Comments

  2. says

    Is the proper greeting “Happy Cephalopodmas,” “Merry Cephalopodmas,” or something more esoteric, like “Froelich Cephalopodmas.” And do we get to declare a holy (secular?) war against those who use the wrong greeting? Barring a holy war, can we, at least, whine that we’re being oppressed by each wrong greeting?

  3. says

    It’s “May you be eaten first”, you infidel.

    And for you real secularists, Dec 25 is Newton’s birthday.

    So Happy Newtonmas as well.

  4. llewelly says

    And for you real secularists, Dec 25 is Newton’s birthday.

    As much as we secularists love calculus and the Newtonian physics model (despite it being slightly wrong compared to Einstein’s …), it must be said that Newton was quite the devout Christian by the standards of his day, and was furthermore something of a kook, with his lifelong fetish for gematria, and his odd obsession for tasting weird chemicals. Probably only Dan Brown fans really want to celebrate Newtonmas …

    *ducks*

    (Okay, I admit it; some argue none of those things was particularly kooky by the standards of Newton’s day, comparing him to Kepler, Brahe, or Copernicus.)

  5. Azkyroth says

    Plus, I’ve seen an uncorroborated claim that Newton was such a prude as to have never had sex before marrying and possibly have never consummated that marriage. Confirm or deny?

  6. says

    Yup. Newton spent an insane amount of time trying to reconcile Genesis with fact. IIRC he was one of the first, if not the first, to try to date the Bible in historical times.

    But he did by golly invent calculus and a lot of modern physics.

    It’s the latter that I respect. ;)

    As to Newton’s sexual proclivities: Neal Stephenson has suggested the man was into … well, not women.

    Twice defamed? Who cares, really? We have a lot of current physics and science to lay at his feet. I think that’s worthy of, at least, a star atop a tree.

    Besides, who among us doesn’t respect a firm bit of well-aged wood?

    Oh — as for Brahe. He died in a very sad way. He was at a royal tea, and needed to pee, but manners didn’t let him leave before the queen did. So he stayed put until his bladder burst, and died of sepsis a short time afterward.

    Moral: Manners aren’t always worth keeping.

  7. fred says

    Wikipedia: “Recent investigations have suggested that Tycho [Brahe] did not die from urinary problems but instead from mercury poisoning: toxic levels of it have been found in his hair and hair-roots.”

    But the other story is more entertaining.

  8. MarkG says

    I truly hope that you all have a very Merry Squidmass. I’ve been a reader (and mostly lurker) for about six months, and I want to thank PZ and all the regulars for the daily doses of education and entertainment. Best wishes for 2007!

  11. Steve LaBonne says

    I’m sorry to have to give you the bad news, but now that there’s going to be a virgin birth we’re going to be celebrating Sauriamas instead. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.

  12. Fernando says

    Craig, I thought it was a stylized Red Starfish – Echinaster sepositus. BTW do you know where I can find a commie echinoderm for my saltwater aquarium? I think it would make a great addition for Squidmas.

  14. says

    I am such a Cephalopodaemonic infidel. It took reading several comments and a look-again at the pic to realize it wasn’t our Noodley Creator in purple drag.

    Could this mean that, no matter which faux deity one worships, juxtaposition will set you free?

    Eh.. More like I just don’t visit this august arena as often as is good for my invertebrate soul. {-;

    Nary-the-less, a Sublime Solstice to One and All!

  15. Joshua says

    It’s “May you be eaten first”, you infidel.

    Sure, if you want the perverted English version. Lousy kids, forgetting the ancient traditions! Whatever happened to a good, old “Ia! Ia! Cthulhu fhtagn!”?