Re: ATMJ Response

[Atmj1@aol.com]

Dear Fellow Carborundumites:

Amid the hale of congratulatory remarks (concerning getting rights to reprint
TM stuff), came a number of questions. With the number of emails to answer
while trying to conduct day to day business, I may not get a chance to answer
them all immediately. Therefore here are some things that need to be said:

1) The congratulations are not mine. They are YOURS; YOU are the folks with
the halos and kudos. Remember, while I was eager to get the rights to
reprints, I was going to lose NO sleep had the request been denied. It was YOU
- members of the List and ATMA who caused me to take the course I chose. And
while the Journal may benefit, I took on the assignment as just another member
of the ATMA. Things that are important to you, I MAKE important to me. It is
true that I appointed myself to the task. However, because I have been on both
sides of the fence for years, I did think I had a better than average feel for
what it was going to take to accomplish our goal. If I was too presumptuous, I
apologize. 

2) The List is home to many individuals who stress their love for our craft
and who are still not members of the ATMA. If I said that I question that
love, some would think me harsh. Yet, I am not alone in the assessment. It is
my hope that the ATMA's efforts in getting the rights to reprint old TM
articles will illustrate that a united group speaking through one voice is
more effective than various disjointed voices crying in the wilderness.
Perhaps I am too myopic, but I don't see any disadvantages to one supporting
the cause by joining the ATMA and there are certainly a number of advantages.
How many times since issue #11 was mailed have we heard the pros and cons of
various spider designs?  I am not saying that with Dick Suiter's and Bill
Zmek's article on spider diffraction that the topic should be closed. However,
considering the Q and A manner in which the info was presented, the 20 or so
computer generated illustrations, and the fact that both fellows have Ph.D.s
in optics, I think it fair to say that one would be hard pressed to find
better information on the subject. Yet, those who were not members - thus not
getting the Journal - were left to continue speculating about things that need
no speculation. And though I may be myopic, I still feel I am accurate.  

The vision I have is that the ATMA will one day have 15,000 members. I can see
ATMA  "Chapters" in many cities with public mirror grinding classes, and
individuals and groups primed and ready to go into the public (and private)
schools to discuss the art / science to those who will one day take our
places. I can see a group with the desire and wherewithal to solicit funds to
promote TM events and perhaps even donate home brewed instruments directly to
neighborhood schools or provide those schools with TMing books and literature.
Right now, I am the "President" of the ATMA. However, I have no delusions of
grandeur. Remember, I started the ATMA with MY money and since the state and
my bank required a president, I was the only choice. I look forward to a time
when the Journal can become a stand-alone product and a whole set of officers
for the ATMA may be elected by the membership - Just like the Antique
Telescope Society and other groups. Anyway, that's just something for you
folks to consider.  

Okay, you say my zealousness approaches madness. You're right. Yet, there is
method in my madness. My method involves whatever efforts can be made toward
getting future generations away from that "21-inch peephole into paradise" and
give them an opportunity to be a participant in life and not just a bystander.
Telescope making has something for everyone - regardless of their personality
or size of their bank account. Let's see: History, Math, Earth Science, Glass
Working, Wood Working, Metal Working, Physics, Optics, Drafting, Electronics,
Astrophotography, CCD imaging, and hey, maybe even a little Astronomy. Let's
see you get all that out of that out of stamp collecting.

3) In reading my last post, some came away with the idea that we had rights to
reprint complete issues of TM. If I was not clear about being able to reprint
one ARTICLE per ISSUE, I am sorry.

4) Some have commented that they do not know what to do with the "extra" sheet
that came inside issue #12. That was the errata sheet for Dick Suiter's
article on spiders from number 11. I mentioned that here some weeks ago.
However, a number of you failed to see the message.

5) Bye.

Bill