I am not alone in my indignation.

Oh... Oh, my! How touching!

It was with great delight that I Googled on Friday (sorry for the verb form, Anglican; I know how you dislike that) -- for it was then I could truly grasp the world's response to recent events. The populace has spoken, and Earth loves Pluto! We feel for our far-flung little friend, and we are in arms -- up, up, and in arms, I tell ya! -- over its shabby treatment.

You know what this means? I'm not some kooky dreamer, ranting from the piney woods about the International Astronomical Union vote on Thursday (well, I'm not ONLY that). I am a single voice lending my pipes to an intercontinental choir!

LOTS of people have been wound about Pluto. (And/ or it's been a slow news week.) The headlines are fab -- examples to come! -- and the leads are far catchier than those hard news stories usually receive. I am SO excited, suddenly, to engage in a current event! It's almost like pleasure reading!

Just take this example, by Robert Nolin of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Life has been anything but a ray of sunshine for poor Pluto, that pipsqueak on the periphery of the solar system.

It was named for the Roman god of the underworld, whose name in turn was hijacked by a lop-eared cartoon dog. It's a relative newcomer to the brotherhood of planets, having been discovered only 76 years ago, and at 4.6 billion miles, it's the farthest planet from the sun.

On Thursday, it suffered further indignity.

(full story here)

Oh, and there's scientific sniping, too! How juicy! A "lead scientist" from NASA disses the IAU here, calling their decision "sloppy science." (Of course, the scientist in question is leading the charge to explore Pluto, but hey, who among us is truly impartial? You, go, Mr. Alan Stern of NASA!)

Yes, and as I alluded, some crack copy editors have offered the reading populace a slew of witty headlines (I'm only linking to the better articles, or those longer than a graf or 2):

Adieu, poor Pluto, sent to the doghouse

Behind the 8 balls: Evicted Pluto long seen as a world apart from other planets

Is 8 Enough?

The Little Planet That Couldn't

Pluto, Take Heart: Less is More

Shock to the (Solar) System

Scientists Rock Pluto's World

What fun that publications are editorializing with (finally!) some slant I like! OK, sure, most are using the really opinionated headlines for editorials, but I see some yellow dog journalism here right after my own heart! And, I note: Only real sticks-in-the-mud can't make fun copy out of this story.

Even non-real-news sources are in on the act, and they're arguably having the most fun of all. To wit, this snippet from Animated-News.com:

"Despite Planetary Downgrade, Pluto Is Still Disney's 'Dog Star'"

BURBANK, CALIF -- In reaction to news today that Pluto was demoted to the status of "dwarf planet," the Seven Dwarfs issued their own short statement:

"Although we think it's DOPEY that Pluto has been downgraded to a dwarf planet, which has made some people GRUMPY and others just SLEEPY, we are not BASHFUL in saying we would be HAPPY if Disney's Pluto would join us as an 8th dwarf. We think this is just what the DOC ordered and is nothing to SNEEZE at."

As Mickey Mouse's faithful companion, Pluto made his debut in 1930 -- the same year that scientists discovered what they believed was a ninth planet.

Said a white-gloved, yellow-shoed source close to Disney's top dog, "I think the whole thing is goofy. Pluto has never been interested in astronomy before, other than maybe an occasional howl at the moon."