Metal Band Promised Land

8th Semi-Annual National Book of Mormon Evidence Conference – Sept. 23-24, 2011

Matt — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 03:40:30 +0000

Here are my notes from the Friday session of the 8th Semi-Annual National Book of Mormon Evidence Conference.

Funny Mormon Shred Head

Matt — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 22:43:04 +0000

Dream Theater’s New Drummer

Matt — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:30:27 +0000

http://www.dreamtheater.net/

Metal Plates in MesoAmerica

Matt — Thu, 05 May 2011 20:50:20 +0000

http://www.mormontimes.com/article/20679/Ancient-gold-plates-in-Mesoamerica

Nothing new here. Don’t forget the Padilla plates.

Why It’s So Hard to See Nephites in MesoAmerican Archaeology

Matt — Thu, 05 May 2011 20:48:18 +0000

http://www.mormontimes.com/article/20739/Hiding-from-archaeologists

Orson Scott Card makes a great point in this article. Another potential reason… maybe the Nephites were in the land of the lower 48? I know, I know, there’s no narrow neck of land….. but, there’s a theory for everything.

Finding Landmarks While Google Earthing

Matt — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 05:18:44 +0000

One of the harder parts of Google Earth is that it often does not reveal place names. There are many names of rivers, streams, ridges, hollows, peaks, mountains, roads, etc. on the USGS Topographic maps.

Here are some helpful resources I like to use while Google Earthing around. I can find the place names in the topo maps and know where I am.

http://gis.utah.gov/

http://www.topo.com/ you can browse the maps online for free if you register.

http://tinyurl.com/697lstu I’ll try and find a better link than this, but this is a cool quad index service.

Pole Creek Mine

Matt — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 05:01:13 +0000

One of the minor themes presented during the recent Ancient American History Conference was about pre-Columbian evidence of mining and mineral extraction. Post-Columbus there was a ton of Spanish mining activity in Utah. One of the books I picked up at the conference is “Out of the Dust: Utah’s Lost Mines and Hidden Treasures” by Stephen B. Shaffer. Stephen was at the conference and presented one of the lectures, and displayed some old Spanish sword he’s found in old mines. The swords were forged in Spain, one of them marked “Toledo,” the city in Spain where it was made.

I like to read books that relate to geography and follow along with Google Earth. I often mark landmarks and key places with pushpins in Google Earth and save them to My Places. I did a lot of research and place marking on my old law school laptop. Much of the time I should have been studying I spent on Google Earth making notes. After law school I reimaged my old laptop so my wife could use it. I totally forgot to save My Places and I lost many, many hours of research. I had marked over 75 Mayan sites, the entire Mormon Hole In the Rock expedition trail, every dwelling I’ve ever lived in, etc. I’m so upset that I might just try and forensically recover any remnants of the My Places file from the current slack space on the hard drive of that laptop.

Anyway, during my reading of Chapter 9, the Pole Creek Mines, I was convinced to find the exact location in Google Earth. I tried for a couple evening to deduce the location on my own and eventually resorted to online sources, where I quickly found it. It is a pretty cool story and I’ll probably take my family up there later this summer when we go up there camping. In addition to the more recent and short mine tunnel still visible, there are stores of a sunken, old mine ore car, and a dynamited-shut previous mine entrance. Below the area is a fun cave that the kids will probably enjoy.

Here is some good information on the Pole Creek Canyon Mine, aka the Sacred Mine.

http://ancientlosttreasures.yuku.com/topic/2277/Pole-Creek-Cave

http://www.underwaterdynamics.com/diving/pole_creek_cave.php

http://utahtreasure.blogspot.com/2008/02/pole-creek-sink.html

Craig Childs Article

Matt — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 01:32:59 +0000

Good article on looting.

http://www.hcn.org/issues/369/17663

Read Craig Child’s book, House of Rain.

Old 1995 Article on Prolific Looter

Matt — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 01:27:19 +0000

A 1995 article about the exploits and conviction of an Anasazi looter.

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/02/us/in-the-indian-southwest-heritage-takes-a-hit.html?src=pm

Meth Lab Owners Are Often Relic Hunters

Matt — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:28:25 +0000

Interesting connection between meth addicts/dealers and compulsive relic hunting.

http://crosscut.com/2008/10/12/mossback/18561/Indiana-Jones%2C-meth-addict/