The 12-year-long New Horizons mission wasn’t cheap — about $780 million. But it got some great photos of a place none of us are likely to visit…
Author: Louis Cannon
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all. You can read more stories on his Substack account.
READY, FIRE, AIM: Adam Smith Ruined My Life
The problem all started with one of his then-famous books, ‘An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations’, more often referred to as simply ‘The Wealth of Nations’…
READY, FIRE, AIM: The President and Me, Avoiding Taxes
I guess The New York Times is not a big fan of our President, because they recently published some alleged news about his tax returns. People don’t rat on their friends. Especially right before an election…
READY, FIRE, AIM: My ‘Net-Zero’ Pledge
Yes, I know. The “Net-Zero” Pledge could very well be simply a passing fashion — the latest craze, the current sensation — and you might be laughing at my naiveté…
READY, FIRE, AIM: My Trip to Nowhere
On its flight to nowhere, which the airline calls the “dine and fly” program, Royal Brunei serves local cuisine to passengers while flying over the country…
READY, FIRE, AIM: Take Another Little Piece of My Heart, Facebook
It took only a minute or two to find the section of my account where I could delete “Friends.” I had never visited that section before…
READY, FIRE, AIM: When Hell Freezes Over
When I looked out the window Monday morning, and found the blood-red sun shining through a thick haze of smoke… and my cherished San Juan Mountains also hidden from view…
READY, FIRE, AIM: Which Came First?
But scientists and philosophers, being who they are, were not content to leave well enough alone. They began to realize that the thousands of existent animal species could not possibly have fit into Noah’s Ark…
READY, FIRE, AIM: Feminist Robots in Our Future? Not Likely
Who couldn’t love a cute little robot like this? Looking up at you — its parent — with big, hopeful eyes. “I can’t wait to obey you!” he seems to be saying…
READY, FIRE, AIM: The Fashion World of Government Leaders
Then we look closer and notice that the Governor is wearing a polo shirt, with a blazer. Who wears a polo shirt, with a blazer?
READY, FIRE, AIM: The Power of Negative Thinking
“In the midst of a raging pandemic and widespread social unrest, these days it can feel as if reassuring platitudes are inescapable….”
READY, FIRE, AIM: The Bear Who Ate Garbage
He snarled at her. “Who are you, the garbage police?” That was not like him, to snarl at her. “I guess I can eat a little garbage if I feel like it…”
READY, FIRE, AIM: Why We Must Wear Masks… or, Survival of the Species
In my imagination — because I have no scientific data to back me up — I can easily credit the survival of the human species to men and women deciding to sleep together in the same bed…
READY, FIRE, AIM: I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter
How we got to this place — where we can’t figure out how to hold a successful election during a little public health crisis, because the current President won’t approve the funding — I blame myself for that…
READY, FIRE, AIM: Why I Embrace Social Distancing
I can give you a bunch of reasons why Darlene and I deserved to get a divorce. Most could be filed in the dossier labeled “Irreconcilable Differences”…
READY, FIRE, AIM: Why Didn’t They Use Their Heads?
I came across a book at the thrift store yesterday, and snapped it right up. A Dozen Dinosaurs; by Richard Armour; illustrations by Paul Galdone; McGraw-Hill,1967. In good condition…
READY, FIRE, AIM: The Fruit Bats Speak Their Minds
A group of ‘neuroecologists’ have been analyzing the unpleasantly high-pitched squeals of Egyptian fruit bats in order to find out what, exactly, the bats are talking about…
READY, FIRE, AIM: The Problem with the Gold Standard
“She has called a convicted counterfeiter who sold gold coins with President Trump’s face on them ‘the Rosa Parks of monetary policy’…”
READY, FIRE, AIM: Phobias for Every Occasion
Psychologists can’t agree on why so many people are deathly afraid of spiders, considering that most of them are absolutely harmless, and even kind of cute…