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Illinois Declares Pluto a Planet

Posted by timothy on from the after-ruling-out-pebble-and-mailing-tube dept.

The Bad Astronomer writes "The legislators in Illinois, always on the lookout for more places to find voters, have passed a resolution declaring Pluto is a planet. I'm not sure what else can be said here, except that — besides overstepping their jurisdiction just a wee bit — they make a couple of scientific howlers in the resolution itself."

10 of 512 comments (clear)

  1. Before people say that Illinois is stupid by Daimanta · · Score: -1, Troll

    It's just a definition.

    There are now 8 planets in the UNIVERSE because they defined a planet as a body orbiting the sun. The definition sucks so I have no problem if states are defining a planet as something else than a small club of grey men(IAU).

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    Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power lost.
    1. Re:Before people say that Illinois is stupid by Daimanta · · Score: -1, Troll

      "You can say that it's "just a definition", but I don't see where it's the place of a legislature to make scientific definitions to scientists."

      Moot. The IAU claims to define it for everyboy on the entire world. If I claim that Pluto is a planet what would happen? People would say that it isn't anymore. Most people don't know how or why, they will just say that Pluto isn't a planet anymore. With that the IAU has decided to undemocratically decide that Pluto is not a planet and I personally refuse to acknowledge that.

      If an elected group of people decide that Pluto is a planet(which changes absolutely NOTHING), who are a bunch of snobbish scients to deny that?

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      Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power lost.
    2. Re:Before people say that Illinois is stupid by Daimanta · · Score: -1, Troll

      ""If an elected group of people decide that pi equals 3, who are a bunch of snobbish mathematicians to deny that?" "

      Pi is a letter from the Greek alphabet, and is not inherently coupled to the ratio of a circle and it's diameter. If you would want to call the ratio of a cicle to it's diameter beta it doesn't change anything.

      Fact is, the ratio of a circle to it's diameter is larger than 3(you can prove this mathematically) and this is not open to definition(lest you want to redefine circle and diameter or even number) but inherently coupling pi and a circle is foolish and shows what kind of effect a definition can have.

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      Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power lost.
    3. Re:Before people say that Illinois is stupid by vdammer · · Score: -1, Troll

      Why are you capitalising words like "star," "orbits," and "spherical?" Those aren't proper nouns. Stop pretending they are.

  2. moD down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    marketing surveys NIGGER ASSOCIATION the numbers.) The We don't sux0r as world will have you all is to let that FrreBSD is

  3. Creasomething by Fuzzums · · Score: 0, Troll

    On other news: if a court says creationism is a science, it is.

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  4. Re:From the Illinois legislature press conference: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Illinois legislature: Unfortunately, Bush is from Texas, so he cant come along...

  5. Moron Scientists Moron Legislators by gadlaw · · Score: 1, Troll

    Well you know, that whole business of a bunch of geek bastards chortling over their tiny bit of power by 'changing' the designation of Pluto does stick in my craw. SOB's were all laughing and happy with their efforts at FUBARing our knowledge of the Universe/Solar System and for no good reason other than to screw with us. Every time I see that San Fran Neils guy with his anti Pluto smirk I just want to punch him in the face. Screw those guys and the idiots who changed the name of the Brontosaurus and all that other crap. At least the Legislators reflect the people and if we don't like them we can unelect them, these smirking Pluto killers seem to have tenure but yeah our legislators can take their funding away from them so there is that.

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  6. It's - a - H.O.A.X. - 'tardos by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Stupid is as stupid believes !!

  7. Re:Pff this is ridiculous by Hordeking · · Score: 0, Troll

    Did I mention that they were arrogent and hubristic? AFAIK the only two honest politicians in the state are Durbin and Obama.

    That wouldn't be the same Barack H Obama who got elected on the pledge that he would control earmarks, would it? Because the Obama I keep hearing that about happily signed into law a "stimulus" package that just ballooned the deficit and gave all sorts of money to worthy causes like "ACORN". That's not saying anything about the upcoming budget with ~8500 earmarks in it that he keeps promising to sign.

    Is it the same one who consistently refuses to produce an authentic birth certificate to prove he's even constitutionally eligible to be president?

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