Aleksander Wolszczan

September 25, 2008 4:30 PM

In 1992, Aleksander Wolszczan discovered the first planets outside our solar system. Now, the Penn State professor been accused of spying for SB, the Polish Secret Police. He calls it a "smear campaign."
posted by up in the old hotel (6 comments total)

I actually had this guy for an astro class last semester, which was basically a class about aliens. I always thought he seemed cool.. but cool enough to be on a postage stamp?

The article makes it sound like all kids his age who were going to America were at least approached by the SB, so I'm not sure how big of a deal it is.
posted by pete0r at 5:17 PM on September 25, 2008

In 1992, Aleksander Wolszczan discovered the first planets outside our solar system. Now, the Penn State professor been accused of spying for SB, the Polish Secret Police. He calls it a "smear campaign."

I wouldn't get this guy angry. He'll blow up the Earth. It blocks his view of Venus.
posted by jonmc at 5:36 PM on September 25, 2008 [2 favorites]

No, jon, you're thinking of his brother Marvin.
posted by wendell at 7:40 PM on September 25, 2008

Penultimate link:

...for many right-leaning Poles, Wolszczan may now be forever tied to the country's legacy of repression. But as news of his contact with the secret police has traveled, he said he's found far more supporters than detractors flooding his inbox.

And that's pretty much the story for almost all people who found themselves in such situations. The far right will always froth at the mouth a little over anything that even hints at the possibility of cooperation with the old regime, largely because such froth is good politics in certain constituencies, but most people have had enough of lustration.
posted by pracowity at 11:34 PM on September 25, 2008

One member of the Polish secret police asks another, "So, what do you think of the government?" His colleague looks around before replying, "The same as you" whereupon the first policeman declares, "In that case, it is my duty to arrest you."

Geez, I love Polish secret police jokes.
posted by twoleftfeet at 11:40 PM on September 25, 2008 [4 favorites]

Wow, theres a hell of a lot of confirmed and potential extrasolar planets out there these days, aren't there?
posted by Artw at 9:33 PM on September 26, 2008