Peter Kobs's definitions

Class Morphing

1. The downward transformation of one economic class into another.

2. The gradual descent from relative prosperity to grinding poverty, usually among formerly middle-class families.

The whole city of Detroit is class morphing into a ghetto.

by Peter Kobs February 6, 2009

Palinoid

1. A version of paranoia associated with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who recently announced that health care reform will create "death lists" of people to be killed by the government.

2. Anyone who embraces the delusional, hate-filled ravings of Sarah Palin.

cf. Birther, John Birch Society, conspiracy cults

Marvin has become a true Palinoid. He thinks Obama is an Indonesian terrorist trying to poison us through telekinetic Swine flu contagion. I think he's been listening to Sarah Palin too much on Fox News.

by Peter Kobs August 8, 2009

Tuition

1. An imaginary number invented by college administrators to inspire fear in middle-class parents and new students.

2. An enormous fee that automatically rises at 3 times the rate of inflation.

3. The catch-all term for huge sums of money that young pepole start paying at age 18 or 19. Payments usually continue for the next 10-20 years.

College President: "What should Tuition be next year?"

Comptroller: "Let's me see... $38,000 has a nice ring to it. Of course, we always tack on another $6,000 in fees just for fun, not to mention mandatory health insurance and thost textbooks that cost $100 a pop."

College President: "Can we make it $39,000?"

Comptroller: "Why not? Works for me!"

by Peter Kobs February 12, 2010

Aging Out

1. The inescapable "tipping point" where people lose their sex appeal, status or eligibility because of advancing age.

2. The process now affecting most Baby Boomers in the United States.

3. Why the Rolling Stones won't be touring again soon.

They won't let David play in the band anymore. He's Aging Out!

by Peter Kobs July 31, 2009

Bag a boo

Someone who brags excessively; an ostentatious self-promoter.

"Don't you brag, and don't you boast
Grief comes to those who brag the most
Why are you crummy, you're crummy fe true?
Why are you acting like a bag a boo?"

Blues lyrics by Clancy Ecles, Jamaican ska and reggae singer, circa 1962

by Peter Kobs June 17, 2008

Vid Kid

A child raised on television and video games with little or no parental supervision. Vid kids often have poor social skills, very limited attention spans and less maturity than their peers. Vid kids suffer from a mild form of child abuse rooted in parental neglect.

Jason's a typical vid kid -- he never pays attention in class.

by Peter Kobs January 5, 2009

Zombie Company

1. A technically bankrupt company that is kept alive with large infusions of government money for the sake of "stability" in the U.S. financial system. 2. A large financial company with negative net worth that continues to operate, despite having no clear path to solvency. 3. The UnDead of Wall Street.

"AIG is the premier example of a zombie company -- kept alive only by $120 billion in federal bailout money. Apparently, it's considered too large to fail."

by Peter Kobs March 9, 2009