Dear Fred, and List, Is there anything that we as individuals or as a group can do ? Is this due to some kind of budget cut? What Congressmen do we send our objections and voice our dissaproval to? If it can happen there, it can happen anywhere. Maybe instead of shrugging it off, we should let the powers that be, know that WE do not approve of the minimizing of the importance of the study and collection of Meteorites, firstly in Denver, then anywhere else it rears it's head. It would seem that besides discouraging the meteorite trade/collecting with new legal possible laws, even the already established meteorites and public access to them may be threatened, if I am understanding you right? Domino affect. Think about it ! or trickle-down if you prefer. I don't want to start a ruckus on-list ,but I realize that some people like to gripe and do nothing, and then there are those who will take the time to address their disapproval to the proper State and Government officials. If you could advise me Fred, on who to address... off-lne, and to anyone else interested in helping, count me in.
Probably a misquote, my apologies, but the message is clear. "All that remains for evil to prevail, is that good men do nothing". Dramatic, yes........., relevant......yes. Best Regards, Marcie
--- Begin Message --- Hello Bob,
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science (I liked the former name much better, the Denver Museum of Natural History) has a wonderful collection of meteorites, many collected by H. H. Nininger when he had a close relationship with the Denver Museum.
That said, forget about the fine collection of meteorites. Drawers full reside upstairs where only staff and the volunteers of the Denver Meteorite Posse (a group of volunteers started by Jack Murphy to hunt down meteorites in Colorado) have access, or had access, as the curator of minerals (which includes meteorites) has been laid off from his job of over 30 years. Jack Murphy, Curator of Minerals, has given a good part of his life to the Denver Museum, only to be laid off along with 10 or 11 other staff members. Other museum staff have resigned in outrage over the layoffs. Volunteers are TICKED OFF!
Once again, meteorites get shoved way down the list of museum items to show the public, far behind fossils, stuffed animals and minerals. However, there is one large iron meteorite that children can touch in the new space display. One.
No mineral curator, no meteorite display to speak of. This stinks.
Regards, Fred Hall / Meteorhall
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