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Guest Suggestions - AUTOGRAPHICA 13


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Only Rusty and Walt?!

 

I know what you mean though, would a return from Alan Bean possibly be on the cards as well or even a visit from Fred Haise? They both have form for attending past events

 

Maybe following the success of the guests like Vance Brand and Jerry Carr last time round we are going to see a few more guests from the Shuttle era, maybe even some Russians?

 

Either way I'd be surprised it there were no astronauts, they are one of the mainstays of Autographica, it's what makes the event almost unique in the UK, maybe even Europe.

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Well obviously I'd LOVE Rusty & Walt to attend: and Al Worden too, come to that. But there's no getting away from it that the majority of these great guys are getting a bit 'long in the tooth' for sitting around all day, 5000 miles from their comfy beds! Duke, Mitchell & Cernan seem to have made their intentions plain, and Fred Haise seemed very lukewarm about Autographica on the US forums earlier in the year....

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Don't know how many of you are aware: but Charlie Duke, Edgar Mitchell and Gene Cernan are all on a Mediterranean cruise starting April 17th next year. So it isn't looking good for astronaut guests: probably only Rusty & Walt will be available..... (Apart from Dr A, of course!) Feels like a bit of a kick in the crutch for we UK space history fans: maybe the show is going to be Astro-free next year: if so, a few of us won't be there.....

 

If its going to be Astronaut free, then perhaps its going to be the big COSMONAUT show. Now that would be something.

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Just had a further thought. Why don't we try to get a / some British Astronauts at Autographica 13.

Helen Sharman would be a huge attraction!

 

Yeah: good luck with that! You're more likely to get Neil, Buzz and Mike together!

(Having said which, I reckon I caught a glimpse of her chatting to her Russian mission Cdr at Auto 9!)

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Helen Sharman is lovely, once met her, would be good to get her at A13...

 

Fredo Haise signed enough autos at Pontefract last month, so why would'nt he do another autographica???

 

Any astronaut/cosmoanut is fine by me, but if there was just the same faces I think I would not be coming.

 

How about Simon Cowell? What mission did he fly on, is he a shuttlenaut??? Who is he any way.... ;o)

 

von Dawson's Express

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Helen Sharman is lovely, once met her, would be good to get her at A13...

 

Fredo Haise signed enough autos at Pontefract last month, so why would'nt he do another autographica???

 

Any astronaut/cosmoanut is fine by me, but if there was just the same faces I think I would not be coming.

 

How about Simon Cowell? What mission did he fly on, is he a shuttlenaut??? Who is he any way.... ;o)

 

von Dawson's Express

 

von Dawson's Express,

You always talk good sense. I am in total agreement with everything you say. I am particularly interested to hear your comment about Helen Sharman. I had always thought that she was a NO NO, but what you say gives cause for some encouragement.

Descartes

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von Dawson's Express,

You always talk good sense. I am in total agreement with everything you say. I am particularly interested to hear your comment about Helen Sharman. I had always thought that she was a NO NO, but what you say gives cause for some encouragement.

Descartes

 

 

Mmmm!

I bet it's a while since 'Von Dawson's' met Ms Sharman! You're more likely to meet a Yeti on Sheffield High Street these days!

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von Dawson's Express,

You always talk good sense. I am in total agreement with everything you say. I am particularly interested to hear your comment about Helen Sharman. I had always thought that she was a NO NO, but what you say gives cause for some encouragement.

Descartes

 

 

Mmmm!

I bet it's a while since 'Von Dawson's' met Ms Sharman! You're more likely to meet a Yeti on Sheffield High Street these days!

 

Von Dawson's Express,

Perhaps you might want to tell us a little more about your meetng with Helen Sharman. I am honestly really interested ?!?!

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The bit I don't understand about Buzz charging so much extra for dedications with autographs is that he must know that they make the autograph LESS valuable than if someone had a non-dedicated autograph.

 

I have met Buzz a handful of times. The first time was in London when I got to meet him outside a function I knew he was attending (this was a number of years ago and was BEFORE he had made an appearance at Autographica). I had an original NASA litho to be signed but he politely declined, fortunately I had the foresight to have already prepared a letter explaining I was a great admirer of his achievement with Apollo 11 and how much it had meant to me as a child (I was 8 at the time of the first moon landing). I left the litho and letter, along with a stamped addressed envelope, with his driver and crossed my fingers. A few days later it turned up in the post and Buzz had signed it, put the mission number under his autograph and dedicated it (including my surname). I was chuffed to bits!

 

The next time I met him was at Leicester Space Centre where he did a book signing and talk. Again he politely refused to dedicate a book for my young son. I then met him at the his first appearance at Autographica where I paid (I think it was) £80 for an autograph and a further £15 for a dedication to my son - it reads 'To Sam, Buzz Aldrin'). I would have liked a 'best wishes' and 'Apollo 11' as well but I think that would have been a further £20 or £30.

 

I know it perhaps seems a bit odd, but is there not a case for astronauts charging LESS when something is dedicated as the person who wants the dedication is obviously a fan/admirer of that person? I tend to get undedicated autographs now (especially when they are expensive ie Lovell, Cernan etc), however I still like dedicated autographs for my 4 year old son as I am keen for him to grow up with an appreciation of the achievements of these great astronauts.

 

Anybody got any thoughts on this???

 

Michael

 

 

If the rumour mill is correct and Buzz is going to make an appearance at Autographica 13, perhaps you folks might like to ponder on the following:

A friend who went to the ASF Show in Florida this weekend was seeking an inscription. The price was $50 PER WORD in addition to the base fee of $350.

Buzz has now lost all credability and a lot of potential customers. He should think about the following mathematics since figures are his strong point:

Low Fee with more customers = High Fee with fewer customers.

Perhaps the following is even more accurate:

Low fee with more customers > High fee with fewer customers.

:o

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I know it perhaps seems a bit odd, but is there not a case for astronauts charging LESS when something is dedicated as the person who wants the dedication is obviously a fan/admirer of that person? I tend to get undedicated autographs now (especially when they are expensive ie Lovell, Cernan etc), however I still like dedicated autographs for my 4 year old son as I am keen for him to grow up with an appreciation of the achievements of these great astronauts.

 

Anybody got any thoughts on this???

 

Michael

 

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The reason for charging 'per word' is, put simply, to squeeze more cash out of you.

 

This 'per word' thing is probably the only gripe I've had with the Autographica shows. Like I said previously, I suspect the astro's are flown over, put up in a swanky hotel, and maybe paid a fee for appearing. That's fair enough. But to have a big fee for signing, then charging per word.....ugh.

 

I recall a big discussion on the forum when Buzz first came over, his sig was nearly £100 and people were a bit up in arms about it (think at that time he was the first astro to come to Autographica with a 'big' fee, IIRC previous apollo astro's were about 40 quid) but saying that, the queue was out of the door for him. I don't begrudge the astro's trying to make a few quid and I hope it is lucrative for them, but the advice they've had off their agents or whoever about what they can charge seems to me, judging by the lack of queues I've seen, a bit out of touch. Lower fee - more business comes to mind!

 

Yep they are historical figures and yes it's a highlight of my year to meet them and its great to have the signed picture on the mantlepiece, and long may these guys keep coming to the shows, please. But for me personally, when it comes to the expensive astronauts I can barely afford to pay for one autograph at a time off them. And even if I could afford the extra per word inscriptions , I wouldn't bloomin' pay for them on principle! Bah! That's it I've jumped off me soapbox now :)

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To be fair the per word thing isn't exclusive to Autographica, those that choose to charge more for extra inscriptions etc tend to do so at all shows not just when they come over here.

 

That said I do agree with you, it's a bit much having to pay extra when you are already paying a fairly hefty price anyway. Doesn't usually affect me mind you I only ever want the signature and mission inscription anyway and thats usually covered in the price.

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Hi Space Fans,

Sorry for been 'Silent Key' been a bit busy of late and away from the tin-brain...

 

Reet, Helen Sharman gave a lecture tour and on 19 February 1995 she visited York and gave a lecture to some 300+ people at York Barbican Centre. If I remember rightly she introduced her self, discussed her career at Mars Confectionary and talked about the advert she had seen 'Astronaut Wanted: No Experiance Necassary' and discussed her selection and trips to the Soviet Union. She also showed off a few props, space food in tubes and peices of hardware. Then she showed a film of her mission to Mir and no she did not show the pink nighty shot... Finally she then held a Q and A session (The presentation was not that long perhaps around 40+ minutes) followed by a book signing - 'Seize the Moment' had been published by Victor Gollancz in 1993 and in 1995 the paper back had come out. Quite a few punters had them - I went with the York Astronomical Society and I think some 20+ of our gang went. A friend of mine's father was Lord Mayor of York at the time and we caught up with him and was cheeky, his lackys were a bit upset, I replied I had known him longer than they had been on the planet, they DID not like that! We joined the queue and when we caught up with her I think she had seen us make fun of the mayor and joined in on our banter. I asked her to say hello to Alexei Leonov and quoted 'Turn Left at Orion...' She laughed and said OK. I found her great fun and she signed her (mine...) book with inscriptions and extra words with no fuss or bother, she signed with 'to Martin, on your birthday - with best wishes Helen Sharman', my big regret is my camera was stuffed at the time and so I did not bother taking it and all my gang had not bothered with there's! Every time I catch up with them I ask for picys and draw a blank! I think she had some one like a PA with her, am not sure but I wondered if she was Helen's sister, but I could be wrong. She certainly was very gracious and freindly lady and I for one would love to meet her again.

 

Sorry for going on so long with incidentel rubbish but I hope it gives a flavour of the evening, admitidly a long time ago and my memory is not that good...

 

Regards and bests to you all

 

von Dawson's Express

 

PS Thank you for the kind comments Descartes! I follow your postings and find you talk sense, we should meet up! ;o)

 

 

quote name='descartes' date='Nov 18 2008, 03:16 AM' post='1253956']

 

von Dawson's Express,

You always talk good sense. I am in total agreement with everything you say. I am particularly interested to hear your comment about Helen Sharman. I had always thought that she was a NO NO, but what you say gives cause for some encouragement.

Descartes

 

 

Mmmm!

I bet it's a while since 'Von Dawson's' met Ms Sharman! You're more likely to meet a Yeti on Sheffield High Street these days!

 

Von Dawson's Express,

Perhaps you might want to tell us a little more about your meetng with Helen Sharman. I am honestly really interested ?!?!

Edited by von Dawson's Express
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