[NatureNS] re star-thrower story -- moral??

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From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:59:34 -0400
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I am having problems with this whole discussion, because of the =20
evolutionary adaptations of intertidal organisms like these =20
starfishes -- I can visualize like-minded people who see barnacles =20
"stranded" during low tides wanting to use backhoes to get them back =20
into the water.  I of course love the point that I think Helene is =20
getting at, that one or a few who are doing tiny amounts of some =20
activity whose effect is very little are setting examples for =20
potential followers to act in concert, but let's find a better example?

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Helene Van Doninck <helene.birdvet@gmail.com>
> Date: January 13, 2012 4:30:57 PM AST
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Loren Eiseley
> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>
> The starfish story is pretty much my daily mantra, and has been for =20=

> years. I talk about it to people who think I'm crazy for helping =20
> common species. They all matter, at least to me.
> Helene
>
> On Jan 13, 2012 2:32 PM, "Brian Bartlett" <bbartlett@eastlink.ca> =20
> wrote:
> Eiseley was a genius of an essayist, memoirist, and nature writer. =20
> The Immense Journey, The Night Country, The Unexpected Universe, =20
> All The Strange Hours -- a few of his most memorable books. The =20
> Star Thrower, which Chris mentions, provided the title for a =20
> selection of Eiseley's writing. But Chris, I'm a bit confused, =20
> because "The Star Thrower" is a 25-page personal essay in the book =20
> The Unexpected Universe, and it doesn't contain the passage you =20
> quote below. Did you find that on-line somewhere?
> Brian
>
>
> From: Christopher Majka
> Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 1:34 PM
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Vogel-the Common Gallinule/ native story
>
> Hi Tuma and Dusan,
>
> Tuma's story of Militaw reminds me of The Star Thrower, a story =20
> written=EF=BF=BC by anthropologist Loren Eisley (1907-1977). =
Apparently it =20
> was a true story in which Eisley himself was the "elderly =20
> gentleman". ;~>
>
> Cheers!
>
> Chris
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =20=

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =20=

> - - - - - - - - - - - -
> The Star Thrower
>
> by Loren Eisley
> While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in =20
> the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it =20
> into the ocean. As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was =20
> that of a young man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing =20
> each one gently back into the water. He came closer still and =20
> called out, "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"
>
> The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish =20
> into the ocean."
>
> The old man smiled, and said, "I must ask, then, why are you =20
> throwing starfish into the ocean?"
>
> To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is =20
> going out. If I don=E2=80=99t throw them in, they=E2=80=99ll die."
>
> Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, "But, young man, =20=

> do you not realise that there are miles and miles of beach and =20
> there are starfish all along every mile? You can=E2=80=99t possibly =
make a =20
> difference!"
>
> The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up =20
> another starfish, threw it into the back into the ocean past the =20
> breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."
>
>
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =20=

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =20=

> - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
>


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
I am having problems with this whole discussion, because of the =
evolutionary adaptations of intertidal organisms like these starfishes =
-- I can visualize like-minded people who see barnacles "stranded" =
during low tides wanting to use backhoes to get them back into the =
water. &nbsp;I of course love the point that I think Helene is getting =
at, that one or a few who are doing tiny amounts of some activity whose =
effect is very little are setting examples for potential followers to =
act in concert, but let's find a better =
example?<div><br></div><div>Cheers from Jim in =
Wolfville.<br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: =
</b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Helvetica">Helene Van Doninck &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:helene.birdvet@gmail.com">helene.birdvet@gmail.com</a>&gt;<=
/font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Date: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">January 13, 2012 4:30:57 PM =
AST</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>To: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a></font>=
</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Re: [NatureNS] Loren =
Eiseley</b></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; c