peter kobs's definitions
1. A sudden feeling of intense dread associated with the Toyota Prius hybrid automobile.
Owners of the formerly chic enviro-friendly car now live in fear that their vehicle will suddenly accelerate out of control, propelling them over a cliff.
2. The scourge of the Toyota PR Department. Whether true or not, millions of people now believe that the Prius is a dangerous car.
Owners of the formerly chic enviro-friendly car now live in fear that their vehicle will suddenly accelerate out of control, propelling them over a cliff.
2. The scourge of the Toyota PR Department. Whether true or not, millions of people now believe that the Prius is a dangerous car.
by Peter Kobs March 11, 2010
Get the Prius Panic mug.1. A mutual agreement to suspend holiday gifts for at least one season, usually within a single family or circle of friends.
2. The act of replacing useless and pointless merchandise with something more meaningful, such as a charitable donation, service project or holiday party.
3. Wal-Mart's biggest nightmare.
2. The act of replacing useless and pointless merchandise with something more meaningful, such as a charitable donation, service project or holiday party.
3. Wal-Mart's biggest nightmare.
Due to the recession, we've decided that Degifting is the best plan for Christmas this year. Instead, we're all getting together to serve food at the homeless shelter. I really don't need another Salad Shooter. Do you?
by Peter Kobs December 21, 2009
Get the Degifting mug.1. An e-mail chain containing defammatory or false information that is spread far and wide by partisan believers in an attempt to paint a negative image of the opposition.
2. The act of forwarding sensationalistic, untrue reports without checking their veracity.
3. How lies go viral on the Internet.
4. A modern-day illustration of Mark Twain's adage: "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."
2. The act of forwarding sensationalistic, untrue reports without checking their veracity.
3. How lies go viral on the Internet.
4. A modern-day illustration of Mark Twain's adage: "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."
You know that story about supposed "FEMA concentration camps" in the desert? It's just part of that Chain of Lies started by that militia group in Texas.
by Peter Kobs August 21, 2009
Get the Chain of Lies mug.1. A derisive term for older suburbs that are declining into poverty. The word is a combination of "Slum" and "Suburbia."
2. The bleak future for many aging American suburbs.
3. What happens when people refuse to take urban planning seriously.
Slumburbia is almost always found in large metro areas. As middle-class residents move farther and farther away from the urban core, the closer-in suburbs start to deteriorate. Property values fall leading to reduced local tax revenue, decreased public services, declining schools and increasing crime, especially gang activity. This vicious circle continues for years until the suburb itself is no longer distinguishable from the large city it borders.
Examples of Slumburbia: Hamtramck, Michigan; Somerville, Massachusetts; Camden, New Jersey; and Compton, California.
2. The bleak future for many aging American suburbs.
3. What happens when people refuse to take urban planning seriously.
Slumburbia is almost always found in large metro areas. As middle-class residents move farther and farther away from the urban core, the closer-in suburbs start to deteriorate. Property values fall leading to reduced local tax revenue, decreased public services, declining schools and increasing crime, especially gang activity. This vicious circle continues for years until the suburb itself is no longer distinguishable from the large city it borders.
Examples of Slumburbia: Hamtramck, Michigan; Somerville, Massachusetts; Camden, New Jersey; and Compton, California.
by Peter Kobs March 9, 2010
Get the Slumburbia mug.1. The banning of all Blackberry smart phones by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Republic starting in late July 2010.
Because Blackberries use data encryption for transmitting text over the airways, the security forces of those two countries can't "monitor" e-mail traffic from them. Afraid that anti-government forces will use Blackberries for nefarious purposes, they simply banned the devices entirely. Other authoritarian countries are expected to follow suit. Welcome to the 21st century!
Because Blackberries use data encryption for transmitting text over the airways, the security forces of those two countries can't "monitor" e-mail traffic from them. Afraid that anti-government forces will use Blackberries for nefarious purposes, they simply banned the devices entirely. Other authoritarian countries are expected to follow suit. Welcome to the 21st century!
Don't bring your new phone to Dubai, man. They just announced a complete Blackberry Ban. You could end up jail -- or worse.
by Peter Kobs August 1, 2010
Get the Blackberry Ban mug.1. A building or military installation that is never intended to be used, but which must be constructed anyway for political reasons.
2. A public space that planners know will never be occupied or properly used. It gets built anyway to satisfy a planning commission or zoning board.
3. The act of constructing something useless and pointless because it is demanded by an overall "plan."
2. A public space that planners know will never be occupied or properly used. It gets built anyway to satisfy a planning commission or zoning board.
3. The act of constructing something useless and pointless because it is demanded by an overall "plan."
"Did you hear about those Pre-Abandoned schools in Iraq? They built them out in the desert without any electricity or air conditioning. No one will ever use them, but at least they look good on paper."
by Peter Kobs September 22, 2009
Get the Pre-Abandoned mug.1. Television that encourages viewers to hate, despise and fear "the enemy." George Orwell predicted the rise of Hate TV in his novel "1984." Usually found on the cable channels, Hate TV is the fastest-growing type of pseudo-news. Key characteristics include:
- Scapegoating (blaming a small group for the problems of all)
- Fear-mongering (raising the specter of impending tyranny)
- Simplistic thinking (condensing complex issues into a few hate-filled slogans)
- Truthiness (presenting rumors as established fact)
- Repetition (to give lies the ring of truth)
- Stereotyping (along racial, ethnic or religious lines)
- Assault Interviewing (attacking guests who disagree with the party line)
- Pandering (filling a studio with partisan crowds who will cheer or boo on cue)
- Thematic Aggregation ("packaging" a variety of fears, prejudices and hot-button issues under a common theme)
- Code Words (using substitutes for common racial slurs, insults, etc.)
- Multi-Media Marketing (combining TV with publishing, radio, websites, etc. to reinforce the core message)
- Narrowing (redefining the boundaries of "acceptable belief" to ostracize moderates)
- Movement Hype (promoting a specific group of people as the only "true" Americans)
- Event Manipulation (exaggerating the size, impact or diversity of a protest or political rally)
Hate TV inevitably leads to greater political polarization, up to and including acts of violence against the perceived "enemy."
- Scapegoating (blaming a small group for the problems of all)
- Fear-mongering (raising the specter of impending tyranny)
- Simplistic thinking (condensing complex issues into a few hate-filled slogans)
- Truthiness (presenting rumors as established fact)
- Repetition (to give lies the ring of truth)
- Stereotyping (along racial, ethnic or religious lines)
- Assault Interviewing (attacking guests who disagree with the party line)
- Pandering (filling a studio with partisan crowds who will cheer or boo on cue)
- Thematic Aggregation ("packaging" a variety of fears, prejudices and hot-button issues under a common theme)
- Code Words (using substitutes for common racial slurs, insults, etc.)
- Multi-Media Marketing (combining TV with publishing, radio, websites, etc. to reinforce the core message)
- Narrowing (redefining the boundaries of "acceptable belief" to ostracize moderates)
- Movement Hype (promoting a specific group of people as the only "true" Americans)
- Event Manipulation (exaggerating the size, impact or diversity of a protest or political rally)
Hate TV inevitably leads to greater political polarization, up to and including acts of violence against the perceived "enemy."
"Did you hear about that guy who crashed is plane into the IRS building in Austin, Texas?"
"Yeah, he killed two people, including a father who served in Vietnam."
"Well, Hate TV is saying he was a patriot and should be congratulated for standing up to the government."
"Scary stuff...What's next -- public lynchings in prime time?"
"Yeah, he killed two people, including a father who served in Vietnam."
"Well, Hate TV is saying he was a patriot and should be congratulated for standing up to the government."
"Scary stuff...What's next -- public lynchings in prime time?"
by Peter Kobs April 9, 2010
Get the Hate TV mug.