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Re: Monopoly and Institutional Arrogance (Humor/Sincere Mix)

Not for all eyes!!!!!!  Satire and Chastisement mixture-- Delete now if
you are easily bored or offended. 

Frank, My Dear Colleague....

I am sorry, I failed to realize anyone would take me seriously nor that
this would be the begining of a battle thread.. It was intended as
humor.  I did not attach a humor alert-- Mia Culpa!!!!  (For clarity, I
have added placards in brackets to assist the reader in interpreting the
screen writer's intended affect on the reader [sigh]). 

As to my post--It was sarcasm... .[chuckle]  It was an allusion to the
fact that Universities and Museums hold 99+% of all the known meteoric
material on the planet. [Ah!]  I find a parallel between the Hunt
Brothers, the  DeBeers/Russian Diamond Cartel, and their tight hold on
meteorite collections. [Raised eyebrow]   Seems as if I have offered a
Holy Cow up for ridicule so let me correct my statement.

[RETRACTION]  Ok.... Universities and Museums have not been determined
to retain large quantities of the world's supply of meteoric material in
order to only  deprive the market .....  They retain large quantities of
meteoric material for other reasons not fully articulated here. [snicker]

If museums chose to release (a.k.a. dump)10 - 20% of their holdings onto
the "free market",  the collectors trade, as we know it, would cease to
exist for a period.  If the diamond cartel chose toflood the market,
diamonds would fall in price to that of semiprecious amethyst material. 
The Russians alone have several tens of tons of cut and uncut diamonds
in storage.  "Market supply"  at anyone time and not total supply keep
prices up.  Actually, when demand wanes, DeBeers launches an ad campaign
to promote a particular segment of demand:  carat stones or tennis
bracelets  etc. (e.g. "Tell her you'd marry her all over again......")  

Meteorite prices are high due to controlled supply--Like it or not.
Institutions control supply as much as they legally can.  I am not
saying this is a bad thing.  I am just making known an assessment as I
understand economic pressures. [gasp]

Frank Wrote:
> Why does there have to be the underlying animosity to the people who
> provide the information and ideas that make meteorites so exciting?

I'll bite... Why does there have to be animosity towards the public by
the institutional system, I mean animosity by the public against the
institution? [Boo, Hiss]

I spoke in humor but since you wish to chastise this ole WP
[Arghhh!]......Now that you mention it...... the "hallowed"
Institutional System has a clout which deprives collectors from access
and an arrogance which dismisses the non- institutional seeker of
knowledge.  Then they whine that prices are driving them out of access
to new finds.  They seem to act as if a meteorite collection is
obligatory, but a waste of display space.  In all my travels to a
majority of major American and European institutions, the meteorite
displays are-- on the whole, when compared to other exhibits; dismal,
under-funded, and often closed!   The meteorite curation staff however,
range from cordial, informative and helpful to rude and boorish--Just
like the list has a range of personalities [Laughter]

Regards [Grin]
Elton

Frank Stroik wrote:

> I have to speak up. I don't see museums and universities holding all the
> material to drive up prices. Don't they have a hard time obtaining
> material that has been distributed to the private sector? I think
> Institutions holding onto material is a most unfounded statement. If you
> can be more specific as to who and why that would be great. Until then,
> the blanket statements are wholly unwarranted.




> Frank
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

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