What is it?

Evo

Wasn't it Persephone that had to spend a a month each year for every pomegranate seed she ate while in Hades? Which explains winter.

rewebster

"Persephone (Proserpine) was a daughter of Zeus and the Greek fertility goddess
Demeter (Ceres). Hades (Pluto) condemned Persephone to eternity in the underworld,
because she had eaten the forbidden fruit (pomegranate seeds). She was allowed to
return to the surface of the earth for part of the year. Persephone was also
a personification of spring."

Gokul43201

Yes, it was Persephone. She was the Ancient Greeks' groundhog!

Kurdt

Surely the groundhog myth is the modern day persephone.

rewebster

well, she could stay at my place in my spare bedroom for those couple of months while she wasn't in hell

-----------------------

There ya' go Evo, you win one week in Hell (California)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_California

Kurdt

That has to be the best opening sentence of any wikipedia article ever.

SpaceTiger

Quote by Gokul43201

A bit of etymological trivia about the pomegranate: most everyone knows that the word is derived from the latin pomum granatum (apple with many seeds), through the late French pomme grenade (which, doubtless, you are all aware was the origin of the word 'grenade')

Obviously. I mean, what kind of people wouldn't know these things? People with no idea of what's important, that's who! I want to picket these people...

...and I'll smear the signs with pomegranate juice. Now that would be hard-hitting, like a Wolf Blitzer newsbreak on Easter Sunday.

SpaceTiger

Quote by Evo

Today's "What is it?". Can anyone quess? If you ask, I will give hints.

Perhaps we should preface each of these challenges with an "Is this something?" poll.

rewebster

My parents took us to Hell on vacation when we visited my grandparents when I was a kid

(on the way to the Colorado River).

Moonbear

Quote by Gokul43201

A bit of etymological trivia about the pomegranate: most everyone knows that the word is derived from the latin pomum granatum (apple with many seeds), through the late French pomme grenade (which, doubtless, you are all aware was the origin of the word 'grenade'), but how many of you know that the botanical name of the pomegranate tree (Punica granatum) is the only biological name that has one specific type of bad grammar - the gender of the adjective does not agree with the gender of the noun (it should instead be Punica granata)?

Did you take the useless trivia quiz yet?

Or should we just start calling you Cliff?

rewebster

or Punicum granatum

Gokul43201

That would work too, but wouldn't be the prefered choice. Most plants are named with genera that are feminine (the Ancient Romans thought of plants as feminine), but there are many cases of neuter (any alpinum) and masculine (asteriscus) genera.

Ivan Seeking

neutrino

An active volcano as captured with, say... a UV-filter of some sort.

matthyaouw

Bioluminescent bacteria (Dinoflagellates?) forming a 'milky sea'. I remember reading an article about that picture before.

Mk

Quote by rewebster

My parents took us to Hell on vacation when we visited my grandparents when I was a kid

My parents took us to Hell on vacation! But it was Hell, Michigan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Michigan

rewebster

Quote by Mk

My parents took us to Hell on vacation! But it was Hell, Michigan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Michigan

Parents in perspective can be pretty funny once in a while, can't they---my, my...my

I guess that there's a choice (free will) then:

MI: "people watch for Hell to "freeze over"

CA: "Hell has been referenced when it is especially hot"

Evo, your choice, where do you want to go?

Evo Mentor Blog Entries: 4	What is it? Wasn't it Persephone that had to spend a a month each year for every pomegranate seed she ate while in Hades? Which explains winter.

rewebster	"Persephone (Proserpine) was a daughter of Zeus and the Greek fertility goddess Demeter (Ceres). Hades (Pluto) condemned Persephone to eternity in the underworld, because she had eaten the forbidden fruit (pomegranate seeds). She was allowed to return to the surface of the earth for part of the year. Persephone was also a personification of spring."

Gokul43201 Recognitions: Gold Member Science Advisor Staff Emeritus	Yes, it was Persephone. She was the Ancient Greeks' groundhog!

Kurdt Recognitions: Gold Member Science Advisor Staff Emeritus	Surely the groundhog myth is the modern day persephone.

Ivan Seeking Recognitions: Gold Member Science Advisor Staff Emeritus

neutrino	An active volcano as captured with, say... a UV-filter of some sort.

matthyaouw Recognitions: Gold Member	Bioluminescent bacteria (Dinoflagellates?) forming a 'milky sea'. I remember reading an article about that picture before.