I’d like to thank Michael Brown for his excellent contributions on indigenous intellectual property rights and institutional rationality. I’ve updated the guest blogger page with a brief bio, which includes links to Michael’s various web sites and interests, which include building dry stone walls.
We have more exciting guests lined up, so stay tuned!
Kerim– In the interest of accuracy, I should state that I haven’t (yet!) built a dry stone wall. As I was about authorize the delivery of 3000 kilos of New England fieldstone to my backyard, I had a crisis of confidence–or perhaps an attack of common sense–that led me to seek professional help, which in turn led to my discovery of a small but active network of Tibetan stoneworkers in western Massachusetts. One of these masons, Mr. Lobsang Dorjee, built the walls you see here, dusted by the season’s first snow. The wall is made of Ashfield stone, a garnet schist quarried east of Williamstown. Lobsang’s website, http://www.tibetstone.com, seems to be down right now, but you might find a cached version.
The Tibetan labor network in this out-of-the-way place–hardly a hotbed of cultural diversity–would make a great focus for somebody’s MA thesis.
Thanks again for your hospitality.
I really appreciate Michael’s efforts contributing so productively during his run writing for Savage Minds. Thank you!