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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Powerglide

An Autobot - one of the Generation 1 Series 2 mini-Autobots. He transforms into a microlight aircraft of some sort. His personality is confident and cocky, and in the cartoons this sometimes gets him into trouble.
He has a starring role in an episode called "The Girl who Loved Powerglide".

He also appears in the comics. He makes his debut as one of Blaster's team who are fighting Lord Straxus near Polyhex.
by Andy May 02, 2004
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SuperSmoofy

by andy September 04, 2004
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manager of ideas

Customers at nightclubs who assume this position have free reign to redesign the club to their liking and also all the bouncers must follow their orders.
Dom appointed himself the manager of ideas at the velvet dog and thus the bouncer did not kick him out of the club when he put a plant in the toilet bowel.
by Andy March 14, 2005
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cathexis

The formation of a libidinal investment. The attachment of oneself to a particular external element or a particular alignment of discourse, a role, etc. through the rearticulation of psychological desires/drives which are already present.

The verb for is "to cathect".
His frustration with his father was repressed, but re-emerged through a cathexis in relation to his boss.
by Andy May 07, 2004
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V'Ka

Capital of the Maakenmire. Unknown to most followers of the Lone Wolf series (unless of course they happen to have the Magnamund Companion), the Maakenmire is home to an intelligent species of reptilians, and V'Ka, hidden in the swamp, is their capital.

It is also the home of the Gourgaz, often used as lieutenants in the armies of the Darklands, and of numerous rare herbs and the like.
It is left a mystery whether these intelligent reptilians are in fact the Gourgaz, or whether they are related to them in some way. It is at least conceivable that the Darklord-aligned Gourgaz are renegades or have been tricked or induced in some way.
by Andy April 25, 2004
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