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Re: (meteorobs) We are having fun now...
George,
Evoking JFK's well-worn phrase, one of the primary reasons you were turned
down is because that rather than asking what you could do for the AMS, you
focused simply on what the AMS could do for you, in your typical abrasive style.
Did it occur to you to ASK what you might do to help the visual program or
to improve Dr. Meisel's professional interest? Or did you just assume that
what you wanted to do for yourself ought to be good enough for him.
If a professional gets turned down by the NSF, they don't generally go on a
tirade against the NSF, they look for something else to propose, or they
wait until the NSF regains an interest in that project.
I will admit that the recent interest of the AMS Board, not just Dr. Meisel,
has been in starting up the Radiometeor Project, but this will not always be
the case. Dr. Meisel DOES have an interest in the Visual Program, but it
will take a concerted effort by more folks than just himself to bring such
interests into fruition.
If our visual program has stagnated, it is primarily because everyone has
been standing around, waiting for the professor to do all the work. Mail
off your forms, and the magic is supposed to occur at the university. To do
anything beyond archive, however, you need to hire a clerical staff (which
we cannot afford), or you need a volunteer staff who is willing to do some
"grunge work." Most AMS members have been content to simply make their
observations and collect their Meteor News, nothing more.
A couple of other folks have come forward, proposing to take over the Visual
Program, and reform it in the image of the IMO. This idea didn't wash with
the board either, for the reasons i explained, at length, last summer. Many
people seem ready to tell us what we ought to be doing, but few seem willing
to simply ask what we would like to do, and if they can help bring it about.
In the 1994 AMS Annual Report, Dr. Meisel mentioned the fact that conducting
an update to Dr. Olivier's Sporadic Rate studies is on our mind, utilizing
modern statistical techniques. It will take more than just Dr. Meisel,
however, working on the idea to bring this about.
If the meteor community in this country wants to have an active, thriving
meteor society, then folks are going to have to do more than just sling
barbs, but genuinely offer to help. If you are truly interested in
cooperation between organizations, then the first step is mutual respect and
recognition, not criticism and contempt.
Sincerely,
Jim Richardson
AMS Radiometeor Project Coordinator
Graceville, FL
richardson@digitalexp.com