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

From: cdtucson at cox.net <*cdtucson_at_meteoritecentral.com*> Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 18:46:29 -0400 Message-ID: <20110404184629.77UJP.331264.imail_at_fed1rmwml38> · cdtucson_at_meteoritecentral.com

--
Carl or Debbie Esparza
Meteoritemax
---- Meteorites USA <eric at meteoritesusa.com> wrote: 
> Hey Greg, Well, if the NYT article is not insulting enough to everyone 
> in the meteorite world, the link Dirk posted earlier on his site from 
> another blogger here: 
> http://www.minyanville.com/dailyfeed/illegal-meteorite-trade-surges-angering/ 
> Quote: "The problem, of course, is that these treasures of science are 
> winding up in the hands of collectors, and not actual scientists."
> 
> Hmmmm... A well informed blog post written by someone who read the NYT 
> article and did an Ebay search.
> 
> Damn good blogging there I tell you!
> 
> Regards,
> Eric
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 4/4/2011 2:02 PM, Thunder Stone wrote:
> > 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
> >> ______________________________________________
> >> 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 		 	   		
> >>      
> ______________________________________________
> 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