Hi Folks. Well Petra is at it again. I can see hiding her broom didn’t do any good. Superglue on her keyboard might have been some help, but I wasn’t fast enough.

Mal was right when he said, “So this is the infamous Petra”. I had to admit that it was. Take Care…Don in creepy town

Dear AGU Officials,

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and have attended three recent Fall Meetings and I hope this year someone has done something positive about your section event food selections.

In a city which has no less than one thousand four and five star restaurants it has been an unbelievable experience to be served meals similar to something they used to serve on airlines. I attended a dinner for space scientists one night at an Italian restaurant that served minuscule portions at a time to men who were at least 200 plus pounds from Russia and I had to go out and eat afterwards. A spaghetti feed would have been a better option. At $45 a plate you do expect to eat enough to call it dinner.

I do love attending the Fall Meetings, I learn more there every year than I ever did in college in a single semester, however, it would be nice if the gents understood that though visitors were coming to the club, they should act like they are in public, not in the clubhouse.

Last year I saw a scientist the day after his oral presentation in another room and I want to say hello. He gave one of the best oral presentations I've ever witnessed. Then I noticed he was picking his olfactory organ without benefit of a Kleenex or handkerchief. I had to pass on attempting to meet him as I thought he would probably want to shake hands and I just couldn't.

I fully understand that this is a most difficult problem to finesse with people who are very intelligent, but perhaps when one hands out their meeting schedules a little extra paper might be given which outlines social faux paus could be of benefit to them and the visiting public. Just a thought.

Sincerest Regards,

Petra Challus

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming WOO HOO - what a ride!