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(meteorobs) AMS and education
Jim Richardson, Jim Bedient et al -
I am surprised at your reaction to my comments on the AMS web pages. As I
mentioned to Jim Bedient, I thought the web pages looked great!
It was I who had <asked> who your intended audience was - as I honestly didn't
know. Thanks for clearing this up for me.
I think education is a noble cause, and have been involved in helping educate
the public up here for many years - through talks, shopping mall displays on
astronomy, talking to girl guide groups, writing articles for beginners for
various newsletters, et al.
You wrote:
>Bulletin 202 is ... simply an introduction to the practice of meteor observing,
giving rough estimates of what a >novice observer might actually see if they go
out an try to look.
OK, my only comment was to qualify this, make it clear that the rates listed are
for novice observers...
>The AMS has also been in the role of public education for many years, and
(Cathy) the majority of letters and E-mail we get are from lay persons, novice
amateur astronomers, and school children
Thanks, that's all I was questioning....
>Yes, the AMS hopes to create a Web site which is pleasing to both the passing
general public AND to >serious meteor observers alike. However, the site is
new, and is undergoing some "growing pains."
> A little patience on your part might be nice. Jim Bedient has been in his new
post for less than
>two weeks .... He asked you for constructive comments and criticism, NOT
another
>knee-jerk attack on the AMS.
I think Jim is doing a great job .... and I have always had a lot of respect for
the AMS .... it was the first meteor organization that I ever had contact with,
back in the 1970's....
>I might also issue the challenge to you that rather than shouting at us from
the sideline, you might also >consider actually joining the game. We are a
volunteer organization ...
Jim, I don't think anyone is shouting here. I was just giving some comments,
and obviously I didn't have the whole picture in front of me. Thanks for
setting the record straight, and good luck with the web site!
- Cathy Hall
Ottawa, Canada