Grinning Cat's definitions

pence

(v.) to avoid answering a question, as exemplified by Indiana Governor Mike Pence in his interview on "This Week" on March 29, 2015, about the broad "religious freedom" bill he signed.

Examples of pencing:

George Stephanopoulos: "Yes or no: If a florist in Indiana refuses to serve a gay couple at their wedding, is that legal now in Indiana?"
Mike Pence: "George, this is where this debate has gone."

"Is that true or not?"
"George, look, the issue here is that, y'know..."

"Yes or no: should it be legal to discriminate against gays and lesbians?"
"George, you're following the mantra of the last week online, and you're trying to make the issue about something else."

by Grinning Cat April 1, 2015

endorphin walrus

Someone who's intensely, happily sated, such as after great food or sex, to the point that they can't do anything more than flop around.

(As used by Elsa Moriarty in cracked.com's "The 6 Most Counterproductive PSAs of All Time")

"You're spent after most anything fun, from sex to exercise to an intense round of Mega Man 2. That satisfied, post-coital and -foodal period is one of the best parts of the experience -- when every desire has been sated, and you're so happy you can do nothing but flop around like an endorphin walrus."

by Grinning Cat March 7, 2012

slut

A person who enjoys sex like a man but will be shamed or ridiculed for it because they're a woman.

See also: double standard, hypocrisy

That definition comes from a bumper sticker by sexologist Dr. Jill McDevitt, www.thesexologist.org

Also consider that there's no masculine equivalent to this common use of "slut". Men are instead admired for wanting and having lots of sex!

by Grinning Cat November 6, 2013

serial monogamy

The custom or practice of having one mate at a time. Each relationship may be serious and committed, or not. The term is used in contrast with strict "monogamy", which can imply just one partner over a lifetime.

Not to be confused with cereal monogamy.

People who remarry (and who have exclusive relationships, and who don't cheat) are practicing serial monogamy.

by Grinning Cat January 19, 2015

noise-to-signal ratio

The proportion of irrelevant, off-topic, inflammatory, nonsensical, spammy, screaming, content-free, trolling, or otherwise useless statements to actual useful, worthwhile communication.

From the informal sense of signal to noise ratio, but inverted to emphasize the "noise".

"That discussion board used to be a great place to talk about politics, but now the noise-to-signal ratio is through the roof!"

"Typically, a demagogue actually benefits from nonsensical, contradictory and inflammatory statements and agendas. Ironically, the higher the noise-to-signal ratio, the more effective they become since any useful information would actually rein them in."
(adapted from Raul and JonG)

by Grinning Cat October 10, 2012

feline maneuver

A slip, mistake, or unintentional move, followed through with confidence and panache as if it were intended all along. Cats are masters of this: a cat might leap and miss, then calmly look at you as if to say "Yeah, I meant to do that."

"What's the band doing? That's weird... and interesting!"
"I've never heard them play it that way before; maybe it's a feline maneuver."
"Think they'll do it that way on the CD?"

by Grinning Cat January 6, 2008

undervote

Voting for fewer candidates than the number of open positions. Electronic voting machines usually highlight undervotes to remind the voter that they can choose to vote for more people.

There were ten people running for five City Council at-large seats, but I only cared about electing two. Because this was an undervote, the voting machine kept flashing a red light in that section of the ballot, but I didn't choose any more names.

by Grinning Cat April 18, 2008