The Sifter Society

What we know so far

Mr. Z — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:30:13 +0000

The 21st century earth is divided into continents and countries. Our first country of exploration is the United States of America (USA for short), which is predictably broken down into small, independent governments called states that are united under one set of rules and one government. Each state has its own set of rules. Our current HQ is located in Washington DC which has similar rules, even though it’s not a state. We are still trying to work that one out.
The terrain of the USA is as varied as its climate. Though currently we have year-round heat, in the 21st century this region had periods of warm, cool, hot and very cold weather. Hot weather like ours is only found geographically far south and/or west of Washington, DC in the 21st century.
Clean, drinkable water runs constantly at the push of a button or turn of a knob- not just for hydration and cleanliness but sometimes for pure recreation or aesthetic value.
We have heard that other parts of this vastly populated world have different conditions, but this is where we begin our quest.

Personal Note:

It is astonishing how we, as a species, have gone from living in such abundance to daily struggles with famine, drought, illness and underpopulation. As you know, our material possessions are limited: tools, a few poorly crafted trinkets and linens for clothes, protection from the sun and bedding. I will not even begin to address clothing in the 21st century, or what is called the fashion industry. Just make sure you get yourself a set of 21st century clothes if you haven’t already.

Yet it appears that some of our ancestors lived in a world of such abundance.
While our days are spent finding food and our evenings reflecting, resting and trying to survive another day, many people of the 21st century DC devote their hours to strange professions, hours of leisure, bizarre social rituals and mass consumption.

As you observe the 21st century, be mindful of things that may have caused this world to collapse, as we have no record of the devastation that took place before our recent wars.

Guard your phone. It seems the 21st century people view these devices as extensions of themselves. Some even wire their phones directly into their ears. They are constantly disposing devices for upgraded, or newer, models. As of today, their phones are not quite as sophisticated as ours- they don’t have time travel capacity for example- so be careful. I imagine if one of these phones fell into the wrong hands, the results would be disastrous.

Keep us updated on your progress!

What will you bring back?

Mr. Z — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:25:19 +0000

After exploring the National Zoo, it is time to choose:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

Location 1 Briefing

Mr. Z — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 23:40:01 +0000

In preliminary expeditions, we have found lush green areas planted among otherwise industrial surroundings. Research has revealed that this was known as a “park”, a government-supported area that could not be planted or hunted upon. These parks are often placed in areas of high population. The National Zoo is one of these parks, called a Zoological Park, specifically. Like many institutions of the past that displayed carefully selected objects, the Zoo also holds a collection. However, this collection is different- it’s alive. The Zoo is home to hundreds of strange plants and bizarre creatures that seem to be held in high regard and receive strict protection from outsiders. They are all wildly different and quite unlike the swarming pests that roam our planet today. From our visit to the Zoo, we’ve learned that these are called insects, or bugs.

Before we can begin to learn about the rich culture and social structure of 21st century DC, we need to understand what is called biodiversity. Apparently, when it contains a multitude of living organisms, a region is called bio-diverse to indicate its wide variety of life. Maybe we can improve our water and air quality by taking some of these living organisms back with us.

Go back to the 21st century and complete the “Sifter Society” trek at the National Zoo. Report back here when finished.

You can also visit the Zoo’s website to learn more: www.fonz.org