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Re: The Fight for Truth, Justice & the American Way, in Monahans!

>Apparently
>the course of action taken by the City Manager of Monahans was partly
>attributed to the fact that "The Federal Government Official from NASA" had
>misinformed the media and the City Council that the meteorite was only worth
>about $1,000.  This was reflected when the Mayor of Monahans told me
>personally and again to one of the TV reporters after the council meeting,
>that now that they know it is worth so much more, "This really changes
>things!"  I think they thought that since it supposedly was worth so LITTLE,
>that they could sway public opinion and let them get away with keeping it.

I take particular offense to these statments.  The NASA person referred
to here is Everett Gibson, a well-respected scientist in the meteorite
field.  Not only is this public slander against Gibson's integrity, but it
sets up Steve Arnold for a potential libel lawsuit.  Gibson made an
estimate on the meteorite before he had a chance to carefully analyze it
(and he did correctly identify it as a common chrondite in his
visual inspection at the fall site).  He was given the two Monahans
meteorite on good faith for scientific analysis, which he performed
brilliantly, has returned the two meteorites back to the city, and released the
analysis of the meteorites.   Not only did Gibson determine the composition
of the blue crystals, but he was able to measure radiation information
of various isotopes with very short half-lives, and can only be done
with a quick retrieval of the meteorites.  The isotope data is now being
incorporated in the construction of the International Space Station.  
Gibson's interest in the meteorites was purely in interest of science - 
he made no monetary gain on these meteorites, and has returned the
meteorite back to the city as he promised.
Now he is being treated like he did something horribly wrong and is being 
slandered that he misinformed the city about the meteorites.  

I think an apology from Steve Arnold to Everett Gibson is in order.