downsizing

This is corporate slang for sacking workers, used to avoid actually admitting that this is what you're doing.

Workers beware! They think they can stop us fighting back by using these kinds of words so we don't figure out what they're up to until it's too late.
The company is committed to a long-term project of downsizing and restructuring in response to changes in the world market.
by Andy April 27, 2004
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Jazzy

man i feel jazzy today.
by andy August 31, 2003
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Noldor

In Tolkien's work, a clan of elves skilled in mining and smithywork, who went west (along with the Vanyar and Teleri) in the early days of the First Age, and settled in a city called Tirion in Eldamar. They were close to the Vanya Aule. However, many of the Noldor returned to Middle-Earth after strife in Valinor caused partly by the machinations of Morgoth. They are also known as deep-elves and (in Tolkien's early work) gnomes.

The original king of the Noldor, Finwe, was slain by Morgoth while still in Valinor, but not until his three sons had begun to fight. The eldest son, Feanor, was the maker of beautiful and powerful jewels called Silmarils, and he was jealous towards his brothers, who he feared wished to usurp his position as Finwe's heir. When Morgoth stole the Silmarils, Feanor, who grew suspicious of the Valar, led a large section of the Noldor in pursuit, and was joined by Fingolfin and his sons. Some of the Noldor, under the third son Finarfin, remained in Eldamar.

The Noldor were put under a curse by the Valar after slaying some of their kin, the Teleri, while trying to steal boats to sail to Middle-Earth. Nevertheless, they became the major power in Beleriand for most of the First Age, and the growth and battles of their realms are the main focus of the Silmarillion. This history was, however, one of feuding and dispair.

Of the elves appearing in other works, only Galadriel is of the Noldor.
The kings of the Noldor in Middle-Earth included the sons of Feanor (Maedhros, Maglor, Curufin, Celegorm, Caranthir, Amrod and Amras); Finrod Felagund, son of Fingolfin; and Turgon, son of Finarfin. Galadriel, sister of Finrod, later became ruler of Lorien.

Relations between the Noldor and other peoples such as the Sindar are portrayed in the Silmarillion as rather fraught.
by Andy April 26, 2004
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beah

We get beah weed from him.
by Andy September 18, 2003
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Vanyar

In JRR Tolkien's Silmarillion, the Vanyar or High-Elves are a clan of elves who remain in Valinor when the Noldor return to Middle-Earth. They are described as the most beautiful of the Elves and the closest to the Valar.
The Vanyar return to Middle Earth only once, when they join the Valar in the battle which finally defeats Morgoth.
by Andy April 26, 2004
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Outer Mongolia

If an event is said to occur in Outer Mongolia, it quite often means it happens somewhere obscure and hard to find.

If a person is "sent to Outer Mongolia", it means they are effectively relieved of all real power and influence and given a symbolically important but practically meaningless post.

The term refers to the state of Mongolia (in east Asia), a sparsely populated and geopolitically insignificant country inbetween China and Russia. It had a revolution in the early 1920s and effectively became a Soviet satellite state, while never actually being incorporated into the USSR (a model of the later policy in eastern Europe). Although officially designated "Mongolia", it is sometimes called Outer Mongolia because a region known as Inner Mongolia is part of the state of China.

The term gained its present uses because the Soviet foreign minister Molotov, after being relieved of his duties, was appointed as ambassador to Mongolia. This was a pointless role because, being a puppet state and politically insignificant, there were no problematic issues for a diplomat in Mongolia to take care of. In effect, Molotov was sacked but without losing his status or perks; he was simply taken away from the centre of power. This happened in the early years of the Khrushchev regime, soon after the death of Stalin, because Molotov and several others had lost out in bids to become General Secretary (i.e. top dog). Rather than have his rivals shot once they were defeated, Khrushchev adopted the policy of shunting them off into useless and powerless but well-paid posts (another rival, Malenkov, was made head of a factory in Siberia).

(By the way, yes Molotov did invent the "cocktail" which bears his name - he was responsible for mass-producing them in lemonade factories during World War II).
Clare Short was sent to Outer Mongolia in the Cabinet reshuffle, being sent to the Department for Overseas Aid.

I can't believe they put this lecture in Outer Mongolia (i.e. on the far side of the campus from the usual venue).
by Andy April 21, 2004
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Noice

It has came from the word nice, but pronounced nooice
"did u see that tv program, it was Noice!!!"
by Andy August 29, 2004
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