[meteorite-list] A Letter From Blaine Reed

From: Tom aka James Knudson <knudson911_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:28:28 2004
Message-ID: <006401c392c6$1e386c60$86cc43d8_at_malcolm>

Hello List, I happen to love the list, but I have noticed something. If I
post something about ebay, I get A LOT of responses, some agreeing, but
most telling me to stop posting things not pertaining to meteorites. I
happen to think Ebay is a huge part of our hobby, but I will no longer post
anything about ebay for the good of the list.
  But what I find funny, is when I do post something meteorite related, such
as a question, I am lucky to get a few responses, if any! So, what is it
the list members want? I would bet all of the longest treads are about non
meteorite related subjects!

Thanks, Tom
Peregrineflier <><
The proudest member of the IMCA 6168

----- Original Message -----
From: Matt Morgan <mmorgan_at_mhmeteorites.com>
To: almitt <almitt_at_kconline.com>; <meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2003 5:51 PM
Subject: RE: [meteorite-list] A Letter From Blaine Reed


> There it is. Blaine said it for me.
> matt
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: meteorite-list-admin_at_meteoritecentral.com
> [mailto:meteorite-list-admin_at_meteoritecentral.com]On Behalf Of almitt
> Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2003 6:39 PM
> To: meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> Subject: [meteorite-list] A Letter From Blaine Reed
>
>
> Hi list,
>
> Blaine has asked me to post a message he has been trying to get to the
list
> for two
> days in regards to the recent fighting. Since he has no internet access I
> have agreed
> to post his remarks. I am simply putting this on for him and responses can
> go to the
> list but I hope all this will die down now. Blaine in my opinion is a
super
> sharp guy
> and has a better feeling for the meteorite market than most people. I
think
> listening
> to his good advise is wise. All my best to everyone.
>
> --AL Mitterling
>
> From Blaine:
>
> ENOUGH ALREADY,
>
> All of these ridiculous threats, accusations and ego battles must stop.
> They are
> destroying the hobby! Every time there is some kind of flare up on the
list,
> I get
> phone calls from collectors asking to be dropped from my customer list
(and
> from the
> number of long term collectors I no longer hear from I suspect many more
are
> taking a
> more passive route to the same ends). When I ask why, they have all said
the
> same
> thing; "I am no longer collecting meteorites". They tend to say that it is
> no longer
> fun or enjoyable. When pressed further, they have pointed to the list for
> their new
> found distaste of meteorites. While this may be well and fine for some of
> us, as often
> these people also want to liquidate their collections, it bodes the
decline
> of the
> hobby. Let's look at this "hobby" thing. Some of you may find it
> distasteful that I'm
> putting meteorites in this realm. But, what is a hobby really about? It
> generally is
> something (almost anything - mountain climbing and flying ultra-lights are
a
> couple of
> mine) that brings relaxation or expands your mind to consider other things
> (meteorites
> fit more into this aspect). Generally it is something that takes your mind
> off of the
> day to day troubles of the real world.
>
> Let us now consider how "the list" might be affecting this. The average
> person has
> plenty to worry about; politics and headaches at work (or more common
> lately, whether
> they'll even have a job next month), car troubles, problems with some
> neighbors, their
> kids, schools, etc. Life these days is often fast paced and difficult. Now
> suppose our
> "average collector" comes home from a long difficult day at work and finds
> plenty
> headaches (the car is damaged, junior is failing math, etc.) waiting
there.
> After
> awhile our collector goes off to the computer for a little escape to feel
> more in
> contact with their hobby (and less with the real world). How long do you
> suppose this
> person will last as a collector if, when he turns on his computer, all he
> gets is the
> evils of the real world dumped in his lap, and often in a more magnified
> form then
> they would likely ever experience in the real world (it's strange, but
I've
> observed
> some of the most vicious people behind a computer a computer key board are
> some of the
> funniest, nicest people you could meet in person)? Chances are, at the
point
> they find
> that their hobby seems to be adding to their stress instead of reducing
it,
> they will
> move onto greener pastures.
>
> I know, many of you are thinking right now B.S.. Anybody who is on the
list
> is a grown
> person and likely a seasoned collector, so they can handle these mental
> assaults. My
> response is Wrong! Though the people who regularly post to the list may be
> so, a fair
> number of the observers are likely new to the hobby (in today's world, it
> seems the
> first thing someone does when they get interested in a new hobby is sign
up
> for a
> related chat room to learn more). I even suspect there are many beginning
> (and a fair
> number of non beginning) collectors who would like to post questions to
the
> list but
> dare not for fear of being shouted down as a moron or just plain made to
> look foolish
> for exposing their ignorance.
> So what can be done? At this point it is an extremely difficult problem.
> There are
> many possible answers. The people involved could be drafted to help, as it
> takes both
> an instigator and a responder to have a full-fledged fight. I realize it
is
> not very
> realistic to expect someone to be silent after someone has slammed them,
but
> there
> would be no battles if they did. Asking people about other lists (in other
> fields and
> hobbies) has indicated to me that lists that have no or very limited
> oversight tend to
> rapidly breakdown into an ugly battle-zone. So, the most obvious answer to
> the problem
> is to have a dedicated moderator. If there is no such person now, then one
> needs to be
> found (and if one cannot be found then it is my opinion that it would be
> best for
> everyone to simply shut the list down, a measure I truly hope doesn't have
> to come to
> any real consideration). Their job would be to make certain that anything
> that even
> whiffs of being a threat, attack or slanderous statement never makes it to
> the public
> eye. To make their job easier in the long run, they may find it beneficial
> to remove
> those people that seem determined to regularly attempt to post such
things.
> I realize
> that many may see this as the evil CENSORSHIP, but for the long-term good
of
> the hobby
> it is necessary (and on a personal note, I don't believe "freedom of
speech"
> is a
> valid excuse to ignore this job). The list should be a place for honest
> questions,
> answers and information about meteorites, not a forum for flagrant
> self-promotion and
> damaging personal attacks.
>
> I know I am likely just digging my own grave that much quicker having this
> posted. The
> rare times in the past I have had to post something I have lost customers
in
> droves
> (likely those that may have considered my arguments to be against their
> views). But,
> if nothing is said, nothing can be considered or, better yet, changed. If
> nothing is
> done, there likely won't be much left of the hobby and I'll be out of
> business anyway.
> My hope is that some of the many of you that have expressed these same
> opinions to me
> in private (but wouldn't post them) will now come out of hiding. Oh,
that's
> right,
> that is not likely. These are the people that have pretty much quit the
> hobby, dropped
> from or ignore the list and will not see this.
>
> Blaine Reed
>
>
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Received on Tue 14 Oct 2003 10:43:28 PM PDT