About a year ago (just after the last MS Convention), I rethought my postion on Barry. As many of you know, Barry attended the last MS convention (and even spoke at it I believe) and found that the MS members were not the closed minded monsters that he had percieved. Unfortunately, the MS members were less impressed with Mr. DiGregorio.

I suggested on many of the public boards that DiGregorio be included in the Mars Society's Planetary Protection Discussions. (Is there ANY conversation going on within the Society in this area????). My suggestion was, of course, met with outrage and I was told that it was "impossible" to work with Barry.

FWIW, Planetary Protection is real. I don't buy into 99.9% of Barry's rants, but as Mr. Blackwell points out in some of his posts below, the risks are not zero and can not be ignored.

As it has also been rightly pointed out on this BBS, Barry's efforts can only lead to turning the public against Mars Exploration, and at the very least, delay the program for decades while costing billions in building "feel good" MSR receiving facilities.

DiGregrio WILL be a force to be dealt with in the future. And for this, I can say "Kudos" to Barry for doing a Better job in pushing his position in front of the public than the scientific community has done in refuting him (which I still believe could have been resolved by including him in the discussion)...

You folks have to learn to be consistant. You want to show respect for the work of all of Hoaxland's kiddies while sitting around ripping apart Barry. Let's see, Some hamburger flipper is a "Cydonaut" while Barry is a "Nut".... Something appears amiss in th logic to me.

Tell ya what, Barry published a book which is Co-Authoried by 2 PhD's and has several other PhD's on his website who share his concerns. I think I shall bestoe the title upon him "Planetary Protection Expert", something which, according to the criteria for credibility tossed around here, he deserves more than anyone else that I've seen...

Bottom line, INCLUDE Barry in the discussions. Work with him. As you smug him off as a kook, remember others such as Ralph Nadar and Rachel Carson and their effect upon people who would rather go without electricity several hours a day than "destroy the Earth for our Children"...

Al