Help Save Arecibo!

[Rudy Toody]

I just received this link from Seti@Home.

Just fill in the blanks and generate a pdf file. Or, better yet, use the information to craft your own personal letters.

I think that an emphasis on NEOs in addition to SETI might be a deal clincher.

I am going to suggest that the USA get other countries to help fund Aricibo and others specifically to target NEOs which might reduce the opposition to something that searches only for aliens.

--Fred

Edit: NEO = Near Earth Objects as tracked by Orbit@Home and others.

 

[Alyx]

I'll probably send a letter tomorrow too. This is important!

 

[BlackMountainCow]

Would Congress accept a foreigner's letter as well?

 

[rabrittain]

This is cool!

 

[biodoc]

Originally posted by: BlackMountainCow
Would Congress accept a foreigner's letter as well?

I sure they will BMC, especially if you send it to a senator or representative that is sympathetic to your cause.

 

[Assimilator1]

Like who? I'll send one if they'll take notice of a non US citizen.:thumbsup:

[edit]
From Rudy's link.

Warning: Only United States citizens should write to U.S. Congress. According to our records, you are from United Kingdom.

That seems to answer that 🙁.

 

[Rudy Toody]

Originally posted by: Assimilator1
Like who? I'll send one if they'll take notice of a non US citizen.:thumbsup:

[edit]
From Rudy's link.

Warning: Only United States citizens should write to U.S. Congress. According to our records, you are from United Kingdom.

That seems to answer that 🙁.

Try sending a letter to one of your officials to encourage them to support some of the Aricibo science to take some budget pressure off of the US. Make it an international project.

 

[biodoc]

Originally posted by: Assimilator1
Like who? I'll send one if they'll take notice of a non US citizen.:thumbsup:

[edit]
From Rudy's link.

Warning: Only United States citizens should write to U.S. Congress. According to our records, you are from United Kingdom.

That seems to answer that 🙁.

Bummer!🙁

 

[biodoc]

Arecibo is run by Cornell University with funding from NSF and NASA.

Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea visit Arecibo on June 5th. link

quote from above link:

"The observatory's future has been in jeopardy since November 2006, when the Senior Review, an advisory panel to the Division of Astronomical Sciences at the NSF recommended that the facility's operating funds be reduced to $8 million from $10.5 million over three years and then halved to $4 million in 2011. If the observatory fails to raise funds from external sources to make up the difference, it will be forced to close."

NSF 2008 budget is just over 6 billion this year: link

Seems like "small potatoes" to me for funding.


This seems to be the advisory committee that is recommending budget cuts:
Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (AAAC) link
current membership: link

Upcoming 1 day meeting in October. link

Edit: here's a link to the "2005-2006 Senior Review" that originally recommended cutting the budget of Arecibo.

 

[biodoc]

Here's an updated slide presentation from the 2006 AST Senior Review where they recommended cutting funding for Arecibo. link

Interesting: AST total budget in 2006 was $200 million and of that number $125 for facilities.

Arecibo was about 5% of their total budget in 2006.

Looks like they had to make some tough choices.

 

[Assimilator1]

Originally posted by: Rudy Toody

Originally posted by: Assimilator1
Like who? I'll send one if they'll take notice of a non US citizen.:thumbsup:

[edit]
From Rudy's link.

Warning: Only United States citizens should write to U.S. Congress. According to our records, you are from United Kingdom.

That seems to answer that 🙁.

Try sending a letter to one of your officials to encourage them to support some of the Aricibo science to take some budget pressure off of the US. Make it an international project.

Nice idea, but with the over-spending our goverment's done + increasing costs theirs no chance of that 🙁........of course we're still forking out billions of pounds for the poxy olympics! :disgust::|.

 

[irishScott]

I'd write one, but I don't know enough about the subject to write anything intelligent, or propose anything detailed enough. 🙁

I'll do some research and send one in a few days I guess.

 

[RaySun2Be]

Originally posted by: irishScott
I'd write one, but I don't know enough about the subject to write anything intelligent, or propose anything detailed enough. 🙁

I'll do some research and send one in a few days I guess.

Keep in mind we ARE talking about writing to Congress, not a scientific association. Small words, basic math, and pretty pictures ought to work well.....

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: RaySun2Be

Originally posted by: irishScott
I'd write one, but I don't know enough about the subject to write anything intelligent, or propose anything detailed enough. 🙁

I'll do some research and send one in a few days I guess.

Keep in mind we ARE talking about writing to Congress, not a scientific association. Small words, basic math, and pretty pictures ought to work well.....

Agreed, I was talking (mostly) about the political action that's already been taken regarding the search for NEOs, as well as the technical capabilities of Arecibo itself. IMO a congressman is more likely to follow through if you give him/her a basic framework to work with and no simply scream: "Do all the work so we can get more money for project x for important reason y". Like you said, this is congress. I doubt he/she knows much about Arecibo, let alone the science behind it and why it's important. Never mind that he/she probably gets letters asking for money 24/7

 

[Assimilator1]

Originally posted by: RaySun2Be

Originally posted by: irishScott
I'd write one, but I don't know enough about the subject to write anything intelligent, or propose anything detailed enough. 🙁

I'll do some research and send one in a few days I guess.

Keep in mind we ARE talking about writing to Congress, not a scientific association. Small words, basic math, and pretty pictures ought to work well.....

Lol ,do I detect a hint of sarcasim?😉:laugh:

 

[RaySun2Be]

Originally posted by: Assimilator1

Originally posted by: RaySun2Be

Originally posted by: irishScott
I'd write one, but I don't know enough about the subject to write anything intelligent, or propose anything detailed enough. 🙁

I'll do some research and send one in a few days I guess.

Keep in mind we ARE talking about writing to Congress, not a scientific association. Small words, basic math, and pretty pictures ought to work well.....

Lol ,do I detect a hint of sarcasim?😉:laugh:

I'm glad someone picked up on that.

😀

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: RaySun2Be

Originally posted by: Assimilator1

Originally posted by: RaySun2Be

Originally posted by: irishScott
I'd write one, but I don't know enough about the subject to write anything intelligent, or propose anything detailed enough. 🙁

I'll do some research and send one in a few days I guess.

Keep in mind we ARE talking about writing to Congress, not a scientific association. Small words, basic math, and pretty pictures ought to work well.....

Lol ,do I detect a hint of sarcasim?😉:laugh:

I'm glad someone picked up on that.

😀

Dammit! *Smacks sarcasm meter* 😉