[meteorite-list] NASA could sell...
From: MexicoDoug <mexicodoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 19:18:50 -0400 Message-ID: <8CE026E8B04B8BD-1044-2B990_at_webmail-m163.sysops.aol.com> Hi Steve - Who are "The People"? First, NASA is only a custodian; from the documented worthless statistics department (my shameless turn, data from SNAP) to illustrate why the government hiccups so much when divesting anything - As of this today, "The People", 45 million Americans, to make one simple example, receive food stamps at an annual cost of over $72 billion dollars. Now, if they can't eat and the government has to rob Peter to pay Paul, it is the primary duty of the government to insure a sea of domestic tranquility, not a tasty sample here and there of Lunar Tranquility. The government of all great countries doesn't do too bad a job at that at providing for the people and that dream is alive! But the moment you start talking divestments of government assets, the priorities are for a nation, not a special interest group like us of space junkies. Hence the real genesis of the magical term, national treasure, i.e., you toucha da asset the people breaka ya face. Governments understand taxes, and taxes alone. They'd much rather vote a luxury tax on meteorites and public domain memorabilia to finance the space program. After all, income from reselling of meteorites is like a renewable resource and taxes theoretically can always be repealed, but selling extraterrestrial samples in the vault is a one time deal with only blame as the result, even if you do a bang-up job. Put another way, when divesting "national treasures" democracy is two famished men and a fat, innocent lamb voting on what to have for dinner ... Best wishes Doug -----Original Message----- From: Steve Schoner <schoner at mybluelight.com> To: mexicodoug at aim.com Cc: Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com Sent: Sun, Jun 26, 2011 5:53 pm Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] NASA could sell... "Of the People, by the People, and for the People" That was once a dream, the aims of a unique, singular government for those that founded this great Country. It is up to us "the People" to keep that dream alive. It can happen... It is up to us to make it so. Steve ---------- Original Message ---------- From: MexicoDoug <mexicodoug at aim.com> To: schoner at mybluelight.com, Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] NASA could sell... Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 17:18:48 -0400 Steve S wrote: "I have dreamt of this for years. Just a dream... But you never know... ... and for them, their trust will increase as the voids left from these sales fill with new specimens from asteroids, Mars and the moon when funded missions return with new samples." Hi Steve - A very beautiful dream ... but I just had a nightmare. When have you ever known any government to make a profit off any of its endeavors? Is the model to be the selling off energy credits back to the grid? (If so we could all trade RECs with the government). The only place the proceeds would go short-term would be to maintain a larger staff to maintain the program itself if I understand how government works, then the lawsuits, then avoid cutbacks at JSC, other NASA places like it (of course vesting more individual into it that abhor the idea of losing the treasures which keeping in the storage helps keep their job, or so they mistakenly believe until the funds get cut anyway ... ). But then, the general government fund registers and instead of the politician on the white horse riding in and saving us, one comes in in the cash-hungry shadows with with stealth-refined radar as soon as the first decimal over six-figures comes in - and would raid the earning to pay off the foreign debt and in the process cutting the programs that were half way along and depended on it, cause the new director of NASA to resign and everyone to go into private industry, frustrating the dickens out of all the scientists and international partners and turning us all into cynics ;-) Wouldn't it be a whole lot simpler for a private company to mount one time Lunar expedition in which all these potential buyers could even be shareholders if you like, vs. expecting a utopian government? Kindest wishes Doug -----Original Message----- From: Steve Schoner <schoner at mybluelight.com> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com Sent: Sun, Jun 26, 2011 4:48 pm Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] NASA could sell... Right, And I am serious about it. Everything, meteorites included. NASA keeps up to half the stock for science and releases the rest through a public GSA auction. And to prove provenance of the specimens encapsulate them with a statement of what the sample is, its weight, origin, NASA logo and s/n. There should be a fine print statement on the back of that encapsulated label warning that if capsule is broken the sample then loses its provenance, and thus its intrinsic value, and that NASA will not confirm the identity of broken lucite encapsulated specimens. These NASA presentation capsules can be patterned after those that were previously made and distributed to other Nations or institutions, or made from a different design. I have dreamt of this for years. Just a dream... But you never know... Maybe some Senator or Congressman will see the merit of releasing some, up to half the stock to the General Public, ostensibly to fund NASA. And maybe some of those protecting this so called "National Treasure" at JSC will see merit in it too. And for them, their trust will increase as the voids left from these sales fill with new specimens from asteroids, Mars and the moon when funded missions return with new samples. We all have to let go in life. We leave everything behind, and move on. Our Government should realise this as well. Those rocks in the course of human history will be dispersed, one way or another, it will happen. Why not let it happen now a bit at a time... When those with the resources can plunk down millions for a piece of moon rock from each of the Apollo Missions, rare meteorites included, so that exploration can continue and humanity as a whole can move on. Not all will be able to afford what could be offered, but those that can will and maybe plunk down more than most would ever pay for such encapsulated specimens. I saw Apollo 11 live in 1969 awed to be alive to see it. The moon for me changed in one day, for Man had finally set his footprint there. And ever since I have waited to see our steps on the moon again and by now mars... "We Came In Peace For All Mankind" was the statement on Eagle's plaque that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin left on the Moon... It is past the time to let go of a portion of what they and the other Apollo astronauts brought back so that these funds will help to extend that message again to the moon and beyond. Steve Schoner Founding Member Emeritus IMCA #4470 www.petroslides.com ---------- Original Message ---------- From: Michael Gilmer <meteoritemike at gmail.com> To: Steve Schoner <schoner at mybluelight.com> Cc: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] NASA could sell... Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 14:22:45 -0400 Hi Steve and List, That is the best idea I have heard in a long time! And, it would completely vindicate Nininger! Put me down for a micro speck of ALH84001! Best regards, MikeG -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------- Galactic Stone & Ironworks - Meteorites & Amber (Michael Gilmer) Website - http://www.galactic-stone.com Facebook - http://tinyurl.com/42h79my News Feed - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 Twitter - http://twitter.com/galacticstone EOM - http://www.encyclopedia-of-meteorites.com/collection.aspx?id=1564 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------- On 6/26/11, Steve Schoner <schoner at mybluelight.com> wrote: > Here is an idea that has been bandied about... > > NASA complains about lack of funds for further exploration. > > But they sit on a 856 lbs of Apollo moon samples valued at 50K to 5 million > per/gram. > > And there are many pieces that have been studied and no longer of scientific > use. > > Put them up in a legitimate government auction of public property. > > In fact they could cut in half every specimen that have at hand sitting in > their vaults and maybe even fund another manned mission to the moon or even > to Mars. > > And all the while they waste tax-payer money chasing down holders of > inconsequential milligrams of lunar dust on swatches of tape. > > Steve Schoner > IMCA #4470 > > P.S. I open this with the exercise of figuring out what 400 lbs of Apollo > rocks, soil and dust might bring on the open market, either by set price as > currently established on the open market for the very few Apollo samples in > public domain, or as might be realised in an open Government sponsored > auction. > > Should be interesting to see what the results might be. > > ____________________________________________________________ > 57 Year Old Mom Looks 27! > Mom Reveals $5 Wrinkle Trick That Has Angered Doctors! > http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL3341/4e0770584a1229e6dast05duc > ______________________________________________ > 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 ____________________________________________________________ 57 Year Old Mom Looks 27! Mom Reveals $5 Wrinkle Trick That Has Angered Doctors! http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL3341/4e07aab1dbb15a612cst06ducReceived on Sun 26 Jun 2011 07:18:50 PM PDT |
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