Pluto is fighting back. You will recall that on August 24, 2006 the International Astronomical Union met in Prague and decided that Pluto no longer met the criteria for a planet. I wrote a blog titled, Who Speaks For Pluto, and apparently someone has stepped up to show Pluto some love.
The American Dialect Society has chosen the word "plutoed" as the 2006 word of the year. The society, at its annual meeting Friday decided to define "to pluto" as "to demote or devalue someone or something, as happened to the former planet Pluto when the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union decided Pluto no longer met its definition of a planet."
My favorite quote from the Press Release announcing the Word of the Year winner:
“It was good that the society focused on a genuine scientific concern,” Professor Glowka said. “Though I believe the nomination came in from outer space.”
You gotta love Pluto. Pluto may be small, but it's a true winner. Pluto has been kicked around, demoted, and devalued, only to rise from the ash heap to international prominence.
The moral of the story? Don't mess with Pluto!
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