[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: (meteorobs) Re: A New Direction for the AMS

Dear George,

As is usual when I work to bring together something worthwhile and
productive, I can always count upon you to be my number 1 critic and
nay-sayer.  I am always tempted to simply ignore your negative comments and
let them go their own way, but because you enjoy bringing them up in a
public forum, I feel that some public response is generally in order, at
least initially.

1.  Who is at the helm of the AMS?

As of the beginning of this year, David Meisel (and the rest of the board)
have shifted the management of the AMS down to the staff level.  This move
came in acknowledgement of the fact that Dave simply does not have the time
or energy to put into running a larger, active group.  At the request of
MGH, I was appointed as the AMS Operations Manager, and with Jim Bedient as
my right-hand man, together we set out to begin the process of rebuilding
and revitalizing the AMS.  We have had a hard, but very productive year,
and I am quite pleased with our progress to date.

David is leaving this new direction for the AMS entirely in my hands, and
trusts me to run things professionally.  In return, I keep him apprised of
our activities, consult with him regularly, and bring financial and other
major decisions to the board as necessary.  My job is to build an amateur
group which is capable of contributing to the professional community to the
highest degree possible, as well as conducting research on its own.
David's job is to act as our professional level representative, provide me
with feedback as to making our amateur work more useful to the professional
community, conduct professional level research (when possible) using our
contributions, and to help me to seek out other professionals who can
utilize our work.

In other words, George, the activity level and productivity of the AMS is
now UP TO US to orchestreate and increase.  The AMS is no longer the
one-man Oliver show.  We are now much more cosmopolitan, and will be
catering to a much broader range of amateur and professional activities.
David and the board are the Admirals on shore, but the ship is now in our
hands to run.  Jim Bedient, Norman McLeod, and myself have been working
hard this year to put the old girl back into shape, and I am absolutely
thrilled to now have on board a much larger and hard working crew.  I am
excited about the possibilities for our future, and the places that this
grand old ship can go.

2.  I find your public display of the letter which RB Minton sent to you to
be especially offensive, because i know personally how hard Dr. Meisel has
BENT OVER BACKWARDS to assist and communicate with RB, as well as putting
him in contact with other AMS members.

The truth is, George, that RB is a very impatient individual, who expects
immediate and frequent communications.  At the same time, RB has chosen to
isolate himself in Raton, having no phone or E-mail.  He seems to have no
consideration for Dr. Meisel's extremely heavy workload of travel,
research, and teaching at the university -- expecting, instead, immediate
response to all written enquiries (sometimes 2 per week).  As was outlined
in the AMS Electronic Circulars, Dr. Meisel has had an extremely active
summer:  first travelling to North Carolina for the AAS convention, then to
Russia for the IIA meetings, then to the DPS meeting on Boston, and finally
home to prepare for another full semester of teaching.  Despite these other
activities, David has frequently broken into this schedule for the purpose
of writing Mr. Minton, and passing his address and interests along to
others who might correspond with him, such as myself, Dr. Vlad Getman, and
Ed Majden.  I know that both myself and Ed have written Mr. Minton, but
obviously not quickly enough to satisfy him.

As usual, you have taken advantage of Mr. Minton's impatience in order to
steer yet another potentially productive AMS member into your negative and
critical camp, rather than looking for something positive to do.

3.  Beginning with your first letter to me in 1993, George, you have done
nothing but CONSTANTLY (and publically) criticized my work and that of the
American Meteor Society.  While I have been working extremely hard to build
UP something worthwhile which we can all be proud of, you seem capable of
only attempting to tear things DOWN.

Most interesting to me is the fact that if you review all of your past
complaints about the AMS, you will find that over the last several months,
and especially with this proposal to the other American meteor groups, I
have addressed and taken corrective action for all of even YOUR concerns.

You asked for standardization and active cooperation with the international
meteor science community.  You got it.  You asked for active research and
modernization with regard to the AMS visual program and database.  You got
that too.  You predicted and asked for a major "change" to occur with
regard to American meteor science amateurs, and the AMS, and, by God, you
are now looking at a great change full in the face.

What then, do you have to complain about?

All of us on the newly expanded AMS staff fully expected your reaction to
this new direction to be completely negative, critical, and publically
vocal.  You have not let us down.  However, ALL OF US are quite ready to
move this wonderful and gallent old society out of her port and back out
onto the open seas -- regardless of any nay-sayers.  We, at least, are
learning to put away all old animosities and learn how to work together in
the spirit of cooperation, and to reach for common goals.  I have great
hopes for the future of the AMS and where she can go.

Sincerely,

     Jim Richardson


James Richardson
Graceville, Florida
richardson@digitalexp.com

Operations Manager / Radiometeor Project Coordinator
American Meteor Society (AMS)
http://www.serve.com/meteors/
References: