Aug. 16th, 2006

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A lot of us have likely read the news about the International Astronomical Union's ongoing discussions over what constitutes a proper planet. BBC reports that they're considering setting up a new category using Pluto as the template for the class. Officially, the proposed class name would be "Pluton".

I'm certainly amused (mildly so) by all the inadvertant Trekspeech being tossed around at the IAU's press conferences...although once they get that settled, they'll then have to nail down an official name for 2003 UB313, one of the candidates for "Pluton" status.

Hoping that Persephone wins out here...because the alternative has already been established as resorting to pop TV culture. I think we ought to save that for the extrasolar planets, yes?

Assuming that any locals we find on those planets don't consider it grounds for war against us, of course...
dewline: Sketch of me dancing in my Hockey Night t-shirt (HappyHockeyNightDance)
Hoping I did the Latin quote correctly. If I didn't, I want to hear of it. No joking.

Anyway, I saw something at the bottom of the fold of the Toronto Star today that gave my spirits a serious boost. Some of you may have seen it via CBC News in Nova Scotia or perhaps The Globe and Mail online.

Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia's about to become a Spaceport.

The players include the provincial government of Nova Scotia, the guys behind the Canadian Arrow project(who've apparently decided to redirect some of their energies in the wake of being frustrated in the X Prize competition, and an Illinois outfit called PlanetSpace(who have yet to get their website up and running, it seems).

Possible consequences, if it all comes off as hoped and planned(and hopefully better than planned)?

Lots of infrastructure money pouring into Cape Breton in particular and Nova Scotia in general. Everything from road repairs and expansion to pipes for everything from data to sewage.

Money and people pouring into expanded or newly opened space-related science programs at the local universities: Acadia, Memorial U of Newfoundland, UNB, U of PEI, and others I'm likely misremembering at the moment.

An improved chance of Maritimers and Newfoundlanders -- especially the latter, I've noticed -- being able to focus their searches for work that suits them closer to home. If there's one thing that burns their butts, it's seeing their kids have to hightail it to Alberta to make a decent living and taking their grandkids with'em. This will be another step in fixing that particular headache as permanently as possible.

At the Canadian Space Agency? Hopefully, Crown-owned spacecraft available for use as needed for whatever research and exploration projects come to their minds in the years ahead. Both in concert with other nations, and independent of those same nations.

Again, all of this is -- for now at least -- pie in the sky dreaming.

But I want to see it happen.

Soon, please?

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On the DEWLine 2.0: Dwight Williams

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