election

The worst system of choosing among candidates for public office -- except for all the others.

"The turnout for the election wasn't even 40% of eligible voters. The winner got a slight majority of that, so four out of five people DIDN'T vote for him. So from that he concludes he has a popular 'mandate'?!"

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Partnership Culture

A model of culture and human relations based on partnership, linking, and respect. Women and men are equally valued; both men and women can be nonviolent, empathetic, and caring.

Opposite to Dominator Culture.

In a partnership system...

Humans have many possibilities.

Difference is valued.

Power is used to empower and nurture through hierarchies of actualization.

Competition means striving for excellence.

People cooperate for mutual benefit.

Economic structures are equitable.

Nature is highly valued.

Morality of sensitivity, caring, and respect.

(Based on the Center for Partnership Studies' summary of points from Riane Eisler's _The Power of Partnership_ and David Korten's _The Great Turning_)

We, too, in America are in the mist of an revolution. A transformation from a domination culture that views the world as fleeting and open to exploitation, to a partnership culture that wants its society to be permanent and seeks to partner with the world to create harmony.
(Eric Stewart)

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bokeh

The specific quality of the blur in out-of-focus areas of the picture; "the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light." Small highlights, especially, in the blurry areas of a photo can be rendered dramatically differently by different lenses (or "faux bokeh" photoshopping techniques).

Some examples of different types of bokeh are at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh

The bokeh produced by a mirror lens renders out-of-focus points of light as little rings! Cool!

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poverbs

A book of the Bible, as chiseled into the wall of the home of Ben Carson, a Bible thumping failed U.S. Presidential candidate of 2016.

By Humility And The Fear Of
The Lord Are Riches,Honor And Life
poverbs 22:4

IRS

"Infernal Revenue Service", how many Americans feel about the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. federal tax collection agency.

Legend has it that IRS employees scrutinize handwritten envelopes containing tax returns, and any addressed to the "Infernal" Revenue Service are flagged for audits.

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picardize

To change the ending of a minor-key piece of music to a major key, adding a Picardy third (tierce de Picardie).

One can loosely refer to music that already has a Picardy third ending as "self-picardizing". Some examples include the "Little" Fugue in G Minor by J.S. Bach, "And I Love Her" by The Beatles, "Roundabout" by Yes, and N.I.B. by Black Sabbath.

"The last chord here is D minor. Do you really want to picardize it, using D major instead?"
"Yes, Number One, make it so."

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Delauterism

A moronic or ignorant statement about the First Amendment. Named for Frederick County Council Member Kirby Delauter, who threatened to sue The Frederick News-Post for using his name without authorization.

From now on, saying something moronic about the First Amendment will be forever known as a Delauterism. #KirbyDelauter #Delauterism
-- Coin Graham (@CoinGrahamIV) commenting on the U-T San Diego article "Councilman Kirby Delauter says Maryland newspaper can't use his name so it does, gloriously" (The editorial's title is "Kirby Delauter, Kirby Delauter, Kirby Delauter". It goes on to mention his name 15 times in the first three paragraphs, 30 times in all.)

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