[meteorite-list] Fwd: BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From Space

From: karmaka <karmaka_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Apr 2011 23:01:47 +0200 (CEST)
Message-ID: <1853698593.188430.1302123707417.JavaMail.fmail_at_mwmweb070>

Hello Marc

I think you are right in many aspects you mentioned, Marc.
This 'sensationalistic crap' does not only show in magazines and newspapers but also in many modern science documentaries
on TV. With all the high-speed visual editing the viewer is often left in a state of being somehow 'numb'.
You can't speak of a leading 'form follows function' paradigm anymore. The WOW impression is caused by the visual
editing rather than by the exciting facts about the (let me quote my favorite German expression these days, coined by Mr. Altmann)
EXOTISCHE REALITAET, the 'exotic reality', which is unfortunately to many people more unreal and alien than any fictional world.
'Hollywood-Reality' in science reporting does only distract the readers and viewers from what could really take their breath away:
facts from the 'exotic reality' we live in.

Cheers,

Martin


-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: wahlperry at aol.com
Gesendet: 06.04.2011 21:37:06
An: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Betreff: [meteorite-list] Fwd: BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From Space

>
>
>
>
>
>Hey Sonny - could you do me a favor and post this to the meteorite
>list? ?I keep trying but it ain't showin' up.
>
>
>Cheers,
>Marc
>
>
>---
>
>
>Howdy all
>
>
> I can't exactly label myself "esteemed" but I'll say a few words...
>?The short version is, I have a lot more respect for Ralph Harvey than
>I do for the NYT. His quote in that article looks like the sort of
>thing that gets cherry-picked for effect. Yes, there are meteorites
>that are bought and sold illegally, and that's bad. There are also a
>hell of a lot of meteorites in research collections that would be
>rusting away in a desert somewhere if it weren't for collectors. That's
>good. I have no doubt that Ralph is fully aware of both sides of the
>argument, and I highly doubt that he intended to label all meteorite
>collection everywhere as a flaming travesty against all of humanity,
>the majority of puppies, and most unicorns everywhere.?
> Here's another recent article that makes a point pertinent to this
>discussion?(before it loses track and goes Fox-bashing), namely that
>science reporting has taken a sharp decrease in quality lately as the
>major media outlets have done away with dedicated science writers:?
>
>
>http://tinyurl.com/3llqgay
>
>
>?? ? ? ?Recent stories on "life" in CI meteorites, "natural atomic bomb
>blasts" on Mars, and now this story are symptoms of a bigger problem,
>namely the lack of well-informed treatment of science issues by the
>major media outlets. Science stories are increasingly handled by
>writers who are looking for high-impact, wow-factor "news" items as
>opposed to lower-key but better-informed articles by science journalism
>professionals. I can say from my own experience that it is rather
>frustrating to attend conferences where I see all manner of well
>thought-out, interesting research presented, and then to turn around
>and see little more than sensationalistic crap wind up front and center
>in the major media. That's not good for anyone - the really interesting
>stuff never reaches a wider audience, and the public winds up thinking
>that scientists waste their time and tax dollars on embarrassing
>nonsense like the examples I stated above. I think that's the effect
>we're seeing in this NYT article at least in part, and while it is
>unfortunate it doesn't surprise me much.
>
>
>Cheers,
>Marc Fries
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>On Apr 4, 2011, at 12:51 PM, mail at mhmeteorites.com wrote:
>
>
>Perhaps one of the many esteemed researchers on this list would be kind
>enough to write a rebuttal.
>Matt
>------------------------
>Matt Morgan
>Mile High Meteorites
>http://www.mhmeteorites.com
>P.O. Box 151293
>Lakewood, CO 80215
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Yinan Wang <veomega at gmail.com>
>Sender: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
>Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 14:44:02
>To: Meteorite-list<meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From
>Space
>
>For those who are inclined to do so, you can certainly write a letter
>to the editor which may be published in the Opinions page ?of the NY
>times as a response:
>
>http://www.nytimes.com/content/help/site/editorial/letters/letters.html?ref=letters
>
>-YvW
>
>On Mon, Apr 4, 2011 at 2:30 PM, Meteorites USA <eric at meteoritesusa.com>
>wrote:
>This is one of the most sensationalized, biased, uninformed, and skewed
>article I've ever read on NYT's website regarding meteorites. Mainly the
>article focuses on the Gebel Kamil iron meteorite, however it paints a
>grim
>picture and tries to draw a connection to all meteorites implying that
>the
>private market is somehow damaging the science.
>
>Black Market Trinkets From Space:
>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/science/05meteorite.html
>Quote: "Popular or not, the meteorites were taboo. In Egypt and
>elsewhere,
>scientists say, it is illegal without a permit to remove meteorites
>from a
>country."
>Quote: "The scientists say they have relatively few samples compared
>with
>the booming illicit sales."
>Quote: "Dr. Harvey of Case Western Reserve said the quandary applied to
>the
>scientific community as a whole. The rampant looting of meteorite sites
>and
>skyrocketing prices for the fragments, he said, ?dramatically reduce
>who can
>get samples to do the research."
>Quote: "The black market has exploded in size mainly because of a rush
>of
>new meteorites arriving from North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula."
>Quote: "The collectors association, founded in 2004 in Nevada, now has
>hundreds of members around the globe. And while some traders deal in
>legitimate exports, many do not. One buyer expressed remorse after
>reading
>about scientific angst over the thriving market. ?I?m very ashamed,? the
>buyer wrote on a blog. ?I?m surely a part of the problem.
>
>This article is irresponsible and borderline yellow journalism from the
>NYT.
>They should be ashamed for running such a biased and uninformed story.
>Well
>over half of the article weighs on the disadvantages and more than
>infers a
>"possible" damage to science which is not there.
>
>It almost completely ignores the great good that's been accomplished
>through
>private collecting/hunting/curating or meteorites and the contributions
>that
>have been made by private collectors and hunters. It never mentions
>donations to institutions, how much of a sample is needed to study any
>meteorite, nor does it mention how many people it brings to the science.
>There is one very good quote from Anne which states:
>
>?The scientists do not have time to go hunt for their own meteorites, so
>somebody has to do it for them,? said Anne M. Black, president of the
>collectors association. ?It?s common sense.?
>
>To the uninformed reader, and inexperienced meteorite collector the NYT
>article looks very bad and creates an artificially biased view from
>those
>not familiar with meteorites. It's purely political.
>
>I think it should be an article for MHC Magazine. To make it FAIR for
>everyone involved, I want ALL points of view, from all sides. From the
>scientific world, and the private market, as well as the points from the
>center. Anyone who would like the opportunity to tell the WHOLE story,
>who
>cares to write a rebuttal for the NYT's blatantly biased article, send
>me
>your info. I would be more than happy to publish it!
>
>Contact me with your comments, facts and opinions. This article will be
>both
>on the blog http://www.mhcmagazine.com/blog/ and in the next issue of
>the
>magazine!
>
>Regards,
>Eric Wichman
>MHC Magazine
>http://www.mhcmagazine.com
>______________________________________________
>Visit the Archives at
>http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
>Meteorite-list mailing list
>Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
>______________________________________________
>Visit the Archives at
>http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
>Meteorite-list mailing list
>Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>______________________________________________
>Visit the Archives at
>http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
>Meteorite-list mailing list
>Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Marc Fries <chondritehero at gmail.com>
>To: wahlperry <wahlperry at aol.com>
>Sent: Wed, Apr 6, 2011 2:38 am
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From
>Space
>
>
>
>
>
>Hey Sonny - could you do me a favor and post this to the meteorite
>list? ?I keep trying but it ain't showin' up.
>
>
>Cheers,
>Marc
>
>
>---
>
>
>Howdy all
>
>
> I can't exactly label myself "esteemed" but I'll say a few words...
>?The short version is, I have a lot more respect for Ralph Harvey than
>I do for the NYT. His quote in that article looks like the sort of
>thing that gets cherry-picked for effect. Yes, there are meteorites
>that are bought and sold illegally, and that's bad. There are also a
>hell of a lot of meteorites in research collections that would be
>rusting away in a desert somewhere if it weren't for collectors. That's
>good. I have no doubt that Ralph is fully aware of both sides of the
>argument, and I highly doubt that he intended to label all meteorite
>collection everywhere as a flaming travesty against all of humanity,
>the majority of puppies, and most unicorns everywhere.?
> Here's another recent article that makes a point pertinent to this
>discussion?(before it loses track and goes Fox-bashing), namely that
>science reporting has taken a sharp decrease in quality lately as the
>major media outlets have done away with dedicated science writers:?
>
>
>http://tinyurl.com/3llqgay
>
>
>?? ? ? ?Recent stories on "life" in CI meteorites, "natural atomic bomb
>blasts" on Mars, and now this story are symptoms of a bigger problem,
>namely the lack of well-informed treatment of science issues by the
>major media outlets. Science stories are increasingly handled by
>writers who are looking for high-impact, wow-factor "news" items as
>opposed to lower-key but better-informed articles by science journalism
>professionals. I can say from my own experience that it is rather
>frustrating to attend conferences where I see all manner of well
>thought-out, interesting research presented, and then to turn around
>and see little more than sensationalistic crap wind up front and center
>in the major media. That's not good for anyone - the really interesting
>stuff never reaches a wider audience, and the public winds up thinking
>that scientists waste their time and tax dollars on embarrassing
>nonsense like the examples I stated above. I think that's the effect
>we're seeing in this NYT article at least in part, and while it is
>unfortunate it doesn't surprise me much.
>
>
>Cheers,
>Marc Fries
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>On Apr 4, 2011, at 12:51 PM, mail at mhmeteorites.com wrote:
>
>
>Perhaps one of the many esteemed researchers on this list would be kind
>enough to write a rebuttal.
>Matt
>------------------------
>Matt Morgan
>Mile High Meteorites
>http://www.mhmeteorites.com
>P.O. Box 151293
>Lakewood, CO 80215
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Yinan Wang <veomega at gmail.com>
>Sender: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
>Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 14:44:02
>To: Meteorite-list<meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] BS In The NYT: Black Market Trinkets From
>Space
>
>For those who are inclined to do so, you can certainly write a letter
>to the editor which may be published in the Opinions page ?of the NY
>times as a response:
>
>http://www.nytimes.com/content/help/site/editorial/letters/letters.html?ref=letters
>
>-YvW
>
>On Mon, Apr 4, 2011 at 2:30 PM, Meteorites USA <eric at meteoritesusa.com>
>wrote:
>This is one of the most sensationalized, biased, uninformed, and skewed
>article I've ever read on NYT's website regarding meteorites. Mainly the
>article focuses on the Gebel Kamil iron meteorite, however it paints a
>grim
>picture and tries to draw a connection to all meteorites implying that
>the
>private market is somehow damaging the science.
>
>Black Market Trinkets From Space:
>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/science/05meteorite.html
>Quote: "Popular or not, the meteorites were taboo. In Egypt and
>elsewhere,
>scientists say, it is illegal without a permit to remove meteorites
>from a
>country."
>Quote: "The scientists say they have relatively few samples compared
>with
>the booming illicit sales."
>Quote: "Dr. Harvey of Case Western Reserve said the quandary applied to
>the
>scientific community as a whole. The rampant looting of meteorite sites
>and
>skyrocketing prices for the fragments, he said, ?dramatically reduce
>who can
>get samples to do the research."
>Quote: "The black market has exploded in size mainly because of a rush
>of
>new meteorites arriving from North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula."
>Quote: "The collectors association, founded in 2004 in Nevada, now has
>hundreds of members around the globe. And while some traders deal in
>legitimate exports, many do not. One buyer expressed remorse after
>reading
>about scientific angst over the thriving market. ?I?m very ashamed,? the
>buyer wrote on a blog. ?I?m surely a part of the problem.
>
>This article is irresponsible and borderline yellow journalism from the
>NYT.
>They should be ashamed for running such a biased and uninformed story.
>Well
>over half of the article weighs on the disadvantages and more than
>infers a
>"possible" damage to science which is not there.
>
>It almost completely ignores the great good that's been accomplished
>through
>private collecting/hunting/curating or meteorites and the contributions
>that
>have been made by private collectors and hunters. It never mentions
>donations to institutions, how much of a sample is needed to study any
>meteorite, nor does it mention how many people it brings to the science.
>There is one very good quote from Anne which states:
>
>?The scientists do not have time to go hunt for their own meteorites, so
>somebody has to do it for them,? said Anne M. Black, president of the
>collectors association. ?It?s common sense.?
>
>To the uninformed reader, and inexperienced meteorite collector the NYT
>article looks very bad and creates an artificially biased view from
>those
>not familiar with meteorites. It's purely political.
>
>I think it should be an article for MHC Magazine. To make it FAIR for
>everyone involved, I want ALL points of view, from all sides. From the
>scientific world, and the private market, as well as the points from the
>center. Anyone who would like the opportunity to tell the WHOLE story,
>who
>cares to write a rebuttal for the NYT's blatantly biased article, send
>me
>your info. I would be more than happy to publish it!
>
>Contact me with your comments, facts and opinions. This article will be
>both
>on the blog http://www.mhcmagazine.com/blog/ and in the next issue of
>the
>magazine!
>
>Regards,
>Eric Wichman
>MHC Magazine
>http://www.mhcmagazine.com
>______________________________________________
>Visit the Archives at
>http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
>Meteorite-list mailing list
>Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
>______________________________________________
>Visit the Archives at
>http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
>Meteorite-list mailing list
>Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>______________________________________________
>Visit the Archives at
>http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
>Meteorite-list mailing list
>Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>______________________________________________
>Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
>Meteorite-list mailing list
>Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Received on Wed 06 Apr 2011 05:01:47 PM PDT