Definitions by Fearman
yuppie's necktie fallacy
Fallacious belief that something must be good because you shelled out a lot of money for it. From the joke about two nouveau-riche types who are standing next to each other at a party wearing identical ties. One says, "I got this tie for five hundred Euro". The other says, "That's nothing. I got mine for at least two thousand Euro." Not to be confused with the principal that if you buy cheap, you get cheap ... for a yuppie's necktie is never cheap.
Don't spend a hundred grand on a car. Only those who can't see through the yuppie's necktie fallacy do that.
yuppie's necktie fallacy by Fearman September 16, 2007
kitchen sink
Used in expressions to describe work in which all conceivable (and some inconceivable) sources have been mined; such figures of speech might include "everything except the kitchen sink", "everything and the kitchen sink", and so on. Used in an in-joke in Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith, in which one of the objects spinning into one of the cruisers in the opening Battle of Coruscant is, according to George Lucas, a (CG)kitchen sink.
kitchen sink by Fearman September 10, 2007
quack-my-ass clause
Advice invariably found in the literature handed out by purveyors of so-called "alternative" or "complementary" medicine, in which customers intending to buy quackery are advised to check with their GPs first to find what "mainstream medicine" has to say.
The venomous diatribes against real medicine, and science and rationality in general, behind the closed doors of the "alternative" movement should tell you all you need to know about the sincerity of the quack-my-ass clause. On the face of it, it sounds obvious, egalitiarian and big-hearted. However, the real intention of the advice is to ensure that if anyone dies or is incapacitated by taking the quack's advice or products (or by swearing off real medicine, which may not be advised on the packaging but is a stock in trade in the "alternative" industry), if the matter comes to court the quack's lawyer can claim that the product or the service was misused; obviously, they didn't check with their GP, how unfortunate, it's not our fault.
Besides, the quack knows perfectly well their client is unlikely to see their GP or specialist about whatever the problem is, or if they do they won't pay much attention to their advice. If they did, they wouldn't be coming to the quack in the first place.
The venomous diatribes against real medicine, and science and rationality in general, behind the closed doors of the "alternative" movement should tell you all you need to know about the sincerity of the quack-my-ass clause. On the face of it, it sounds obvious, egalitiarian and big-hearted. However, the real intention of the advice is to ensure that if anyone dies or is incapacitated by taking the quack's advice or products (or by swearing off real medicine, which may not be advised on the packaging but is a stock in trade in the "alternative" industry), if the matter comes to court the quack's lawyer can claim that the product or the service was misused; obviously, they didn't check with their GP, how unfortunate, it's not our fault.
Besides, the quack knows perfectly well their client is unlikely to see their GP or specialist about whatever the problem is, or if they do they won't pay much attention to their advice. If they did, they wouldn't be coming to the quack in the first place.
Ah, here's the booklet; 123 symptoms this product may be able to cure, 256 further lists of types of people the product may be able to help, 25 more natural products from the same factory that might be able to balance your energies and so on, and, oh yes, the quack-my-ass clause.
quack-my-ass clause by Fearman September 10, 2007
homopedobestiapyronecrophilliac
Now there's a foul stench coming from the farm just after the cow has calved, he's going down to the farm with matches and all the rest of his stuff; he's a homopedobestiapyronecrophilliac.
homopedobestiapyronecrophilliac by Fearman September 7, 2007
auromontanomoriphobia
Morbid fear of Rube Goldberg devices, elaborate systems built from everyday objects to convey mechanical energy across a given distance.
The candle burns the string which releases the hammer to knock the golf ball down the chute where it sends the row of nails rolling on their heads into each other and then ... oh NOOOOOOOO!!!!! I've got auromontanomoriphobia, get me out of here!
auromontanomoriphobia by Fearman September 7, 2007
Cuban Missile Crisis
1) When Elian Gonzalez's family ran out of things to throw at the cops.
2) When the USA under JFK narrowly avoided an eldritch rendezvous with destiny.
2) When the USA under JFK narrowly avoided an eldritch rendezvous with destiny.
Cuban Missile Crisis by Fearman September 7, 2007
racist
1) Anyone who claims that people of different skin colours can't get their asses out of bed in the morning. Typically someone who can't be bothered getting his or her own ass out of bed in the morning.
2) Term thrown back at anyone who DARES to criticise Jews or Moslems.
2) Term thrown back at anyone who DARES to criticise Jews or Moslems.