[Gordon]

Dear ALL

Firstly I'd like to apologise to you all for the ugliness that my post to iceman has since degraded to.

David

I also apologise to you if I have caused any heartache with my post. After browsing over your well thought out response to Iceman I was quite simply a little surprised given your association with the magazine. Clearly from your response you are revered as a leading authority in the area of astronomy and I have no place in posting such thoughtless responses pertaining to your past associations within the UFO community. Oh, and I am pleased to hear you own a telescope. Clearly I hit on a raw nerve that was never intended to be exposed and your response clearly resolves this.

However as you have pointed out, I am not in touch with the study of UFO's as a respected subject among astronomers. I'm sure we can all look forward to reading of your UFO work in a future issue.

As for the rest of your response, well... if one wishes to sore like and eagle in the fast paced world of media like our politicians then one must be graceful when their backgrounds are uncovered. Having worked in radio and for a major newspaper for some years one accumulates many contacts, friends and associates - the tentacles are long and convoluted. You shouldn't feel ashamed of a belief in UFO's. Perhaps they are really there! Have you seen one?

David, I suggest strongly that if you no longer wish to be associated with ACUFOS that you ask your ex-associates to remove reference to you from their website to ensure your new path of interest is left unfettered.

Also, may I just add that using hip expressions like "lol" is something I hear the next door neighbours children sprouting. Quite unbecoming of a "respected" astronomy media correspondent that you say you are.

I think it's wonderful that you are so experienced in travelling from forum to forum unlike myself and bolstering support for the publication along with your newfound profile.
For myself - yes ok I'm an older fellow still learning his way around computers and the good and bad of the internet. Yes this is my first forum and I was delighted to find a good one in Australia through which I hope to impart my perhaps a little dated but honest experiences and knowledge. Also and most impotantly for me, to learn from younger digitally minded members about what they are doing in the world of modern photography and telescopes in a sensible (NON COMMERCIAL) forum.

Once again I apologise to other members of this forum who may have found my posting aggressive in some way as this was not my intention. Clearly one can not just go in like a bull in a china shop when he/she has an opinion based on facts or otherwise. I've learned my first lesson of the internet forum. My wife has often commented that I need to use a little more compassion when relaying facts..


Let's just enjoy the stars and I'll simply leave it there.