[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: The Fight for Truth, Justice & the American Way, in Monahans!

In a message dated 5/29/98 12:41:52 PM Central Daylight Time,
BAALKE@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov writes:

<< 
 I think an apology from Steve Arnold to Everett Gibson is in order. 
 
  >>

I have attempted to contact Dr. Gibson but he has yet to return my email.  I
did want to get his side of the story, but according to the local Monahans
media and the Mayor of Monahans, the reason they were making their earlier
decisions was based solely on the fact that Gibson told them:

The meteorites "are quite common and not of any real monetary value."  (Taken
from the Monahans News found at:
http://www.pecos.net/news/arch98/032698mt.htm

Now everyone on this list knows that if we use meteorite jargon such as
"common" and "ordinary" that can mean two totally different things to us and
to someone in Monahans!  When normal people (and I would call all of us here
"abnormal") hear that it is an "ordinary chondrite" they think there is
nothing special about it.  

Besides, if anyone saw the neighborhood these kids live in, even $1,000 is
"real monitary value!"

That is why the City Council wants to put these "common" meteorites in a
plexyglass case in City Hall forever!

In a letter dated May 3, 1998 written to the City Manager of Monahans, Dr.
Gibson states:

"The meteorites belong to the citizens of Monahans, because of their recovery
on city property (i.e. the right-of-way of the city street)"

He is stating that as a FACT, which I believe it is NOT a fact!  And a Judge
may have to make that final decision in this case, not Dr. Gibson.  But his
stating of this opinion of his is what the City Council is using when they
tell my clients that they are going to have to file a Law suit to get it from
them!  

Later in the same letter he states:

"I am a firm believer that educational uses of extraterrestrial materials such
as meteorites is so much more valuable and important for the long term
disposition of samples than venturing into the commercial arena.  With a
commercial meteorite "dealer", the meteorites would be cut up, sold and only
the commercial vendor profits."

I will refrain from making any comment on the above statement, because I am
sure everyone is getting sick of hearing me tell you what I think.  So I will
let any of the "commercial  meteorite dealers" on this list share their
comments on this topic.  Fair enough?

In a letter from the City Manager to my clients dated May 15, 1998 (which was
written AFTER he got the two meteorites back from NASA WITH the analysis) he
wrote:

"the city plans to take the following action regarding the disposition of the
meteors at this time.  This is based upon my interpretation of the City
Council's position on the matter when the NASA official wanted to take the
meteorites for analysis

> Each rock will be enclosed in a vacuum packed clear Plexiglas container.
> A display case will be provided at city hall.
> The boys and the Deputy Sheriff that located the second meteorite will be
recognized by the photo and news article related to the story."

I am simply stating that based on the misinformation that was given to the
media and the City Councilors (whether intentional, or on purpose) is what has
led us to this problem!

I am not trying to say that Dr. Gibson did not do a good job studying this
rock after he got it back to NASA.  It was just that he may not have known
what the real value of meteorites are in the real world (as opposed to getting
them by the thousands for free from Antarctica).

And I think it was great that the cosmic-ray produced radioactive nuclides
were able to be tested so soon by NASA.  Personally, in the past 6 years of
turning up dozens of new meteorites in the field, I have always hoped of
recovering a meteorite within a couple hours of the fall with full intentions
of getting on a commercial airplane and personally flying it, as fast as
possible, to Houston, so those tests could be done within a couple hours,
rather than waiting for NASA to find out about it and having to fly their
private jet out to get it, days later!

You all need to realize something here, I have a contractual agreement with my
clients to help them sell their rock.  But before we can sell it, we have to
get it back!  And my number 1 problem is this information that was dispersed
by Dr. Gibson.  My intention was not to slander Dr. Gibson.  As a matter of
fact, I intentionally left his name out of my comments on this list since it
was not intended to be personal at all, that is until Baalke brought up his
name here.

If an apology is in order, I will be the first to step up and offer it.
However, I think an apology from Dr. Gibson is in order, to the not only my
clients, but to the City Council of Monahans and the citizens of that
community as well.  And while he is at it, he might want to apologize to the
"commercial meteorite dealers" as well.

Steve Arnold
www.meteoritebroker.com
Follow-Ups: