Hi!

[Anonymous]

Hi. I am trying to find out about discussion forums in the Orpington area. This is the first active one I have been able to access, after wading thru the search engine results. I have no working computer at present but have TV internet & library access, so filters are an issue for me.

[Ian]

Welcome!

Are you interested in astronomy or just fora in general? Either way, join in.

[Richie]

I like general discussion really, but am not averse to astronomy - attended a couple of your meetings when they were held in Orpington. After my recent post I waded thru more Orpington hits till eventually, on page 32, found a company which seems to want to set up a general forum for every town - all they seem to need is a moderator, so I applied. So where's it all going to end? - falling apart, going cold?

[ This Message was edited by: Richie on 2002-08-10 00:54 ]

[Rick]

Getting forums to live is tricky. They don't take off until some critical mass is reached... Good luck.  

[Anonymous]

Yes, that's probably why I haven't heard from them yet (altho they said one would). Meanwhile there might be a tendency for those interested in non-filtered local Net discussion to gravitate here. Its funny how you Astronomy guys do all this out-of-hours stuff - nobody else does, not open to all, anyway. Except perhaps for Ravensbourne Geological Society & Bromley Astrological Association, both of which hold their monthly meetings tonight. I wonder whether anyone else sees that as an unfortunate clash?

[Rick]

Unlikely to be all that much overlap between geologists and astrologers...

[Ian]

while we have few rules, I would suggest avoiding a few topics of discussion. The biggie is any discussion that astrology is a science and has any truth in it... In addition you might like to avoid discussions regarding whether the Apollo landings were faked.

Astronomers have astrologers, like geologist have crystal nutters (whatever the word is for them )

The trouble with general fora is there is no glue holding the group together. We discuss all sorts of stuff, but what brings people here in the first place is astronomy. Personally though, I really hope that this scheme of community fora takes off. I'm rather tired of living in an area of reasonable population density and knowing virtually none of them.

[ This Message was edited by: Ian on 2002-08-14 09:32 ]

[Anonymous]

Ian

Are you seriously suggesting that the Appolo moon landing were NOT faked?? LOL

I heared there was a programme on a few nights ago about the Appolo landings conspiracy but I missed it. I understand they said it was faked so it must be true!!

[Richie]

I don't think the Apollo landings were faked (I'm not that desperate for alternative positions) and am not the anonymous user directly above (altho for some reason the forum didn't accept my signature on two of the above occasions). Astrology brings in the human dimension into our relationship with the heavenly bodies, some of which are scientifically proven to influence the biosphere. Also their meetings appeal to women.

[Ian]

Also their meetings appeal to women.

Hmm perhaps there is something in this astrology lark...

I didn't say whether I thought the moon landings were faked or not. That is actually irrelevant to the fact that it is law of astronomical discussions that there must be at least one thread regarding it in any forum at any time. We have largely avoided that here although there has been a little discussion on the subject.
The other discussion I didn't mention that must always be running is the Planet X one.

A look on sci.astro.amateur and uk.sci.astro will confirm the existence of the law.

As regards to the other anonymous poster, the truth will out, whoever you are. I am god after all. (Actually, I'm even more powerful than that, I'm the administrator )

Which reminds me, Rick ,I'll set you up as admin tomorrow, passwords'll be in the post.

[Rick]

Right! Thanks

[Richie]

Not only does Astrology attract women, but a high degree of female cerebration. Whether they come to the right conclusons, however, without the benefit of things like Occam's razor, or a high respect for the scientic method, is another matter, altho the educators are partly to blame where there is a lack of education. What I will say for the Bromley Astrology ladies is that they are adept at finding a pleasant and central venue (Bromley Library) and financing it using a system of payment fairer, more straightforward, above-board & realistic than any other local organisation I can think of.
As for the 'Is it real?' Apollo thread, is this not a deliberately impish & roundabout way of expressing disgust at the conservatism implied by the lack of follow-up expeditions.
The Planet 'X' thread seems to expose deficiencies in near detection methods.

[ This Message was edited by: Richie on 2002-08-15 10:27 ]

[Ian]

I think the ongoing discussions regarding the truth surrounding the Apollo missions have more to do with the National Enquirer and general distrust of government agencies that any real desire to see a return. The kind of people that get involved in this discussion putting forward that view may not believe that a return visit was genuine either.
That said, there is real frustration within some academic circles that the lunar program was canned and that it really should be reconsidered. Unfortunately with an end to the cold war there is no political will to spend the cash required. This may change in the near future if NASA and ESA consider that they must keep up with the emergent Chinese space program. I expect the next feet to touch the moon to be Chinese.
The one angle that has not been explored is commercial exploitation of space, and it is being rigorously discouraged by, of all people, the Americans. With guys like Dennis Tito and the South African chap prepared to spend $20 million on a ride, a number of interesting projected could easily be supported without concerning the budget controllers in ESA or the US Congress.

[Richie]

Personally I had always tended to attribute the US Moon determination to the personality and unusual (in a US politician) youthful vigour of John F. Kennedy.

[Rick]

vigour of John F. Kennedy

Folks' reactions in response to his assassination probably also contributed quite a bit to the drive behind the space program...

[Richie]

You can't kill a dream.

[Rick]

There hasn't been nearly as much drive behind space exploration since the Cold War ended. A great many space-exploration dreams have faded  since then.

[Richie]

Communism precipitates endeavour (?).

[Mike]

Although I feel some of the military operations are necessary, I think too much is spent on military equipment. It is a shame that a good percentage of this money isn't pipelined into more worthy causes, of which space exploration and scientific research involving space is just one.

[Rick]

Communism precipitates endeavour (?).

The fear that the Russians would get there first certainly did...

[Richie]

Do you think the Pitcairn Islands would be a good location for a major new observatory?

[ This Message was edited by: Richie on 2002-08-19 00:48 ]

[Mike]

I think that with the British Weather putting an observatory anywhere near it is a bad idea ! Unless its a radio observatory !

[Richie]

The Pitcairn Islands are indeed British territory - but in the Pacific! That rather throws the astronomer's usual moan about British sky conditions, doesn't it?

[Mike]

Shows you how good my Geography is, I thought it was near Scotland - LOL !!

[Rick]

That depends how high Pitcairn is. If it's less than 12000ft above sea level, then forget it...

BTW: When the subject changes completely, it's better to start a new topic rather than keep an old topic (with a totally un-related subject) alive.

[Richie]

Well actually there is a revolutionary link, as Pitcairn is the home of the descendants of the 1789 Bounty Mutiny, but as its highest point is a mere 347m, it looks like they will be carrying on like that without you...