There are now only eight planets. Or ten, depending on how you count them, but I think eight is more proper. A new object has been found orbiting the sun that's bigger than Pluto, and even comes closer to the sun than Pluto's farthest point. There are many who feel that Pluto already shouldn't be considered a planet.

No matter how you slice it, it just ain't right to say that there's nine planets anymore.

Just finished Heinlein's The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress. I agree with the author, that this is his best work. I had given up on him after reading Stranger In A Strange Land, which I disliked rather much.

Looks like this book may join the long line of obscure books that get made into movies shortly after I read them. Previous examples include A Beautiful Mind, Master and Commander, and one other that escapes me. Hopefully this one won't star Russell Crowe.

There's another thing we learned last weekend.

We rented a car, and ended up driving our nutty dog Laika up through the central business district (CBD) of Melbourne, quite possibly for her first time ever.

It was Saturday afternoon, and the city was a whirl of sights and sounds. So it was surprising that any single stimuli might catch her attention. But, from a long way off, she spotted some horses pulling a carriage. And just freaked out.

I guess we can't ever send her to live on a farm. Apparently our girl hates horses.

Chicken Parmesan or "parma" is a Melbourne pub staple that we've enjoyed on many occasions. It's a rare pub that doesn't serve it.

A few weeks ago we caught a special on TV about a group of guys who go around and rate the best chicken parmas in Melbourne (no doubt in defiance of their doctor's orders). Turns out the best is just up the road from us. So we went and gave it a shot the other day.

I don't know what we were expecting. How good can a chicken parma actually be? It's not like they make it with ambrosia. It was good enough, I guess, but paroxysms of culinary ecstasy eluded us.

Club song. My soccer team sings a club song when we win. Every footy team down here also has a song. I don't know where these songs come from, but I'm sure there's some recycling going on. I know some of the footy songs date back to the '20s at least.

Since we've won our last four games, I've actually gotten to learn the club song. The words are interesting to me, because they seem to be carefully worded to avoid asserting the greatness of the team or anything like that. I'm not sure why; perhaps they are designed to be singable even when we lose? Here they are:

Weeeeeeell it's a grand ole team to play for,
And it's a grand ole team to see,
And if you know your history,
It's enough to make your heart's go whoa-o-o-o,
We don't care what the other teams say,
What the hell do we care?
Coz you always know,
That there's gonna be a show,
And the Middle Parkers will be there.