[meteorite-list] Steve Arnold #1

From: MeteorHntr_at_aol.com <MeteorHntr_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Jul 13 15:47:01 2005
Message-ID: <3EC03B8C.28308C86.0BF9B800_at_aol.com>

Hello Dawn, Steve #2 (see below) & list,

I was going to respond to your email point by point, like I did the article that was posted, but that probably wouldn't be so nice. And I am a very nice person. ?

In fact, if you are in Tucson this next February, I would like to invite you to a little birthday party a friend of mine and I are throwing. ?It's no big deal, it's just a couple of us that like to get together around a table and talk rocks over cake. ?But to show how nice I am, you would be invited to pull up a chair with us and chat. ?

Let me point out that over time, you will see MASSIVE mistakes in the media when it comes to meteorites. ?I am sure they mess up most all of their other stories on other topics, only I am not smart enough to know about every thing else in the world. But I have picked up a few established facts on meteorites over the years (thanks to Richard Norton, Bernd, David Wier and a couple thousand hours out in the field chasing these crazy rocks). My experience is that reporters more often than not, cannot write a story without some facts being wrong. ?

The one event that really made me realize this was the West Texas fall in Monahans in 1998. Over and over again the media got simple facts like "The fire chief confiscated the meteorite from the boys..." Where the simple fact was that it was the Police Chief that confiscated the meteorite from the boys. ?In that case, the reporters got these facts right:

1. That it was some type of "chief" that did the confiscating
2. That they were "boys"
3. That it was indeed a "meteorite"

But they got what TYPE of chief, wrong. ?

An "honest mistake" you might say, but it is horrible. ?While in one topic they were right 75%, the 25% they got wrong is still a FACT (and very easy one to verify). ?It wouldn't be so bad, but most people would like to get news that is a little better than 75% right.

Besides, if it weren't for the fact that there was TV footage of the boys holding the meteorite, then the editors might have not caught the potential errors that reporters first said it was "6 little girls that found a geode in Houston, New Mexico, and the area Indian Chief took it from them." (Just joking! ?You either gotta laugh or cry with some of this.)

And the fire/police chief fact was just one of MANY in that case that was at least a little off base. ?

My favorite mistake is when a paper in Jonesboro Arkansas called me a "scientist" in their front page title of a story.

I have become so skeptical of ANY facts that the media puts out because they are so bad at getting even the simple stuff right. ?Did 9/11 really happen? ?Well I think so, not because I believe the reporters, but because I my friend Geoff Notkin took some great pictures from the Jersey shore that day, NOT because a reporter wrote about something about it.

It got to the point that I would not consent to an interview for a newspaper article, without first getting agreement that I could proof read the text of the story before it went to print. ?Not to censor the story, but to help the poor souls from botching up the story too bad. I used to think "Editors" were paid to do that.

Let me say two things: ?First: I am not the numbers guy here, but I feel pretty safe that western Texas does get MORE than one meteorite fall per year. ?And if you would populate western Texas with as many people as India has, you should easily get 10 recovered in each decade. ?Would anyone out there like to play with the numbers and report back here?

Second, I do have a middle initial, it is "K" but someone called me "The First Steve Arnold" once, not because I was born first, but because I was in the meteorite community first, and thus the #1 was mentioned. ?I suppose I could always use "Arkansas" after my name, but to be honest, it just isn't as insulting to Steve Arnold #2 (Chicago), when I use "Arkansas." ?:-)

(Don't get me wrong, Steve #2 is my friend, so I like to tease him. ?Besides, I WAS here first!)

Oh, and to prove I am really nice, I will let you sit beside #2 during the whole duration of our little "birthday bash," as we like to call it in Tucson. ?

NOTE TO STEVE #2 - OK #2, if Dawn takes me up on this invite, I guess you can come to the party this year, just don't tell anyone else that you are coming or there might just be the 4 of us at the table again this year. ?And #2, don't think that this 2006 invitation automatically earns you an invite for 2007! Depending on how you act at this party (specifically not spoiling the carpet again) will be taken into consideration if you get invited to come back again.

Sincerely,
Steve #1

************

Since you made so many statements about the article
link I had posted. ?Let me point out a couple of
things.
I don't know what large is to them... ?However, ?I do
know this, that in 2003 what might be the largest
meteorite to be recovered on Indian soil came from
this area.
Secondly, it would seem one of these beauties found in
2003, big or not in our eyes, is from a rare primitive
carbonaceous chondrites group. ?Making it a very
special interest.
Thanks for telling me the area is wow like the size of
TX, but narrow that down to the western part and then
I think you might really be telling me something worth
while. ?LOL ?How big is the western part of frigging
TX? ?Does anyone else know of ANY area with 10 falls
in the past 10 years? ?Like as in happening now, a
current event that is occurring in an area smaller
than the size of western TX or even the same size cuz
July ain't over.
The meteorites fall from April to July. ?So I think is
is safe to say its an annual event. ?Now that is
consistent! ?I mean if you bleed out your ears every
year for 10 yrs during the months of April-July
wouldn't you think that is consistent? ?Shit call this
indian/hillbilly stupid, but I will say yes.
Are you saying that because they do not know the
origins of the falls, that you yourself do? ?Enlighten
me please! ?I mean we all know the basics of
meteorites and so do they, but they are wanting to
know which meteorite has left this trail or if ifs
more than one.
The article may have been poorly written. ?I agree.
However, it was not posted for that reason. ?It was
posted because you never know who will be where or
when from this list. ?The information might not mean
shit to you. ?However, I myself found it worthwhile in
the fact that this is exactly the type of area that
might be worth keeping our eyes on if the activity
continues. ?Even if you or I never hunt that area
there may be others on this list that will, do, or
have. ?That is why I posted the link.
I know everyone here on the list will want to shoot me
for asking, but good God gravy what is with the #1
under your name?
Sincerely, ?Dana Hawn
Received on Wed 13 Jul 2005 03:46:52 PM PDT