[meteorite-list] Time for change - here in US (was, Re: something about Las Vegas)

[Robert Verish]

Hi Sonny, 

Apparently, you haven't read any of my articles where I clearly pointed to the top of the pyramid where the funding for meteorite studies are rationed-out, and 
why there is a lack of funding for classifying US meteorites. I commiserate with the classifiers on this lack of funding and in no way am I laying any guilt on them.  
I well understand that no US researcher can come forward as a benefactor in this current situation.  My offer of US chondrite type-specimen was actually
directed to researchers outside of the USA.  Again, that was stated in my article, as well.

Your defense of US geochemists is commendable, but unnecessary in this instance. I don't need to ask their position on this funding matter.  It's well documented. 
But maybe we should also ask the opinion of other researchers, maybe even outside of the MetSoc.  Maybe even outside of the USA.  Ask them what they think 
about us not recording or documenting (let alone not classifying) newly found meteorites.  Researchers like those that are studying the rate of influx and 
number of falls per unit area.  And other researchers such as those that are interested in knowing exactly how many small meteoroids are flying around in the 
vicinity of our astronauts. We should ask all of them. 
We should ask all the stakeholders.  Even US taxpayers, who are stakeholders as well, because I'm sure they are assuming their tax dollars are being spent 
wisely on protecting them from meteoroids hitting them.   
I'm sure all of these various people are counting on us to do our job in this regard, and not to literally ignore found meteorites. 

I've been waiting for one of the other old-timers to make this realization and make a comment, but I'm getting more impatient as I get older. So, I'll say it now.  
It wasn't that long ago that we, as US meteorite-hunters, were thanking our lucky stars that we didn't have to deal with all of the stifling regulations that 
our comrades in Australia and Canada were having to put-up with.  But they made some crucial adjustments in their culture and now those countries are 
experiencing a golden age in meteorite-recovery. 

It's amazing how fast things have turned 180 degrees.  

Bob V. 

P.S. - please allow me to update this table of recovery data:

Stewart Valley - over 700 recorded finds, only 22 in the MBD, 6 different classifications, only the H6 and L6 are paired.  Where's the beef?   
Tungston Mountain - over 700 recorded finds, only 22 in the MBD, 10 are unpaired, the eight H4s are probably paired.  Still no justification for a complaint. 
Lucerne Valley - over120 meteorites, CK are the majority of the 66 classifieds, but there were 5 unique classes in the first 7 finds, 9 in 12, 10 in 15. 
Coyote Dry lake - over 350 recorded finds, only 82 are in MBD, so far 56 of these are classified. >8 unique classes.  No one has done a pairing study.
Stump Springs  130 field-numbered finds, only 84 provisional numbers, only 1 classified find.  No strewn-field data is published.
Yelland Dry lake  Hundreds of fragments, and only one classification.  Worlds only one meteorite dry lake!  Was there any strewn-field data recorded?
There still is no estimate of how many original masses formed all of these clusters of fragments, or their locations.   This is one big fuster cluck.  

--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 9/15/15, wahlperry--- via Meteorite-list <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Local to Las Vegas expert needed to rewiew afind.
 To: raremeteorites at centurylink.net, meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
 Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2015, 1:53 PM
 
 Hi Bob, Adam and List,
 
 >This is a concern that others have shared with me, and has prompted me to
 >write on this subject in three separate articles, which essentially said,
 >"Hey, here are some US chondrites that need to be classified." 
 >Still haven't received any offers
 
deleted

 
 Stewart Valley  TBR plus finds finds,
 Tungston Mountain  TBR meteorites/ fragments
 Lucerne Valley  124 meteorites
 Coyote Dry lake 341 meteorites
 Stump Springs  130 plus meteorites
 Yelland Dry lake  Hundreds of fragments 
  
more deletions