Continued from previous message.

    Second Avenue Subway, like a phoenix, rose again in spring 2004 in 
a final environmental impact statement from the Metropolitan 
Transportation Authority. I'm amazed there is ANY enviro impact, given 
that the line is a watered down crippled thing, with only two tracks, 
widely-spaced stations, deep-level platforms, and low train frequency. 
    Worse, the current scheme totally demolishes the chance to expand 
it to four tracks and to cross route trains thru Chrystie St 
station. It also misses a trivial extension of one station and 1-1/2 
kilometer of track to tie it to the IND 8th Av line near 135th St. 
    July closes with the Republican national Convention at Madison 
Square Garden. I urge that you simply stay clear of the area around 
the garden out to a full kilometer radius. There will surely be street 
closings, traffic detours and reroutes, rail delays and service 
shuffling.

 Astropolitics 
 -----------
    July for a while seemed to be a calm month for Amateur Astronomers 
Association Inc. July in fact closed with a new instance of abusive 
behavior by its president Michael O'Gara. On July 22nd O'Gara issued 
to Seminar chair Frank Schmidt by phone orders to arrest or evict 
Stewart Rorer if Rorer came to the Recent Astronomy Seminar that 
evening! This is a full repeat of the episode of the June 24th Seminar 
meeting, noted in the July 2004 NYC Events and under debate in the 
then-new 'AAA_Politics' Yahoogroup forum. This time O'Gara commanded 
Schmidt not to disclose these orders to anyone! It happened that Rorer 
was not at the session or the supper after it. 
    Schmidt did not accept this abuse and straight away explained the 
incident to the Seminar. He assured that if Rorer did come, he would 
recite the instructions and then invite Rorer to stay and join the 
meeting. He definitely would not try any arrest or evict action. 
    'AAA_Politics' is maturing into a real rough-&-tumble place for 
duking it out with AAA, erm, politics! You must have the stomach for 
such a life, but it is there for you to join. Send empty email to 
'aaa_politics-subscribe{at}yahoogroups.com'. 
    There is a meeting of AAA's Board of Directors at its office on 
August 18th, Wednesday, at 19h EDST. AAA members are welcome to take 
in the show. Bring your own popcorn. 

NYSkies
 -----
    Astronomers are exploiting NYSkies as a quick, handy, friendly,
and potent source of astronomy news relating to the City. And there is
LOTS of astronomy stuff going on around New York! Since it revived on
28 September 2001 (it was interrupted by World Trade Center) NYSkies
became the definitive forum and public record for matters bearing on
home astronomy in and around New York.
    The newly established 'AAA_Politics' forum in Yahoogroups is 
getting up to speed. You may still see in NYSkies lingering banter 
relating particularly to the Amateur Astronomers Association. It pays 
to listen to the rants, blusters, tirades in 'AAA_Politics' even if 
you opt out of playing in them. At the least, you take into account 
the words of the senior members before joining the Association. Or you 
can let its dialog modulate your choice to renew AAA membership. 
    Joining NYSkies is easy. Send an empty email to this Yahoo
maillist at 'nysky-subscribe{at}yahoogroups.com'. Its posts are sent to
you in your email and you post to it by email. It's that simple!
    Or you may go to 'groups.yahoo.com/group/nysky'. If you are
already signed up with Yahoo, you go and sign in and then 'join'
NYSkies. If not, you have to go thru a silly 'registration' that's a
oneshot chore, valid for all groups you may eventually join. The files
area of NYSkies are accessible only thru the website. 


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