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cobra

A venomous snake found in Africa and Asia. It is characterized by a hood that it spreads to intimidate potential predators.

The largest venomous snake is the king cobra.

by Erin Catherine May 2, 2008

27πŸ‘ 9πŸ‘Ž


zebra

In medicine, an obscure and unlikely diagnosis based on ordinary symptoms.

When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.

by Erin Catherine July 11, 2008

12πŸ‘ 14πŸ‘Ž


Asperger's Syndrome

A very real neurological disorder, related to autism, that has been overdiagnosed to the point where genuine cases of it are no longer taken seriously.

I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in 1993, back when hardly anyone had heard of it. Nobody has any right to say that something with which I have dealt all my life is not real.

by Erin Catherine May 2, 2008

397πŸ‘ 264πŸ‘Ž


stingray

An oceanic fish, related to sharks, that has been wrongly maligned since the untimely death of Steve Irwin.

1) It was ONE stingray that killed Steve, so don't go blaming the whole family; 2) it didn't maliciously kill him, it just reacted instinctively to a perceived threat; and 3) if you know the first thing about Steve Irwin, it should be perfectly clear that he would NEVER want us to bear ill will against any animal.

by Erin Catherine May 2, 2008

84πŸ‘ 25πŸ‘Ž


mad as a March hare

Crazy, insane. Refers to male hares' habit of leaping wildly about in March, their breeding season.

Calm down; you're acting mad as a March hare!

by Erin Catherine July 14, 2008

8πŸ‘ 1πŸ‘Ž


Ondine's curse

A respiratory disorder, also called congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) or primary alveolar hypoventilation, which is fatal if untreated. Because of a congenital failure of the body's involuntary control of breathing, people with the disorder must take each breath consciously; they typically die during sleep.

In German mythology, Ondine was a water nymph who fell in love with and married a mortal man, Sir Lawrence. He swore to her that his every waking breath shall be his pledge of love and faithfulness to her. Years later, she caught him in the arms of another woman. She cursed him thusly: "You swore faithfulness to me with every waking breath, and I accepted your oath. So be it. As long as you are awake, you shall have your breath, but should you ever fall asleep, then that breath will be taken from you and you will die!"

Sir Lawrence stayed awake as long as he could but eventually fell asleep from sheer exhaustion, and he stopped breathing and died.

Ondine's curse gives new meaning to the phrase, "I'll sleep when I'm dead."

by Erin Catherine June 29, 2008

26πŸ‘ 4πŸ‘Ž


peck

(n.) a brief kiss
(v.) to give a peck to

I gave him a peck on the cheek.

by Erin Catherine May 2, 2008

447πŸ‘ 160πŸ‘Ž