I think most of us have overcome animosity with respect to tha Clark Planetarium. At this point in time I don't feel threatened by them at all. We should work towards a mutually beneficial relationship. As far as hosting us there I think it is entirely impractical. Downtown parking is poor. They really don't have a proper place. Meetings like ours just were not considered and I don't know that Seth could have had it any other way. Siegfried On Sat, Nov 12, 2011 at 2:30 PM, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> wrote:
On 11/12/11, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> wrote:
My last meeting was at the church on Foothill. I managed a couple at the Senior Center, and the last one I can remember was at Hansen, when I gave a presentation on telescope making. So maybe about four or five meetings in the last 12 years.
Amend that to read "the last meeting I can remember attending at Hansen".
Blame 60-hour work-weeks and too-little sleep, for too many years. My apologies.
Perhaps I'm more susceptible to nostalgia than most people, but I loved those meetings at the old Hansen planetarium. They were magical. Another time, another reality. I pity the (relative) noobies who weren't part of it in the '70's. You missed out.
Yes, you can argue that I'm missing out on something now. But I would still argue that we old-timers got the better deal, all things considered.
It's truly a shame that we are collectively pariah at the new planetarium. For the record, I have lived in Salt Lake county for some 53 years. I have NEVER set foot in the Clark Planetarium, mostly because of the continued strained relationship between them and SLAS. The reasons I've read for not hosting SLAS are ludicrous, at best. Untruths and jealously, at worst. It's the biggest scandal and shame of Utah astronomy in this day and age. Utter bullsh*t.
The other, minor reason is because downtown SLC is a dunghole. I have been there perhaps 7 or 8 times in the last quarter-century, only when required for buisiness or other professional reasons. I used to work in downtown SLC some 27 years ago, for many years, and remember a much, MUCH more friendly, accommodating city. Today I avoid the CBD of SLC whenever possible
The past is the past, so be that as it may, it seems that whenever it's meeting nights, something absolutely requires my presence at work the next morning at 6 AM. I can use a pre-scheduled vacation day to sleep-in the next morning, but that costs me somewhere around $350, at least. How many SLAS members would attend a meeting if it cost them $350? A dark-site star-party once or twice a year, MAYBE, if other family members agree to it- but monthly meetings? I can't afford it these days. Months. Years.
OK, I'm getting down off my soapbox. Thanks for your time.
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