Kim,
 
Wonder if you can get any response from the folks out at Scripps on the
second paragraph...  Who spoke to Mr. Allen?  What do they remember
saying?  I suspect Mr. Allen may have taken what was said out of context.
 It is hard to imagine that one shell shop more or less will impact on
the condition of reefs in general.
 
There should be somebody connected to Scripps (or another equally
reputable institution) willing to offer a different view for publication?
 
By the way, during the last week I was on vacation in the Virgin Islands.
 Offshore of the hotel was a magnificent coral reef.  One day, I saw an
absoulutely stunning woman in a flouresent green thong bikini walking on
the reef.  I asked her, later, if she had seen the sign posted near the
dive shop telling snorkellers to avoid touching the coral.  She said yes,
but she said she was not walking on the living coral-just the green
coral.  I told her that was bad too, but she didn't appear convinced.
 
I did not ask if she was a supplier to the La Jolla Cave & Shell Shop,
though.  If I see her again, I'll ask.
 
Bill Fenzan