Rare Earth

The Lebanese Civil War

Dearest Patrons,

My sincere apologies for my long delay. Many things have kept me from finishing this, predominately bad but some good, so let's chalk it up to writer's block. Also, it is forty minutes long and about a topic I don't believe can ever be covered with any justice. When I got into this whole YouTube gig I told myself don't go over eight minutes and here I am, forty minutes long.

But jokey gripes aside I am very happy to be back and I hope that the length of this litt...

The Empires Strike Back: History of Lebanon (Part Six)

This is the second half of the run-up to the civil war. Yet another complicated piece of an already complicated puzzle. We hope you like it and it will help you to fill in your web on what comes next.

As always, thank you!

Love,

Kata and Evan

The Israeli Crisis: History of Lebanon (Part Five)

One day late but here is Part Five on the history of Lebanon. We had to split the run-up to the civil war into two separate videos as there is so much to cover and so much complexity.

Thanks to everyone who is sticking it out through this incredible long season. Hope it'll be worth it in the end!

Love,

Kata and Evan

The Genocides that Created Lebanon: History of Lebanon (Part Four)

Sorry for the long wait (as usual) I had to move to Japan real quick and these are some of the longest videos we've ever had to make. By the end of the season I expect this will be a two and half to three hour combined episode! That's more than three times longer than anything we've ever made before, and for two people it's a lot to manage.

But on the plus side, I've got next week's episode written already, so hopefully I'm back on track and should have the season completed before lif...

Building the Frankenstein Nation: History of Lebanon (Part 3)

Dear Patrons,

Apologies for the long wait. This episode has taken a long time to write and a long time to edit. However, as we are getting closer to more modern history with shorter timeframes and more historical records and footage, we can hopefully speed things back up.

As always, we are so very grateful of you all watching and supporting.

Kata (and Evan)

History of Lebanon Part Two: Killing God

Dear Patrons,

I hope you enjoy this opinionated superficial overview of a topic I can only suspect I won't be the one to change your mind about. But divinely inspired or not, please bear with me as I try to cover thousands of years of history in mere minutes so that once we get to the modern era we have enough context and narrative backing to give it the proper weight.

Also sorry this episode took so long to get out, it was extremely hard to write and then we accidentally spill...

History of Lebanon Part One: The Phoenicians

Dear Patrons,

Welcome to yet another of my attempts to tell history. It isn't my forte, but the only way I can talk about modern Lebanon is by starting in the ancient past. And so, this is where I've chosen to begin.

This is the first in multiple episodes (7? 8? 9?) that will be combined to cover the history of Lebanon as a single longform piece. A little less of a clickbaity Rare Earth episode and more of a vain attempt to make something larger. Kinda like I did in Bosnia.

...

Is This Ancient History's Most Important Resource?

Before I went to Lebanon I knew nothing about the Cedars of God. I didn't know why that was their flag, and I'd never heard of the forest of God. Now I bring them up with almost zero prompting. They're so cool, and such an incredible place to be able to visit. What a spectacularly dense history this region has.

As cool as they are to see, though, perhaps the best part about them was how they helped fill gaps in my head about the how and why of generic Mediterranean and middle eastern h...

I Was Detained In Lebanon as an Israeli Spy

Dear Patrons,

As promised, and as a preamble to our Lebanon season, here is the story of Evan being detained as an Israeli spy.

I was on my way back to Canada when this happened. I somehow knew something was wrong because I haven't heard from him all day which made no sense because he didn't have any filming planned for that day. So I spent the last leg of my flight stressing that I had to contact our Lebanese friends ASAP. Sure enough, when I landed there was already a text wai...

When Amateur Archaeologists Faked Europe's Oldest Civilization

Dearest Patrons,

We didn't mean to take such a long break but a few weeks ago we got bad medical news about our dog and now we're sort of trying to make his exit as good as possible. Then when we started trying to get back into the swing of things, a tree fell on our house.

But we're all settled now and back with many more adventures. Next up, Lebanon! And I think I'll start with the story of being arrested as a presumed Israeli spy. It's a big one.

Thank you for your pati...

The Ghost Army Who Held Back the Nazis

We are back with another video from Crete where you can see a castle from all possible angles. Well, unfortunately not from the inside as it has been closed for years. This is the story of Frangokastello and its ghost army.

Tall tales always seem to get taller, but their purpose often stays the same. The myth of Frangokastello might be little more than morning dew, but to the people of southwestern Crete - it is anything but a mirage.

As always, thank you!

Kata and Evan

Kata's Birthday

Today is Kata's birthday and I thought you all might like to know. Maybe send her a nice little note, even.

Here she is celebrating by helping me fix up our kiwi vines.

As always,

Evan

The True Story of the Minotaur

Some myths have meanings. False memories of a real event.

And at least as I see it, the meaning behind Theseus and the Minotaur is nothing less than the conquest and destruction of one of earth's oldest civilizations. It's an echo, being repeated over a thousand years later in the stories of the victors.

But long ago, the Minotaur was real. And I think you'll find that in reality, Theseus was not just his murderer, but also his son.

Love and respect as always,

Evan an...

The Oldest Art in Greece is Not What You Think

Dear Patrons,

We did not plan to make this video first. I just wanted to go see the cave since we were already nearby. It sounded cool and I wanted to get some extra footage for our Footprints video. Evan really did not believe we would be able to get in. Yet, there we were staring at Greece's oldest (figural) art. It was truly amazing!

Btw the part about the RPG is not just a joke. It really did feel like we were completing a quest.

As always, thank you,

Kata (a...

Is this the Footprint of the Missing Link?

Hello dear Patrons,

Kata has been working hard editing long into the early afternoon and so despite me spending an entire week fixing up my garden instead of helping her we are back with yet another episode from Crete:

European apes. Who knew?

As always, thank you all so much for the support. It really does mean everything to us.

Evan and Kata

This Is Not a Five Star Cat

Dearest Patrons,

Thanks to those of you who reached out, worrying I might have been scooped up by yet another nations' intelligence services. The truth is much more boring (we got sick and had to rewrite a script last minute). But we're back, and excited to talk about an island we knew little about before arriving on its shores. An island that like many, we feel more people should know the history of.

So without further ado: Goodbye Micronesia, hello Mediterranean!

The n...

The Other Tuskegee: America's Nuclear Guinea Pigs

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the week delay on today's episode. Evan was detained in Lebanon on suspicion of spying and he was a little busy talking his way out. But everything is good now and we're back with our final video from Micronesia. Up next, Crete!

Love as always,

Kata

Update

Dear Patrons,

This week's video is a bit delayed because Evan has spent the last four days detained by the Central Intelligence Division of Lebanon on suspicion of being an Israeli spy. He has somehow managed to talk his way out of it, but it has been rather disruptive.

We'll get back to our final video from the Marshalls in a few days when he is resettled.

Love to you all,

Evan and Kata

The Island of Violent Basketball

Dear Patrons,

we would never expect more from you than you already give. It is already so far above and beyond what we'd ever expect. But in the off-chance you want to help Ebeye, we've obtained a local address where gear can be donated.

I realize in the video I mentioned Rebel John of Sports Ebeye, but after I recorded the video I was given a different address to send donations to.

For those saints among you willing to help out, please send any and all gear (not funding...