Mnemonics

I subscribe to various RSS feeds from my hometown newspaper and while I was delighted to see that today's Letters to the Editor included several anti-Bush/anti-Republican letters, I laughed out loud at the last one on the page...

'Praying' For Pluto No More

I remember a conversation with my mother and grandmother more than 50 years ago in which they shared the mnemonics they had learned to memorize the planets: "Mary's Violet Eyes Made Johnny Sit Up Nights" was my grandma's device. My mom added "Praying" since she learned the solar system after 1930.

With Pluto's newly diminished status, I'll probably go back to my grandma's system, although I must admit I'll miss the mnemonic I've been using for the past 5 1/2 years: "Many Very Erudite Men Justly Scream, 'Unenlightened Numbskull President!' "

Cathy Wirzylo
Eastwick Drive