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Re: (meteorobs) Re: SUBSCRIBE meteorobs
>Welcome to meteorobs! Sit back, relax and listen in to the conversation on
>the
>list. Then once you feel a little more comfortable, please feel free to
>send us
>a short introduction of yourselves: who you are; where you're coming from
>(just
>starting out in astronomy, or new to meteors, or been observing them for
>years,
>whatever!); and last but not least, any special interests you have in the
>area.
Well, I suppose it's about that time, given that I've been lurking around
this list since last May I believe. My name's Richard Wagner. I'm a writer
living in Northampton, MA; was past editor of the National Space Society's
magazine Ad Astra; and recently co-authored with rocking rocket scientist
Robert Zubrin "The Case for Mars," which has been pretty well received by
hard core space activists and just plain folks alike.
Anyway, I'm working on a book on NEOs and planetary slams, and the
resultant calls for "Planetary Defense." Since Duncan Steel, John Lewis,
and others have made the case for comet/asteroid impacts, I'll be focussing
more on the public policy side of things: how you measure risk personally &
as a society; cultural clashes twixt the astronomical community & defense
science community; secondary agendas floating around from ex-SDIO types;
what defense architectures have been proposed--stuff like that.
I guess I joined the list just to get a flavor for the band of amatuer
folks who scan the skies & for the occasional fireball post. Inasmuchas I'm
a pretty useless observer, I'll probably keep lurking.
In the meantime, for those out there who have read any of the recent slew
of asteroid books (at times I think the world needs another asteroid book
like it needs another asteroid movie or Chicxulub), I'd be curious on any
feedback you might have re what was missing in those books, if anything?
What should a new book focus on?
Thanks for your time.
Richard Wagner -- campr2@javanet.com
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