Global Spin

The Solar System’s planetary roll call just got longer. From today’s Astronomy Picture of the Day: One of the strangest objects in the outer Solar System was classified as a dwarf planet last week and given the name Haumea. This designation makes Haumea the fifth designated dwarf planet after Pluto, Ceres, Eris, and Makemake. Haumea’s [...]

Posted by Chris in News, Science, Space on September 23rd, 2008 | Comments Off

(via Wil) Just wanted to congratulate George Takei and Brad Altman on their wedding Sunday evening. Bagpiper processional for the win: On a side note, George Takei is 71?!? Criminy! Yet another person I can see storming around when he’s 120, shouting, “I’m one hundred and twenty!”

Posted by Chris in Culture, Law, News, Science fiction, Sexuality, Television on September 15th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

I haven’t had time to post any of the California marriage awesomeness lately, but I couldn’t pass this Union Tribune article up: San Diego County issued a record 230 marriage licenses today and performed 144 wedding ceremonies on the first day gay and lesbian couples were allowed to marry in San Diego. County officials did [...]

Posted by Chris in Law, News, Sexuality on June 18th, 2008 | Comments Off

[from Geekdad] In the spirit of the awesome maverick science-fair project[1], I give you Daniel Burd and his amazing plastic-eating microbes. “Almost every week I have to do chores and when I open the closet door, I have this avalanche of plastic bags falling on top of me,” he said. “One day, I got tired [...]

Posted by Chris in Geekdad, News, Science on May 29th, 2008 | Comments Off

It might just be a temporary victory, but today the California Supreme Court overturned a ban on gay marriage that was voted into law (as Proposition 22) back in 2000. Domestic partnerships are not a good enough substitute for marriage, the justices ruled 4-3 in an opinion. The cases were brought by the city of [...]

Posted by Chris in Law, News on May 15th, 2008 | 2 Comments »