| F O R E W O R D |
| Pefko (1) is - as I am - a Geologist. Perhaps I should call him a Planetologist, as he shows the same expertise in dealing with our planet, Earth, as he does with his own planet, Mars. I met Pefko at the start of my life-long search for bits of Knowledge. From the beginning, my dear friend Pefko never missed an opportunity to bewilder me by criticizing, desecrating and demolishing most of my previously acquired Knowledge. As a result he introduced me, step by step, to quite an original way of perceiving the physical world. Rather than searching for more complicated solutions for the same old, fairly demod�, problems, I became more interested in creating new, reasonable, questions. Now I find myself facing an awkward dilemma. I am strongly tempted to communicate my findings, but in meddling with topics belonging to a wide variety of conventional Science sectors, I run the risk of ruining my credibility, even at home. At present, such broad scientific expertise is recognized by members of my own profession only on Mars. Because of their contribution to the description and understanding of many physical processes, the Marsologist receive much esteem. A state of affairs quite different from the current one on Earth, where it is taken for granted that thw scratching-on-the-ground Geologist, in order to understand something about a complex phenomenon in which he is interested, must rely solely on 'The Knowledge' supplied by the Ordained Ministers of Physics and other Basic Sciences! Whenever I put my research activity aside to teach, I become more embarassed. How can one resist the temptatrion of sowing some doubt into the minds of these young scholars otherwise destined to know only dogmatic classical views of Physics, or worse, their emerging catastrophic variants? On the other hand, since most these students will have to make use of notions given as 'certain', what can I do to avoid a compromise with Acknowledged Knowledge? Finally, how I can be sure that the new ideas I grasped in my discussions with an extraterrestrial make sense? Unfortunately, Readers will not have a chance to meet Pefko. For once he knew for certain I was ready to disclose my ideas, he decided to leave our Planet, telling me that his presence here was not needed any more. Initiated people often like to show off making wide use of the commonplace to vulgarize more or less complex, already accepted, scientific knowledge. In turn, the uninitiated are expected to accept these vulgarizations as truth. Preferring to swim against the current once again, I will try to outline, on the contrary, intrinsically evident, clear and understandable descriptions of physical processes which are currently 'explained' in an entangled, involved, complicated, and perplexing way. The pressing criticism of Pefko assisted me in my search of reasons for and against these new descriptions. In spite of the natural tendency of Pefko and Pino for suspicion, circumspection, and scrupolosity, such alternate descriptions still seem to survive, thus deserving the expenses needed for further experimental verification. I will address my reasoning both to persons who have a broad knowledge of Physics and to specialists who devote themselves to particular subjects. Whenever I introduce a new concept, I will explain it preferring conciseness to accuracy. I will suggest some reference material: mostly books which can be found in any bookstore. The Reader requiring more detailed information can rely on the exhaustive collection of writings I am ready to provide him with in connection with each specific subject. Of course, everything will be written in languages spoken on our Planet! I will find easier to show the soundness of my arguments rather than disprove the ones suggested or adopted by too many Very Important Persons. But I do not give up hope! I know, with pride, that I can lean with confidence on the Quartz that Geologists have in their veins (2), to support both my good reasons and criticism. No matter if it's pink or smoky, amethystine or transparent rock crystal; whatever its' look, it will help me to be incisive and, why not, also to be abrading and cutting! It is requisite that my Readers be endowed with as much courage as curiosity as they embark the reading of this easy and uneasy book. For only after reaching the end of the first mart will they be assured of having overcome the main obstacle. Only then, will they be able to combine in their mind all the varicolored bits of knowledge needed to shape the first complete detail of the image I pretend to describe. Only then wiill they feel interested in the remaining details. ----------------------------------------------------- (1) - Just by sheer chance 'Pefko' in Greek means 'pine tree' ('pino' in Italian). (2) - The 'veins' of geologists are tabular or sheet-like bodies resulting from intrusion or precipitation of minerals into a joint or fissure. Quartz is one of these minerals. |
| With quartz in the veins ... ... standing firmly on Earth |
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| A free copy of the whole book in English writing to [email protected] |
| A free copy of the whole book in English writing to [email protected] |