Poor Pluto!

A few days ago, some big important men from some big important organization decided to strip Pluto of its planetary status. Now apparently many museums are struggling with how to cope with this, as are many educational facilities. WELL, this little article may have a solution for the students:



Now How Will Students Learn the Planets?



WASHINGTON (AP) - 'My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pizzas.' That and variations on it are the way millions of people learned to remember the names of the planets in the solar system - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. The problem is that an international convention of astronomers decreed Thursday that tiny Pluto no longer meets the definition of a planet.

What a way to spoil a good mnemonic. Now how will students learn the planets?



Some possibilities:



My Very Extravagant Mother Just Sent Us Nachos.

My Very Elderly Mother Just Sits Up Nights.

Major Volcanoes Erupt, Making Jolts, Shaking, Unsteadying Nerves.

Make Very Extraordinary Meals of Jell-O, Strawberries and Unsalted Nuts.

Mary's Violet Eyes Make Jack Stare Until Noticed.

My Very Exotic Mistress Just Showed Up Nude (perhaps this one is for college lads).



http://channels.aol.ca/news/article.adp?id=20060825034009990003



I dunno, I just feel bad for poor Pluto. Maybe because I am a freak and I tend to get emotional even over inanimate objects (remember that IKEA commercial with the lamp? That snarky narrator was talking to ME, I just know it.) Also I can't figure out WHY it was so necessary to eliminate Pluto as a planet. It's all the way at the end there, it's not hurtin' anyone........just because it no longer fits in with what defines a planet, well, who came up with these definitions anyway!?!?!?! Don't worry Pluto, I bet you'll find WAY cooler orbs to hang out with, you don't need the other hoity toity planets, pfft..........

Becks Out

Personally I'm very disappointed, and confused - but I DO know that many English fans have a love-hate relationship with Becks. Some call him overrated, some say he chokes during the big matches, still others are not yet able to forgive him for missing a penalty shot in Euro 2004. But he's also one of the most loved players, too. Strange, strange situation. Being from Toronto, and being a fan of the Maple Leafs, I am WELL AWARE of the pressures athletes face from the media - ESPECIALLY in Toronto where the media is MERCILESS. In a way, this may be the best thing for Becks. In another way, if I were him I'd be PISSED. Apparently he handled it quite well, but I bet inside he was all 'WTF?!?!?' and pissed right off. Pfft, I'd be SO bitter, but I'm just like that.



I honestly believe far too much of the blame for England's lack of success in the big tournies is directed at Becks. His play at the World Cup earlier this summer was less than stellar, to say the least, but with very few exceptions the ENTIRE TEAM sucked ass, not just Becks. Whether he receives the majority of the blame because he (was) the captain, or because of his high profile off the pitch, well, I don't know. What I DO know is that while some of the criticism is warranted, most of it isn't. Anyway, I could go on & on about this, but why don't you read this article from BBC Sports instead - it's probably a tad more coherent, and less biased than anything I could write..........



http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/4782613.stm



A few more articles:



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=400185&in_page_id=1770&ito=1490



http://www.wkrn.com/nashville/news/ap-beckham-dropped-from-england-team



http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=72299