"Do you run?" "Only when chased."

Um....

Illinois plutocrats are frakkin’ goofy

The government of Illinois, an an obvious attempt to distract America from Blagojevich’s hair, has declared that Pluto is a planet.

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that as Pluto passes overhead through Illinois’ night skies, that it be reestablished with full planetary status, and that March 13, 2009 be declared “Pluto Day” in the State of Illinois in honor of the date its discovery was announced in 1930.

Thank heavens — so to speak — Pluto doesn’t pass over any other states. That could propagate a Constitutional crisis.

So what would drive the government of a state to go out of its way to do such a ridiculous thing?

WHEREAS, Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of the planet Pluto, was born on a farm near the Illinois community of Streator

I've always wondered if his name were pronounced Tom-baw or Tom-boy.

EpicTangent, much -ma to you and yours. I was surprised to find that depression is a known side effect of stroke -- not just because you had one, but because that's the way brain biochemistry reacts to the injury. So it might be good to make your Mom aware of this and maybe alert medical providers about it?

Epic, best wishes for your mother's recovery. It is possible. And they prescribed Zoloft for me after I had a stroke for both the anti-depressant effect and because it did something good for my brain chemistry.

If the man never lays a hand on the woman except for a reaction to being struck is he an abuser?

The DH's ex has severe bi-polar disorder, and would not take her meds. When she was in a manic state, she would hit him and scratch him, hit him with books, etc. He didn't respond. Her doctor told her he HAD TO get physical with her to set boundaries for her. So ha had to push her or grab her wrists or slap her if the behavior was getting dangerous. He says it was a horrible situation and he only did it once. he still syas it was the worst moment of his life and he felt so bad he refused to do it again.

She left him a few years later and eventually was hospitalized. Since then, she takes her meds and is regulated and has a much happier life.

The government of Illinois, an an obvious attempt to distract America from Blagojevich’s hair, has declared that Pluto is a planet. ...

WHEREAS, Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of the planet Pluto, was born on a farm near the Illinois community of Streator

I understand that New Mexico has done something similar because Tombaugh was working there when he discovered Pluto.

ETA -- I mean New Mexico was declaring that Pluto is a planet. I don't think their legislature cares about our governor's hair. (Although it is a wonder.)

Epic, I hope your mother recovers as quickly and easily as possible.

Since we have politicians deciding what a planet is, I think next the major world religions should get involved. Like the Pope could say, "Pluto's a planet! If you don't think so, you're going to hell!"

Well, there's some precedent for that. The Catholic Church caused all sorts of trouble for Galileo.

Considering the Church only apologized 17 years ago for branding Galileo a heretic over that whole earth-revolving-around-the-sun thing, it's not exactly the institution I'd look to for breaking astronomical news.