Morgan's Thumpstick

[Elizabeth Helen Drake]

Could you tell that I was almost afraid to ask what KIND of bone. Indeed ... Morgans sense of humor would shine through. Petrified bone? I had never considered that. Still ..... wouldn't that be even more difficult to carve? Everybody, you are coming up with some interesting ideas!

I thought of Cambodia because of the earlier reference to the fellow named " Pepperman" the " balding Buddha like figure" that the leader of Seal Team Six used to call in for help. It just sort of sounds like Morgan ..... though the idea of him living in a " suburban area of Maryland .... ( what, Bethesda where so many other spooks live?) and growing hot peppers in his backyard sounds a little strange to me. Perhaps a period of domesticated bliss he never bothered to mention? . So what else was he doing THERE? Since we are talking about the thump stick I will refrain from going down that path here, but its a thought.

I put my vote in for Cambodia. as its origin ..... Oh but we were never there, right?
RIGHT?

Paul, it rings in my mind that the fellow who contacted you a couple of years ago ( that long?) mentioned a plane crash in "Cambodia". Do you still have your notes on that? Maybe if we follow the leads on the thumpstick others will come forward with information that will fill in the gaps. As I recall this particular pilot went by the name of " Bentfeather" because of that particular crash. That help? Elizabeth

[Mikado14]

Handle is a tip from a horn (antler) and is ivory tipped. ( don't be thinking elephant ivory, that is what the tip is called)

First of all, we are not viewing the cylinder or panel in it's entirety, some of it can't be seen with the way it is shown, three views would be better to view a cylinder.

Panel 1 - the right picture shows a building

Panel 2 - the right appears to be showing a bird

These first two are very worn.

Pane 3 - left missing but the right appears to be the building from 1 except above the mountains below

Panel 4 - Buddic image showing the third eye and appears to be in a seated position

Panel 5 - Buddic image, as in 4 but stepping up

Panel 6 - Buddic image but without the third eye represented

Panel 7 - Figure either holding a vessel or is hooded, if a vessel it would be a symbol of life, if hooded, existence without seeing

Panel 8 - badly worn for me but there appears to be a caricature in the right panel for a hand is evident

Panel 9 - another building but again, badly worn

This was more than likely not made to order for Morgan, if it were, it has seen an enormous amount of travel and if it could speak, I want to be first in line, but I doubt and I have my reasons.

My experienced quess is that it was a gift and from what can be viewed is the travel between planes, one of the keys to this is that the body is viewed as the temple of the soul, also, the picture of the building is the same picture i was shown to imagine when developing the heart center (chakra), coincidence, probably.

I am probably all wet, as a matter of fact, I was, it rained at the air show.

Remember, if Morgan is a believer of Tibetan philosophies, he may have just liked it for the beautiful artwork and what some of the symbols mean but hidden within...

Elizabeth?...Elizabeth? are you there and is the mule ok? he might be going blind.

Mikado

[Elizabeth Helen Drake]

I can't see as much as I would like to either but the Buddha figure that first is shown is without that third eye, isn't he? I had overlooked that. (Now thats funny!)

I am so sorry it rained during the Airshow. I am sure it would have been great though, sorry I missed it.I am a little like Paul though right now, just trying to make sure everything will be handled smoothly while I am away on vacation . ( Yes ME. Vacatation. Hardly can believe it. Don't even know which way I am going yet. Truely) Elizabeth

[Mikado14]

I can't see as much as I would like to either but the Buddha figure that first is shown is without that third eye, isn't he? I had overlooked that. (Now thats funny!)

Your right, when I first looked at the images, there was only the right picture and not the left and he appears to be asleep and dreaming.

I am so sorry it rained during the Airshow. I am sure it would have been great though, sorry I missed it.

With all this talk of flying, I think I will go back and pay for that ride in the Stearman (N2S-1 in case your reading Martin or maybe the AT-6 or would you call it an SNJ - 4?, nah, I want the Biplane), never been in one, maybe, it's about time. And Saturday night will be the big dance with the big band sounds, wouldn't miss it.

I am a little like Paul though right now, just trying to make sure everything will be handled smoothly while I am away on vacation . ( Yes ME. Vacatation. Hardly can believe it. Don't even know which way I am going yet. Truely) Elizabeth

In the words of Buckaroo Bonzai, "No matter where you go, there you are". Just go and relax where ever it may be, you and Paul are doing quite well and the break is well earned.

Mikado

***This is an edit: here Martin, just for you, I looked it up:
http://www.maam.org/wwii/ww2_rides.htm

[Radomir]

Them ain't cheap, but it would be a great ride.

Mikado you've dredged up a lot of memories with this. I used to bum rides at a grass strip near our college, where there was a kind of retirement development for old pilots. Picture a golf community only in this case all the houses lined the grass air strip. Wonderful planes, from Piper cub to two big Steerman, and a red & white Pitts. There were a few small one- or two plane closed barn-style hangars, but most of the planes were parked in rows under the corrugated roof-covers of two long open-air hangars. Some of the houses even had "plane-garages" attached, so they could just taxi out of their garage onto the strip and up into the air. At the time, I couldn't imagine anything cooler than that. When I couldn't get up in the sky, I used to take photos, then later made drawings of the planes, or watercolor. But I never did get a ride in a biplane. Always wanted to. You should go for it!

Have a wonderful vacation, Elizabeth. I think it was Johnny Carson they called the hardest workin' guy in television. You've set the standard for hard workin'est gal in cyberland. Like the Mikado says, you've more than earned the downtime.

"Where are we going?"
"Planet 10!!"
"When are we going?"
"Real soon!!!"

R.

[Elizabeth Helen Drake]

I liked that alot. Thanks Radomir.Planet 10 indeed.

I guess both Paul and I are planning to " unplug" for a set amount of time. He should be back before the 15th .... and since ( you laugh) I still don't know where I am going, what I am going to be doing, or how long I am going to be gone, I will hang out here, continuing to stir the pot until I walk out of the door. I'll be sure to sign out. So you are sort of stuck with me until then.

This is the perfect time though folks for all of you out there who have been reading but not responding to jump on in! The train of thought has of necessity slowed down just a bit and until Paul gets back to stoke the fires with the new chapter .... its going to be sort of a review time of what is already out there.

You are all invited to join with the discussion here. I would love to see a whole bunch of questions from new members waiting for Paul when he gets home from his dive trip.! Give him a welcome home challenge!

Paddling about in warm blue water! I am so jealous! but you are right Radomir, Paul deserves the break. The next section of the book is going to be a hard push. I have encouraged him to detach himself from the book entirely, just enjoy the local color, throw some lime in his soda .... ( where did I just see that phrase?) and kick back. Bound to be fun.

Me. I dunno yet. Lime in the soda for sure, just for drill.

Anyway .... all of you out there who have the urge. Join us. Sorry you will sort of be talking amongst yourselves, but with this group that could be downright exhilerating! ( Wouldn't surprise me that you guys won't miss Paul and me at all!) Elizabeth

And thankyou Radomir for the compliment.

[twigsnapper]

Cosmic ha ha, take it however you wish.

"As Cooper outlines the plan for penetrating the Soviet outpost’s defenses, it sounds to Mendez like he’s seen it all, like he’d “been inside one of these innermost KGB sanctuaries before.â€

[LongboardLOVELY]

Mr. Twigsnapper!

This is fortuitous; I was just thinking about you! And I was wondering when you or someone (but mostly you) were going to jump in about the lime comment. Hit me like a ten ton brick

I would like to weigh in on the cane, if I may...

It may be Tibetan, but if it is as heavy as I think it is, there are similar canes out there that are from the Ming dynasty. I've been training (semi-diligently) and doing mostly ground fighting, but I've been practicing my Shao-Lin, and my Lao Shr has a few canes around that look similar, but not as detailed as the one Morgan shared with Paul.

The Ming dynasty lasted from 1368 to 1644. Through this period, in addition to the imperial artisans there were also many local, highly skilled, professional carvers who worked with ivory, stone, bamboo, and jade. The middle of the Ming dynasty to the middle of the Ch'ing period represents the golden age of Chinese carving. The ivory carvings of the Kuangchou regions were noted for their extremely fine and delicate works. The Peking region excelled in free-standing ivory figurines and colored, inlaid ivory works. Within the individual regions the artistic style was not homogeneous, but varied from one artisan to another. These artisans created a large number of expertly crafted and artistic pieces, but most of their names are not known today.
So how does Tibet and Cambodia come into the equation? Well, all those countries, as far as northern Vietnam, were all part of Imperialist China at one point or another. If that cane is an original, it's pretty old. (It could have been made recently, but I doubt it as there has been a moratorium on ivory exportation last two decades, early 90's I think ). How old? Dunno. I'd need to look at it, but I couldn't be the one to determine its origins exactly.

My great-grandfather was an artist; and a carver too as I understand it.

Now as far as the carvings are concerned, many Monasteries have stories carved into their 'accoutrements' such as their prayer wheels, their pillars, and the stones in the ground. Taken as a whole, the "Morgan Cane" must tell a story. There is the third "all seeing" eye on Cylinder 4 (Left), and there is bamboo and leaves and I think I saw wings of a bird or a bird - all signifying life. As I understand it, many prayers are stories (*not sure that's the right word, I'll have to look it up), the Cane itself is or could be a prayer of some sort, or Mantra if you're thinkin' Tibetan.

What about the handle? Dunno, but I don't think it's bone. But whatever it is, I sure wouldn't want to be hit by it!!

Two stick fighing, two sword fighting, is a favorite of mine to watch. You'd have to be very strong to wield two such canes to fight with, especially if this one is about 5 lbs or so. My Lao Shr says that in the real world, you use what you got, and I doubt I'll have two five pound sticks with me on an airplane (even if they retract) !! He says, you can just as easily choke someone with the blade of your arm or a well placed shoelace

How's the weather out east, Mr. Twigsnapper?

LongboardLOVELY


This is an addendum: I just found a good website about ivory carvings
http://www.fineartregistry.com/articles ... 9-2006.php

[LongboardLOVELY]

That thumpstick can't be as old as a Ming dynasty heirloom.... but wherever it came from, it was carved by a professional (could also be forged, but I doubt it). In the last few decades, it was essentially illegal to import ivory (which usually came from Africa) because of the UN ban on importation. So, artisans were forced to use whatever cache of ivory they had left. therefore, for Mr. Morgan to have a product like that is rare. In fact, as ya'all have pointed out, it's well worn, so he's had this thing for sometime.

There are two reasons for limited intricate carvings of ivory products on the market:

1] the trade of ivory carving was taught in an apprenticeship model, just like the olden days of Monks teaching Martial Arts (usually out of necessity to protect property). This model of learning is gradually giving way to modernization. I.E. No more teacher/mentor roles and teachers are dying out.

2] the other more prominent reason is as aforementioned, for wildlife preservation.

The bottom of the webpage that I referenced above details how one can tell if an ivory carving is recent and forged to make it look old, or if it is authentic.

LongboardLOVELY

[Mikado14]

The Ming dynasty lasted from 1368 to 1644. Through this period, in addition to the imperial artisans there were also many local, highly skilled, professional carvers who worked with ivory, stone, bamboo, and jade. The middle of the Ming dynasty to the middle of the Ch'ing period represents the golden age of Chinese carving. The ivory carvings of the Kuangchou regions were noted for their extremely fine and delicate works. The Peking region excelled in free-standing ivory figurines and colored, inlaid ivory works. Within the individual regions the artistic style was not homogeneous, but varied from one artisan to another. These artisans created a large number of expertly crafted and artistic pieces, but most of their names are not known today.

This is all very well and good but adorning the sheath of the cane are not "carvings" in the usual use of the word. Yes they are carved and you can call it a carving but they are referred to as "reliefs". They are not "high" or "deep" reliefs. They are not intricate as the link you posted for they are not meant to be.

Now as far as the carvings are concerned, many Monasteries have stories carved into their 'accoutrements' such as their prayer wheels, their pillars, and the stones in the ground. Taken as a whole, the "Morgan Cane" must tell a story.

yes, it does, care to elaborate on what you believe it might be?

There is the third "all seeing" eye on Cylinder 4 (Left), and there is bamboo and leaves and I think I saw wings of a bird or a bird - all signifying life.

As for the third eye, it is also in Panel 5. However, I didn't know that bamboo and/or a bird signified life. What belief structure is this?

As I understand it, many prayers are stories (*not sure that's the right word, I'll have to look it up), the Cane itself is or could be a prayer of some sort, or Mantra if you're thinkin' Tibetan.

I highly doubt that it is a Mantra, when doing a deep meditation into an altered state the Mantra is personal and should be unique to the individual. There are group Mantras but I doubt that is what is represented on the sheath. Your first idea is more to the point.

What about the handle? Dunno, but I don't think it's bone. But whatever it is, I sure wouldn't want to be hit by it!!

It is an antler or horn as identified by it's structure and the "ivory" tip on the end.

How's the weather out east, Mr. Twigsnapper?

Too wet for him, he would have to use that cane you saw him with in Hawaii <g>

There is one thing about the cane and the carvings that no one has picked up on but in the long run it isn't relevant. Essentially, only Morgan can answer any question as to it's value and meaning to him. We all have items that have special meaning to us, from perhaps a lucky paperclip to a cane, only the owner of the item can answer. Or, maybe it just saved his life on more than one occasion.

Mikado

[LongboardLOVELY]

As for the third eye, it is also in Panel 5. However, I didn't know that bamboo and/or a bird signified life. What belief structure is this?

Not a belief structure, my friend. When you say the word Bamboo and bird in chinese, the homonym of those words sound like life, and longevitiy.
It is also a representation of righteousness and resilience because the outside is very straight, but inside it is hollow. So when the wind blows, it bends, but then it comes back. My grandmother's words to me when I was growing up was always to be straight like a bamboo but bendable or flexible. Some species grow very tall, and are very very old. What's interesting is that they may look like trees, but they are in the grass family.

Now as far as the carvings are concerned, many Monasteries have stories carved into their 'accoutrements' such as their prayer wheels, their pillars, and the stones in the ground. Taken as a whole, the "Morgan Cane" must tell a story.

yes, it does, care to elaborate on what you believe it might be?

As I said before, I really can't tell unless I am looking and touching the piece. It's easier to see the story when you can turn the "wheel". But IF I had to guess, it could be about Buddha travelling to the seventh sacred realm, or the Buddhas' arrival at the Place of Jewels, Buddha and reincarnation. Of course all these are guesses.

I'd have to see it in its entirety to really take a better educated guess

There is one thing about the cane and the carvings that no one has picked up on but in the long run it isn't relevant.

It's all relevant. What's your thinking?

LongboardLOVELY

[Mikado14]

Not a belief structure, my friend. When you say the word Bamboo and bird in chinese, the homonym of those words sound like life, and longevitiy.
It is also a representation of righteousness and resilience ...

Okay Linda, I am a little on the dumb side when it comes to English let alone Chinese <g> but help me out here. A homonym, at least I thought, were words that sound alike and are spelled alike, unlike a homophone which sound alike but are spelled differently but all have different meanings. You said "homonym", does that mean in Chinese that they have homonyms just as in English or are we talking a homophone? Obviously, I can't speak any of it or read it so how about helping me to understand.

yes, it does, care to elaborate on what you believe it might be?

As I said before, I really can't tell unless I am looking and touching the piece. It's easier to see the story when you can turn the "wheel". But IF I had to guess, it could be about Buddha travelling to the seventh sacred realm, or the Buddhas' arrival at the Place of Jewels, Buddha and reincarnation. Of course all these are guesses.

I'd have to see it in its entirety to really take a better educated guess

Linda, read my question. I was asking what "you" felt they meant. No education, no google searches, just what you felt inside, what came into "your" mind when you saw them. What emotion did you feel and what was stirred in your soul. If you felt nothing then that is something.

There is one thing about the cane and the carvings that no one has picked up on but in the long run it isn't relevant.

It's all relevant. What's your thinking?

Now, should I take my own advice or should I google and/or do some reading? In any event my thinking is as posted earlier.

Essentially, only Morgan can answer any question as to it's value and meaning to him. We all have items that have special meaning to us, from perhaps a lucky paperclip to a cane, only the owner of the item can answer. Or, maybe it just saved his life on more than one occasion.

Mikado

[Langley]

Cane had nine nodal points, or rings or rungs.

* Name: fluorine
* Symbol: F
* Atomic number: 9
* Atomic weight: 18.9984032 (5)
* CAS Registry ID: 7782-41-4

The first large-scale production of fluorine was needed for the atomic bomb Manhattan project in World War II where the compound uranium hexafluoride (UF6) was needed as a gaseous carrier of uranium to separate the 235U and 238U isotopes of uranium.

Fluorine is highly damaging to bone.

Chakras
he number of chakras sometimes varies from on tradition to another. This is not a cause for disagreement but rather a question of accounting. There are two subsidiary centres allied to the heart and the throat chakras. Some authorities do not include the centre at the top of the head as a chakra, treating it instead as a unique centre of consciousness. The number of chakras given can therefore vary from six to nine. The number most often given is seven; the six chakras of awakening and the crown chakra at the top of the head.

Static electricity
This merry-go-round is an electrostatic motor of a type invented by Benjamin Franklin. Static electricity of opposite polarities would be connected to the two brass balls atop the glass pillars. The merry-go-round spins easily on a pivot point in the center. There is a small ivory piece at the end of each arm of the merry-go-round.

You start the merry-go-round spinning by hand. When an ivory piece approaches a brass ball, it takes on the electric charge from that ball. It's then repelled, so the spin gets a little "kick" as the ivory goes past the ball.

When that bit of ivory reaches the next ball, it is attracted (because it has an opposite charge from the opposite ball). But when it reaches that brass ball, it takes on that charge and is repelled.

The result is a tug towards the ball as the ivory is approaching, and a push away from the ball as it leaves. The merry-go-round speeds up just a bit. It will keep spinning as long as the static electricity is applied. These motors often used Leyden Jars, to keep them spinning for quite a long time. Below is an example, extracted from Jacquet de Malzet's 1775 Précis de l'électricité:

Claw : bird of prey = spiritual insight. Unseen solitary hunter. Weapon.

bottom piece: insulator.

Node: a place where the medium does not move

Antinode: The place of maximum vibration.

Static accumulator

Ancient knowledge

Well thats my 2 bob's worth. Probably worth a dime.

[Paul S.]

I guess both Paul and I are planning to " unplug" for a set amount of time. He should be back before the 15th

"Unplug," you say? Yes, literally.

We are going to Cayman Brac, one of the smaller of the Cayman Islands, about 90 miles north of Grand Cayman. Because the puddle jumper we're taking for the last leg of the trip has a strict 55-lb weight limit for baggage, and because most of that is taken up with the dive gear, I will be leaving my laptop behind. That means no e-mail, and no access to the forums until we return on June 11.

When I do get back, I'm going to take some advice from Elizabeth. The first thing I am going to do is print everything that has been "published" here so far and read it. That way I'll have a better idea what "trajectory" I've already set up and steps I need to take to make sure the story lands where I want it to.

The resort we're staying in boasts wireless Internet access, and I'm sure there will be lots of people there with laptops. But I'm not going to be one of them, and the digitally-clear space oughta do me some good.

Is there life without e-mail? We'll find out soon enough.

--PS

[kevin.b]

The cane, I would possibly describe as faux bamboo.
Bamboo and bone make me think of Mahjong.
I have had my eye on the confucious game of four winds for a while, as a dowser.

Everything is to do with flying, most of you are dreaming of it.
I am seeing myself in a pink pig flying machine, and all the talk is of flying saucers.
The four cardinal directions are the four winds, imho.
Everywhere around the world all the ancient structures are aligned to them.
Everything I detect leads to four outlets around a circle at 90 degrees to each other, in whatever four alignments, but most regurally and with the greatest of ease to detect, they are aligned N, S, E, W.
Bone and bamboo spliced together, I wonder what electrically this would give one?
I have been thinking about this and how messages have passed through history as code, once you put an electrical thinking head on and view them as a dowser, you are led to the realisation of defeating gravity, by refracting certain flows, that a push upwards, is been overcome by a stronger push downward, and that this also occurs in all directions, but is influenced by other celestial bodies positions, the nine in particuler.
Cymatics is showing the effects, imagine if the correct number of spliced materials in the correct dowsable configuration were spliced together, and aligned to the four winds blowing about us>
By winds I mean plasma.
Anybody play mahjong?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy2Dg-ncWoY
Kevin