Taxonomy II

I was looking at the word 'cabinet' just now when it suddenly occurred to me that it could mean an interactive web of taxi drivers. Can you imagine it? Thousands of Roads Scholars, all deployed gainfully, sharing knowledge of the hidden ways and the secret arts (such as manual gearshifting).

I learn a lot from these brave people who ply the roads bringing all kinds of human traffic from place to place in time and out of time. They tell me a lot in their grumblings, ramblings and political discourse.

At the end of the trip, I always tip them for what I have learnt, unless they have been terribly obnoxious. Most of the time, they get tipped. The end of the trip is therefore a tipping point. Things change after every ride.

Sometimes, though, the cabinet takes you for ride. You find yourself paying and paying more and more as the death of a thousand tiny tolls mounts up and charges at you on its limited horsepower. You could be in a serious jam. Especially if you have not the currency or the change. It is times like that which make you pray for more change agents.

Taxonomy

Today I was studying the taxonomy of cryptozoology. A few thoughts came to mind, and perhaps they are not sufficient for a proper post. So here are some stubs.

1. Equus: horses, zebras, donkeys, mules, quagga, unicorns, pegasi – at which point is a horse not a horse?

2. Canis: dogs (canis familiaris), wolves (canis lupus), coyotes, but not hyenas – why the distinctions, when all canines can interbreed without sterility?

3. What would the taxonomic elements and vocabulary of my environment be? Ah, this one I shall sequester.

4. Homo: homo educator would be the drawing-out man, just as homo habilis is tool-using man and homo ludens is game-playing man; they aren't necessarily homo sapiens (intelligent man), which seems like wishful thinking sometimes.

5. Apocalypse and eucalyptus are related. The former means 'unveiling' while the latter means 'well-veiled'.