[meteorite-list] FOR THE RECORD

[Darryl Pitt]

CONFLICTING AGENDAS


Last night I received a phone call from an understandably distressed  
Mike Farmer.  Mike was bugged by the media coverage of the announced  
sale of "WEST" meteorites at Heritage Auction Galleries---which  
included a hoped-for figure of what a larger specimen could bring.

Mike indicated that landowners had become squirrelly in recent days  
and the advent of this announcement would result in his inability to  
gain access to private property for continued hunting.  Mike wondered  
aloud why Heritage felt they had to make this announcement months  
prior to a sale in which these consignments would appear.

Mike was not the only one with such concerns.

For the record,  I was also exasperated by the decision to announce  
this offering at this time and I strenuously objected to the same.  It  
was too early and could undermine a bigger story in closer proximity  
to the sale where it would certainly have greater impact.  It appeared  
the publicist's primary objective was not what was best for the sale  
of the meteorites but rather how to maximize a corporate branding  
opportunity. My objections did not fall entirely on deaf ears. I  
convinced David Herskowitz of Heritage to hold-off until next week  
when I could at least provide a picture of the larger specimen.

Late yesterday afternoon David reported that his publicist said the  
story could not be contained and was now on the AP wire.