world year of physics ... should know better

I long to live in a world without quotation marls

That should have been marks - you'll have to forgive me, it's early here in the US!!!

Brian

Its good that its not been supported here.
The idea of using bonfires is completely off the wall, did they want to leave a trail of pollution around the world also. :!:

Its good that its not been supported here.
The idea of using bonfires is completely off the wall, did they want to leave a trail of pollution around the world also. :!:

Thats a good point actually. You can bet that wherever there were to be bonfires for this thing, people will burn tyres, plastics, rubbish maybe, and matresses and couches and so on, just to make it big - and they all produce black smoke, and very bad soot in the air.

Not that I'm an active environmentalist, but somethings you do have to consider for other people.

Seanie.

From Darren Baskill

From the UK Institute of Physics....

The delay in getting this email out was due to it being the holiday
season!

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Forwarded message

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Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 14:28:22 +0100
From: Joseph Hines
To: Darren Baskill
Subject: FW: Physics enlightens the World

Dear Darren,

Thought I'd just let you know the Institute's opinion on the "Physics
enlightens the world" idea for WYP2005. We are against this proposal,
and the view below has been expressed by our representative on the
steering group of WYP2005.

Best wishes,
Joseph.

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Original Message

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From: Peter Kalmus [mailto:P.I.P.Kalmus@qmul.ac.uk]
Sent: 23 July 2004 14:38
Subject: Physics enlightens the World

To WYP2005 Steering Group
From Peter Kalmus
Date 23 July 2005


Physics enlightens the World

I too have had a number of emails complaining about light pollution,
ranging from those which beg us not to proceed, to others which are
merely abusive.

Of course the effect of 'Phyics enlightens the World' on astronomical
observations is completely negligible. However the message from the
American Astronomical Society needs to be taken seriously, and suggests
that this project could set a bad example. My recollection of our
discussions at Graz and Montreal was that the great advantage of this
project was that it was capable of generating a large amount of
publicity for WYP2005. Some negative comments from individual
astronomers, and particularly from astronomical organisations, could be
very harmful even if they are unfounded. We certainly don't want parts
of the Press, who like to sensationalise events, to have stories about
"physicists against astronomers". Unfortunately, for many newspapers and
members of the public, it is the perception rather than the actual facts
that count. So I fear that we may generate more negative than positive
publicity.

In view of this, the Institute of Physics feels that we should not go
ahead with this project. I believe that Professor Alan Astbury, who will
be President of IUPAP, also feels the same.

I think we should thank Max Lippitsch for the idea, and for the large
effort that he and others have already put into the project. I believe
that the steering group did not think that we would get such a reaction
from astronomers. It was an appealing idea, but it is not worth making
enemies from the people who are, or should be, our friends.

Peter
_____________________________________________________________

Professor Peter I. P. Kalmus Phone +44 (0)20 7882 5042
Physics Department Fax +44 (0)20 8981 9465
Queen Mary Email p.i.p.kalmus@qmul.ac.uk
University of London
Mile End Road
London E1 4NS, UK
_____________________________________________________________