GWB delivers a tepid State of the Union Address which is mostly saber-rattling, and little else. Terror, terror, terror, we are the good guys, good guys must win, yay. Oh, and use less oil so those b@5tard terrorists don’t make money at our expense. Meanwhile Congress approves $39b in budget cuts, pushing fiscal responsibility ever further into the not-so-vivid imaginations of economists and Democrats.

The Fighting Illini (men’s b-ball) win their first away game this season, defeating Wisconsin 66-51 and reifying optimistic fans who had hoped that the Illini wouldn’t lose every damn game that’s not on home ground.

Scientists confirm that Kuiper Belt Object 2003 UB313 is in fact larger than Pluto, the smallest object in our solar system designated as a planet. The International Astronomical Union is stuck trying to decide whether to expand the official planet count to ten or to demote Pluto to non-planet status. Although I’m not convinced that the New Blob Of Ice should become a planet just because one of the scientists said “I would not want to demote Pluto for historical and cultural reasons - you’d upset the schoolchildren.” doi:10.1038/nature04494

Will be (unfortunately or otherwise) demoting blogging to an even more intermittent status than it already is, owing to the confluence of several factors: a resolution to spend more time on the campus StairMasters, more volunteer work, a seminar to prepare to give, two papers in the works, prep work for a conference in May, and a new research project. Oh, did I mention it’s almost Time To File Income Tax and Time To Buy Overpriced Chocolates and Time To Recruit A Thesis Committee? I must admit, writing out all the damn Things To Do has freaked me out somewhat. Also anticipating my Bloglines blogroll to whittle down further.