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

From: wahlperry at aol.com <*wahlperry_at_meteoritecentral.com*> Date: Wed, 6 Apr 2011 15:37:06 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <8CDC2A924FC1A15-22F8-33A69_at_angweb-usm005.sysops.aol.com> · wahlperry_at_meteoritecentral.com

---
Howdy all
	I can't exactly label myself "esteemed" but I'll say a few words... 
?The short version is, I have a lot more respect for Ralph Harvey than 
I do for the NYT. His quote in that article looks like the sort of 
thing that gets cherry-picked for effect. Yes, there are meteorites 
that are bought and sold illegally, and that's bad. There are also a 
hell of a lot of meteorites in research collections that would be 
rusting away in a desert somewhere if it weren't for collectors. That's 
good. I have no doubt that Ralph is fully aware of both sides of the 
argument, and I highly doubt that he intended to label all meteorite 
collection everywhere as a flaming travesty against all of humanity, 
the majority of puppies, and most unicorns everywhere.?
	Here's another recent article that makes a point pertinent to this 
discussion?(before it loses track and goes Fox-bashing), namely that 
science reporting has taken a sharp decrease in quality lately as the 
major media outlets have done away with dedicated science writers:?
http://tinyurl.com/3llqgay
?? ? ? ?Recent stories on "life" in CI meteorites, "natural atomic bomb 
blasts" on Mars, and now this story are symptoms of a bigger problem, 
namely the lack of well-informed treatment of science issues by the 
major media outlets. Science stories are increasingly handled by 
writers who are looking for high-impact, wow-factor "news" items as 
opposed to lower-key but better-informed articles by science journalism 
professionals. I can say from my own experience that it is rather 
frustrating to attend conferences where I see all manner of well 
thought-out, interesting research presented, and then to turn around 
and see little more than sensationalistic crap wind up front and center 
in the major media. That's not good for anyone - the really interesting 
stuff never reaches a wider audience, and the public winds up thinking 
that scientists waste their time and tax dollars on embarrassing 
nonsense like the examples I stated above. I think that's the effect 
we're seeing in this NYT article at least in part, and while it is 
unfortunate it doesn't surprise me much.
Cheers,
Marc Fries
On Apr 4, 2011, at 12:51 PM, mail at mhmeteorites.com wrote:
Perhaps one of the many esteemed researchers on this list would be kind 
enough to write a rebuttal.
Matt
------------------------
Matt Morgan
Mile High Meteorites
http://www.mhmeteorites.com
P.O. Box 151293
Lakewood, CO 80215
-----Original Message-----
From: Yinan Wang <veomega at gmail.com>
Sender: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 14:44:02
To: Meteorite-list<meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From 
Space
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
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-----Original Message-----
From: Marc Fries <chondritehero at gmail.com>
To: wahlperry <wahlperry at aol.com>
Sent: Wed, Apr 6, 2011 2:38 am
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From 
Space
Hey Sonny - could you do me a favor and post this to the meteorite 
list? ?I keep trying but it ain't showin' up.
Cheers,
Marc
---
Howdy all
	I can't exactly label myself "esteemed" but I'll say a few words... 
?The short version is, I have a lot more respect for Ralph Harvey than 
I do for the NYT. His quote in that article looks like the sort of 
thing that gets cherry-picked for effect. Yes, there are meteorites 
that are bought and sold illegally, and that's bad. There are also a 
hell of a lot of meteorites in research collections that would be 
rusting away in a desert somewhere if it weren't for collectors. That's 
good. I have no doubt that Ralph is fully aware of both sides of the 
argument, and I highly doubt that he intended to label all meteorite 
collection everywhere as a flaming travesty against all of humanity, 
the majority of puppies, and most unicorns everywhere.?
	Here's another recent article that makes a point pertinent to this 
discussion?(before it loses track and goes Fox-bashing), namely that 
science reporting has taken a sharp decrease in quality lately as the 
major media outlets have done away with dedicated science writers:?
http://tinyurl.com/3llqgay
?? ? ? ?Recent stories on "life" in CI meteorites, "natural atomic bomb 
blasts" on Mars, and now this story are symptoms of a bigger problem, 
namely the lack of well-informed treatment of science issues by the 
major media outlets. Science stories are increasingly handled by 
writers who are looking for high-impact, wow-factor "news" items as 
opposed to lower-key but better-informed articles by science journalism 
professionals. I can say from my own experience that it is rather 
frustrating to attend conferences where I see all manner of well 
thought-out, interesting research presented, and then to turn around 
and see little more than sensationalistic crap wind up front and center 
in the major media. That's not good for anyone - the really interesting 
stuff never reaches a wider audience, and the public winds up thinking 
that scientists waste their time and tax dollars on embarrassing 
nonsense like the examples I stated above. I think that's the effect 
we're seeing in this NYT article at least in part, and while it is 
unfortunate it doesn't surprise me much.
Cheers,
Marc Fries
On Apr 4, 2011, at 12:51 PM, mail at mhmeteorites.com wrote:
Perhaps one of the many esteemed researchers on this list would be kind 
enough to write a rebuttal.
Matt
------------------------
Matt Morgan
Mile High Meteorites
http://www.mhmeteorites.com
P.O. Box 151293
Lakewood, CO 80215
-----Original Message-----
From: Yinan Wang <veomega at gmail.com>
Sender: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 14:44:02
To: Meteorite-list<meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From 
Space
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
______________________________________________
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