Re: paleonet Burgess Shale Fossil Theft

[Ben Waggoner <benw@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Pristis@aol.com wrote:
> 
> This is such silly-business.  It constantly amazes me how
> self-important
> paleontologists can be!  This is just a rock that is missing from a
> mountain-top.  How many of these worm impressions does it take to make
> this a
> "tragedy"?  Get real, guys, get some perspective!

By your reasoning, I should be able to come over and take your 
hubcaps. I mean, they're just pieces of metal that are missing 
from your car -- not even particularly rare, and unlike fossils, 
you can easily get perfectly identical ones at your local dealership. 
How much of a "tragedy" can losing your hubcaps be compared with 
the War On Drugs? I mean, you make a bunch of shiny pretty 
hubcaps, publicize them by driving around, and then expect people 
not to steal them? Sheesh! Pass me the socket wrench and get 
some perspective!

And anyway, whether it's a tragedy or not in the greater scheme 
of things, it's a violation of Canadian national and provincial 
law. Assuming you're a US citizen, your right -- to have your own
opinions on this theft taken seriously -- ends this side of the St. 
Lawrence River and the forty-ninth parallel.

<sarcasm>

Strange as it sometimes seems. . . they *are* a separate 
country up north of the forty-ninth parallel, they actually 
do have their own laws up there, and they do have the right,
believe it or not, to get annoyed when people don't follow 
them. I was there this summer and saw all of this myself --
they've got their own laws! And even courts and police! And 
even a paved highway! And more than one zip code! Congratulations 
to Canada!

</sarcasm> 

-- 
Ben