[meteorite-list] What makes a hammer a hammer?

From: Dave Gheesling <dave_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 11:29:23 -0500
Message-ID: <C41F89E6AE2C4070879C4EE8F13D70FA_at_meteorroom>

Michael wrote: "Dave Gheesling was essentially correct in stating that The
"word," "HAMMER" first appeared in a book by Niven and Pournelle, entitled,
LUCIFER'S HAMMER, Fawcett Crest, 1977.
(Ironically, in the book, this term is a misnomer, as the Astronomer who
first views the object and predicts a Huge earth impact was named Hamner,
and it was a "religious" figure that stated that "Lucifer's Hammer"
Was going to punish the people of the earth"

Actually, it was sort of an intentional, or perhaps Freudian, misnomer,
ficticiously coming from Johnny Carson (well known for intentional Freudian
slips). Interviewing the ficticious astronomer, Tim Hamner, Carson said,
"Tim, it's your comet. Could HAMMER-Brown actually hit us?" Hamner
responds, "That's HAMNER-Brown." Carson laughs, "Oh, what did I say?
Hammer? It would be a hammer if it hit, wouldn't it?" Fun read, by the
way, and the initial conditions are remarkably similar to a real H-B comet
that would arrive two decades later...

Make it a great Sunday, everybody,

Dave
www.fallingrocks.com

-----Original Message-----
From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of Michael L
Blood
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 4:39 AM
To: Steve Arnold dealer/Qynne; meteoritefinder at yahoo.com
Cc: Meteorite List
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] What makes a hammer a hammer?

Steve, Robert, Dave, Walter, Mike, John et al,
        Several comments:
(I would have responded earlier, but I was watching The Chargers KICK ASS!)

1) Any information listed on my hammer page
http://www.michaelbloodmeteorites.com/Hammers.html
Regarding Sylacauga is more accurately expressed by (THE REAL) Steve Arnold.
I stand corrected by him on All accounts regarding this specific hammer.

2) Walter Branch's original page can be seen at:
http://imca.repetti.net/metinfo/metstruck.html
His reference to "HAMs" he states, is a reference to "humans, animals & man
made objects" and is unrelated To my coining the term, "Hammer" in reference
to any Fall that resulted in a stone striking one of the above.

3) Dave Geesling was essentially correct in stating that The "word,"
"HAMMER" first appeared in a book by Niven and Pournelle, entitled,
LUCIFER'S HAMMER, Fawcett Crest, 1977.
(Ironically, in the book, this term is a misnomer, as the Astronomer who
first views the object and predicts a Huge earth impact was named Hamner,
and it was a "religious" figure that stated that "Lucifer's Hammer"
Was going to punish the people of the earth (much like The gobledgook
vomited by the "religious" that state that AIDS is a punishment by God for
the "sin" of homosexuality.
I read this book 10 or more years before I got into meteorites But my use of
the term "hammer" was, in fact, inspired To a degree from this book.
However, I thought long and hard About the term I wanted to use before
deciding to use "hammer."
Since I was collecting them and determined to offer the largest Selection
available of them, I felt a name was definitely called For and "hammer" it
was.

4) When one coins a term, that person sets the parameters Of definition.
Inevitably these parameters will change or Be refined over time. My use of
the term "Hammer" was In reference to a meteorite that "nailed" something -
specifically Human, animal or human made, just as was made reference to In
Walter's work. Personally, I EXCLUDE roads and cultivars (varieties of
hybridized fruit trees), though there are others who collect hammers that
include them.

5) The entire fall is a "Hammer" fall and a specific individual that hit A
specific object, animal or person is a "Hammer stone" (very, very Few
irons)(the use of "hammer stone" was introduced by Adam Hupe.
Though I originally debated his usage, conversations with him brought Me
over to his side on this issue).
        Of course, one would always prefer THE hammer stone Of a fall or one
of several.... For instance, I have 9 different Park Forest "Hammers" that
include several houses, a car, a tow truck, A fire station, a baseball
grandstand, fence, etc. However, in many cases The one or few hammer stones
is not available (the guy in the boat Threw all that landed in his boat into
the river, as they were clearly
"evil"- Chiang-Khan) or the tiny Mbale stone that struck a boy.... I Have a
photo of him holding it but no amount of research has resulted In finding
ANYONE who can even say they have any idea of what Happened to that
particular stone.
        As for Allende, Pultusk, Holbrook, etc, there is written
documentation describing houses and patios, a train station being struck - I
am working on a book that will cite a good deal of written records attesting
to such events - the topic is far too extensive to include here.

6) I am amazed at the egocentric attitude of people who look down on others
Who are "into" something that holds no interest for them. It would be like
Me stating all NWA material is insignificant, regardless of rarity of type
Because it is nearly all undocumented as to both date of impact and in The
vast majority of cases, not reliably recorded as to specific location of
find. While these statements may (or may not) have credibility, my personal
Value system being applied is, relatively speaking, irrelevant.

7) Mike Gilmer asked why some falls were hardly ever referred to as
"hammers" though they fit the description: Holbrook, Allende, etc. Yes,
Mike, in those cases the fall, itself was so extensive and significant in
Other ways that, though they included in any reasonable hammer collection,
That is not their only claim to fame.

8) What percentage of meteorite collectors specifically collect hammers?
This would be an excellent polling question for the list. If people want to
Email me off list, I will count up the responses and report to the list. I
believe the list currently has about 900 members (it is impossible to know
Because a significant number of people use more than one email address To
receive posts). Regardless, we could get some idea. From conversations I
have had with collectors, my GUESS would be about 10 percent of all
Collectors go out of their way to collect hammers (usually as ONE of their
Interests in meteorites). However, a pole would be far more revealing, as
Hammer collectors tend to contact me at a much higher rate than other
Dealers, I am sure. When I opened my "Hammer Page"
http://www.michaelbloodmeteorites.com/Hammers.html
I started with about 28 offerings of different falls. I now have over 40, I
Belive. Both figures far surpass any other source I have been able to find
Many times over.
        So, if people email me, I will report to the list. Here is how: Put
ONLY "Hammer Collector" in the subject box (you don't even have to say
Anything in the body of the text if you don't want to). Please DO NOT
Include "Meteorite List" in the subject line - some days I get over 300
Emails in one day - guess which ones don't always get checked out?
        (anyone who would get a specimen SPECIFICALLY Because of its status
as a hammer) - Neither the size of your hammer collection nor the size of
the specimens matter - just, do you collect them.

9) I will report back to the list the number of people who said they Collect
hammers.

10) HAMMERS RULE!

        Best wishes, Michael


on 1/3/09 11:59 PM, MeteorHntr at aol.com at MeteorHntr at aol.com wrote:

> Hello Robert,
>
> To answer your direct question, no I have not seen the "Hodges's stone."
>
> However, in Dr. King's Meteorite Collection Catalog he listed the
> source of his Sylacaga specimen as, and I quote:
>
> "Source: Alabama Mus. Nat. Hist., Douglas Jones"
>
> Now, if anyone on the list has access to the Hodges's stone to
> examine, my hunch is that the core would have been removed from the
> bottom portion, as it is displayed, and the hole was probably plugged
with something and colored so
> as to hide the fact that a core was removed. My memory is a bit fuzzy,
but
> as I recall there were some correspondence letters between Dr. King
> and the Alabama Museum of Natural History at the time leading up to the
acquisition.
> And there was a concern that any examination would not hurt the
> aesthetic appearance of the stone.
>
> However, it might be easier to ask the Smithsonian if their records
indicate
> that any of their Sylacaga was traded to Dr. King. But with the
conflict
> NASA (including Dr. King) had with the Smithsonian in the 1960's I
> seriously doubt any trades were done with the Smithsonian.
>
> As many of you know, we auctioned off the King Collection, and it
> would make some of you sick if you knew how cheaply that specimen
> sold for. I was surprised at the time, but then again, there were
> many great specimens in the collection being sold, and most people had to
budget where they spent their
> money, so some things went a little lower than expected at that time.
Since
> then, the value has appreciated to more reasonable levels.
>
> I hope this answers your question Robert?
>
> Steve Arnold #1
>
>
>
> In a message dated 1/3/2009 10:11:11 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> meteoritefinder at yahoo.com writes:
> Steve and List,
>
> Steve, are you absolutely sure the core came from THE Hodges's stone (
> the one that struck her) and NOT the McKinney stone??? I have not
> actually seen the Hodge's stone in person, and maybe you have, so you
> MAY be right. But ... if I may quote a few words from "one of our
> illustrious members'" ( who I hope doesn't mind me using them, and
> that he will join in the discussion, too
> ) website that state:
>
> "....There were two stones - the one that hit the human and one
> other. The one that hit the human is the centerpiece in a local
> museum. No one has ever had access to it. However,the second stone is
> in the Smithsonion and though the remainder has never been available
> to the public, it did have one core drilled in it. This core ended up in
the collection of Dr.
> King. After his death his widow allowed it to be cut into about 10
> whafer slices all of which all ended up as primary specimens in
> private collections."
>
> So have you seen THE Hodges' stone in person and saw that there
> actually IS a hole drilled into THAT very one????
>
> Thanks,
> Robert Woolard
>
> **************New year...new news. Be the first to know what is
> making headlines. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026)
> ______________________________________________
> http://www.meteoritecentral.com
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
 




______________________________________________
http://www.meteoritecentral.com
Meteorite-list mailing list
Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Received on Sun 04 Jan 2009 11:29:23 AM PST