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Villagers in Puno, Peru Guard Meteorite and Keep Scientists from Studying the Area

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(LIP-ir) -- Regional Geology Director for Peru's Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute (INGEMMET), Hernando Núñez del Prado, stated yesterday that the townspeople of Carancas, Puno, Peru were suffering from "a type of collective psychosis" due to the fact that they had established a 24-hour watch around the crater where the meteorite  had landed.

Núñez explained that the townspeople were treating the crater as a "treasure which had to be protected day and night," explaining that they feared losing fragments of the meteorite.

Núñez affirmed that this behavior was only getting in the way of scientists which were attempting to study the meteorite.

Furthermore, it was reported that a group of townspeople kept INGEMMET scientists which had traveled to Carancas from getting close to the crater and studying it. Núñez also stated that a group from Peru's Geophysics Institute (IGP) was also kept from doing research in the area.

Núñez assured that the townspeople's behavior was due to the fact that the 'meteorite hunter' Michael Farmer, who was in Carancas, Peru and bought pieces of the meteorite, had told the people that they had one million dollars in the crater.

It was reported that Farmer paid villagers US$1000 for 300 grams of the meteorite. Since then, 400 locals have organized themselves into two groups which guard the crater day and night. Núñez has stated that the situation in Puno, Peru is "very tense."

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# don smith says :
23 October, 2007 [ 22:52 ]

Excellent work mike farmer.  Given Farmer's ebay auctions are selling these fragments for at least $100 a gram (check em out... ebay auction number: 170158752230 went for $255 a gram, and some of his partners stuff:  

170160010594

170160035223).

That's at least $30,000 for those 300grams he paid $1000 dollars for to help those poor peruvian people.  Well, ya know, it costs alot to live in the usa!   No wonder he thinks people in Peru are dumb.... 

Good going Mike... um, yeah, and great scientific, um work too! 

# A.K. says :
24 October, 2007 [ 00:57 ]

Not really going either way with this but the comment "....it costs a lot to live in the U.S.A. is a valid point. Giving $1000 to a most Andeans (police included) is close to giving $30,000 to the average American, about one years pay. Should you pay the same for a taxi ride in Peru as you would in the U.S. going the same distance? At least he paid for them, I can give you countless examples of foreigners not paying a dime for anything going back,ohhhh lets say 500 years.

# don smith says :
24 October, 2007 [ 06:51 ]

Well taken point.  And Manhattan was purchased with Twenty dollars worth of glass beads, so the legend goes.... At least they paid for it.

# Shakira says :
24 October, 2007 [ 08:35 ]

Don, You're way off base. 

The meteorite wasn't "worth" even what the Peruvian villagers were paid.  It is just a rock, a very ugly piece of gravel at that, which will turn into powder or rust away in the elements.  If you are a scientist who studies these babies you may find a wealth of information (most, but not all), which can be studied in other meteorites available by the ton for $0.10 to $1 per gram.  The steep prices don't reflect at all what you think makes the Peruvians dumb.  If anything, it is a lucky break for those involved in trafficking this. 

It does reflect the mentality of a few affluent people who find it stimulating to sit behind their computers and pay a couple hundred dollars for their boy to raise hell and get a lot of press talking about himself, umm, meteorites. 

Hate to break it to you, but you would be doing really good to sell the gravel and powder for what the villagers were paid.  You really have to be a good snake oil salesman to understand who's dumb and who isn't in this situation.  I don't think snake oil is particularly valuable, is it?  On the other hand, as dumb as it is priceless, experiencing Farmer's youth vicariously, and personalizing it by buying the Farmer Meteorite is just the right elixar to make you feel like you too are alive and kicking.

I am sure Farmer is laughing all the way to the bank, not at the villagers, but at all of the players that want a piece of his action.  He has finally succeeded in surpassing Bob Haag's fame, bigtime, his ship has finally come in, and he has manipulated all of these folks with sour grapes to be his lackies to dock the ship at his American doorstep, rather than doing something original on their own.  Also, he's probably laughing all the way to the bank every time someone gives him the cold cash which is a vote of approval to him in the only place it counts.

With over 30 kilograms (30,000 grams) of this material starting to circulate, supply and demand will leave time to tell when this scandal dies down, if it ever does.  But Farmer milk it for what he can, after all, he's a good salesman besides being a bull in a china shop, whether you like him or not.  Try to compete with him and you'll understand better.  Right now the dumbest of all are those who post all the free publicity and give the impression that it is "worth" so much.  Unless you are on Farmer's payroll?

# don smith says :
24 October, 2007 [ 08:52 ]

Shakira,

No disrespect, my comments were meant to be sarcastic.  I agree with you... I think farmer took advantage of the peruvian people...

# Randall Gregory says :
25 October, 2007 [ 18:27 ]

Mr. Farmer created serious problems in Peru. Taking advantage of poor people was a minor transgression compared to the others.

Randall

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