ARCHILLES HEELS (from) arch-, rule + Achilles, leader of the Myrmidons who had one vulnerable spot. As author, I create a new mythological class of ruling heels who write arbitrary rules to serve themselves in the name of serving others. When we, the food-growing class, take back the ability to feed and care for ourselves, the leaders (Archilles Heels) will be our vulnerable spot.
ARGONOID (from) Greek Argo, name of Jason's ship + the nameless numbers that crew the generic ship of state who sail in search of the Golden Fleeced.
BANKRAPTURE (from) Old Danish banke (sandbank) + Latin raptus, rapt, from rapere, to seize. US Governmental deregulation of the banking industry gave S & Ls banklike freedom to make risky investments (big losses) which has led to the current crisis. Emergency reregulation of the bank biz has resulted in the nationalization of S & Ls, bank seizures, or, bankrapture. It is difficult to tell by looking at the exterior if a bank is ruptured or not, but by looking at the faces of the bankers, it is easy to tell that they are raptured by the bucks.
BUY-PRODUCT (from) commerce. Something purchased while shopping for something else. Most often used in the plural, and commonly presented subliminally in large department stores. For example, "He will buy product A, she will buy product B, they will buy products they C."
BY-PRODUCT (from) commerce. Something produced in the making of something else, and written off as a loss before being sold at a profit. Formerly considered waste product, now commonly sold as food additives, atomic fuel, gasoline, and lawn chemicals.
BYE-PRODUCT (from) commerce (from) English bye, shortened form of good-bye, contraction of God be with you, + product. For example, "If you buy some commercial by-products, then God be with you."
COMRAD (from) Radiation. One who glows in the dark with another.
DIAL A CRICKET (from) a toll fee number. A phone service for urbanites so they won't forget what their primitive rural ancestors used to enjoy at sunset on beautiful summer evenings under the spreading chestnut trees.
EXCESSORIES (from) Madison Avenue (from) Latin excedere (exceed) < ex-, out + cedere, to go. As the planet's consummate consumers, we Americans are obliged to go all out in an attempt to exceed the planet's ability to support us. There is every indication that we have at least 200 years of consumption remaining before our excess pushes the limits of the planet, so move on up, get a larger house, and be proud to be able to fill 'er up with excessories, for we are the first and the last to be so privileged.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH (from) Yup Consumerism. An alarm goes off when the watch is under water.
FUND DEMENTIALISM (from) Latin fundus, bottom. The bottom line is money madness.
GUBERNATOR (from) Latin. What the Romans called their governor. How close we come when we refer to a gubernatorial candidate! Try this, "All three governortorial candidates are certain they will be elected gubernator in the next election." It might be linguistically allowable if it didn't sound so much like "goober eater," and if politicians weren't so afraid of being called "peanut brained."
HEIMLICH'S CAFE (from) (Dr.) Heimlich's Maneuver. Where you cough up good money for a meal you can cough up.
HOGSANNA (from) Hebrew hosha'na, "save us!" Used to express praise or adoration to God Football, or to petition the Lord of Touchdowns.
INTRATERRESTRIALS (from) Latin intra-, within + terra, Earth. A generally unknown group that have been living below ground for an unknown period of time. They have been discovered by both private and government sponsored speelunkers, and there is every possibility that they travel among the stars in so-called UFOs. We surface dwellers have made no attempts to control this newly discovered land and people because we have no ready market for their real estate and advanced methods of manufacturing and transportation, to say nothing of the fact that they could probably kick our asses right out of existence.
JARGONAUTS (from) Old French gargon, twittering + Greek nautes, sailor. We, the blithering, in order to form a more non-sensical Union, establish our Captain (O Captain) to prattle on about the need to continue to paddle our con scripted ship of state into the currency without a rudder till we find the Golden Fleeced, et cetera, et cetera, amen, harrumph, choke ....
PERPESTUALS (from) Latin perpetuus, continuous, permanent + pests. Bugs that won't go away.
ROOSTAMAN VIBRATION (from) the islands. Harmonious vibes of the Jamaican Chicken King.
SAFTERNOON (from) American English. Contraction of "this afternoon." Reference to a period of time after lunch and before dinner. For example, "Thanks for brunch, Dear. I'll see you the safternoon."
STATESWOMANSHIP - It's a little harder to say, but it probably means a better way to live.
SUPURBAN (from) sup, to eat + urban, city. To have dinner in town.
TERRAIST (from) Terrology. One who counterattacks the machinations of the military/industrial bureaucracy for an obvious war against Life on Earth.
TERROLOGY (from) Latin Terra, Earth + -logy, study. A study of how we humans fit into the order of life on Earth which will reveal how we humans don't fit into the order of life on Earth.
THEOTEOS (from) Greek Theos, god + oats. The High Fiber Breakfast Cereal of the Gods.
TORNADO WATCH (from) Yup Consumerism. An alarm goes off when high winds tear the watch from your wrist. A global warning phenomenon.
TROGLODITE is the Goddess of cave love.
UPTRODDEN (from) Old English up-, on high + Old English treden, run, walk & step (on the downtrodden). Those who refuse menial work, won't thank the middle class, and would trod on their own in order to make progress.
WINTER STORM WATCH (from) Yup Consumerism. When your wrist freezes, an alarm goes off. A global warming phenomenon.
ZENUENDO (from) zen, he meditates, + innuendo, a hint. A directive that makes you think for a while, maybe all your life.
rhenry 6/5/07