Sam WHITBY #203

Letters to the Editor

from Sam WHITBY in CMO #203

*.... Thank you for CMO 202, which arrived safely. Thank you also for the newspaper clipping of the solar halo. My son David was very pleased to see a bit of a Japanese newspaper. I am glad to see that a newspaper person somewhere cared enough to note such a thing.
Last Sunday morning I twice saw airplane vapor trails cast shadows on a solar halo, which lends credence to my belief that my strange sun dog observation was the result of shadows.
I have seen the new format for the CMO page, and it is very attractive.
There has not been time for a careful search of our resources at the library, but we seem to have TARA trees (which I think, because they are small, would be called bushes here), but I do not believe that they are often eaten. If I find out more, I will let you know later.
The City of Hopewell has gone ahead with its destruction of our little woods and stream. Yesterday afternoon my wife broke down and cried over it, she was so upset.
It would be my pleasure to assist behind the scenes with English composition. I will be looking forward to your paper on Hellas.
It has been a long, hard day, and I do not feel like my usual long-winded self.
I hope that you and your wife had a good trip. Best wishes go out to both of you. I do not forget your mother.

(30 April 1998 email)

*.... I know, for example, that some of my very poor early sketches are perhaps in the files of some ALPO recorders, but probably no one will ever look at them again, so in that sense they are lost - not misplaced, just forgotten. How to preserve the observations of the past and make them available to responsible researchers is a very important question, one that I think has not received enough attention. The drawings of SAHEKI certainly deserve to be preserved and studied.
Your point about the vulnerability of such drawings is well taken. It would seem to be wise to have more than one copy and perhaps to have copies on micro-fiche or CD. The ALPO Jupiter Section has, or so I have read, a plan to make a computerized record of the Section's observations, especially the transit timings.

(6 May 1998 email)

*.... This morning I read an article about quantum mechanics, which confirmed my appraisal of my ignorance.
We are about to have a bad thunderstorm, so I will need to get off of the terminal. I will try to get back to you. I hope the attachment is useful.
If you have questions or comments, please let me know.

(7 May 1998 21:53 email)

*.... Here is the correct file attachment. Sorry about the confusion. I will get back to you later. There are tornadoes in the area, and I will admit to being a little bit nervous about them.

(7 May 1998 21:55 email)

*.... We are glad that you received the file and hope that it will be useful to you. I will look forward to your analysis of the Hellas phenomenon.
Although there were tornadoes in VA, we did not have one near Hopewell after all. (About a month ago a tornado killed a mother and her small child only about 40 miles from here. In the US over a hundred people have been killed this year so far by tornadoes.) Severe thunderstorms continued the next day, and there were at least 3 hail storms in Prince George County nearby. A 12 year old boy was struck by lightning and severely injured, only revived because the school nurse was nearby to begin CPR. It is still unknown whether or not he will survive. ........
"My" dust storm was actually a bright spot that I saw in Xanthe in 1994, not 92. I have no great devotion to the observation, but it was mentioned in the ALPO report for that apparition. As you know, I will often report an observation and leave the interpretation largely to the experts, at least until I can interpret it in the light of what others can add to it.
Tomorrow is Mother's Day, and we are going to celebrate Uta's Mother early today and go to visit mine tomorrow. We are all well, and we hope that you and yours are also.

(9 May 1998 email)

*.... Here is just a note to wish Japanese Mothers a Happy Day. I will add that your choice of the word "enigmatic" seems like a good one. Well, we are off to visit my Mom. Wishing you the best,

(10 May 1998 email)

*.... I did receive your message but was unable to answer due to a malfunctioning keyboard. We luckily were able to borrow one, so I am back in action. I have worked on your paper and expect to send it to you in the next day or two.

(19 May 1998 email)

Samuel WHITBY ( VA, USA ) : whitbyu@erols.com