Ray's Thought for the Day

Red tells me he is looking forward to hearing and presumably seeing what moral lessons the TV Christians will draw from Hurricane Katrina. Red may get to see some refugees too, since some of them are going to get put up in these parts, maybe.

As to moral conclusions, the Druidry reiterates that lyin and gluttony are still sins, going forward.

Another thought.

I got to thinking about looting today, and what I would do. Well, the first thing I'd have to loot would be some bottled water and then maybe a snack cracker or two. I sure wouldn't take anything that might get ruined if it got wet. The Crumby Ovate says he'd have to loot some snuff, preferably Grizzly #19, if he could get that brand, on account of the flooding making him more nervous than usual.

Anyway, take what you need, and leave the rest.

Red Opines on Local Conditions

The Cow Barn was spared from the hurricane since it hit a state er two over. We are, however, once agin in the grip of the Demon Drouth, er Drought..............

It’s OK Red, you can spell it either way.

I can. Thankee Rayetta for that information. Maybe Drouth is more interestin.

...............with temperatures runnin into the hundreds and no rain fer a moon cycle and a little bit.

This leads to the subtopic of Waterin, Whether to or Not.

A good while back, about eight growin seasons formerly, we decided at the Cow Barn, to kill off the non-native plant species. Gettin rid of stuff, killin it, is easy, if you have plenty of available low-cost labor, which we do. So we have killed off all the King Ranch bluestem we inherited from the previous owner and most of the bermudagrass too. We have tried to kill off the St. Augustinegrass situated around the buildings, but only by neglectin it: no water, and we only mow it once or twice in a growin season. Apparently not mowin it makes up fer the lack of regular waterin though, because the stuff continues to thrive. Occasionally one or the other of us will get aggravated by it’s thrivin and punch a hole in it for sedges or native grasses. So in the “lawn” here and there we have patches of Cherokee sedge, purpletop, gammagrass, three-flower melic and shade tolerant wildflowers. They don’t get watered either.

Matter of fact, we have decided now that we have in the neighborhood of 200-300 native kinds of plants more or less established here, we are going to let the Goddess determine which ones hang around. No waterin, minimal mowin, no fertilizer and no pesticides. (We heard tell that Round Up (herbicide) kills frogs, toads, newts and salamanders and we don’t want to contribute to that).

How do things look around here given the above management strategy, heat and drouth?. Not too bad., although, as usual the buffalo grass matrix is about half dormant and the Indiangrass may have a poor seed crop or no seed a-tall if it don’t rain agin soon.

These two photos show the Cow Barn bard itch (har har) lookin east with one paintbrush in the bard itch (har har) bloomin outa season. The other one shows the St. Augustinegrass we never water or fertilize, ever. All that silvery stuff in the first un is silver bluestem, seedin out. That’s one drouth tolerant grass.
_____

Ray, when’s that dern plant list goin to be ready?

I’m workin on it right now Red.

Ray's Thought for the Day

The Crumby Ovate started his seasonal, personal death watch earlier than usual. Normally he waits until Samuin, but yesterday he managed to hit himself a stunning lick in the mouth with a roll of fencing wire and immediately attributed this accident to divine intervention. He is now spending lotsa time figuring out how to please the Goddess more so She won’t kill him between now and Imbolc. I, Ray think we should just put the Crumby Ovate in a nervous hospital, seasonally.

Ray’s Assisted Etymologies for the Current Prezidink of these Yorenited States

As promised in my thought for the day of yesterday, etymologies, brought to you by me, Ray, with the assistance of the lovely Druidess Rayetta.


little king - this could just as easily have been big king, or king george w., or stupid king or just about anything king or king anything. The reasoning is that the Bush bunch have assumed dynastic proportions in these Yorenited States; not surprising considering the long-running saga of the Bush bunch as a ruling class family. The current chief iteration may be the end of the Bush bunch in politics though, obviously the gene pool has sprung a leak. But semi-seriously, as you all know by now, there is always a tension between the male leader of a nation state and the White Goddess, and She is not apt to suffer an unusually inept one for too long, and the more inept the king is, the greater the punishment She requires to balance the ledger. Yea verily!

Bushnoid - a combination of the odd family name, Bush, and noid from adenoid. An adenoid is, for those of you who don’t know, and according to Ms. Merriam Webster, an enlarged mass of lymphoid tissue at the back of the pharynx. So this is really just nonsense and sounds funny. I, Ray thought it up.

The Demon Bush -

May I be fairly serious for a moment.

Why of course you can, Ray.

All righty then. Thank you. Thank you, Rayetta.

As you may know, Druids don’t believe in Demons in the same sense that Christians do, that is, that they are Angels that fell from God’s Grace at the time of the Great Rebellion of Lucifer, who is also called Satan, Beelzebub and other names. (He, the Devil, has lotsa names). However, Druids do appreciate that the term “demon” can be useful in a satirical context. Therefore, we are, in our capacities as word smiths (spellers), in the habit of combining the word demon with troubling phenomena, substances or people (Christians, commonly the less educated varieties, do this too). Hence we spell, Demon Bush, Demon Drought or Drouth, Demon Rum and Demon Snuff. Also, the signs of supposed demonic possession are well known, and the Bush exhibits lotsa them, just like the Reverend Robertson. This is why Red gets stressed out when he sees demons on TV.

Rayetta's (for Ray) Thought for the Day

Yet again, a reminder, lyin and gluttony are the only genuine sins that lead us into all the other sins.

Consider lyin and gluttony with respect to democracy and capitalism.

These Yore Nited States have historically relied on a balance between the two, democracy and capitalism, and these have (leaving religion out of it for the nonce)formed the opertative foundation of our social contract. A while back we had lotsa little capitalists, farmers and such who had significant amounts of political power because there were so many of them and these farmers and other small busisinessmen made political alliances with workers, (thus we had political entities like the Democratic Farmer Labor Party of the midwest) with small businessmen and workers aligned to protect their interests against giant monopolistic corporations. Now all that's changed and in overwhelming numbers we work for giant capilatist corporations that provide us with jobs. Some of these companies are so big that they have lots more money and power than lotsa countries. Combinations of some the biggest ones are actually even more powerful than the Yore Nited States government and they even boss the government of these Yore Nited States around. Thus, if some of the giant corporations want to have a war somewhere, to secure some resource or a market they need, they'll order the Yore Nited States government to make it happen.

However, I don't want to depersonalize these giant corporations. The giant corporations are headed up by real people, the very tip-top people who are generally very rich and have divesifed interests in many giant corporations and usually own a bunch of land and property to boot. These people are the "ruling class" of these Yore Nited States. They make decisions and the government and everyone else jumps through hoops, for them. Lots of times, ruling class people, in the name of public service, cut out the middle men, and either through the electoral process, or via appointments, participate as functionaries in the government. Our current little king is a good example of this phenomena.

Do I mind having a ruling class pretty much determining my future? Well not really, if the ruling class "trickle down" keeps me safe and happy and protects the little wonders, then I could simply adore the ruling class. So, in principle I'm not agin 'em. However, when the ruling class lies to me, excessively, commits gluttonous actions on a global scale, and doesn't keep me safe and happy either, I become resentful of 'em. You would be resentful of 'em to, if you had any brains.

Ray's Thought for the Day

Everybody's heard about the the little king's Crawford "ranch" and how there's lotsa "brush clearing" up yonder, on it. Hmmmmm. I wonder how many plant species the little king can identify by himself (three or less?). He probably has a real good take on plant community ecology up there at the Crawford "ranch", reckon?

Naw, just fun-ing. I'm sure the little king gets the very best, up to date, advice on proper land use and stewardship at the Crawford "ranch" and somebody that knows something tells him how, what, when, and where to clear brush. Still, I sure would like to have a look-see. But only if I got paid a bunch of money.

I, Ray am now reminded that in performing my duty as the chief chronicler of RGVECB, I have pivoted a number of times on how to address the president. So far I/we have referred to him as the Demon Bush, the Bushnoid and the little king. At some time in the near future I will have to get some help from the RGVECB staff in presenting etymologies for these epithets.

Ray's Thought for the Day

Yesterday, in the potential plants for the upcomin RGVECB proposed Tree Calendar I left off an important candidate for this time of the year, to whit, purple top (Tridens flavus). Old purple top is producing a good seed crop this year (very pretty).

Then there's the weather situation which has taken a turn for the worse the last couple of weeks, very hot, very dry. Unfortunately, it appears the Cow Barn will be spared the wrath of hurricane Katrina. No palm trees have been blown over in these parts.

This week ends Potential Safety Topic- environmental hazard - will be Telescope Tomfoolery. There now, three legitimate thoughts by 6:35 am. Not everyone can claim that sort of intellectual achievement at this hour.

Ray's Thought for the Day

Let’s see. What botanical little wonders are doing anything notably cyclic right now that might indicate recognition on the up-comin RGVECB tree calendar?

Those that have started bloomin, recently.

Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
Side oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
Annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Curly mesquite (Hilaria mutica)
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) which is totally out of control.
Blue sage (Salvia azurea)
That Chloris I can never remember the name of.

Those that have maturing fruits.

American beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana)
Pecan (Carya illinoiensis)

Also, a rat got away from Lulu the other day, possibly because it was bigger than her. We may need to get some more terriers.

Nervous Hospitals

We had a long discussion collectively today at RGVECB. The discussion started out on the subtopic, is Red watching too much TV. We all, including Red, agreed that he was, and Red has agreed to limit his TV watching to two hours a week, one hour maximum on Sunday morning and the other hour more or less distributed from Monday through Friday in the morning. We arrived at this decision because everyone thought Red might be going crazy from watching too many crazy people on the news. You see, old Druids of many iterations can become like mirrors, and begin reflecting accumulated impressions, and this can cause them to appear crazy. And we surmised that all the crazy people on TV might be engendering this appearance of craziness in Red.

All of us think Red will be OK. He just needs to cut back on TV.

The business with Red concluded we pivoted on to the subtopic, nervous hospitals. Most of us here are old enough to remember when there were plenty of state funded nervous hospitals that the apparently crazy could be shut up in. Nowadays though, these facilities are far less numerous and their capacities for holding the nervous and crazy have been much reduced. Given the decline in these facilities, the Crumby Ovate surmised that there might be an inverse relationship between the number of crazy people locked up in nervous hospitals and the number of crazy people that have jobs on TV and that the crazy people on TV are the very same ones that would be shut up in nervous hospitals if there was room for them.

Now you old timers try hard to remember back to the days when Uncle Ronnie started shutting down the nervous hospitals. Shortly after that more and more crazy people started appearing on TV. And then, apparently, once some of the crazy people got a foot in the door, well you know what happened, they started hiring all their crazy friends and relatives.

Now on TV, we view a cottage industry of the crazy and nervous, frothing, twitching and hollering. Well, at least a great many of them (the crazy and nervous) have better jobs. For awhile we had assumed they would forever wander the streets, homeless, so one might fairly surmise that they are better off on TV, entertaining the ...... public?

But then we pivoted on to a related and more troubling subtopic, demonic possession. Unfortunately, many of the obviously nervous and crazy TV personalities exhibit the classic signs. Sooooooooo,
we have decided that the nervous hospitals should be re-invigorated to contain the nervous and crazy TV performers exhibiting the classical signs of demonic posession. Further we challenge the Christians and Jews to do something about this, especially since all the crazy and nervous demonic posessions apparent on TV, pertain to their co-religionists.

Ray's Thought for the Day

Early this morning ca 5:15 am, Lomo knuckle walked us all out to look at Mars. Check it out, right near the moon.

Sadly, from our location only about 65% of the objects in the celestrial sphere, the top part, are visible. Chalk that up mostly to light pollution and assorted other pollution, maybe.

Escape routes?

Rayetta Contributes to Tonight's Pressing Problem

Well la de da.

Oh Red, I have such a lovely mild laxative that comes highly recommended from Nancy, the Goddess of Practical Jokes. And as you know, Nancy is never-ever, stove up. Would you, like some?

Red in the Cow Barn La-trine, Stove Up

Let's see here. This one here spells it's a aperient. And this one here spells it's a cathartic. And this one here spells it's a laxative. This one spells purgative. This here one's a deobstruent (clears obstructions from ducts). Hmmmmm. Ol Red reckons he's purty stove up, but which one one, which one, which one?

Red hollers,

Ray, which one uh these dern herbal medicines do ye subscribe to?

Well Red, if yer really stove up, you should take all of em. Also, I got a fine little carmininative here too, if you are, well you know, gaseous.
_____

Redundancy in action.

The ArkDruid

Raymone's Word du Jour and Commentary by the Crumby Ovate

Ovate n.

1723, from assumed L. pl. Ovates, from Gk. Ovateis “soothsayers, prophets,” mentioned by Strabo as third order in the Gaulish hierarchy, from P.Celt. *vateis, cognate with L. vatis, O.Ir. faith, Welsh ofydd. The modern word and the artificial senses attached to it, are from the 18c. Celtic revival and word appears first in Henry Rowlands.


Ovate adj.

Egg shaped

Or in the botanical sense,

an ellipse that is broader on one end than on the other end
_____

Crumby Ovate

Commentary
_____

Have you noticed that fore-telling is easy on a grand scale, but becomes more difficult as the scale shrivels? I, the Crumby Ovate have noticed this phenomena in my part-time capacity as RGVECB junior soothsayer (Red being the senior soothsayer). For example, I can easily predict where the sun will come up over the CB tomorrow (grand scale), but utterly fail to predict the cow attack on the Digup nursery (shriveled scale). Actually, truth to tell, I wasn’t even aware of the cow attack until the cow attack was in progress.

The example above is not quite a fair one since, as you all know, “predicting” where the sun will rise over the Cow Barn is subject to mathematical exactitude and is well known following from established solar patterns. So let’s consider a fair, large scale sooth-saying. A good while back I sooth-said that these Yorenited States would invade Iraq, no matter what. I did this in public with 5 people in the hearing of it in December 2001 and on sundry occasions, following that date. I also predicted, on the same occasions, that Iraq had no nuclear, biological or chemical weapons capability. But I totally missed the cow attack. To reiterate, it’s a question of scale, large vs. stumpy.

Rayetta Takes Events in Stride

Last night I, Rayetta in my capacity as RGVECB House Detective caught Lomo ordering expensive telescopy apparati, red handed. Today, when the Crumby Ovate and I confronted Lomo on his dealings and his pilfering of the Crumby Ovates' checking account, Lomo, not for the first time, played the Cow Barn security card. And....... apparently, Lomo has convinced Red that his teloscopy apparati is all that stands between the Cow Barn and another round of generalized panic attacks. All Red required was that Lomo repay the Crumby Ovate, eventually. It also turns out that the main funding source of Telescope Tomfoolery is Red, who says he is making up for years of "not up to snuff" defense spending on the Cow Barn's military and we are in danger of becoming a second rate power. Well, la de da, for a fool and his money.

The Lovely Druidess Rayetta, House Detective

Ray's Thought for the Day - Bad Lomo

Ha! Here's what Lomo has been up to. Who'd have thought a proto human could pull all this off. He even has a Pay Pal account and is attempting to get verified using the Crumby Ovates checking account. Yikes! I better look at my balance too. The evidence was uncovered by Rayetta, House Detective, of course, and is presented below. Bill, the vendor, provided prompt and courteous service and excellent goods by the way. Reads from the bottom up.
Actually I have rearranged for clarity. Now reads top down.
Note: The barlow discussed below is a negative lens 3x magnifier I'm told.

> >Bill wrote:
> >At 12:11 PM 8/19/2005, ptdruid@.net wrote:
> > >The following message has been sent to you in response to your Astromart
> > >classified ad #371183 - 'Tele Vue 3x Barlow '.

Bill,
> > >
> > >I'll take it if it's still available. I sure have been having trouble
> > >getting a barlow here lately.
> > >
> > >Pay Pal preferred (by me).

Lomo,
> >Yes, it's still available. Where are you located (for shipping)?

>At 11:24 PM 8/19/2005, Lomo Sapien wrote:
> >Great. If the shipping cost is a little more, tell me and I'll make up> >the difference.
> >
> >Address is:
> >Lomo Sapien
> >Druid Environmental

> >I am as yet unertified on Pay Pal. I have to wait another day for my bank
> >to note the small e-bay withdrawal. I found out Pay Pal actually tells
> >people you are uncertified from a friend I bought a scope from
> >recently. So that's why I decided to get certified. How annoying is
> >that? But overall Pay Pal is handy.
> >
> >I'll Pay Pal you here in a minute.
> >
> >LS



>
>Bill wrote:
>Lomo,
>
>I just sent the Barlow off to you, USPS Priority Mail.
>>The delivery confirmation number is:
>
>xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
>
>Thanks,
>
>-bill

At 09:27 PM 8/22/2005, Lomo Sapien wrote:
>Bill,
>
>Got it today. Apart from being a little dusty it appears to be in great
>shape. I did some terrestrial observations, but the heat and mosquitoes
>have driven me inside. I'll check it out some more tomorrow night. This
>should be just the ticket for my Lomos.
>
>Thanks for the super fast delivery.
>
>LS

Bill wrote:
Lomo,

I'm glad you got it OK. Sorry about the dust. I've always been a bit
timid about cleaning lens. I've heard stories about how cleaning can do
more damage than it's worth.

What's a Lomos?

-bill

Lomo wrote:

Bill,

Two Lomo Mak Cass telescopes, a 95 mm and a 133.5.

1. On dust, there is a point where I just can't stand it anymore and have been known to swab Zeiss binocs with my shirt tail. Also you got to do something about all the crap that can get on lenses. They get oil, hair, snuff, pollen; Jeez Louise they get filthy, so what you gonna do. I figure those coatings should stand up to some cleaning. This comes from long experience with dissecting microscopes and binocs.
Speaking of snuff, you don't want to accidentally drop any in yer binoculars and then look through the binocs unless you have glasses on.
Dang, I should have gotten up earlier. It looks like all the action right now is in the early morning.

Lomo Sapien

Ray's Thought for the Day, Very Complex

Here's soemething I just noticed. You spell Bar Ditch, Right. But then what if you spell Bard Itch. Har! Har! Red'll like that.

The bar ditch in the front of RGVECB is where world’s collide. As may have been explained at least once before, a bar ditch is next to a road or street and consists of a front slope next to edge of pavement, a ditch line and a back slope. Usually, frontslope and backslope are spelled as one word, but such spelling, is not acknowledged by Ms. Merriam Webster. We will go ahead and spell them as one words here because that’s how they are spelled at the World’s Most Over Funded State Agency (WMOFSA) where Sunshine first made us aware of the nuances of bar ditches, diagrammatically.

Yesterday, Lomo, Rayetta, the Crumby Ovate and me had to go out and take stock of the bar ditch, always a troubling event. The bar ditch has easements on it for utilities including electric distribution, telephone, cable, water and waste water lines. This easement sometimes gets visited by outsiders for purposes of repairing these utilities. This usually means that the bar ditch gets dug up to repair the water or sewer line or the trees get trimmed to keep their branches out of the electric lines. This is how come (branch trimming) the great big old green ash (Fraxinus pensylvanica) that inexplicably grows slightly out range at the Cow Barn fairly close to the bar ditch is lop-sided and will eventually fall on the main house here.

The progressive little city that engulfs RGVECB also has a mowing contract for mowing the bar ditches, but this mowing activity is supposed to be done only at the discretion of the owner of the bar ditch. Red has, in the past, had to utter some dire spells to keep the mowers off the Cow Barn bar ditch. For a good while now, these spells have kept the mowers at bay.

Taking stock of the bar ditch is troubling, vegetatively. Because it gets dug up on occasion, there is an opportunity for non-native plants to become established in the bar ditch. This is, in fact, very likely to occur since non-native plants always seem to be in the seed mixes the outsiders use to re-vegetate the bar ditch. For example, after the last disturbance event we had fairy lights, a North African species of Linaria, in the bar ditch. More troubling though are two perennial grasses, bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and King Ranch bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum). Both these not only want to take over the bar ditch, they want to spread up the backslope into RGVECB proper. So they are the main reason we all went out to take stock and do some non-native plant killing. Coincidentally though, we also encountered a fairly obnoxious native grass, sticker burs (Cenchrus incertus), in the bar ditch. There is a robust population of this species next door on the upstream side of the bar ditch so the sticker burs like to migrate down stream and take up residence at the Cow Barn.

So........ what I am alluding to here is the incessant warfare along the perimeters of RGVECB that we wage to keep non-native, invasive species out.

Get out of my face!

Here's a head shot of an orange dog, caterpillar of the giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphotes). Four of these characters are eatin all the leaves off the lime prickly ash, er tickle tongue, er toothache tree (Xanthoxylum Clava-Herculis) here at the Cow Barn. Remarkable it be how much caterpillars eat. If you have chewed the leaves or fruit of this tickle tongue, you have some idea how the orange dog tastes.

Red's Thought for the Day (the Lottnoid)

Lying is a sin. Being stupid is not a sin. But lying about being stupid is a sin.

As has been stated here a time er two, I, Red am addicted to TV news shows. This mornin while everone else was out communin with the Goddess, I was watchin Trent Lott on TV. Chalk it up to the Goddess’ instruction that I should seek out evil.

Trent Lott is a tad hard to figure. What’s hard to figure is whether he is lyin because he is a liar, or lyin because he is way more stupid than average and don’t know any better. Apparently, he has this new book out “Herding Cats” so naturally he gets to go on TV to talk about it. (I wonder who really wrote the book for him?). Apparently, in the book, he discusses all the swell breakfasts he got to have with little king Bushnoid prior to the “war” on Iraq. Most of the discussion at these breakfasts touched on the imminent peril of Saddam Hussein, and the infinite capacity of the Iraqi military to initiate holocaust. According to Trent, he sat there guzzling whatever royalty eats for breakfast in those parts and wondering if it was going to be his last Post Toasties cause the Bushnoid was holding forth, at breakfast, on all the “intelligence” reports that said the Iraqis had mass quantities of terrible weapons and were fixing to get even more, terrible weapons.

The Lottnoid says he was plenty scared by these breakfast "discussions", and I have to wonder if the scariness of the Bushnoid’s dire warnings ever put the Lottnoid off his feed. I have to also wonder if anyone at these breakfasts ever asked the little king how Iraq got all these terrible weapons considering:

1) Almost all the heavy weapons possessed by the Iraqi military were destroyed in the war on Iraq, Phase I.

2) The Iraqi air force (a few dozen old Russian Migs and similar other top of the line equipment) was destroyed in war on Iraq, Phase I.

3) Iraqi air defenses were eliminated by war on Iraq, Phase I.

4) Much Iraqi infrastructure was damaged or destroyed during war on Iraq, Phase I and is still not repaired to this day.

5) Iraq facilities exhibiting the slightest evidence of military functionality were routinely bombed (remember the no fly zone) wherein the US and Brits bombed everything bigger than a fly from the end of war on Iraq,Phase I, right up to “Shock and Awe”.

6) All that gas Saddam used on the Iranians and later on the Kurds was not of Iraqi manufacture. (Lucky the search for wmds didn’t turn up a canister er two labeled “Made in the U.S.A”, maybe). Remember, Saddam used to be our ally against Iran.

7)Iraq's "top of the line" "Scud" missiles were destroyed, or used up during and after war on Iraq, Phase I.

The Lottnoid is old enough to remember 1-7. There was plenty of commentary on 1-7 at the times of their occurrence; “Common” knowledge as the generic republicans might say.

But old Trent probably didn’t asked the little king about any of this. Wonder why? Either he’s lyin about why he helped whoop up this war, or he’s stupid. Then again, he could just be doing cya for being on the take.

Ray's Thought for the Day

Cowabunga! Terror alert from the Druidry at Digup! Evil cows are on a rampage. One thing you don't want if you have a plant nursery is cows in it. If it can be arranged, Rayetta would like a specimen of one of the cows. An eye witness account of this situation follows:

They are evil white cows covered with millions of biting flys sent as a novel way to torment my work shirking ass. I shot at them (double ought buck at 50 feet)and they had many red spots on their asses but that did not encourge them strongly to leave. Running into them with a 2 ton vehicle that was blaring it's horn did motivate them to leave the locale and head to the creek but as of yesterday they were still lurking in the tall weeds along the creek waiting for me to let my guard down.
The dumb cow owners around here are mostly rich twits with no sense and keep them cows to play pretend cowboy like our dunderhead and thief does up yonder waco way. The three places that have cows all have big rich white guy idiot gates so you can't drive up and say your dumb cows are loose and I plan to have a cow massacre unles you come and get them quick.

new word "caucasragacide" angry hicks with high powered semi-automatic weapons eliminating the object of their anger.

Red's Thought for the Day

I have had to interdict Ray, agin.
_____
What encourages me? What encourages me to extremes?

Answers: mild desperation and serious desperation
_____
The emphasis here is on what would encourage me to actually do something, like blow up a building.

Ms. Merriam Webster says: encourage v. to inspire with courage, spirit or hope; to spur on
_____

Since many of us, RGVECB included, pay taxes to support lots of stuff,including wars, it is perhaps fair to ask how the money gets spent. It's sort of our money, right, maybe. And now that these YorenNited States have embarked upon the course of perpetual war, just like in anarchist/Druid George Orwell's book 1984, it is still fair to ask the question, even though the 1984ish government and its many adherents don't like the question.

First off though, she's a clear that these Yorenited States will never pacify Iraq without killin or detainin hundreds of thousands, or even a few million Iraqis. So, as a matter of fact, genocide against the indigenous population, followed by resettlement of the country with a more tractable emigre population is the only way to turn Iraq into a republican suburb. But given the climate, barren landscape and tough neighborhood, émigrés may be hard to come by. For example, count me out.

So here are some questions I'd like answered.

1) What is the total tax dollar amount for the war in Iraq?

2) How much has it cost on average to kill an Iraqi?

3) Should we include obvious non-combatant Iraqis killed in the
average cost?

4) Is the average cost for killing an Iraqi high enough to justify
paying him/her off instead of killing him/her?

5) Would one that got paid off, stay paid off?

Any of you dumbass generic republicans (drgs) want to answer any of these questions, fer me?

Question 5) leads naturally to another line of thought and yet another question. Does criticism of the forever war we have embarked upon encourage the enemy as the dgr chairman of the Travis County, Texas Republican National Committee proclaimed in the newspaper a couple of days ago?

Let's see now. I, Arab Red am hunkered down in a burnt out basement
in what's left of downtown Fallujah. There's no electricity, no running water and I shit in a plastic bag over in the corner. I haven't got a job and no prospect for ever getting one Periodically, I may get collaterally damaged if I don't watch out or even if I do, watch out. I may get dragged off to prison, whether I do anything to merit prison or not. In prison, I will get humiliated, beat up and tortured and everyone will get to see my weiner on TV. They'll keep me in prison as long as they want whether I did anything or not. Plenty of my family and friends have already been killed or detained in the forever war whether they did anything or not.

Wait a minute, they're having candlelight vigils against the forever war over in the Yorenited States. I am encouraged, to do what?

a. wait and see
b. kill Americans
c. move somewhere else, then kill Americans
d. surrender

You see, Arab Red is a desperate man. He only has two honorable outs, martyrdom or victory. Candlelight vigils won't encourage him, one way or t'other.

The drgs need to hone up on cause and effect, maybe. It could be that their doctrine of forever war encourages the Iraqis to fight back. Easy for me, Red, to see that, cause Druids also never forget, never forgive, and always do payback.

Ray's Thought for the Day

Frostweed (Verbesina virginica)is the host plant to Monarch Butterflies on their journey south through these parts in the fall. (Can you spot the redundancy in the preceeding sentence?)

Yesterday, we took pictures of some of the ones here at the Cow Barn that are fixing to bloom for an upcoming people friendly Crumby Ovate related publication. Maybe we'll have a monarch or two this year, although they are of very rare occurrence in the vicinity of the Cow Barn these days.

Also the Eupatorium greggii aint bloomed yet, so we aint seen a queen this summer, yet. Normally we have lots of queens.

The Crumby Ovate, a Personal Note on Bad Habits

Today, I had two Negra Modelos in mixed company. Last week I had two Beck darks in mixed company. For me, now-a-days, these were major depatures from the customary of none atall.

Because on February 10, 2005 I had seven Schlitz Malt Liquor tall boys between 5 and 10 pm. During the week of December 1, 2004, I drank two 1.75 liter bottles of Old Crow and started in on a third. I had also guzzled up similar quantities every week previous to the week of December 1 for as long as I can remember. So I have made good progress on the alcohol consumption front from the "Jeez Louise, you need to drink less" pespective. Undoubtedly though, I have hurt the liquor busniness in these parts.

Now I only drink when I have company; a rule I made up on the morning of February 11 when I didn't feel so good and also noticed that some of my internal valves, glands, organs and what not didn't seem to be working together. (But it only took four days to get over the dts).

In my case this rule (social drinking only)works very well, because only a very few people like me enough to drink with me. So in a way, anti-social, eccentric behavior, a belligerent and uncompromising attitude, intolerance for the views of others, funny lookin'(all attributes that make me difficult to be around) have contributed to the cure.

I have had less luck shucking the Demon Snuff, although I am making moderate progress on that too. I am only using up a can of Grizzly every four days or so, as opposed to every day. Shucking the Demon Snuff altogether would be easy, if my outside job didn't make me so nervous. Read: The snuff is associated with a number of displacement behaviors I do at the job, to keep from doing what I'd really like to do at the job, starting with strangling grown men with my bare hands.

I hope this testimony will inspire those of you that I both know and like who have bad habits, to get shut of the bad habits if you want to. I don't care about those of you I don't know, and if I don't like you I hope this makes you do more bad habits.

Now, pivoting on to another subtopic. there sure is a lot of oak wilt off to the west in these parts, especially in Gillespie and Kendall counties. If there are still scientists around somewhere, they might want to have a looksee at all those dead trees.

And, Telescope Tomfoolery is an addiction. That Lomo has lost his mind. No, I shouldn't say that, who knows what complexities or lack thereof lurk under that browridge. Rather I should say that he appears to this casual observer to have lost his mind. How much optical equipment could a Proto Human need? What does he do with it? How much does it cost? Where does it all come from? What the heck is a dielectric (sp?) diagonal anyway?

Red's Thought for the Day

I need to get Ray more occupied on purely botanical chores. For example, he needs to find out about Kleingrass and also get to work on the Cow Barn plant list that needs revisin. Also there's that calendar he's supposed to be doin. Seems like he's always fixin to do stuff around here, but not gettin around to it.

Rayetta Shows Concern for Ray

Ray, why are you spelling all these herbal medicine terms?

I am going into the herbal medicine busniess Rayetta, and this is the first step. I need to have an improved vocabulary for that business.

I see, and what herbal medicines will you be offering, just one example please?

The first one will be called "Piggy Pooter's Anal Ache Away" Rayetta.

All righty then, that's it. You are not doing any more with this pivot until everyone at the Cow Barn and all the Druidry in these parts gets an opportunity to smack you around. Jeez Louise, and you are my twink. How could that have possibly happened? My twin brother is a complete idiot. And you had the nerve to infer that Crunniuc was a complete idiot. Well actually, he is an idiot, but he's not even not even in the same ballpark with you.

Take it easy Rayetta. Herbal medicine is a good idea. I already know lots about plants and it's not like I would sell the medicine to anyone we know, maybe, just suckers. We could have a whole lineup of RGVECB herbal medicine, and we could put a picture of Lomo on the bottles. What could be more natural than that?

Spare me Ray. I need to go see Red for a minute.

Red, Ray is going to get us all put in the penitentiary!

Well Rayetta that's not likely. Now we have plenty of free enterprise in these Yorenited States and not much in the way of government regulation on these subtopics. But Ray, on the other hand, could probably kill off a tousand or two tousand of the semi-innocent if we don't stifle him somewhat. I'll keep an eye on him until he pivots off on to some calmative subtopic. Meantime maybe he could work up an antispasmodic for that fidgetin. Now let's go have some of that balsamic root beer Badgemagus brought over.

Yikes!

The Most Annoying Herbal, of All

Has got to be "Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs", 545 pp. Holy cow. It has a glossary appearing on the outer margins of pp. 288-293.

Jeez Louise. Under boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) Uses: aperient, cathartic, diaphoretic, emetic, febrifuge, and tonic

Now I Ray, must begin revising my glossary upwards to reflect all these relentlessly new terms I am encountering.

Now I have revised my glossary to include many more annoying herbal medicine terms.

Ray's Thought for the Day (Revised)

Today I have been workin on a glossary of words found in herbal books that are troubling on a variety of levels, but chiefly because I can never remember their definitions. So I have compiled a cheat sheet.

The herbal I was looking at today that annoyed me is "An Ancient Egyptian Herbal." In it, there is spelled a recipe that will relieve an "aching anus." Paraphrasing: Knead honey with burnt wolf dung and pepper (Piper nigrum). Let the patient drink it, but claim your fee first.

All righty then. Claim yer fee first is always good advice.

Glossary of Annoying Herbal Medicine Words

Allopathy n. the treatment of disease by conventional means, i.e. with drugs having effects opposite to the symptoms. Often contrasted with Homeopathy.

Aloin n. A bitter, yellow crystalline compound obtained from the aloe and used as a laxative.

Anodyne adj. Capable of soothing or relieving pain; n. a pain relieving medicine like aspirin

Antihelmentic adj. allegedly destroying intestinal worms

antiscorbutic n. medicine for treating scurvy

aperient n. a mild laxative; adj. Gently stimulating the bowels

Aphrodisiac adj. Arousing or intensifying sexual desire.
n. Something, such as a drug or food, having such an effect.

Astringent n.A substance or preparation, such as alum, that draws together or constricts body tissues and is effective in stopping the flow of blood or other secretions. Styptic
Calmative adj. having calming orpacifying properties; n. sedative

Carminative adj. Inducing the expulsion of gas from the stomach and intestines. n. A drug or agent that induces the expulsion of gas from the stomach or intestines

cathartic n. a purging medicine; stimulates evacuation of the bowels adj. strongly laxative

cholagogue n. a substance that promotes bile discharge

corroborant n. an invigorating tonic

demulcent n. A soothing, usually mucilaginous or oily substance, such as glycerin or lanolin, used especially to relieve pain in inflamed or irritated mucous membranes.

deobstruent n. a substance that clears obstructio from natural ducts of the body

diaphoretic adj. Producing or increasing perspiration. n. A medicine or other agent that produces perspiration.

diuretic adj. Tending to increase the discharge of urine.
n. A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine.

Emmenagogue n. A drug or agent that induces or hastens menstrual flow.

Emetic n. An agent that causes vomiting.

Emollient n. An agent that softens or soothes the skin.

Expectorant adj. Promoting or facilitating the secretion or expulsion of phlegm, mucus, or other matter from the respiratory tract. n. An expectorant medicine

febrifuge n. a medication that reduces fever, an antipyretic

flatulence n. The presence of excessive gas in the digestive tract.

gastritis n. Chronic or acute inflammation of the stomach, especially of the mucous membrane of the stomach.

Homeopathy n. a system of treating diseases in which ill people are given very small amounts of natural substances which, in healthy people, would produce the same effects as the diseases produce

Hydragogue adj. Causing a discharge of water; expelling serum effused into any part of the body, as in dropsy. (n.) A hydragogue medicine, usually a cathartic or diuretic.

Mordant n. A reagent, such as tannic acid, that fixes dyes to cells, tissues, or textiles or other materials. A corrosive substance, such as an acid, used in etching.

Nervine n. nervous tonic

purgative adj. Tending to cleanse or purge, especially causing evacuation of the bowels.
n. A purgative agent or medicine; a cathartic.

Purulence n. The condition of containing or discharging pus.

rubefacient n. a substance that increase blood circulation locally, usually on the skin

sialogue n. a substance that increases the flow of saliva

simple n. an herb used alone as a complet form of prevention or treatment

specific n. A medicne that has a special effect on a particualr disease. Apparently there is no such thing in herbal medicine.

Stomachic n. a medicine that strengthens or stimulates the stomach; adj. Beneficial to or stimulating digestion in the stomach

sudorific n. see diaphoretic

tonic n. a substance that invigorates the system acting as a stimualant or nutritive builder.

Unguent n. A salve for soothing or healing; an ointment

Vermifuge n. A medicine that expels intestinal worms.

vulnerary n. a substance for treating wounds, anitseptic or healing

Dr. Swineherd Holds Forth, Informally

Apparently, Ray was confused this morning. I, Dr. Swineherd am not hear in a learned capacity. I am here fer a visit. Nevertheless, since Ray arranged this get together, I will share my thoughts on the subtopic of Crunniuc, which I believe Ray termed “Why Crunniuc may not be a Complete Idiot.”

Ahem.

Red and I both know Crunniuc and Red knew him personally, a previous iteration I deduce, during the times alluded to in “The Labor Pains of the Ulaid.” That makes us not only older that the rest of you, but experts on this subtopic as well. But just because we are old and experts on a subtopic, doesn’t mean we have the right take on the situation. Perhaps we lack the judgement to interpret events properly. Perhaps our wits are clouded by old age. Nonetheless, neither Red nor I believe Crunniuc is an idiot, then or now.

However, I grant you that on the face of it, Crunniac’s actions of a great while back on this particular occasion appear idiotic. Why would a grown man, drunk or sober, brag that his pregnant wife could outrun the fastest horses in the kingdom, especially in front of a great crowd of slack-jawed Ulstermen, every man jack of them a tattletale.

Well then, consider this. Crunniuc was correct. Macha was faster than the king’s horses, so on this occasion Crunniuc told the truth. But does telling the truth, when he could have just as easily kept silent, excuse Crunniuc for placing Macha in such inconvenience and peril on his account, when he could just as easily have kept his mouth shut, maybe.

Well then, consider Macha. She came seemingly out of nowhere and married Crunniuc. From the day of their marriage, the farm prospered and Crunniuc, who had previously been of average to no account, suddenly found himself not only “well-heeled,” but an up and comer among the Druidry in those parts. Everybody knew that this was Macha’s doing, although no one could ever figure out why She chose to dispose of her favors on the likes of Crunniuc. Plus, well, Macha is Macha, and if yer married to a Goddess, perhaps it’s Okie Dokie to trot her out once in a while.

Also, consider this. Crunniuc told me his version of the events of that day at the great fair of Emuin Machae a great while back, and again, a good while back, and his role from one telling to the next lacked the gaseous imminence and expansion characteristic of a lie.

What is Crunniuc’s explanation? Easy that to tell. The Ulaid of those days needed a reminder on the subtopic of civil behavior. And he figured Macha was just the One to provide that reminder, but he couldn’t figure out how to get her attention on the subtopic of civil behavior because she wasn’t much interested in that particular subtopic, having concerns and priorities of Her own. So Crunniuc determined to fix her attention on civil behavior though himself. And knowing that Macha is a Goddess and a horse Goddess to boot, wasn’t much concerned that any harm would come to Her on his account. And if this be truth, Crunniuc was foresighted on all counts.

So that’s all I have to say on this subtopic fer now. Ray, make yerself useful fer once and fetch me a orange soda.

Ray's Thought for the Day

Yepper. I, Ray missed the clarion call to duty yesterday mornin. Lucky it was that Raymone stepped up visible so he could fill in. And I have to say, he did tres bien.

Hmmm. Perhaps a sensitive feller like me should get to sleep in more often.

Rayetta, and other ladies of my acquaintance, always seem amused by the subtopic of male sensitivity. They believe, I suspect, that the root of male sensitivity is wounded pride, resulting in the male of the species feeling sorry for hisself. And indeed, at least in my case, that may be comparatively true. For the amount of time I spend contemplating or performing altruistic actions for others is far less than the amount of time I spend sulking over affronts to me, which naturally translates to time spent spelling payback.

Whoa! The apples and oranges are getting mixed up. Why do I think they are getting mixed up? Easy that. Because affronts to me are affronts to the Goddess, maybe.

This evening, Dr. Badgemagus Swineherd, PhD. will address RGVECB and the Druidry in these parts, on the subtopic, "Why Crunniuc may not be a Complete Idiot."

Ray the Awake

Red Remembers

The Labor Pains of the Ulaid

This story is not about a bunch of the Ulaid bein sore from workin too hard and havin to rub ointment on their hides. Nor is it all together about Ulaid women with labor pains. Instead, it’s about how all the growed up men of the Ulaid got to learn about labor pain, as in the kind that comes with birthin, personally. Let’s remember that Ulaid is what the Ulstermen of those days, a great while back, called theirselves.

There was a great fair announced and Crunniuc, a prosperous farmer, that is a lucky farmer, told his wife Macha, “I, Crunniuc am goin to the fair.” “Say nothin foolish,” advised Macha. “Not likely that,” replied Crunniuc, and off he went.

At the end of the day at the fair, Crunniuc was front and center when the award ceremony for the fastest chariot horses was held, and at this event, of course, the king’s horses and the king’s chariot were announced victorious. All of the Ulaid present, save Crunniuc, proclaimed that “nothin was as fast as the king’s horses.” But Crunniuc, havin partaken of a Dolmen Stout er two, announced, “My wife is that fast!” and was, as a consequence of this claim, straight away hauled before the king.

“So Crunniuc, yer wife be swift as me horses,” says the king. “Yepper, She be that and faster me lord,” bragged Crummiuc. “All righty then, we shall put Her to the test and if yer lyin, then yer lands are forfeit, to me and yer life as well, maybe. Send messengers to fetch Crunniuc’s wife, what’s her name, Macha.”

This was done, and Macha, to save Her husband from ruination and maybe death, departed for the fair, though Her time to deliver a child was almost due, which was why She hadn’t gone to the fair with Crunniuc in the first place. She arrived and the king and all the Ulaid could clearly see that Macha was great with and havin labor pains, but the Dolmen had been flowin and the king was ever a gluttonous basturd so the race was on. Of course, Macha outrun the king’s horses and won the race. Then she lay down to give birth and cried out “Who among the Ulaid would help me? None of you, so any man that hears me now will suffer the pains of a woman for five days and four nights whenever danger threatens!” And so it came to pass that all the great men of the Ulaid assembled at the fair that day were so afflicted ever after with labor pains when danger threatened.

Macha bore twins and ever after the site of the fair was named for Her, and it was called Emuin Machae. And the land of the Ulaid would have been wrested from them and all the cattle and pigs stole due to the spell of Macha, but then come the boy Cuhulian to succor them, but that is another sun god story.

Macha might want to consider a dose of the lps fer some of our current bunch of no-account “leaders”, not for when danger actually threatens, but just for when they think it threatens.

Ray's Thought for the Day

Once not long ago I was standing around in a small troop of range managers and range manager wannabes looking out a landscape dominated by mesquite, Texas wintergrass and Japanese brome. "And then someone opined, if we burn this all the native decreasers will come back. Their seed is in the soil and all of them will come back if we burn this". The evidence for this actually having happened at other places was then summarized by all present with anecdotal familiarity with this phenomena.

I Ray, was more familiar with this site, botanically speaking, than anyone else present. And I pointed out that none of the decreasers for this particular range site were extant on this range site. I, Ray was pooh-poohed and assured that the seeds were there in the soil and just needed a good fire to set them to germinating.

All righty then, thought I. You betchum Red Ryder.

Ray's Thought for the Day -More Telescope Tomfoolery

A 5" Maksutov-Cassegrain on a German Equatorial Mount is an impressive sight, particularly in a confined space. Watching Lomo figure out how to assembly it(no instructions provided)was impressive too, and instructive, maybe. And that reminds me, Crumby Ovate you need to pick up at least 8, 1.5V, "C" batteries so Lomo can test out the electric drive tonight.

All righty then, Ray.

Did our personal optics expert mean to throw in the dew shield for the 95 mm?

Don't know. We'll have to ask her about that and also what happened to the diagonal.

Raymone, go through that packing material and see if there's a diagonal in it. Raymone! Where'd he get off to.

Ray's Thought for the Day

Put yourself, anthropomorphically speaking, in the place of an r selected plant. You produce a great many seeds, a tousand maybe two tousand, den you die. Would it be better to produce seeds that had a marginal chance of surviving under a continuum of environmental conditions, or would it be better to invest in a strategy that would cause all your seeds to germinate under some narrow range of optimal environmental conditions?

note: To find out about r and k selection type r and k selection at Google and see what happens. I, Ray have not tried that yet.

Now Ray is busy and has to go do some other work of the botanical emergency sort. Which reminds Ray of where he first heard botanical emergency, ah, Glen Rose; more credit where credit is due.

Ray’s Thought for the Day - Live Oak Decline

Some of us have been adventuring around over in Gillespie and Kimble counties lately. We saw thousands of oak trees that are dead or dying. Live oak decline, a virus, is probably, along with periodic severe drought and ever increasing warm temperature, part of the cause. But we definitely saw one leaf that exhibited veinal necrosis so that’s live oak decline, fer sure. At any rate there are lots of dead live oaks (Quercus virginiana) (RGVECB does not accept the ridiculous name Q. fusiformis), shin oaks (Quercus sinuata) and Texas oak (Quercus Buckleyi). There are lots of post oaks (Quercus stellata) in those parts too, but we did not see any dead ones that were obviously dead in the same way as the oaks previously noted were obviously dead.

Interestingly, much effort and expense have been expended in those parts, over the last 100 or so years on Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) eradication, and in those parts, the eradication effort, undertaken seriously and repetitively, has been largely successful. We encountered very few woodlands wherein Ashe juniper could be accounted an important canopy dominant. Instead, live oak is ubiquitous, except of course where it is dying off. Also, interestingly, when the live oak dies off, a shrub layer with Texas persimmon (Diospyros texana) as the principal component, is much in evidence. And as everyone but the ignorant and vulgar know, a shrub layer dominated by Texas persimmon in those parts is Black-capped Vireo habitat.

We also saw a good many introduced mammals including two, one-hump camels, but the camels were seen on the way back, in Hays County.

Ray's Thought for the Day revised - Zip pity do dah

Some things never change. Red says this isn't the first time a compooter had trouble with a Zip drive and he sure does regret a certain stock purchase of a good, but not a great, while back. This references the fact that the compooter refused to give forth a drive letter for the Zip drive on the first try and refused to boot on the second try (referencing a drive letter for old Zip), but booted OK when Zip was removed.

Lomo remove -ed the Zip and the compooter booted normally.

Also, I, Ray was sitting right here at around 1 AM, working this morning, when I heard an explosion and lo the electricity stopped and so did the compooter. I was afraid the new compooter was broke and I'd get blamed, but Lomo said, go to bed, so I did. Now, as if by a miracle, all's back to normal.

Finally,(see previous post), Rayetta and I in no way believe that all the web sites that contain information on Math ap. Mathonwy are evil, only that we were searching for evil when we found all of them. We also acknowledge that we could have unearthed much more evil somewhere else.

But back to the new compooter. The reason we have not upgraded for 7 years is basically because upgrades are annoying and expensive and do the same old things faster, maybe. Now we have just discovered that our HP Scanjet 4100 C is not XP compatible. Some things never shange. So we either have to rig something up drvier-wise or get a new scanner. Jeez Louise, too many maybes. We had forgotten what a racket the compooter business is.

RGVECB Hints for Math ap. Mathonwy

As has been noted or alluded to on one or two previous occasions, Red told the story of Math ap. Mathonwy, again, the other night. Since the White Goddess has directed the Cow Barn, not merely Red and the Crumby Ovate to search out evil, I, Ray, in collaboration with my twin sister Rayetta have something to say about the treatment of Math ap Mathonwy outside the scholarly confines of RGVECB. But first, if you would like to read the text of the story and plenty of re-iterations of the story, just type in Math Son of Mathonwy at Google. There’s lots and lots of lots, maybe a tousand or maybe two tousand of these iterations. It’s a sign of the times, people hungry for some sense of connectivity to nature and myth, look to the old stories, incomprehendingly. Most of the web sites presenting these iterations are in Britain too, so you can feel closer to the source material, as it were. Rayetta and me, though, are going to cut out the bullshit and tell you what the story means.

Math is typical of the dime a dozen sun gods that populate the mythological literature of all times and places. Math is slightly more interesting than some of them though, because he is also an accomplished Druid of the wizard type. He, Math, the son of the Goddess Donn, is set up in the story as the matrilineal king of Gwynneth, that country which is now called something else, but possibly would be indicated as some part of what is now northern Wales. We know that he is a sun god of matrilineal times because he can’t let his feet touch the ground. His feet must always reside in the lap of a virgin, or he must be riding around on a horse. To get from the lap of the virgin to the horse, he must be carried, because he is crippled in the legs and can’t walk so well. This is because in matrilineal times, the king’s only important responsibility was to placate the Goddess so the kingdom would be fruitful. The king didn’t require the use of two good big legs for this, only the little middle leg was important. So prior to his marriage to the local goddess, the king was ritually crippled to keep him from wandering off when she needed him. We also know that the times were matrilineal because of Math’s tolerance for his “sister’s” naughty sons and because Math’s “niece”, Arianrhod, had the power to grant all the boons that were important in those days, and still are, to whit, a name, inherited property and a good marriage.

The actual hero of the story, according to at least one numbskull website we directed your attention to above, is Gwydion, Math’s nephew. Gwydion, in the story, is a rapist, thief and would be regicide who receives only light punishment for his crimes, no doubt, because he is rich and powerful, and this indicates a transition, in those times from matrilineal to patrilineal justice, maybe. Gwydion is also important in the story because he kills Pryderi, a rival sun god with strong affinities for, and political connections to the Goddess. (You may remember in a previous subtopic that this same Gwydion was identified (in a fictionalized account involving a cosmic cow) as the Druid who vanquished Bran to win control of Stonehenge and then could not figure out how Stonehenge worked (see Liturgical Loose Ends - July 5, ‘05). Gwydion then is the euhemistic personification (slightly redundant here) of the liberation of the sun god from matrilineal authority.

Much of “Math ap. Mathonwy” concerns the provisioning by Math and Gwydion of a wife for Arianrhod’s sun god son, Llew Llaw Guffes (LLG). (Note: For some reason the learned in the Welsh language have great trouble settling upon how to translate the names of the various sun god iterations into English. LLG is another example. See also Culhwch, subtopic “Pigs are Interesting”,
9) June 28, '05). Goddess Arianrhod refuses to provide a wife for LLG so Math and Gwydion take it upon themselves to magic up a bride out of flowers. But the bride, Blodeuwedd, naturally, reverts to Goddess type and the rest of the story is the good old classic tale of king sacrifice, very thinly disguised, in matrilinear times.

Sooooooooo, bottom line is, none of the stories in mythology make much literal sense, and the Cymric ones, make no literal sense at all.

Passiflora tenuiloba

This one doesn't bloom every day and that's for certain. Passiflora tenuiloba at Turkey Bend on July 26, '05 twining on Colubrina texensis (not shown).

Ray's Thought for the Day -New Compooter

It is up and more or less working, soooooooooo, as chief chronicler it is my oblgation to allude to the following:

1) The Dell Demension 5100C comes without a parallel port. We had to purchase a parallel to USB adapter to plug in the Laser printer. We could have put a parallel port into the one available slot, but may need that for something else.

2) Every software program packaged with the computer that we have checked so far required an internet update including a really dumb one in Dell Jasc Paint Shop..

3) The computer crashed after installing the ISP software.

4) The monitor does not seem to want to work at anywhere near the recommended screen resolution.

5) The very first screen after bootup has an idiot message telling the end user to read the end user agreement before continuing. However, there is no hard copy of this document included with shipped material so you can't. It is however, on the very next screen if you hit the next button.

6) Nobody can as yet figure out how to file pictures in the Camedia program, but this may be Cow Barn user error.

7) Help calls so far; Dell 2, SBC 1.


The above is why Red has resisted an upgrade for 7 years.

But on the good side, everthing seems ot be working so far more or less now, and the only hardware we still need to hook are the zip drive and scanner, both USB. Although, we also need to get a new browser/e-mail because the one that comes with SBC Yahoo looks like it was designed by Fat Freddy's cat.

Ray'sThought for the Day - Telescope Tomfoolery

Now Lomo has got another order coming from the Cow Barn's Personal Optics Expert. It's, not surprisingly, another Lomo telescope. So we will now have two of these, a 95 mm and a 133.5 mm. More than ever, we wil be able to spot panic attacks, fer away. Some information follows, the factual parts provided by the Cow Barn's Personal Opticcs Expert:

Sadly, the factory where the Leningraskoye Optiko Mechaicheskaye Obyedinenie, LOMO for short, built telescopes is now closed and being retooled for weapons production. So there will be no more Lomos. Perhaps they will become collectors items and these two will one day make us rich and famous, or preferably, just rich.

Also:

MARS SPECTACULAR!

The Red Planet is about to be spectacular! This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.

The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.

By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.

Share this with your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN.

But with the Lomo Astele 133.5, we will be able to go much higher than a modest 75-power magnification. Ha Hah Hah Harrrrrrrrr.

Ray 's Thought for the Day - Ruellia nudifora

These R. nudiflora are also blooming up a storm a the Cow Barn. I am always intrigued when two or more species of the same genus bloom up a storm at the same time in close proximity to one another. In this instance, the R. nudiflora likes it sunnier than the R. drummondiana. I, Ray need to spend some time on their respective pollinating vectors which I supect to be of a nocturnal orientation.

Ray's Thought for the Day - I 32, '05

Whoa! That date aint right.

But on to botanical thoughts since I am constipated with those. Dwelling always on clay, one wishes to dwell on sand, and possibly vice versa. For it is with constant reminders that we learn the floristic nuances of clays versus sands. No botanist, for example, who lived on sand, would collect Polypremum procumbens upwards of 30 times. The same could be said, perhaps, of Tripogon spicatus, Eriogonum multiflorum and yea verily Petunia parviflora. Which brings me to my actual thought. RGEVCB needs to publish a composite plant list exclusive to the "granite" outcrops of the Central Mineral Region. And I bet Glen Rose has one of these, or could speedily assemble one. Also, a search for Campanula revechonnii should be undertaken following the next rain event in those parts "the granite outcrops".