[meteorite-list] Meteorite Magazine.... Just Like Baseball over the Internet

[Kevin Kichinka]

Team Meteorite:

Reporting tonight from Costa Rica.

Well, actually every night.

I'm from Cleveland and although my baseball team there is underfunded
and historically poor, I pay mlb.com to watch their struggles on my
computer.

Tonight they play the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays are up, bottom of
the ninth, but down 1-0. The Indians All-Star reliever Chris Perez has
two outs. One more out and the Tribe wins. It's a nail biter.

I lose the signal. What happened? Of no!

It's just like Meteorite magazine that has decided that its
subscribers don't deserve to read the conclusion regarding the
circumstances of the fall of Shergotty 147 years ago after publishing
the preliminary round. What happened? Oh no!

"Mr. Kichinka submitted an article to METEORITE magazine that was
accepted and prepared for publication. On receipt of the proofs, Mr.
Kichinka reacted strongly against the edits, which were routine
corrections to grammar, insertions that he had failed to make (like
figure captions), removal of material that in the Editor's view might
upset certain readers, and the shortening of some ancillary text in
the interests of space. This was an extraordinarily long and expensive
article to print. The number of edits was actually very few, maybe 20,
in an eight page article. Realizing that this was not going to be
resolved quickly, and that we would be dammed if we published and
dammed if we didn't, I withdrew the article from the August issue and
told Mr. Kichinka we would consider the matter before the November
issue was prepared. That is where the matter rests."

Where the matter rests is that someone who controls Meteorite Magazine
has an agenda that doesn't include serving its subscribers. Or its
advertisers. Or its contributors.

Robert, there is nothing 'routine' about destroying the integrity of a
science article by recklessly changing facts.

Attached to the feature are 49 references, about half from the
1850-1890's.  There were no errors in grammar until Robert or Derek
inserted them. If it was 'long' it was because it is the first or
second best legend of meteorites and worth the space.

But was length really the problem?

"Kichinka submitted the article which was accepted and prepared... the
number of edits was actually very few, maybe 20 in an eight page
article...but on receipt of the proofs"...

i.e. the feature was not 'too long' and was ready to go to the printer
if I accepted their contrived errors. All contributors of the August
issue have the proof in their files this moment with the full
Shergotty feature and can confirm this to any list member.

While the m-list is quiet on this issue- I realize that people don't
want to rock the boat- my mail box is full of support from IMCA
members, m-list readers, and I have offers to post the feature as
links to your websites. I will respond to everyone as soon as I can.

And all this concern is from the generous friends I've made since I
started messing with meteorites one day after calling Bob Haag to
purchase any Zagami "he might have left' in 1995. I am in awe this
night. Thank you.

The transparent nature of Robert Beauford's comment above surely
doesn't need any further comment from me, except to 'edit' his message
to correctly reflect that the word is 'damming' is spelled "damning",
and while acting as Derek's involuntary 'Editor of the Board' I tried
to help him re-write his own editorial for the next August issue which
had several glaring errors that demeaned the quality of a scientific
journal.

There are no future Hemingway's working for Meteorite these days.

I've never had contact with Robert Beauford and now wonder why Derek
assigned him to respond. Where are you Derek? And why did you Robert
say 'you' wrote me about anything? Can you copy me on those emails,
Robert?

I guess 'someone' worries my 'imaginary letter' might be true but is
'too busy' to respond personally.

Robert, if you are in charge of the magazine, I hope you will
reconsider the 'expense' of publishing this concluding feature on the
fall of Shergotty. While everything in the August issue is
'important', maybe something unknown for the last 147 years regarding
the circumstances of the fall of THE Mars meteorite representing 98%
of every Mars meteorite ever recovered is worthy of the additional
expense. Shall I take up a collection?

I don't like to publicly add adjectives in front of people's names,
'liar' is an adjective, but I will make a public exception tonight. I
challenge Robert to forward here ANY email he has written me
especially one where he suggested that the feature would be considered
for the November issue.

Failing that and all the rest, I will leave m-list members to make
their own decision on the character of those now publishing Meteorite.
Fill in the adjective you feel is appropriate. Sad works for me.

As for Robert's self-assigned censorship position- "removal of
material that in the Editor's view might upset certain
readers"'...which suggests that the subscribers are children and/or I
would ever write something remotely vulgar for Meteorite- especially
related to an historic event... I'll say this...

Forget me. I am nobody.

Except that I am the luckiest guy to sit here and still exchange
almost daily emails with Joel Schiff for the last 15 years. He vetted
the Shergotty feature, as he has peer-reviewed anything else I have
ever contributed to Meteorite.

So Robert's censorship really questions Joel's judgement.

And their lack of respect for Dorothy Norton is beyond the pale.

Robert, let me 'damm' you. Derek, 'damm' you, too.

Meteorite dealers advertising in 'Meteorite' are also among those
writing me and I am accumulating a file of information about failed
and upsetting business relationships with this journal since Derek
Sears took over, which included another unfortunate event involving
honest and caring people.

I own every issue ever published, including two of issue #1. I have
contributed around twenty features. The ongoing continuity of this
magazine that I have supported during my interest in the 'hobby' is at
risk now.

Robert and Derek - For the benefit of your paid and loyal subscribers,
I suggest you work to support your advertisers.

Your contributors deserve your highest praise as they put your bread
on the table and earn nothing for this.

And I sincerely request you publish "The Rise of the Raj and the Fall
of Shergotty - Conclusion" as I transmitted it following Meteorite's
founder Joel Schiff's review.

>From Nine Degrees North...

Kevin Kichinka
Marsrox at gmail.com
www.theartofcollectingmeteorites.com