ANNOUNCING A NEW COMPETITION IN THE RED-HOT FIELD OF SOLAR SYSTEM MNEMONICS — by Steve Nadis
With the recent (albeit controversial) demotion of Pluto to something less than full planetary status, Astronomy Magazine says the time has come for a new mnemonic device to help schoolchildren, as well as the rest of us, remember the now eight planets. Following Astronomy’s lead, Call Me Snake is also soliciting suggestions. To give you an idea of what we’re looking for, here’s one for starters: Many varied examples mainly just suggest utter nonsense.
Here’s another: My vast experience may just show us nothing.
Don’t delay. Please submit your entries today. The fate of the solar system, if not the universe, is at stake.
Posted by
at
17:09:43
Okay, here are my entries:
1) Mercurial voters elect mostly juvenile surly and unkempt numbskulls.
2) Mom vanished entirely making jelly sandwiches using nitroglycerine.
3) Marauding vikings embodied most jovial Saxon underlings’ nightmares.
4) Most vehicular explorers meander judiciously and surreptitiously until noon.
Thanks Gatemouth for your characteristically excellent entries. If you want to enter the real contest, you can go to the astronomy.com website; the link, I believe, is: http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=4504
<p>Personally I think the jelly sandwiches one has the best shot but they were all quite good, as I indicated above.
But what do we do with those of us who grew up believing that there are 9 planets? It’s sacred: 9 planets, 7 dwarfs, 82 keys on a keyboard… When I made a general comment to my class of 1st Graders about planets yesterday, several of them quickly exclaimed that “Pluto isn’t a planet anymore.” OK, OK, I know - but in my heart of hearts I’ll always silently include it when I name the planets. Pluto, you’re not forgotten!
Don’t worry, Daphne. Pluto is not forgotten. It’s still special; it’s just different.
“Meatlovers! Vegetable eating may justify saving… ur necks!” {DAMN Ur-anus!
I was hoping to help the ‘little ones’ with the 1st TWO letters of each hallowed orb. :)~
“Multiple vernaculars enlighten many journalists serving… u news.” {ahh, sh__.) HEY, GUYS! Let’s just call that 7th planet ‘Yugo’.
It would make it easier for everyone {& we wouldn’t have to hear that annoying co-worker joking about “kling-ons” again!}
Well done, Marco. Not to butt in, but perhaps you could say: “untidy necks” and “useless news,” and thereby keep Uranus unchanged. Many people have already found the news about Pluto distressing enough.
Good point, though some mornings I wouldn’t mind changin’ me ‘anus’!
Oh, & “untidy” doesn’t work. (Has to start with ‘U-R’- in that 1st section :)~
Also, I apologize for suggesting that new name I wrote. Greek & Roman gods are worthy, but hardly a car make w/ a reputation somewhere below the basement.
Gene Roddenberry may have a thing or two to say about all this…