Well, it's shorter than "wampeters, foma & granfalloons" - A "wampeter" is an object around which the lives of many otherwise unrelated people may revolve. The

Well, it's shorter than "wampeters, foma & granfalloons" - A "wampeter" is an object around which the lives of many otherwise unrelated people may revolve. The Holy Grail would be a case in point. "Foma" are harmless untruths, intended to comfort simple souls. An example: "Prosperity is just around the corner." A "granfalloon" is a proud and meaningless association of human beings. - Kurt Vonnegut Jr, Wampeters, Foma & Granfalloons