R.I.P., Mac Tonnies

Standing next to a fuse-box, originally uploaded by Mac Tonnies.

Mac Tonnies, how I longed one day to meet
And talk with you directly. I've admired
Your books and blog and links. Your ev'ry tweet
Brought strange new wonders. You knew you'd inspired
A lot of my big project. I'm so glad
I told you this and shared with you my plans
Which you refined and cheered on. Now, well, "sad"
Is quite inadequate. Among your fans
Your voice, it will be missed - by ev'ry one
Who wants to take enigmas with more than
A grain of salt and not make woo-woo fun
But really try improving the slight span
Of knowledge that we have of what's beyond.
I'm devastated, Mac, that you are gone.

BONUS SONNET: Yay, We're Skeptics, But Must We Be Jerks About It?

While I do think the world is cool enough,

That what we can observe and test is great,

Increasing knowledge carefully, one tough

Test, then another over time, I'd hate

To be like those who once did roundly mock

Copernicus or Galileo, or

Columbus. E pur si mueve. What shock

Occurs when someone does discover more.

Of course I raise an eyebrow at such claims

That visitors from other systems come

To probe or warn us; still I don't play games,

Don't bait believers, will not call them dumb.

It's true there are some cracked pots on that shelf

But I've found some who aren't. How 'bout yourself?