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Grinning Cat's definitions

pence

(v.) to avoid answering a question, as exemplified by Indiana Governor Mike Pence in his interview on "This Week" on March 29, 2015, about the broad "religious freedom" bill he signed.
Examples of pencing:

George Stephanopoulos: "Yes or no: If a florist in Indiana refuses to serve a gay couple at their wedding, is that legal now in Indiana?"
Mike Pence: "George, this is where this debate has gone."

"Is that true or not?"
"George, look, the issue here is that, y'know..."

"Yes or no: should it be legal to discriminate against gays and lesbians?"
"George, you're following the mantra of the last week online, and you're trying to make the issue about something else."
by Grinning Cat April 1, 2015
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Christmahannukwanzadan

A term that, while an attempt to be inclusive of various winter holidays and "festivals of light", also displays ignorance that Ramadan has no connection with the seasons of the solar year. Ramadan (a month of major religious observances within the Islamic lunar calendar) moves backwards through the solar calendar about eleven days every year.

In some years Ramadan gains visibility as it is coincidentally observed near the winter "holiday season", but it actually keeps cycling through the seasons.
In 2010 Ramadan spanned parts of August and September.
In 2011 Ramadan will fall approximately between August 1 and August 29 or 30.
This demonstrates that "Christmahannukwanzadan" illogically groups Ramadan with winter holidays.
by Grinning Cat December 27, 2010
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anticronym

Another name for "RAS syndrome" (short for Redundant Acronym Syndrome syndrome) -- redundantly using a word in connection with an acronym or initialism that already contains the word. "ATM machine" is an example: the phrase literally refers to an "Automatic Teller Machine machine".
Enter your PIN number when the ATM machine prompts for it on the LCD display.
(That sentence contains several anticronyms.)
by Grinning Cat January 6, 2015
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ain't

am not, are not, is not; have not, has not; do not, does not, did not.
"Ain't" ain't a word 'cause "ain't" ain't in the dictionary.
by Grinning Cat January 8, 2013
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eye-literate

How you might feel when you want to use a word in conversation that you're familiar with in reading and writing, you know perfectly well what it means, but you've never heard it spoken, and have no idea how to pronounce it.
"It doesn't matter how many times you click on Font Color. Changing red text to red again won't make a difference. It's eye-dem-... id-em-..." (thinking, "How the *$%^& do you pronounce 'idempotent'??? Guess that makes me eye-literate.")
by Grinning Cat November 4, 2016
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snail

(from snail mail)

(v.) to send (a letter, card, or package) via physical mail; to mail or post (a tangible object) using a postal service. Bills and junk mail are perhaps the most common items snailed, but people snail personal letters and items as well.
I snailed my aunt a CD of Richard Clayderman, her favorite pianist.
by Grinning Cat December 27, 2010
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Dominator Culture

A model of culture and human relations based on hierarchy, ranking, power, and control. Masculinity is equated with control, conquest, and violence: men dominating women and children.

Opposite to Partnership Culture.

In a domination system...

Humans are flawed and dangerous.

Difference is equated with superiority or inferiority.

Power is used to control and destroy through hierarchies of domination.

Competition means "dog eat dog"; "every man for himself".

People cooperate to dominate others.

Huge gaps between haves and have-nots

Nature is a resource to be dominated, depleted and polluted.

Morality of insensitivity, control, and coercion.

(Based on the Center for Partnership Studies' summary of points from Riane Eisler's _The Power of Partnership_ and David Korten's _The Great Turning_)
Dominator culture teaches all of us that the core of our identity is defined by the will to dominate and control others. We are taught that this will to dominate is more biologically hardwired in males than in females. In actuality, dominator culture teaches us that we are all natural-born killers but that males are more able to realize the predator role. In the dominator model the pursuit of external power, the ability to manipulate and control others, is what matters most. When culture is based on a dominator model, not only will it be violent but it will frame all relationships as power struggles.
(bell hooks)
by Grinning Cat March 28, 2013
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