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(meteorobs) Astronomy vs. TV

It is very easy to watch TV.  I watch about 4-6 hours per week 
watching TV; meanwhile, I spend perhaps 15-20 hours on the computer 
per week.  When I watch TV, which 95% of it is _Star Trek:_, it is 
very easy for it to deepen my interest in astronomy.  When I use the 
computer _I_do_something_useful_.  When you watch TV, most of the 
time you are just wasting time.  I would gladly trade the TV for the 
comuputer.  Someone a few years ago made the comment, "Would you 
rather watch TV or never never watch TV again and receive 1 million 
dollars?"  Obviously the second choice is best.  I think it might 
take 1 million dollars to get him interested in astronomy again.  In 
July, my church went camping in southern New Jersey.  I believe there 
was only 11 human entities there, and the LM was perhaps +6.5(at home 
my is usually +4.5).  At least.  I could only identify 1 
constellation, Scorpius.  But it was really the stars, it was the 
Milky Way!  I was speechless.  I actually risked my life to watch the 
stars that night, as I had to sit in the middle of a dirt road.  
After a half an hour and 2 meteors, I had to go back to bed.  I was 
falling asleep, and if I did, I would die unless the sun rose.  My 
friend didn't come because he claimed he didn't like camping.  Which 
was a lie.  He lies so easily and so often, I was recently forced to 
coin a nickname for him:  Mr. Garak.  The day I met him, he started 
speaking lies.  He claimed to have been from another planet, and the 
entities he was living with had advanced technology that allowed you 
to begin your life all over if desired.  He claimed this was his 
second life.  It was an obvious lie.  First, he claimed that he was 
born in Delaware and has resided nowhere else.  Second, he says that 
there will never be anymore planets discovered, ever(1990).  His lies 
are worthless.  He lies about the stupidest things. 

On the wednesday after MPF laded, I asked him, "Have you seen(TV!) 
the Pathinder yet?"
"What?"
"It's all over the television and the papers!"
He gives me a look that he has given me so many times when I tell him 
about astronomy:Astronomy and space is for the insane.

Someone else comes over and says,"I have to tell you, those are great 
pictures coming from Mars!"
"Oh yes!", I respond.
My friend says nothing.  I start beating him up, verbally.  I ask him 
how he cannot hear about the greatest space adventure sine perhaps 
Apollo.  He then says, "Oh, I heard about it."  I wish I knew whether 
that answer was the truth or not.  During the 1995 Perseids, I asked 
him if he saw it:  "Did you see the meteor shower?"
"Did they use soap?"
Mr.  Sarcastic.  I try to tell him that astronomy is for 
entertainment.  He thinks it for the insane.  I will try to make a 
final, elaborate, and desperate attempt.

Jonathan
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