Peter Kobs's definitions
1. A political theory invented by arch-conservative Joseph Overton, VP of the anti-tax Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, Michigan. (Overton died in 2003 when his ultra-light airplane crashed.)
2. The name of a poorly-written novel by right-wing talk show host Glen Beck. Published in early 2010, the book is a cautionary tale about leftist radicals taking over the government through incremental change.
In theory, the Overton Window represents the boundaries of "acceptable" public policy and discourse -- what a politician can support without seeming too "extreme." Opposing forces try to broaden this window (or shift it to one side) to make formerly "radical" ideas seem more "mainstream."
Overton's theory has a decidedly pro-business, anti-regulation slant. Something is either "more free" or "less free" in his view. He never mentions "more just" or "more fair" or "more practical." In fact, the entire theory tailor made for paranoid people and right-wing lunatics who think Obama is a totalitarian Marxist dictator bent on world domination.
2. The name of a poorly-written novel by right-wing talk show host Glen Beck. Published in early 2010, the book is a cautionary tale about leftist radicals taking over the government through incremental change.
In theory, the Overton Window represents the boundaries of "acceptable" public policy and discourse -- what a politician can support without seeming too "extreme." Opposing forces try to broaden this window (or shift it to one side) to make formerly "radical" ideas seem more "mainstream."
Overton's theory has a decidedly pro-business, anti-regulation slant. Something is either "more free" or "less free" in his view. He never mentions "more just" or "more fair" or "more practical." In fact, the entire theory tailor made for paranoid people and right-wing lunatics who think Obama is a totalitarian Marxist dictator bent on world domination.
The Overton Window is yet another idiotic theory masquerading as a "breakthrough" in political understanding. Its leading proponent is Glen Beck of Fox News...'nuf said.
by Peter Kobs July 20, 2010
Get the Overton Window mug.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.
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
Get the Football Withdrawal Syndrome mug.1. A secret storage place for illegal nuclear weapons or nuke technology.
2. A nuclear weapons development facility that is purposely kept hidden from IAEA inspectors.
2. Iran's secret nuke plant beneath the "holy" city of Qum, which was disclosed by U.S. President Obama at the United Nations in September 2009.
2. A nuclear weapons development facility that is purposely kept hidden from IAEA inspectors.
2. Iran's secret nuke plant beneath the "holy" city of Qum, which was disclosed by U.S. President Obama at the United Nations in September 2009.
Using satellite imagery and espionage, we located Iran's secret Nuke Crib in a set of tunnels near Qum. They put the facility there to make it harder to bomb because of possible collateral damage to the ancient Qum mosques.
by Peter Kobs September 28, 2009
Get the Nuke Crib mug.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
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
Get the Palinoid mug.1. An imaginary economic system that will magically replace millions of jobs lost to outsourcing, downsizing and low-wage overseas competition.
2. A feel-good term used by politicians to distract attention from their own immense policy failures.
3. Something that's always "just around the corner" if we only "do the right things."
2. A feel-good term used by politicians to distract attention from their own immense policy failures.
3. Something that's always "just around the corner" if we only "do the right things."
Michigan's governor said we must prepare for the New Economy by turning 400,000 unemployed auto workers into video game programmers and pastry chefs. That's the ticket!
by Peter Kobs May 3, 2010
Get the New Economy mug.1. A new word that codifies an important feature, concept or practice in the online world.
2. The Web equivalent of a "neologism," a newly coined word that may be in the process of entering common use.
3. A slang term that was invented by -- and for -- Web users without approval from any outside authority.
2. The Web equivalent of a "neologism," a newly coined word that may be in the process of entering common use.
3. A slang term that was invented by -- and for -- Web users without approval from any outside authority.
"Phishing" and "viral marketing" are a great examples of Webisms that eventually entered worldwide parlance.
by Peter Kobs May 17, 2009
Get the Webism mug.1. An idealized town, hamlet or village built solely for propaganda purposes -- usually by a totalitarian or autocratic government.
The most famous example is Kijŏng-dong ("Peace Village"), a mostly uninhabited village located in North Korea just beyond the demilitarized zone. It was built in the 1950s to encourage South Koreans to defect to North Korea. (Fat chance.) Officially, Kijŏng-dong is a 200-family collective farming town with all the amenities. In reality, it is used to house DPRK soldiers who patrol the DMZ. The world's tallest flagpole stands nearby.
2. A Propaganda Village is a real-life version of a "Potemkin Village." According to myth, Russian ministry Grigory Potyomkin tried to impress Empress Catherine II in 1787 during her visit to Crimea by building fake peasant buildings (facades only) along her travel route. Historians now believe this was a rumor drummed up by Potyomkin's enemies. What he really did was get local peasants to spruce up their homes in advance of the monarch's visit.
The most famous example is Kijŏng-dong ("Peace Village"), a mostly uninhabited village located in North Korea just beyond the demilitarized zone. It was built in the 1950s to encourage South Koreans to defect to North Korea. (Fat chance.) Officially, Kijŏng-dong is a 200-family collective farming town with all the amenities. In reality, it is used to house DPRK soldiers who patrol the DMZ. The world's tallest flagpole stands nearby.
2. A Propaganda Village is a real-life version of a "Potemkin Village." According to myth, Russian ministry Grigory Potyomkin tried to impress Empress Catherine II in 1787 during her visit to Crimea by building fake peasant buildings (facades only) along her travel route. Historians now believe this was a rumor drummed up by Potyomkin's enemies. What he really did was get local peasants to spruce up their homes in advance of the monarch's visit.
by Peter Kobs June 10, 2010
Get the Propaganda Village mug.