Our latest release:

Welcome Back, Pluto
We're glad that you're a PLANET again!

By Ron Toms

When the International Astronomical Union (the IAU) removed Pluto from the list of planets, it was controversial for a good reason. The definition they approved had little to do with planetary science. It was the result of a purely political maneuver within the organization.

The vote was not intended to end the way it did. A definition was created that kept Pluto a planet, confirmed Eris as a new planet, and restored Ceres to planethood now that we know its true nature. The original announcement makes this crystal clear:

"The world's astronomers, under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), have concluded two years of work defining the difference between 'planets' and the smaller 'solar system bodies' such as comets and asteroids. If the definition is approved by the astronomers gathered 14-25 August 2006 at the IAU General Assembly in Prague, our Solar System will include 12 planets, with more to come"
-- https://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau0601/

Twelve planets! Humanity was gaining new territory to spark our imaginations. As you can see, this wasn't a haphazard move. It took two years of effort. A lot of work had gone into it. All it needed was a simple vote of approval to make it official.

Never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world.
-- Margaret Mead

And that's what happened, but not for the betterment of humanity. What was supposed to be a mere formality got hijacked. A small group of astronomers fought a petty power struggle over what they thought should be important in our Solar System, and what should not. They seized the process and forced their opinions on the rest of us. Afterwards, more scientists signed a petition to reject the definition than voted for it. But it had no effect. The internal politics of the IAU appear to be driving their decisions more than science does.

This book only briefly discusses the politics of the IAU. It also shows how their authority on the matter is not as far-reaching as they claim. It looks at how other scientific definitions work and exposes how the IAU got it wrong. It is also about the science of astronomy, the interplay of objects in the Solar System, and the tangle of words and definitions we use to describe it all. Lastly, it includes an honest, scientific analysis of the planet-worthiness of all the largest objects in our Solar System and beyond.

The conclusion is simple and inescapable; it is legitimate and accurate to call Pluto, Ceres, and Eris planets. It always has been, and it matters.

If you love science, astronomy and space exploration, you should be calling Pluto a planet too. But don't take my word for it. As the venerable Neal deGrasse Tyson said, "If the world is something you accept rather than interpret, then you're susceptible to the influence of charismatic idiots."

We agree. This book contains multiple scientific guidelines for determining planethood from a variety of perspectives. Some include Pluto, Ceres, Eris and more, and some do not. These are far more than just arbitrary or vague requirements. They are based on actual data. Take a look and interpret them for yourself. I dare any "Pluto is not a planet" people to read this book and not have their faith shaken!



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That's it. That's the end of the web site. There's nothing else to see here. No site map. No job openings. No investor relations. No legal disclaimers. Oh, I suppose I should add the copyright thing. Ok, here it is: Copyright 2021, © Ronald L. Toms. There. I did it. In case you haven't figured it out yet, this company is run by one and only one person, me, plus the few writers I've met over the years who actually want to put their work out for people to see, *and* who's work manages to hold my attention all the way to the end. I've met a whole bunch of the other kinds of writers -- the ones who only write "because I enjoy it" and cringe at the idea of actually publishing anything. And that's ok. We all have our quirks. Mine is cooking. I like to cook. Even when I'm alone and by myself I'll cook-up a nice asian-style dinner for myself and a guest or two. But since there's no guest, I end up eating the whole thing by myself. That's why I also work out and walk three miles every day. You know, athletes can eat as much as they want and never get fat. I'm no athlete though. I've heard that the worst job you can have for your health is being a truck driver. Sitting on your butt all day long every day, plus the stress of driving the big rig in traffic really takes its toll on a person's body. Writing is not that bad, but it's close. Sitting on your butt all day long, every day, plus the stress of knowing that the six or twelve months you spend laboring over this novel will probably result in a grand total of seventeen dollars in sales. Then it will be relegated to the dustbin of forgotten history. So it goes, as Mr. Vonnegut used to say. This is a big change from what I used to do. Designing, manufacturing and distributing educational products, designing, building and operating a thremed park... It was all reptty active and physical and involved a lot of working with people. But times change. We all have to adapt. That's really all I have to say at the moment. I dunno. Might delete all this later and get a job as a barrista somewhere. Then again, being a publisher is cool. I get to help my friends get their work out there. They can write, but they're not very good at the technical details of publishing books and e-books. That's where I shine. I'm good at technical things. My books? I wrote the non-fiction stuff in our catalog. I say "our". Yeah, it's the thing to do. Makes it sound like you're bigger than you really are. Essential for a one man shop, they tell me. Who's they? Good question. Wait, who's asking? Hello? Is anyone there? Hello?



If you've made it this far and are curious about my previous incarnations
as a kit maker, a game designer and a park creator,

CLICK HERE