November NYC Events 8/ 8

Continued from previous message.

Association simply didn't show up at American Urban Star Fest on 
October 4th in Central Park! 
    Accounts vary somewhat. In essence, the attendees at the Observing 
Group, convened in the afternoon of the 4th, ignored direct commands 
from AAA President Michael O'Gara to send crew to the Park. He called 
VP Rik Davis by cellphone to issue the orders, yet the OG meeting 
continued right thru the opening hour of the Fest at 18:00. Then, in 
stead of presenting themselfs at the Fest, everyone simply went home! 
    Four Board seatholders were present at the meeting during the 
phonecall. None of them stood up for O'Gara to whip the crew to serve 
him at the Fest!! 
    The weather was thoroly discouraging for the Fest all day with 
clouds and threat of rain. Yet among the various forecasts there was 
ample leeway to set up for the Fest and run a curtailed program.
    The Fest did open for service that Saturday at 18:00. The Urban 
Park Rangers set up their tables at 17:30 and stood front and center 
at the opening hour. OK, at 18:15 a thick drizzle settled over Sheep 
Meadow and quickly escalated into a pelting rain. At 18:30 the 
Rangers, with exhibits soaking into ruins, called it a night. 
    Who, then, looked after the City's home astronomy world at the 
Fest? NYSkies! The Rangers and visitors went home, yes quite wet, with 
NYSkies litterature under their jackets. 
    President O'Gara's troubles continue. In the September 2003 
Eyepiece he made the commitment, to his Board of Directors and the 
general membership, to send to any one who asked a set of thoughts 
from the Board regarding his removal of John Pazmino from the Board. 
    In correspondence in response to that commitment. O'Gara reneged 
on his agreement, codified in the AAA's newsletter. In the stead of 
presenting the statements from Board members, Mike told that inquiry 
should be placed particular Board seatholders directly! 

NYSkies 
 -----
    Astronomers are exploiting NYSkies as a quick, handy, friendly, and 
potent source of astronomy news relating to the City. And there is 
LOTS of astronomy stuff going on around New York! Since it revived on 
28 September 2001 (it was interrupted by World Trade Center) NYSkies 
became the definitive forum and public record for matters bearing on 
home astronomy in and around New York. 
    Granted, some of the banter relates particularly to the Amateur 
Astronomers Association. It's the major astronomy union in town and 
every home astronomer around here eventually runs up against it. It 
pays to listen to those discussions (rants? blusters? tirades?), even 
if you opt out of playing in them. At the least, you take into account 
the words of the senior members before joining the Association. Or you 
can let NYSkies dialog modulate your choice to renew AAA membership. 
    NYSkies is the soapbox the AAA Board and rank-&-file had to speak 
out on various Association problems. They turned to NYSkies simply 
because the AAA as yet does not have a good faith sincere forum for 
its own members within itself. 
    Joining NYSkies is easy. Send an empty email to this Yahoo 
maillist at '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'. Its posts are sent to 
you in your email and you post to it by email. It's that simple! 
    Or you may go to 'groups.yahoo.com/group/nysky'. If you are already 
signed up with Yahoo, you go and sign in and then 'join' NYSkies. If 
not, you have to go thru a silly 'registration' that's a oneshot 
chore, valid for all groups you may eventually join. The files and 
calendar area of NYSkies are accessible only thru the website. 

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