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Index of Subjects
edition of the King James Bible omitte
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The radically "abridged" version of the Eisley event almost reads like =
an Aesop's fable rather than an account to be taken as scientifically =
grounded, but I can see why Jim is bothered by the idea of thoughtlessly =
and needlessly tossing star-fish around. Maybe the First Nations tale =
retold by Tuma, about the talking hummingbird that tried to put out a =
forest fire, is more helpful here, because it's so obviously a symbolic =
or visionary fantasy and nobody is going to read it literally in the way =
they would a scientific treatise or even a personal memoir.
Brian
From: David & Alison Webster=20
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 9:37 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] re star-thrower story -- moral??
Hi Jim & All, Jan 13, 2012
I agree Jim, if I understand what you are saying.=20
In real life, so far as I know, starfish will not become stranded =
above low-low tide, except perhaps by very unlikely mechanisms; a tidal =
wave which I suppose might sweep them inland, a very severe storm that =
rolled starfish, rock, mussels and byssus threads into a bundle among =
other wrack or an earthquake that abruptly raised a section of beach.=20
But this discussion has perhaps become too serious. If you search =
for it, you can find a quote to justify any action. For example, as =
explained in a recent issue of National Geographic, one early edition of =
the King James Bible omitted a key word from one of the 10 commandments =
so that it read "Thou shalt commit adultery.". Presumably this gave rise =
to the expression "Praise the Lord".
Yt DW, Kentville
----- Original Message -----=20
From: James W. Wolford=20
To: NatureNS=20
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 =
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. 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?=20
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 =
years. I talk about it to people who think I'm crazy for helping common =
species. They all matter, at least to me.
Helene
On Jan 13, 2012 2:32 PM, "Brian Bartlett" <bbartlett@eastlink.ca> =
wrote:
Eiseley was a genius of an essayist, memoirist, and nature writer. =
The Immense Journey, The Night Country, The Unexpected Universe, All The =
Strange Hours -- a few of his most memorable books. The Star Thrower, =
which Chris mentions, provided the title for a selection of Eiseley's =
writing. But Chris, I'm a bit confused, because "The Star Thrower" is a =
25-page personal essay in the book The Unexpected Universe, and it =
doesn't contain the passage you quote below. Did you find that on-line =
somewhere?=20
Brian
From: Christopher Majka=20
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012 1:34 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
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 =
written by anthropologist Loren Eisley (1907-1977). Apparently it was a =
true story in which Eisley himself was the "elderly gentleman". ;~>
Cheers!
Chris
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The Star Thrower
by Loren Eisley=20
While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in =
the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the =
ocean. As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young =
man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back =
into the water. He came closer still and called out, "Good morning! May =
I ask what it is that you are doing?"
The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish =
into the ocean."
The old man smiled, and said, "I must ask, then, why are you =
throwing starfish into the ocean?"
To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is =
going out. If I don=EF=BF=BDt throw them in, they=EF=BF=BDll die."
Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, "But, young =
man, do you not realise that there are miles and miles of beach and =
there are starfish all along every mile? You can=EF=BF=BDt possibly make =
a difference!"
The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up =
another starfish, threw it into the back into the ocean past the =
breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."
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<DIV><FONT face=3DCalibri>The radically "abridged" version of the Eisley =
event=20
almost reads 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 idea =
of=20
thoughtlessly and needlessly tossing star-fish around. Maybe the First =
Nations=20
tale retold by Tuma, about the talking hummingbird that tried to put out =
a=20
forest fire, is more helpful here, because it's so obviously a symbolic =
or=20