Paul Schlyter wrote:

I read a not in my newspaper yesterday that the IAU has taken a radical
approach on this question: their latest suggestion is to get rid of the
term "planet" altogether, and to replace it with more specific terms, such
as "terrestial planet", "gas giant", "Kuiper belt object", "exoplanet".

Of course people will continue to use the word "planet" anyway, but the
IAU will not give any official definition of the word "planet" but
recommends not using it but replacing it with a more specific term which
is appropriate.

I did not expect that. This is what I call "chickening out". I had
some nice answers prepared for Daggaz and Edward, but I might as well
forget about them now. Especially Edward seems to not only not have
read my article, but not even the title of this thread.

But what a bunch of cowards. So they will not force the public, which
is stupid by nature(*), to -slowly- change their outdated ideas about
what is a planet. If this is true, then it will be a more than
sufficient reason to publicly ridicule the IAU.

The truth is: We human beings are in fact the most ridiculous creatures
which have ever been walking the face of earth. Challenge me and I will
give you at least two good reasons. I am so ashamed.

Peter


(*As a sidenote: The idea behind behind Democracy is a balance of
stupidity in order to avoid its extremes. It=B4s not a perfect method,
but with historical hindsight it=B4s the best we can do)