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Current Info
Updated 04/18/2008

The May 2008 Backbender's Gazette is now available.
The May 2008 BBG features an article by Art Smith and a synopsis of the talk he presented at a Mineral Section meeting on Arkansas aluminum phosphate minerals. Neal and Inda Immega tell us the mysteries of cavansite, a mineral on display in case 46 at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS). Terry Proctor documents the very interesting broom straw casting demonstration put on by Tom Wright at the March General Meeting. Steve Wilkerson's Lapidary Section article gives a great description of how to use paste solder as demonstrated by John Zanders when he made earrings at the Lapidary Section's March meeting. Norm Lenz gives us an update on how his wife Susan is doing. Our own Owen Martin, the SCFMS Safety Coordinator, cautions us about various activities in the shop that require extra alertness (page 31). Linda Jaeger (AFMS Club Publications Chair) wrote a great article that will be of interest to anyone who spends hours in front of a computer, "AFMS—Quick Tips for Editors" (page 28). Many of us can benefit from reading that article! For Youth Section members, two pages from the Mini Miners Monthly start on page 34. And last but definitely not least, learn about Geopalooza! A Hard Rock Anthology--a most impressive display of fantastic minerals, rocks, and other things soon to be seen at the HMNS (page 36). All this and more can be found in the May 2008 BBG. (Adobe Acrobat Reader is required for PDF files.)
           May 2008 BBG   Back Issues of BBG
The individual articles taken from past issues of the BBG that have been featured on this Web site are still available. Access these articles by clicking here.
  • April 22--General Meeting Program: Dr. Richard Zingula will speak on "What's Going On In the Ocean and How Ocean Fossils Were Created."
  • Wednesday May 7, 7:30--Mineral Section Annual Auction: the Mineral Section will be having its annual auction to help raise money for the Section. Once again, we are allowing ALL HGMS members to bring specimens to the auction and to keep a portion of their proceeds. The proceeds of at least one of the specimens you bring (your choice) must be donated to the Section. Five additional specimens may be auctioned by each person, with a portion of each specimen (10%) going to the Section and the rest going to the donor.
  • May 27--General Meeting Program: David P. Wilbur. Joel Bartsch was to be our speaker but he had to cancel, and he assisted by providing Mr. Wilbur for our program. Mr. Wilbur has been in rockhounding for 61 years, having been a hobbyist and a dealer at times, and he is now retired—somewhat. Mr. Wilbur lives in Tuscon, Arizona, but is assisting Joel Bartsch and the Houston Museum of Natural Science in a new lapidary and mineral display and program (Geopalooza) this summer and also assisting in part of the expanded permanent mineral display at the HMNS. He will tell us of his decades in the mineral specimen hobby (he has collected MANY marvelous specimens), and after retiring he developed a great interest in lapidary. He will also tell us about his current connection with the HMNS and their new Geopalooza! exhibits and program. He brought in six tons of fluorescent minerals to HMNS for their Geopalooza fluorescent exhibit. See page 36 in the May BBG for complete information about the Geopalooza exhibit.
  • All Youth Section members are invited to enter an exhibit in the AFMS show. See page 30 in the March BBG to learn more.
  • Volunteer to be the next HGMS 1st Vice President or the next HGMS Education Chair. Learn how much fun it is to be involved with your club and to make a difference. Call HGMS President Terry Proctor for more information. You'll be GLAD you did!

HGMS 2007-2008 Calendar

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC
Check for meetings, gem shows, and trips.
History of HGMS--1948-2006
HGMS Outreach at HMNS
Click on the Upcoming Programs button for information on General Meeting and Section Programs.
Upcoming Programs

The Houston Chronicle ran an article about the HGMS Youth Section on September 22, 2006. Click here to read the article on the Chronicle's Web site.

How2DoItWe are now featuring "How to" articles written by our membership. Click on the button to learn about Close-Up Photography written by Sam Norwood. Also new is a photo tour of the HGMS shop and a listing of where HGMS buys its shop supplies. Still available are Neal Immega's instructions on how to build your very own SuperGrinder and his article on "Extended Focus in Macro Photography."
Useful Links: For a variety of very interesting Internet links, please click on the red Useful Linksbutton. If you would like to have your club Web site listed here, please let us know. If you would like your non-club Web site listed here because you think our club members would find your earth science-related Web site interesting and informative, please let us know that too. If you are an HGMS member and have some favorite sites that you think should be listed here, please let us know.

HGMS-Related Forms and Documents: A number of helpful forms and documents are available. Most are in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader (a free online download).

HGMS Bylaws HGMS Membership Form
Liability Release Renew Your Membership
Tax Exemption Form Exhibit Application
MEMBERSHIP :  ANNUAL DUES:

Single Adult……………….………..$30.00        Youth..........…....………….…………....$8.00
Couple…………………….….……..$40.00        Family (all members in one house).....$50.00
On July 1 and after, the year's membership is 1/2 price.The Membership form (see button above) can be printed and mailed to HGMS, or you can fill one out at a meeting.


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