running on impulse engines

In the original Star Trek series, whenever the main engines (warp drive) broke down (which was pretty frequent) the Enterprise would only be able to move using "impulse engines" - a low power, sub-lightspeed manouvering system based on a small fusion ram/ion drive.

By inference, someone described as "running on impilse engines" or "impulse power only" is either:

1. Very tired (a.k.a. 'running on empty')

2. Genuinely ill

3. (derog.) Slow and/or stupid.
"Jesus, I've just had to brief the sales guys on the new product.... they're all running on impulse engies up there".

"You want to go for a beer ?"

"No, man, I'm running on impulse engines... got to go home and grab some sleep."
by Eighth of Seven May 24, 2007
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carbon unit

A low-grade worker; a peon. A dumb person doing a dumb job, often in retail, food service, or warehousing.
"I'll get a couple of carbon units to come round tonight and take that junk away."

"One of the carbon units in Goods Inwards tripped over a cable and smashed his arm. "
by Eighth of Seven January 15, 2007
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brain therapy

A slap on the head, usually the back of the head. Not hrd enough to really hurt, but suffient to shake up the recipient more than a little.

Often used in a group of males to "encourage" the one that's always a bit slower than the others.
"So that's three Big Macs, a Quarter pounder, a chicken sandwich .... Jim, what do you want ?"

"Err... a Big - no, one of those fish .... can I have nuggets ? No hang on, something with bacon ....."

<SMACK>

"Make your mind up NOW, unless you want some more brain therapy !"

"Ok, OK, Big Mac and Fries !"
by Eighth of Seven April 09, 2009
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oldthinker

A newspeak word invented by george orwell in his book 1984.

An oldthinker is one who clings to old or outmoded ways of thought. Orwell defines it as, "... typical sentence .... as 'Oldthinkers unbellyfeel Ingsoc'. The shortest rendering that one could make of this in Oldspeak would be: 'Those whose ideas were formed before the Revolution cannot have a full emotional understanding of the principles of English Socialism.' But this is not an adequate translation.....

Used by geeks in a perjorative way about anyone who is not techno-savvy.
"My Dad's a real Oldthinker - he won't even have a mobile phone !"

"Come the Revolution, all you Oldthinkers will be put up against a wall and shot !"
by Eighth of Seven January 15, 2007
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