas to Ardmore, Okla., in protest of a Republican-pushed congressional redistricting bill. Republicans hold the majority in the state Legislature.
 
“It is extremely important to WD-40 Company that its trademark not be associated with any ... ” 
 
The Trademark Blog
Democrats, WD-40 and Duct Tape
Via NameProtect, an article on WD-40 protesting slippery Texas Democrats referring to themselves as the WD-40s.  Another article here.
 
WD-40’s slogan is “We Live Under The Sink, In The Garage and in the Toolboxes of the World.”
 
Attorney General Ashcroft is credited with popularizing the expression that you only need two things in life, duct tape for things that move that shouldn’t and WD-40 for things that don’t move that should.
Posted by Marty on May 28, 2003 03:27 PM
 
Texas Observer
Remember the Holiday Inn!
Democrats make a run across the border to save the state from Tom DeLay
Jake Bernstein June 06, 2003
(...)
Inside the war room, Anglo Democrats (who called themselves WD-40s for White Democrats Over 40 until the owner of the trademark sent a threatening letter urging them to stop), urban blacks, and South Texas Hispanics found common cause with each other for the first time.
 
Austin Chronicle (July 18, 2003)
Laney, a House member for 30 years, is among the dozen or so remaining white Democrats who represent mostly rural districts. This session the group has become known informally as the “WD-40s”—white Democrats over 40 years old—in the wake of a joke improvised by Laredo Rep. Richard Raymond during the House budget debate. “What do you guys think about that?” Raymond recalls asking nearby colleagues Dan Ellis of Livingston, Robby Cook of Eagle Lake, and Allan Ritter of Nederland. “What’s the position of the WD-40s?” The nickname stuck and even gained a bit of comic notoriety after the WD-40 Company sent a “cease-and-desist” letter complaining of potential trademark violations. Republican “Rural White Boys” Rick Hardcastle of Vernon and Dennis Bonnen of Angleton and San Antonio Dem Trey Martinez Fischer responded on the WD-40s’ behalf, suggesting among other things that the company instead be thankful so many rural Texans use its products. 
 
Off the Kuff
January 08, 2004
Watch them scramble
(...)
“WD-40s” refers to white Democrats over the age of 40, a term coined by several Killer Ds in Ardmore and used by them until the manufacturer of the lubricant by the same name sent them a
cease-and-desist letter. Only in Texas.
   
Austin American-Statesman
TEXAS POLITICS
Eagle Lake’s Cook to retire from Legislature
State Rep. Robert “Robby” Cook III wants to devote time to family farm.
By Laylan Copelin
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
State Rep. Robert “Robby” Cook III, one of the so-called WD 40s (white Democrat, over 40) who held his battleground district in the Democratic column despite repeated challenges, is retiring.
   
(Trademark)
Word Mark WD-40
Goods and Services IC 002. US 016. G & S: RUST PREVENTION AND CORROSION CONTROL, PROTECTIVE AND DECORATIVE COATINGS. FIRST USE: 19570107. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19570510
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 72050730
Filing Date April 30, 1958
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Registration Number 0670503
Registration Date December 2, 1958
Owner (REGISTRANT) ROCKET CHEMICAL COMPANY CORPORATION CALIFORNIA 4674 ALVARADO CANYON ROAD SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA
(LAST LISTED OWNER) WD-40 COMPANY CORPORATION BY CHANGE OF NAME FROM CALIFORNIA 1061 CUDAHY PLACE SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA 92110
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15.
Renewal 2ND RENEWAL 19980910
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE

Posted by Barry Popik
Texas (Lone Star State Dictionary) • Wednesday, November 14, 2007 • Permalink


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