RTE & the Astronomy voice of Ireland

Come on! If someone slaps you would you hand em a tenner?

Um neither ILPAC, nor several clubs here have ever excluded AI. AI wouldnt allow SDAS there since they would be in competition with AI, now who's excluding who. I dont expect A&S/AI's time or money, but I would like a link from their site to ILPAC, some mention of light pollution in the magazine and letting members know that we exist, and a reply to emails about light pollution (Dave, I'll send you a mail about this). Of course I dont expect A&S to hand over money to IFAS.

AI have said several times that the society pages in the magazine are open to all, yet as Seanie points out they have not listed a TAS event. I've mailed them recently to say I'm giving a talk to TAS, and I didn't even get a reply, not so much as a "thanks for telling us".

As far as AI's comittee is concerned, every single member of AI can join the comittee if they wish. When I joined AI first I think I was only about a year in the club when I became treasurer and then later vice chairman. If any AI member wants to suggest something they are more than welcome to.

I had tried to be more involved with the club several times. In the end I left.

Cheers,
~Al

Firstly, I'd just like to make the points that I'm not here to bash AI / A&S / DM. There are just a couple of points that I would like to have cleared up.

Secondly, apologies for repeating the following, I did up some price comparisons and on a post here last October, but I feel that they are relevent here.

All prices were all taken from each suppliers web-site today (27th Oct. 2004) and to even the playing field, I have converted the prices to exclude VAT. (as you may be aware, the VAT rate in the UK is 17.5% as opposed to 21% in Ireland so this helps A&S more). I have also converted the UK prices to euros so that we can see a direct comparison (1 euro = 0.69 sterling).
http://www.irishastronomy.org/user_resources/files/1098905609-Prices.bmp

....To finish up I was talking to DM today (by email and a couple of things came up which directly answers some of the allegations levelled at AI/A&S in the past.

A&S Prices: Often I have heard it said here that A&S is too pricey. DM Says 'I'd beat David Hinds prices to anyone in Ireland (AI or not) who is running an astronomical organisation and generally doing good.
And you can quote me on that!'

Dave,
My question is: If A&S is prepared to beat David Hind's prices, then why advertise their prices so high? Surely A&S can see that this can only frighten people away!
I have a thought on this (and I'm open to contradiction!) To me, this says that anyone involved in an "astronomical organisation " will get better prices (possibly because they already know better prices can be got!) but anyone just starting out are "fair game"! This doesn't give me a warm cuddley feeling towards DM and it certainly doesn't promote astronomy in Ireland!
If A&S can afford to drop prices that much, then A&S now can't claim that prices are high because of higher costs, transport and such.


On another point:

.....However my feeling is that generally smaller clubs can be often 'clannish' and perhaps seen as a bit aloof by joe public.

I have to totally disagree with this! I recently became a member of TAS and found them to be very open and welcoming. I first considered AI/A&S (before I knew there were other clubs) but I didn't like what they offered, way too commercial! This perception of smaller culbs being "clannish" is a perception put about by DM himself. I know this first hand as I heard him say as much on his radio show on Dublin City Anna Livia FM 103.2 (October 5th I think) He gave the impression that other clubs were for professional / semi-prossional astronomers, and did not cater for, or welcome, amatuers or beginners. This was extremely mis-leading and I was quite annoyed to hear it!

Anyway, like I said before, I'm open to contradiction. I feel that these matters should be cleared up. Perhaps if they were, it would go some way to closing the rift .
Perhaps this thread could be the place that these matters (and more!) are cleared up.

Dark and clear skies for all!

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!

I sometimes wonder how many clubs around the country would actually be trying to get into the public eye now if AI didn't exist. I suspect many committees would still be sitting on their collective backsides concerned only about their select bands of members.

though I know some who will be frowning at me at COSMOS!

Surely not!

Gordon

I hear you Gordon, and I know exacty what you mean.

I suppose to add further to my point:

When Radio 3 first started up, they had no problem interviewing TAS on astronomical events. Sean McKenna with the first amateur radio telescope, Sean Robbins and Bob Campbell about the first Irish Astrofest, the increase in the Perseids at the turn of the 90's... Then, we were getting nothing.

Absolutely nothing. We were there first, we were local, and had their support. It cost them and us nothing. we even knew all the then staff by first names.

Then AI came along and somehow took that priviledge away from us. I'm saying nothing else, only that somehow, DM has managed to do an 'agreement' with them which excluded TAS from ever getting onto Radio 3.



And I'll definitely buy you a Peace Pint or 3 at COSMOS!


Seanie. :lol:

So why isn't anyone getting off their butt and competing in this particular marketplace?

Again, I send about 4 or 5 emails to Radio 3 a month - no feedback.

The papers in the county print almost everything I give them, even little emails to everyone on the TAS mailing list about whats coming up, they print as a small article in the papers.

Plus, 2 want to do a full page spread for TAS with about 2,000 words and pictures. With that, comes news about IFAS being founded, all the other clubs in co-operation, and absolutely no slandering or other of A&S... though I might not mention them at all!

So, TAS is trying...

Seanie.

Seanie Morris wrote:

, and absolutely no slandering or other of A&S... though I might not mention them at all!

Seanie.

probabily your safest bet!

lionsden wrote: This perception of smaller culbs being "clannish" is a perception put about by DM himself.

Didn't listen to the show but I don't think you can lay all the blame on DM. As far as I am aware and I'm open to correction, the IAS will not allow non-IAS members (and that includes members of other affiliated IFAS clubs!) to go out on its regular observing nights. Now that is clannish! If I am wrong, and any IAS committee member wants to publicly refute that comment, please feel free to do so on this forum and openly welcome everyone along. I really do not know what policy other clubs around the country operate, except for my club, the SDAS. Basically, we welcome anyone along to both our meetings and observing nights, the more the merrier.

Gordon