The Fitful Flog

Earlier today, I went to reach into my briefcase and hit the back of the chair it was sitting on with my hand, driving a splinter of veneer half an inch (hmm, 13mm) under the fingernail of my left middle finger. Oh, the wanton vulgarity that followed — for a couple minutes, I was channeling the ghost of Sam Kinison. This is, of course, an example of argumentum ad misericordiam, the appeal to pity. Now, you will be feeling so much empathy for my sad plight, you will not notice how slight my content may be.

This is the model with a battery-power tealight under it, flickering away in a lovely fashion. You’ll no doubt wish to fold one right away. Here’s a crease pattern (and an image file, if my pdf isn’t working for you.) If you’re puzzled by the construction method, it’s very nearly the same as the Easter Egg that appeared here earlier.

If you make one of these out of a circle twice the circumference of your head, you will have a very styling hat. If you have a twin, you can march in a Roman procession as Castor and Pollux, who always wore egg shell hats to honor their parents, Leda and the Swan.

While we’re here, we’re going to give a shout out to one of the readership who’s been doing some exceeding cool stuff. How is it that my readers are always so much cooler and so much more happening than I am? This is, of course, argumentum ad personam of the flattery kind. (What? Like I’m above such things?)