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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Watching the familiar Dickens Christmas classic with the family, I was struck by Scrooges use of the term “humbug.” I have always heard that as something bad, but this time I asked, OK then, what the hell is a humbug? Is it an actual insect that hums? Why is that a bad thing?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Google offered this beast:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><img width=181 height=165 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image002.jpg@01CDE202.5C13DCF0"><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Now THAT’S a really cool looking bug! I like it. That pattern on her back almost looks like the Extropians logo.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>So why are bogus things humbugged? The urban dictionary offers that a humbug is an insect that is said to crawl up one’s ass and hums a tune, which I could clearly see would be uncomfortable to say the very least. But I have my doubts that any such beast as the one shown could possibly do such a thing, certainly without my notice and immediate, perhaps mildly panicked, remedial action. Depending on one’s location at the time of the humbug attack, it could certainly be a bad thing, at least for the immediate victim. Depending on the attitude and alcohol content of the bystanders, I could see where a humbug could perhaps create hilarity among the onlookers.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In any case, Merry Newtonmas Extropians!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>spike<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>