Privateering, edu., & Paleo "First Stringers" sortta long

[Lightwaves@aol.com]

Privating:
As far as I am concerned I would be more than happy to donate any quality
find I may happen to come across, but is it wrong to want to retain a form of
ownership of a bone, or whole specimen? I think not. How about leasing the
specimen to a qualified museum, along with casting rights, publishing
authority, and re-examination for a set period of time, say 25 years, for a
small fee or visitation rights. Sign off on a liability wavier, and let the
"pros" do their thing. Those of us that do not have the resources to
continually go to the desrt, either monitarily or vacationally(?), should get
some reward for our efforts. Maybe a signifigant mention and input on any
paper written, and a public posting of displayed specimens in those holy
sites we call meuseums. Every time I go to Wyoming or Colorado it cost me
hundereds of dollars, and every month I subscribe to this list it cost me
around a hundered more for on-line fees and phone charges. I don't even have
a local dial-in number so every session is a long distance call. Yet I am not
bitchin', I am trying to make a point. How many "pros" would go to the desert
or post on this list if it cost them out their own pocket. There would still
be some, but rest assured the numbers would fall. I feel there is a direct
relationship with the number of hard earned bucks  laid-out to participate
and learn, and the actually devotion to paleontological studies. I do not
have to have a currators position, or degree, to be a Vertabrate
Paleontologist, any more than I have to run a gallery or chair the art
department at Major State University to be an artist. In the words of Popeye,
"I yam what I yam." Some people may disapprove of the self classification
without that sheepskin, but that's their problem.  Who knows, I may make a
discovery surpassing anything Jack H. or Bakker will ever do.  And by the way
Jack didn't even have a degree when he found his "Egg Mountain", just a high
school diploma and a job cleaning bones as a preparitor.

Education:
Who writes the books they teach from these days? Who buys the materials? I
was taught dinos were stupid, big, and slow. I was taught the world was about
7000 yeras old. I was taught some things that kids now-a-days just seem to
grow up knowing are not right. I questioned all of that crap, and looked
around for myself, and found more answers than I had questions. If a student
truely wishes to learn then he, or she, usually goes beyond the politically
driven propaganda the public school system dishes out. If not they become
disinterested in learning altogether, as some of my freinds did. That
situation is exactly why we have a nation of drug abuse and violence.
Childeren are not stupid, or slow either. The trouble is without real
teachers few see a way to push their brains out of the jungle of the inner
city, and instead of real learning they become a street dino. Destined to a
form of extinction I find much more sad than the dino's passing. Teachers
should try to give their students pick-axes to break down walls of ignorance,
approved of by the system or not. Social interaction without real learning is
a pathway to social deevloution, and we've all begun to see the truth in
that. I feel I may have been the exception, rather than the rule, but with
just a nudge in the right direction many kids could become free minded, and
isn't that what we all want?

Paleo "First Stringers"
Professional Paleontologist have more responsibility than just digging up and
studying bones, bivalves, and corals. Professionals owe it to the rest of
humanity to go outside their circles of contact, and interact with not only
those of us interested in this feild but everyone that can be reached. Horner
and Bakker at least have seen this, and agree with what they have to say or
not one must admitt that their methods of outreach work. If you pros have a
problem with their methods, or work, then go past them to the powers that be
to make yor point. Little good will come from venting bile on this list, as I
have personally found out. You may say to yourself, "I have writen this and
that, and have been here and there", and to that I say good show.
Contributing to the base of information is wonderful, but trurning one kid
into a contibuting member of society would be astounding. Of course
recognition and fame will pass you by, (maybe) and if that's what your after
I really pity you.

I am an artist by profession because I feel I can contribute the most to the
world this way, and it's where the majority of my talents lie. I tell every
kid that is impressed by one of my T-shirt designs that it's just a matter of
will power, and if they relly want to do this sort of thing they can. I'm no
"Tommy" that attaracts kids by the millions, but the ones I do contact I try
to touch. Inside their heads, where it counts.

In closing,(thank God), I was sitting on my deer stand, bow hunting, and a
chickadee landed on my bow. I was camoed out, but I was still as death. I
moved only a fraction and away it went. I key on motion when I hunt, and I
feel 90% of all preditors do likewise.

Sorry for the State-of-the-Union-like lenght|;-)|