Definitions by Fearman
Euro
Currency in use in the greater part of the European Union since January 2nd, 2002. Adopted on that date by a core group of twelve countries: Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, Germany, Finland, Austria, Italy and Greece. The Euro has been adopted more recently by Slovenia, and subsequently (and jointly) by Malta and Cyprus. It is therefore a single currency for some 317 million Europeans, or more than the total population of the United States. Slovakia is set to adopt the Euro at the start of 2009, followed by Lithuania a year later and Estonia at the start of 2011, with other mainly eastern European states following not too long afterwards.
Coins in the currency are marked on one side with a representation of Europe (or the globe on copper coins) and on the obverse with a national design that varies between countries and often between denominations within a country; all versions are of course legal tender within the Euro zone. 1, 2 and 5 cent coins are of copper plated steel. 10, 20 and 50 cent coins are of an alloy known as Nordic Gold for its colour but in fact are gold free. 1 Euro coins have are two-toned, with a cupronickel centre and a surrounding nickel brass ring, a design reversed on the 2 Euro coin.
Bank notes are standardised across the Euro zone and feature representations of different styles of windows and bridges symbolic of the openness of the unifying European culture, with more modern architectural styles represented on higher denomination notes.
The Euro started off within a cent of parity with the US dollar; the exchange rate at the time of writing is approaching one Euro to one US dollar and fifty cents. Various countries in the Far East have expressed a preference for the Euro over the dollar as a unit of international currency.
Coins in the currency are marked on one side with a representation of Europe (or the globe on copper coins) and on the obverse with a national design that varies between countries and often between denominations within a country; all versions are of course legal tender within the Euro zone. 1, 2 and 5 cent coins are of copper plated steel. 10, 20 and 50 cent coins are of an alloy known as Nordic Gold for its colour but in fact are gold free. 1 Euro coins have are two-toned, with a cupronickel centre and a surrounding nickel brass ring, a design reversed on the 2 Euro coin.
Bank notes are standardised across the Euro zone and feature representations of different styles of windows and bridges symbolic of the openness of the unifying European culture, with more modern architectural styles represented on higher denomination notes.
The Euro started off within a cent of parity with the US dollar; the exchange rate at the time of writing is approaching one Euro to one US dollar and fifty cents. Various countries in the Far East have expressed a preference for the Euro over the dollar as a unit of international currency.
Hal
1. The HAL-9000 computer, guardian of the spacecraft Discovery in the novels and films of 2001: A Space Odyssey and its sequel, 2010. First activated at the HAL plant in Urbana, Illinois on January 12, 1997 (or 1992 in the film version). HAL is short for Heuristic ALgorithmic, and not derived by moving one letter back from the initials of IBM, as some have suggested. HAL's apparently psychotic behaviour in 2001 is revealed in the novel, and in either version of 2010, to have been a result of a neurosis arising from conflicts between his programming to accurately input, analyse and output information, and the demands of national security mandated by the Pentagon.
2. Any troublesome, wary or otherwise bloody-mindedly unhelpful computer.
2. Any troublesome, wary or otherwise bloody-mindedly unhelpful computer.
Bushaholic
Someone who persists in believing that the American head of state from 2001 to 2009 was God's gift to the world, and won't be weaned off that belief by anything.
Bushaholic by Fearman February 24, 2008
Lightning bitch
Or lightnin' bitch. Irish expression for a woman who is truly impossible, vile, sniping and otherwise waaay beyond disagreeable.
She left him outside the locked door in the rain for four hours because she wanted to clip her nails then screamed at him because on top of the other groceries, which were drenched, he'd forgotten to bring home the custard powder. What a lightning bitch.
Lightning bitch by Fearman February 24, 2008
verb the whole object
A snowclone often used in New Age, pseudoscientific or borderline fields to cast a warm glow over the enterprise in question. Meant to imply, usually fallaciously, that the real scientists or professionals are missing out on something that their clients urgently need, or at least want very very badly but for some arcane reason are unable or afraid to articulate.
Examples of phrases using the "verb the whole object" construction would be:
"Alternative" practitioners treat the whole patient. (Unlike those bloody doctors, of course.)
Home birth widwifes read the whole woman.
Organic caterers use the whole plant. (I wonder if they make rhubarb crumble).
"Alternative" practitioners treat the whole patient. (Unlike those bloody doctors, of course.)
Home birth widwifes read the whole woman.
Organic caterers use the whole plant. (I wonder if they make rhubarb crumble).
verb the whole object by Fearman February 23, 2008