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Illinois Declares Pluto a Planet
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."
Everybody knows Pluto is a dog.
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
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).
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power lost.
When you define pi to have a value of 3, the calculations say Pluto is a planet.
Hehe, makes me think of the Indiana Pi Bill.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Pi_Bill
Slashdot declares Illinois retarded
Why no one trusts them to get things done anymore... We're in the biggest financial crisis in years and they spent the time to declare Pluto a planet. It means nothing, is non binding, and shows a huge disconnect between the political scene and the general populace.
The musings of just another geek and his junk.
Yo mama is so fat...Illinois declared her a planet
New joke meme?
Karma: Excellent. 15 moderator points expire sometime.
Although they can measure in different ways I wouldn't act like such a jackass unless you've actually been to the planet.
Also who cares what it's called. I see it as refreshing that they're at least not trying to deny its existence like the ID crowd do with evolution.
and I declare Illinois a corn field.
You can't handle the truth.
Yeah. I vote that Illinois also changes the definition of a mile and shortens it so that their residents can get more miles to the gallon! I also vote that they cut the definition of an hour down to 30mins to shorten my working day.
Consensus and standards be damned, they're just definitions!
Want good science education, come to Illinois, the state that bans "evolution" and teaches creationism.
Seems as though it is.
Clearly, Illinois is not a place to get yourself educated.
No, no, it is! If you just redo the calculations with pi = 3, it all works out!
marketing surveys NIGGER ASSOCIATION the numbers.) The We don't sux0r as world will have you all is to let that FrreBSD is
Check the track record of leaders. Less than squeaky-clean past governors and other politicians with criminal records (mostly corruption-related)... what's that place called... Crook County?
I was personally shaken down in Champaign just this past week. (I'll spell it out some other time, when pending legal action I am taking is concluded.)
I went out of my way not to drink any of the water in Illinois, so as not to become personally corrupted by whatever may be in it.
The problem with socialism is that they always run out of other people's money. - Margaret Thatcher
On other news: if a court says creationism is a science, it is.
Privacy is terrorism.
Reminds me of story by Woddy Allen where two university professors had an argument about whether the bell marked the ending of a lesson or the beginning of a new one.
I hadn't the slightest objection to his spending his time planning massacres for the bourgeoisie... (P.G. Wodehouse)
Press: "When will we send a man to our new planet Pluto?
Illinois legislature: "As soon as Rod Blagojevich has his bags packed."
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
I agree with the need of a scientific definitions and the definition they came up with when they tried to define the word "planet" was good.
Only one problem. The word "planet" was already in use by the general public and the meaning of the world "planet" is: One of the celestial objects that used to be called "planet".
Now the astronomers came up with a good classification of objects, but they also needed to come up with new words fitting their classifications. Otherwise they are just saying "We have redefined one of the words you are using, just obey us".
In summary, the astronomers doesn't own the word "planet", the general public do.
For a nice date: Call strftime(3C)!
In other news, a giant robotic Neil deGrasse Tyson was seen bursting through the walls of the Illinois Capitol Building, saying, "Pluto is a Plutoid. You have 30 seconds to comply."
People of Illinois,
we have duly noted your recent reconsideration of Pluto and its classification. We appreciate this sign of good-will and will take it into account in our upcoming invasion of Earth.
Although I can make no promises at this point, I am able to inform you that sparing your lives is currently viewed favourably amongst our population.
Yours sincerely,
Gral Rex,
Minister of Earth Affairs, Government of Pluto
p.s. to the rest of mankind: You are all still toast.
Being a planet is a valuable thing. So, how much did it cost Pluto?
[Insert pithy quote here]
You can't legislate a fact. The Catholic church couldn't make the world flat, no matter how hard they tried. This is no different.
They've obviously solved all the other problems in the state if have time to spend on this. I've never been there but it must be a great place to live.
Now quit dilly-dallying and start taking care of the real issues.
I know, I know, good luck with that.
~Mike (Titan_X)
is that the voters don't understand that even if it's just a resolution, passing stuff like this is costing them valuable tax dollars.
If Pluto isn't a planet, it will cost a bunch of money to replace all the fifty year old science texts.
If Pluto is a planet, they can keep using the fifty year old science texts.
What, you think I'm kidding! You obviously aren't a teacher.
My grandfather taught me when I was 8 that there are four inner (solid) planets, and four outer (gaseous) planets, separated by the asteroid belt. Anything else is not a planet, and Pluto certainly should not be.
But oh, if Illinois says it's true then it must be!
Hurray...
I can see the revised textbooks now:
"Pluto is the second largest dwarf planet* in the Solar System's Kuiper Belt.
* Except in the State of Illinois."
-Valen
Don't argue. There's already three astronomers at the bottom of Lake Michigan who "begged to differ."
It's the Chicago way.
...Uranus is Blagojevich what do you expect.
Use your head, can't you, use your head,
You're on earth, there's no cure for that - S. Beckett
Wow. With Colorado declaring IE 6 safer than Firefox, and now this, one wonders what Florida and Texas will cough up for today's news cycle. I'm THIS close to actually being entertained!
-FL
Until Pluto can save the Economy, talking about whether it's a planet or not during these times is the last thing Illinois or the federal government needs discuss.
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One could make the argument that the concept of "nine planets" is ingrained in popular culture. The scientific reasons why Pluto is not a planet are fairly technical, and scientists who try to explain this come off a bit like the annoying guy at a cocktail party who corrects your pronunciation. The natural inclination is to put that guy back in his place. It is a little ridiculous and unnecessary; when kicking out Pluto, the IAU could have at the same time declared that there are nine "historical planets" and left the technical discourse to people who are actually interested in that.
The law is written thusly: "that as Pluto passes overhead through Illinois night skies, that it be reestablished with full planetary status"
Because Illinois is a northerly state... does Pluto ever actually pass "overhead"? Ever? Pluto's orbital inclination to the sun is about 11 degrees at maximum. The latitude of Illinois is much higher than that, at about 36 degrees. So Pluto may never pass through their air space, even if the borders of Illinois are extended upwards to infinity.
But since Pluto can never truly be "overhead", does that mean the law never actually goes into effect?
Comments? Suggestions?
How come this isn't tagged suddenoutbreakofcommonsense? Pluto is a planet.
BANKRUPTCY!!!
This resolution will never kick in, will it? The text says:
But Pluto will never be directly overhead in Illinois. The state is too far from the equator to ever get pointed straight at the ecliptic. Or does the tilt of Earth's axis and the inclination of Pluto's orbit really put it overhead of Illinois once in a while? Any astronomy nerds care to calculate when that will happen?
... they have more important things on their minds right now. Just goes to show how staggeringly idiotic local (and national) level politicians can be.
legislated that pi be exactly equal to 3 or 22/7 or something.
Why can't we introduce the death penalty for stupidity?
I think its great. IT's a harmless resolution that takes a subtle dig back at what is perceived an internationalist body that some argue robbed an American of credit for a scientific discovery. Pluto is a planet in Illinois, by a non-binding resolution. Good for them!
This is my sig.
The lawyers and politicians will save us.
The cost of that cleanup, of course, will be borne by taxpayers, not industry.
CHICAGO - Federal authorities have indicted several Illinios Senators on corruption charges after an undercover investigation. According to tapes released, Senators called a number of planetoids asking "what they could get" for the title of planet. Rod Blagojevich was unavailable for comment.
Shameless plug for my photos on Flickr
So, that's why astrologists were cheering this morning! ;) Or, maybe Mercury is in retrograde resulting in an error of judgement by Illinois politicians? I mean, it's not like we have a shitty economy or anything important to worry about at this point in time.
The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
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.
Enjoy your Karma, after all you earned it. Feel your Karma Joe, feel it burn.
Just because they've got pi on their faces over goofy resolutions, that's no reason to deny that Pluto is a planet.
You Pluto-haters will get yours.
Our President came from this state. I think I'll start stockpiling canned foods, ammo, and guns like the rest of the hillbilly's down south.
On behalf of Illinois I most humbly and sincerely apologize for the frightening depth of stupidity displayed by our state legislature. I suspect it has something to do with the water in Springfield or somesuch.
Start calling Pluto an asteroid... and it's starts acting like one. http://www.shof.msrcsites.co.uk/pluto.jpg
Yes. Just follow the money. That'll lead you to who's really behind this reclassification. Ask yourself, who stands to benefit most by saying that Pluto is a planet? On the one hand you have the new textbook printers who are looking to make a lot of money on new astronomy text books. And on the other, you have school boards with tight budgets and astronomy texts that are just fine except for one inconvenient "fact". There's also the Disney Corporation. Having a character named after a planet earned them a certain amount of free publicity, a certain je-ne-sait-quoi. They would not be above lining a few political pockets to get Pluto re-instated. Oh, and let's not forget all the science museums who now have to change all their solar system models and retrain all of their staff. When you throw in the countless companies who use Pluto as a company slogan or in their trademarks, the disgruntled housewives with a bone to pick with the International Astronomical Union, the t-shirt companies who stand to make millions off of this, and the rich conspiracy nutcases, the picture is a lot muddier than a simple case of idiot politicians making a dumb decision. Follow the money.
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
... to get the alien vote.
Stupid is as stupid believes !!
So yeah, it is their duty to do things like this. They are reflecting the wishes and desires of their constituents. So it's exactly what they are supposed to be doing.
Enjoy your Karma, after all you earned it. Feel your Karma Joe, feel it burn.
Whew, sure glad that's over with, because after all, if we didn't have the unanimous vote of all 50 states in North America, there was little chance for the rest of the world to decide poor Plutos fate.
Cripes Illinois, give me a break. Here's an idea, how about you go off and work on something a bit more useful, like a new spelling for your state so kids won't have to be still learning how to spell it in the 4th grade.
I suggest we in Illinois stop paying the members of our General Assembly until they start doing actual work which benefits the residents of the state. That'll be a start at the budget deficit they caused and apparently feel is less important than showing their ignorance of fifth-grade science.
We were lost, none of us knew where we were. Then Harry starts 'feeling around on all the trees' and he says... "I got it we on Pluto", I say, 'Harry how can ya tell", and he says, "from the bark, you dummies... Ha-ha! From the bark!"
"I only speak the truth"
Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
Illinois redefines "retarded" to mean "most smartiest place in the world."
Genesis 1:32 And God typed
You seem to be a sincere troll so I will speak honestly.
The thing is, they haven't changed Pluto's status just for the sake of it. It was a matter of consistency. If pluto-like objects were to be considered planets, we would have about 13 planets in the Solar System right now, and that number is steadily increasing. So the right thing to do was to remove Pluto (and it's pals) from the planets club, because they really have nothing in common with them. It was correcting a historical anomaly, only.
And if you think that a international body of scientist is not the most indicated to make scientific definitions, well. Pity.
entropy happens
Please tell me you're kidding. I don't want to exist in the same universe with someone as stupid as you'd have to be otherwise.
We're lucky they didn't declare it a Senator!
Since this is actually “serious” legislation, does this mean that children going to school in Illinois will be taught that Pluto is a planet?
The new "definition" by the IAU is asinine and was voted on by just 424 self-appointed members of a 9000 member group of astronomers who do not even represent all of the world's astronomers. The people of Illinois have as much right as the IAU, scientists or not. In related news, 500 geographers get drunk at a convention in Las Vegas and officially adopt the Dymaxion Map of the world as the official description of the Earth, and declare that there is only one Continent comprising all the worlds land masses surrounded by a single World Ocean. The move is condemned by most of the public, but is fiercely defended by a bunch of dweebs on Slashdot as "really cool".
Was it not Illinois who in 19th century decided to fix the value of Pi to 3.0, or something like that? Or was it Indiana?
I disavow any responsibility for the stupid fucknuts in Illinois government.
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
I assumed that this was merely proposed and probably would not even get voted on but it actually passed.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=0046&GAID=10&DocTypeID=SR&LegID=40752&SessionID=76&SpecSess=&Session=&GA=96
Actions
Date Chamber Action
2/3/2009 Senate Filed with Secretary
2/3/2009 Senate Referred to Assignments
2/10/2009 Senate Assigned to Executive
2/19/2009 Senate Be Adopted Executive; 012-000-000
2/19/2009 Senate Placed on Calendar Order of Secretary's Desk Resolutions February 20, 2009
2/26/2009 Senate Resolution Adopted
After all, the elected the Big BO to their legislature, and the the US senate and now we're stuck with him screwing this planet too
So what happened?
- Pluto was discovered and named a planet
- Generations of kids are taught that pluto is one of nine planets
- More planets with approximate same size get discovered
- Astronomy recognizes that we cannot be sure of the total number of objects circling the sun
- But we need a number of planets we can we teach kids, so they can write tests and get grades
- Astronomers change the definition of what constitues a planet so that they won't get embarrassed again
given what's crawled out of IL in recent weeks.
Earth is neither a perfect sphere nor a plane, but is it round? Where do we draw the line? Is 1% acceptable deviation? How about 5%? Is dodecahedron round? How about a hundred sided dice?
If we one day declare dodecahedron round and the other d100 not round, is it an attempt to alter reality?
Or is it just an arbitrary classification?
I live in Illinois, and just took some time from work to make two calls expressing my displeasure at the silliness.
I got a hold of a live person at Represeative "Bob" Ritas office and left a message for State Senator Emil Jones. Anyone else in Illinois should do the same with their representatives.
As an "Illinoisan," I apologize for the circus that is our state government. I am officially fed up.
has declared Pluto to be a dog
so there
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
God this doesn't surprise me. With all the real important issues that residents of Illinois (I among them) that could be addresses this is just stupidity at the highest level. I think its time to vote all of these losers out of office and start over. First Illinois then Washington. Enough wasted time and spending already. Might be time to move but where? Canada?
Illinois declares that the Earth is flat...
plutocrats?
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
I thought that 2 Skinnee J's already established the point that Pluto is a planet...
You know; there is a movement to get rid of professional politicians and replace them with collaborative websites.
You have forgooten to take into account gthe inclinaion of the Earth's orbit to the ecliptic, and the inclination of th Earth's axis to its orbital plane. With the infinite upward extent that political entities claim, this will put Pluto within Illinois at some times.
As a resident of Indiana, I'm forever grateful to them. Passing the torch of legislative interference in the mathematical/scientific arts is *such* a relief.
Pluto: "I'm being what?"
Astrological society: "Demoted... you're being demoted."
Pluto: "I don't understand... why?"
Astrological society: "Honestly, your just not up to code, you know? Most planets have certain criteria they must follow, criteria that you just don't meet. You understand right?"
Pluto: "I sure as hell do not!"
Astrological society: "Well, it's like this... realistically... well, your an ice cube, basically and well... we mistook for a real planet. But we do apologize for the confusion."
Pluto: "OMG. This is so embarrassing."
Illinois: "It's okay Pluto we understand. Hey... how would like to be governor? Seriously, we have a spot open all the time? Tell you what, if you agree to govern us then we'll let you be a planet."
Pluto: "Uhm... you do realize that in all reality, I am a giant ice cube right?"
Illinois: "That is neither her nor there... look, when the time is right... it'll happen. You seem like a smart fellow, and together I think we can get a lot accomplished. Just remember though, when things go bad, you have to go back to being an ice cube. We don't need you parading your mistakes around for the whole galaxy to see like that last guy."
sudo apt-get lost
This is a joke right? If not the sponsors of this bill/resolution/whatever should be removed from office for wasting taxpayer dollars and overstepping their authority. This is not a political issue, it is a science issue. Pluto is still out there, and will continue orbiting happily along despite what we choose to call it.
unzip ; strip ; touch ; grep ; find ; finger ; mount ; fsck ; more ; yes ; fsck ; umount ; sleep
Remember in Illinois you can buy Senate seats. I'm thinking Pluto either greased the right wheels or is friends with Mayor Daley.
Democracy Now! - your daily, uncensored, corporate-free
I believe they should declare that Pi equals 3, to help not having to remember all those extra digits. Come on - dropping the .14159265... part would be a benefit to every architect, engineer and scientist in the state.
If pluto-like objects were to be considered planets, we would have about 13 planets in the Solar System right now, and that number is steadily increasing.
BFD. Set a size limit and let's all become famous planet hunters. Definitions are arbitrary but they are supposed to be definitive. They elected a definition that is far from definitive and was clearly intended to exclude one object that would have been excluded had it been the size of your anus OR URANUS. The IAU made a fucking joke of themselves.
What, do we need separation of science and state now?
I can see why the article got a theonion tag, there was a great article way back:
Eight Million Americans Rescued From Poverty With Redefinition Of Term
We should all pray that pluto be re-instated to a dwarf status.
Then they can keep using those B&W scientific films from the 50-60s.....
As the International Authority on which self declared authority is actually valid, I regret to tell the whole slashdot community that the IAU didn't have the authority to reclassify pluto anyway. /joke
The authority of academia is a joke. Almost all academic pedigrees can be traced back to either a self declaration of authority-ship, a grant by a monarch, or a grant from a religious institution. And of course because they were such good academics back in the day they didn't come up with jargon in place of common words and then when they decide the need to tweak their jargon, rather then recognizing that it is perhaps time for their jargon and the common language to part, they try to redefine parts of the language.
I hate to say this but we need to recognize the silliness and fence it in. We need to give experts a place to do what they need to do without upsetting people and we need to keep academics from getting in the way of the changes in our communication that are happening because of globalization, and when someone says something as an expert we need to have a scope for what they are an expert on and if it's something that is debatable allow room for differing schools of thought to grow and prosper. And for some of the scopes central authorities should be established so that when people in one scope want to change or influence something in another there is a way to do that.
Pluto's self-esteem was suffering, due to the other planets making fun of it for being gravitationally challenged.
How is Pluto ever supposed to reach its potential if Neptune is always pulling it around?
Fascism starts when the efficiency of the government becomes more important than the rights of the people.
Damn straight, if Pluto wasn't a planet, how could there be a Sailor Pluto?
Planets need bailouts too. After all, if one planet loses its status, then all of the planets in the solar system will have a reduced value. This causes the moons of the planets to lose value. Next thing you know, we will no longer be living on a planet, but on a rock. This will continue to drive real estate values down. Who wants to live on a rock?
Clyde Tombaugh was born in Streator, Illinois in 1906. Kudos for Illinois for speaking up and honoring their own Clyde would be furious to know that after he was dead his planet was declared a non-planet. I met Clyde and even when was alive he was vehemently defending Pluto as a planet. Some wussy astronomers waited until he was dead to change the classification - nice going guys.
I agree on Unicode. Inline TeX support would be tough. TeX is a full programming language, and it's usually not considered a good idea to open up the servers to arbitrary code entered by posters. Even if the TeX code is executed such that it can't harm the system or any data, malicious users would have a new avenue to ramp up the server's CPU and RAM usage. Instead of inline TeX you'd need to choose a safe subset of TeX to implement and write a new, safe parser for it; probably one without programming capabilities.
At that point you might just be better off allowing MathML, although given the rather poor state of current browser rendering you might want to render it server-side by... well, maybe translating it to TeX, after imposing your size/complexity limits.
I'll grant that it would be cool and useful to be able to plop mathematical expressions into comments.
The actual resolution is:
So, all this really says is that 1) the Illinois State Senate would like to see Pluto reestablished, in name, as a planet, and 2) that March 13, 2009 is declared "Pluto Day". There's nothing here about requiring the science books to be changed in Illinois, nothing about legislating the value of Pi, nothing important. Did anyone bother to go through the other resolutions that the 96th general assembly pass? Are they meddling in peoples' ages by passing a resolution that citizens over the age of 49 should be, in their opinion, considered wise and be treated with respect?
Here's why this is important. If this silly overreaction to unimportant issues continues, when it is finally important, your voices are ignored because you all sound like a bunch of whining losers who don't understand the difference between a law and a resolution so your opinion is unimportant.
New Mexico did it first. Pluto has been a planet to anyone entering the state of NM since 2007. http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=23558
A couple years ago Obama would have been one of the people voting to declare Pluto a planet. And now he's president. Great job, guys.
Since I read slashdot and have watched a few episodes of Star Trek, I feel that I am qualified to say what the IAU should have done. They should have defined planet as any object that is massive enough to pull itself into a spherical shape and small enough not to undergo fusion. Then (and here's the clever bit) planets are divided into types. So you could have:
Type E (earth) or T (terrestrial) for earth-like planets
Type P (pluto) for Pluto and other Kuiper belt objects
Type G (giant) or J (Jupiter) for the gas giants
Type H (hell) for Mercury like planets
Type L (lonely) for wandering bodies not associated with stars
and so on.
Then Pluto would be a planet, but would be clearly distinguished from other planets.
un-ALTERED reproduction and dissimination of this IMPORTANT information is ENCOURAGED
Good morning Children, today we will discuss the Solar System.
There are 8 planets in the Solar System, and 9 in Illinois.
I hope they will never pass the legislation that the Earth is flat.
This whole "separation of church and state" thing seems to be giving Illinois sour-tummy. With religion finally gone (errrrrr...) they feel a power vacuum: someone has to come up with "facts" and doctrine that is not subject to question. Otherwise the American People will have to grow brains, and then Democracy will surely fail!
Lemme check my notes...
"The biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place."
Kansas has recently passed a bill that refutes the theory of gravity. The bill says that humans can leap to the moon "if we only believe", and that "it's all in your head".
Indiana had a bill to set the value of pi to 3.2, among other values.
Of course the fact that Dr. Clyde Tombaugh lived down the street when I was a Kid may give me a bias. I heard his talk on discovering Pluto more times than I can count.
Professional Politicians are not the solution, they ARE the problem.
I have mad respect for Illinois's legislature ever since they passed this resolution: http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/2005/HCR029.html
Apparently Jonathan Coulton is more popular in Illinois than he realizes.
"I will trust Google to 'do no evil' until the founders no longer run it." Hello Alphabet.
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.
Excuse me, narcissistic retard, but they changed the definition of a planet because at the rate that their new telescopes were finding objects similar to pluto out there, we'd have about 20 planets in the system by now.
But you keep thinking that they did it to mess with your precious feelings, that way your rage will cause you to die an early death and free us all from having to suffer your continued existence.
You can't take the sky from me...
In 1897 Indiana passed a Bill setting the value of Pi to 3. Now that's seriously outside their jurisdiction!
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
that politicians are taking up Astronomy as a hobby, but come on guys. This is seriously the funniest thing I've heard all week. Thanks for the post!
You cant legislate common sense. Even tho they are right, it IS a F-ing planet.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
I figured I'd give everyone a heads up.
The Illinois Supreme Court just declared the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics unconstitutional! Apparently it was brought on by a Ms. Eris Discordia appealing a conviction.
Illinois lawmakers are not expected to challenge the ruling.
Disclaimer: The opinions and actions of the US Gov't are in no way representative of those held by this author or its ci
...till we pass the bill raising the speed of light--it'll make interstellar travel SO much easier.
Suck on this planet. It's a planet, really. I know it looks like a penis, but, um, it's a planet cause... I want it to be! And apparently that's the only requirement in Illinois!
HEY YOU DUMB FUCKS IN ILLINOIS: PLUTO IS A PLUTOID, NOT A PLANET. GET WITH THE FUCKING FACTS.
The Illinois legislature once declared that the value of pi is 3.
I'm not making this up.
If pluto-like objects were to be considered planets, we would have about 13 planets in the Solar System right now, and that number is steadily increasing.
And this is a problem how?...
So the right thing to do was to remove Pluto (and it's pals) from the planets club, because they really have nothing in common with them.
So you think Mercury has more in common with Jupiter than it does with Ceres? Face it, the IAU's current definition is idiotic. Pluto has "nothing in common" with two objects (Jupiter and Mercury) that have "nothing in common" with each other? Ok, sure, fine, whatever. I put "nothing in common" in quotes because actually, all of the above have some things in common. Pluto actually has a lot more in common with Mercury than Mercury does with Jupiter, but whatever.
BTW, nothing in the definition of planet excludes "pluto-like" objects (icy, comet-like Kuiper-belt objects) from the planets club. If that were the issue, then Ceres would have had to be re-instated as a planet. (Which it should have been.) Instead, they went with some idiocy about orbital debris. If a pluto-like object were found that cleared its orbital path, then that would be a IAU-approved planet. If you're going to nitpick, at least get your facts straight.
Rather than to repeat the previous posters about the planet, I will mention that the "Brontosaurus" was renamed because it was discovered that the "Brontosaurus" was another name for the Apatosaurus. When there were two names for the same animal, the first name published is the one that wins. So, really, the name of the "Brontosaurus" did not change, it stayed Apatosaurus, and the redundant name was discarded. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatosaurus
Wasn't it the Illinois Legislature that passed a bill declaring Pi equal to 3?
:T:R:A:N:S:
Upon entering Illinois you must openly admit Pluto is a planet, or you shall have no admittance. Legislators now voting on declaring Illinois a planet as well.
I also disavow any responsibility. I'm too preoccupied with this chronic pain called a recession.
Dammit, we voters can sure pick 'em, can't we?
If pluto-like objects were to be considered planets, we would have about 13 planets in the Solar System right now, and that number is steadily increasing.
And this is a problem how?...
Two things. They are all uninteresting asteroid-like bodies (except for Ceres, I grant you that. It is interesting, but just a rock in the middle of the asteroid belt nevertheless), that can't be seen by the naked eye.
The other is a matter of coherence. The only strong reason I've seen to keep Pluto a planet is a matter of tradition. I disagree with it, of course, but it does have its strength. And to add the four other dwarfs to the club would just upset tradition even more.
So you think Mercury has more in common with Jupiter than it does with Ceres?
You're cherry picking. Mercury does have a lot in common with Venus, Earth and Mars. You know, small, rocky, near the sun. And Jupiter has a lot in common with Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Clearly, they are not isolated. Of course, the gas giants are quite different from the rocky planets. They are more like stars.
Pluto actually has a lot more in common with Mercury than Mercury does with Jupiter, but whatever.
That's not quantifiable. And I disagree, Pluto has very little in common with Mercury. They are very small, and that's all. Their formation history and composition are radically different. And Pluto is just one in the middle of tens of thousands of kuiper belt objects, while Mercury is all alone. The fact is that all three are quite different objects.
When you look to the bigger picture, the IAU made quite a good job in a difficult task. They had to make a definition of planet based on scientific principles that was more or less aligned with the traditional conception of a planet. I they were completely scientific, they'd have to let out the gas giants, and we'd have only the first four (I take it that you agree that the Earth has to be a planet). But I don't think the general public would accept "losing" Saturn and Jupiter. I can already imagine the astrologists rioting.
Last but not least, Pluto was an historical mistake. They were looking for a planet that caused the disturbance in Uranus' orbit. By chance, they've found Pluto moving in the neighbourhood. It could never been what they were looking for, due to it's low mass. I'm glad that this was finally corrected.
If a pluto-like object were found that cleared its orbital path, then that would be a IAU-approved planet.
Then it wouldn't be a kuiper belt object. There wouldn't even be a kuiper belt. And I would gladly accept it as a planet.
If you're going to nitpick, at least get your facts straight.
The same to you.
entropy happens
Good for Illinois. A state has no business weighing in on the subject but neither does the IAU have any business redefining the "popular" meaning of the word planet.
1. The word planet and pluto have both been around before IAU ever existed.
2. Semantic arguments could have easily been resolved without redefining existing terms as popularly understood by billions. IAU was just attention whoring plain and simple. They could have generated new terms to clarify the matter for the few academic snobs on the planet who give a crap about planets sucking up the crap around them.
3. Using the term "dwarf planet" while simultanously proclaiming pluto is not a "planet" is a reflection of the manifest stupidity of those involved with the naming process.
Its no different than the idiots who invented the term "internet" vs "Internet" or mini-sd vs micro-sd. Sometimes people just come up really short in the common sense department.
Now if you will excuse me I'm going to go put together a committee to officially declare that "cable modems" no longer be referred to as such.
That is, allowing for a certain redefinition of planet to include more 'living bodies'? (see hover text at xkcd #541)
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