Elatus
31824 Elatus is a very red centaur from the outer Solar System. It was discovered on 29 October 1999 and named after Elatus, a centaur from Greek mythology.
The Plain Language Bill will appoint 'plain language officers' to police politicians' speech for sesquipedalianism. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
Government officials in New Zealand will be required to cut back on jargon and "complicated English words" in their public-facing messaging, under the Plain Language Bill passed by Parliament on Wednesday. It requires royal assent to take effect.
Sun (Government officials in New Zealand) conjunct Elatus (expression of self and ego through word and writing, + excellent communication, articulate, precise, - verbose, boastful, shallow in conversation (a law shouldn't be needed to motivate officials to speak plainly)).
The legislation defines plain language as "clear, concise and well organized" language that is "appropriate to the intended audience." All reporting agencies will be required to appoint "plain language officers" responsible for ensuring compliance and interfacing with the public.
The benefits apparently outweigh the risks for the majority of New Zealand MPs, however. "People living in New Zealand have a right to understand what the government is asking them to do, and what their rights are," Labour MP Rachel Boyack said during a debate on the issue.
Discovery
1999 UG5/31824 Elatus is a dark centaur from the outer Solar System, approximately 48 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 29 October 1999, by astronomers of the Catalina Sky Survey at Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, United States. The minor planet was named after Elatus, a centaur from Greek mythology.
This minor planet was named after Elatus, a centaur from Greek mythology, who was killed during a battle with Heracles by a poisoned arrow that passed through his arm and continued to wound Chiron in the knee. The name "Elatus" means "fir man" and is associated with woodlands. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 14 June 2003 (M.P.C. 49102).
