Definitions by andy
Dearing Report
An entirely fictional account written by a senile drunk old man bribed by the government to write this bullshit about higher education. As made-up as Harry Potter but less fun.
Includes absurd claims such as that charging students over the moon to study will encourage more people to go to university, that the threat of being millions of pounds in debt doesn't stop poor people studying, and that students in ten years time will ride to university on the backs of flying pigs.
Includes absurd claims such as that charging students over the moon to study will encourage more people to go to university, that the threat of being millions of pounds in debt doesn't stop poor people studying, and that students in ten years time will ride to university on the backs of flying pigs.
Dearing is an asshole.
The Dearing Report is a pile of fucking shite.
Dearing should be fucking smoked
The Dearing Report is a pile of fucking shite.
Dearing should be fucking smoked
Dearing Report by Andy April 20, 2004
John Rawls
Political theorist who believes that it is so important to live in a peaceful, tolerant society that all the people who don't agree with his theory of society should be shot.
Somebody who thinks that stringing together the same six phrases made up of different combinations of the same eight words, in a number of different combinations, constitutes a coherent argument.
Inventor of the phrase, "be reasonable, do it my way".
Somebody who thinks that stringing together the same six phrases made up of different combinations of the same eight words, in a number of different combinations, constitutes a coherent argument.
Inventor of the phrase, "be reasonable, do it my way".
John Rawls by Andy April 20, 2004
tankie
A hardline Stalinist. A tankie is a member of a communist group or a "fellow traveller" (sympathiser) who believes fully in the political system of the Soviet Union and defends/defended the actions of the Soviet Union and other accredited states (China, Serbia, etc.) to the hilt, even in cases where other communists criticise their policies or actions. For instance, such a person favours overseas interventions by Soviet-style states, defends these regimes when they engage in human rights violations, and wishes to establish a similar system in other countries such as Britain and America.
The term is used to distinguish the rare individuals with these kinds of beliefs from communists more broadly (including Communist Party members), whose adherence to Soviet doctrine and attachment to existing "socialist" states is somewhat weaker.
It is always more-or-less abusive in the sense that those termed tankies do not use the term themselves, but it doesn't have any particular bite (unlike, say, Trot).
The term derives from the fact that the divisions within the communist movement first arose when the Soviet Union sent tanks into communist Hungary in 1956, to crush an attempt to establish an alternative version of communism which was not embraced by the Russians. Most communists outside the eastern bloc opposed this action and criticised the Soviet Union. The "tankies" were those who said "send the tanks in".
The epithet has stuck because tankies also supported "sending the tanks in" in cases such as Czechoslovakia 1968, Afghanistan 1979, Bosnia and Kosovo/a (in the case of the Serbian state), and so on (whereas the rest of the communist movement has gravitated towards anti-militarism).
The term is used to distinguish the rare individuals with these kinds of beliefs from communists more broadly (including Communist Party members), whose adherence to Soviet doctrine and attachment to existing "socialist" states is somewhat weaker.
It is always more-or-less abusive in the sense that those termed tankies do not use the term themselves, but it doesn't have any particular bite (unlike, say, Trot).
The term derives from the fact that the divisions within the communist movement first arose when the Soviet Union sent tanks into communist Hungary in 1956, to crush an attempt to establish an alternative version of communism which was not embraced by the Russians. Most communists outside the eastern bloc opposed this action and criticised the Soviet Union. The "tankies" were those who said "send the tanks in".
The epithet has stuck because tankies also supported "sending the tanks in" in cases such as Czechoslovakia 1968, Afghanistan 1979, Bosnia and Kosovo/a (in the case of the Serbian state), and so on (whereas the rest of the communist movement has gravitated towards anti-militarism).
I wouldn't be surprised if the tankies even defend Saddam Hussein.
Some of the people round George W Bush used to be left-wing, but they haven't really changed their views much; they were mostly tankies.
Some of the people round George W Bush used to be left-wing, but they haven't really changed their views much; they were mostly tankies.
Outer Mongolia
If an event is said to occur in Outer Mongolia, it quite often means it happens somewhere obscure and hard to find.
If a person is "sent to Outer Mongolia", it means they are effectively relieved of all real power and influence and given a symbolically important but practically meaningless post.
The term refers to the state of Mongolia (in east Asia), a sparsely populated and geopolitically insignificant country inbetween China and Russia. It had a revolution in the early 1920s and effectively became a Soviet satellite state, while never actually being incorporated into the USSR (a model of the later policy in eastern Europe). Although officially designated "Mongolia", it is sometimes called Outer Mongolia because a region known as Inner Mongolia is part of the state of China.
The term gained its present uses because the Soviet foreign minister Molotov, after being relieved of his duties, was appointed as ambassador to Mongolia. This was a pointless role because, being a puppet state and politically insignificant, there were no problematic issues for a diplomat in Mongolia to take care of. In effect, Molotov was sacked but without losing his status or perks; he was simply taken away from the centre of power. This happened in the early years of the Khrushchev regime, soon after the death of Stalin, because Molotov and several others had lost out in bids to become General Secretary (i.e. top dog). Rather than have his rivals shot once they were defeated, Khrushchev adopted the policy of shunting them off into useless and powerless but well-paid posts (another rival, Malenkov, was made head of a factory in Siberia).
(By the way, yes Molotov did invent the "cocktail" which bears his name - he was responsible for mass-producing them in lemonade factories during World War II).
If a person is "sent to Outer Mongolia", it means they are effectively relieved of all real power and influence and given a symbolically important but practically meaningless post.
The term refers to the state of Mongolia (in east Asia), a sparsely populated and geopolitically insignificant country inbetween China and Russia. It had a revolution in the early 1920s and effectively became a Soviet satellite state, while never actually being incorporated into the USSR (a model of the later policy in eastern Europe). Although officially designated "Mongolia", it is sometimes called Outer Mongolia because a region known as Inner Mongolia is part of the state of China.
The term gained its present uses because the Soviet foreign minister Molotov, after being relieved of his duties, was appointed as ambassador to Mongolia. This was a pointless role because, being a puppet state and politically insignificant, there were no problematic issues for a diplomat in Mongolia to take care of. In effect, Molotov was sacked but without losing his status or perks; he was simply taken away from the centre of power. This happened in the early years of the Khrushchev regime, soon after the death of Stalin, because Molotov and several others had lost out in bids to become General Secretary (i.e. top dog). Rather than have his rivals shot once they were defeated, Khrushchev adopted the policy of shunting them off into useless and powerless but well-paid posts (another rival, Malenkov, was made head of a factory in Siberia).
(By the way, yes Molotov did invent the "cocktail" which bears his name - he was responsible for mass-producing them in lemonade factories during World War II).
Clare Short was sent to Outer Mongolia in the Cabinet reshuffle, being sent to the Department for Overseas Aid.
I can't believe they put this lecture in Outer Mongolia (i.e. on the far side of the campus from the usual venue).
I can't believe they put this lecture in Outer Mongolia (i.e. on the far side of the campus from the usual venue).
Outer Mongolia by Andy April 20, 2004
Who killed Farhad Usmanov?
This strangely unqualified question has appeared in sticker, placard and graffiti form all over the place, prompting many to wonder.
The correct answer is Islam Karimov, president of Uzbekistan. Farhad Usmanov is a human rights cause celebre in Uzbekistan because his is the most blatant and the most widely protested of many cases of murder of political opponents by the Uzbek regime.
The stickers etc. seem to be the handiwork of the Muslim fundamentalist group Hizb-ut Tahrir, an insidious organisation committed to human rights violations of other kinds (against Jews, gays, women, etc.), but who object to attacks on fellow Islamists and who therefore have a lot of gripes with the Uzbek government. This government is particularly keen on killing Islamists because they happen to be the main opposition force in the country. Farhad was the son of a cleric.
The correct answer is Islam Karimov, president of Uzbekistan. Farhad Usmanov is a human rights cause celebre in Uzbekistan because his is the most blatant and the most widely protested of many cases of murder of political opponents by the Uzbek regime.
The stickers etc. seem to be the handiwork of the Muslim fundamentalist group Hizb-ut Tahrir, an insidious organisation committed to human rights violations of other kinds (against Jews, gays, women, etc.), but who object to attacks on fellow Islamists and who therefore have a lot of gripes with the Uzbek government. This government is particularly keen on killing Islamists because they happen to be the main opposition force in the country. Farhad was the son of a cleric.
Who killed Farhad Usmanov? by Andy April 20, 2004
Autobot
Heroic TransFormer, a member of the original good faction in TransFormers Generation 1 and several subsequent series. (Known as Seibertons or Cybertrons in Japan, and renamed as Maximals for Beast Wars).
Most Autobots transform into cars and land-based vehicles. Diverse in personality, they are usually given "human" traits in their various depictions (fallible, open to error, with personality differences, etc.). Their political economy is based on generosity and on protecting others, especially the weak. As an army, they seem to have been set up solely to fight the Decepticons, who pre-existed them as a fighting force.
The Autobot insignia is a red head, which looks quite like the head of the Autobot Jazz. In the cartoons, Autobots always fire red laser bolts, distinguishable from the Decepticons' purple bolts.
The Autobots nearly always win, usually because of the Decepticons' arrogance and stupidity, despite their usual inferior starting position (itself pretty strange since Autobot toys and named characters have always outnumbered their Decepticon counterparts). This gives a "moral" dimension to TransFormers stories.
Initially led by Optimus Prime, a strong-willed and steadfast yet also self-questioning and insecure Autobot who transformed into a lorry cab. Later led by a number of characters including Rodimus Prime, Ultra Magnus and Fortress Maximus.
Eventually won the war on Earth (where both sides had crashed), apparently due to their cooperation with humans. Were attempting to re-take Cybertron (long a Decepticon preserve) when Unicron struck in Transformers: The Movie. Later took over and rejuvenated Cybertron in series 3 (and after, in Japan) of the cartoon, although in the comics, the war on Cybertron continues indefinitely. (One obscure comic strip in an annual depicts the Autobots eventually winning the war, only to start fighting one another over who was to rule the spoils... hardly in character for the Autobots, probably written by a Hobbesian).
Most Autobots transform into cars and land-based vehicles. Diverse in personality, they are usually given "human" traits in their various depictions (fallible, open to error, with personality differences, etc.). Their political economy is based on generosity and on protecting others, especially the weak. As an army, they seem to have been set up solely to fight the Decepticons, who pre-existed them as a fighting force.
The Autobot insignia is a red head, which looks quite like the head of the Autobot Jazz. In the cartoons, Autobots always fire red laser bolts, distinguishable from the Decepticons' purple bolts.
The Autobots nearly always win, usually because of the Decepticons' arrogance and stupidity, despite their usual inferior starting position (itself pretty strange since Autobot toys and named characters have always outnumbered their Decepticon counterparts). This gives a "moral" dimension to TransFormers stories.
Initially led by Optimus Prime, a strong-willed and steadfast yet also self-questioning and insecure Autobot who transformed into a lorry cab. Later led by a number of characters including Rodimus Prime, Ultra Magnus and Fortress Maximus.
Eventually won the war on Earth (where both sides had crashed), apparently due to their cooperation with humans. Were attempting to re-take Cybertron (long a Decepticon preserve) when Unicron struck in Transformers: The Movie. Later took over and rejuvenated Cybertron in series 3 (and after, in Japan) of the cartoon, although in the comics, the war on Cybertron continues indefinitely. (One obscure comic strip in an annual depicts the Autobots eventually winning the war, only to start fighting one another over who was to rule the spoils... hardly in character for the Autobots, probably written by a Hobbesian).
"I will rip open Ultra Magnus, and every last Autobot, until the Matrix is destroyed!" (Galvatron, in Transformers: The Movie)