[Rockhounds] MR Texas Supplement

[Alan Goldstein]

The Mineralogical Record is a good magazine, though there are issues that 
are occasionally boring. The same could be said for any magazine. Sometimes 
they publish things that stray from the mission of educating their audience. 
That was the point of my discussion. (Insulting participants was not.)

Sandra, you have some very nice specimens - in fact they are among the most 
interesting of any of those selected for the supplement! I particularly like 
the cavernous galena, Zn-rich malachite and the ex-Ferguson collection 
fluorite. I have an ex-Ferguson specimen in my collection as well (calcite).

I think a letter to the editor is in order because readers deserve more from 
the magazine management than random specimen photo albums - even free ones!

Alan


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Darryl Powell" <dpowell13 at rochester.rr.com>
To: "Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors" 
<rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 4:01 PM
Subject: [Rockhounds] Re: MR Texas Supplement


> Dear List,
>    Obviously there are a lot of different observations and opinions about 
> the Texas Collector issue.  I guess there will always be differences of 
> opinion as to the best role of MR as a publication.  On the whole, I have 
> benefited from the range of information the magazine provides, even if it 
> doesn't always "hit" my interests or collecting philosophy and I continue 
> to look forward to receiving the new issues.
>    How's this for yet another perspective:  considering how many 
> collection issues have been published by MR, is it possible that an 
> unstated direction of the magazine is to publish a number of collection 
> catalogs, as an historical record of what's out there in the mineral 
> collecting world right now and where it is?  For example, the pink 
> Peruvian fluorite octahedra in the Spann collection at one time belonged 
> to Marty Zinn.  Personally I always found it interesting to trace the 
> heritage of old specimens that at one time belonged to this count then 
> that mineralogist then that museum then that private collector, and so on. 
> I suppose there's some value, even if minimal, to have such records 
> available for future generations.
>    Lastly I must confess that I do like mineralogical eye candy and enjoy 
> the pretty pictures.  Not much brain energy needed which is fine at the 
> end of a long and busy day.
>
> Just some random thoughts.  Best wishes to you all.
> Darryl Powell
> Manchester, NY
> -- 
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