Shreve Lamb and Harmon's definitions

zed

The more recent phonetical pronunciation of the letter "Z" as used by those in the British Commonwealth. By contrast, the older pronunciation, "zee," is still used in American English.

Tsk, tsk, silly Britons and Canadians who have no knowledge of their language's history.

by Shreve Lamb and Harmon February 4, 2007

blue states

A euphemism for Democratic-voting states in the 2004 election, particularly in reference to the Northeast and West Coast.

Ironically, these states also have:

A) Most of the lowest crime rates in the nation.
B) The lowest divorce rates in the nation.
C) The highest quality of life in the nation.
D) The lowest ratio of federal aid to tax dollars paid in the nation.

The "blue states" may have their faults, but they outstrip the "red states" by most accounts.

by Shreve Lamb and Harmon February 4, 2007

Megacity

A city and/or metropolitan area with a very high population or average density. A megacity is generally considered to be an urban agglomeration with a population of at least 10 million, though the United Nations defines it as a metro area that is home to at least 5 million people living in an area of consistent urban-level density. Most of the world's megacities are in the developing world — particularly sub-Saharan Africa and South and East Asia — which is rapidly urbanizing to the same high percentage that is seen in the United States, Latin America, and Western Europe. However, these cities are generally built with little in the way of construction regulation or public infrastructure. By the year 2030, it is estimated that more than 60 percent of the world's population will be urban.

Today the largest megacity is by far Greater Tokyo, with includes the nearby cities of Yokohama and Kawasaki and is home to nearly 35 million people; however, its current population growth is practically stagnant. The other nine largest are:

* Mexico City, D.F. (22,350,000)
* New York (22,150,000)
* Seoul, South Korea (22,050,000)
* São Paulo, Brazil (20,000,000)
* Mumbai (Bombay), India (19,400,000)
* Delhi, India (19,000,000)
* Los Angeles (17,750,000)
* Tehran, Iran (15,000,000)
* Jakarta, Indonesia (16,850,000)
* Osaka, Japan (16,750,000)

Smaller megacities include Bogotá, Colombia; Lagos, Nigeria; Manila, the Philippines; Shanghai, China; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Beijing, China; Karachi, Pakistan; London; Paris; Istanbul, Turkey; Chicago; Cairo, Egypt; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Ruhr Valley, Germany; and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

by Shreve Lamb and Harmon February 4, 2007

gay marriage

A matrimonial union between two people of the same sex. Not a mockery of marriage because it implies a loving relationship between — and listen to these words closely — TWO. CONSENTING. ADULTS. If you honestly think that the next step is going to be bigamy, beastiality, or pedophilia, then you're really off your rocker because none of these things involve all three of those three words. Maybe you can make a case for incest, but that's more often practiced in the Bible Belt between straight people, anyway.

Ironically, the American state with the lowest divorce rate is Massachusetts, the center of gay marriage land; followed by Connecticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York. The American state with the highest divorce rate? Nevada, with Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wyoming and Indiana rounding out the bottom five.

That's right, the holier-than-thou Bible Belt has the highest divorce rates in the country, while the liberal Northeast has the lowest. Suck it dry, neocons.

by Shreve Lamb and Harmon February 4, 2007

arse

The original variant of the vulgar word "ass" in American English.

Etymology:

Until the Victorian period, "ass" had no profane meaning and simply referred to what we now call the donkey. Because of the increasingly non-rhotic nature of standard British English, "arse" was often rendered "ass". The age of Victorian propriety resulted in the rechristening of the horse-like animal, changing the name to "donkey" to avoid any improper inferences. This usage was also adopted in America, which is why the word "arse" is not usually used in the United States. Some people in Britain have adopted the American version in writing. Although before World War I they were similar, the British pronunciations of "ass" (IPA /æs/) and "arse" (IPA /α:s/) are now quite different.

Source: Wikipedia.

Sorry, but "ass" just sounds more pleasantly vulgar.

Linguistic elitist Briton arses, like the ones on this definition, are known for their pathetic uses of etymology to try and insult the intellect of Americans and -- in this particular case -- Canadians.

by Shreve Lamb and Harmon February 4, 2007

NIMBY

Not In My BackYard: a person who opposes particular construction or projects in their community. Particularly prominent in New York City.

Good NIMBYism: Jane Jacobs opposing the construction of the Lower Manhattan Expressway, which would have eviscerated the present-day neighborhoods of SoHo, Greenwich Village, and TriBeCa; Jackie Kennedy saving Grand Central Terminal from demolition and replacement with an office tower.

Bad NIMBYism: Fighting the development of a nearby tall building because it might block your view; opposing a new subway line or water tunnel, which would benefit the city for years to come, because of construction noise in your neighborhood; opposing the expansion of the museum across the street because of minor inconveniences, even though it's the primary reason that your property is so valuable. I.E.: Being selfish

Iffy: People who fight LULUs, or Locally Unwanted Land Uses: developments or institutions that are needed, but that nobody wants near them, like homeless shelters or power plants.

Other forms of NIMBY include the NOPE
(Not On Planet Earth), the BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone), and the TEDAO (Tear Everything Down At Once).

by Shreve Lamb and Harmon July 22, 2008