Eclipse Tours to Muslim Countries? 2006

You might as well be ringing the dinner bell for the Terrorists.

Anyone know of a trip that will be at Sea for Totality?

I am happy to go to Italy and Greece.

I have to think the people at Sky and Telescope are brain dead.

Libyan Desert?

Mike

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 04:41:02 GMT, Mike wrote:

You might as well be ringing the dinner bell for the Terrorists.

Anyone know of a trip that will be at Sea for Totality?

I am happy to go to Italy and Greece.

I have to think the people at Sky and Telescope are brain dead.

Libyan Desert?

Mike

You might learn something about a subject before posting your judgement.
The people at Sky and Telescope have researched it; have you? Can you
cite any actual dangers in Libya? Attacks on people or buildings or any
other targets (other than by the US Air Force in the 1980s)?

I've travelled in the Middle East for the past five years, particularly in
Iran. I feel safer in Tehran than in New York. In 1999 I went to the
eclipse path in Iran where there are no terrorist active groups. Most
went to Turkey where they were the government was battling a rebellion
that was attacking civilian targets. Go figure. This year I led a tour
to Iran for the Venus transit (www.vtransit.com) and all participants
loved it. Most plan to go back. That's the standard reaction. I'm in
discussions about starting astro-tours to Iran's dark skies along with
other nature, historical and cultural sites.

I encourage those who are considering travelling to somewhere "exotic" to
get the facts about their destination of choice and make an informed
decision. Don't miss out on a lifetime trip out of ignorance.

To answer your question, see astronomicaltours.net for a cruise out of
Greece. They have a cruise out of Egypt as well but that's a Muslim
country and I don't know how long you have to expose yourself to the
Muslims before departing. Sky and Telescope, Astronomical Tours and
others also have trips to Turkey. Turkey is officially secular but
primarily Muslim so I'm not sure where that fits into your world. You can
also get the beginning of the eclipse in Brazil and as it crosses some
non-Muslim countries in west Africa. Maybe Togo would be more to your
liking.

If you go to Italy watch out for the Red Brigade. In Greece keep an eye
out for the November 17 organization. I know of no terrorist
organizations operating in Libya.

Mike Simmons

Anyone know of a trip that will be at Sea for Totality?

The Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, Turkey, and Libya tours:
http://skyandtelescope.com/aboutsky/...icle_526_1.asp
Brazil sees some totality as well:
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclips...6/TSE2006.html

Mike Simmons wrote:

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 04:41:02 GMT, Mike wrote:

You might as well be ringing the dinner bell for the Terrorists.

Anyone know of a trip that will be at Sea for Totality?

I am happy to go to Italy and Greece.

I have to think the people at Sky and Telescope are brain dead.

Libyan Desert?

Mike


You might learn something about a subject before posting your
judgement. The people at Sky and Telescope have researched it; have
you? Can you cite any actual dangers in Libya? Attacks on people or
buildings or any other targets (other than by the US Air Force in the
1980s)?

snip

If you go to Italy watch out for the Red Brigade. In Greece keep an
eye out for the November 17 organization. I know of no terrorist
organizations operating in Libya.

I suggest one start making applications to the Ministry of Public Order
for permission to visit the November 17th organization. They are ALL
behind bars with sentences running into the thousands of years. If we
can hold the Olympic Games without the slightest incident, I am sure we
can also have an eclipse for a relatively handful of people interested
in an eclipse.

The path of totality will pass through the Greek isle of Kastellorizo in
the southeastern aegean and will last for 2.5 minutes. Yes, I will
certainly be there (with my forthcoming AP160!). The greatest totality
will occur in Lybia and last 4 minutes.

Anthony.



Mike Simmons

Already signed up for a camping trip in the Sahara for this one. Was going
to be Chad but since Bush now likes Libya it will be there. It is not with
S&T although I did have a good time with them in Baja for the Big One in
'91. I don't have any concerns about terrorists the odds are very remote.

"Mike" wrote in message
nk.net...
You might as well be ringing the dinner bell for the Terrorists.
Anyone know of a trip that will be at Sea for Totality?
I am happy to go to Italy and Greece.
I have to think the people at Sky and Telescope are brain dead.
Libyan Desert?

Mike

On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 21:26:46 -0800, Mike Simmons
wrote:

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 04:41:02 GMT, Mike wrote:

You might as well be ringing the dinner bell for the Terrorists.

Anyone know of a trip that will be at Sea for Totality?

I am happy to go to Italy and Greece.

I have to think the people at Sky and Telescope are brain dead.

Libyan Desert?

Mike

You might learn something about a subject before posting your judgement.
The people at Sky and Telescope have researched it; have you? Can you
cite any actual dangers in Libya? Attacks on people or buildings or any
other targets (other than by the US Air Force in the 1980s)?

Libya is probably safe. Ever since Reagan bombed them and Gadaffi(sp?)
dressed in women's clothing cause he though the invasion was at hand,
the Libyans have been quiet.
-Rich

Mike Simmons wrote:
[snip]
If you go to Italy watch out for the Red Brigade. In Greece keep an eye
out for the November 17 organization.

All "official" November 17 members are behind bars, spending time
between 15 and life, as Antony says.

In fact, it couldn't have been otherwise: Uncle Sam gave Greece an
ultimatum, before the Olympics. "You either arrest them all or we
withdraw from the games".

Where have you been?

Mike Simmons
--
I. N. G. --- http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/jgal/

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 10:08:38 +0200, Anthony Ayiomamitis
wrote:

If you go to Italy watch out for the Red Brigade. In Greece keep an
eye out for the November 17 organization. I know of no terrorist
organizations operating in Libya.

I suggest one start making applications to the Ministry of Public Order
for permission to visit the November 17th organization. They are ALL
behind bars with sentences running into the thousands of years. If we
can hold the Olympic Games without the slightest incident, I am sure we
can also have an eclipse for a relatively handful of people interested
in an eclipse.

Anthony,

I'm sorry to appear to cast aspersions on the safety of visiting Greece.
My comment was tongue-in-cheek. One can find danger anywhere if one looks
hard enough and views the world with a jaundiced eye. In actuality, I see
no danger whatsoever in visiting Greece -- and I hope to some day! -- just
as I see no danger in visiting Libya. But some will make decisions from
headlines without ever learning the facts and therefore see danger in
places that might be safer than home.

Mike Simmons

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 08:36:18 -0500, John Steinberg
wrote:

Mike Simmons wrote:

I feel safer in Tehran than in New York.

Come back, Mike! We were only kidding.

I don't feel *unsafe* in New York. Well, maybe walking through unlit
areas of Central Park at night.

(BTW, OP is posting from San Jose)

A hotbed of international terrorism if I ever saw one (which I haven't).

Mike Simmons

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 19:08:54 +0200, Ioannis wrote:

Mike Simmons wrote:
[snip]
If you go to Italy watch out for the Red Brigade. In Greece keep an
eye out for the November 17 organization.

All "official" November 17 members are behind bars, spending time
between 15 and life, as Antony says.

In fact, it couldn't have been otherwise: Uncle Sam gave Greece an
ultimatum, before the Olympics. "You either arrest them all or we
withdraw from the games".

Where have you been?

Not reading about terrorist groups in Greece, obviously.g As I
explained to Anthony, I just threw that out as an example of how to find
danger in every situation. It was meant as an example of an absurd
reaction to perceived danger, not to be taken seriously as an actual
danger in Greece. I'm sorry I didn't seem to have my tongue planted
firmly enough in my cheek. In fact, I'd go to Greece with or without the
November 17 gang on the loose, and I was never bothered by the Red Brigade
in Italy (and I didn't bother them). I don't even know of a terrorist
threat in Libya to distort out of proportion, which was the (apparently
unclear) point.

Mike Simmons