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A Committee was formed to look into organizational issues involved with the increasing Internationalization of the Society. Foreseen is the possibility of partially autonomous chapter clusters in India, possible online chapters that are not community or campus-based, separate databases, and separate treasuries. Our motivation into looking into these issues is the bright prospect for growth of the Moon Society in India. On the Committee are Peter Kokh (President, Editor of MMM-India Quarterly), Shaun Moss (Chairman of the Board), David Dunlop (Director of Project Development, co-editor of MMM-India Quarterly), and Pradeep Mohandas, Mumbai India, spearheading the organization of Moon Society chapters in India and pushing the idea of a Lunar Analog Research Station in India (LARS-India), and Ben Nault.October 7th Meeting coming up
We also have a committee designing an Art Competition to illustrate our concept of an International Lunar Research Park: Peter Kokh, David Dunlop, new Board Member James A. Rogers, and David Dietzler of Moon Society St. Louis are on this team.
Progress reports on advancing the concept of an International Lunar Research Park: we have struck out in trying to organize a brainstorming workshop at USC in Los Angeles, and at the Archon 33 Science-Fiction Con in metro St. Louis. But a vigorous exchange of ideas and illustrations between Peter Kokh, and co-conspirator Dave Dietzler of Moon Society St. Louis is advancing the idea to the point where we can define the subject and design constraints needed for the proposed Art Competition. Our goal is to have the art competition winning entries and the concept itself ready for a major roll-out at ISDC 2010 in Chicago, at which we expect to have a large Moon Society presence.
Among topics under discussion is the idea of multi-year registrations. For example, offering registrations and renewals for a 3-year term at a bargain rate. The Society saves money on membership processing and we would pass those savings on to you.
If you would like the Management Committee to consider a new initiative or idea, contact president@moonsociety.org
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We have decided that a quarterly Town Meeting would be more productive. Attendance at the monthly meetings was sinking. So Town Meetings will be held the week before the Board Meetings in February, May, and August - that is, three times a yearTime: Wednesday 9-11 pm EDT, 8-10 pm CDT, 7-9 pm MDT, 6-8 pm PDT
The week before the November Board Meeting, we will hold the Annual Memberhip Meeting instead.
In preparation for ISDC 2009, we put together MMM Classic #20 ahead of schedule so that it could be included in a CD on “MMM’s first Twenty Years” which the National Space Society then produced in quantity (1,000) so that a CD could go into the registration packet for each ISDC attendee. You can freely download this issue and all previous classic issues from:An Introductory version of the new MMM Glossary, was published May 19th. The illustrated introductory version lists over 300 terms, some new words, some old words given no meaning. Many more entries are "under construction" or at least on the "to enter" list.
http://www.moonsociety.org/publications/mmm_classics/
Ahead of the game, we decided to launch some-thing new this semi-annual “break” – July – when the MMM editor has a month off. The idea is to collect in PDF volumes all the non-time sensitive articles from the 1st 20 years, on specific themes.
MMM Classic "Eden on Luna" 1 (years 1-10) and 2 (years 11-20) are now online, along with two Mars theme issues. The Eden on Luna issues gather all the articles on Lunar mini-biosphere systems, recycling, and other environmental issues - a core focus theme of MMM from day one.
They are, like the Classics, free access pdf files, no member username and password needed.
To download them, go to:
http://www.moonsociety.org/publications/mmm_themes/
Over time special Classics issues will focus on the following topics, one topic per issue. In cases where there is a lot of material, as with “Mars” there will be 2 or more issues as needed.
• Lunar Resources & IndustriesThese publications will appear as we find time to put them together. A fringe benefit of organizing all past articles by theme, is that it can serve as preparation for an eventual “MMM the Book.” That is a project title, not the book title, which will be determined later.
• The Lunar Economy
• The Lunar Homestead
• Arts & Crafts, Performing Arts
• Health, Sports and Exercise
• Other Destinations: Mercury, Venus, Ceres, asteroids, Europa, and other Solar System Destinations
INDIAEvents: Annual Events, ISDCs and more.
See MMM-India Quarterly - a free access pdf file newsletterCHILE - Planning for the proposed Moon/Mars Atacama Research Station continues to advance. If you wish to be involved or just update, join our google group: http://groups.google.com/group/moonmars
MMM-India Quarterly #4 is due for publication in October, 2009
President Peter Kokh and Director of Project Development, David Dunlop, a team that doubles as Editor and Assistant Editor of MMM-India Quarterly, have been encouraged by the reaction in India to the first three issues of "M3IQ" which response has included three inquiries about setting up Moon Society chapters in India. We are also picking up regular members (for MMM) of Indian origin living in the USA.
We see enormous potential and considerable enthusiasm. To move this effort up a notch, we've added a link on the "About the Society Page" and a fresh page introducing our expanding initiatives within India.
This effort is still in the infancy stage, but the only policy that makes sense is an actively progressive one. In the end, it will be individuals and groups within India who make this effort their own, that will make this a successful venture.
We have taken advantage of sizable student groups from India attending the ISDC in 2008 and again in 2009, and with as many contacts in India as we can find.
Contact: mmm-india@moonsociety.org
Those interested in helping create Moon Society chapters in India should contact
In the event that this project should fail to materialize, our time spent on brainstorming and designing MMARS will not have been in vain, as we are gaining many greeat and improved ideas that will be applicable to a Lunar Analog Station in the US someday. Currently, we are looking at the Phoenix-Tucson area as a site.The Moon Society is looking more International every day.
As we have also been involved in Mexico for some time, it now makes sense to look for English to Spanish Translators so that we can prepare outreach materials for Spanish speaking countries. Write: president@moonsociety.org
The member-organized Moon-Mine Project in central Sweden which we support is making major advances.
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As Chicago is a 90 mile hour and a half commute from where most of the Moon Society (and Lunar Reclamation Society) exhibits are stored (in Milwaukee) we expect to provide a major contribution to the exhibit room. And as we have worked closely with the conference organizers for over twenty years, we expect a good chunk of presentation opportunities as well.
Hotel room rates and conference registration rates will be considerably lower than those in Orlando.
The hotel is brand new - The Intercontinental O'Hare. (map) (Hotel's in Chicago's downtown "Loop" have a very hight hotel tax.)
Chicago has excellent air connections to everywhere. (Flights to Midway will involve higher transit costs to the hotel which is near O'Hare.) Plan now on coming, or at least keep the dates open! Chicago 1989 was a super-ISDC and the same people are bringing us this one. We can only expect the biggest and best ever.