Dies Natalis Solis Invicti

[Just Some Girl]

On blackberry and can't see who has their log in. 

[Just Some Girl]

Can't see any avatars either

[Moetown]

I can't see youur avatar, Tripp.

[Poop Fresh-Herbed Pickles]

You know, way before the early church co-opted the pagan solstice celebrations, the winter solstice celebrations were, amongst other things, dedicated to Bacchus, the Roman version of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and intoxication, in the Brumalia festival.

I just thought that my fellow crappiteers would duly appreciate that entertaining bit of historical trivia. 

The solstice was 3 days ago, so you're a bit late.

Cosmologically speaking, the solstice is the proper beginning of the new year.

Don't forget that Bacchus is also the god of fertility.  So everybody, fuck somebody you love.

[Poop Fresh-Herbed Pickles]

...and love somebody you fuck.

[Doctor Rock]

You know, way before the early church co-opted the pagan solstice celebrations, the winter solstice celebrations were, amongst other things, dedicated to Bacchus, the Roman version of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and intoxication, in the Brumalia festival.

I just thought that my fellow crappiteers would duly appreciate that entertaining bit of historical trivia. 

The solstice was 3 days ago, so you're a bit late.

Cosmologically speaking, the solstice is the proper beginning of the new year.

Don't forget that Bacchus is also the god of fertility.  So everybody, fuck somebody you love.

Ah yeas, but you see, in ancient times, people didn't use the same calendar: Julius Caesar had it established in his Julian calendar December 25 as the date of the winter solstice of Europe.  Also, most people back then couldn't determine with any certainty the exact date of the solstice.  They aimed for the ballpark.    Thus, by tradition, the ancient roman festival of Brumalia took place on the night of the 24 and during the 25th December. 

In fact, because of the disparity between the Julian calendar and the tropical year (google it if you want to), which caused the actual astronomical solstice to move forward approximately three days every four centuries, by the late XVI century, the solar solstice was happening December 12th.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII decided to restore the exact correspondence between seasons and civil year but, doing so, he did not make reference to the age of the Roman dictator, but to the Council of Nicea of 325, as the period of definition of major Christian feasts. So, the Pope annulled the 10-day error accumulated between the 16th and the 4th century, but not the 3-day one between the 4th AD and the 1st BC century. The Pope's change so finally fixed a calendar bringing the northern winter solstice to around December 22. Yearly, in the Gregorian calendar, the solstice still fluctuates slightly but, in the long term, only about one day every 3000 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice

[Doctor Rock]

Not bad for a tipsy guy, eh? 

[Doctor Rock]

Yes, I'm an even greater pedantic bore when I had a few... 

[Moetown]

I'm about to have to deal with an army of in-laws.


Cheers.
 

[bebopbalogna]

can yall see my avatar?

not in a few days..i've just imagined something like this was there.

[Berunda]

Someone should tell Bill O'Reilly the Avengers have been part of the "war on Christmas" for some time now. C'mon, "Happy Holidays," "Season's Greetings"? What is Cap some kind of librul?

[Just Some Girl]

I'm home, "done" with the family stuff till the new year ('cepting they'll be keeping me posted about my pops, obviously, if there's any news). Yay. I still haven't packed for tomorrow. Boo. Oh well, still early...

[Just Some Girl]

Ok, this is kinda interesting...

You know all that spam from Nigerian "princes" promising scads of cash if you provide them all your personal banking info, etc.?
 
Well... the UK branch of global ad agency Mother, had US $10,000 to spend on Christmas gifts for clients/colleagues this year, but opted to give it to one lucky person instead. Here's the outrageous and entertaining story of how they gave it away (and bonus, the guy who got the dough* ended up donating it to...yep, a London-based charity doing outreach/education projects in Nigeria).


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4xHc2Ow9CY[/youtube]





*unbelievably in this day and age, a seemingly bright guy actually responded to the spam. Whether or not he simply recognized the name of the ad agency in the email they don't say, but if he didn't then, yikes, that is one trusting dude.

[Just Some Girl]

Hey, Evan, you back from the Merry In-laws Fest? Good times, right?

[Tripp]

whatup bitches?