[meteorite-list] Rebuttal to NY Times article

[Adam Hupe]

Great Job,

Maybe we can all learn something from this.
 
Anne did a great job of researching the facts before posting the rebuttal.  More 
importantly, she was elected by her peers to represent most of us publicly and 
was not acting in a self-promotional manner. 


It is too bad W. Broad from the New York Times didn’t perform proper research 
before writing this fiction and passing it off as the Gospel truth.  I think his 
Pulitzer awards should be retracted.  His writings reflect poorly on the 
citizens of New York, the NYT and the rest of the media for that matter.  He has 
demonstrated that his creative writing skills are only capable of producing 
nonsense at the cost of good people’s reputations.  It is obvious that he could 
care less about the truth, only promoting himself and his ratings.
 
I hope nobody is stupid enough to give him the time of day again when he 
requests interviews for his follow up piece.  He has proven himself an adversary 
and someone to definitely avoid.
 
It is a crapshoot when dealing with the press.  Anybody with any long-term 
experience on the subject knows that former treasure hunters have, in most 
cases, undeservedly suffered greatly at the hands of the press. We should not 
make the same mistake.  Simply calling meteorites treasure conjures up old ideas 
of looting, smuggling and lawsuits.  

 
Professional archeologist, who engage in treasure hunting never use the term 
treasure or attach price tags to objects publicly.  Rock Hounds have learned the 
lesson and do not call themselves treasure hunters. Even after several decades, 
the tarnished image of treasure hunting still prevails.  It is interesting that 
this reporter brought up Egypt where looting was real in the past and well 
founded.  He then made the connection between meteorites and ancient treasure. 

 
Although meteorites are treasure, they go far beyond being mere treasure. They 
shouldn’t be referred to as treasure unless you want to open the doors on the 
past.  It is best to learn from treasure hunters and disconnect from them 
publicly, at least in the media.
 
I admit to being a former treasure hunter who has moved onto the more respected, 
at least for now, avocation of meteorite hunter and collecting.  



Meteorite Connoisseur,

 
Adam