Members Jeff da Weasel Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore! Okay, not really. But there's poor Pluto, floating around the sun for millenia, minding its own business. Hell, it was only "discovered" 76 years ago, barely a blip on the radar in the cosmic scheme of things. And now, it gets its planetary status removed out of the blue? I say this is a tremendous injustice, folks. If there were a civil rights commision for heavenly bodies, you bet they'd not stand by idly for this outrage. I mean, sure, its orbit is eccentric. But who among us can cast the first stone at eccentricity? Certainly not me, my friends. And think of the children! The children with science books... all wrong! As of this morning, there's not a damn printed science book in any school in this wonderful world that doesn't list our solar system as having nine planets! Misinformation! And when will these books be replaced, and at what cost? Well, I say we are all guilty of plantary elitism. The only saving grace about this fiasco is that Pluto really doesn't give a crap about what we call it. It has been around much longer than the scientists who deal with semantics, and will continue its trek across the skies long after they are gone. Viva la Pluto! - Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spokenward Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 It's a clear case of "the Man" dissing a discovery by an amateur astronomer. Clyde Tombaugh, an amateur astronomer who used the new telescope at the Lowell Observatory was able to photograph Pluto in the year 1930. The planet Tombaugh found was named Pluto. Pluto became the outermost known planet of the solar system. http://www1.jsc.nasa.gov/er/seh/pluto.html though, I gotta admit, he borrowed a pretty big telescope to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Magpel Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Amen! Bravo! Hear Hear! Oi! (And the earth, in its monosyllabic, polyglot grunt, indicates agreement and assent). The most it will do is throw shadows at you but it's always a planet to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BLAblablah Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 I say leave Pluto alone...demote Goofy instead!Bear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Well, everyone's downsizing these days.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tedster Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 "The solar system has nine...uhhh...eight planets." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members philbo Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Yeah, dammit! And while we're on it, what the hell's up with the new politically correct pronunciation for Uranus? There was absolutely nothing wrong with saying "Your Anus". Now they want us to say "Urine Us", which sounds to me like an invitation I'm not willing to offer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted August 24, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Originally posted by philbo There was absolutely nothing wrong with saying "Your Anus". Now they want us to say "Urine Us", which sounds to me like an invitation I'm not willing to offer! Wow, those choices leave you between a rock and a hard place. Or something like that. You know, the good news about the solar system is that it keeps on truckin' regardless of how a few primates on the third rock try to define it. I take comfort in that. - Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jon Doe Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Pluto= 150% PWNED! It was always a POSER! I'm just glad the madness is over with... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted August 24, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 I never would have expected to see an outright anti-Plutoite on these enlightened fora. A sad moment in astronomical history. - Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steadyb Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Originally posted by philbo Yeah, dammit! And while we're on it, what the hell's up with the new politically correct pronunciation for Uranus? There was absolutely nothing wrong with saying "Your Anus". Now they want us to say "Urine Us", which sounds to me like an invitation I'm not willing to offer! I say good riddance to Pluto, and while you're at it, wipe Uranus too!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Geoff Grace Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Look at it this way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted August 24, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Originally posted by steadyb I say good riddance to Pluto, and while you're at it, wipe Uranus too!!! Man, that's just... so wrong, it's right. - Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zeronyne Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 I KNEW when I read this report that you'd be the one to be outraged, Jeff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Deef Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Is the thumb still a finger? Is the Salton Sea really just a lake? Is Pete Best a Beatle? I still don't know if a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. Deef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FunkyLaptop Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 This armchair debating from astronomers is a crock. If you can land on the the thing and put up a sign, then we'll talk. And if someone does land on it, what will they say now? "I claim this non-planet in the name of the Earth!" ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members G Geezer Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 I soooo want to post a parody Let's protest Pluto's demolition! Boom, it's gone, bye bye, fuggitaboutit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aliengroover Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 "Pluto never did nuttin' ta nobody!" Stinkin' Earthlings! Think their little ball is SO much better than the rest. Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members protues9 Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 at the time when pluto was discovered, it was a singular discovery. Now, we know of hundreads and possibly thousands of pluto like objects that orbit the sun. Some even larger. But you know, rock the boat or not? I dont know.. they want to draw a line somewhere.. pluto doesnt fit the classical ideal of the planets.. soo either we nix it for science sake, or keep it for traditions sake.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brittanylips Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Originally posted by Jeff da Weasel And think of the children! The children with science books... all wrong! As of this morning, there's not a damn printed science book in any school in this wonderful world that doesn't list our solar system as having nine planets! Misinformation! And when will these books be replaced, and at what cost? Would you have them continue to read textbooks that described the sun rotating around the Earth, a central (and erroneous) cultural belief in human history for far more than 76 years? In a way, Pluto has been promoted rather than demoted, with similar kuiper belt objects now classified as "Plutons." -plb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Magpel Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Originally posted by Deef Is the thumb still a finger? I still don't know if a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. Deef My favorite rule of thumb (anyone know the dark origins of that expression?) is this: If you're a killing a whole plant to eat it, it's a vegetable. If the plant "offers" you the food, i.e., droppings, it's a fruit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members techristian Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Originally posted by Jeff da Weasel And think of the children! The children with science books... all wrong! As of this morning, there's not a damn printed science book in any school in this wonderful world that doesn't list our solar system as having nine planets! Misinformation! - Jeff And that is just the beginning. Wait until evolution is thrown out ! Dan http://teachmedrums.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Originally posted by Magpel My favorite rule of thumb (anyone know the dark origins of that expression?) I've heard it, but I think it's wrong. I think it simply refers to using the thumb as a rough unit of measurement, which is also the origin of "feet" and "hands" as units of measurement. Seems a few cunning linguists on Wikipedia agree with me: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thumb If you're a killing a whole plant to eat it, it's a vegetable. If the plant "offers" you the food, i.e., droppings, it's a fruit... I'll agree about this one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Originally posted by Brittanylips Would you have them continue to read textbooks that described the sun rotating around the Earth, a central (and erroneous) cultural belief in human history for far more than 76 years? No, but that was an actual conceptual error, not just a name change. It's not like we suddenly discovered anything new about the behavior of Pluto, we just changed what we call it. After years of arguing over it. Whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Geoff Grace Posted August 24, 2006 Members Share Posted August 24, 2006 Originally posted by techristian: Wait until evolution is thrown out ! Oh, I think there's pretty good evidence that we've been "de-evolving" for awhile now. Best, Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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