Slashdot Mirror


Memorial Set For 'Pi Day' Creator (sfgate.com)

"Three-point-one-four was more than a number to museum curator Larry Shaw," writes the San Francisco Chronicle. Long-time Slashdot reader linuxwrangler writes: In 1988 at a retreat for San Francisco Exploratorium staff, Larry Shaw proposed linking the digits of pi, which begins 3.14, with the date March 14. Initially the "holiday" was only celebrated by museum staff but it didn't take long for the idea to spread and Pi Day was born.

For 38 years, Mr. Shaw donned a red cap emblazoned with the magic digits and led a parade of museum goers, each of them holding a sign bearing one of the digits of pi. Shaw died August 19 at age 78 and a memorial is planned for Sunday September 24.

The memorial will be held in Mill Valley, California, the Chronicle reports, adding that "pie will be served."

4 of 56 comments (clear)

  1. Pi Day Creator Day? by michaelmalak · · Score: 3, Funny

    Next step is to memorialize whoever thought of creating Pi Day Creator Day

  2. Re:great idea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's why I'm waiting until May 9th of the year 3141 before celebrating.

  3. Help, I'm trapped in a Universe Factory... by burhop · · Score: 4, Funny

    Obligatory slashdot xkcd post. I'm sure Larry had it on his wall.

    https://xkcd.com/10/

  4. More Accurate Pi Day by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Don't worry, for all us un-americans there is a more accurate Pi day on 22/7 since 22/7 is a slightly better approximation to pi than 3.14.