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« Turiasaurus | Main | Omens and portents of Cephalopodmas »

MERRY CEPHALOPODMAS, EVERYONE!

Category: Cephalopods
Posted on: December 22, 2006 1:00 AM, by PZ Myers

Don't try and tell me this is a fake holiday. Macy's in New York is celebrating it! That's the gold standard, man.

macys.jpg

Watch out, Kwanzaa.

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Comments

#1

Posted by: Stanton | December 22, 2006 1:39 AM

I feel chilled and squishy inside...
Must be the podnog.

#2

Posted by: John McKay | December 22, 2006 1:51 AM

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

Posted by: Warren | December 22, 2006 2:34 AM

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

Posted by: llewelly | December 22, 2006 2:54 AM

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

Posted by: Azkyroth | December 22, 2006 3:00 AM

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

Posted by: Warren | December 22, 2006 3:30 AM

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

Posted by: fred | December 22, 2006 4:12 AM

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

Posted by: MarkG | December 22, 2006 5:18 AM

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!

#10

Posted by: craig | December 22, 2006 6:18 AM

What's with the red star? Cephalopods is Commies?

#11

Posted by: Steve LaBonne | December 22, 2006 6:38 AM

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

Posted by: Fernando | December 22, 2006 6:47 AM

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.

#13

Posted by: Daephex | December 22, 2006 9:40 AM

The red star signifies that this particular species of undersea creature works for Texaco.

#14

Posted by: Michael Bains | December 22, 2006 1:58 PM

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

Posted by: Joshua | December 22, 2006 10:56 PM

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!"?

#16

Posted by: none | January 8, 2008 8:46 AM

writing a little bit too late. however, it seems squidmass becomes trendy. i should go for it this year :)
http://mybyrdhouse.blogspot.com/2007/12/99-octopi.html

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