ARIZONA: In 1930, Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, discovered Pluto. It was the only planet ever discovered by an American.
In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) based in Paris, France, downgraded the status of Pluto to that of “dwarf planet.” Before that meeting, there was no agreed upon definition of exactly what a planet was. The IAU came up with a definition designed to exclude America’s Pluto.
On January 17, 2024, Representative Justin Wilmeth, a Republican from Phoenix proposed legislation to make Pluto the State Planet of Arizona. Take that, you snooty Europeans!
- https://notthebee.com/article/arizona-bill-would-make-pluto-the-official-state-planet-a-bunch-of-europeans-got-mad-that-we-made-this-discovery-and-downgraded-it-to-a-dwarf-planet
- https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/020124_planet_pluto/arizona-house-committee-moves-make-pluto-official-state-planet-honoring-flagstaff-discovery/
CLIMATE: It will probably be more accurate than anything Al Gore says.
JUSTICE: The guys who filmed themselves having gay butt sex in a Senate hearing room are getting off scot free. Meanwhile, there are men and women rotting in jail without trial more than 3 years after Trump supporters were let into the Capitol building.
FLORIDA: In 1967, then-Gov. Claude Kirk signed The Reedy Creek Improvement Act into law , giving Disney the authority and responsibility of a county government within the 25,000 acres of property in Central Florida the entertainment giant wanted to turn into Disney World. The special status was designed to help Disney over the massive hurdles required to build on land that, at the time, was primarily uninhabited pasture and swampland.
After Disney stuck its nose into the state’s efforts to protect minors from LGBT grooming, Gov. DeSantis got Disney’s no-longer-needed privileges rescinded. Disney, which has never had to pay taxes before, responded by suing DeSantis and the secretary of Florida’s Commerce Department. On Wednesday, a federal judge tossed Disney’s suit in the circular file.
- https://www.foxnews.com/politics/desantis-backed-plan-take-control-disneys-land-announced
- https://notthebee.com/article/report-desantis-plans-to-take-control-of-disneys-land-take-away-self-governance
- https://notthebee.com/article/federal-judge-dismisses-disneys-suit-against-desantis-
LA TIMES: On February 1, 2024, the Los Angeles Times published an opinion piece by entitled, “How throwing soup at the Mona Lisa can help fight climate change.” The author, Shannon Gibson, is an associate professor of environmental studies at USC.
She claims studies show that in-your-face activism combined with absurd legal challenges create a “radical flank effect” that increases awareness of a problem and support for taking moderate action. She notes, “It was effective for both the civil rights and feminist movements, and it is evident in other political movements in the U.S. today.”
Of course, this ignores the very real backlash that’s now occurring because we have seen again and again that these people will never satisfied.
- https://news.yahoo.com/opinion-throwing-soup-mona-lisa-110244711.html
- https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/1/3/pgac110/6633666
MANSPLAINING: When we were newlyweds, Dearest was astounded to learn that I do not know, at all times, where north is. I am astounded that, after 45 years, he still persists in giving me detailed geographical directions that mean nothing to me.
E.g., Him: “One mile past NYSEG, turn north on to Rte 366.” Me: “You mean turn left at the yellow house.” Him: “What yellow house?” Me: “The one where you turn left.” I swear that house has been right there, painted yellow, for DECADES. He has never noticed it. Me? I never noticed that road is called Rte 366. In my mind, it has always been “the road that goes to my first chiropractor’s office and I think if you stay on it long enough, you might end up in Freeville or Groton, maybe.”
In other mansplaining news, I was recently reminiscing about what a neighbor told me when we first moved here. I asked him where we could rent a steam cleaner for the carpets. He said the Shurfine had them. I asked where that was. He rolled his eyes and told me it was Right Next To The Dry Cleaner. I had to ask for directions. Impatiently, he said slowly, so I wouldn’t miss a thing: “Go to the stop sign. Turn left. Go 1/2 mile. Turn right.” I said, “You mean Clark’s next to the drug store?” He eyerolled and snarked, “Yes!” like I was the stupid one for … I dunno … having moved to town five minutes before?
GRAMMY NOTES: Does anyone know a good Groundhog’s Day joke? I keep hearing the same one over and over.
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