Another Angle

Another Angle

there are many reasons to save the planet, to be an activist. One of those reasons is Archaeology. Another is Medicine.

I will look at both today and share a story  about something that happened to me that has to do with Archaeology.

So, what is archaeology? it is the study of the human past, long dead people cultures. Why do we study it? An innate curiosity inside of us to know what we are really capable of. 

In urban and suburban development lots of possible finds are destroyed, acid rain melts others, earthquakes from human sources tsunamis to, exposure to air or to water can damage some. we cause so much damage intentionally, take the destruction of the museums in syria for example, and even more unintentionally.

Okay now that we know what archaeology is and what it is about, and why we do it, and whats threatening it, lets study medicine.

We all know what medicine is and why we  do it, trying to help out ourselves and our pets, why should we save the planet simply for medicine?

Because most medicine is derived from natural sources such as the Amazon which by the way is being chopped down according to one source  at a rate of 50 acres per minute, another says 120 football fields per minute and one says only 1 acre per minute.

As we destroy the rain forests we kill off the shamans, medicine people and healers, we destroy some of the only people who know how to use the plants, and know which one to use.

A few months ago I was going down the brook near my house with my sisters, in hope that we would find something like we had the day before, when we had found a Keystone fireworks card that I have to this day. We found something a bit more interesting, I found a totally rusted horseshoe, so rusted that I thought it was a rock at first. I have had it in a vinegar  the entire time until today when I took it out and it was easily recognizable as a horseshoe,  barely had any rust on it at all.

Do we want the children of the next generation to never be ever to find anything, be Archaeologists, Or scientists studying the native peoples incredibly complex compounds?

I Do. How about you? 

A cool toy to make from a wooden clothespin

I just found out a Neat toy to make out of a clothespin so I thought I would make this post. 

Things You Will Need

1. Wood Glue

2. Wooden Clothespin

3. Exacto Knife

4. Marker

We all hate this one but lets be safe okay? 5. An Adult

The clothespin has to be a wooden one or else it won't be build able. First, You remove the spring by sliding the clothespin pieces in opposite directions. Save the spring.  Next use a marker and make a little mark about half an inch back from the hole formed when the to pieces are put flat parts together, only put the mark on one piece. Then make an angled mark on the bottom piece pointing forward along the clothespin, make the mark were the little dome like area on the clothespin is. Next open the clothespin and on the bottom piece going back all the way from the notch in the clothespin along the flat in the very center mark an absolutely straight line using a ruler that goes all the way back and off the clothespin piece. Make sure that it is wide enough  that a wooden  match  could slip through easily. Take the top and  repeat only this  time, color in a half inch area going back from the hole following a colored in line. then on the straight and angled areas,where we already made small marks on the clothespin an mark the other sides at exactly the same spot then draw a ruler straight line connecting them.

This is the second part of the process.

Cut out the marks  on the sides following the straight line connecting them and  the long straight marks on each piece so that together they will have enough room to allow the match to slide easily through. Then cut out the flat half inch piece on top so it is flush with the straight barrel portion of the piece. once you have cut out all the marked areas, put the clothespin together on the flat pieces and try sliding a match through the barrel. Adjust if necessary. then put a drop of wood glue on a sheet of paper  and apply evenly to the to pieces so that the barrel is formed. Let the modified clothespin dry for 10 minutes then put the spring on so that on arm of the spring is in the dome that has been modified into a notch and the other is on the barrel of the  clothespin pistol so that when a match is pushed through the barrel it ends up pushing the spring back until it end up in the notch at the back of the barrel and then pull on the spring so it exits the notch and hits the back of the match with a lot of force sending it twenty feet or so.

Spreading The Word

So, You have been hearing all this stuff about saving the planet but then realize, I can do all I want to help the  planet, but I cannot save it by myself, I need to involve other people in the work as well.
How do we involve others in the work of the current crises on the planet?                                                         We spread the word. The key is to get people just angry enough to do something, but not something rash, like eco terrorism. Ideally we would want them to go on rallies, hold sign, and sit in trees, not DAMAGE  PROPERTY wether public, state, federal, corporate or private.

There is this documentary on youtube called If A Tree Falls that is really good. Although I would rate it at least 11 and up as it was a bit intense even for me, it is about the ELF Earth Liberation Front and what it did, and what happend to some of the members after the gang was broken.

Who we need most is networkers to spread the word through blogs and websites, and as many other means as possible.
in every day life it is also possible to spread the word through things like Email Twitter and Facebook.  

Remember, the more people spreading the word the better, even if you don't like them, they could be incredible at something to help the environment.