> >See what you can do with these neumonic devices:
> > My very educated mother just served us nine pizzas.
> > Roy G. Biv is a colorful character.
>
> First, I think you mean "mnemonic" devices. :-)
>
Any spelling is ok with me. I don't sweat the small stuff. I even considered spelling it "pneumatic."

> Second, I would have never understood the "mother serving pizzas" sentence if I hadn't read an article in NewsWeek last night, which astonished me by reporting that some astronomers' colloquium or other is expected soon to demote Pluto from full status as a planet in our solar system. It is smaller than many moons, including Earth's, and its orbit and other factors are more characteristic of other non-planetary masses out beyond Neptune, then of a true planet. So it may be that soon, the article concluded, we won't be able to use that mnemonic device "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas" to remember the names of the planets. Weird, huh?
>
Yeah, I read that same article.
But it's still good for a while?


> Third, everyone knows ROYGBIV--Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet. Apple Computers developed this clever mnemonic device to help us remember which attractive colors their iMac is available in. :-)

You've given Apple too much credit. Old Roy G. Biv was mentioned in the 7th grade science book I used when I first started teaching in 1959. I think the first time I heard of an Apple computer was about 1983. Is it possible that all this computer stuff has come about in 16 years?

>
> Iss "'I just said something funny.' (dunno if that concords with the rules for How to Be Funny, but hey-I tried)" achar