Monday evening study hall

[brightpearl]

^Oh, good, I'll tell my chemistry lab TA where to stick it.

[tapanuli]

Thank you auntie aubrey!

brightpearl, please post evidence of your lab antics--- real or imagined

[Hyakujo's Fox]

[T.I.P.]

MIT sketching

[Odbe]

Originally Posted by Stephi_B

Diddle! I'm so glad to hear he's still there. Germany just wouldn't be the same for me without the Diddle-mania.

[brightpearl]

Asian Giant Hornets. Also known as the "Yak-Killer" hornet. Holy hell.

I really wanted this to be photoshopped, but apparently it's not.


They eat praying mantises and bees.


The wikipedia site reports this defense, however:
"When a hornet scout locates and approaches a Japanese honey bee hive it will emit specific pheromonal hunting signals. When the honey bees detect these pheromones, a hundred or so will gather near the entrance of the nest and keep it open, apparently to draw the hornet further into the hive or allow it to enter on its own. As the hornet enters the nest, a large mob of about five hundred honey bees surround it, completely covering it and preventing it from moving, and begin quickly vibrating their flight muscles. This has the effect of raising the temperature of the honey bee mass to 47 °C (117 °F). The honey bees can just tolerate this temperature, but the hornets cannot survive more than 45 °C (113 °F), and die. Often several bees perish along with the intruder, but the death of the hornet scout prevents it from bringing reinforcements which could wipe out the colony."

Not only can their venom kill even people who aren't allergic, but the mofos bite, as well as sting.

Predictably, the Japanse eat the larvae.

They've reportedly spread to Europe and Britain due to global warming, but surely they freeze in the winter?!? Anybody seen one in their travels or god forbid at home? Are they really that big?

Ick!

[brightpearl]

The word "cacophony" (harsh, dischordant mix of sounds) and the word "caca" (poo) apparently share etymological roots in Greek.

[Stephi_B]

While searching something entirely different in units (a converter programme) I stumbled over Perla's very own () length unit (used in typography)

Originally Posted by units

You have: pearl
You want:
Definition: 5 point = 0.001757299 m

Jannon in Sedan was the first to use type of pearl-size for printing in 1627

[Stephi_B]

In connection with Sinterklaas/Nikolaus traditions Frieda and me discussed on the other thread, and the scary fellow Knecht Ruprecht/Krampus who is involved in Bavarian tradition I wikied this, I didn't know that our neighbours' son personified an incubus back then when he scared the hell out of me with this rattling chain and all...

Ancient customs survived in the rural parts of Austria, Switzerland, Bavaria and Slovenia in the form of dance, art, processions, rituals and games. The high regional diversity is a result of the mutual isolation of Alpine communities. In the Alps, the relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and paganism has been an ambivalent one. While some customs survived only in the remote valleys inaccessible to the church's influence, other customs were actively assimilated over the centuries. In light of the dwindling rural population of the Alps, many customs have evolved into more modern interpretations.


Krampus

The word Krampus originates from the Old High German word for claw (Krampen). In the Alpine region the Krampus is represented by an incubus in company of St Nicholas. Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks of December and particularly in the evening of December 5 and roam the streets frightening children (and adults) with rusty chains and bells. In some rural areas also slight birching especially of young females by the Krampus is part of tradition.

The present day Krampus costume consists of red wooden masks or Larve, black sheep's skin and horns. Considerable effort goes into the manufacture of the hand-crafted masks, as many younger adults in rural communities engage competitively in the Krampus events.


Perchten

Originally, the word Perchten (plural of Perchta) referred to the female masks representing the entourage of Frau Perchta or Pehta baba as is known in Slovenia, an ancient goddess (some claim a connection to the nordic goddess Freyja, though this is uncertain). Traditionally, the masks were displayed in processions (Perchtenlauf) during the last week of December and first week of January, and particularly on 6 January. The costume consists of a brown wooden mask and brown or white sheep's skin. In recent times Krampus and Perchten have increasingly been displayed in a single event, leading to a loss of distinction of the two. Perchten are associated with midwinter and the embodiment of fate and the souls of the dead. The name originates form the Old High German word peraht, or brilliant, meant as a warning against the sin of vanity.

Regional variations of the name include Berigl, Berchtlmuada, Berchta, Pehta, Perhta-Baba, Zlobna Pehta, Bechtrababa, Sampa, Stampa, Lutzl, Zamperin, Pudelfrau, Zampermuatta and Rauweib. The Roman Catholic Church attempted to prohibit the sometimes rampant practise in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries but later condoned it, resulting in a revival.

In the Pongau region of Austria large processions of Schönperchten (beautiful Perchten) and Schiachperchten (ugly Perchten) are held every winter. Other regional variations include the Tresterer in the Austrian Pinzgau region, the stilt dancers in the town of Unken, the Schnabelpercht (beaked Percht) in the Unterinntal region and the Glöcklerlaufen (bell running) in the Salzkammergut. A number of large ski resorts have turned the tradition into a tourist attraction drawing large crowds every winter.

[trisherina]

how to kill your Pleo (or not)

[Stephi_B]

(No, I do not post this for Perla's rejoicement )

[Hyakujo's Fox]

don't worry kids the bear's okay

[Stephi_B]

^Yeah, that one is great, in the Christmas experimental show last year they did it with 3 bears

But now something with nice colours and bear-friendly...

[brightpearl]

Here I am stuck in study hall, but I would so rather be spelunking with funky hair.

[YsaPur EsChomuw]

Originally Posted by brightpearl

Here I am stuck in study hall, but I would so rather be spelunking with funky hair.

I wish something or someone made me study interesting, exciting and new things instead of having to go to work and listen to my colleague's ramblings about how she'd spent her day.