[meteorite-list] Question Regarding Lunars

[Randy Korotev]

At 16:59 08-01-10 Friday, you wrote:

>Randy, that's what I love about this hobby, it's an ongoing learning 
>process. Thanks for the links to the lunar meteowrongs, there great.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Jim K



Dear Jim:

Don't pay any attention to anything I say.  I'm a narrow-minded, 
egocentric fraud.

A few days ago a fellow sent me 32 rocks, all of which he thought 
were meteorites.  I told him I'd only look at the 3 he thought most 
likely to be meteorites.  He named three.  I looked at them.  None 
had fusion crusts or regmaglypts.  I showed them to a a guy here who 
knows more about terrestrial rocks than I do.  All three were 
volcaniclastic rocks, in our opinion.  Maybe one was a terrestrial 
breccia.  I told the guy what I thought.  Here's how he responded.

=========================================================
I'm thinking, that asking a geologist to do the job of a lunar 
geochemist, is like sending a carpenter to erect the next World Trade 
Center.  It is obvious, that you are unable to wrap your mind around 
the idea that a discovery such as this could be possible, or even 
feasible.  It is also apparent, that the potential of this discovery 
is not important to you, or to the science.  Your attempts to deny, 
denounce and destroy this effort has reached, "the end of the trail!"
    Having said as much, I will be dismissing you from this case.  I 
will have the lab results sent to several other, more open-minded & 
intelligent lunar geochemists, whom I am in contact with, and who 
currently think that such a discovery is not only possible and 
feasible, but probable & overdue.  This project is deserving of 
young, alert, provocative, curious and inquisitive minds, who are 
willing to think outside the box.  (There are meteorites that are 
"Red"!!......check out the latest chat on your local Meteorite chat 
room; courtesy of Mike Farmer).  I've never known a scientist 
wanting, offering or settling for a compromise on a potential 
discovery.  How egocentric & how terribly absurd!
    I do thank you for your efforts, but you are not the "man of 
science" I was expecting, or hoping, you would be.  It is obvious, 
too, that you introduced the specimens to your "terrestrial" 
geologist (if there was one you associate with!) with 
prejudice.  This is not the type of scientific inquiry deserving of a 
comment or compliment.   Your arguments against these specimens being 
meteoritic, should be directed against your own publications and 
those of Richard Norton, NASA, JPL, Johnson Space Center, and every 
single collection around the globe.  I must suspect, that you are in 
the game to protect your own precious fusion-crusted relics and the 
value of your fraternity's collections.  Your professional & personal 
integrity are certainly in question, here!   I have given you this 
potential discovery on a silver platter, but you have chosen to spit 
in my eye, as if I was some kind of lowly peon.  Never, have I been 
treated with such arrogant malice!
    I wish you well on your retirement & may it be soon!   A fella' 
can look at just so many rocks, that he becomes one, himself!
=========================================================

I sure hope this guy finds someone else on The List to insult!

I need to retire,
Randy Korotev