[meteorite-list] Meteorite Article in "Seed"

From: geoking_at_notkin.net <geoking_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:22:34 2004
Message-ID: <v0422080cbb054c6a0a0e_at_[171.75.67.65]>

Greetings Dear Listees:

Perhaps against my better judgement, I would like to inform you all=20
that I have a meteorite article in the latest issue (May/June, 2003)=20
of "Seed," pages 38 - 40, entitled "Tales from Tucson of Meteorites=20
and Margaritas" (not my idea). "Seed" is a relatively new=20
high-profile glossy national magazine, available on newsstands, which=20
is (inaccurately, in my opinion) promoted as a "hip science"=20
publication for young, cool scientist types (!?). It looks sort of=20
like a cross between "Maxim" and "Discover." It contains photos of=20
society openings, naked women, the "Valera" cow, lots of soldiers and=20
demonstrations, and . . . well . . . let's just say it doesn't=20
exactly have a unified vision.

A couple of months back, I was contacted by a very nice editor at the=20
magazine. She asked me to prepare a piece on the history of the=20
Valera meteorite, and the eventual offering of same at the Macovich=20
Auction in Tucson. And that I did. The senior editor then decided=20
that what *she* really wanted was not a piece about Valera, but one=20
about the "eccentric characters" within the meteorite community. So,=20
I re-wrote it. Then she decided that she actually, truly, wanted a=20
story about the Notkin/Arnold birthday party and the Harvey Awards=20
(yes, I know how weird this sounds -- being paid to write an article=20
about my own birthday party for a science magazine?). Anyway, to cut=20
a long story short, my article was heavily re-written by persons=20
other than myself, and dopey phrases like "[Tucson] becomes a hotbed=20
of meteorite passion" were added in against my will. "Seed" made it=20
abundantly clear that I had signed a contract with them, and they=20
were going to do whatever they wanted with my article, and if I=20
wasn't happy about the clich=E9s and other made-up parts that had been=20
added in, then that was just tough. And you thought the meteorite=20
business was mean : )

On the positive side, List members Steve Arnold (IMB), Geoff Cintron,=20
Iris and Allan Lang, Adam and Greg Hup=E9, Jim Kriegh, Darryl Pitt, and=20
Matt Morgan are all mentioned by name in the article -- some in the=20
capacity of Harvey Award winners. Michael Cottingham's excellent=20
photo of the largest Valera meteorite and a stand-in (live) cow is=20
printed nearly full-page size on pg. 38, and that is certainly worth=20
a look (make sure you get paid for that photo, Michael!).

Please note: I am *not* suggesting that you go out and buy this=20
magazine. "Seed" gave me a really hard time, and my short article is=20
not worth the $4.95 cover price. However, it is, hopefully, well=20
worth a glance at your local newsstand, mostly because of Michael's=20
fine photo and -- hey -- you just might get a laugh out of the=20
article too.

Regards,

Geoff N.
Received on Thu 05 Jun 2003 04:17:58 PM PDT