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Discovery News

I applaud Walt Radomsky's interpretation of the segment on meteorites and
private collecting which appeared on Discovery News last Friday.  He echoes
my sentiments exactly.

It is disheartening to see the lack of appreciation from the media and some
of the scientific and museum community for the people who go out and
collect many of the specimens in the first place.  

I own a retail store which has a variety of meteorites for sale. It brings
me great pleasure to see how many people have acquired a genuine interest,
fascination, and respect for these interstellar travellers. Some customers
have become avid collectors, and others are just happy to hold a meteorite
for a few minutes on their lunch break. At the very least, meteorites make
people think!  When a program airs such as that episode of Discovery News,
which, in my opinion portrays a very slanted view of the private collector
and his/her motivations and attitudes toward the scientific community, it
sabotages what should be a cooperative effort between researchers, hunters,
museums and collectors to learn, educate one another and inspire us all.  I
worry that if this attitude becomes pervasive enough, that my meteorites
will cease to inspire, and instead be looked upon as specimens which are
being selfishly withheld from the scientific community.  The general public
doesn't have much of the information that we do.  

Walt, I think you should forward your sentiments to the Discovery Channel.
Wouldn't it be nice to see a segment done from the perspective of "the
other side"?