whisper grinding n.— «Caltrans instead is considering a technique called “whisper grinding” to make the concrete on I-5 quieter.» —“Green approach produces quiet streets” by Dave Downey North County...
gold-beater’s skin n.— «As a conservator, if we saw a tear like this, we’d look to parchment repair, a very similar organic material.…They use something called gold-beater’s skin—the lining of a cow’s stomach—very, very thin...
bake-off n.— «Studios frequently stage “bake-offs,” calling in up to 10 writers for a single rewrite job. Each writer offers his or her take on the property, meaning extensive fleshing out of the material—for free...
drunkalog n.— «During my stay in rehab at Castle Medical Center, we had to attend AA or Narcotics Anonymous meetings every day. One of the regular weekly meetings was held at Castle. That’s where I first got to hear Kevin “share...
jump on a case v. phr.— «This kind of convoluted back-and-forth is common in prison; inmates do communicate, even when they are not supposed to. And it’s fairly routine for inmates to turn over—and sometimes even invent—damning material...
cargo cult economics n.— «With a new year ahead, what do we see as our future? How much of our growth and progress is real, and how much is what I call “Cargo Cult Economics,” where we end up holding sacks of straw? At the end...