apostrophe

A punctuation mark often erroneously used to indicate "Beware of oncoming S!" as in "Apple's 3 for $2."

Mo Viele speculates on the origin of apostrophe abuse at her blog "fontidious":

the apostrophic epidemic

I often wonder who patient zero was.

I imagine that some lowly shopkeeper went out to paint “Bananas $3” on his sign, and was stricken with an uncontrollable urge to add an apostrophe. And soon his banana was the proud owner of $3. Not to be outdone, his rival down the street advertised “Banana’s 2 Dollar’s.” Then someone from the town full of affluent bananas went on a trip, carrying the contagion with him. “Train’s Departing Every 5 Minute’s.”

The pandemic had begun.

27👍 4👎

monogamy

The custom or condition of having only one mate in an intimate relationship, of being dedicated to a single partner.

Monogamy is a traditional ideal in various societies, yet many people in these societies are not monogamous.

Cheating (being involved with someone else, with secrecy and deception) is a destructive way to be nonmonogamous. On the other hand, swinging and polyamory (types of responsible nonmonogamy based on the knowledge and consent of everyone involved) are viable choices for some people.

393👍 110👎

pencing

(v.) present participle of pence: avoiding a direct answer to a question, as exemplified by Indiana Governor Mike Pence in his interview on "This Week" on March 29, 2015, about the broad "religious freedom" bill he signed.

Examples of pencing:

George Stephanopoulos: "Yes or no: If a florist in Indiana refuses to serve a gay couple at their wedding, is that legal now in Indiana?"

Mike Pence: "George, this is where this debate has gone."

"Is that true or not?"

"George, look, the issue here is that, y'know..."

"Yes or no: should it be legal to discriminate against gays and lesbians?"

"George, you're following the mantra of the last week online, and you're trying to make the issue about something else."

32👍 5👎

Jibbers Crabst

All hail our crustacean Lord and Savior™!

"I believe... that all things on this earth were created... by GOD!
And I don't mean Jesus. And I don't mean Buddha. And I don't mean Allah.
And I don't mean some general god that we can all rally around and believe in.
I mean my god, my town, and my church.
My god is a fire-breathing lobster who lives behind the rings of Saturn.
And his name is Jibbers Crabst."

(Matt Inman, keynote speaker at BAHFest West 2014)

48👍 4👎

serial monogamy

The custom or practice of having one mate at a time. Each relationship may be serious and committed, or not. The term is used in contrast with strict "monogamy", which can imply just one partner over a lifetime.

Not to be confused with cereal monogamy.

People who remarry (and who have exclusive relationships, and who don't cheat) are practicing serial monogamy.

76👍 8👎

ain't

am not, are not, is not; have not, has not; do not, does not, did not.

"Ain't" ain't a word 'cause "ain't" ain't in the dictionary.

239👍 88👎

congresscritter

A congresswoman or congressman: an elected official who serves in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the United States Congress. "Congresscritters" can also, loosely, include U.S. Senators. The term is gender-neutral, and also attempts to remove these elected representatives from their pedestals.

"Writing to your congresscritters about an issue may seem pointless, but when enough people -- you and your friends and their friends and THEIR friends -- make their voices heard, the congresscritters will realize that their chances of reelection ARE affected by doing the right thing."

100👍 8👎