Unshelved by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum
comic strip overdue media

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

I can't imagine what these people are going through

no matter how many news stories I read--and I grew up in Louisiana, so I'm at least familiar with the geography.

CNN.com - Conditions deteriorate in Katrina's wake - Aug 31, 2005

Want to help?

Katrina Help is a Wiki trying to coordinate some of the news, aid, and need in the area akin to the Tsunami Wiki it's modelled upon.

And of course, there's the American Red Cross, which could really use your donations right now...you can donate online or call 1.800.HELP.NOW.

I'm still trying to find out about my cousin Steve, who's an engineer in Mississippi, I think in Biloxi. Maybe he evacuated to his parents' in Georgia. I hope so. In the meantime, my prayers and thoughts are with everyone affected by this disaster.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Well, it's still gloomy outside but I feel better

I spent the evening with D and her 4-month-old yesterday, and I feel a lot better today. We had a long talk, and I think just having a chance to see her and spend some time together really helped. We're really good at cheering the other up, and fortunately we tend to alternate 'bad days', so we're generally not having one the same day. She also fixed me some food to take home so I'm set until I get paid on Thursday. Today I lucked out, too, because all employees got a free meal since the cash register in the cafeteria went bonkers. Yay! It couldn't come at a better time, right before payday. So, my only concern at this point is having enough gas to last until Thursday, since my gas light is on and I have errands to run tomorrow. Otherwise, I'm doing pretty well.

We're getting the rain from now tropical storm Katrina, so we have a flood watch and the rain has just been very steady all day. But the rest of the week is supposed to be sunny. I'm looking forward to the three-day weekend coming up, too, although I don't really have any plans.

Well, that's enough for now; I just wanted to update things. Julie, when you read this, know I'm thinking of you and I'm glad you're doing better. For the rest of you, adieu until I write again.

PS My mom called this morning and told me my stepfather John was doing better. I hadn't blogged about it, but I was worried because he had septicaemia, probably getting an E. coli infection from a salad he'd eaten at a fast food chain. But he's back at work today and doing better. Go, John!

Monday, August 29, 2005

It's a gloomy Monday

As we get loads of rain in anticipation of Katrina, whose remnants will hit Kentucky sometime late Tuesday/early Wednesday. We're aready expecting one to seven inches of rain, and of course flash flooding is a particular danger in Kentucky with its many waterways and valleys.

Here in Lexington it's been quite grey and dark both yesterday and today, with at times heavy rain but overall cooler, with temps just above 80 degrees, so it's given some relief to what has been a fairly hot summer.

My mood is a bit gloomy and a little lonely as well. Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by the day-to-day aspects of your life that you wanted to just walk away? I get to do that to some degree over the next month, not in terms of giving up being responsible for my own life, but an experiment of sorts to explore the quality of a relationship and all the responsibilities (and benefits) it entails. I won't go into it here to any great degree, but for September I'm going to have a lot of time to myself, hopefully to get my head on straight as a consequence. Or I suppose I might just spiral down. I'm not sure. It could go either way, I suppose. I hope this month will bring with it some greater appreciation and understanding of things.

Wednesday I have an appointment with my psychiatrist, then I go back into therapy starting the 14th. I'm hoping it will help, because I'm pissing people off without meaning to, and apparently I'm being just crazy enough to be annoying or frightening without really being aware of doing anything wrong, which isn't the greatest sign in the world. I usually have a little bit more insight than that. There seems to be something about this time of the year...four years ago I went into DBT because I was damaging friendships, and now, four years later, I'm not really sure I've gotten that much better. But I don't want to be a crazy person without friends, so I keep trying to get better. At least I'm not clinically depressed on top of things this time; I just have to deal with myself and my daemons.

I guess that's it for now. I know this post seems fractured, because I can't really candidly type it all out without violating a promise. And in typical blogger fashion, it seems all about me. It's not, not really, but it's all I can blog about at this point. I know things will probably get better, and that seventeen years won't just evaporate overnight. I just hope I haven't been eroding things to a breaking point. I'll know in a little over a month. You'll know from my mood how things have gone, no doubt. If you know me in real life, this might make sense, or may not. At this point I don't much care. What matters is I'll know what it means, and I can look back at this as a turning point for good or bad.

I just hope things work out for the best for all concerned.

Friday, August 26, 2005

Reading + Environmental Awareness = Win, Win

Read a Book...Save the Planet is s Scottish initiative aimed at getting kids to turn off their TVs and video games and read/visit libraries instead. It mixes the love of reading with conserving electrical energy. Now if they just add walking to the local library if possible (or biking), with exercise in the mix, it'd be pretty much perfect. Although with the way neighbourhoods are designed these days, I don't know how many kids can safely walk to their local library. Still...it's a nice idea.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

For Julie

who's been in and out of the hospital several times over the past few weeks. Know that I'm thinking of you and I hope that everything goes well. Hope to see you soon up and fine. Take care.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Ruminating

This song by Staind has haunted me of late

I know I've been mistaken
But just give me a break and see the changes that I've made
I've got some imperfections
But how can you collect them all and throw them in my face

But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if you chose to walk away I'd still be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting

I hope you're not intending
To be so condescending it's as much as i can take
and you're so independent
you just refuse to bend so I keep bending till I break

But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if you chose to walk away I'd still be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting

I've made a commitment
I'm willing to bleed for you
I needed fulfillment
I found what I need in you

Why can't you just forgive me
I don't want to relive all the mistakes I've made along the way
But I always find a way to keep you right here waiting
I always find the words to say to keep you right here waiting

But you always find a way
To keep me right here waiting
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if I chose to walk away would you be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep me right here waiting

Monday, August 22, 2005

Mulling Over the Menezes Affair

I came across this, from : Who Knows Where Thoughts Come From, as reported in BBC NEWS UK Magazine Blog in haste, repent at leisure?:

It's a strange contrast between the treatment of the leaker (suspended from work) to the treatment of the assassin (distinctly not suspended; given an expenses paid holiday though). It would make you think that exposing the truth is a worse crime than killing an innocent man.
Indeed. I don't know if the whole truth in this case has yet played out, but certainly the scrutiny should bring out quite a bit in the details, hopefully in a way that will prevent further loss of innocent life.

This vending machine won't bloat you with calories

...but you can choose from 25 different contemporary and classic books for your ride on the Metro. :)

Guardian Unlimited Special reports A book emergency? No problem

Far too little way too late, but I'm glad they got them

Interned Japanese-Americans Get Diplomas

Friday, August 19, 2005

Received this today and thought I'd post it here

so that others who may not be on the list can read and respond...

Dear Friend:

Whether helping rebuild after the tsunami or working in our own communities, Americans have shown again and again we are a compassionate country. Many of us have been following the tragic events unfolding in Niger, a West African nation facing a famine affecting close to 4 million people.

That's a big number - about the same number of people as live in a state like Kentucky, and even more people than live in Iowa or New Hampshire. And any American farmer can tell you that when a community is forced to eat the seed they should be saving to plant for next year's harvest, the situation is very serious - and maybe even hard for us to see or really understand.
There is hope. In addition to helping today, America can also act to fight future famines in other countries like Niger. Because of effective international assistance and the hard work of local people, in the past 10 years, Mozambique has moved from being a war-torn nation to one of the world's five fastest-growing economies - even after two catastrophic floods. With the help of the United States and other countries doing their part, Mozambique's people are fighting corruption and building hospitals, schools and most importantly, the future of their nation.

By allocating an additional ONE percent of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food, we can transform the hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries, and help them move from fighting famine and other disasters towards promoting self-sustaining development. Directed to honest governments, private charities and faith-based organizations, this increased support would provide the tools and resources people need to really make a difference, helping them to help themselves.

Right now, you can find out more about what's happening in Niger and decide how you want to get involved, by talking to your friends and family or even choosing to do more. If you want to learn how ONE partners are working to help the people of Niger, you can visit the ONE.ORG blog.

Today and tomorrow, ONE by ONE, we can join together and build a better, safer world for all.

Thank you,
The ONE Team

P.S. You can also take action today and ask 3 friends and family to join with ONE in the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

So let me get this straight

Jean de Menezes, the young man erroneously thought to be a terrorist who was shot to death in a London Tube station:

  1. Was never identified because the officer surveilling the apartment block was relieving himself at the time.
  2. Didn't run from police and in fact was unaware he was even being followed.
  3. Wasn't dressed in a bulky coat that might have concealed a bomb.
  4. Did not jump a ticket barrier.
  5. Was already subdued before being shot.

So where did all this fiction of suspicious behaviour that we were fed directly after the fact come from? Was it deliberate misinformation, or just confusion?

This sounds like something out of a thriller. Unfortunately, it's true, and a man is dead because of a series of mistakes that were made that day. Nothing can bring him back, and my sympathy is with the family of de Menezes, who lost a loved one for no good reason. But perhaps further investigation will get to the root cause of such a substantial failure of what should be justice will be determined...and more importantly, fixed. Individuals make mistakes, but processes are usually in place that make it easier for those mistakes to happen, or can minimise them. Hospitals often take a process-over-blame approach because they recognise this. Still, I think some heads are going to roll over this one, and to be honest, they probably should.

New claims arise in Menezes death

You remember when spies in movies had those miniature cameras?

We are way beyond that. This article focusses on the security risks of handhelds, iPods, and USB memory sticks to corporate America.

Palm Boulevard: News: Small Devices, Big Risks

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Odd but I can see it working

Library Launches Rent-a-Gay

The idea is to 'loan' out someone who is from a minority group for 45 minutes to answer questions or otherwise break down stereotypes. This is being done in Sweden. It's different, anyway....

Interesting

Animals warn of human health hazards in new 'Canary Database'

(Basically they are collecting and using data on non-human animal illnesses to predict hazards to human health. Like a canary in a coal mine, illnesses such as West Nile in wild birds can harbinge illness in humans. It's an interesting idea.) Here's the actual database:

The Canary Database

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

I wouldn't normally waste bandwidth on this...but...

BBC NEWS UK I've never read a book says Posh

Come on, really? You never had to read a book, even in school? You've never known the pleasure of immersing yourself in a story, cuddled up with a good book? How sad.

A little good news

I have until Thursday to pay my rent, and I get paid Thursday. So another eviction bullet should be dodged. The landlady was very nice when I talked to her about it. Now I just need to get in touch with my new boss over at the TV station and work out a schedule with increased hours (yeah, the job I resigned from, but they wanted me to stay, and I wanted to stay, I just didn't want to let a state part-time job languish whilst waiting for the new teacher). But when I talked to his boss, she definitely wanted me to increase my hours, and since I won't be going to school, I can do just that. Yay.

Okay, I'm going to be very poor for a bit ($10 to last sixteen days)...but at least I have a roof over my head and my meds/health, and food/the health for my pets. That's what counts, right?

One of those things you find because you're a librarian

The other day I got to identify Horse-Nettle (Solanum carolinense) for someone. I like the whole 'let's start with a plant and figure out what in the world it is' kind of question...I get to mix librarianship with gardening. Plus, in this case, I could point out that as a nightshade it was poisonous and that precautions should be taken when weeding, although the berries are more poisonous than the plant itself. Hmmm...this is the kind of question that fits well in a murder mystery library, isn't it? :) Fortunately I don't think I have to worry about that here. Still...it's a sticky (no pun intended, as horse nettle is covered in sharp thorn-like projections) ethical dilemma. I mean, if I were working in a public library and someone asked me about the plant, what would that mean? Gardening? Writing a book? Planning to poison grandma?

Sometimes I think too much. Unfortunately it's never when I need to.

Just for the record

I sympathise with Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a slain soldier who has been camping out near President Bush's ranch. Growing up in the military, I know the fear of losing a loved one and all the uncertainty it brings, but I can't imagine what it must be like for a mother who believes her son died as the result of either mistakes or willful deceit by his commander-in-chief. I think President Bush does need to answer questions about exit strategies, lack of proper equipment, etc., because it is his duty as the commander-in-chief to take responsibility for a war he chose to wage.

I never supported this war, as is easy to see if you look at the past postings. That said, I don't think we can just pull troops out at this point without a certain amount of chaos ensuing. But...and this is a big but...there needs to be a plan for bringing troops home coupled with establishing the stability needed to protect Iraq's future. I think it's ludicrous that a war was engaged without having that in place already. It's long overdue as of quite some time ago.

In the meantime, there will be debates over whether those of us opposed to the war are somehow unpatriotic (I don't think it's unpatriotic to question the motives of your government...no government deserves blanket approval; there will always be flaws so long as it's made up of humans, who do make errors and also succumb to some of the baser areas of human nature).

I hope Sheehan's protest does not bring about conflict between the two sides of this question, but I hope it also causes people to think about where they stand and why. But regardless of how you believe, the fact of the matter is this is a woman who is expressing her grief very publically, and surely we can sympathise with her loss.

A mother and the president

Monday, August 15, 2005

I found this interesting, and it was produced by a couple of professors at UK among others

Avoiding versus seeking: the relationship of information seeking to avoidance, blunting, coping, dissonance, and related concepts*

A ramble about blogging

I was reading T. Scott Plutchak's editorial 'I See Blog People' in the latest JMLA and came across a reference to Blog Overkill: The danger of hyping a good thing into the ground by Jack Schafer.

I have to admit, I'm interested in blogs. Not just because I have one, but rather it's the sociologist in me (I tend to forget that I have a degree in sociology, but you can't take the social scientist out of me). I'm interested in cyberculture and the communities that bloggers create in particular. I don't expect blogs to bring about the collapse of traditional media, but they do provide an interesting alternative--assuming you can really get past the sheer number of blogs to find what you want to know. Shafer reminds us of the public-access stations that will show most anything someone with a videorecorder shot, only to transmit to a few (if any) insomniacs who choose it over shopping TV and infomercials. With all they hype, blogging could be the next videotape rather than a revolution in journalism.

Still, there are some attempts being made, such as BNN, to marry the instant coverage of blogging with the more traditional media's standards. I'm glad to be a part of that. But on the other hand, I don't consider myself a journalist. I don't have the credentials.

Still, that wouldn't stop me from blogging my opinion or even the news as I see it, because, well, it's a completely natural thing to do, to comment on the world around you. We do it everyday over lunch or around the water cooler, after all. Blogging is like a great big water cooler where anyone can voice an opinion or bring up a topic of conversation. That's part of its magic--but it has a more far-reaching aspect. Sometimes the person brings up things that are uncomfortable that you'd rather just skip over and change the subject, mainly because there's not the automatic censure you'd have in a small group. Sometimes it's more gossipy than anything else. Sometimes it just isn't expressed well enough to fool with. But in with all of it are some really gems of expression and bits of news or lines of thinking that you just never really considered, and that holds great appeal for me. But most of all, every blogger is a character, and by reading blogs and blogging yourself you get this huge bowl of people soup that taken as a whole helps show the many facets of human nature. It's the ultimate human interest aspect that journalism sometimes loses in concentrating on the big picture.

I do consider myself a writer, which I've proven over nearly four years of posting that I've written thousands of posts and even garnered a readership (thank you all very much). In the back of my mind, I read like a writer. Every blogger or person blogged about that becomes part of a palette I can use to create new characters in my storytelling. That's not what I write here, of course, but I'm often churning with new ideas for fiction. I've never really consciously realised it until now, but just as the Internet is a font of information (some good, some not), it's also a wonderful zoo of humanity the study of which which can help us understand ourselves and others. Blogs represent the cages, or perhaps better, the free open spaces of natural habitat in the zoo. And the thing is, I'm one of those people being looked at, safe in my own environment but looking back at all the rest.

I've had people I didn't know come up to me and ask me if I'm the Rabid Librarian, and that's a strange and yet somehow satisfying feeling [until I remember just what sorts of personal things I put on this site, then I usually shrug off any bit of fame and replace it with a little embarrassment instead, until I remember that I stand by all I write, it's a part of me, and not so much deserving of embarrassment...well, most of it, anyway. :)] But there is a sense of being part of a community that comes from that conversation. The world seems a little smaller and more personal as a result. And that, oddly enough, may be the antidote to the overwhelming aspects of blogging, right?

Well, pooh!

Looks like I won't be going to school this fall after all. Apparently I'm not eligible for loans for a two-year-degree institution, but would be for graduate work. Since I planned to take courses in computer technology at LCC, that just sucks. On the good side, I found out before incurring a bill. On the bad side, why couldn't they have told me up front, before I paid my application fee, went through advising, etc.? Sigh.

So, no new jobs, no school. Apparently I'm meant to muddle on with my present situation. Oh, bah!

Friday, August 12, 2005

Well, I have a blinding headache

that's gone into my sinuses and neck (the culprit is a toothache, but the pain is all through those areas--I really need to go to a dentist, which of course costs money), which seems a fitting end to a week where I learned that:
  1. I didn't get the jobshare, which went from them approaching me for the job to oh, we need to talk to some other people, to them hiring someone else entirely, based on some extra teaching experience rather than medical library experience
  2. I didn't get the Morehead job, but at least it came down to me and the other applicant, and they made it clear that it was a difficult choice and that I was welcome to apply for any positions that may come available
  3. I still don't know about my financial aid situation, but I know how I can access it
  4. I may have to pay an outstanding bill at UK in order to register at LCC, depending on just how separate the systems have become...and I don't have the money to pay that bill, so if so, no registration = no school = no financial aid = no paying that bill
  5. I'm still struggling to see if I'll be able to make my rent and electric payments without risking eviction
  6. I really need to talk all this over with my mom, to see if she might be able to help, but I don't really want to be a burden on her, either


It wasn't a terrible week, really, but still...it was a little disappointing. For now though I know what I need to do to make things better; I just have to get up the nerve to do it. That includes talking to my landlords and to my mom. On the bright side, I'm taking two exams next week to bypass/get credit for two prerequisites, and that is at least not going to cost me anything. I'll know Monday if there's a problem registering or not, and if not, I can register next week and then school starts the 21st. At least I don't have to worry about not being able to take classes because of commuting to and from a new job. There's got to be a bright side, right? :) At least for now I've managed to score come ibuprofen from a co-worker so I should be right as rain soon, and in the meantime I get off work early this week because I have my hours in. Yay!

    Why you shouldn't put too much stock in all those studies

    Why Most Published Research Findings Are False

    Thursday, August 11, 2005

    Would you like an affectionate kitty?

    Simba is neutered and declawed, updated on all shots. He's a large orange tabby who loves to sit in a chair like a person, looking like he just needs a drink and a remote. :) He comes with self-feeder food dishes, litter box, pet bed and toys. The owners have a new baby, and Simba isn't adapting well and has been acting out. He needs 1:1 attention and is very affectionate. He's very gentle in nature. He would do best in a house as an only pet, perhaps with someone who is retired who can be home with him. He definitely needs a home immediately, as he is very depressed with the new baby and much as it pains the owners to give him up, they believe it's the best for him. If you can give Simba a home (or know someone who can), e-mail me and I'll get you in touch with the owners. Thanks.

    Wednesday, August 10, 2005

    A good thing to keep in mind

    Vegetarians, older folk advised to get enough B12

    I can't imagine the amount of challenges this woman has and will go through

    Non-smoking 'Superman' widow has lung cancer

    Dana Reeve is apparently part of a growing trend of lung cancer among relatively young women who never smoked. Good luck to her and to her family; goodness know they've already been through a lot.

    Go, Tracita :)

    Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to Launch Aug. 11

    One of my friends has been part of the team working on the Mars Orbiter for the last few years. It looks like it's set to be launched tomorrow. Good luck, everyone. :)

    Tuesday, August 09, 2005

    60 years after Hiroshima, America still lives in fear

    60 years after Hiroshima, America still lives in fear - The Boston Globe

    I agree with this commentary...I cannot imagine living in a world without nuclear arms, having grown up in the Cold War after much of the results of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were made public and the early optimism about the nuclear age had evaporated. I for one feel shame that my government is the only one in the history of our world to use a weapon of such magnitude on civilians. I think victory could have been achieved without nuclear bombs, although I know of no way the war could have ended without civilian deaths, and that is a sad testimonial to the horrors of warfare. The fact that we live in a post-Cold War world where no one's sure where all the nuclear material is or whether it might be used by another nation or terrorists brings an uncertainty that is less focussed but no less real than the days of mutual assured destruction.

    For those of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I am sincerely sorry for what happened. That doesn't mean I let Japan off the hook for its actions during the war. Certainly I'm rather glad that none of the enemy states got the Bomb first, either, but I'm very sorry that these two cities became a testament for the destructive power of man.

    I don't think of nuclear bombs every day, just like I don't think about terrorism on a daily basis. To live with that sort of fear means that those who want to spread terror win automatically. But I do not turn a blind eye to what could be, either, and if nothing else, every August 6-9 I stop and consider what happened all those years ago, and what it meant, and what it means. Maybe, if the rest of the world would do the same, and those in power stepped away from their weapons and their programmes and dismantled them, then we could all breathe a little easier. But that isn't going to happen, unfortunately. At least it doesn't seem realistic in light of current events. But perhaps, in my lifetime....But it has to be a worldwide effort; I don't believe that the United States has a right to tell another country not to develop these weapons; that is hypocritical. But there are worldwide efforts to bring about true disarmament, and so long as this work goes forward, there is hope.

    For now, the Doomsday Clock, the symbol of nuclear danger, stands at seven minutes to midnight, the same time as when it debuted over 50 years ago. We've been closer, of course, but the clock ticks with each new day that brings news such as Iran's decision to go ahead with its development plans for nuclear capability.

    Monday, August 08, 2005

    A petition for legislation to protect those with breast cancer

    Lifetimetv.com: Breast Cancer - Stop Drive-Through Mastectomies

    This was one of those forwards you see, but in this case, it's real. Here's the text of what I received, edited for the web, which will explain more:

    Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill - Important legislation for all women.

    Please send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times. If you are receiving this it's because I think you will take the 30 seconds to go and vote on this issue and send it on to others you know who will do the same.

    There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the "drive-through mastectomy" where women are forced to go home hours after surgery against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

    Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on.

    PLEASE!! Sign the petition. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.

    This takes about 2 seconds. PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends and family. THANKS

    Friday, August 05, 2005

    I'm officially published!!!

    Rowan, EE. Providing Library Services in a Unique Pediatric Orthopaedic Setting: Experiences at the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Journal of Hospital Librarianship. 5(2), 2005, pp. 65-72.

    Tuesday, August 02, 2005

    I'm a freshman?! Yay!

    Yes, twenty-one years after the first time and two degrees later, I am officially listed as an entering freshman at the local community college where I plan on taking courses in computer and information technology. Here's the schedule I hope to get:

    Internet Technologies MW 1700-1815
    Operating Systems Distance Learning
    Program Design T 2000-2120
    Visual Basic I MW 1830-1945
    Database Design TW 1830-1945
    Inroductory Logic TR 1700-1815

    It runs from 5pm to 8pm most days, as late as 9:20pm on Tuesday. Not bad, really, and the Operating Systems class in distance learning via computer. It'll be a lot to juggle if I happen to be working two or three jobs at the same time, but doable, plus I'm taking two exams on the 15th, one to bypass Introduction to Computing and the other to bypass Microcomputer Applications. Wish me luck.

    As an added bonus I checked on financial aid yesterday and ran into a snafu that we ironed out, and at one point the very helpful lady behind the desk asked me how old I was, thinking that I might be younger than 24 and therefore needed my parental information. Bless her. I'm 38, you know, although apparently a young-looking one. :)

    Monday, August 01, 2005

    Yes, it's taken

    Encyclopedia: 100 Hekate

    Hekate was the 100th asteroid to be discovered, back in 1868. I thought so. Oh, well.

    An interesting look at mythology and astronomy

    Facts and Figures: Astronomy

    Xena???

    Spotted beyond Pluto, the tenth rock from the Sun

    Scientists have submitted the name from the popular television show to denote the tenth planet from the sun. I'd like to see something a little more classical, myself, but of course many of the classical names denote other objects in the solar system. Still, I guess it would reflect the times, wouldn't it? :)

    I wonder if Hekate/Hecate is taken by something else? I think it is. Anyone know? It would be appropriate, being beyond Pluto, and I'm pretty sure Persephone is already being used. Hmmm....

    Meanwhile, this discovery fuels the debate over the status of Pluto as a planet or just another object in the belt of matter at the edge of our solar system. Since this object is one and a half times the size of Pluto, it would make little sense to reject it as a planet and keep Pluto.

    Ah, the fun of astronomy.