[meteorite-list] NASA SETI Misappropriation of Tax Payer Funds

From: Michael Farmer <mike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2012 15:31:21 -0700
Message-ID: <7543D5FF-D932-4C78-87DF-DB760D323E5A_at_meteoriteguy.com>

Sadly the scientific side of this meteorite hunt has turned into a joke. It was the talk of Europe in Munich, several real meteorite scientists told me that the debacle was reflecting very badly on the meteoritic world. I am glad I stayed out of this one and didn't waste my time with gimmicks like blimps and "going rogue":)
Sadly, I feel that any meteorite fall in the USA will garner the same idiotic media attention and moronic hunters in the news. Certain meteorite shows in recent TV history have ruined this business in this country. Every future fall with have uneducated locals hawking every rock that is magnetic or black, and every news article will need blimps and magnet sticks to get published. Battle Mountain, a real fall with real hunters and real meteorites finds daily didn't even warrant a newspaper article. I guess the lack of NASA credentials and airships made it a boring story.

Michael Farmer

Sent from my iPad

On Nov 2, 2012, at 3:16 PM, Robert Verish <bolidechaser at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Greg, Mendy, and All,
>
> To the best of my knowledge, no public (NASA) funds have been spent on this meteorite fall.
> I will post to this List a local newspaper article that explains that the finder (Lisa Webber) gave N01 to her neighbor (Glenn Rivera) because the stone hit her house on his birthday. Subsequently, Glenn has loaned the N01 stone to Peter for "scientific studies". As a result, Glenn was offered and accepted a seat on the airship as an observer.
>
> My bad, for not posting this article before, but I thought all of the Novato news stories were over-saturating the List, but now I see there is no such thing as too much information. I promise not to make that mistake again. I will endeavor to do a better job of reporting from the field.
>
> Bob V.
>
> --- On Fri, 11/2/12, Mendy Ouzillou <ouzillou at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> From: Mendy Ouzillou <ouzillou at yahoo.com>
>> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] NASA SETI Misappropriation of Tax Payer Funds
>> To: "Greg Hup?" <gmhupe at centurylink.net>, "meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>> Date: Friday, November 2, 2012, 1:51 PM
>> Greg,
>>
>>
>> If I could agree more than 100%, I would.
>>
>> Some of the "blimp" reports claim the researchers are
>> looking for likely areas to hunt. Crater or no, why can't
>> they do this using Google Maps and Google Earth like the
>> rest of us.
>>
>> My second issue, is why is a private citizen being given a
>> free ride. What are this person's credentials that he can
>> add scientific value or meteorite hunting expertise? I
>> want to go on the blimp - sounds like fun and at least I
>> know what one looks like. Even better why not reach out to
>> the professional meteorite hunters on this list who have
>> shown success over years of hunting in different countries,
>> terrains and conditions and work together towards a common
>> goal. I'm willing to bet that 1 hour strategizing with one
>> of you pro hunters would pay off infinitely more than 1
>> month in a tax-payer waste of money blimp.
>>
>> Finally, I have always been a strong supporter of NASA
>> (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). This sort
>> of thing makes me reconsider that support, especially in
>> TERRESTRIAL matters where they are not the experts.
>>
>> Grrrrr ...
>>
>> Mendy
>>
>>>> ________________________________
>>>> From: Greg Hup? <gmhupe at centurylink.net>
>>>> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>>
>>>> Sent: Friday, November 2, 2012 1:10 PM
>>>> Subject: [meteorite-list] NASA SETI Misappropriation
>> of Tax Payer Funds
>>>>
>>>> To All Concerned US Tax Payers...
>>>>
>>>> I have been troubled by what is a clear
>> misappropriation of US tax payer funds by NASA/SETI. At a
>> time of this country's financial crisis, this is no time to
>> squander our tax dollars!!
>>>>
>>>> We have all seen and read about 'The Blimp" that
>> was, as stated in the article link below, "... a NASA-hired
>> airship." Not only are they using a privately owned "Blimp"
>> for frivolous and far-fetched 'research', but they are also
>> giving free joy rides to private citizens as stated from the
>> article, "Glenn Rivera [a private citizen] was invited by
>> astronomers [NASA/SETI] to hunt for more meteorite
>> crash-landing sites from a NASA-hired airship."
>>>>
>>>> In recent conversations, I and many of my colleagues
>> and some NASA scientists (who wish to remain anonymous),
>> have all concluded that finding meteorites [of any size] is
>> completely impossible and a waste of tax payer dollars! How
>> can one think you can spot a black rock the size of
>> a dime, a golf ball or even a basketball from an altitude of
>> 1000 feet?
>>>>
>>>> The only entity that benefits from these dream hunts
>> is the private company who owns "The Blimp". They get paid
>> by NASA for use of "The Blimp" and they also benefit from
>> all of the free advertising with their logos and web
>> addresses emblazoned on the sides of "The Blimp"!
>>>>
>>>> As far as I am concerned, hunting for meteorites
>> floating in the sky is full of hot air!
>>>>
>>>> Here is the link the the article I reference:
>>>> http://novato.patch.com/articles/hunt-goes-on-for-more-meteorites#photo-12000260
>>>>
>>>> Best Regards,
>>>> Greg
>>>>
>>>> ====================
>>>> Greg Hup?
>>>> The Hup? Collection
>>>> gmhupe at centurylink.net
>>>> www.LunarRock.com
>>>> NaturesVault (eBay & Facebook)
>>>> http://www.facebook.com/NaturesVault
>>>> IMCA
>> 3163
>>>> ====================
>>>> Click here for my current eBay auctions:
>>>> http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZnaturesvault
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>
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Received on Fri 02 Nov 2012 06:31:21 PM PDT