Pluto sent down to the minor leagues

I saw the news about Pluto's demotion on the NPR website. I did not expect to see a story about it on Major League Baseball's site . So for baseball's spin on the news, click here:

[mlb.mlb.com]

I was at the Percival Lowell Observatory a week before the decision. They were a little nervous, but as one of the staff told me, "you don't come to Flagstaff to see where they discovered Pluto... and if you're here already, well, there just isn't a lot else to do."

BTW, the PLO seems to hire only astrophysicists who look like supermodels. All 3 of them, worldwide, are there. If that's your thing.

[q]It could never be Mercury, leading off and constantly hot. Venus was all about love and self-sacrifice, a natural 2 spot in the order. Earth, the prototypical No. 3 hitter, the ultimate fantasy pick, the people's choice. Mars, the oft-feared big red machine. Jupiter always had the sweet spot in the lineup. Having Saturn in the order always meant a ring. Uranus, always the team prankster and playing jokes to keep it fun.[/q]ROFL

Trotsky

BTW, the PLO seems to hire only astrophysicists who look like supermodels. All 3 of them, worldwide, are there. If that's your thing.

Huh. Then maybe Hollywood should set some movies there, since just about every female scientist character is portrayed by someone ridiculously beautiful and conveniently single for a love-interest sub-plot. Three examples off the top of my head: Kelly McGillis in "Top Gun," Elisabeth Shue in "The Saint," and Uma Thurman in "Paycheck."

Certainly, I'm not saying that real-life scientists/engineers can't be attractive or good looking. But the films are pretty ridiculous. (Exceptions exist...Jodie Foster in "Contact" is very believable.)

A couple articles I've found (the first has several interesting-sounding cited papers):

From [www.the-scientist.com]
[Q]But it's with looks that the discrepancy becomes really obvious. The female film scientist tends to be gorgeous. In Flicker's words, she is "remarkably beautiful and, compared with her qualifications, unbelievably young. She has a model's body -- thin, athletic, perfect -- is dressed provocatively and is sometimes 'distorted' by wearing glasses."[/Q]

Also, [physicsweb.org]

On a side note, those movies all suck. No offense, but wow. Total trash.

Ben Rocky 04
On a side note, those movies all suck. No offense, but wow. Total trash.

"Contact" is decent if you lop off the first and last 20 minutes.

French Rage

Ben Rocky 04
On a side note, those movies all suck. No offense, but wow. Total trash.

"Contact" is decent if you lop off the first and last 20 minutes.

And I live out parts of Top Gun daily. At muster one morning I heard, and I quote:

Ensign 1: So, beach volleyball this afternoon?
Ensign 2: Yeah, John'll bring the radio, I've got the beer.
Ensign 1: I'm riding my bike over. Need me to bring anything?
[At this point they realize they're practically a Top Gun scene on the cutting room floor.]
Ensign 2: Yeah, don't forget to wear your tight jeans.
Ensign 1: And my giant watch.

Ben Rocky 04
On a side note, those movies all suck. No offense, but wow. Total trash.

No offense taken, because I completely agree with you.

I wasn't refering to Contact, actually. Despite the last 10 minutes, I do like it.

The Saint, Top Gun and Paycheck were all worthless though. Top Gun especially.

French Rage

Ben Rocky 04
On a side note, those movies all suck. No offense, but wow. Total trash.

"Contact" is decent if you lop off the first and last 20 minutes.

So is 2001: A Space Odyessy.

French Rage

Ben Rocky 04
On a side note, those movies all suck. No offense, but wow. Total trash.

"Contact" is decent if you lop off the first and last 20 minutes.

If you lop off the first 20 minutes of Contact won't you miss the split second view of the Cornell banner at Arecibo? Or am I imagining it was there?

Ben Rocky 04
The Saint, Top Gun and Paycheck were all worthless though. Top Gun especially.

All I remember from Top Gun was the aircraft footage. From that perspective it was a good movie.

Yea, but the F-14 can't take off vertically. Only cool planes can do that. Cool and sexy planes.

Wait, am I Ben or Keith? I can't remember.

RichH
Certainly, I'm not saying that real-life scientists/engineers can't be attractive or good looking.

Smart / Low Maintenance / Pretty -- pick any two.

Trotsky

RichH
Certainly, I'm not saying that real-life scientists/engineers can't be attractive or good looking.

Smart / Low Maintenance / Pretty -- pick any two.

As it turns out, I choose one and three. My fiancee went with one and two.

It only works for women. For men, it's "pick any 1." At most.