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I wanted to refrain from jumping into this but since the
mis-information greatly affects me then I can hold out no
longer.................
Here are the facts, as I know them, without all the BS and name
calling.
I have been in with Mike from day one on these Moroccan trips. Some
of the trips have been investor trips while some have been spur of the moment
trips with only Mike and I picking up the tab. Some of the trips have been
rewarding and others have been marginal. Overall, this has been
a very rewarding experience over the nearly two years now that this has been
going on, even without NWA 482.
Knowing what I do about business in Morocco, I assure everyone that none of
us are dealing with Nomads. Nomads live in the desert and wander the
border area of Morocco and Algeria. The good meteorite hunting areas are
really in Algeria although some of the meteorites have come from Morocco (CR2,
the new LL6, etc). Dean, if you have been to a Nomad tent to do business,
do us all a favor and post a photo to prove it. You posted a photo of what
you call a nomad's home on your website and said that you bought fossils
from him. That was not a nomad in the true sense of the word. A
nomad is a wanderer, that is the definition of "nomad". A true nomad lives
in a tent, not a fixed dwelling.
As far as I know, absolutely no one who has put money into any
of Mike's trips has asked for a refund or expressed displeasure with what
they received. In fact, there is a waiting list of people wanting to put
money into any future investor trips. Those results speak for
themselves.
Also, many people think that they know what each of us accomplishes by
dealing in Morocco. This is absolutely not true. Just like in any
business, people tell you what they think that you want to hear. They tell
you one thing and then turn around and tell me the complete
opposite. Mike and I deal with different Moroccans and the business
is not discussed between them individually. Moroccan #1 does not
know what business we do with Moroccan #2. Oh sure, if they know
each other they probably lie to each other once we are gone. Do you really
think that as a Moroccan I would tell another dealer what my true business
is? Hell, if you call me up on the phone and ask me who my best
customer is, do you think I am going to tell you. Business is no
different in Morocco than it is anywhere else.
The one thing that is constant with Mike's trips is that one of the
same guides that Mike hired on the first trip is still being hired. This
is called cultivating a relationship of trust with someone who will be your
loyal agent while you are not in the country. He does what ever he is told
to do and keeps his mouth shut. He has been told to go to a certain town
before, find a person who he has never met, buy XYZ meteorite and send it
DHL. This he does without question because he is paid well and does not
have to rely on the customary kickback that is a way of life in Morocco.
This guy does not have a list of people that he takes Mike to when he goes to
Morocco. He takes Mike where Mike wants to go no questions
asked. This relationship/friendship has progressed to the point where Mike
and I were discussing at the Tucson show of trying to talk him into coming to
the United States and taking him to Las Vegas in the future. Now, wouldn't
that be a real eye-opener!!! This is what I mean about trust and
friendship.
You know Dean, when Mike was in Morocco in January, I told you of a new
contact that I had personally made. Mike had already left the town that he
lived in and was not going to return. Therefore, Mike was not going to
be able to look at the meteorites that he claimed he had, one of which
looked promising as it only slightly attracted a magnet. So, since I knew
you were going to be in Erfound, I gave you the guys name and telephone number
and suggested you take a look at what he had to offer, perhaps you could get
lucky. You told me that you would probably not be able to see him because
your guide would not want to take you to someone with whom he did not have a
kickback arrangement. You accused Farmer of being lead around Morocco by a
leash but in fact you are the one who seems to be spoon fed meteorites by a
select few Moroccans, chosen by your "handler" instead of being
able to make new finds like Mike has.
Believe me when I tell you that even though you know much of what we have
gotten in Morocco, you don't know as much as you think. No one does,
except the people directly involved. When a trip has involved investors
then much of the information has been kept confidential between all of us.
Many people do not want all of their business transmitted over the internet and
the real important information has remained between us, such as quantities,
types and suspected types, etc. There is just no need to broadcast this
information. This is called respect for each of us involved in a
particular trip.
One thing that makes me different from Mike, is that I do not feel the need
to respond to others claims of knowledge of what we have or don't have. I
would rather just sit back and laugh to myself because generally the rumors are
either grossly exaggerated or underestimated. But, that is just me.
Dean, I hope you and Mike can bury the hatchet (and not in each other's
back) as this kind of in-fighting does not do this hobby any good at all.
In closing, let me just say that the future looks very bright for new
discoveries, so lets get back to the discussion of what we all love....
METEORITES!!!!! They are just so cool to hold and dream about where they
have been on their long journey through space.........kind of like the words to
the song "Drops of Jupiter" by Train.
Jim Strope
421 Fourth Street Glen Dale, WV 26038 |
- [meteorite-list] Jim's comments on Moroccan trips Jim Strope
- [meteorite-list] Jim's comments on Moroccan trips Michael Blood
