Re: [meteorite-list] Gotta love freedom of speech
Thankyou, Eric This post (public, as intended, this time) is to say a thanks to your magnanimity. It is nice to know I'm not the only liberal on this list and, indeed, thanks to the several others who mailed me. Yes, rules must be adhered to, as long as the rules are not too restrictive. Then you're just asking for revolution. That's what happens when you work for the state and some jerk accountant thinks he knows your job better than you do after 15 years of doing it. And don't get me started on health and safety. I'm not kidding, I tried to take some lunar samples in to my 3rd year science class to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Apollo 11 and I let the kids touch them. I got hauled over the coals because I didn't do a risk assessment on the likelyhood of contamination by microbial life from another world. Some jackass in the HS department thought he knew more about science than me. I said quote, NASA stopped giving a shit about the likelyhood of contamination from the Moon in 1969. What makes you think you know better than they do? I've met five people who went to the moon and they are all mysteriously alive after 40 years, explain that! I got an official warnings for professional misconduct for using the word shit and unprofessional behaviour for letting kids touch the moon rock. One of the kids described the experience as That was fucking arse bosting. I fucking touched the moon That should speak for itself... (incidentally, I did correct the kids grammar. It told him he should have said I've touched The lesson may have impacted on him. All I have to go on is his response.,,,it ended in off, Sir --- On Fri, 7/24/09, Meteorites USA e...@meteoritesusa.com wrote: From: Meteorites USA e...@meteoritesusa.com Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Gotta love freedom of speech To: Rob McCafferty rob_mccaffe...@yahoo.com Cc: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Date: Friday, July 24, 2009, 8:25 PM Hi Rob, List, No need for any apology at all... You've said what's on your mind and I've said what many wanted to say but were not willing to. There's no need for a private beating, or lashing with wet noodles as I didn't take offense to anything you said. By the way, I agree with your statement about freedom of speech, but rules must be adhered to. Regards, Eric Rob McCafferty wrote: I go away for a couple of weeks and suddenly I have to spend nearly an hour deleting vitriol. While I do not agree with any form of censorship in a public forum, with that liberty comes responsibility. A community can only exist while people benefit from it. It is important that fraud is identified and information about discoveries, expeditions and so on are fabulous but when we descend into abuse we waste many combined hours of list members as they are forced to either read or delete it. Diamonds are difficult to find because they are buried in so much crap. This list sometimes becomes analogous to that. Yes it's ironic that I put this out as a general mail (this time... public apologies to Eric, to whom I sent my first mail on this subject in error making it seem like I was having a go at him) However, I will happily take a PRIVATE beating for expressing my views. Bless freedom of speech and expression Rob __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Gotta love freedom of speech
Rob McCafferty posted: I got hauled over the coals because I didn't do a risk assessment on the likelyhood of contamination by microbial life from another world. Some jackass in the HS department thought he knew more about science than me. Dear Rob: That would be an absolutely hilarious story if it weren't also a tragic example of pig-headedness (not sure if that's a real word?). What's next: No laughing allowed on Sundays? I wouldn't be a bit surprised. I once did a high school science fair demo about meteorites and meteorite hunting, and the lady organizing it was all worried about radiation. I assured her there was nothing to be concerned about, and that the florescent lights in the high school gym were likely putting out a lot more radiation than the meteorites. At least the school people I dealt with were nice about it. Anyway, good for you for letting the kids touch a piece of the moon, and -- in my experience -- receiving an official warning for misconduct is frequently a measure of original thinking and good character : ) Salut, Geoff N. www.aerolite.org www.meteoritemen.com www.meteoriteblog.org __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Gotta love freedom of speech
Rob, Geoff and List, I'm sure ALL of us who have done any public speaking about meteorites have experienced the --- Is it safe to touch (or be near) them? Aren't they radioactive? --- concern that the general public seems to have. That question invariably comes up almost EVERY time with a new group of people. I know this didn't happen ( I mean, how many high school science classes spent even one minutes talking about meteorites when most of us were growing up??) , but it ALMOST seems that this fear was taught to everyone, it is so pervasive. Funny/sad. Best, Robert Woolard Rob McCafferty posted: I got hauled over the coals because I didn't do a risk assessment on the likelyhood of contamination by microbial life from another world. Some jackass in the HS department thought he knew more about science than me. Dear Rob: I once did a high school science fair demo about meteorites and meteorite hunting, and the lady organizing it was all worried about radiation. Salut, Geoff N __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Gotta love freedom of speech
Nja, but the kids shouldn't eat the Moon, they should touch it Hmm maybe the accountant has to file a warning towards NASA too? There exist microbial life on Moon, but only on the Apollo samples, touched by thousands and thousands of people in the NASA-exhibitions: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/news/releases/2009/J09-013.html But maybe he's right, that it's dangerous! Look! Before: http://kuerzer.de/beforetouch and after... http://kuerzer.de/afteretouch Eek. Martin -Ursprüngliche Nachricht- Von: meteorite-list-boun...@meteoritecentral.com [mailto:meteorite-list-boun...@meteoritecentral.com] Im Auftrag von Rob McCafferty Gesendet: Sonntag, 26. Juli 2009 00:07 An: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Betreff: Re: [meteorite-list] Gotta love freedom of speech Thankyou, Eric This post (public, as intended, this time) is to say a thanks to your magnanimity. It is nice to know I'm not the only liberal on this list and, indeed, thanks to the several others who mailed me. Yes, rules must be adhered to, as long as the rules are not too restrictive. Then you're just asking for revolution. That's what happens when you work for the state and some jerk accountant thinks he knows your job better than you do after 15 years of doing it. And don't get me started on health and safety. I'm not kidding, I tried to take some lunar samples in to my 3rd year science class to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Apollo 11 and I let the kids touch them. I got hauled over the coals because I didn't do a risk assessment on the likelyhood of contamination by microbial life from another world. Some jackass in the HS department thought he knew more about science than me. I said quote, NASA stopped giving a shit about the likelyhood of contamination from the Moon in 1969. What makes you think you know better than they do? I've met five people who went to the moon and they are all mysteriously alive after 40 years, explain that! I got an official warnings for professional misconduct for using the word shit and unprofessional behaviour for letting kids touch the moon rock. One of the kids described the experience as That was fucking arse bosting. I fucking touched the moon That should speak for itself... (incidentally, I did correct the kids grammar. It told him he should have said I've touched The lesson may have impacted on him. All I have to go on is his response.,,,it ended in off, Sir --- On Fri, 7/24/09, Meteorites USA e...@meteoritesusa.com wrote: From: Meteorites USA e...@meteoritesusa.com Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Gotta love freedom of speech To: Rob McCafferty rob_mccaffe...@yahoo.com Cc: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Date: Friday, July 24, 2009, 8:25 PM Hi Rob, List, No need for any apology at all... You've said what's on your mind and I've said what many wanted to say but were not willing to. There's no need for a private beating, or lashing with wet noodles as I didn't take offense to anything you said. By the way, I agree with your statement about freedom of speech, but rules must be adhered to. Regards, Eric Rob McCafferty wrote: I go away for a couple of weeks and suddenly I have to spend nearly an hour deleting vitriol. While I do not agree with any form of censorship in a public forum, with that liberty comes responsibility. A community can only exist while people benefit from it. It is important that fraud is identified and information about discoveries, expeditions and so on are fabulous but when we descend into abuse we waste many combined hours of list members as they are forced to either read or delete it. Diamonds are difficult to find because they are buried in so much crap. This list sometimes becomes analogous to that. Yes it's ironic that I put this out as a general mail (this time... public apologies to Eric, to whom I sent my first mail on this subject in error making it seem like I was having a go at him) However, I will happily take a PRIVATE beating for expressing my views. Bless freedom of speech and expression Rob __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Gotta love freedom of speech
I go away for a couple of weeks and suddenly I have to spend nearly an hour deleting vitriol. While I do not agree with any form of censorship in a public forum, with that liberty comes responsibility. A community can only exist while people benefit from it. It is important that fraud is identified and information about discoveries, expeditions and so on are fabulous but when we descend into abuse we waste many combined hours of list members as they are forced to either read or delete it. Diamonds are difficult to find because they are buried in so much crap. This list sometimes becomes analogous to that. Yes it's ironic that I put this out as a general mail (this time... public apologies to Eric, to whom I sent my first mail on this subject in error making it seem like I was having a go at him) However, I will happily take a PRIVATE beating for expressing my views. Bless freedom of speech and expression Rob __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Gotta love freedom of speech
Hi Rob, List, No need for any apology at all... You've said what's on your mind and I've said what many wanted to say but were not willing to. There's no need for a private beating, or lashing with wet noodles as I didn't take offense to anything you said. By the way, I agree with your statement about freedom of speech, but rules must be adhered to. Regards, Eric Rob McCafferty wrote: I go away for a couple of weeks and suddenly I have to spend nearly an hour deleting vitriol. While I do not agree with any form of censorship in a public forum, with that liberty comes responsibility. A community can only exist while people benefit from it. It is important that fraud is identified and information about discoveries, expeditions and so on are fabulous but when we descend into abuse we waste many combined hours of list members as they are forced to either read or delete it. Diamonds are difficult to find because they are buried in so much crap. This list sometimes becomes analogous to that. Yes it's ironic that I put this out as a general mail (this time... public apologies to Eric, to whom I sent my first mail on this subject in error making it seem like I was having a go at him) However, I will happily take a PRIVATE beating for expressing my views. Bless freedom of speech and expression Rob __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
