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Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
…and this is a pharyngula stage embryo.
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To say that this Timeless God began Time along with the Universe at a time when there was no Time implies that at that moment when He initiated this Unique Event He was engaged in a Time, or at a time in order to bring this Event about. He did something. What brought that Event about?
Peter A. Angeles, The Problem of God: A Short Introduction (Buffalo, NY: Prometheus, 1986), p. 67.
Modules and the promise of the evo-devo research program
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Category: Humor • Weirdness
Posted on: June 27, 2006 8:23 AM, by PZ Myers
Quite a few people sent me a link to this Foxtrot comic with the remote-controlled squid.
They were all just trying to tease me cruelly, because they knew it would be my favorite summertime pool toy, and they don't exist. I looked everywhere, but the closest I could get was a remote-controlled robot shark, which is only almost as good.
Although, if we could mount laser beams on their heads…
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Comments
It shouldn't be too hard to make a remote-controlled squid, should it? That bunching motion looks fairly replicable.
But how do squid turn corners?
Posted by: Corkscrew![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 8:55 AM
Seems to me there ought to be a research grant in creating a robot that accurately replicates squid movement, both forward and back. :-)
Posted by: Russell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 9:01 AM
Squid are jet-propelled, with an exhaust that swivels.
Posted by: PZ Myers![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 9:11 AM
They have to be frikkin laser beams, which I think is a technical term about their frequency or something.
Posted by: Jeffrey Boser![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 9:13 AM
Actually, "frikkin" may be a brand name like "Acme"...
Posted by: DouglasG![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 9:26 AM
Any squid robot had better have a better run-time that that shark - it only lasts 15mins on the one battery!
That's just not enough time for squidly fun...
Posted by: ColinB![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 9:30 AM
Are they ill tempered?
Posted by: Dr. Free-Ride![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 10:12 AM
That's almost as cool as a snake that can change colors.
Posted by: ivyprivy![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 10:28 AM
What is the familial adjective for squids? If things related to cows are bovine, and things related to wolves are lupine, and things related to horses are equine, then things related to squids are...?
"Squiddy" just doesn't give these cephalopods the dignity they deserve. "Cephalopodal" sounds contrived. Surely squids have an adjective!
Posted by: Russell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 11:02 AM
How about a non-remote controlled, but still motorized, squid?
Posted by: darius![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 11:06 AM
A jet-powered squid that can envelop and drag-to-the-deeps any Fisher Price boat would get my consumer dollars!
Posted by: Bruhsam![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 1:40 PM
Are they ill tempered?
"Perturbed," I think.
If things related to cows are bovine, and things related to wolves are lupine, and things related to horses are equine, then things related to squids are...?
Cephalopodine, perhaps? Whereas those things only comparable to squids (and octopi) would be cephalopodesque.
Posted by: Bill Dauphin![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 2:50 PM
Let's take an example and look at the classification:
Dosidicus gigas - Humboldt Squid
Pick your level of taxonomy and turn it into a modifier.
Posted by: quork![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 3:03 PM
Teuthidatonic!
Posted by: quork![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 3:04 PM
I kind of like decabrachine, which is nicely parallel to octopine. Are there decabrachines that aren't really squid? Of course, I guess that's sort of like asking what's really a zebra.
Posted by: Russell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 3:44 PM
Pick your level of taxonomy and turn it into a modifier.
For sheer euphony, I like coleoidean. As in, "Wow, that's wicked coleoidean, dude!"
Posted by: Bill Dauphin![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 4:18 PM
What is the familial adjective for squids?
I vote for teuthine.
It's short and sweet, and goes well with bovine, ursine, ovine, etc.
Alternatively, how about calamarine?
Posted by: HP![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 5:06 PM
How about knitted nautiloids (via BoingBoing)
Posted by: Zarquon![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 7:58 PM
Robotic squid, hell! I'm still waiting for my Tyrannosauruses in F-16s!
Of course, why restrict ourselves to taxonomic items. I vote for krakenic or inkfishy.
Posted by: Pierce Presley![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 8:33 PM
For what it's worth, there are squidy pool toys. Not remote controlled though.
Posted by: cephalopodcast![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 27, 2006 8:39 PM