Thought or Rant of the day!!!

[Snickie]

Randomly decided to start learning Esperanto....

This language is so cool. EVERYTHING IS CONSISTENT. THE GRAMMAR RULES ARE SO EASY AAAAAAA

[Undine]

I start Sophomore year at college on Monday. This is weird. Everything is weird.

[Snickie]

So apparently Junesun contributed to the Esperanto course on DuoLingo.

Iiiiit's a small world aaaaafter all!

(For those who don't know, Junesun is a Cantr alumnus who did a lot of work on some of the languages here years ago.)

[Friar Briar]

Parents who have experienced academic trauma as children who now subject their own children to that same academic trauma even though they are aware of what the student's difficulties are, how much challenge they are up against, and against all professional advice to the contrary. What can you do?

[Genie]

Back to home after a fine holiday and now I'm counting days for the Metalfest in Istanbul to see my beloved Moonspell on the stage. I will also marry my friends with pagan handfasting ritual so I'm excited and slightly nervous.

[Marian]

Oh my God it's just such a satisfying feeling blowing a rattlesnake away with a 20 gauge.

Especially when it's the kind that won't even try to run away. Make me crawl out the passenger side door? No really that's fine, you stay right there and rattle your heart out you little fucker, I'll be right back outside with a present just for you.

[Wolfsong]

In the time I've been in Australia, I've only ever once seen a snake - and that was out on a property, in a wood pile. It was an eastern brown snake, so I gave it a wide berth. Meanwhile, I was once chased by a rattlesnake in Florida that was probably a good 5-6 foot long, maybe half a foot thick, on top of the many water snakes I had to fish out of the swimming pool. People love talking up Australia as this land of death and dangerous things that want to eat you, but really I haven't seen that side of it yet (touch wood.)

I have had more close encounters with redbacks and white tips than I'd like, though.

[Snickie]

People love talking up Australia as this land of death and dangerous things that want to eat you, but really I haven't seen that side of it yet (touch wood.)

I know someone who lives in Australia and she once mentioned drop bears to me. Like apparently these bears climb trees and then just randomly fall out of them? Sometimes on people.

[*Wiro]

People love talking up Australia as this land of death and dangerous things that want to eat you, but really I haven't seen that side of it yet (touch wood.)

I know someone who lives in Australia and she once mentioned drop bears to me. Like apparently these bears climb trees and then just randomly fall out of them? Sometimes on people.

I thought Terry Pratchett made that up.

Edit: apparently they exist outside of the Discworld as well, but only as folklore.

[Marian]

Drop bears are just koalas I thought?

I've heard they're actually very mean and aggressive animals and their dopey and huggable appearance is a cruel deception.

[Finchington]

Drop bears are just koalas I thought?

I've heard they're actually very mean and aggressive animals and their dopey and huggable appearance is a cruel deception.

Koalas eat nothing but eucalyptus, yeah? Eucalyptus oil is flammable. The oil soaks into the koala's fur, and in summer, it gets really, really hot (it's also why they get aggressive during summer- The billabongs dry up and they're left with no water). On really hot days, they can spontaneously combust and drop from the trees, causing a bushfire.

Thus, the term 'drop bears' was forged.

Bonus fact- Koalas hate vegemite, so if you smear it behind your ears when you're walking through the bush, they tend to avoid you. It's kind of like an insect repellant. Vegemite has a few good uses, and isn't just for making your toast taste like road tar.

[*Wiro]

;o

[Wolfsong]

You don't get many drop bears out here (not enough trees) - they're more of a Queensland thing. In fact, most of the stuff that will kill you in Australia (including a desperately stupid desire to ape after the USA in every fashion) seems to live in Queensland.

[iavatus]

Edit: apparently they exist outside of the Discworld as well, but only as folklore.

One of the more insidious parts of dealing with drop bears, is this notion that they're somehow myths. Yes, they're mythical, in the sense that their bodycounts and ways of murdering are legendary.

http://australianmuseum.net.au/drop-bear

Be aware, be informed, be alert. And as a visitor, it's best to wear the vegemite. Aussies can get away with eating it and letting the stench seep out through the pores.

[Finchington]

I live in Queensland, and I can vouch for there being a lot of dangerous creatures here. Drop bears, however, take the cake. More fatalities each summer than natural causes.