Micromegas

A Zen monk might say, perhaps you've become too attached to non-attachment. Or maybe that's just what I would say. And maybe that would be wrong, but it's certainly a trap. A forest for the trees sort of thing...

About a week ago I signed this petition relating to the Murray river. Today I got this email and I was impressed by the follow up. Anyway the state of the Murray is definately a concern for future sustainable living in Oz. Here's the email and the link to the petition if you are interested... I'd also like to hear any opinions or stories about the Murray and how best to look after our river, or how the river is shaping up in your area, or if there's water etc. I live about 40km from the mouth it's a really beautiful place but it is in need of some healing, many of the birds have seen large population decreases as the water is becoming saltier... and the mouth is either closed or very small. Lake Alexandrina, right next door to the coorong is also very dry... you can apparently touch the paddle of a canoe on the bottom from one side to the other. This seems to be an important issue in our country's future, any thoughts? Micro

To whet your appetite: Really very exceptional story here, quite timely with some of the discussions of late. Sent tingles up my spine. Peace (from the right side of my brain), Micro http://blog.ted.com/2008/03/jill_bolte_tayl.php#more

Bump! Heartfelt.

Very well said, Dude.

The Path can be a three steps forward two steps back kind of thing. But the struggle is the blessing. It's amazing how many times we need to be reborn to evolve into our true selves - even within one lifetime. You're doing fine, you seem to have your eye on the ball. Continue to be aware and stay present with the cycles that move through and around you, so that you can mediate and improve them over time. The desire to heal brings confrontational emotional content to the surface that would otherwise remain buried, so it can be cleansed and so you can be renewed. But these things that appear are not your true self but are rather the detritus of many years of life and wrong-living. Your sincerty is good, and will take you a long way. Know thyself, thou art that. Micro

Hey guys, I've got a university essay and scientific poster to do on some aspect of plant ecology and/or evolution. You might have seen similar posters hanging on hallway walls in universities, pretty big with some photos and a reasonable amount of text on some or other subject. Well I have to prepare one for my course Australian Floral Diversity. Botanical study is very new to me. I thought some people might have a good idea for a topic. Previous students' topics included the invasion of Olives into SA ecosystems, Banksia seed dispersal and fire, a general summary of the evolution of orchids etc.... but it can be just about anything related to the evolution or ecology of a plant, not necessarily australian plants either. It could be general or quite specific, I guess in between would be best. My first thought was the evolution of alkaloids in plants but this is too broad I think to make for a concise and interesting report. The role of lichens in primary succession of ecosystems was my next thought but i'm not really happy with this. I'm looking for something interesting but not extremely complex (due to length restraints). I'd really appreciate some ideas, if for nothing else but to get me thinking as I'm a little stuck knowing where to begin... maybe you've come accross some interesting or unusually evolved plants or plants preforming some interesting role in ecosystems or ingenious ways of living, reproducing etc. Thanks in advance, Micro

Thanks guys some interesting stuff there... gerbil, fungi is covered in another, separate course all of its own (Australian Fungi) so probably would not make approproate subject matter in this regard. This is a research exercise so field work is not necessary. It's more about picking a topic, researching, condensing and displaying the facts with minimal room for personal creativity in many respects. Plus given the incredible drought/heatwave we're in in SA i'm not sure there'll be any fungi around for a while. Probably not enough ecology/evolution in there but it's pretty interesting all the same, thanks. This is more what I am after (similar to the Olive invasion) but it's quite broad. Blackberries are an interesting weed here in the Mount Lofty Ranges for example because, although they are choking out native flora and are definately a major problem, widescale removal has been shown to impact negatively on bandicoot and wren populations who find them perfect habitat in terms of protection from other introduced pests like foxes and cats. Talking about profits and materialist greed might be too much to fit on one poster though! Thanks for the input I'd love to hear more, both in terms of ecology and evolution. Cheers, Micro

Checked this out last night, really amazing space that has been created here. A modern day temple of sorts. Stunning sculpture and artwork and great music to boot, good energy. Big thumbs up to Circuitree, if you are in the area and have a chance definately drop in, you won't be sorry. Micro

Well for example 40cm tip cuts planted two years ago have produced plants with two or three strong arms coming from the base that are 2/3 the height of the main column and equally fat (or fatter). 20-30cm midsection cuts on the other hand initially grew 2 or 3 pups from the top that were thinner than the original cutting, some of which then stopped growing and the next season the same midcut produced pups from the base which were fatter and healthier than the original cutting. Maybe over a long time it doesn't matter what you started with cause the plant will outgrow any initial difference but my most attractive plants are those that began as 30-70cm tip cuttings and have a radiation of nice arms growing from the base. To be rather vague I find tips cuts to be 'energetically' more appealing like some sort of gardening feng shui. They appear to be the healthiest and more inclined to grow into larger specimens with larger multi-stemmed bases as well as more prone to flower. To complicate matters, tip cuttings less than say 15cm also produced weaker plants with smaller pups. I think bit mentioned this in another thread but there does seem to be an ideal size for cuttings, as very large cuts can take a long time to root or grow thinnner at the tip while getting established. Sorry to hear about your rot, good luck. Micro

Hello peaceful son i personally wouldn't divide those cuts they look the pefect size to me. A good strong tip cut will produce nice strong pups from the base and overtime make for a more attractive plant. Small tips and especially mid cuts (no tip) have IME produced weaker plants with smaller and more numerous pups. You might end up with more plants, but the quality will not be the same. However my plants don't have a luxury of a greenhouse or ANY summertime water and do go straight into the ground for rooting (with 40-60cm cuts performing best), so initial size may be of more importance in that regard. Either way, nice plants and good luck. Micro

Nice, if only they sold these at Stateflora!

Stateflora in SA (Belair and Murray Bridge) generally stock both quandong and sandalwood but the chances of quandong being availble when you go there is slim as they sell quickly (i've missed out twice already!). But they will put you on a waiting list, like I am now . Sandalwood is usually around at about $2.95 per small plant. I assume quandong is the same price, if not then $4.95. They do sell packs of 40 quandong seeds though for $5 which seem to be always available, as well as dried quandong pieces and jam. If you can't find any seeds let me know I'll pick some up if anyone needs them as I drive past Stateflora regularly on the way to Uni. Quandong looks like a great plant i saw the gardening show as well, really nice garden that lady had. I've seen then growing well in Quorn near Flinders Ranges in SA I think they are a really hardy bushfood plant which makes my eyes light up, can't wait to grow some when the ground is softer. Good luck, as I said let me know if you want some seeds, Micro

It just came to my attention there is a 'Tribe' documentary on SBS 5:30, today, documenting a shamanic culture in Venezuela known for their use of hallucinogenic snuffs... Look pretty interesting. Micro

Thanks Torsten that's interesting info. My experiences have been quite varied (and yet, paradoxically, somewhat similar) in effect, I'm certainly no closer to knowing which is which and what is what nor has my set, setting and preparation been consistent (to the extent of being in three different countries with three different batches of seed I thought I had identified) so I'll just chalk this up as another great mystery induced by new and confusing information. Whatever the case I absolutely adore these magnificent plants. Good luck working out your own snuff related mystery, friendly, sounds like you've got some good stuff there! Micro

Yeah but what is my culture? I live in a spiritually defunct and emotionally narrow culture where partaking in sacred medicine is illegal in my own home. Should I just accept this and go down to the pub and get pissed? That seems to be my culture's shamanic ritual. I'm not sure puking in the gutter is a very effective purge of my deeply rooted emotional traumas. The getaway segment was superficial, but so was its treatment of the canadian rockies. It's that type of show. The presenter seemed to be high, naturally, quite a character. And yet he was visibly moved by his experience and had obviously received the call from within, which is what will bring a person to ayahuasca, anyway. But ayahuasca is spreading around the globe because healing is needed. No single person caused this, it's a reaction to the battle we are currently engaged in. Of course, this popularity comes with its problems, but it's out of anyone's control really. You just wait until Oprah or Angelia Jolie heads to the jungle, then it will be on. Even so, and sadly, very few people will be exposed to ayahuasca or any of the plant teachers in their lives. Pity that, coz it's time for a change. Since we've already tipped the bar we better be ready to reap what we have sown. That requires a huge shift in cultural dynamics. Shamanic ritual is highly adaptive to its environment, but it has to be present in our locality to have a chance in the first place, and that means searching out better ways of relating to nature and learning from whoever has the ability and desire to teach, and bring that to your own community. Now, where is my community? Unfortunately it's buried underground because of ridiculous laws that don't allow me to eat and drink whatever I wish. Micro

Nice article husk thanks for posting.

Hey guys I'm actually sorry to post this here but this is really disturbing... I tried to watch this video but couldn't get more than a few seconds into it, I can't believe anyone could treat animals in this way, it makes me sick. I would not open this video if you have children around. http://www.furisdead.com/feat/ChineseFurFarms/ I wish there was more that we could do to help in these situations. I wish people were not so cold hearted and insensitive. And yet it is seeing things like this that make me want to be better and more constructive with my time. Peace, Micro

Thanks Torsten. Is there a way to determine which seed is which simply by looking at them? Interesting price differential... why is peregrina in more demand? I am really keen to find out what the qualitative differences are between yopo and vilca as these feature prominantly in some of the cultures I have been interested in, in Peru. I mean, do they facilitate the same experience if used and prepared in the same way, or is there a noticeable difference. I have read what it says in Plants of the Gods where there is a clear differentiation between the two. I don't want anyone to incriminate themselves, but if they have any thoughts I would be keen to hear them. Also, do you believe Peregrina has been cultivated in Australia, or only the Columbrina? Either way thanks a lot for putting in the effort and getting these trees growing in Oz, they are truly beautiful plants. It's a pity your peregrina's didn't make it. Sorry for the questions, Micro

T, this is an interesting statement, would you mind elaborating how you came to this conclusion? No argument from me, I don't have the faintest idea, I'd just like to know more. Thanks, Micro

OMG

In that case I would definately say this is diplopterys cab., in fact it was once called banisteriopsis rusbyana. No surprise it was referred to as chacruna although this is usually P.viridis i'd say there is quite a bit of cross-over with terminology, but diplopterys is often used with or in place of viridis and contains a much higher amount of dmt in the leaves. Wonderful plant. Hope you are having a nice time in Peru ginganinja, perhaps you will get to meet this plant personally Micro

diplopterys cabrerana? Otherwise known as chaliponga or oco-yaje. Used as a dmt containing admixture plant in ayahuasca.

Agreed. Their policies are pretty suspect. Harry I feel much the same way perhaps that is why I posted this. But 'hate and anger' can't really help the situation unless we channel such emotions in a constructive way. Bulldozing the Amazon rainforest doesn't make me too happy either... Then again, I drive a car and buy heavily packaged food. Whatever the case, we'll get what's coming to us. Pity there has to be so much collateral damage though. BTW, are these turtles you guys are talking about eating an endangered species? (Not criticising, jusk asking out of interest)

Nice one PD... in the ground is great i think plants appreciate being hooked into the Gaian network so to speak. It's amazing how putting plants in the ground can change the resonance of a place, drawing the spirit from the earth. But plants in pots can be kept a bit healthier (greener, plumper etc.), sheltered and well watered, which can be advantageous. Excellent growth, and still with an autumn flush to come!