Once I finished the housework, I hurried back to my computer to email Neil de Grasse Tyson, only one of the coolest astrophysicists to have ever graced this planet, with the links and background on the whole black hole flap going on in Dallas. I thought he’d get a kick out of it. I’ve never written any famous person before, except for politicians. I don’t know why I did. Seems silly now, but too late, right? It’s already in his email inbox. Maybe he won’t read it.

After hitting the send button on that email, I searched the internet to see what other people were saying about the ridiculous show of ignorance up in Dallas, and I ran across this comment:

Johnny Appleseed @ July 9th, 2008 at 8:49 pm

Why use the word “niggardly” in the article. We know it isn’t to show off his English skills. That word may mean stingy but Mr. Webster or whoever didn’t make that word up for a good purpose. The writer didn’t need to use the word and only did it because it contain some form of the “N” word. It wasn’t for good intentions. I don’t care if it’s in the dictionary. The intent wasn’t nice then and wasn’t nice today.

The stupid seems to be thick today. “Mr. Webster or whoever” didn’t make up that word, and it certainly wasn’t made up for nefarious racist purposes. Of course, to know that one would have to be capable of using a dictionary. I’d think even a daft idiot who is able to post comments on a blog would be able to type the word into a search engine and find the definition or maybe even learn about its origins. That would require not going off half-cocked as soon as they are offended, and those types don’t like to bother doing anything resembling research or learning.

Anyway, I think I’ll go find something better to do with my time than sit here and run across more stupid on the internet. I have a bunch of projects, of the paying kind, I need to work on. That would certainly be a better way to spend the rest of my afternoon.

Eeek! What if Dr. Tyson emails me back?! I’m so embarrassed I even emailed him!