Re: paleonet SFO fossil exhibit

[argo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Thank you, Nancy. I meant no disrespect and had no idea who (personally) put up the exhibit.  Contrary to Peter's comment, I was involved in the installation of a large public exhibit, and know too well how the non-specialists who get involved can change things, letting errors creep in.  But the errors in the SF installation are larger than that.

As Rich Lane so correctly pointed out, the exhibit itself is indeed beautiful. But the level of taxonomic error is at the subclass level, like calling a synapsid a diapsid, while the reconstructed ammonites have orientations that are quite impossible.  The Academy did a service in putting this up: right now of all times we need to promote our science, and this is a great way to do it.  But as my friend and mentor Don Brownlee often has told me, a big error causes loss of confidence in the rest. Sorry to take up people's time.

Professor Peter D Ward
Dept of Biology
The University of Washington
Seattle, 98195
206-543-2962  ( Office )

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005, Nancy Meyer wrote:

> I'm just curious - how was that comment ill-natured?  And
> why does it matter that no one except persons who've bought
> tickets can see the exhibit?
>
> --- Peter Roopnarine <proopnarine@calacademy.org> wrote:
>
>> Peter,
>>   Your comments on the CAS exhibit at SFO, on Paleonet,
>> were just
>> brought to my attention. Thank you for pointing out the
>> errors.
>> Installation of the exhibit was delayed by more than 6
>> months after it
>> left CAS because of unscheduled construction at the
>> airport, and I have
>> not even seen it myself. A little astute observation on
>> your part will
>> alert you to the fact that unless you are a ticketed
>> domestic passenger
>> flying into or out of SFO, you cannot view the exhibit.
>> And that
>> includes CAS personnel. I personally use SFO only for
>> international
>> flights.
>>   I will not thank you for airing your comments publicly
>> on Paleonet.
>> There was nothing constructive in that action. Frankly,
>> coming from you,
>> someone who has had very little experience with assembly
>> of major
>> exhibits from a larger natural history museum, I find
>> your confidence in
>> your right to be critical to be a bit, well, baseless. I
>> will address
>> the issues with the exhibit, but your approach is
>> precisely what is
>> troubling about the future of paleontology: ill-conceived
>> and
>> ill-natured commentaries posted to the Paleonet
>> listserver.
>>   Best wishes,
>>   Peter Roopnarine
>>
>> --
>> Peter D. Roopnarine, Assoc. Curator
>> Dept. of Invertebrate Zoology & Geology
>> California Academy of Sciences
>> 875 Howard St.
>> San Francisco CA 94103
>> Tel. (415)321-8271
>> FAX: (415)321-8615
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
>
>
>
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