gabber n.— «The guild was pointing out how soon television might grind to a halt, including shows like Saturday Night Live (almost immediately) and what the trades call “gabbers,” like the Letterman show (the host was a union...
suitcase provider n.— «The vast majority of these are very small—in many cases, one-person enterprises or, in the vernacular, “suitcase providers.”…The traditional view is that a “suitcase provider” is a bad...
third shift n.— «The simplest and most dramatic form of the problem is something that Asia-based investigators jocularly refer to as the “third shift,” the “midnight shift,” or the “ghost shift. Say a U.S...
nail house n.— «A small shack, primitively built, on the corner of a road in Shanghai, surrounded by high-rise development. Owned by a strong old woman, patronized by night-time drivers. update: ding zi hu (lit. “nail house”):...
punkie n.— «The men took fright at seeing the line of flickering lights approaching through the mist believing the ghostly apparitions to be Punkies—the souls of unbaptized children. “Punkie” is also a local term for the...
snackluck n.— «Video Night and Snackluck. Call Tom for details and location. Be sure to RSVP as space may be limited.» —“Fall 1995 Newsletter: Calendar of Events” Vancouver Island Vegetarian Association Oct., 1995...