Mike-
Good point. Martin has written excellent material along these these lines.
-Walter
-----------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Gilmer" <meteoritem...@gmail.com>
To: <m...@mhmeteorites.com>
Cc: <meteorite-list-boun...@meteoritecentral.com>; "Meteorite-list"
<meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 4:07 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From
Space
I'd point the editors to the mountain of rebuttals that Martin Altmann
has posted to the List in the past on the subject of meteorites and
laws. The "collector versus science" pseudo-conflict makes for
dramatic reading, but it has no basis in reality.
Best regards,
MikeG
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Gilmer - Galactic Stone & Ironworks Meteorites
Website - http://www.galactic-stone.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone
News Feed - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516
Twitter - http://twitter.com/galacticstone
EOM - http://www.encyclopedia-of-meteorites.com/collection.aspx?id=1564
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
On 4/4/11, m...@mhmeteorites.com <m...@mhmeteorites.com> wrote:
Perhaps one of the many esteemed researchers on this list would be kind
enough to write a rebuttal.
Matt
------------------------
Matt Morgan
Mile High Meteorites
http://www.mhmeteorites.com
P.O. Box 151293
Lakewood, CO 80215
-----Original Message-----
From: Yinan Wang <veom...@gmail.com>
Sender: meteorite-list-boun...@meteoritecentral.com
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 14:44:02
To: Meteorite-list<meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From
Space
For those who are inclined to do so, you can certainly write a letter
to the editor which may be published in the Opinions page of the NY
times as a response:
http://www.nytimes.com/content/help/site/editorial/letters/letters.html?ref=letters
-YvW
On Mon, Apr 4, 2011 at 2:30 PM, Meteorites USA <e...@meteoritesusa.com>
wrote:
This is one of the most sensationalized, biased, uninformed, and skewed
article I've ever read on NYT's website regarding meteorites. Mainly the
article focuses on the Gebel Kamil iron meteorite, however it paints a
grim
picture and tries to draw a connection to all meteorites implying that
the
private market is somehow damaging the science.
Black Market Trinkets From Space:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/science/05meteorite.html
Quote: "Popular or not, the meteorites were taboo. In Egypt and
elsewhere,
scientists say, it is illegal without a permit to remove meteorites from
a
country."
Quote: "The scientists say they have relatively few samples compared with
the booming illicit sales."
Quote: "Dr. Harvey of Case Western Reserve said the quandary applied to
the
scientific community as a whole. The rampant looting of meteorite sites
and
skyrocketing prices for the fragments, he said, “dramatically reduce who
can
get samples to do the research."
Quote: "The black market has exploded in size mainly because of a rush of
new meteorites arriving from North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula."
Quote: "The collectors association, founded in 2004 in Nevada, now has
hundreds of members around the globe. And while some traders deal in
legitimate exports, many do not. One buyer expressed remorse after
reading
about scientific angst over the thriving market. “I’m very ashamed,” the
buyer wrote on a blog. “I’m surely a part of the problem.
This article is irresponsible and borderline yellow journalism from the
NYT.
They should be ashamed for running such a biased and uninformed story.
Well
over half of the article weighs on the disadvantages and more than infers
a
"possible" damage to science which is not there.
It almost completely ignores the great good that's been accomplished
through
private collecting/hunting/curating or meteorites and the contributions
that
have been made by private collectors and hunters. It never mentions
donations to institutions, how much of a sample is needed to study any
meteorite, nor does it mention how many people it brings to the science.
There is one very good quote from Anne which states:
“The scientists do not have time to go hunt for their own meteorites, so
somebody has to do it for them,” said Anne M. Black, president of the
collectors association. “It’s common sense.”
To the uninformed reader, and inexperienced meteorite collector the NYT
article looks very bad and creates an artificially biased view from those
not familiar with meteorites. It's purely political.
I think it should be an article for MHC Magazine. To make it FAIR for
everyone involved, I want ALL points of view, from all sides. From the
scientific world, and the private market, as well as the points from the
center. Anyone who would like the opportunity to tell the WHOLE story,
who
cares to write a rebuttal for the NYT's blatantly biased article, send me
your info. I would be more than happy to publish it!
Contact me with your comments, facts and opinions. This article will be
both
on the blog http://www.mhcmagazine.com/blog/ and in the next issue of the
magazine!
Regards,
Eric Wichman
MHC Magazine
http://www.mhcmagazine.com
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