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

In a message dated 97-10-14 14:54:24 EDT, you write:

 Jim>>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.<<

If it wasn't for my negative comments, your grand old ship would be at the
bottom of the sea.  By bringing my comments up to you in a public forum, this
puts the monkey on your back to follow thru. Whether you like it or not, my
negative comments essentially pried the lead out of AMS's butt. 
 
 Jim>>
 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. <<

This would explain why AMS wasn't interested in the serious meteor observer
and catered to the radio monitoring program? So I was right then? 

 Jim>> 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.  <<

So I now know who to credit...or blame in the future?
 
 Jim>>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.<<

The radio meteor project has been funded by AMS...so what is the visual
meteor project that AMS is planning to fund? 
 
Jim>> In other words, George, the activity level and productivity of the AMS
is
 now UP TO US to orchestreate and increase.  <<

I'll be watching to see how the activity level and quality increases. Looks
good on paper...but results speak louder than words. 

 Jim>>David and the board are the Admirals on shore, but the ship is now in
our
 hands to run. <<

Apparently this ship was the U.S.S. Radiometeor Project these past several
years....anxious to see if your new crew isn't just a smokescreen to provide
damage control for the AMS prestige?

 Jim>>  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.<<

From the treatment that I received from Meisel...the same kind of treatment
that I know others have experienced, I have no reason to believe that Meisel
has "Bent Over Backwards" for anyone but his inner circle.
 
 JIm>>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. <<

So does this mean that AMS is only catering to those who have E-mail? 

  Jim>>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.<<

Have you told him to write questions and the sort for Meteor News that can be
openly discussed...much like what is done in the beginning pages of the IMO
 WGN Journal? Does the Meteor News or whatever you have now taking it's place
have such a place for these things?
 
 Jim>>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.<<

So...steering him towards the International Meteor Organization (IMO) is not
positive?  He already had the negative and critical impression of AMS with
his first letter to me...as a matter of fact, the letter that I quoted was
from his first letter to me. 
 
 Jim>>  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.<<

The only thing I did was brought to everyone's attention that AMS was a
floundering and sinking ship. Yes I done nothing but constantly and
publically criticized your work and that of the floundering American Meteor
Society since 1993. Without this criticism, I highly doubt that anyone
associated with AMS would ever take the blinders off and realize that the
ship is going down...Fast! Whether adequate repairs have been made or not is
still something to be seen.
 
Jim>> 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.<<

Good...you might be on the right track then? What would you have done if I
didn't complain all this while about the AMS? Change nothing maybe?
 
 Jim>>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.<<

Like I said above...what would you have done if I hadn't asked for all these
things...go on accepting status quo and a sinking ship?
 
 Jim>>What then, do you have to complain about?<<

What visual project is being funded by the AMS now? Are any of those AMS
fireball camera's that Meisel told me about in 1993 still gathering dust in
some storage? Is anyone getting anykind of funding for a video camera setup?
I know several folks have expressed interest in this in the past...seems
funding is the big crimper? Is this something that is seriously being
addressed for the near future or is it a "distant back burner" idea?
 
 Jim>>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.<<

Before you move this "wonderful and gallant old society out of her port and
back out onto the open seas", I hope you've done more work than just apply a
new coat of paint? Yes, I intend to be completely negative, critical and
publically vocal so that you and those that are in the AMS drivers seat don't
get complacent and not follow thru. Since 1993, all I've heard about of any
consequence from AMS is the Radiometeor project. With Meisel telling me
personally that AMS is mainly interested in Radio meteor work and not Visual,
I will be skeptical with what AMS is doing until I see some meat and potatoes
action. You are talking good now...but I would like to see when and where
those fireball camera's go and some of that funding go towards visual work
efforts and not just radio work. Until then, it's all talk.
George Zay