While the controversy continues in Washington, D.C., the state of California has introduced a new law (AB-30) prohibiting all public schools from using the name “redskins” for sports teams and mascots. American Indians regard the term as offensive. Calaveras High School, in Calaveras County, chose to drop the name it used for decades and decided that it would no longer have a mascot at all.

The new law is called the “California Racial Mascots Act“.  To read the exact text of this landmark piece of legislation, click through to the California Legislative Information website.

Pluto has not been having an easy time of it.  There was all that nasty controversy over whether it could retain the name “planet”. The year 2017 seems to be looking up for Pluto though; the International Astronomical Union has recently announced that Pluto’s lovely heart-shaped region will finally be receiving an official name of its own.  And if that wasn’t exciting enough, several other topographical features of this heavenly body are up for naming.  Interested in learning more? Click through to this Scientific American article to catch up on Pluto news!

Beijing fortune-teller Mao Shandong offers Chinese parents an auspicious name for their newborn but he faces competition from tech-savvy entrepreneurs who have turned the ancient tradition into a lucrative online business

For many Chinese parents, making the right choice for their child’s name has become even more imperative as they seek to help their children stand out in the world’s most populous country. These days, they are more likely to turn to online businesses than to more traditional resources like fortune tellers. According to this article at the news site Phys.org, a quick web search reveals more than a hundred such businesses in China, each promising names that will pave the way for future success. But what kinds of names do they suggest? Read on to find out.