[meteorite-list] Technical question about NomCom and Bulletin

From: Michael Blood <mlblood_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:22:04 -0700
Message-ID: <C8309AAC.F008%mlblood_at_cox.net>

Hi Jason, Martin, Jeff and all,
        Jason wrote:
> by approving those meteorites that have been illegally exported,
> the Nomenclature Committee is in effect financially supporting the
> illegal export of meteorites from countries where it is prohibited.
        The Nomenclature Committee would be performing the function
exactly as it defines itself to be, as Jeff stated, " Note that the
activities of the Society only involve dissemination of information.
        Jason continues:
>What we're saying is that the Nomenclature committee, because they
>Provide a service to dealers by verifying and providing an easy way to
>authenticate a given meteorite, which makes them easier to sell,
>should perhaps not allow the submission of illegally exported
>materials of great scientific value. The work on them can still be
>done by labs if they choose to do it, and the papers will still be
>written, but the service provided by the Nomenclature Committee of
>having this information posted online would not be done, so that the
>private sector would...well, it would be a much riskier thing to buy.
        You seem to be implying that information, academic and otherwise,
Should be withheld because someone may - or even does - use that
Information in profiting in a way in violation of some laws of some
Countries.
        Ah, this sounds a uncomfortably closer to fascism than to academic
freedom.
            And he continues....
> So, by approving those meteorites that have been illegally exported,
> the Nomenclature Committee is in effect financially supporting the
> illegal export of meteorites from countries where it is prohibited.
> Think about it; if the Committee/Society were to go through with this,
> no one would get any new official (or provisional?) numbers for Omani
> stones. It would be harder to sell them as unnumbered
> Shisr/Dhofar/etc stones, or something along those lines.
            The premise is completely off to begin with. The Nomenclature
Committee never has or ever will "approve" anything. They record
Information by assigning names appropriate to given falls or finds.
            Perhaps we should burn all the art books and archaeology texts
Because art and artifact thieves benefit a great deal from the information
Contained there in.
            Jason, I always perceived you as highly intelligent, but the
arguments you present in this instance are academically indefensible.
Any curtailment of or hiding of information is tantamount to a step
Backwards toward the dark ages - certainly, it is at the very least a
Form of censorship.
            Again, perhaps I am missing something here, but what you have
Stated does not lead me to believe that is the case.
            Respectfully, Michael
        
Received on Sun 06 Jun 2010 03:22:04 AM PDT