There was a rumour a few weeks back that 2 Liberal leadership candidates would be pulling out of the race during the recent BC Caucus meeting. As it turned out, the source of these rumours was a teaser piece on Newsnet saying "and then there were eight", referring to Pluto being disqualified as a planet for not meeting the minimum criteria for planetary status, not the number of leadership contenders.
Mr. Volpe is holding a press conference on Monday. Will he use the dwarf planet defence?
The International Astronomical Union describes a dwarf planet as an object that:
- Is in orbit around the Sun;
- Has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape;
- Has not "cleared the neighbourhood" around its orbit; and
- Is not a satellite of a planet, or other nonstellar body.
Something tells me Mr. Volpe will use the presser to correct the record on the IAU's definition of dwarf planet and use the nonstellar body defence.
1 comment:
Ha ha ha - brilliant post.
Let's look at how soon-to-be Shoeless Joe Volpe stacks up on the IAU's translated criteria:
- Is in orbit around the Sun;
(Translation: believes in the divine providence of the Liberal Party of Canada. Verdict: this life-long backroom boy gets a passing grade on this mark)
- Has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape;
(Translation: has maintained a sense of vision and ethics in the rough-and-tumble world of federal politics. Verdict: wouldn't that require one to have them in the first place?)
- Has not "cleared the neighbourhood" around its orbit;
(Translation: Still has supporters. Verdict: Volpe's "orbital neighbourhood" seems to be getting sparser by the moment)
- Is not a satellite of a planet, or other nonstellar body.
(Translation: Not involved in the Chrétien-Martin "center of gravity" wars. Verdict: Failure - one of Martin's key backers in Ontario)
Sorry Joe - the IAU has voted you off the island.
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