[meteorite-list] A Letter change title to "a shut in's life"

From: David Freeman <dfreeman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:28:28 2004
Message-ID: <3F8CBDB9.6050303_at_fascination.com>

Dear Tom, and List;
It must be Mars proximity, the war, season's change, the world series.
All crabby-appleton's, don't be such a bunch of shut in's and give the
list and your emotions a break. Go for a walk even. Try more fiber in
your diet, geese, what ever works for you, works for me.
Encouragement to carry on "as is"! Hell, the stock market is basically
good, be happy.
It MUST be five o'clock somewhere!
Dave F. :-) :-) :-) ...hell, I just joined the AARP, I should be
sad! Let's eat more oatmeal, every day.

Tom aka James Knudson wrote:

>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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>>
>>
>>
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>>
>
>
>
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Received on Tue 14 Oct 2003 11:23:37 PM PDT