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or=20 --Apple-Mail-421-317973380 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed; delsp=yes Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi folks, Both The Star Thrower story and the Militaw story (today I heard from =20= someone who had heard the latter story from a Haida Gwaii lady) are =20 intended to serve as parables, not scientific treatises. In =20 allegorical fashion they make the point that it is worthwhile for each =20= one of us to do what we can, to make a contribution. If everyone =20 pitches in, great things can be achieved. We shouldn't be dissuaded =20 from action because it seems daunting. No one imagines that such parables are literally true (talking =20 animals, a hummingbird attempting to put out a forest fire). Parables =20= are effective because the convey a point that moves people. Better =20 examples aren't required because these are fables not literal =20 accounts. Even Eisley's original story is not a scientific narrative, =20= but a poetical account, in which he writes: "On a point of land, I found the star thrower...I spoke once briefly. =20= "I understand," I said. "Call me another thrower." Only then I allowed =20= myself to think, He is not alone any longer. After us, there will be =20 others...We were part of the rainbow...Perhaps far outward on the rim =20= of space a genuine star was similarly seized and flung...For a moment, =20= we cast on an infinite beach together beside an unknown hurler of =20 suns... We had lost our way, I thought, but we had kept, some of us, =20 the memory of the perfect circle of compassion from life to death and =20= back to life again - the completion of the rainbow of existence." Reflect on Tuma's earlier observation: "Some folks can only feed the =20 birds. Some can educate others about the use of lead in bullets and =20 sinkers and how this affects the Eagles. Some can help by lobbing =20 politicians. Others can donate money or support whatever way they =20 can. Do what you can to help." Cheers, Chris On 13-Jan-12, at 11:27 PM, Brian Bartlett wrote: > The radically "abridged" version of the Eisley event almost reads =20 > like an Aesop's fable rather than an account to be taken as =20 > scientifically grounded, but I can see why Jim is bothered by the =20 > idea of thoughtlessly and needlessly tossing star-fish around. Maybe =20= > the First Nations tale retold by Tuma, about the talking hummingbird =20= > that tried to put out a forest fire, is more helpful here, because =20 > it's so obviously a symbolic or visionary fantasy and nobody is =20 > going to read it literally in the way they would a scientific =20 > treatise or even a personal memoir. > Brian > > From: David & Alison Webster > Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 9:37 PM > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] re star-thrower story -- moral?? > > Hi Jim & All, Jan 13, 2012 > I agree Jim, if I understand what you are saying. > > In real life, so far as I know, starfish will not become =20 > stranded above low-low tide, except perhaps by very unlikely =20 > mechanisms; a tidal wave which I suppose might sweep them inland, a =20= > very severe storm that rolled starfish, rock, mussels and byssus =20 > threads into a bundle among other wrack or an earthquake that =20 > abruptly raised a section of beach. > > But this discussion has perhaps become too serious. If you =20 > search for it, you can find a quote to justify any action. For =20 > example, as explained in a recent issue of National Geographic, one =20= > early edition of the King James Bible omitted a key word from one of =20= > the 10 commandments so that it read "Thou shalt commit adultery.". =20 > Presumably this gave rise to the expression "Praise the Lord". > > Yt DW, Kentville > ----- Original Message ----- > From: James W. Wolford > To: NatureNS > Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 5:59 PM > Subject: [NatureNS] re star-thrower story -- moral?? > > 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 =20 > 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<ir.gif> by anthropologist Loren Eisley (1907-1977). =20 >> Apparently it was a true story in which Eisley himself was the =20 >> "elderly gentleman". ;~> >> >> Cheers! >> >> Chris >> >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =20= >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -