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peter kobs's definitions

Prius Panic

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.
"My wife insists on driving my old Chevy Mailbu to work now. She's got a bad case of Prius Panic."
by Peter Kobs March 11, 2010
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Gifted Child

1. An average student with insecure parents.

2. The elitist notion that only some children have "gifts" or talents worthy of attention.

3. A hollow form of "self-praise by proxy" that snobby parents use to bolster their social standing.
Our son Timmy is a Gifted Child. He should be in a special school to nurture his extraordinary talents - at taxpayer expense. Did I tell you that I drive a BMW?
by Peter Kobs December 10, 2009
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Prisoner of the Present

1. A person whose entire worldview is shaped by current events, stumbling along from one crisis to another.
2. Someone without a historical perspective or hope for the future.
3. The mindset that causes "knee-jerk" reactions to almost any kind of social or economic change.
4. A state of perpetual panic about "the world today."
Larry says the U.S. economy will never recover no matter what happens in Washington -- he's a typical Prisoner of the Present.
by Peter Kobs June 4, 2009
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Paygo

1. Shorthand for "pay as you go." This zippy little term was used by President Obama in February 2010 to describe his new approach to federal spending and fiscal discipline.

2. The opposite of "buy now, pay later."

3. An idea whose time has not yet come, at least not on Capitol Hill.
"Let's invest $58 billion in a new Highway to Nowhere up there in Alaska. It'll stimulate the economy for sure!"

"No way, buddy. We're on the Paygo plan now."
by Peter Kobs February 14, 2010
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House Heckler

1. A politician who openly heckles, threatens or attacks the President of the United States on the House Floor during a joint session of Congress.

2. Any person who brazenly violates the code of civility and decorum of the U.S. House of Representatives, especially elected officials.

3. Rep. Joe Brown of South Carolina, who yelled "You lie!" at our first African-American President during his speech on health care to Congress on Sept. 9, 2009. (Brown's contention that the proposed health care reform bill would somehow insure illegal aliens was later deemed false on both FactCheck.org and Politifact.org.)
"Did you ever meet Joe Brown? He's that infamous House Heckler who called Obama a liar on the floor of Congress during a speech by the President."
by Peter Kobs September 10, 2009
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Slumburbia

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.
My hometown is turning into Slumburbia. You can hear gunfire there almost every night.
by Peter Kobs March 9, 2010
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Degifting

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.
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
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