Jrob 's definitions

Supermarionation

Supermarionation (a portmanteau of "super", "marionette" and "animation") is a puppetry technique devised in the 1960s by British production company AP Films. It was used extensively in the company's numerous Gerry and Sylvia Anderson-produced action-adventure series, the most famous of which was Thunderbirds. The term was coined by Gerry Anderson, possibly in imitation of Ray Harryhausen's stop motion technique.

Thunderbirds is a British mid-1960s television show devised by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and made by AP Films using a form of puppetry dubbed "Supermarionation".

by JRob April 15, 2007

hotelling

An office setup in which mobile workers do not have permanent desks or cubicles and so must reserve a workspace when they come into the office.

Consultant #1: I spend so much time at customer sites that I don't need an office.

Consultant #2: Welcome to the Wild World of Hotelling!

by JRob October 26, 2005

tarantism

(TAR-uhn-tiz-uhm)- An uncontrollable urge to dance - After Taranto, a town in southern Italy where this phenomenon was experienced during the 15-17th centuries. It's not clear whether tarantism was the symptom of a spider's bite or its cure, or it may have been just a pretext to dodge a
prohibition against dancing. The names of the dance tarantella and the spider tarantula are both derived from the same place.

"The director is in a wild delirium, spinning in circles as though stricken with tarantism, his whirring camera held at arm's length, panning, tilting, arcing and oscillating and making other moves that have no name."

by JRob August 25, 2006

familymoon

A honeymoon in which the bride and groom also bring their children from previous marriages.

With three birthdays, a wedding and a "familymoon," we've had a lot of celebrations in our family lately.

by JRob October 7, 2005

cashtray

A car ashtray that has been repurposed as a coinholder.

Here comes another toll - open the cashtray!

by JRob July 13, 2005

smoking memo

A memo, letter, or e-mail message that contains irrefutable evidence of a crime. Similar to finding the "smoking gun" at a murder scene.

The investigators were elated to find smoking memos showing that Enron plotted to manipulate Western electrical prices in last year's crisis.

by JRob November 18, 2005

lifehack

A tool or technique that makes some aspect of one's life easier or more efficient.

Web sites now exist, where lifehacker (followers of the movement) can trade lifehacks - suggestions on how to reduce chaos and make their lives more enjoyable.

by JRob December 7, 2005