Incidentally, you're pretty much guaranteed to get a reply from your local senator or congressman if you write to them, as long as you say that you are one of their constituents, so I would recommend doing that; the first reply to a letter I sent out came from my local MP.
]]>Your friendly neighborhood Martian...
-Matt
Oh, I forgot,
I'll try to get some face time with Borman,
Any ideas on what I should bring and what I should try to accomplish?
-Matt
*I checked your profile, and see you're "just down the Interstate" from me.
Good luck in getting personal time with Frank Borman. He refused to have anything to do with the opening of the Space Murals Museum on Highway 70 outside of Las Cruces, when it opened years ago. He even refused to contribute a signed autograph and, according to the lady in charge, fussed with them about having any photos of his on display. The Space Murals Museum contains small exhibits of the Mercury, Apollo, shuttle, etc., missions...including some equipment, memorabilia, historical items, etc.
Maybe you'll have better luck with him than the museum owners did; I hope so!
--Cindy
]]>My 2 Illinois Senators
My Congressman - Judy Biggert
Dennis Hastert - The Speaker of the House lives one district over from me
Lou Dobbs - CNN Moneyline and co-founder of space.com
Miles O'Brien - CNN space and science correspondent
James Cramer - CNBC & theStreet.com
Doug Duncan - was professor of astronomy at the University of Chicago - now at Colorado
Professor Paul Soreno - dinosaur hunter on the faculty at the University of Chicago. He kinda looks like Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones. . .
Barbara Gaines - Artistic Director of Chicago Shakespeare Theater, for a Shakespearean perspective. . .
I will take a break until 16 September. I will print letters dated the 16th but not mail any more until then. I wish to stay away from all the 11 September events and remembrances.
]]>Your busy and busily learning neighborhood Martian...
-Matt
If he's willing, ask him a few questions about first words in general, such as what he thinks of the first words on the Moon, and how much does he think those words influenced people on Earth. Of course, get his 'first words' for Mars, and ask him why he chose them. It'd be a nice thing to put on the website.
Bill - I have Stephen Hawking's latest book, and he's definitely pro-space in it. Hopefully he'll have the time to reply to a letter (I don't think an email would get through - he must get a lot) and he's known to have a good sense of humour, so we could end up getting something good.
It is fun to be contacting these people - not only are we doing something for First Words, but we're also getting these people to think about Mars in some small way, which is always a good thing. So far we've had replies from David Brin, Colin Pillinger and Kim Stanley Robinson - admittedly all people who I've been in contact with before, but it's a good start.
]]>Your friendly neighborhood Martian...
-Matt
May I suggest you find and read a wire service story about Stephen Hawking - October 2001 I believe - where he talks about the need for humanity to enter and settlement space. I believe he said settling space was necessary for the long term survival of the human species.
I believe the Reuters report was a re-print of a local newspaper but Reuters may be more accessible to google, etc. . .
It might help you "customize" the contact.
I will be sending many letters over the coming weekend. . .
]]>Your friendly neighborhood Martian...
-Matt