Peter Kobs's definitions

Health Care Riot

1. An angry, sometimes violent, demonstration against health care reform at the local level.

2. A mob that turns out at a Congressional "Town Hall" meeting to oppose the President Obama's health care reform initiative. Many such mobs are organized in advance by conservative lobbying groups supported by the pharmaceutical and insurance industries.

3. A loud, boisterous act of political opposition designed to overwhelm the conversation about health care reform by using shouting and physical intimidation.

John actually supports health care reform, but he wasn't able to speak because the Town Hall Meeting turned into a Health Care Riot.

by Peter Kobs August 7, 2009

Spillonomics

1. A scientific way to calculate the true costs of massive oil spills, such as the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Spillonomics was conceived shortly after the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Sadly, it has become a major growth industry in the last 21 years.

Unlike other methods favored by the petroleum industry, Spillonomics takes into account both short-term clean-up costs AND long-term costs related to marine ecosystems, tourism, fishing, coastal employment, real estate values and water quality.

2. Dick Cheney's latest nightmare.

I'm majoring in Spillonomics. My uncle at Halliburton is livid. Serves him right!

by Peter Kobs June 1, 2010

The Great Disruption

1. A frightening new historical era that began in 2008 with the crash of world economies and the simultaneous collapse of trust in governing institutions. 2. A wrenching shift in human society resulting from 50 years of unsustainable development, over-population, environmental degredation, economic injustice and rapid resource depletion. 3. The growing realization that sophisticated "financial engineering" cannot solve the growing list of real-world problems.

The Great Disruption could be the biggest challenge in human history since the collapse of the Roman Empire in 466 A.D.

by Peter Kobs March 9, 2009

Certainty Pimp

Someone who sells "certainty" on a particular issue to gain money or power -- usually a politician, pundit or preacher. Certainty Pimps don't like shades of gray because they force people to think for themselves.

Did you see that Certainty Pimp on TV? He says the recent cold snap is proof that global warming is a complete hoax.

by Peter Kobs January 17, 2009

Fear Profiteer

1. Someone who stands to gain power, influence or funding by spreading fear in the general population. 2. A sophisticated type of 21st century fear monger who uses PR methods to generate panic, doubt and free-floating anxiety. 3. Dick Cheney and his ilk.

Thanks to that Fear Profiteer in Wyoming, all shampoo bottles will be banned on U.S. flights.

by Peter Kobs July 17, 2009

Notirement

1. The new era of "no retirement" for Baby Boomers who lost big on Wall Street; 2. The unpleasant choice between ceaseless work and late-life poverty.

After the market crashed in '08, Jane started planning for her notirement years.

by Peter Kobs February 1, 2009

Dunk Flunk

1. What happens when an over-confident basketball player tries to make a spectacular flying "dunk" but fails to score.

2. The kind of show-boating that enrages college coaches.

3. An embarrassing act of athletic incompetence.

Coach: "We would'a won that game if Hakeem hadn't tried that ridiculous dunk flunk in the second period. Arrrggghhh!"

Athletic Director: "I think I'm going to be sick now."

by Peter Kobs March 26, 2010