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peter kobs's definitions

Blackberry Ban

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!
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
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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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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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Rendezvous with Reality

1. A sudden encounter with economic reality that dramatically changes one's perceptions, plans or outlook.
2. A rude awakening to the stark differences between fantasy and actual life.
3. The dramatic change process that began in September 2008 with the collapse of the U.S. financial system.
Jean was planning to buy a vacation home in Hawaii until she had a Rendezvous with Reality -- her retirement fund had declined 50% since last fall.
by Peter Kobs May 19, 2009
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Turnaround Tipster

1. An economist or investor who claims to know when the stock market has "bottomed out" based on inside information or a unique set of obscure metrics. 2. Someone who tells you to "get back in the market" because the turnaround has begun. 3. A charlatan.
Ted says we should start buying stock again because the semi-conductor market is firming up in Taiwan. He's one of those Turnaround Tipsters on CNBC.
by Peter Kobs March 10, 2009
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Football Withdrawal Syndrome

1. The agonizing mental process of accepting that football season is finally over.

This serious mental disorder afflicts millions of Americans every year, usually in the second week of February. Effective therapy is not available until the following August, at the earliest.

2. A crisis in the national spirit that is mitigated (only slightly) by the arrival of March Madness -- the NCAA basketball tournament.

3. The realization that life as we know it has ended, at least for six torturously long months.

4. Proof that Arena Football will never take the place of the real thing.
Hank was hospitalized on February 12 with severe anxiety and chest pain. Following a series of CAT scans at the Mayo Clinic, he was diagnozed with Football Withdrawal Syndrome (FWS). May God have mercy on his soul.
by Peter Kobs January 1, 2010
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Book Crook

Someone who makes money by stealing books from the local public library, then reselling them online, after removing the security tags and identifying marks.
The book crooks wiped out our entire collection of automotive repair manuals.
by Peter Kobs February 8, 2009
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