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Author
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Topic: trademe 247457716: "Apollo 11 Moon Rock"
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TRS
Member Posts: 721
From: Wellington, New Zealand
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 10-16-2009 06:54 PM
   
Okay, honestly I'm not looking for an opinion on this. Let's see: - it's from the moon
- the seller got it from Neil Armstrong who was getting a cab home from the races and was intoxicated
- it's genuine 'cos Neil said it was AND it has a scratch form being transferred into the LM on it
Despite two attempts on my part to have this auction pulled as fraudulent the auction site has responded that: We have reviewed the listing and don't feel that it breaches our terms and conditions and have decided to let the seller continue with the listing. This beggars belief!  |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 10-16-2009 06:59 PM
Wonder how many Neil has given out for free taxi rides? |
Jeff
Member Posts: 474
From: Fayetteville, NC, USA
Registered: May 2009
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posted 10-16-2009 07:18 PM
Good Job!!! It appears that it was removed by the administrator. |
Rob Joyner
Member Posts: 1308
From: GA, USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 10-16-2009 07:21 PM
Looks like they've come to their senses! It now says the "listing was withdrawn by the administrator."Must have been the part about the cab. Everyone knows Neil only takes a limo home from the races. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-16-2009 08:58 PM
Apparently, there was an article about this auction on the website of the New Zealand Herald, but like the auction, it too appears to have been removed. |
TRS
Member Posts: 721
From: Wellington, New Zealand
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 10-16-2009 10:09 PM
I gave the Herald the story as a last resort to try and get this auction pulled. Unfortunately it appears it might have been what it took for the Trade Me administrators to see sense - the auciton was pulled around 1.00pm local time in NZ.If there's any way of seeing the story that was pulled I'd love to get a copy! |
MadSci
Member Posts: 226
From: Maryland, USA
Registered: Oct 2008
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posted 10-22-2009 02:12 AM
When the seller tries again (and they usually do) it might be worth notifying the auction site that selling or merely possessing moon rocks from the Apollo program is a violation of US Federal Law.If an auction house knowingly allowed an auction like this, they are aiding and abetting a felony, which is also a federal offense, and if any of their servers are in the US they are committing wire fraud. Then notify the FBI, who will make a few calls to them to be sure! You might just "Make Their Day"!  By the way, I seem to recall that in order to receive a moon rock the receiving country had to agree to pass similar laws to protect against the rock being sold. New Zealand does have a moon rock, so it's probably also illegal in New Zealand as well! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-22-2009 05:01 AM
To my knowledge, there were no conditions set by the U.S. before gifting the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 goodwill moon rock gifts in 1970 and 1973 respectively. While most countries have laws that protect public gifts from individual ownership, some of the recipients (at the time) had no such provisions, allowing the presentations to become the property of the nation's ruler/leader (e.g. Spain's Apollo 17 display was privately owned until 2007, when it was donated to a public museum).If the New Zealand sale had been for a real moon rock (which it was almost assuredly not) then it would have been theft of U.S. government property, however if it was the sample gifted to the nation or was more likely fake, then it would be subject to New Zealand laws for public gifts or fraud, per my understanding of the situation. |
minipci
Member Posts: 365
From: London, UK
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 10-22-2009 07:05 AM
Whether or not the rock is genuine or not, I guess that it would be extremely difficult to prove that Neil was indeed intoxicated as was claimed on the auction description. Surely that could leave both that website and the auction seller open to be sued for libel? |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 10-22-2009 08:54 AM
I once got mistaken for George "Pinky" Nelson, though I don't have blond hair. Next time I'm in Melbourne I'm going to give away shuttle tiles (in reality, tiles from a bathroom redo) and see if that gets me a free cab ride, or at least a drink at the bar. (Just kidding on the last part.)As well, everybody knows you don't get real moon rocks from the moon. You get them from New Mexico, when the landings really took place! |
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