wandjina

listen to sinead oconners(princes) nothing compares to you, on mushrooms lol, great idea. always had a soft spot for that song. I just downloaded the theme from one of my all-time favourite shows, Monkey magic, which I honestly feel has had an influence on my life. Prolly seen each episode at least 4-5 times Born from an egg on a mountain top, the punkiest Monkey that ever popped, He knew every magic trick under the sun, to tease the gods and everyone can have some fun. Monkey magic, Monkey magic, Monkey magic, Monkey magic, Monkey magic, Monkey magic ooh What a cocky, saucy Monkey this one is. All the Gods were angry and they punished him. Until he was saved by a kindly priest, and that was the start of their pilgrimage quest. Monkey magic, Monkey magic, Monkey magic, Monkey magic, Monkey magic, Monkey magic, Monkey magic, Monkey magic ooh! dig that 2nd verse!

While we're on the topic, I have trouble with some of the plant families....for example: Aizoaceae, Fouquieriaceae, Lecythidaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, and Xanthorrhoeaceae. And what about the 'o' and 'cyn' in Apocynaceae? An old mate of mine made an arse of himself once by pronoucing the scientific name of the staghorn incorrectly....Platycerium superbum heheh

'Man', 'He'....sigh. Gimme that ol' time religion!!!

I can see Dr Grof, and i think Myron Stolaroff? Who's the guy on the right wearing what looks like a red skull cap? Looks like Colonel Sanders. And the man in his shoulder blade?

I like number 3...aesthetically, the position of the methyl groups appeals. If I were going to compose an artwork, I would choose this one...nice proportions and interesting structure relative to page. To my eyes there is movement, appears more dynamic and abstract than the other molecules IMO (though to be nit-picky...these are diagrams, representations of molecules). I'm curious, what prompted this thread ? lol

I love pens, markers and pencils... at present I have several hundred. As far as cheap biros go, say for writing lecture notes, I prefer Staedtler Stick medium or Pilot medium biros with one of those foamy grips added for comfort. For 80c a pop, can't go past a blue staedtler. As an undergrad I'd buy one each of blue, red and green, my notes were voluminous and it was easier to make sense of em later with colour. IMO bic pens suck Quite fond of Swan and Artline fine markers, and was a big fan of opaque Bosca paint pens as a kid. Love novelty pens too...gel fluoro, metallic and glitter....or anything from Japanese stationary stores, especially if it's scented and covered in 'Engrish' (www.engrish.com ....always worth a look).

Not all ethnobotany, strictly speaking, but.... was leant these 4 recently: Weiskopf, Jimmy. 'Yaje - The New purgatory. Encounters With Ayahuasca.' ***** Shanon, Benny. 'The antipodes of the Mind: Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience.' **** Metzner, Ralph (Ed) 'Ayahuasca: Human Consciousness and the Spirits of Nature.' *** Dobkin de Rios, Marlene. 'Amazon healer.' *** Excellent, no...fucking brilliant!!!!...historical, sociological and political perspective on drug laws and reform: Manderson, Desmond. 'From Mr Sin to Mr Big: A History of Australian Drug Laws.' ***** Badiner, A.H & Grey, Alex. 'Zig, Zag, Zen: Buddhism and Psychedelics.' **** Grob, C.S. 'Hallucinogens: A Reader.' *** Grof, Stanislav. 'LSD Psychotherapy.' **** Thompson, C.J.S. 'The Mystic Mandrake.' *** Pollan, Michael. 'The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-eye view of the world.' **** Narby, Jeremy. 'The Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the origins of Knowledge.' *** Musgrave, Toby & Will. 'An Empire of Plants: people and plants that changed the world.' *** (gorgeous illustrations). Zuckerman, Larry. 'The Potato.' *** (Everything you could ever want to know, and more). Costermans, Leon. 'Native Trees and Shrubs of south-Eastern australia.' ****

I haven't seen 'em around for awhile, but BBQ-flavoured Smith's chips do an impressive job masking the flavour of mushrooms. An old friend used to make sandwiches...big chip on top and bottom, freah cubie in the middle. Texture still there, but flavour not at all apparent. It was many years ago, but I was amazed how well the fungi-flave was concealed. I've never liked mushrooms...mostly a texture thing, especially when they're all spongy (fresh) and when you bite down all this fungussy fluid fills your mouth. *gag* Alternately, adding a small ammount of water to dried and powdered fungus, allows one to kneed them into a dough and then mould 'pills'.

bringers of the dawn!!!!! Any Pleiadians here? lol

Off topic sorry.....but I've lways loved this little tidbit from Terrence McKenna: "To search expectantly for a radio signal from an extraterrestrial source is probably as culture-bound a presumption as to search the galaxy for a good Italian restaurant". I couldnt agree more...SETI is a waste of time and money IMO. Ditto fantasies of old school 'star trek' style futures, tooling round a galaxy chock full o' humanoids in suped-up tin cans. Pffft. Silly. High tech intergalactic hot-rods? Same dog different collar in my mind. Judging by Earth's track record re extinction, especially mass extinctions....in 4 billion years highly unlikely Homosapiens sapiens would be around to build space craft. Mega-cephalopods perhaps? Whatever the case, I doubt our ancestors, if indeed there are any, would approach this 'problem' in the same way. That's if they (or whatever organisms/'intelligences'/'beings' may evolve) perceived a problem to begin with ...or if life as we know it will exist at all in our solar system - or anywhere else for that matter. Ever. 4 billions years CE, 4 billion light years thatta way....who knows what lies there? I reckon JBS Haldane was onto something when he (reportedly) said: "I suspect the truth is not only stranger than we suppose, but stranger than we can suppose" (or words to that effect). Maybe whatever else is 'out there' is largely beyond our everyday comprehension...or at least on the periphery. Within a 'search for extraterrrestrial intelligence' paradigm...perhaps the best approach is a stretching, an extending beyond, the peripheral. Traditional or conventional notions of ETI, and spacecraft for that matter, are too limiting in my view.

ha!! cool tat EN....she rocks.... yemanja (cathologised orisha Brasilian) is pretty groovy too d'oh

EN...what stunners!!!! so so beautiful....I'd be more than happy to see some more pictures, please do you mean the obtusa in white? it's a different species, tends to be evergreen, obtuse leaves and petals as well as very strong perfume. leaves sound right....obtuse and darker green...but the flowers were virtually pure white, barely visible tint of yellow in centre.

Plumeria sigh. There were two varieties in Brissy that I absolutely adored, dont see em down here...one with deep pink/crimson flowers, and another with pure white flowers and leaves differently shaped and more darkly coloured than more common varieties. I especially loved the latter...gorgeous one growing out the front of a house nr Toowong shopping centre. and the frangis in bali...holy cow...ginormous heads of flowers, never knew they got that big. Apparently they're associated with death and funerary rites in some cultures (polynesian?/Sth East Asian?)...interesting given Apocynaceous.... but to me they say Summer.

Anyone motoring from Sydney town? Split petrol...and i got camping gear galore

Actually its that very compliation. The cover should be pretty cool though - well Im hoping anyway. well, its one of the best comps I've ever owned, and i highly, highly recommend it to all. I've received glowing compliments from friends everytime ive played it... fantastic is all senses of the word...really love that track Cyanese Triangles (or was that on one of the others?)

yes please....would many of those tracks be on the comps we traded earlier? They farken rock!

wow Chema.... that is so cool! I would love to keep some cuttlefish or other cephs....down the road at gordons bay Ive seen schools (is that the correct term?) of cuttlefish, shimmering and irredescent....exquisite. Little ones are so cute, yours are gorgeous! would love to see some pics of your blue-ringed octopus. Interesting what you and you partner have been discussing Mesq...resonates with me. For me cephalopods, perhaps especially octopus, feel motherly and sensual, sensuous....but then, they may also have hooks and razor sharp beaks! Cephalopods are wily predators, not algae nibbling vegetarians ;) Powerful. I love crafty octopus stories from aquariums etc...one of the most famous comes from an aquarium in NZ if i recall correctly....an octopus was pilfering lobsters...refined tastes! And ive heard from a number of sources that they can definately open screw top jars, also that they go mad if not provided with adequate stimulation...so keepers often give them toys, change tank set up etc. Out of curiousity, does anyone know what the octopus represents in other cultures? Google seems heavy on 'dream dictionary' hits...im more interested in what cephs symbolised to, for eg, the Ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Polynesian, Native American, Aust Aborigines etc and other peoples. On another note.... save the tree octopus

Excellent work...I especially like those in the first and last posts....gorgeous colours, tones and shading

You can still deck the halls Gom!!! Decorating a tree needn't be associated with Christianity Likewise, the sleigh-riding elf with flying reindeer is considered by some to be of shamanic origins (and a red nosed reindeer is apparently one that has been munching on Amanitas...also keeping in mind the fungus' symbiotic relationship with some species of pine and pagan nature worship). So bring a special plant inside and worship like the heathen you are! Much love to all...mnwah! from religioustolerance.com Origins of the Christmas Tree: Pagan traditions: Many Pagan cultures used to cut boughs of evergreen trees in December, move them into the home or temple, and decorate them. 7 Modern-day Pagans still do. This was to recognize the winter solstice -- the time of the year that had the shortest daylight hours, and longest night of the year. This occurs annually sometime between DEC-20 to 23. They noticed that the days were gradually getting shorter; many feared that the sun would eventually disappear forever, and everyone would freeze. But, even though deciduous trees, bushes, and crops died or hibernated for the winter, the evergreen trees remained green. They seemed to have magical powers that enabled them to withstand the rigors of winter. Not having evergreen trees, the ancient Egyptians considered the palm tree to symbolize resurrection. They decorated their homes with its branches during the winter solstice. 3 "The first decorating of an evergreen tree began with the heathen Greeks and their worship of their god Adonia, who allegedly was brought back to life by the serpent Aessulapius after having been slain." 5 The ancient Pagan Romans decorated their "trees with bits of metal and replicas of their god, Bacchus [a fertility god]. They also placed 12 candles on the tree in honor of their sun god" 2 Their mid-winter festival of Saturnalia started on DEC-17 and often lasted until a few days after the Solstice. In Northern Europe, the ancient Germanic people tied fruit and attached candles to evergreen tree branches, in honor of their god Woden. Trees were viewed as symbolizing eternal life. This is the deity after which Wednesday was named. The trees joined holly, mistletoe, the wassail bowl and the Yule log as symbols of the season. All predated Christianity. 5 from wiki: American psychedelicists Jonathan Ott, James Arthur, Jan Irvin and Andrew Rutajit as well as UK mycologist Dr. Patrick Harding suggest that many of the modern features attributed to Santa Claus may somehow be derived from those of the Kamchatkan or Siberian shaman. During the midwinter festival (holiday season) in Siberia (near the North Pole), the shaman would enter a yurt (home) through the shangrak (chimney), bringing with him a sack of fly agaric mushrooms (presents) to give to the inhabitants. This type of mushroom is brightly colored red and white, like Santa Claus. Although some question the relevance of this, the above factoids provide many interesting associations. The mushrooms were often hung (to dry) in front of the fireplace, much like the stockings of modern-day Christmas. Furthermore, the mushrooms were associated with reindeer who were known to eat them and become intoxicated. Reindeer are also associated with the shaman, and like Santa Claus, many people believed that the shaman could fly.[4]

Debate and discuss....

It occurred to me the other day that some ppl remind me of certain breeds of dogs... not really fair to the wolf though

lmao...that was great....always wondered what all this badger badger badger etc business was about. Hilarious.

thanks Jono Lovely sentiment. Merry Christmas, Happy Chanuka, a Reverential Ramadan, Bonza Kwannza and a Sensational Solstice to all!!!! Wishing everyone a happy, safe and fun silly season. Much love to you and yours, from me and mine!

Wandjina, You seem to be quite vocal about (alleged )negativity being attached to ‘x’ number of posts on forums, but I am yet to see such a trend. yet you have also said: this is the only forum I use, or have ever used Considering you've also been MIA for most of the last year, it would be surprising if any 'trends' became evident to you. But just to be clear, i was referring to web forums in general...tho there have been some posts here and at EB in the past where ppl questioned number of posts vs. status/rank etc, and they were usually recent arrivals. It is something I have noticed elsewhere, or several occassions. There has also been crticism of 'post whores'...those who rapidly rack up 100s of posts, but ultimatly it all comes down to substance. How does it present itself, perhaps I’ve missed it. Surely a forum of like-minds (that would be any forum, right?) would be ragging newies more than regulars, if at all. Sorry, when did i say this was a frequent occurrence? Occassionally this does happen (they're usually referred to as trolls), tho usually doesnt last long. Whatever the case, SAB is exceptional as far as web forums go, 'ragging' on newbies isn't a past time as far as I can tell....whatever the case, a sample of one cannot be taken as representational even if SAB were ordinary. Let’s look again at my original post shall we ? Is the number of posts some sort of status symbol for people ? You have failed to appreciate the context, or how your post would be understood/interpreted. 'Status symbol' has a negative connotation in general usage, and hence your post can be taken as criticism, or as judgement. It also comes across as a rhetorical question, as if you have made an observation and are expressing your opinion, not meekly inquiring. I feel it has an accusatory ring to it. I fail to see why you are taking such strong umbrage to my li’l ol’ post. Been trying on a few hats since reading your entry (albeit on the same head), and fail to see where you make such assumptions. Is PH offended ? Dunno, perhaps he can tell me. Was it my intention ? Nope. Do I have a negative viewpoint on posters with a high post count ? I repeat what I said earlier, I can’t see how, in my view or others that you suggest may have such a petty low self-opinion of themselves in cyberspace. as above...IMO your 'lil ol post' reeks of negativity and judgement IMO, and I don't think it was appropriate or nice to post it in this thread. And 'cyberspace' is full of individuals who make it their business to stir up shit or 'troll'...it's like a hobby or something, and i feel this way of relating is low self-esteem made manifest. And to be honest, I find your tone smug at times and it irritates me. You also ask ‘who am I to question or criticise’ the relevance of someone’s 2000 posts. Again, I cannot see the criticism in my first post, however we are all granted the freedom to question something we do not understand. This site’s full of it. How can you deny anyone the freedom to question? By that logic how can you deny me the right to question who you are to post something that I, (and I suspect many others), feel is implicitly judgemental and unneccessarily critical in the context of this thread? Please don't misrepresent my argument to bolster your own...I am not denying you or anyone else the 'freedom to question' (now everybody rise for a stirring rendition of the star spangled banner), I take issue with your insenstivity and cocky attitude.