[meteorite-list] Responsibility Over Ratings

From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks <meteoritemike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:29:49 -0400
Message-ID: <AANLkTin0V_1KNAwdh6LDpTkbyBMxFRIRPeHvRiMZAxIy_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hi Steve and List,

LOL. First, I mistakenly called Sonny's meteorite a CM2, which it is
not. It is a CM1. Sonny and others kindly pointed this out to me.

Second, I did exaggerate just a bit. LOL

I recall recently when a fellow mailed a "meteorite" to Adam
(unsolicited) and claimed it was a CM1, just like the one on TV. Of
course, the object was not a meteorite, and it looked like a toliet
plunger. The same guy must have emailed me prior, because I also had
a cyber run-in with a pushy gent who wanted me to broker a deal for
his toliet plunger. Since then, no less than 3 more people have
contacted me about their suspected CM1 meteorite. This handful of CM1
hopefuls was buried in a mountain of other emails from people trying
to sell/identify their slags, hematite, basalt, conglomerates, and
Loc-Nar. For my first 2 years in meteorites, I took the time to
personally answer all of these emails - often at length.

Now, since Meteorite Men, I get 2 or 3 of these a day (on average),
and I just don't have the time or inclination to answer them all. Now
I selectively pick which ones to answer based on how nice the person
seems and what their story is. Most I just delete because if I took
the time to thoughtfully answer them all, it would become a part-time
job. Which reminds me, Galactic Stone and Ironworks is now hiring a
public relations person and concierge - to answer all such emails and
entertain offers of toliet plungers. I can't offer much in the way of
a salary, but I will split any proceeds from CM1 meteorites that I
purchase from strangers. ;)

Meteorite Men has undoubtedly pushed some new customers my way.
Whether or not this increased attention turns into a double-edged
sword, remains to be seen. (increased demand equals increased
wholesale costs and less supply - thus we get more sales, but it makes
our costs go up) Now, I hope that the attention doesn't push the
government over the edge into prohibiting meteorite collecting on
public lands - if so, I would be righteously pissed to lose my chance
to hunt before I ever go out and do it for the first time.

Well, either way, it's great to see a show on TV about meteorites and
I think whatever headache it generates is well worth it - unless the
govt. steps in and tightly regulates meteorites. If that happens, I
am going back to restoring and flipping antique telescopes. LOL

Best regards and happy huntings,

MikeG






On 6/24/10, Steve Arnold <meteorhntr at aol.com> wrote:
> Mike,
>
> You said:
> "If I had a dollar for every email I
> have gotten from someone claiming to have found a CM2 like Sonny's,
> I'd be a millionaire"
>
> Are you serious, you have had over 1,000,000 people contact you about CM2
> meteorites this last year?
>
> I thought our web traffic and email was up, but that is amazing.
>
> I would think out of 1,000,000 meteor-maybes, 3 or 4 might actually be real
> CM2s.
>
> Steve
> Sent from my BlackBerry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Galactic Stone & Ironworks" <meteoritemike at gmail.com>
> Sender: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
> Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:25:30
> To: Adam Hupe<raremeteorites at yahoo.com>
> Cc: Adam<meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Responsibility Over Ratings
>
> Hi Adam,
>
> Well said. I've said from day one when Meteorite Men hit the airwaves
> - I like the show, but I hate the emphasis on dollar amounts. Any
> time you tell the world that something is worth a lot of money, it
> brings out the worst in people. If I had a dollar for every email I
> have gotten from someone claiming to have found a CM2 like Sonny's,
> I'd be a millionaire - and as Adam can testify, most of these people
> don't want to hear the truth - that their rock is not a meteorite and
> they have a better chance of hitting the powerball lottery than they
> do of finding a CM2.
>
> About treasure-hunting -
>
> According to what I have heard and read, metal detecting is illegal on
> public lands in Florida now.
>
> The last dozen times I have been to the beach, I have seen too many
> metal detectors to count. So either the law is not being enforced, or
> I heard wrong. Some of these prospectors were operating within easy
> sight of law enforcement and law enforcement didn't seem to notice or
> care.
>
> I have also heard that collecting arrowheads is illegal - again
> though, don't tell the locals that, because very local down here who
> prospects also has a drawer full of arrowheads.
>
> Best regards,
>
> MikeG
>
>
> On 6/24/10, Adam Hupe <raremeteorites at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Dear List Members,
>>
>> I think that it is everybody responsibility to handle the media in a way
>> that does not adversely affect this great avocation. I call it
>> "responsibility over ratings." I have stated many times what is good for
>> TV
>> ratings may not be good for the hobby. I do not like the idea of some
>> self-appointed spokesperson representing my favorite pursuit in the media
>> but will have to live with it.
>>
>> I have been an amateur treasure hunter since 1975 and have seen my second
>> favorite pursuit destroyed in a matter of a single decade, mainly by the
>> press and people who do not know what they are talking about. The
>> problems
>> showed up soon after Mel Fisher's success. The press threw around
>> inflated
>> values of over one billion dollars and the next thing you know, over a
>> dozen
>> entities tried to claim his and his investors treasure without so much as
>> lifting a finger to find it. He eventually settled with the state of
>> Florida, mainly to get them off of his back. By doing this, he made it
>> possible for all other states to make similar claims.
>>
>> The press created great interest in treasure hunting, everybody wanting
>> to
>> find something. Metal detectors flew off of shelves. People who had no
>> interest in treasure hunting before began to dig holes everywhere, even
>> on
>> national heritage sites. They left trash behind and midnight gardened
>> every
>> opportunity they had. This made legitimate and respectful hunters pay the
>> price as one by one search sites become off limits. Almost all treasure
>> hunters were considered bad and were rarely permitted to even search
>> private
>> property. What started out as exciting turned ugly as the press
>> continued
>> to report only bad news which for some reason, generates higher ratings
>> than
>> good news.
>>
>> People who see dollars signs instead of meteorites can and will do a lot
>> of
>> damage. They think finding meteorites is like an Easter egg hunt, they
>> are
>> lying everywhere just like they saw on TV and they are worth millions to
>> boot. It will not be long before somebody gets shot for trespassing
>> willing to take risks at that $500,000.00 black rock that will solve all
>> of
>> their financial problems.
>>
>> Yes, money is a part of the game but if we put too much emphasis on it,
>> our
>> hobby will surely be in jeopardy. Two states have already proclaimed
>> their
>> land off limits with two more in hot pursuit. I was going to hunt
>> meteorites this July in Washington State but won't bother since state
>> State
>> and Federal Land are now off-limits, same for Oregon. California and
>> Arizona are next, probably shut down within the next 12 months. Arizona
>> has already specified that meteorites cannot be removed from state parks.
>> It
>> will not be long before the Federal lands are included.
>>
>> I think it is our responsibility to be careful and thoughtful about what
>> is
>> being stated to the media, especially since they get it wrong half the
>> time
>> and are quicker to jump on bad news. I am not trying to be negative,
>> only
>> trying to preserve an interesting and fun avocation.
>>
>> Best Regards,
>>
>> Adam
>> ______________________________________________
>> Visit the Archives at
>> http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
>> Meteorite-list mailing list
>> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>>
>
>
> --
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Mike Gilmer - Galactic Stone & Ironworks Meteorites
> http://www.galactic-stone.com
> http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> ______________________________________________
> Visit the Archives at
> http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Gilmer - Galactic Stone & Ironworks Meteorites
http://www.galactic-stone.com
http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone
------------------------------------------------------------

Received on Thu 24 Jun 2010 07:29:49 PM PDT