I will go on vacation from this list, too. Last night I was reading negative messages from the list and was a few minutes late for the great planetary show, which only comes twice in a lifetime, and I highly recommend it for about the next week as it is on the wane. It was the first clear night we had, and Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, the gibbous Moon, and Jupiter, whith particular emphasis on a now dimming Mercury, shown like rubies and diamonds.
Soon Saturn will be in the crosshairs and Cassini will be making the news, now is aw good time to start following it more closely. Some might recall on New Year's I was excited over what will be the year of Saturn: 2004. Imagine if Earth had rings. I like to imagine also what can be learned of the composition of the stones of Saturn's rings and that doesn't even start to scratch the surface.
While I still consider myself a brand new member (I've followed the list for about a year but only been a member for 5 months), specifically the aggressive and unwarranted comments of Bill K. in Chicago have simply driven me out for now. A month ago I made my virgin posting to the meteorobs list and out of the blue BK made aggressive and negative comments on a very neutral and positive posting I put time into, prompting me to unsubscribe from there immediately (even though I received several emails on and off that list expressing displeasure with BK sensless posting). To those I have begged to stick with this list in private in the past: please note I have not yet decided to write the list off. As I have little seniority here I realize this isn't a big deal, but I came here to learn and share, and it is easier to just send private emails now that I know many of you, than deal with this.
Regarding the recent Park Forest issue I should comment that I was trolled into it also by sensitivities exacerbated by BK's online personality, and then received a dose corresponding private hate mail from him. I suppose I shouldn't complain, it takes all types. It is wierd, when I first joined BK and I exchanged several friendly emails at his prompting. Then, the out of the blue comments started coming in, and then I simply became jaded. I feel that he is simply too disrespectful. There are other issues here, and at present the mix is quite obnoxious in general, but BK is certainly the poster child case.
I think a little introspection on this list is warranted. I really appreciated Edwin Thompson's comments amoung others (and should say you don't have to be a vetern to have met him and thanks for the ET cap). I lack the ability-discipline to heed Michael Blood's comments using the the delete key - so that doesn't work for me. Semana Santa holidays starts now here so it is a time to recharge the batteries!
Pardon my typically long winded post, I guess it comes from my scientific training and personality quirks. Maybe this feedback can help improve the list, or maybe it will just add to the mess. My intention is the former and I apologise for any bandwidth I may have wasted now or before, and if I come back it will be with the strictly positive attitude.
Doug Dawn
IMCA #5875
En un mensaje con fecha 04/02/2004 2:15:47 AM Mexico Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] escribe:
I'm off too.
Bye
Mark Ford
IMCA#1388
