[meteorite-list] An Imaginary Letter to Kevin Kichinka from Meteorite Publisher Derek Sears

[Michael Farmer]

wow, you have gone off the rails......

Michael Farmer

Sent from my iPad

On Jul 13, 2012, at 9:08 AM, Kevin Kichinka <marsrox at gmail.com> wrote:

> "Kevin,
> 
> In regards to your concerns that I have chosen to not run your latest
> contribution, the conclusion to "The Rise of the Raj and the Fall of
> Shergotty" in the August issue of Meteorite, although as you claim
> 'our' subscribers expect to see it and should not be disappointed, let
> me clarify some things.
> 
> First, quit calling them 'our subscribers' even though I did put you
> on the Board of Editors after you declined, then asked you to write me
> a business plan for the magazine, which I ignored. They are mine. It's
> all mine. OK?
> 
> I know you feel uncomfortable that I didn't thank you or even
> acknowledge that you sent the conclusion to the Shergotty feature in
> early.
> 
> I know that some think it unreasonable that when they received the
> August proof of the issue to review for errors on a Saturday at 10pm,
> I only allowed a 48 hour turnaround (or else!) meaning they worked for
> me on a Sunday. That's how it is, kind of like you are all my
> employees and owe me overtime. As I like to say, I have twice as many
> writers as I can use anyway, i.e. you are all expendable.
> 
> And after I recklessly marked up your story, creating at least ten
> 'unforced' errors, like changing the year of the Shergotty fall and
> crediting an English official for recovering it instead of the Indian
> farmer, or inventing a new God for Dorothy Norton's illustration, or
> taking a sentence fragment from the middle of a paragraph and making
> it a new title though it lacks any meaning, that's my right, it's my
> magazine. If I want to change your title, too, I change your title,
> deal with it.
> 
> And when you whine you spent 400 to 500 hours to research and write
> this story that you give me for free, well, learn to write faster.
> 
> Why did I shorten and re-write your 'heartfelt thanks' to Joel Schiff
> and Dorothy Norton that you added at the end of the story? You took up
> too much space. And if I cared about Joel, I would have mentioned my
> new edits to what he had already edited when I emailed him last
> weekend. It's not his business anymore.
> 
> And if I cared about Dorothy Norton, I wouldn't have misspelled her
> name, another 'correction/'edit' you think I should make. Have you
> noticed I have never thanked her for anything? Just because she is
> dear friends with Joel from Day One of Meteorite and is one of the
> journals most important contributors, and just because she was married
> to Richard Norton, does it seem I care?
> 
> And as for deleting your bio at the end of the feature to this
> 'contribution' while running all twelve other contributors bios, so?
> And  your offering to still keep your bio out to make space for your
> thanks to Joel and Dorothy"? How precious.
> 
> And when you want me to correct these 'typos', as you tried to fool me
> into thinking by writing they were "probably created by computer
> software in the translation from my Adobe doc", read again my email,
> "I am very sorry that you feel this way. Given that these are your
> feelings, and your inability to accept our editorial decisions, can I
> assume you want to withdraw the paper?'
> 
> That's my plan. Let people know that (try this on for size) "sadly and
> regrettably, Kichinka would not accept our usual edits to his fine
> article. It is in the best interests of the readers of Meteorite that
> they never see this featrue".
> 
> Sad. Regretable. Gotcha! Haha :>)
> 
> Kevin, I am one of those old-time researchers that believe meteorites
> should only be possessed by us smart people, and you unwashed masses
> of dealers, collectors, hunters and general public need to go away.
> I'm not unreasonable, let's compromise. They all should learn to
> respect us scientists and send their praise. I like if they send me
> money for magazine subscriptions and send me papers I can publish for
> free. That's cool! I know people like to see their names in print so I
> leverage that to my own advantage and profit.
> 
> And because I'm me, I get to ride blimps in the sky on the public dime
> to look for pea-sized meteorites in the tall grasses of California. Do
> you?
> 
> Why would I publish your 'circumstances of the fall of Shergotty' when
> no one else has done it in 147 years? Why are you so special that you
> should get this honor? Aren't you content with your discovery that no
> dog could have been killed by Nakhla, or discovering that Nakhla's TKW
> is less than 10kg and not 40, or that the Widmanstatten Pattern is
> mis-named? You are very selfish.
> 
> And don't tell me my wonderful 'edits' are necessary because Joel
> Schiff had previously edited your Shergotty feature. I did what I
> thought 'made it better', and if you don't like my changes, well, as I
> also wrote, we can "leisurely discuss these changes and your feature
> for possible use in a future issue. Unfortunately, the November issue
> is already full." Oh well. Maybe the readers don't care. I don't.
> 
> And when you offered to call me from Costa Rica to discuss this at a
> time convenient to me on your dime? I'm BUSY!
> 
> Maybe in my next letter, assuming you are so dense you don't get my
> message here, I'll write you about some past history of Meteorite
> magazine and how I treated those people. Fear the Sears.
> 
> In closing, I hope this helps you understand why I won't be running
> the story. Now shut up and go away.
> 
> Best wishes.
> 
> Derek Sears"
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