Omens and Billionaires and Elms, Oh My!

June 26, 2006

A tree falls in Washington

ABC’s Ann Compton -- a longtime member of the White House press corps -- blogs about arriving at the White House this morning:

It was a shock to pass thru the White House gates this morning and see the damage. We put storm aftermath on the air all the time, and it is dramatic to see. But there was a real feeling of loss to walk up the driveway and see of one the grand old trees lying twisted and broken on the pavement, its roots dragged up into the light.

The Compton piece reported that the Elm Trees gracing a blatantly unworthy White House, are twisted and rotting, being plagued by Dutch Elm Disease. (it is also inferred that the fallen elm landed squarely on an unoccupied Prez-Limo 1 - although it is unsubstantiated.)

Why Dutch Elm Disease Hit American Elm Trees So Hard

Dutch elm disease is a wilt fungus that grows in the sapwood of elms. The fungus was first encountered in 1921 in the Netherlands. Over the next few years elms across central and southern Europe were found to be succumbing to the fungus.

"Once upon a time in America, great leafy high-arching cathedrals of elms lined the streets of villages and cities from the Atlantic to the Rockies, casting a deep cool shade upon life's turmoil."

For all the tranquility such mass plantings bestowed, this monocultural practice was one of the culprits in the downfall of American elm trees. The deadly fungus, it turns out, can spread underground from the roots of one victim to the roots of another nearby. This is what happened when the roots of adjacent American elm trees "grafted" together, essentially linking the lives of what had been two distinct entities.

Omaha, Nebraska: Warren Buffett, the world's second-richest person, is to donate around $37 billion, 80 per cent of his personal fortune, to Bill Gates' charitable foundation.

The largest share of Buffett's donation will increase the resources of the Gates foundation, which is already the world's largest charity.

The organisation was founded in 2000 by Gates and his wife Melinda, to "help reduce inequalities around the world," by fighting disease and promoting education around the world.

We remember the recent Newsweek article featuring Melinda Gate's quest to empower women in third world countries. Well, we can hope that the unlikely bridge-playing trio of Bill, Melinda, and Warren will seek to empower all people with personal responsibility. Wanting to believe with heart and soul that this somewhat unlikely trio have pure hearts and pure intentions, Annie hopes upon hope. Annie has had it up to her rolling eyeballs with empowered women who worship themselves, empowered corrupt people who worship mama's mammon, and oh wouldn't it be a truly unruly fortuitous concatenation of events if the felling of the Goddess Tree alongside the "grafting" of the Gates Buffett menu drive would be a *positive* step toward soul healing? We can hope but remain cautiously reserved. Can Bill and Warren help steer Melinda away from the Empowerment Pit? Stay tuned.

From Astraeaaradia:

Wood is a living thing and contains the essence of a tree's energy. There are many trees that were sacred to the northern Europeans- including the Celts- the Native Americans, and other cultures.

ELM- the elm tree is associated with the Mother aspect of the goddess and was said to be the home of faeries. Kipling said, "Ailim be the lady's tree, burn it not or cursed ye'll be." It was used for its resistance to splitting and its inner bark used for making chairs. The elm can aid in grounding energy and focus.Folklore: The wych elm was said to be a favourite meeting tree for witches.

For those who follow certain occult "myths" and "legends," see The Knights Templar/Priory of Sion's "Cutting Of The Elm."

Yggdrasil (The World Tree) in the Edda
I hung on that windy tree for nine nights
wounded by my own spear.
I hung to that tree,
and no one knows where it is rooted.
None gave me food.
None gave me drink.
Into the abyss I stared until I spied the runes.
I seized them up, and, howling, fell.