Jump to content
The Corroboree

obtuse

Members2
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content count

    1,579

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    8

Posts posted by obtuse

  2. Posted

    Evolution by natural selection isn't as simple as 'survival of the fittest'. There are all kinds of modicums of selection, and actually some organisms are here today through what can only be described as sheer, dumb luck. Nature doesn't design intelligently, that's the problem. Really all we'd be doing through manipulating the human genome would be cleaving out a lot of bad codes which result in nothing good for anyone.

    As it stands, space simply cannot be transgressed by our physical bodies. My personal bet is that at some point in the future we will figure out how to separate our consciousness somehow, and send this out forward into space as signals, the way digital files are now. Of course there would need to be something to receive these.

    I kind of disagee. i agree that life on this planet is here through luck, but life has survived x amount of extinction events, and those who survived were through being the fittest. and this also true of most organisms that exist, it is because they have found a niche and exploited it. sometimes these niches disappear and we are left with remnant species. but to say they are here through only sheer dumb luck is a simplistic way of looking at evolution.

    likewise clearing out bad code, its a simplistic way of viewing dna. i really dont think we as a species have as yet a good enough understanding to say whether a strange broken piece of dna is bad or not. a good example is sickle cell anaemia, why do we have it, and why hasn't it been expunged through natural processes? because those who have it are in fact highly resistant to malaria. i doubt generatons in the future will decide to clear out the broken code, because it then allows the possibility of a major epidemic. same can be said with leprosy to which now 95% of the population is immune.

    space, its a big frontier but its doable. my perspective is very mechanistic so i dont share your thoughts on transmitting consciousness - thats a different discussion.

    • Like 2

  3. Posted

    the problem is we as a species are tampering with evolutionary processes such as survival of the fittest, this takes it to a new level.

    granted correction of genetic mutations may be a good thing. ... but.... some genetic mutations lead to good things in time.

    how does this decision affect us long term.

    one important factor is evolving the human body for long term space travel, as its clear that its a part of our future (long term survival) if we survive the time it takes to get off the planet.

  7. Posted · Edited by obtuse

    Sad news, one of the greats, Mycologist Dr. Gaston Guzman passed away yesterday from pneumonia. He was 83.

    Finding a copy of his "Genus Psilocybe" in my university library for the first time 20 years ago was a moment ill never forget.

    RIP Dr Guzman

    • Like 1

  9. Posted

    my condolences to his family, and to those here who knew him well.

    i met him once, but never got to knew him through this forum to say much else.

    RIP mate, be at peace.

  10. Posted

    i read the teachings of don juan at age 14. it put me on a path of wanting to understand consciousness and inspired an interest in ethnobotany. i re-read it at age 16 and then the following 4 books, i had already been interested in zen buddhism and hinduism and despite all the magic i found enough spiritual cross-overs to keep me happy. when i became aware of the fact that don juan never existed it didnt bother me, the insights i gained were good enough, and i felt it was very clever of castenada to heave created such an interesting work of fiction. i re read them again during my 20's and found them interesting from a faux ethnobotanical perspective and for their mysticism but by this time i was fairly entrenched in zen buddhism.

    i recall around that time there was a re-emergence of interest in castenede and a new set of books emerged, but you could tell by this time it had slipped into new age mysticism which i found very disappointing.

    despite that i still felt the original books had a significant enough effect on my life in inspiring an appreciation for ethnobotany and anthropology and then of course sacred plants that i could count them as important.

    • Like 3

  12. Posted · Edited by obtuse

    My suspicion is that the tree is simply undergoing its normal summer stress period and as a result its senescing its lover phyllodes. i visited my plants today and noticed the same pattern on my trees, and not on my shrubs.

    this is a normal behavior in most plants as they mature. with the focus being on growing tips than on older growth that is of not much use anymore, such that older growth is senesced but not before mobile nutrients are recycled, ie resulting in the yellowing phyllodes/leaves. if the yellowing were happening on the new growth there would be much more reason for concern.

    your trees may be stressed because they are in pots, but i wonder if this is a good time to be planting in the ground as they will undergo far more stress through transplanting at this time of year. personally i would wait till winter, but i wonder what other people would suggest. pots tend to dry out quick, so a would thing your watering regime is probably ok.

    my trees are growing flower buds for a full bloom in the coming months. the flowers shown earlier not resulting in seeds. sorry with christmas goings didnt manage to capture photos this time around.

    mine do get afternoon shade, but still have a some senescence.

    • Like 2

  14. Posted · Edited by obtuse

    A huge thank you to all those who attended the meet today.

    It was a fantastic get together.

    And a huge thanks to the EGA team for making it possible.

    tentatively suggesting next gardens meet for end of feb, maybe 25/27 or march 5/6.

  18. Posted

    Gonna an awesome day.

    looking forward to catching up with people, and meeting some new people.

    remember, the convent Gardener is keen for donations for the convent garden, so if anyone has some extra plants they would love to give a good home to let myself or Ronny know and we can pass them on. medicinal, and/or sacred would be fine im sure.

    catch you all then.

  21. Posted

    planting out trees is a dilemma.

    i guess consider the habitat these trees like and which of the options proves the best location.

    if your parents gets a better set of extremes then that may be more suitable. i.e. a decent swing between cold and hot, remember these are alpine acacias.

    if you plant it somewhere like a nature strip that you have no legal entitlement over then if the council decides to do something with it, then the tree is lost.

    i planted mine at my parents property knowing that they will be there for a while.

    • Like 3

  23. Posted

    omfg, i have been so caught up in study i missed this Completely.

    fuck.

    Ed was amazing we had some lovely chats via pm, and he gave me some amazing Eillen cuts that i treasure dearly.

    I was meant to meet Ed at an EGA one year. but he was very unwell on the day and didnt want to talk, instead had a long chat with his Mum, Eileen, who was traveling with him. We had a beautiful long chat and she was so apologetic on Ed's behalf. i have my own anxiety issues so understood completely.

    I had always hoped to finally catch up with him for a long chat and thanks for the stunning cuts he gave me. such a generous person, so Ed out there in the ether, thank you so very much.

    Safe journeying

    Cheers, Ob.

    • Like 2

  25. Posted · Edited by obtuse

    The EGA plant meet will be at an alternate location. we are yet to disclose it due to having to get confirmation and because our priority has been organising the film screening on the day before.

    Im not sure what these other dates are but the EGA plant meet is on the 6th.

    the 11th was a suggestion for the 11th of november that no-one seem to took up.

    • Like 2
×