]:"resistentialism (ri-zis-TEN-shul-iz-um) noun
The theory that inanimate objects demonstrate hostile behavior against us.
[Coined by humorist Paul Jennings as a blend of the Latin res (thing)
+ French resister (to resist) + existentialism (a kind of philosophy).]
If you ever get a feeling that the photocopy machine can sense when you're
tense, short of time, need a document copied before an important meeting,
and right then it decides to take a break, you're not alone. Now you know
the word for it. Here's a report of scientific experiments confirming the
validity of this theory:
http://www.uefap.co.uk/writing/exercise ... clatri.htm
As if to prove the point, my normally robust DSL Internet connection went
bust for two hours just as I was writing this. I'm not making this up.
-Anu Garg"