[meteorite-list] I am home from Tokyo

[MexicoDoug at aol.com]

In the style of Commodore Matthew Perry, Cap'n Blood wrote the day  before 
the Tokyo news:

>that I have heard voice disdain
>for people making a profit  in this business.

Michael, everyone deserves honest pay for honest work.  Lately I  have been 
agreeing with you more than anything else and many of the points you  make seem 
very reasonable.  Please let's not burden collectors with the  collective 
blame of dealer's problems after hearing this from globetrotting  Farmer.  
 
Separately, I hope it is on topic to ask what happened at the last People's  
Auction with the South American guy who was kicked out after he said he was  
authorized his display there and was practically set up, which was similar to  
the prior year?  It was my pleasure to help him break our backs with his  
heavy specimens (thinking it was being a good Samaritan) when I saw him  
struggling all by himself and so far from home while many others seemed  oblivious.  He 
did have excellent irons at superb pricing.  You can  imagine the dejection 
he felt, especially after smashing his thumb between two  big iron meteorites 
in the process, so far from home, as he had to then repack  them and haul his 
stuff out right back out with his tail between his legs.   I don't know the 
whole story, not even half, and I am sure there was good  reason, but it was a 
very pitiful sight?

The line between science,  comradery, enthusiasm, and cold commercialism has 
become far too arbitrary and  negotiable for my tastes.  Maybe you have a 
better answer than I can  see.  Part is due to everyone's justification of the 
trump card  "inalienable right to a profit" I am at a loss for more words, 
reading Mike's  account, imagining why this collusion was felt necessary.  Frankly I 
wish  everybody ran around with a suitcase filled with specimens for trade or 
sale  instead of aspiring to dominate each other and be the "Man".  But that  
might not be acceptable under the show or auction venue.  But, it'd be more  
intimate and leaves less room when the ugly face of the Stranger comes along  
among friends and leaves a wake of aggravation.  Sorry to hear of your  
obvious cold shower, Mike, and I wonder if Hans' kid had some appropriate  english 
words to sum up the costly adventure.  No doubt you will need to  raise some 
prices to cover yet another tangential "cost of doing  business".  That hurts 
everyone.  While this also is in the "food for  thought" category, any comments 
are also appreciated..

Peace, Doug