You know how you say hi to a Famous Person and then act like you’re besties? Oh, you don’t? My bad.
ANYWAY, I claim Dr. Barbara J. King as an online friend, since we’ve exchanged a word or three on Facebook and such. I tell her she’s my second favorite anthropologist, the amazing Sara Marian being my mostest favorite. Since Sara is my #4 Daughter, Dr. King accepts second place. Well, as I meant to say in the first place, Dr. King writes for NPR’s Cosmos and Culture, and she had a fascinating piece this week about rock art. It’s called Animal Images In Prehistoric Rock Art: Looking Beyond Europe.
I’ve already looked beyond Europe, ’cause my pal Jane gave me a copy of Stephen Mithin’s AFTER THE ICE, and that goes all around Robin Hood’s barn.
Well, now, Robin Hood never had a barn like this one. I love this building technique. They put up a framework, then make blocks out of a mixture of concrete and foam — like dishwashing liquid foam! — and cover the framework with that. Then they take down the framework. BOOM! Almost-instant house. Cheap, too.
So you build this house in the middle of nowhere, and then you realize you can’t get to anywhere. Which way? Which way? Here’s an animated GIF to help you locate yourself compass-wise. Oh, my dear goodness!
After looking at something so useful, you need a break. So spend some time on the Useless Web. It’s like the Dark Web, only, you know, not. Like, at all.
A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: A character is lost, metaphorically or literally.
MA
Roy A. Ackerman, PhD, EA
August 4, 2017 at 1:46pmOne of my best friends (yes, I am lucky to have more than 1) invented the method for polyurethane foam for housing, barns, and (with my help) cold storage (with carbon dioxide atmospheres).
His home used to a be a polyurethane igloo! With a vent in the center so his palm tree could grow inside!
Marian Allen
August 4, 2017 at 6:21pmTHAT is totally awesome, right there!
Jane
August 5, 2017 at 8:51amGreat recommends. I’m still reading them!
There are so many novel ideas for making shelters. Why can’t we get some of these to disaster areas?.
Huh? whyyyyy….???
.
Marian Allen
August 5, 2017 at 10:15amIn the case of refugee camps, the host countries don’t want to make folks feel at home. In the case of aid sent by or paid for by the US Government — Some say there are rich people with friends in high places. Some say these rich people own companies that profit from the kind of crap housing we provide to disaster victims — when we do. I’ve come to suspect that, if it doesn’t make sense, it must make cents.