[e-mail]'s definitions

Rust Belt

An area of the United States stretching from the Great Lakes to New England that has seen numerous plant closings and job losses in heavy manufacturing over the past several decades. It includes the states of Michigan, far NW Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York and perhaps parts of New England. The demise of the steel and auto industries has caused the biggest headaches for the area. The steel industry has been faced with tough competition from overseas markets. The situation is similar for the auto industry, except labor unions and foreign competition in auto sales have been the reason for the job losses at the "Big 3," as plants close or layoff numerous workers for cheaper labor in Mexico. The state of Michigan, especially the Detroit area has seen the most job losses in the country, thanks to the challenges of the auto industry. Much of Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and Western New York State have been hit especially hard. Detroit and Pittsburgh are the epitomes of the Rust Belt.

I used to live in the Rust Belt, but had to move out because I found a decent job.

by [e-mail] November 24, 2007

government

A stupid system invented by stupid people for stupid people run by stupid people voted into office by even stupider people.

Government is stupid, but a necessary evil to maintain civility and order.

by [e-mail] April 10, 2008

steroetype

Basically a form of prejudice. A negative preconceived misconception or generalization given to a particular social/cultural group. What's interesting is that stereotypes usually have no merit. Examples:

1. female flight attendants are easy while male flight attendants are gay.
2. gay men seem feminine while lesbians seem masculine
3. italian or hispanic men have bad tempers
4. germans and irish are alcoholics
5. the English have poor hygene and bad teeth
6. Mexicans eat tacos and Italians eat pizza (both are actually American).
7. Midwesterners are hicks
8. Southerners are rednecks
9. blonde girls from southern CA are "Valley" girls
10. athletes are stupid
11. rich people have maids or butlers
12. black men rap and commit crimes
13. Muslims engage in terrorism
14. native Americans live in teepees, do rain dances and make smoke signals.
15. Eskimos live in igloos
16. East Asians eat dog meat
17. priests are pedophiles
18. ALL corporate executives including CEOs are corrupt
19. pirates wear patches and seek treasures
20. deserts are nothing but giant sand dunes
21. Mormons practice polygamy

A steroetype is usually the result of ignorance when society generalizes people.

by [e-mail] January 14, 2008

honeymoon

1. Where you can proudly "moon" your new "honey" in private after the wedding--hence the word.

2. What I will never have because women don't like me.

3. Utter bliss where a brand-new, nieve married couple goes to consumate their marriage and have a giant 7-day orgy, without feeling guilty anymore. You shut the door and don’t ever come out.

4. You better enjoy it, because it’s the best and perhaps last time you will have sex if you remain married to each other.

5. The last time a couple has sex.

When you are young, your honeymoon is Niagra. Fifty years later, its viagra.

by [e-mail] January 2, 2008

San Jose

The capital of Silicon Valley. The nation's 10th largest city and 3rd largest in California. The city and its suburbs are home to more high-tech and web-based corporations than anywhere else in the United States including HP, Yahoo!, Google, Intel, Macintosh and Cisco. The city has a very high cost of living and is among America's most expensive to live. Although one of America's largest cities, it has a low crime rate and no skyscrapers but has a diverse population, traffic congestion and air pollution.

San Jose is nice if you make mega bucks working in its high-tech corporations but dam if you don't. San Jose would suck for me. I don't have a lot of money and can't stand diversity.

by [e-mail] August 3, 2007

NAFTA

The North American Free Trade Agreement, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993. It is likely the soul cause of employment oursourcing to Mexico exacterbating illegal immigration and the eroding of heavy manufacturing, especially the auto industry of the Rust Belt in the name of "cheap labor."

NAFTA is the worst mistake our government couuld have made because it resulted in thousands if not MILLIONS of Americans losing their jobs to Mexico for cheap labor.

by [e-mail] August 22, 2007

Survivor

A reality tv show on CBS, created by Mark Burnett, that debued in the summer of 2000 and features sixteen contestants or “castaways” originally composed of two teams of eight that live in seclusion in a remote part of the world to eat bugs, snakes, dirt, game and scorpions for like a month for a million dollars. Physical competitions are held each week to determine which team will win an award challenge, and then another challenge to determine who will win immunity. The team that doesnt win immunity must vote off a teammate. This also happens after the tribal merge but immunity goes to the individual instead and an individual is then voted out of the game. Midway through the season, the two teams are merged to form a single tribe when the real cut-throat part of the game really begins, where your friend is now your foe. The winner of the $1 million is announced on live television on the last episode.

The show has been filmed in such remote locations as Borneo (the 1st season), the Australian Outback, the Marcaisas, the Amazon, China, Pearl Islands, Panama and Fiji.

Let's be honest, the only way you can appear as a contestant on Survivor, is by being gay (Richard Hatch, the original winner), a model, a freek or incrediblly narcistic like Johnny Fairplay (the most evil Survivor contestant ever). Normal people need not apply.

by [e-mail] April 29, 2008