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Re: Asteroid Will Miss Earth By Comfortable Distance In 2028


hi-

i just came in and noticed the following...
>
>First I want to apologize to Darryl Pitt if I misinterpreted his postings.
>I think Darryl you have admitted in your last message to me that you think
>Brian Marsden of cfa Harvard Smithsonian was acting like a showman (PT
>Barnum) instead of a professional scientist.
>Your words to me were and I quote "i don't think it was jpl's fault.
>marsden got infected by the p.t. barnum bug--it happens to the best of us."
>
>

i'm trying SO hard not to write, but as victor quoted a private
correspondence to the group and mischaracterized my point of view, i should
clarify my position: it was not at all my intention to allege that brian
marsden is a showman...it's something more subtle.

specifically, when victor claimed that jpl was acted villainously for
bringing down marsden so fast, my personal reply to him was as follows
(abridged):

"marsden should NOT have sent out a press release; a discreet dialog among
his colleagues should have occurred preliminarily. there was no need to
rush an announcement regarding an event taking place thirty years hence.
so why did he do it?  the answer is not pretty.  but i am no more critical
of him than i am of myself.  in fact, i am certain that i have been a far
worse offender of being seduced by the sirens of contemporary society than
dr. marsden.  but the difference is that dr. marsden fleetingly compromised
his unique professional obligations while i remain a garden-variety
numbskull."


anyway, now i'm tying up my hands!...say what you will...but before i go--

gene was right
ENJOY THE WEEKEND...(and i hope you're not going to have to work like me)
all the best-
darryl