Definitions by WMH01

gone down the tubes

Completely ruined, lost, or wasted, with no way to retrieve it, often used to describe old neighborhoods or iconic cultural eras that faded away into corporate spaces.

"The old, gritty 1970s punk scene in NYC has officially gone down the tubes."

gone down the tubes by WMH01 June 15, 2026

bricked

Derived from tech culture (when a smartphone or console updates badly and turns into a useless "brick"), it means something is unfixable and cannot be restarted, often to describe old systems or infrastructure that can never be turned back on.

“The underground pneumatic mail tubes are completely bricked under the city streets.”

bricked by WMH01 June 15, 2026

R. I. P. in the chat

A sarcastic or genuine way to pay respects to something that has died or ended, it’s extensively used in comment sections on videos looking back at old internet culture or vanished physical places.

"R. I. P. in the chat for the paper MetroCard. Tap-to-pay completely took over."

R. I. P. in the chat by WMH01 June 15, 2026

put a nail in the coffin

The final event or decision that officially ends something forevermore, like the exact moment a business finally shuts down.

"The 2017 bankruptcy officially put a nail in the coffin for the original retail Toys "R" Us stores."

put a nail in the coffin by WMH01 June 15, 2026

it’s cooked

Completely ruined, finished, or destroyed with absolutely zero chance of recovery, like when a company goes bankrupt or a beloved venue gets demolished.

"Trying to bring back the original Toys "R" Us space in Times Square? Nah, that dream, it’s cooked."

it’s cooked by WMH01 June 15, 2026

when pigs fly

An expression used to describe a 0% chance of something ever happening. This means that the event is completely impossible, no longer exists, and will never happen.

Example 1:
Person A: "Do you think they'll ever bring back the original Times Square Toys "R" Us with the indoor Ferris wheel?"
Person B: "Yeah, when pigs fly. That space is a Gap now."
Example 2:
Person A: "I'm waiting for the MTA to bring back the V train and paper MetroCards."
Person B: "Keep waiting. That'll happen when pigs fly."

when pigs fly by WMH01 June 15, 2026

stolen future

A term for a beloved location, business, or landmark that is no longer in business or has been abandoned, leaving its cultural potential and planned longevity abruptly cut short by external forces like gentrification, corporate greed, or government intervention. It is the feeling of entering or remembering a space that should still be thriving, but was instead frozen in time forevermore.

Example 1:

“Corporate greed and massive rent hikes gave the Toys "R" Us in Times Square a stolen future. Just like how the local government gave the Happy Tree Friends Bar in Budapest a stolen future by shutting it down to dampen the nightlife.”
Example 2:

“Man, the Toys "R" Us flagship with its giant Ferris wheel and Budapest’s underground Happy Tree Friends Bar both suffered a stolen future. They were too iconic to end so soon.”

stolen future by WMH01 June 15, 2026