Swordgate is just about a perfect example of "woo." According to RationalWiki
"Woo is understood specifically as pseudoscience, uses a science-like formula, and attempts to place itself as scientifically, or at least reasonably, supported."
Truth is the best weapon for fighting the woo, but sometimes it costs some money to get and disseminate that truth. There are many things I'd like to be able to do to continue working on Swordgate -- some of those things are going to take a little cash. I've already put in a lot of time and energy (which aren't free by any stretch of the imagination) into this endeavor, and I'm hesitant to start laying out money directly.
What would I use the Woo War One money for? First, there are some materials I'd like to purchase that I think will help me understand what's going on with the swords. Second, I'm hatching a plan to do some of my own tests. That will require paying for some shipping and some charges associated with laboratory work. I don't have a budget yet because I've only just started to think about it.
I'm sure other things will come up as well as this story keeps developing. I won't just go and spend the money on peach soda and moon pies, I promise! And you can bet that whatever I come up with I'll share it here, first and free.
Anyway, if you've enjoyed Swordgate so far and would like to help out with a few dollars, please visit the Woo War One GoFundMe campaign and chip in. Thank you if you do!
"Woo is understood specifically as pseudoscience, uses a science-like formula, and attempts to place itself as scientifically, or at least reasonably, supported."
Truth is the best weapon for fighting the woo, but sometimes it costs some money to get and disseminate that truth. There are many things I'd like to be able to do to continue working on Swordgate -- some of those things are going to take a little cash. I've already put in a lot of time and energy (which aren't free by any stretch of the imagination) into this endeavor, and I'm hesitant to start laying out money directly.
What would I use the Woo War One money for? First, there are some materials I'd like to purchase that I think will help me understand what's going on with the swords. Second, I'm hatching a plan to do some of my own tests. That will require paying for some shipping and some charges associated with laboratory work. I don't have a budget yet because I've only just started to think about it.
I'm sure other things will come up as well as this story keeps developing. I won't just go and spend the money on peach soda and moon pies, I promise! And you can bet that whatever I come up with I'll share it here, first and free.
Anyway, if you've enjoyed Swordgate so far and would like to help out with a few dollars, please visit the Woo War One GoFundMe campaign and chip in. Thank you if you do!
Update (1/7/2016): As of today, the Woo War On campaign has raised $230 and spent about $143, leaving us with a war chest of eighty-seven bucks. I spent $28 on one of the cast iron Design Toscano swords for analysis, and another $115 to purchase the Experiencing Rome lecture series to check out information about the Florida sword. Thanks for your donations so far. I'll keep you posted.
Update (1/31/2016): Thank you to all who have contributed to Woo War One so far. As of today, we've raised $570 and spent about $143, leaving $427 in the Woo War Chest. I'm going to make a concerted effort to find the time to meet with the SEM people on campus as soon as possible to see what it's going to take to get some metal composition data from the California sword that we can compare to Christa Brosseau's data from the Nova Scotia sword.
Update (4/1/2016): Today I spent $63 shipping the California and Italian eBay swords back to their owners. That leaves $365 in the Woo War Chest.
Update (2/20/2017): There have been a few minor expenditures here and there, probably totaling around $20. I got a recent donation of $100 (thanks, Gina!), bringing the current balance in the Woo War Chest to about $445. I'll hopefully be spending a good chunk of that soon, as there are swords to purchase and/or ship!
Update (3/13/2017): We've got two new Fake Hercules swords (new as in "we haven't seen them" and they're currently being produced for sale) currently en route from Europe. Purchase and shipping cost a total of $187.41, bringing the balance left in the Woo War Chest down to about $258.
Update (4/30/2019): After two years of inactivity, I've decided to tap the war chest to purchase a copy of Graham Hancock's new book America Before ($19.43). That brings the balance down to $239.
Update (9/12/2019): I spent $14 on Josh Reeves' movie The Lost Secrets of Ancient America so that I could demonstrate graphically the extent of his plagiarism regarding Moundville. That leaves $225.
Update (10/29/2019): I tapped the rest of the Woo War One chest to fund Jim Vieira's visit to my class. Jim paid for his airfare and I put him in up a hotel for three nights, which cost well over what was left of this money. Given that the sword stuff is basicially dead at this point, it was a legitimate use of what was left. Thank you for all your support!
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