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Randy
SFN Regular
USA
1990 Posts |
 Posted - 08/15/2006 : 19:23:13
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&ObjectID=10396493
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"We are all connected; to each other biologically, to the earth chemically, to the rest of the universe atomically."
"So you're made of detritus [from exploded stars]. Get over it. Or better yet, celebrate it. After all, what nobler thought can one cherish than that the universe lives within us all?"
-Neil DeGrasse Tyson |
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McQ
Skeptic Friend
USA
258 Posts |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13481 Posts |
 Posted - 08/15/2006 : 19:50:35 [Permalink]
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| Can't they be given better names? Since they are “Plutons” why not call them Huey, Dewey and Louie? |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/15/2006 : 20:14:08 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Kil
Can't they be given better names? Since they are “Plutons” why not call them Huey, Dewey and Louie?
Au contraire, Messieur! Those are the names of Donald Duck's nephews.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13481 Posts |
Posted - 08/15/2006 : 20:21:38 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by HalfMooner
quote:
Originally posted by Kil
Can't they be given better names? Since they are “Plutons” why not call them Huey, Dewey and Louie?
Au contraire, Messieur! Those are the names of Donald Duck's nephews.
I know, but compared to the other planets, these are pretty Mickey Mouse, don't you think? |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 08/15/2006 : 20:32:16 [Permalink]
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Come on, guys, this is serious. Stop acting Goofy.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 08/15/2006 20:33:24 |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 08/15/2006 : 20:33:23 [Permalink]
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I found this wonderful op-ed in today's NY Times and thought it was a good take. The author, a professor at Cal Tech, argues quote:
Think of it this way. The term “planet” is similar to “continent.” The word helps us organize our world, but the division between continents and subcontinents is thoroughly arbitrary. Yet no union of geologists has tried to vote on a definition of “continent,” and no one is concerned that letting culture determine the difference between Australia, the smallest continent, and Greenland, the largest island, somehow erodes science.
Indeed. So let's just keep Pluto as a planet, and add 2003 UB313 as another-- giving us a nice round number-- and leave it at that. For now. 
Just think:
My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pies [fill in blank]
"blank" could be "Quickly" or "Yesterday" or "Asshole" or "Right?" or any other new term to fit the mnemonic device. Good times!
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 08/15/2006 : 20:35:26 [Permalink]
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| Oh yeah-- should we start a betting pool? Whoever guesses the correct outcome of the result gets a shirt autographed by the SFN staff? Or something? |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2006 : 00:24:39 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Kil
quote:
Originally posted by HalfMooner
quote:
Originally posted by Kil
Can't they be given better names? Since they are “Plutons” why not call them Huey, Dewey and Louie?
Au contraire, Messieur! Those are the names of Donald Duck's nephews.
I know, but compared to the other planets, these are pretty Mickey Mouse, don't you think?
Not to anyone who buys acreage there!
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2006 : 05:32:40 [Permalink]
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This is silly but nessisary...
The only reason they called them plutons is because of the 'we love Pluto' backlash. Which was huge.
Looks like Pluto gets to be the first double planet system classified as having the center of gravity outside of either object. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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Michael Mozina
SFN Regular
1647 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2006 : 09:08:27 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by BigPapaSmurf
This is silly but nessisary...
The only reason they called them plutons is because of the 'we love Pluto' backlash. Which was huge.
Looks like Pluto gets to be the first double planet system classified as having the center of gravity outside of either object.
Where's the "we love the name 'Xena'" backlash? :) |
| Edited by - Michael Mozina on 08/16/2006 09:09:14 |
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2006 : 10:03:00 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Cuneiformist
I found this wonderful op-ed in today's NY Times and thought it was a good take. The author, a professor at Cal Tech, argues quote:
Think of it this way. The term “planet” is similar to “continent.” The word helps us organize our world, but the division between continents and subcontinents is thoroughly arbitrary. Yet no union of geologists has tried to vote on a definition of “continent,” and no one is concerned that letting culture determine the difference between Australia, the smallest continent, and Greenland, the largest island, somehow erodes science.
Indeed. So let's just keep Pluto as a planet, and add 2003 UB313 as another-- giving us a nice round number-- and leave it at that. For now.
Just think:
My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pies [fill in blank]
"blank" could be "Quickly" or "Yesterday" or "Asshole" or "Right?" or any other new term to fit the mnemonic device. Good times!
Naw, lets add Ceres instead. It's closer. And Rush made a song about it or something. |
Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2006 : 10:42:23 [Permalink]
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I can see it now ---
Year 2050: "back in my day, there was only nine planets in our solar system AND WE LIKED IT!" |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 08/16/2006 : 10:53:42 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Michael Mozina
quote:
Originally posted by BigPapaSmurf
This is silly but nessisary...
The only reason they called them plutons is because of the 'we love Pluto' backlash. Which was huge.
Looks like Pluto gets to be the first double planet system classified as having the center of gravity outside of either object.
Where's the "we love the name 'Xena'" backlash? :)
I hate all the non-Roman names. I know it's very western and thus excluding blah blah, but it ruins the homogeneous nature of the thing if we start tossing around non-Roman mythology. |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 08/17/2006 : 05:34:20 [Permalink]
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| Would you prefer planet Jesus? Thats nice and Roman for ya. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9698 Posts |
Posted - 08/17/2006 : 06:57:47 [Permalink]
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| If Pluto/Charon has the centre of gravity outside the planetary body, shouldn't we rename it Janus? |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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