Wasted time?

Universe Today » Pluto's New Moons are Named Nix and Hydra

So the IAU (International Astronomical Union) took the time in June of 2006 to come up with names for the two new moons of Pluto. And not just any names---they put real thought and study into it.

How much do you think it cost to do that reseach? How many man-hours? How much effort?

In Aug of the same year they turned around and pronounced that Pluto was in fact NOT a planet but rather a captured object from the Kepler belt....because it wasn't "round" enough.

From another story here is the new definition of a planet:

According to the new definition, a full-fledged planet is an object that orbits the sun and is large enough to have become round due to the force of its own gravity. In addition, a planet has to dominate the neighborhood around its orbit. The new definition of "planet" retains the sense that a true planet is something special.

Would someone like to explain to them that none of the planets are "round"? And because Charon is 1/2 the size of Pluto it still dominates its neighborhood? and that "sweeping up" asteroids, comets and debris in their orbital path would eliminate the Earth as a planet as well--when was the last time we had an asteroid hit the moon? What there's nothing special about Pluto?

How about the fact that its steady, constant, non-degrading orbit goes in the opposite direction? how about the fact that the orbit itself is tilted? how about the fact that despite what people think they know about physics Pluto has still been able to hang onto an atmosphere?

There are several ancient civizations that seem to have some great "fondness" for the number 9. It is so mystical in fact that the Christians took its reverse (6) and turned it into the AntiChrist's number.

There is a reason 9 is so universally special---it is an instinctual knowledge....or perhaps it is from aliens beaming it into our brains (some people believe it)....whatever---it isn't just happenstance that the 9 planets coordinated with:
9 heads of Hydra (who had a single head that would actually kill it--chop off any of the others and it would just grow back)
9 Worlds of the Asgard (each belonged to a different relm/being/creature)
9 days that Odin hung in the Yggdrasil tree.
9 Valkyries (additional names have been explained by scholars as being different names for the same Valkyrie the same way that Odin/Thor/Tyr are described by differing names)
9 roots of Yggdrasil
9 months to carry a baby to full term where it is viable outside the womb with out aid (although thru science we now know its actually closer to 10months)
9 monks are needed to perform rituals in Buddhism
9 has multiple meanings in the the Baha'i religion (symbolizes completeness, numerical value of the name of the religion, 9 pointed start symbolizes religion)
9 is a lucky number in China (however its badluck in Japan)
9 is associated with dragons (being there are 9 forms/attributes)
9 is in the decor in the Forbidden City-- showing up on medallions and decorations

The number 9 is so prevelant in the human civilization that one must ask why?

My feeling because we have it in us at a cellular level.