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Re: [ATM] Good News
Below is the letter I sent to the US Embassy in Pakistan. I also sent a
a copy to the ATM list, but I see it hasn't arrived yet. It will be
interesting if this arrives first and, if so, why....
==============================================================================
Hello and Good day:
My name is John Warner, and I live in Wisconsin, in the USA. I am but
one member of an internet list of amateur telescope makers (ATM's). Our
member list comprises people from around the world and from many
professions, including students, NASA employees, college professionals,
and just about every type of "common man" as can be imagined.
A few months ago two young Pakistanis (Saqib Sajjad and Mahmood Hassan)
contacted the ATM List, who professed an interest in building their own
telescopes. Over many days of communication, and as one might imagine,
it was discovered that manufactured telescopes, and also the
parts/materials with which to make ones own, are practically
non-existent in Pakistan, and what is available is very cost prohibitive.
Members of the list came up with the idea to donate materials required
to build two or three telescopes, and the money required for shipment to
Pakistan. These things have been contributed as gifts for the two people
mentioned, in the hopes of providing good will between our two
countries, and also in the interest of their education in at least some
aspects of the sciences and astronomy.
Much time passed since the items were sent, and it was thought at first
that the items were lost, or had been stolen or confiscated for one
reason or another. Now, just a few days ago, it came to pass that the
shipped items had arrived, but some local officials are asking $500.00
as a "Tax" before the young men can receive the supplies that were sent.
I am fully aware that the way things are done there are quite different
from other places, but it seems that these two people are being deprived
of these gifts for a ransom they quite assuredly cannot afford. In fact,
the amount of the "Tax" is higher than the value of the items that were
sent.
Below you will find a copy of a document that was sent with the
shipment, which discloses the contents of the boxes and, in most cases,
who donated the items. Below that, at the very end, you will find the
email address of one of the two people who are to be the recipients of
the packages that were sent, so that you can contact them directly, and
they can give you whatever information you might require to enable you
to help them in their situation, and hopefully provide a happy ending to
this long ordeal. I am sending this letter to you in the hopes that you,
or someone else at the embassy, might provide some assistance to these
two men in the receipt of what was sent to them.
Thank you, in advance, for your time and help in this most important
matter.
Sincerely, John Warner
===============================================================================
Greetings,
The contents of this box are a GIFT from the U.S. members of the
ATM-LIST to Mahmood Hassan and Saqib Sajjad of Pakistan as an offering
of friendship and with the understanding that these materials are not
readily available at their location, and will be used for educational
purposes through the construction and use of small, homemade telescopes.
The knowledge and skills developed are to be shared with all who desire
to learn about ATM (Amateur Telescope Making) and Astronomy.
It is our hope that upon successful completion of these instruments that
Mahmood and Saqib will form a local Amateur Telescope Making or
Astronomical Society in Pakistan to further advance the art.
The value of our GIFT is in the future… we are placing our trust that
the future will be brighter for all because of this small act.
Contributors:
Ken Hunter
Jarvis Krumbein
Pat Bunn
Joe O’Brien
Mel Bartels
Robert Haler
Richard Schwartz
Bill Marriott
Vladimir Galogaza
Stan Truitt
John Lynch
Anonymous donor
*************************************************************************************************************************
Contents: Outer Box
Box #1
Inventoried separately
Box #2
Inventoried separately
Box #3
Inventoried separately
Box #4
Inventoried separately
Herald-Bobroff AstroAtlas Robert Haler
MSDS Sheets for contents Ken Hunter
Contents: Box #1
20 ea small tubs of Silicon Carbide, Aluminum Oxide Grinding and Polishing
powders in the following sizes:
4 tubs #80 Silicon Carbide Bill Marriott
2 tubs #120 Silicon Carbide Bill Marriott
2 tubs #180 Silicon Carbide Bill Marriott
2 tubs #240 Silicon Carbide Bill Marriott
2 tubs #320 Silicon Carbide Bill Marriott
2 tubs 40 micron Aluminum Oxide Bill Marriott
2 tubs 20 micron Aluminum Oxide Bill Marriott
2 tubs 9 micron Aluminum Oxide Bill Marriott
2 tubs Barnesite Polishing Compound Ken Hunter
One 4oz. Bottle of 9 micron Aluminum oxide John Lynch
One home-made 6 inch mirror cell Pat Bunn
Thompson’s book: “Making Your Own Telescope” Ken Hunter
One 1-1/4 inch metal refractor focuser Ken Hunter
Contents: Box #2
6 inch PYREX mirror blank Pat Bunn
Ceramic Tiles for 6 inch tool Ken Hunter
6-1/4 Celestron mirror blank Ken Hunter
Ronchi Tester Ken Hunter
10mm Eyepiece Stan Truitt
50mm Finder Kit Jarvis Krumblein
Small piece of Teflon Joe O’Brien
4 small first surface mirrors donor name misplaced
Secondary Diagonal mirror Mel Bartels
Contents: Box #3
2 tubs Burgundy Pitch Joe O’Brien
2 tubs Gugolz #73 Pitch Bill Marriott
1 bag Burgundy Pitch John Lynch
Contents: Box #4
9 inch slumped plate glass blank Richard Schwartz
1 tube RTV Richard Schwartz
Berry’s “Build Your Own Telescope” Richard Schwartz *(1)
Willman-Bell abrasive kit Joe O’Brien
Non-Slip pad Ken Hunter
Ceramic Tiles (2 sq ft) Joe O’Brien, Ken Hunter
*(1) Purchased with money sent by Richard Schwartz
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
saqibsajjad@yahoo.com
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