Re: Second Thoughts on Sue

[JAdamek390@aol.com]

Sharon A Hill asked:

        <<Does the Chicago museum charge for admission? This would be a way to 
raise money for new paleo-jobs.
        I have no doubt that McDonald's and Disney will recoup their investment 
in Sue several times over with merchandise and admission dollars. I would not
be 
surprised to see more corporate sponsership for digs like we now see for 
exhibitions - it's an excellent PR activity - promoting science. I seem to 
recall in the thread about Jurassic Park, people mentioning that big business

profiting from dinosaurs should lend their monetary support back into the 
science. This is what they are doing - although it's not for totally
charitable 
reasons, I'm sure, but it's cash going where it's needed.
>>

The Field Museum does charge admission (except Wednesdays). I also expect
that there will be additional sponsorship such as we saw in this case. I am
also sure the money would not have been forthcoming for some less *sexy*
project. We should all be a least somewhat glad that Sue will reside in a
musuem where she may serve as inspiration for another generation of future
paleontologists. There are several paleontologists out there who credit
seeing displays in museuems (by the way, would those on the list care to
identify themselves?). Maybe some day we will see a book with an
acknowledgement in the front much like that of Steven Jay Gould (who thanked
his dad for taking him to see AMNH's T-Rex when he was 5) that cites seeing
Sue at the FMNH as the author's inspiration.

John P. Adamek