[meteorite-list] BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From Space

From: Yinan Wang <veomega_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 14:44:02 -0500
Message-ID: <BANLkTikRpBpcy70MQ_Uo0hOfswk4eO+VCA_at_mail.gmail.com>

For those who are inclined to do so, you can certainly write a letter
to the editor which may be published in the Opinions page of the NY
times as a response:

http://www.nytimes.com/content/help/site/editorial/letters/letters.html?ref=letters

-YvW

On Mon, Apr 4, 2011 at 2:30 PM, Meteorites USA <eric at meteoritesusa.com> wrote:
> This is one of the most sensationalized, biased, uninformed, and skewed
> article I've ever read on NYT's website regarding meteorites. Mainly the
> article focuses on the Gebel Kamil iron meteorite, however it paints a grim
> picture and tries to draw a connection to all meteorites implying that the
> private market is somehow damaging the science.
>
> Black Market Trinkets From Space:
> http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/science/05meteorite.html
> Quote: "Popular or not, the meteorites were taboo. In Egypt and elsewhere,
> scientists say, it is illegal without a permit to remove meteorites from a
> country."
> Quote: "The scientists say they have relatively few samples compared with
> the booming illicit sales."
> Quote: "Dr. Harvey of Case Western Reserve said the quandary applied to the
> scientific community as a whole. The rampant looting of meteorite sites and
> skyrocketing prices for the fragments, he said, ?dramatically reduce who can
> get samples to do the research."
> Quote: "The black market has exploded in size mainly because of a rush of
> new meteorites arriving from North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula."
> Quote: "The collectors association, founded in 2004 in Nevada, now has
> hundreds of members around the globe. And while some traders deal in
> legitimate exports, many do not. One buyer expressed remorse after reading
> about scientific angst over the thriving market. ?I?m very ashamed,? the
> buyer wrote on a blog. ?I?m surely a part of the problem.
>
> This article is irresponsible and borderline yellow journalism from the NYT.
> They should be ashamed for running such a biased and uninformed story. Well
> over half of the article weighs on the disadvantages and more than infers a
> "possible" damage to science which is not there.
>
> It almost completely ignores the great good that's been accomplished through
> private collecting/hunting/curating or meteorites and the contributions that
> have been made by private collectors and hunters. It never mentions
> donations to institutions, how much of a sample is needed to study any
> meteorite, nor does it mention how many people it brings to the science.
> There is one very good quote from Anne which states:
>
> ?The scientists do not have time to go hunt for their own meteorites, so
> somebody has to do it for them,? said Anne M. Black, president of the
> collectors association. ?It?s common sense.?
>
> To the uninformed reader, and inexperienced meteorite collector the NYT
> article looks very bad and creates an artificially biased view from those
> not familiar with meteorites. It's purely political.
>
> I think it should be an article for MHC Magazine. To make it FAIR for
> everyone involved, I want ALL points of view, from all sides. From the
> scientific world, and the private market, as well as the points from the
> center. Anyone who would like the opportunity to tell the WHOLE story, who
> cares to write a rebuttal for the NYT's blatantly biased article, send me
> your info. I would be more than happy to publish it!
>
> Contact me with your comments, facts and opinions. This article will be both
> on the blog http://www.mhcmagazine.com/blog/ and in the next issue of the
> magazine!
>
> Regards,
> Eric Wichman
> MHC Magazine
> http://www.mhcmagazine.com
> ______________________________________________
> 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
>
Received on Mon 04 Apr 2011 03:44:02 PM PDT