[meteorite-list] Dr. Richard Daniels is a pseudonym for Randall Gregory, my way of not asking people to post for me

From: Dr. Richard Daniels <dr.richard.daniels_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 04:46:08 -0500
Message-ID: <42b6000e0710030246j1dc829d0iad2f73303573f0d8_at_mail.gmail.com>

XXX,

This is critical, I'll try to post but if it doesn't make it could you
send it to someone that will post. I know you want to stay out of the
middle.

I reviewed the report sent in by Mr. Farmer today and then I asked my
Peruvian wife to her to call my friends in Desaguadero to find out
what the situation is. I read Mike's field report and he had mentioned
that they started to pump out the water in the crater and I was
curious to know if they found the meteorite.

This is the story as my wife is relating to me after she talked to my
friend. Major Victor Anaya Barrientos of the Peruvian National Police
located in the town of Desaguadero.

Apparently, Mike and his associated went to the town of Desaguadero
and used their method of posting flyers and soliciting citizens to
sell them meteorites.They told people that the meteorite pieces were
very very valuable and they would pay good money for any samples. I
guess they made offers on a per gram basis that sent these people into
a frenzy. They never went to the municipality and asked for any kind
of permission. And they never made any contacts with scientists or
researchers in Peru. Local citizens swarmed to the site to look for
pieces and almost caused a riot. Apparently, the Spanish speaking
person with Mike told the people of the community that there was a big
meteorite in the hole and it was worth alot of money. This is the
equivalent of starting a revolution. The people gathered at the
municipality demanding that the government extract the meteorite. The
mayor of the city complied under duress, and started to pump out the
water. Meanwhile, news of this revolution went from the local to the
national level.

Local people were upset as they expected the city to find this million
dollar meteorite that Mike and his friends told them. This caused so
many problems with the municipality that the Minister of Interior at
the national level has issued an order to close the site declaring
that the site government property. The site now has a 24 hour police
guard and everyone is forbidden from entering the site. Mike never
realized the consequences of his actions. The reason he and his
friends were harassed was the police believed that they were
"trafficantes" or traffickers. The police were entirely correct in
their assessment, and gave a message to Mike that they wanted him and
his friends to leave.

The damage he caused might be irreparable. I intend on visiting the
site in a short time to see what the situation is and report back to
the list. I will try to work with my colleagues in Peru and Bolivia,
the Universities to organize an effort to extract the meteorite as a
National Treasure for the people of Peru. I believe this meteorite can
be still be saved and the crater preserved. But now that the national
government is involved, all my work at preservation might have been in
vain.

Right now, I am furious with Mike and his actions. No respect for
people. I am also deeply offended when he called the Mayor and other
Peruvian scientists stupid. Here is a man with a high school education
calling college educated professionals stupid. He called Desaguadero
a "craphole". Yes, it is a very poor city high in the Andes and is no
way plush as the area of Tuscon he lives in. He went in with his
greedy little plan and hurt alot of people, while never trying to
understand the culture or the people. Just criticism and a ton of
negativity toward everything. The Peruvians are good, decent,
hard-working, and religious people and I happy and proud to be
associated with them. Besides the damage he caused in Desaguadero, I
believe he tarnished the image of meteoritic community.

It really makes me think, What is the definition of a "professional"
meteorite hunter?

I take responsibility for everything I say in this post and I am
expecting criticism. After I read Mike's field report, I sent him an
e-mail. I won't post it to the list, but it is available to anyone
that wants to read it.

I am now appealing to the meteoritic community of scientists to help
me at a national level so our government can contact and assist the
government of Peru in extracting this meteorite. Every meteorite has
the potiential to harbor organic compounds or fossilized remains and
should be studied. Give me leads or referrals is all I ask.


Randall
Received on Wed 03 Oct 2007 05:46:08 AM PDT