From CNN:

Asteroid renamed for 'Star Trek' actor

NEW YORK (AP) -- A piece of outer space named for George Takei is in kind of a rough neighborhood for somebody who steers a starship: an asteroid belt.

"I am now a heavenly body," George Takei said Tuesday.

An asteroid between Mars and Jupiter has been renamed 7307 Takei in honor of the actor, best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu in the original "Star Trek" series and movies.

...The celestial rock...joins the 4659 Roddenberry (named for the show's creator, Gene Roddenberry) and the 68410 Nichols (for co-star Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. Uhura). Other main-belt asteroids have been named for science fiction luminaries Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov.

I can't see Takei's asteroid being very happy in the asteroid belt. There isn't an antiques store or Express for Men for lightyears.

Now that I've fulfilled my homophobic joke-quota, the real story is on the front page-- CNN's webpoll, which reads:

Quick Vote

Would you want an asteroid named after you?

Yes	56%	5939
No	44%	4652
Total Votes: 10591

read related article »

This is not a scientific poll.

Who the hell are these 4,652 people who say they WOULDN'T want an asteroid named after them? Are you kidding? If there's a chance... as slim as it is... that something with my name on it could potentially be sent careening towards Earth and end all life on this planet, you can bet I'd want it to be named after me.

If for no other reason than all the cable news graphics.

Of course, it would be kind of annoying to have that sort of disclaimer when I meet new people. "No, I'm not the Howie Kaplan that's going to end the world. I'm the other Howie Kaplan."

I wonder if that would get me on a terrorist watch list...