[meteorite-list] Oman

From: Dave Freeman mjwy <dfreeman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Jun 24 09:54:22 2005
Message-ID: <42BC1083.8010107_at_fascination.com>

Having seen the "belt of terror" map on national television morning
news....looks like it falls for the most part, in the "hot desert"
meteorite zones, and/or in the zones of "religious tourmoil"...wonder
how we separate these three?
More, seems to follow the band of underdeveloped economic zones of the
world somewhat.

Dear Marc;
Now I feel my IQ has altered, great experiment!
Best,
Dave F.

Marc Fries wrote:

>Yes, clearly - if it weren't for the evil, genetically altered Fed
>Monsters swooping down on people with their black bat wings in the dark of
>night, those poor, maligned Omani noblemen would never have been provoked
>into their vile deeds. ...'cause nothing bad ever happened to anyone
>until the Homeland Security Act came into being.
>
>Wow - I actually feel dumber after having read that email. Thanks a lot.
>
>MDF
>
>
>
>>Hi all,
>> Wile I do not mean in any way to minimize the trauma
>>and outrageousness of this escapade, I cannot help but wonder
>>if it was inspired by the US "Homeland Security Act" by which
>>our government has declared it will (and has) do exactly the
>>same thing at any time and to any one.
>> Don?t take my word for it - just take the time to read a few
>>of the more terrifying paragraphs, then take note that it states,
>>and has acted on the premise, that anyone engaged in any behavior
>>deemed supportive of terrorism INCLUDES POT SMOKERS (and
>>a WIDE array of other equally ridiculous behaviors) - (pot "users"
>>spend money on drugs & drug dealing has been one way terrorists
>>have used to raise money for terrorist acts - you even see it on
>>TV commercials).
>> I wish I were making all this up.
>> We have all heard about John & Ivan's (as well
>>as others I do not know as well) horror story - They are educated,
>>connected and internationally known - even if it is a relatively
>>"small" world wide community. But this kind of thing is happening
>>in the US - you just don't hear about it much - and even if it is
>>relatively rare - it marks a very clear suspension, if not end, to our
>>constitutional rights.
>> I was not going to bring this up at all for fear it would look
>>like
>>I were minimizing the outrageousness of the Oman episode. I certainly
>>would not go to Oman - unfortunately, the high ranking officials in
>>the US I cannot be so easily rid of. On the other hand,
>>meteorite hunting does not YET seem to be high on their list for
>>an excuse to relieve you of your constitutional right to trial,
>>representation, property, etc. Apparently, in Oman, it is.
>> I laud John for creating this web site and hope he has notified
>>his senator and representative of this reprehensible act (knowing
>>John, I suspect he has). While such notification is very unlikely to
>>result in the recovery of stolen property - and nothing can replace
>>the time in custody and the anxiety that must have been involved
>>in being in the hands of people proving themselves capable of such
>>outrageous behavior (if they would hold a US citizen without access
>>to the US counsel, steel his possessions, deny access to representation,
>>etc, are they not also capable of deciding to simply take him out of
>>the picture altogether to insure anonymity?)
>> Best wishes, Michael
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>on 6/23/05 6:52 AM, Gerald Flaherty at grf2_at_verizon.net wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Martin, This episode with John, like the one described by Mike Farmer on
>>>this list a couple of months ago, seems more a revolutionary rather than
>>>an
>>>evolutionary change in Oman policy. That does not give one sufficient
>>>time
>>>to acclimate and tailor one's choices. If people have enjoyed the
>>>hospitality of a region for some time one should expect that same
>>>hospitality on their planned trip. John's site warns the would-be
>>>tourist
>>>that this is no longer the case and I for omne will not venture there
>>>based
>>>upon his experience.
>>>John also refers to high ranking officials involved in his misadventure.
>>>This becomes a rather general inditment of a coutry's intent and seems
>>>rather important to advise against travel based upon personal
>>>experience.
>>>Again , I for one will take John's advise in this case.
>>>Jerry Flaherty
>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "Martin Altmann" <Altmann_at_Meteorite-Martin.de>
>>>To: "JKGwilliam" <h3chondrite_at_cox.net>;
>>><meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
>>>Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 7:06 AM
>>>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Fwd: To all interested Parties
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hiho,
>>>>
>>>>that, what is positive on that homepage, is that it settles all the
>>>>rumours
>>>>about that incident,
>>>>but the conclusions drawn, in my opinion at least, are somewhat
>>>>strange.
>>>>My regret is to John Blennert, who obviously blames with this homepage
>>>>a
>>>>whole country for him having been unable to inform himself accurately
>>>>before
>>>>he was going there.
>>>>To me it seems like travelling to a tropical country, returning ill
>>>>from
>>>>malaria and afterwards blaming a whole nation, because one didn't care
>>>>for
>>>>a
>>>>prophylaxis.
>>>>
>>>>Some points:
>>>>
>>>>Can't see, why normal travellers, who will visit Oman for tourism,
>>>>should
>>>>ever come in a situation like you was in, to get in conflict with
>>>>written
>>>>or
>>>>unwritten laws, as they are going there not for hunting minerals,
>>>>rocks,
>>>>meteorites.
>>>>
>>>>In my humble opinion, I'd say, if you were able to organize and to plan
>>>>the
>>>>logistics of that trip, a part of these preparations should have
>>>>comprised
>>>>to check, whether there are any legal obstacles to hunt or to remove
>>>>meteorites from there.
>>>>At those times, it already was known by several hunters, that a license
>>>>for hunting and a permission for export is necessary, some already were
>>>>avoiding Oman, because
>>>>of the difficulties to get one.
>>>>That other hunters were not prosecuted, is no argument. You should have
>>>>spoken to them before.
>>>>
>>>>To rely on a 4 years old book (Guba: Stone Treasures) regarding the
>>>>actual
>>>>laws is naive.
>>>>A very important sentence I find on the top of your homepage:
>>>>"Do not trust tourist information about Oman that you may have received
>>>>from
>>>>official sources."
>>>>In reading the rest of your site, I suggest, that you should modify it
>>>>to
>>>>"...official US-sources".
>>>>You enquired at the American embassy in Muscat, they gave you the
>>>>information, that they are "unaware" of any laws restricting rock
>>>>hunting
>>>>or
>>>>exporting. I recommend for retrieving your property, which was
>>>>confiscated
>>>>by the Omani, to file a lawsuit against them.
>>>>As at the US-embassy they were obviously not informed about the laws in
>>>>Oman
>>>>("unaware" means not, that there do not exist any laws, only that they
>>>>don't
>>>>know it) it would have been necessary to enquire an embassy of Oman or
>>>>even
>>>>better to address to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Muscat,
>>>>whether a permission for mineral prospection and exportation is
>>>>necessary
>>>>and how to apply for.
>>>>
>>>>As undelightful the treatment you had to experience there has been and
>>>>as
>>>>glad we are, that you're all back at good health, to blame the whole
>>>>Omani
>>>>people for your insufficient preparations for the trip and you
>>>>incomplete
>>>>knowledge,
>>>>is ridicolous.
>>>>
>>>>"Tourists.....without being charged with any crime or misdemeanor."
>>>>Besides the incorrect treatment, that you were not allowed to contact
>>>>your
>>>>consulates, that you were not told the reasons for your arrest ect.
>>>>is this assertion contradictory to that, what one can read on your
>>>>homepage
>>>>in the official Omani document, you present on your site, where it's
>>>>said,
>>>>that you violated those laws: Article 279 of the Penal Code; articles
>>>>(3/2 - 10/1 - 21/A) of Law 27 of 2003 on mining; articles (9/1 - 30 -
>>>>54)
>>>>of
>>>>law 30 of 2002 on regulation of communications.
>>>>The consequences you had to suffer, happened according: Article (101)
>>>>of
>>>>the Criminal Procedures Law, Article (29) of the Foreigners Residence
>>>>Law,
>>>>Article (125) of the same mentioned law.
>>>>I guess those laws exist somewhere in written form. That you didn't
>>>>know
>>>>them before, is not the fault of the Omani officials. Whether your case
>>>>was
>>>>correctly subdued under this laws, is another question,
>>>>but be assured, that you'll get also problems in democratic countries,
>>>>let's
>>>>say - if you remove a column from the Akropolis in Athens, it won't
>>>>help
>>>>you
>>>>neither, if you'll state, that you didn't found in a book any hint,
>>>>that
>>>>it
>>>>might be illegal, nor that your embassy was "unaware" about that being
>>>>a
>>>>not
>>>>so good idea.
>>>>
>>>>- terrorism. I can't find any clue on your webpage, that could lead
>>>>someone
>>>>to the opinion, Oman could be a terroristic country.
>>>>
>>>>John, your site is very helpful for those, who planned a hunting trip
>>>>to
>>>>Oman and can now avoid to come into similar troubles, you were in.
>>>>Therefore my thanks,
>>>>but to claim that tourist travels to Oman are extremely dangerous,
>>>>is so silly like it would be to cry for a boycot for travels to U.S. as
>>>>it's
>>>>to dangerous, because the human rights are not respected in Guantanamo
>>>>or
>>>>that
>>>>underage and mentally ill persons were sentenced to death.
>>>>
>>>>My 2 buckleboos.
>>>>Martin
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>>From: "JKGwilliam" <h3chondrite_at_cox.net>
>>>>To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
>>>>Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 2:57 AM
>>>>Subject: [meteorite-list] Fwd: To all interested Parties
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Hello List members,
>>>>>My good friend John Blennert has asked me to post the following to the
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>List
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>as he has been unable to post it successfully himself. Any comments
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>should
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>be directed to John Blennert at:
>>>>>
>>>>>goldmaster_at_gci-net.com
>>>>>
>>>>>Best,
>>>>>JKGwilliam
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>From: "John Blennert" <goldmaster_at_gci-net.com>
>>>>>>To: "John K. Gwilliam" <jkg2_at_cox.net>
>>>>>>Subject: To all interested Parties
>>>>>>Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 17:07:15 -0700
>>>>>>X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2180
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Hi Johnny Q
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I again cannot post on the list ?? Can you forward this letter with
>>>>>>links
>>>>>>to the meteorite list !! Please don't change anything !!
>>>>>>Thanks
>>>>>>John
>>>>>>
>>>>>>To All Interested Parties
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I would like to announce the first of several web pages that is up
>>>>>>and
>>>>>>running. The address is www.dontvisitoman.com . We still have work to
>>>>>>do
>>>>>>on it to get the translators fully functioning and many more
>>>>>>countries/languages to add. I also have lots of work to do on
>>>>>>priority
>>>>>>placement of certain key words (tourist, tourism, travel, traveling,
>>>>>>sights, sightseeing, bird watching, diving, fishing, business,
>>>>>>boating,
>>>>>>hotels, off road, car rentals, swimming and of course rock hunting
>>>>>>and
>>>>>>geology in conjunction with Oman) on the various internet search
>>>>>>engines.
>>>>>>If anyone has any additional ideas as to where to link this sight for
>>>>>>maximum tourist exposure I would welcome any and all suggestions!! I
>>>>>>take
>>>>>>full responsibility for this web sights accuracy and content. We kept
>>>>>>meticulous logs of the daily events while being detained in Oman.
>>>>>>Only
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>the
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>pertinent information was used to develop this page and it's all 100%
>>>>>>true. There was also a $50,000.00 US payoff that was paid to an Omani
>>>>>>government official to release us from prison that was reported. But
>>>>>>I
>>>>>>have no first hand knowledge of that since it didn't originate in the
>>>>>>US.
>>>>>>My only regret is to the honest and friendly citizens of Oman that
>>>>>>will
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>be
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>affected by the loss of tourist dollars caused by this sight and the
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>other
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>web sights I'm working on. I welcome any and all comments good, bad
>>>>>>or
>>>>>>indifferent and suggestions and can be reached through email
>>>>>>at goldmaster_at_gci-net.com . Please take this travel warning serious
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>this
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>is not meant as a joke or to be humorous.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>It's great to be home!!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Warmest Regards
>>>>>>
>>>>>>John B.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>______________________________________________
>>>>>Meteorite-list mailing list
>>>>>Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>>>>>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>______________________________________________
>>>>Meteorite-list mailing list
>>>>Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>>>>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>>>>
>>>>
>>>______________________________________________
>>>Meteorite-list mailing list
>>>Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>>>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>>>
>>>
>>--
>>"You and I do not see things as they are. We see things as we are."
>> -Herb Cohen
>>--
>>If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.
>>
>>______________________________________________
>>Meteorite-list mailing list
>>Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
Received on Fri 24 Jun 2005 09:54:11 AM PDT