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

From: Thunder Stone <stanleygregr_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 14:02:10 -0700
Message-ID: <SNT117-W15E7E9E06A7B8033E5B22FD2A30_at_phx.gbl>

Wow - Another example of a "MediaWrong"
 
It's just too bad. I can't even imagine the 1000's of type specimens provided to institutions throughout the world by private meteorite hunters; not even to mention the specimens donated or sold to museums for display and study.
 
Greg S.

----------------------------------------
> Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 12:30:53 -0700
> From: eric at meteoritesusa.com
> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> Subject: [meteorite-list] BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From Space
>
> 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
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Received on Mon 04 Apr 2011 05:02:10 PM PDT