people to refer to any random large block of bits that needs to be
stored in a database, such as a picture or sound file. The
essential point about a BLOB is that it's an object that cannot be
interpreted within the database itself. 2. /v./ To {mailbomb}
someone by sending a BLOB to him/her; esp. used as a mild threat.
"If that program crashes again, I'm going to BLOB the core dump to
you."

:block: /v./ [from process scheduling terminology in OS theory]
1. /vi./ To delay or sit idle while waiting for something. "We're
blocking until everyone gets here." Compare {busy-wait}.
2. `block on' /vt./ To block, waiting for (something). "Lunch is
blocked on Phil's arrival."

:block transfer computations: /n./ [from the television series
"Dr. Who"] Computations so fiendishly subtle and complex that
they could not be performed by machines. Used to refer to any task
that should be expressible as an algorithm in theory, but isn't.
(The Z80's LDIR instruction, "Computed Block Transfer with
increment", may also be relevant)

:Bloggs Family, the: /n./ An imaginary family consisting of
Fred and Mary Bloggs and their children. Used as a standard
example in knowledge representation to show the difference between
extensional and intensional objects. For example, every occurrence
of "Fred Bloggs" is the same unique person, whereas occurrences
of "person" may refer to different people. Members of the Bloggs
family have been known to pop up in bizarre places such as the DEC
Telephone Directory. Compare {Mbogo, Dr. Fred}.