Pluto gets the short bus.

This post is about 3-4 days too late, but in case you didn't hear, Pluto is now no longer considered a planet according the International Astronomers Union.

Its a bit sad, especially for those who grew up with Nine Planets. But in truth it is probably for the best. The IAU had worked with two definitions of a planet. The first and most generous was that anything with enough mass to overcome other shaping factors and was not a satellite of another planet would be considered a planet. This had the advantage of allowing Pluto to be a planet, but had the disadvantage of letting all the new discoveries in the Kuiper belt (including the one unofficially nicknamed 'Xena') as well as a couple of members of the Asteroid belt. The second definition, which the Astronomers agreed upon says that not only must it have the other qualifications, but also must have cleared its immediate area of other satellites. Meaning that Pluto has too much traffic in its space lane.

Radical changes like this are nothing new. In the 19th century, children were taught that the Asteroid belt denizen Ceres was an actually planet. That was changed after a period of discussion.

It may seem petty, but this debate has actually caused much distraction in the astronomical community. The Bad Astronomer perhaps put it best when he said that now that this is all over we can get around to studying these things, rather than endlessly debating what the heck they are. Yes, that was the level of distraction in some quarters.

As I mentioned to someone else: Pluto isn't gone, its just not allowed to play with the big boys anymore. It may also be required to wear a helmet.

Yet another...

...random photo I found amusing and felt like scanning.

Uhm....

OK, maybe the Futon sofa-bed could use a new matress...

Sunday Sunday Sunday

Not much happening of late. I went to Home Dept to get a new patio screen door after I walked into the old one on July 4th. It actually wasn't too hard to install. Hope that doesn't mean I did something wrong.

It has been a beautiful couple of days so I decided to talk a few walks around the neighborhood to give myself and excuse to get outside. I realize that my neighborhood seems to be undergoing something of a change. I'm not sure how or why, but the Commercial elements of the place are growing, especially with regards to chain restaurants.

For example, in the past few months:

1) A Dunkin' Donuts as a Quiznos opened under the former GlaxoSmithKline building.

2) A Subway has opened on Broad street between Green and Spring Garden..taking up unused space in the Goodyear.

3) A sign in the window on the corner opposite the Quiznos says a SaladWorks is opening there soon.

I can't say I've seen tons of industry moving into the neighborhood of late, and the hours set by most of these food places indicates that they are not interested in serving the residents of the condos popping up. So I can't figure it out. Perhaps these places always wished to have a presence here but were unwilling to shack up in converted rowhomes on Spring Garden.

With SaraBelle looking like Skin and Bones

It is sometimes hard to remember that she was actually close to being a little porker of a kitty.

Then:



Now: