RTE & the Astronomy voice of Ireland

Then I'm pleased to hear this. I, for one, couldn't understand this "exclusion", but obviously Dave Grennan has his information wrong, which has been passed on in a misleading way. Thank you for the clarification.

I'm not gonna protract this anymore but I feel compelled to respond to this. Are you guys telling me that Astronomy Ireland is welcome to join IFAS because I can tell you if this is so the the application will be submitted without delay. You can take that as gospel. Can I also assume the Planetary Society is welcome to join too?

Guys you know both organisations do not qualify under IFAS's constitution. You can argue all you like about democratically elected constitutions forever.

My point is this. AI does not wish to tell IFAS how it should organise itself. So AI will just leave IFAS to it. IF however IFAS decides to allow AI to join then this would be welcomed and graciously accepted. Imagine comet sessions being held by IFAS with AI and all the local clubs acting as one big umbrella organisation. Thats what I would like to see.

Reagrds,

Dave.

PS This has gone on long enough. This is my last post in this thread.

Gordon, please!

Nobody is fighting on behalf of DM as his proxy so to speak.

How do you justify that remark? Especially when you go on to say:

If people make comments that I construe as offensive, inflammatory or potentially libellous against contributors to A & S such as Denton and myself, then yes, I take these personally.

You have every right to to be annoyed, offended etc if some one makes such a remark towards you, but please, if you really aren't fighting any one elses corner, then please leave them out of your responses and concentrate on what is aimed at you personally.
I have a serious problem here. On the one hand, I'm told that Mr Moore and his "organisation" is excluded from here, while on the other hand I'm told they are not. Until such confusing issues are cleared up, then many inacurate posts will be put up here. all I would like, is to see Mr Moore respond for himself so we can bury this thread. Also, as long as someone is going to speak up in defense of someone else, whether they have permission to or not, then they are fighting that persons corner, and that is where I get that idea from. So your quote should have read: if people make comments that I construe as offensive, inflammatory or potentially libellous against myself, then yes, I take these personally.
Now, having said all that, then I as well would gladly buy you a pint in the pub and talk astronomy with you, I might still send you a PM asking for your help with my many problems in my new venture into astronomy. I don't even take any comments in response to my posts personally, otherwise I wouldn't be here.
I have had many articles published in magazines worldwide, on ocassion a reader has been compelled to write in anger about "rehashed" articles. Mainly because one of my articles has been published about a subject which has already been published. at no time did I find the comments offensive, or libelous or anything, neither did I take them personally. The request for a particular article was made to me, and I wrote it, I submitted it, it was all my work. The problem of rehash was not mine, it was the editors. He should have been more careful. While my article was my own original work, unfortunately the reader saw it as a rehash. As I said, it was the editors fault. I lost no sleep. Nor did I feel the compulsion to jump into the breach and defend the editor or myself. Nobody was accusing me of plagarism, and I never took the remarks to be that, but maybe I'm blind
By the way, mine's a coke, not diet coke cos' I will probably have a couple of pizzas anyway.
Bill.

Gordon - I do apologise if you feel that I have misquoted you. But I read your post as meaning a healthy competition is good - especially as you drew attention to retail and manufacturing sectors. I assumed you were logically progressing in thought to TAS competing with AI in a 'coping' manner rather than moaning. Silly me.

gnason said:
Just a couple of thoughts, Seanie. If Toyota did not exist, Nissan would sell more cars. If Tesco did not exist, Dunnes Stores would attract more customers. The fact is, they do exist and Nissan and Dunnes cope with it. Similarly, AI does exist, so TAS have to accept this fact and live with it, not bemoan that it's there!

This misreading of posts seems to be happening a lot lately.

Dave

How do you justify that remark? Especially when you go on to say:If people make comments that I construe as offensive, inflammatory or potentially libellous against contributors to A & S such as Denton and myself, then yes, I take these personally.

You have every right to to be annoyed, offended etc if some one makes such a remark towards you, but please, if you really aren't fighting any one elses corner, then please leave them out of your responses and concentrate on what is aimed at you personally.

I have no problems with the English language and meant exactly what I said. I assume you mean Denton. Are you seriously suggesting that I have no right to feel annoyed or offended by comments made against a friend and colleague? Get real!

then they are fighting that persons corner, and that is where I get that idea from.

Who are you talking about now? I'm getting confused with all these corners you keep referring to and who is in them.

I might still send you a PM asking for your help with my many problems in my new venture into astronomy. Bill.

I might answer...........

Gordon

RE: The Planetary Society and Astronomy Ireland

Guys you know both organisations do not qualify under IFAS's constitution. You can argue all you like about democratically elected constitutions forever.

No, the Planetary Society cannot join IFAS as they are not an Irish astronomical society. Should we change the IFAS constitution to include them? Get real! This constant hiding behind the Planetary Society by defenders of the organisation of Astronomy Ireland is wearing a bit thin at this stage. I don't like the fact that the Planetary Society has an unelected committee. Therefore I won't join them. I also don't like the fact that Astronomy Ireland doesn't have an elected committee. Unfortunately I did join them. I felt cheated and as if I had joined a society/club/whatever that was constantly trying to sell me things and get me to donate to their organisation. I did not like this and therefore did not renew my subscription. As long as the committee of AI is unelected, I will not be a member. One of the main problems with AI is the link between the society and a company called Astronomy & Space (the publishers of Astronomy & Space magazine). To me there exists a conflict of interests, which linked with the Director of A&S being the unelected chair of AI, diminishes the society and takes from their credibility. To be told by a society that, A) Everyone in Ireland buys Celestron and they all buy them from Astronomy Ireland (a blatant lie - both because of the ownership of other scopes and because people buy from Astronomy & Space limited), and that Celestron are better scopes than Televue, Meade, Orion, Orion UK &c. is a prime example of bias and of a conflict of interests in action.

I like the principled stand taken by IFAS through its constitution. I believe that AI are wrong to have an unelected committee. The compromise must come from Astronomy Ireland, and NOT from IFAS.

I for one am pissed off and annoyed by people who are misreading posts and clarifying posts and retracting comments and taking offence or not meaning offence or whatever the bloody hell you are doing. GET OVER YOURSELVES! This "discussion" should end now, and please spare me the maudlin of telling each other that you'll all get locked together and discuss astronomy. Move on.

Shane

PS - This may not be my last post on this topic but I would prefer if it was.

Gordon - I do apologise if you feel that I have misquoted you. But I read your post as meaning a healthy competition is good - especially as you drew attention to retail and manufacturing sectors. I assumed you were logically progressing in thought to TAS competing with AI in a 'coping' manner rather than moaning.

Dave,

Ah! You were looking at a different comment to the one I thought you were referring to. Yes, I suggested TAS had to co-exist as best it could but that's all I said.

Anyway, apology accepted and I look forward to meeting you again at some future star party.

Regards,

Gordon

My participation in this thread is now ended.