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George Takei Now an Asteroid

Posted by samzenpus on from the lock-phasers-on-gimmick dept.

ineedbettername writes "In recent news, the International Astronomic Union has decided to rename the asteroid "1994 GT9" to 7307 Takei in honor of George Takei, the actor who played Sulu in Star Trek. He now joins the ranks of other famous sci-fi figures in space, such as 4659 Roddenberry, 68410 Nichols, Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov."

44 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. An asteroid? by geminidomino · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hey may be getting a little soft in the middle, but come on... that's overstating things a bit.

    1. Re:An asteroid? by Foobar+of+Borg · · Score: 2, Funny

      ASS-teroid
      No, scientists renamed that object to end that stupid joke once and for all. It is now a Rectum-teroid.
      --
      Similar to the upcoming US election results
  2. Loaded headline by edwardpickman · · Score: 3, Funny

    To keep things organized please post all gay jokes under this posting. Thank you for your cooperation.

    1. Re:Loaded headline by heinousjay · · Score: 5, Funny

      Why? Is the asteroid gay?

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    2. Re:Loaded headline by skinfaxi · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I have always admired George Takei and think it's great to name an asteroid after him. Gay jokes and calling him names is pretty foul. You would think I was new here to expect any better.

    3. Re:Loaded headline by halivar · · Score: 3, Funny

      You must be new h--

      Nice UID.

    4. Re:Loaded headline by tverbeek · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I don't expect any better. But I will answer both the snickering adolescent homophobes and the people who have have a stick up their puckered asses over a mere "celebrity" being honored this way.

      Yes, George Takei is queer. And although he felt he had to hide this fact for most of his adult life, he had the courage and integrity to come out of the closet, by choice, giving inspiration to those fans who are gay (of whatever age) to be a little more courageous in their own lives. Plus, he's done it with class and humor.

      Yes, George Takei is an actor. But his dignified and non-stereotyped portrayal of a starship officer for whom being Japanese was only one of several interesting character traits, helped expose viewers to a broader picture of what Asian people were like, and to Asian kids in particular it gave another idea of what they might become. Plus his obvious contribution to Star Trek's promotion of space-related science.

      So, yeah: There's no question he deserves the modest honor of having an object in space named after him. And he can handle the jokes.

      --
      http://alternatives.rzero.com/
    5. Re:Loaded headline by kisrael · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well said.

      And he does put up with the jokes with humor and grace, even when Howard Stern was getting in on it. He does sound like a bit of a "queen", and I like him all the more for it, he's likely living the life that feels that much more natural for him, and probably having a ball doing it.

      And the character of Sulu was always one of the coolest ones on that bridge. Kirk was always a bit too much bluster for young people to relate to quite as well, Chekov (inspired by the Monkees) was a bit too goofy. Sulu was all professionalism and skills.

      Random Trek bit... one line that they say got through the sensors was when there was that mind-altering virus thing and everyone goes nuts, bare-chested swashbuckling Sulu addresses Uhura "Fair maiden..." and she replies "sorry, neither" -- very cute.

      So, good for him.

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    6. Re:Loaded headline by Lord+Ender · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I respect Takei greatly. I am an advocate of gay rights. But I also thought that "Takei hitting Uranus" joke was pretty funny. Does that make me a bad person?

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    7. Re:Loaded headline by danlock4 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Because Star Trek is a nerdy subject. That's why it's appropriately categorized as "news for nerds." It matters to nerds because it is a nerdy subject. If nerdy subjects did not matter to nerds they either wouldn't be nerdy subjects or the "nerds" wouldn't be nerds.

      [Of course, not all nerds are interested in Star Trek. However, since a large portion of nerds are interested in Star Trek and it is, therefore, a nerdy subject, it remains "Stuff That Matters"--even if it doesn't charge your phaser.]

      --
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    8. Re:Loaded headline by danlock4 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Does that make me a bad person? Of course not. The human mind is naturally (to some extent) and culturally trained to find such juxtaposition (the side-by-side placement of both interpretations of that thought) humorous.

      "[...]humour frequently contains an unexpected, often sudden, shift in perspective." --(Humor on Wikipedia)

      Additionally, the pun in the common comical usage of "Uranus" is evident, making it a lot of us English-speakers laugh, regardless of the level of our respect for Mr. George Takei.

      --
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    9. Re:Loaded headline by gihan_ripper · · Score: 3, Funny

      Well I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Takei's hilarious response to NBA player Tim Hardaway's homophobic comments. The video is available on YouTube.

      --
      Phoenix, Boston, Little Rock, see a pattern?
  3. I Have Decided To Reciprocate... by patio11 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... and name a rock in my backyard after him. Now he has his name applied to two hithertofore anonymous rocks which he will never see.

    --
    Help poke pirates in the eyepatch, arr.
  4. Big Star Trek Fan...but.. by teebob21 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I never knew Gene Roddenberry's first name was really 4659. "Gene" must be a stage name.

    Plus, I'm not sure who this Nichols cat is, but Issac Asimov; I know. Now there's a sci-fi guy who's not afraid to use his real name!

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    1. Re:Big Star Trek Fan...but.. by MrCopilot · · Score: 2, Informative
      I'm not sure who this Nichols cat is

      Ummm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uhura

      --
      OSGGFG - Open Source Gamers Guide to Free Games
  5. What's next... by Neitokun · · Score: 2, Funny

    Renaming a quasar CowboyNeil?

    1. Re:What's next... by SolitaryMan · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think CowboyNeal deserves to have a black hole named after him.

      --
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    2. Re:What's next... by caluml · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think CowboyNeal deserves to have a black hole named after him. G0-AT-5E?
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  6. And thus begins the jealousy tantrum by davmoo · · Score: 4, Funny

    I bet Shatner is pissed over this one.

    --
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    1. Re:And thus begins the jealousy tantrum by owlnation · · Score: 4, Funny

      SSSSuuuuuUUULLLLLuuuu!!!!

  7. Oh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    my.

    1. Re:Oh by elrous0 · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Sulu dead ahead, captain!

      Mr. Asteroid, take evasive action!

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  8. For once when I decided to read the article... by lordsilence · · Score: 2, Informative

    I thought he had died!
    Thinking his ashes might've been sent to space and then come down again.

    Not reading those summaries are bad...

  9. Just in time for Halloween by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "All I got was a rock."

  10. First Uranus joke ... by weighn · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why? Is the asteroid gay? Depends if Takei will crash into Uranus.
    --
    Mongrel News all the news that fits and froths
    1. Re:First Uranus joke ... by clickclickdrone · · Score: 4, Funny

      >Depends if Takei will crash into Uranus.
      It's the dark matter you have to be wary of.

      --
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    2. Re:First Uranus joke ... by kooky45 · · Score: 3, Funny

      While he's at Uranus he could pick off a few Klingons.

    3. Re:First Uranus joke ... by lbmouse · · Score: 4, Funny

      Professor: "I'm sorry, Fry, but astronomers renamed Uranus in 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all."
      Fry: "Oh. What's it called now?"
      Professor: "Urectum. Here, let me locate it for you."

  11. Lucy in the sky with Takai, ... by itsybitsy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    As long as we don't hear Shatner singing anymore.

  12. Re:That's nothing by e9th · · Score: 2, Funny

    So the Strugackis are now the 3054 brothers?

  13. Sulu? Who's Sulu? by aeschenkarnos · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh! You mean Hiro Nakamura's dad! :)

  14. Don't mix entertainment with history by suv4x4 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I honestly can't believe how people blur the edges of reality and sci-fi series. So now people deserve special honour because they played in Star Trek? I mean, the guy was probably a great actor, but what the heck.

    Reminds me of the 20-th century museum in Futurama, where they have messed up the entire history and thought The Honeymooners were the first people to step on the moon ("Bang! Zoom! Straight to the moon, Alice!"), and reimaging the astronauts as movie-style space cowboys complete with cowboy hats and attractive behavior.

    It's just idiocracy happening slowly before our eyes.

    1. Re:Don't mix entertainment with history by Seumas · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Don't mix entertainment with history . . .

      So . . . to hell with Bogart. Grant. Reagan. Arnold.

      First of all, these are people in the science community honoring those that inspired or intrigued them in the pursuit of science. Or just acknowledging someone whose work they greatly appreciate. Second, it's not like this is a finite resource and naming a cosmic entity after anyone diminishes the chance for others to have them named after other people.

    2. Re:Don't mix entertainment with history by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yeah, but ST gets a bit of a free pass on this because (despite being somewhat cheesey) it genuinely inspired a whole generation of real astronomers / NASA personnel / general space enthusiasts. We all know why the first orbiter was named Enterprise, and it wasn't the bullshit official reason of being named after the CV-6 / CVN-65 carriers.

    3. Re:Don't mix entertainment with history by Loke+the+Dog · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well, what about all those ancient gods we have up there? They're just as distanced from reality as star trek.

      And what names should we use in your opinion? I'd much prefer having objects named after celebrities than astronomers naming the rocks after their cat or whatever.

    4. Re:Don't mix entertainment with history by PietjeJantje · · Score: 2, Insightful

      My father was a water biologist. They, and their biology colleagues everywhere, find new species and organisms all the time. Especially the really small ones. In fact, there are so many of them, they are pretty much named after everybody, in "latineze". There are zillions of them. Two crustacean types have been named after me. He was -this- close to honoring the dog. Most remain unnamed though and just carry an id. I ask you, has this been a problem to you and did it mess up history as you suggest? Now, take the universe and pieces of rock you'll never see, or, even better, stars instead. We can safely honor every thug on earth (and their dogs) with their own stars, and still end up with relatively all of the stars not being named. In this number game, they wouldn't win even if they would make it their full time profession to give silly names to stars. In other words: it's not a problem as long as they don't rename Mars to Shatner.

  15. Where have you been? by ynotds · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Don't mix entertainment with history
    Entertainment is history.

    History is entertainment.

    And CleverNickName posted a warmly personal take to his blog earlier.
    --
    -- Our systemic servants do not good masters make.
  16. A small request by dkleinsc · · Score: 2, Funny

    Please do not plot an intercept course with Earth. Or any Earth space equipment for that matter.

    --
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  17. Political or military names by FlopEJoe · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...it [IAU] warns would-be namers to avoid anything "in questionable taste" and any names honoring political or military figures sooner than 100 years after their deaths.

    Well that odd. I have nothing against George and I'm fan of most of the recipients listed. But it seems out of perspective to honor actors hundreds of years earlier than people who accomplish such monumental, world changing achievements. "Here's a guy who died to take out a bunker so that others can free France. Oohh, No wait, here's an actor!"

  18. Wil Wheaton by n3tcat · · Score: 3, Funny

    So when does Wil Wheaton get his own asteroid?

    1. Re:Wil Wheaton by Tablizer · · Score: 2, Funny

      So when does Wil Wheaton get his own asteroid?

      After Jar Jar Binks does. It'll be the one that wipes out humanity and lets cockroaches take over.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    2. Re:Wil Wheaton by aztektum · · Score: 3, Funny

      It will be the one that is on an impact course with Earth. Named something like 45344 CRUSHER

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  19. who didn't start their own religion .. by rs232 · · Score: 2, Funny

    "To keep things organized please post all gay jokes under this posting. Thank you for your cooperation"

    'He now joins the ranks of other famous sci-fi figures in space, such as 4659 Roddenberry, 68410 Nichols, Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov '

    At least they didn't try and start their own religion ..

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  20. Slippery Slope by Aneurism75 · · Score: 2

    Its only a matter of time before major celestial objects are re-named after corporate brands and entities. Saturn is the only planet that keeps its original name, however (TM) is apendid to the planet's name just so people know they cannot use the name without permission. Southern Bell, McDonald's, Vagisil, Entertainment Tonight, Michelin, Jack In The Box, Saturn(TM), United Parcel Service, Nike, Pepsi