Sam was in a baro’t saya this morning for their school program – one of the activities that marked this whole Buwan ng Wika.
Archive for: August, 2006
readers heart i heart 360
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that my column piece “I heart 360” was the seventh overall most-read INQ7.net column for the week Aug 20-26.
Yup, “I heart 360″ was somehow sandwiched between Recah Trinidad’s “Why Pacquiao is a favorite in pool parlors” (Bare Eye) at number six and Ruben Nepales’ “Will Fil-Am Cheryl Burke win at the Emmys?” (Only in Hollywood) at number 8.
Thanks to all those who read it. I really appreciate your support.
Here’s the complete list of the overall Top 10 columns.
Check out my column piece for this week, “So long, Pluto, and thanks for all the flat fish.”
Here’s an excerpt:
What I can’t agree with, however, is the insistence of some people that Pluto should remain a planet because it’s tradition. We grew up knowing that Pluto is a planet, and our sentiments should carry more weight than a bunch of scientists. I’ve heard it in one form or another being raised by various pundits: What do they know?
But even though Pluto’s fate was decided by a vote, this is science, not a popularity contest. This isn’t American Idol where you can vote for your favorite and keep trying to make him or her win even if your candidate isn’t the most talented one. We are making new scientific discoveries all the time, and our knowledge of the solar system is quite different today than it was years ago.
so long, pluto
Well, what do you know — they voted off Pluto.
This after the International Astronomical Union adopted a new definition of what a planet is after a long and sometimes bitter debate. Originally, it looked like the solar system would have 12 planets instead of 9, but now there are only 8 after Pluto was relegated into the new category of dwarf planets. Check out this BBC News FAQ for answers to some of the burning questions you might have on why Pluto’s no longer a planet.
At least the widow of the scientist who discovered Pluto is taking it relatively well. She’s frustrated by the decision, but said that her late husband, being a scientist, would have understood.
Some scientists, however, including Alan Stern, who leads the NASA New Horizons mission that was launched in January to send an unmanned space probe to Pluto and its satellite Charon, have criticized the decision.
Online petitions like this one have also been launched to save Pluto. Meanwhile, enterprising individuals are cashing in on little Pluto’s demotion.
And jeez, what happens to astrology now? Not to mention all our textbooks.
Thank God we live in the age of the Internet. Wikipedia’s already updated. Here’s an excerpt from their Pluto entry as of this writing:
Pluto is a dwarf planet (until 2006 classified as a true planet) in the solar system and the prototype of a yet to be named family of Trans-Neptunian objects.[1][2] From its discovery in 1930 to 2006, it was considered the ninth and smallest of the planets of the Solar System by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). However, after contemporary observations, recent discoveries and currently available scientific information were evaluated and debated, the IAU decided, on August 24, 2006, to reclassify Pluto as a dwarf planet, requiring that a planet must “clear the neighbourhood around its orbit.”[3] It had qualified as a planet under a draft definition[4] that had been proposed by a committee of the IAU, but which was not accepted by the IAU General Assembly.
Damn, this getting to be like the ultimate reality show. Survivor Solar System, anyone?
