[meteorite-list] Marching Hammers - Business and Marketing

From: cdtucson at cox.net <cdtucson_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:11:30 -0700
Message-ID: <20090319131130.KP6UY.210367.imail_at_fed1rmwml33>

Gilmer,
I did not see anyone attacking Blood. I will tell you that my short list of dealers I would recommend is headed by Blood. Others include in no particular order; Black, Notkin, Pitt, Garcia, Arnold #1, Kachinka, Miller, Reeds, Bruno. Gheesling,Grossman. just to name the stand outs that have treated me personally well.

My vote for best Scientist still working with us is Ted Bunch. Korotev comes close.
Carl Esparza
IMCA 5829
Meteoritemax

---- Michael Gilmer <michael_w_gilmer at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Hi List,
>
> Another can of worms opened up here with the definition of a hammer.
>
> First, whoever emailed Michael Blood and bashed his business
> practices needs to have their head examined. I've done trades
> and made purchases from Michael and can state that he is a first
> class guy. Michael's only "crime" is his enthusiasm for collecting
> meteorites that have struck objects.
>
> And let's not discredit thinking people by claiming that some
> dealer using the word "hammer" is going to damage the hobby as
> a whole or devaluate all other "real hammers". This is being a bit
> dramatic. I think most people, including newbies, are perfectly
> capable of using a search engine, reading, and learning.
>
> I am going to say something that may get vegetables thrown at me,
> but the overall atmosphere of suspicion in this hobby is
> unfortunate. I have never in my life seen a hobby where many
> newcomers are viewed with suspicion and people launch accusations
> against other's business practices based on semantics. Sure,
> meteorites are a valuable commodity and any valuable commodity
> is going to the target/source of frauds. But all of the suspicion,
> accusations, and general rivalry is unnecessary. There are
> enough meteorites for everyone. There are enough collectors
> for every dealer. And fakes/frauds are much less common than the
> alarmists would have you believe. I've done hundreds of meteorite
> deals in my short time in this hobby, and not once has a person
> tried to defraud me - if they were that type, I wouldn't have
> done business with them in the first place.
>
> I'm very thankful that visual astronomy doesn't have the same
> atmosphere as meteorite collecting - if it did, I would have
> quit the hobby long ago and never learned the wonders of the
> heavens above. A handful of people have been very gracious to me
> in this hobby, but several have also been twofaced - ready to
> take my money when I buy their meteorites, but ready to talk
> smack behind my back because I don't buy into their particular
> clique. When I got into astronomy and approached an observing
> club about joining, I was welcomed with open arms and brought
> into the hobby - which I now share with others in the same
> manner. Unfortunately, meteorites have not been like that - I
> was viewed with suspicion by some from the minute I arrived on the
> scene.
>
> Why? I don't know. Probably for the same reason someone is now
> talking crap about Michael Blood. Politics, cliques, gossip,
> and profiteering - much bigger issues in the meteorite world
> than the definition of a hammer.
>
> That's where I stand, even if it's not popular.
>
> Regards and clear skies,
>
> MikeG
>
> PS - despite all the politics, backbiting, and suspicion, I am
> still having a lot of fun collecting meteorites. So NEENER NEENER! :P .... LOL
>
> PSS - to the 5 or 6 people who have been "straight up" with me
> in our dealings, you have my sincerest thanks again. You know
> who you are. ;) :)
>
>
> .........................................................
> Michael Gilmer (Louisiana, USA)
> Member of the Meteoritical Society.
> Member of the Bayou Region Stargazers Network.
> Websites - http://www.galactic-stone.com and http://www.glassthrower.com
> ..........................................................
>
>
>
>
>
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Received on Thu 19 Mar 2009 01:11:30 PM PDT