MER updates coming fast and furious -- HELP! How can I keep up

Sorry for the blatant sarcasm. Of course, in truth there is a mere
trickle of information coming out. For example at:

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html

as of today (June 8) we are treated to these fresh gems:

-------------------------------------------------
Update: Spirit and Opportunity

SPIRIT UPDATE: Roving Toward the Hills - sol 143-144, June 03, 2004

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity on the Edge - sol 115-116, May 25, 2004
-------------------------------------------------

Updates?? How JPL has the nerve to call them "updates" I have no idea.
( see http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=update if you think I'm
nuts ).

I say we apply pressure on them to spit out better, more frequent (is
daily too much to ask???) updates? (I confess to sending emails to
every so often but never once have received an
acknowledgement or any overt indication that the email was glanced at
before being unceremoniously flushed) Marsoutreach is clearly a black
hole. There is considerable irony in the notion that it fulfils some
obligation to "reach out". Ha.

This mission is supposed to be the poster child for public accessibility
to science, but in fact, it is all a PR smokescreen to keep most of the
interesting information coming out drip by drip.

To demonstrate my resolve, I'll be sporting a "protest" placard outside
JPL over the next few weeks (months if need be) to bring some public
pressure to bear. (Please toss me some fast food if you pass by!) I am
looking for slogans to put on the sign. Any suggestions? "What Mars
Rovers?" and "Spill the spherules" have already been received and
rejected.

Mark

mlm wrote in :

Sorry for the blatant sarcasm. Of course, in truth there is a mere
trickle of information coming out. For example at:

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html

as of today (June 8) we are treated to these fresh gems:

-------------------------------------------------
Update: Spirit and Opportunity

SPIRIT UPDATE: Roving Toward the Hills - sol 143-144, June 03, 2004

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity on the Edge - sol 115-116, May 25, 2004
-------------------------------------------------

Updates?? How JPL has the nerve to call them "updates" I have no idea.
( see http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=update if you think I'm
nuts ).

I say we apply pressure on them to spit out better, more frequent (is
daily too much to ask???) updates? (I confess to sending emails to
every so often but never once have received
an
acknowledgement or any overt indication that the email was glanced at
before being unceremoniously flushed) Marsoutreach is clearly a black
hole. There is considerable irony in the notion that it fulfils some
obligation to "reach out". Ha.

This mission is supposed to be the poster child for public
accessibility
to science, but in fact, it is all a PR smokescreen to keep most of the
interesting information coming out drip by drip.

To demonstrate my resolve, I'll be sporting a "protest" placard outside
JPL over the next few weeks (months if need be) to bring some public
pressure to bear. (Please toss me some fast food if you pass by!) I
am
looking for slogans to put on the sign. Any suggestions? "What Mars
Rovers?" and "Spill the spherules" have already been received and
rejected.

Mark


Oh dear, I spoke a bit too soon --
---------
SPIRIT UPDATE: Keep On Rovin' - sol 145-147, June 08, 2004

On sol 145, Spirit completed a 43-meter (141 feet) engineer-directed
drive and then spent two hours roving another 55 meters (180 feet) using
the autonomous navigation software.
----------
RANT
WOW! there's an update for you. But Spirit has returned images taken on
sol 153 (this morning on Mars). Only six days out of date. Need I
mention the "Week in review" which is usually two weeks behind?

On the plus side, JPL does occasionally release raw images very quickly
so kudos to them for that. But what good are photos without analysis?

Mark
/RANT

"mlm" wrote in message
...
mlm wrote in :

Sorry for the blatant sarcasm. Of course, in truth there is a mere
trickle of information coming out. For example at:

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html

as of today (June 8) we are treated to these fresh gems:

-------------------------------------------------
Update: Spirit and Opportunity

SPIRIT UPDATE: Roving Toward the Hills - sol 143-144, June 03, 2004

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity on the Edge - sol 115-116, May 25, 2004
-------------------------------------------------

Updates?? How JPL has the nerve to call them "updates" I have no idea.
( see http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=update if you think I'm
nuts ).

I say we apply pressure on them to spit out better, more frequent (is
daily too much to ask???) updates? (I confess to sending emails to
every so often but never once have received
an
acknowledgement or any overt indication that the email was glanced at
before being unceremoniously flushed) Marsoutreach is clearly a black
hole. There is considerable irony in the notion that it fulfils some
obligation to "reach out". Ha.

This mission is supposed to be the poster child for public
accessibility
to science, but in fact, it is all a PR smokescreen to keep most of the
interesting information coming out drip by drip.

To demonstrate my resolve, I'll be sporting a "protest" placard outside
JPL over the next few weeks (months if need be) to bring some public
pressure to bear. (Please toss me some fast food if you pass by!) I
am
looking for slogans to put on the sign. Any suggestions? "What Mars
Rovers?" and "Spill the spherules" have already been received and
rejected.

Mark


Oh dear, I spoke a bit too soon --
---------
SPIRIT UPDATE: Keep On Rovin' - sol 145-147, June 08, 2004

On sol 145, Spirit completed a 43-meter (141 feet) engineer-directed
drive and then spent two hours roving another 55 meters (180 feet) using
the autonomous navigation software.
----------
RANT
WOW! there's an update for you. But Spirit has returned images taken on
sol 153 (this morning on Mars). Only six days out of date. Need I
mention the "Week in review" which is usually two weeks behind?

On the plus side, JPL does occasionally release raw images very quickly
so kudos to them for that. But what good are photos without analysis?


If you were a professional geoscientist, you wouldn't have to ask that question.
Or are you used to others doing your homework for you?

" George" wrote in
:


On the plus side, JPL does occasionally release raw images very
quickly so kudos to them for that. But what good are photos without
analysis?


If you were a professional geoscientist, you wouldn't have to ask that
question. Or are you used to others doing your homework for you?




Don't be ridiculous. The JPL scientists and engineers are highly trained
by top schools and given loads of tax money to do this analysis and
publish it.

I urge you, o wise George to consider the logical fallacy known as ad
hominem. You fell right into that pit mate and there's no coming out.
Don't worry though I'll get over it somehow!

Mark

"mlm" wrote in message
...
" George" wrote in
:


On the plus side, JPL does occasionally release raw images very
quickly so kudos to them for that. But what good are photos without
analysis?


If you were a professional geoscientist, you wouldn't have to ask that
question. Or are you used to others doing your homework for you?




Don't be ridiculous. The JPL scientists and engineers are highly trained
by top schools and given loads of tax money to do this analysis and
publish it.

Yes, they are highly trained. And they know better than to release
unpeer-reviewed analysis to the public. The data coming down will likely take
many months and years to fully analyze. In the mean time, they are making
available more raw data than any project in their history, and in a relatively
short amount of time too, I might add. Now, like I said, if you are used to
others doing your homework for you, I can understand your frustration.
Otherwise, I suggest that you do a little analysis on your own, and be patient.
They will publish their findings when they are ready, and not before.