A particularly strong, tough, and/or virile male, especially one who likes to flaunt his strength. Watch the video
Month: February 2024
Tonsillectomy
The tonsils are areas of lymphoid tissue located on either side of throat that are frequently removed in a surgical procedure called a tonsillectomy. Those who often suffer from inflamed tonsils, as is the case with chronic tonsillitis patients, frequently undergo the procedure. The surgery is commonly performed on children; and among adult tonsillectomy patients, there is a slightly increased risk of bleeding and, generally, more postoperative pain. What is “Painless Tonsillectomy”? Discuss
lariat
The Day the Music Died (1959)
During an extensive tour of the midwestern US, American rock-and-roll musician Buddy Holly chartered a small plane to transport him to his next gig. Fellow performers Richie Valens and J.P. Richardson, who was known as “The Big Bopper,” filled the remaining seats. Tragically, the plane crashed, killing everyone on board. The event was later called “the day the music died” by Don McLean in his song “American Pie.” Which of the passengers was said to have won his seat on the plane by a coin flip? Discuss
Gertrude Stein (1874)
Stein was an American avant-garde writer and notable patron of the arts. While she was living in Paris, her home became a salon for leading artists and writers, including Picasso and Hemingway. An early supporter of Cubism, she tried to parallel its theories in her work, employing a unique prose style characterized by the use of repetition, fragmentation, and the continuous present. Her only book to reach a wide audience, The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas was actually about whom? Discuss
hell week
A week in which new recruits or pledges of an organization, especially a college fraternity or sorority, are subjected to a series of hazing rituals prior to initiation. Watch the video
The Legend of Fionn mac Cumhaill
According to legend, Ireland’s mythical hunter-warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill was imbued with universal wisdom after inadvertently eating the Salmon of Knowledge. This boundless knowledge ultimately led Fionn to become leader of the Fianna, the famed heroes of Irish myth. Many geographical features in Ireland are attributed to the legendary giant, including the basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway. What land mass was supposedly formed in the Irish Sea when Fionn flung a chunk of earth at a rival? Discuss
indigen
Alexander Selkirk Rescued after Four Years Stranded on a Desert Island (1709)
Selkirk was an unruly Scottish sailor who quarreled with his captain and asked to be put ashore on an island in the Pacific. Tired of Selkirk’s troublemaking, the captain granted him his wish. Selkirk promptly regretted his decision and chased after the boat, but to no avail. He survived on the desert island by eating shellfish and goats and domesticated feral cats to keep himself safe from rats. When he was rescued four years later, his story became the inspiration for what fictional character? Discuss
Candlemas
After observing the traditional 40-day period of purification following the birth of Jesus, Mary presented him to God at the Temple in Jerusalem. According to a New Testament gospel, an aged and devout Jew named Simeon held the baby in his arms and said he would be “a light to lighten the Gentiles”. It is for this reason that February 2 has come to be called Candlemas and has been celebrated by the blessing of candles since the 11th century. In both the Eastern and Western churches, it is now known as the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. Discuss