[meteorite-list] Fw: Responsibility Over Ratings

Thu Jun 24 20:49:00 EDT 2010

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Montgomery" <rickmont at earthlink.net>
To: <countdeiro at earthlink.net>
Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2010 5:47 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Responsibility Over Ratings


> Mine's a CM0....very rare.  Zero chondritic material.  Zero C, and zero M. 
> Very, very rare.   Although my neighbors (they grow chickens) say they 
> have tons of the stuff too, and they convinced me to not tell anyone. 
> It's sitting under their chicken coop in these petrified looking clumps.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <countdeiro at earthlink.net>
> To: "Galactic Stone & Ironworks" <meteoritemike at gmail.com>; "Adam Hupe" 
> <raremeteorites at yahoo.com>
> Cc: "Adam" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2010 5:38 PM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Responsibility Over Ratings
>
>
>> Sonny's is a CM1....
>>
>> Count Deiro
>> IMCA 3536
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>>From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks <meteoritemike at gmail.com>
>>>Sent: Jun 24, 2010 3:25 PM
>>>To: Adam Hupe <raremeteorites at yahoo.com>
>>>Cc: Adam <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>>>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Responsibility Over Ratings
>>>
>>>Hi Adam,
>>>
>>>Well said.  I've said from day one when Meteorite Men hit the airwaves
>>>- I like the show, but I hate the emphasis on dollar amounts.  Any
>>>time you tell the world that something is worth a lot of money, it
>>>brings out the worst in people.  If I had a dollar for every email I
>>>have gotten from someone claiming to have found a CM2 like Sonny's,
>>>I'd be a millionaire - and as Adam can testify, most of these people
>>>don't want to hear the truth - that their rock is not a meteorite and
>>>they have a better chance of hitting the powerball lottery than they
>>>do of finding a CM2.
>>>
>>>About treasure-hunting -
>>>
>>>According to what I have heard and read, metal detecting is illegal on
>>>public lands in Florida now.
>>>
>>>The last dozen times I have been to the beach, I have seen too many
>>>metal detectors to count.  So either the law is not being enforced, or
>>>I heard wrong.  Some of these prospectors were operating within easy
>>>sight of law enforcement and law enforcement didn't seem to notice or
>>>care.
>>>
>>>I have also heard that collecting arrowheads is illegal - again
>>>though, don't tell the locals that, because very local down here who
>>>prospects also has a drawer full of arrowheads.
>>>
>>>Best regards,
>>>
>>>MikeG
>>>
>>>
>>>On 6/24/10, Adam Hupe <raremeteorites at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> Dear List Members,
>>>>
>>>> I think that it is everybody responsibility to handle the media in a 
>>>> way
>>>> that does not adversely affect this great avocation.  I call it
>>>> "responsibility over ratings."  I have stated many times what is good 
>>>> for TV
>>>> ratings may not be good for the hobby. I do not like the idea of some
>>>> self-appointed spokesperson representing my favorite pursuit in the 
>>>> media
>>>> but will have to live with it.
>>>>
>>>> I have been an amateur treasure hunter since 1975 and have seen my 
>>>> second
>>>> favorite pursuit destroyed in a matter of a single decade, mainly by 
>>>> the
>>>> press and people who do not know what they are talking about.  The 
>>>> problems
>>>> showed up soon after Mel Fisher's success. The press threw around 
>>>> inflated
>>>> values of over one billion dollars and the next thing you know, over a 
>>>> dozen
>>>> entities tried to claim his and his investors treasure without so much 
>>>> as
>>>> lifting a finger to find it. He eventually settled with the state of
>>>> Florida, mainly to get them off of his back. By doing this, he made it
>>>> possible for all other states to make similar claims.
>>>>
>>>> The press created great interest in treasure hunting, everybody wanting 
>>>> to
>>>> find something.  Metal detectors flew off of shelves.  People who had 
>>>> no
>>>> interest in treasure hunting before began to dig holes everywhere, even 
>>>> on
>>>> national heritage sites.  They left trash behind and midnight gardened 
>>>> every
>>>> opportunity they had. This made legitimate and respectful hunters pay 
>>>> the
>>>> price as one by one search sites become off limits.   Almost all 
>>>> treasure
>>>> hunters were considered bad and were rarely permitted to even search 
>>>> private
>>>> property.  What started out as exciting turned ugly as the press 
>>>> continued
>>>> to report only bad news which for some reason, generates higher ratings 
>>>> than
>>>> good news.
>>>>
>>>> People who see dollars signs instead of meteorites can and will do a 
>>>> lot of
>>>> damage.  They think finding meteorites is like an Easter egg hunt, they 
>>>> are
>>>> lying everywhere just like they saw on TV and they are worth millions 
>>>> to
>>>> boot.   It will not be long before somebody gets shot for trespassing
>>>> willing to take risks at that $500,000.00 black rock that will solve 
>>>> all of
>>>> their financial problems.
>>>>
>>>> Yes, money is a part of the game but if we put too much emphasis on it, 
>>>> our
>>>> hobby will surely be in jeopardy.  Two states have already proclaimed 
>>>> their
>>>> land off limits with two more in hot pursuit.  I was going to hunt
>>>> meteorites this July in Washington State but won't bother since state 
>>>> State
>>>> and Federal Land are now off-limits, same for Oregon.   California and
>>>> Arizona are next, probably shut down within the next 12 months. Arizona
>>>> has already specified that meteorites cannot be removed from state 
>>>> parks. It
>>>> will not be long before the Federal lands are included.
>>>>
>>>> I think it is our responsibility to be careful and thoughtful about 
>>>> what is
>>>> being stated to the media, especially since they get it wrong half the 
>>>> time
>>>> and are quicker to jump on bad news.  I am not trying to be negative, 
>>>> only
>>>> trying to preserve an interesting and fun avocation.
>>>>
>>>> Best Regards,
>>>>
>>>> Adam
>>>> ______________________________________________
>>>> Visit the Archives at
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>-- 
>>>------------------------------------------------------------
>>>Mike Gilmer - Galactic Stone & Ironworks Meteorites
>>>http://www.galactic-stone.com
>>>http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone
>>>------------------------------------------------------------
>>>______________________________________________
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>>
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