Saturday, August 06, 2005
Almost 15 minutes of fame.
One of my sins is that I am now the new planetary correspondent for the Australian Sky&Space magazine. There is an interesting difference between being an electronic author and a print author, and a whole bunch of new responsibilities.
Today the editor rang up. Would I be interested in being the Sky&Space representative on a channel 7 team covering the shuttle discovery re-entry on Monday (Astronaut Andy Thomas being an Adelaide boy, this re-entry is quite significant to us). Would I? I rang off, rapidly checked that I had no commitments that evening and rang back saying yes!
About two minutes later the editor is back. The producer has decided that the event must occur in the Sydney News room.
Oh. Oh well, I was part of a TV team for around 2 minutes. I was a trace dissapointed, and would have rather liked to be involved. Not just to get my hirstute mug on TV, but because it would have been an excellent educational and outreach opportunity. On Sunday the boys and I are going to a lecture on space exploration, part of the Science outside the Square events started by Adelaide's Thinker In Residence, Baroness Susan Greenfield (an inspiring person who happens to work in a similar filed to me). Hopefully we will have a live hookup to speak to Andy on the shuttle.
I could have helped bring some of the ideas in this forum, and some of the passion I have for Australia's history of space exploration, to bear on the current flight. But it was not to be.
I'll follow the re-entry as a passive spectator. There is still some worries about a small tear in the protective fabric near the command window, but NSA engineers believe that the shuttle is safe to return home without attempting another repair mission. I believe their assessment, but that won't mean I will be free of any twinges of worry on Monday night.
Today the editor rang up. Would I be interested in being the Sky&Space representative on a channel 7 team covering the shuttle discovery re-entry on Monday (Astronaut Andy Thomas being an Adelaide boy, this re-entry is quite significant to us). Would I? I rang off, rapidly checked that I had no commitments that evening and rang back saying yes!
About two minutes later the editor is back. The producer has decided that the event must occur in the Sydney News room.
Oh. Oh well, I was part of a TV team for around 2 minutes. I was a trace dissapointed, and would have rather liked to be involved. Not just to get my hirstute mug on TV, but because it would have been an excellent educational and outreach opportunity. On Sunday the boys and I are going to a lecture on space exploration, part of the Science outside the Square events started by Adelaide's Thinker In Residence, Baroness Susan Greenfield (an inspiring person who happens to work in a similar filed to me). Hopefully we will have a live hookup to speak to Andy on the shuttle.
I could have helped bring some of the ideas in this forum, and some of the passion I have for Australia's history of space exploration, to bear on the current flight. But it was not to be.
I'll follow the re-entry as a passive spectator. There is still some worries about a small tear in the protective fabric near the command window, but NSA engineers believe that the shuttle is safe to return home without attempting another repair mission. I believe their assessment, but that won't mean I will be free of any twinges of worry on Monday night.
# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 12:33 am 
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Well done on getting the planetary correspondent job. That is very cool.
Are thinkers in residence like artists in residence but scientific? Was Susan Greenfield's TV series, about the brain, broadcast in Australia?
Are thinkers in residence like artists in residence but scientific? Was Susan Greenfield's TV series, about the brain, broadcast in Australia?
# posted by 
: 1:59 am
: 1:59 am
Thank you, thank you your mission, should you accept it, is to feed me planetary items of interest for the internet handicapped.
Actually, the problem has been there has been too much going on to confortably describe in a half to one page article. I think I have driven the editors half crazy with my constant steram of "they really need to hear about this" is the week after submission deadline. This is the problem with embracing the internet age.
As for the Thinkers in Residence, yes it is a bit like artists in residence. ALthough not just for scentists, we've had water conservation expersts, town planners and so on. So far, Susan Greenfields series hasn't been shown here, but it will be. I will watch it.
PS. Just watched "Bad Wolf", that had to be THE scariest Dr. Who so far (and the WWII eposodes were VERY scary). I just can't get over how good this series has been. But how will they keep the momentum going when this series completes the Bad WolF story line?
Actually, the problem has been there has been too much going on to confortably describe in a half to one page article. I think I have driven the editors half crazy with my constant steram of "they really need to hear about this" is the week after submission deadline. This is the problem with embracing the internet age.
As for the Thinkers in Residence, yes it is a bit like artists in residence. ALthough not just for scentists, we've had water conservation expersts, town planners and so on. So far, Susan Greenfields series hasn't been shown here, but it will be. I will watch it.
PS. Just watched "Bad Wolf", that had to be THE scariest Dr. Who so far (and the WWII eposodes were VERY scary). I just can't get over how good this series has been. But how will they keep the momentum going when this series completes the Bad WolF story line?
I'm still amused by overhearing some kids, who live near me, chasing each other saying 'Mummmmy, mummmmmmy...are you my mummy?'. Doctor Who still has it.
If you've seen 'Bad Wolf' you know that the Daleks are back in a big way. Without wanting to spoil anything, The last episode in the series has some fantastic shots/effects of daleks. The production values have certainly improved since the 1980s. There is also a great scene showing that in space no one can hear you scream - or say 'exterminate' for that matter!
I also liked the comment in 'End of the World' when Rose asked why the continents didn't look different in the year 5 billion: "The National Trust put it back to a 'classic' Earth."
If you've seen 'Bad Wolf' you know that the Daleks are back in a big way. Without wanting to spoil anything, The last episode in the series has some fantastic shots/effects of daleks. The production values have certainly improved since the 1980s. There is also a great scene showing that in space no one can hear you scream - or say 'exterminate' for that matter!
I also liked the comment in 'End of the World' when Rose asked why the continents didn't look different in the year 5 billion: "The National Trust put it back to a 'classic' Earth."
# posted by : 2:18 am
: 2:18 am
If you've seen 'Bad Wolf' you know that the Daleks are back in a big way
The promo shots for the last episode looked rather impressive for a TV series. I'm looking forward to next weeks show, even though it will be the last of this series, and Eccleston is not coming back (shame).
Mibble son wanders around shouting "EXTERMINATE", yeah Dr. WHo still hs it.
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The promo shots for the last episode looked rather impressive for a TV series. I'm looking forward to next weeks show, even though it will be the last of this series, and Eccleston is not coming back (shame).
Mibble son wanders around shouting "EXTERMINATE", yeah Dr. WHo still hs it.
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