Misanthrope

By now, I would think you would know better than to attempt putting words in my mouth. From my vantage, it’s simply unprofessional behavior for a mod to blatantly engage in and promote as standard response in the suggestion forum. As I recall, this sentiment has been previously echoed by other staff trying to put an end to senseless bantering, one of whom suggested such dialogue actually belongs in the debate forum. As time goes on, I tend to agree with him. Let it be known that I never once said, shouted, or even whispered within the contents of this thread that all staff are not accomplishing their duties, but I can only assume so much responsibility for how you choose to interpret my suggestion. Now, if someone were to come out and say that Trap 17 staff are not inhumanly perfect, they would only be voicing a truism that afflicts all people, and certainly all corporate entities. I see nothing wrong with admitting our human frailities, and the mature individual does not recoil in horror when these short-comings are pointed out. Regardless, you appear to be taking my suggestion quite personally, which I believe limits your ability to fully process a valid suggestion that your own superior, Opaque, had no problem understanding – and happened to be in agreement with. There is absolutely no reason to take personal offense when another member merely points out an area that desperately needs improvement and uses a proper vehicle to do so. Reacting from a place of insecurity only intimates other members from also making suggestions that could make Trap 17 a better place than it already is, which I assume is the reason the suggestion forum was put here in the first place. Further, I see no place on the board that places restrictions on how, specifcially, suggestions are to be made. What I have seen are words to the effect all comments are welcome. I make a point of suggesting areas of improvement to other companies as well, who gladly welcome customer feedback. Why? Because they appreciate how valuable ANY form of valid feedback from the end-user is in helping them provide a better product in a highly competitive environment. The final responsibilty of implementing the suggestion, of course, lies with the entity who actually solicits the feedback. They don't retort with statements that discourage further feedback, or criticize the fashion in which the suggestion was presented. By the way, the most recent post I reported for language butchering was not a one liner, but a fair size post from an established user who was trying to appear "cool" at the expense of readability. Had you bothered to read all my posts, you would not be making this erroneous statement. As I recall, this is not the first time I’ve had this sort of interaction with you (for which you later apologized). Kindly refer to my last post. If you still feel the need to attack minor points and tear apart my suggestion, feel free to take it up with me in the debate forum or send me some hate mail. Or, you could spend your valuable time actually following my suggestion and get out there in the trenches and fight lingual abuse. And yes, TF, I will continue to use words like “cowardly” whenever I witness a staff member attempting to bully another member into submission for no good reason. You chose to ignore SM's blatant flame throwing and refusal to stay on topic (spam). As a mod, I feel you should have excorsised some objectivity and intervened at that point, but instead you added fuel to fire by engaging in petty t*t for tat tacticts. And my crime? Having the audacity to make a suggestion in the suggestion forum, of all places! How dare I!

For those who are still confused, my suggestion is not about targeting non-native speakers, anal-retentive grammar enforcement, enforcing all rules all the time, or any other in a long list of ill-reached conclusions put forward by certain members. The tired, boorish excuses on why certain staff won’t enforce a simple policy that already exists have been echoed before, ad nauseum. Yes, yes, I’m fully aware of the huge member to staff disparity, the “reporting” function, staff’s discretionary use of policy and obvious time constraints. And yet, staff has in the past made time to arbitrarily enforce rules that aren’t even publicly viewable, yet apparently exist "somewhere." I can certainly expound on this relevant topic if anyone’s interested, but I doubt those so eager to throw stones in this thread would respond so eagerly to the proposed topic. Speaking of throwing stones, I wonder if the easily offended also took issue with a poster’s use of the large, specialized word, “lexicographical.” I previously had no knowledge of the term, but I applaud rvalkass for introducing me to something new, thus expanding my limited knowledge base. For the staff that decided to turn a legitimate suggestion into an infantile debate, I can only express my disappointment. Here's a news flash: requesting enforcement of an existing rule that is clearly being overlooked does, in fact, constitute a legitimate suggestion! But maybe we should abandon the suggestion forum altogether, as this is not the first time I’ve witnessed cowardly, defensive response to suggestions. I am neither offended nor intimidated when someone else demonstrates his or her intelligence through words, or any other medium for that matter. Why in the heck would I be? Many of you express yourselves better through design or music than languages. That’s great! Wouldn’t it appear ridiculous if I got “offended” or threatened that you design a better web page than I do? I personally consider myself a better musician than writer (which isn’t saying much), but as it happens, the medium of choice on the Internet forum is the written word – this is how people socialize here. I wouldn’t show up to band rehearsal not knowing how to speak the language of music. How absurd! And no one ever insinuated that people flock here with the intention of abusing the language, but to my mind, purposely mutilating the primary vehicle of communication demonstrates a certain degree of socio-pathic behavior. Furthermore, I’d hate to see any member intimidated into dumbing-down his discourse for fear of personal attacks from fragile egos. Regarding bias, I doubt anyone would refute the value of leaving it out of the moderating deliberation process. Then Opaque and I are in agreement. The problem is, some seem hesitant to follow up on these infractions for worn-out reasons they’ve already stated. By enforcing the English usage policy they are also forced to adhere to better grammatical standards themselves, which may also fuel the hesitation. Velma’s proposal of adding a new board to instruct non-native speakers in English skills is an excellent one; unfortunately, it does not address the problem I put on the table – that is, native speakers who intentionally abuse the language. To that end, I humbly propose the following: This suggestion, if adopted, would spread responsibility for maintaining the board’s lingual integrity among more members. If this thread is any indicator, some moderators appear overwhelmed by their current tasks, and this proposal would help spread the workload. We currently have non-moderator “spam patrol” that present a visible deterrent to spammers. I suggest a “Grammar Patrol” who would function much in the same way as spam patrol, but would employ members with above average English skills. Call it “English Patrol,” or whatever you like, the effect would be the same. Admin could start a thread soliciting volunteers, and before long you’d have a large pool of worthy candidates. Velma, I don’t recall you ever approaching me on the subject of manning a board, and I’m still not sure how waiting until after the project is shelved demonstrates a legitimate solicitation. Regardless, please email or PM me the details of your vision at your earliest convenience. I’d like to leave you all with this thought before I abandon the thread: Earlier, Watermonkey quoted the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which was written in 1787. If a select few had not taken it upon themselves to uphold language standards for the masses, none of us would have the ability to read this great document some 200 years later.

It?s quite chivalrous (and strategic) of you to stand behind the staff member?s opinion, Saint Michael, as misplaced as that effort may be. Had you bothered to read my initial post, you would have garnered that I, in fact, agree with much of your polemic. To illustrate, I recently reported a post that contained numerous misspelled words and grammatical errors, some of which appeared to me deliberately made by someone who speaks English as a first language. I imagine the poor moderator spent a good deal of time cleaning up this member?s post. I think most would agree it's quite inconsiderate to post in post in poor English when you clearly know the language. It was not a matter of one un-capitalized or one misspelled word. The post in question had been a topic starter, thereby setting the tone for the rest of the thread, so I fail to see how reporting such a mess could be considered ?anal? in any way. As long as the post was, I wouldn?t have bothered had it been a matter of one typo. Had it been just one sentence, than yes, one typo would definitely stand out. Furthermore, members are encouraged (or at least I assume they are) to report posts that violate Trap 17?s posted rules, which the post in question obviously did. I think it?s fairly clear when a non-native English speaker makes an honest mistake, but it?s also quite apparent when a native-speaker is just blatantly lazy or going out of his way to slaughter the language. Surely you?re not suggesting Trap 17 lower its? standards by abandoning it?s ?use of decent English? clause? If you are, perhaps you could open a brand new topic expounding on why we should no longer enforce rules on decent use of the language. I?d be more than happy to debate you on it. I?m no expert, but I?ve seen a great deal of improvement in your writing skills just in the past few months, and the fact that some semblance of grammatical quality is enforced here is testament to this. The fact that many members are young and/or non-native speakers only serves to drive home my point. Those of us who learned English as our first language have a duty to uphold it?s grammatical integrity, and we do a great disservice to those still grasping at it?s concepts when we allow it to falter beyond recognition.

A brief revisit of my initial suggestion will confirm no suggestion of “targeting” each and every poster who engages in bad grammar, nor ignorance of the board’s diverse customer base. Indeed, one can hardly spend any time at all on the forums without noticing the broad spectrum of cultural diversity and background, which in my opinion, only adds to Trap 17’s appeal. Few website forums can boast of such “universal” readership – or longevity. No one can fault a non-English speaking member for making grammatical errors here or there. Obviously, it goes with the territory and is to be expected to some degree. Ironically, I find the most bothersome and repetitive butchering is made by native speakers who, out of laziness or ineptitude, find it quite amusing to deliberately misspell and botch up the language. I imagine this creates a frustrating environment for non-native speakers who are legitimately trying to learn the English tongue. And naturally, it just pisses off anyone who places value on coherent communication. I do hope this staff member is not suggesting staff disregard Trap 17 rules that clearly state a warning is to be given for not utilizing decent English. No one, until now, has felt it necessary to use terms like “threaten” in reference to this thread - building up a straw man only works when you have enough straw, and even then, the effect is transparent to all but the idiot. Members should not in any way feel “threatened” when staff simply enforce rules that are already in place, and in clear sight for all to see. Further, members have a right to expect a certain level of lingual quality on the forums. Simply throwing the ball back in the topic-starter’s court strikes me as a cop-out, as a legitimate solicitation to man a “grammar” forum clearly would have been made by now. To their credit, the vast majority of members do make a valiant effort to at least write in decent English, regardless of country of origin, socio-economic status and so forth – though I fail to see what mobile phones have to do with anything. In a forum where words are the primary method of communication, it only makes sense to maintain decent grammatical standards, and one has to seriously question why anyone would take offense at enforcing said standards. And when we start making excuses for those who don’t even attempt a stab at decent English, we start down that slippery slope toward acceptance of the lowest common denominator. Somehow, I doubt that’s what anyone wants for the future of Trap 17.

Mistakes happen. In the fury of writing long-winded posts (or short, meaningless drivel) it's often easy to misspell a word here or there, or overlook a typo. I have no problem with that, nor with taking a little artistic license to spice up the post if it adds some intrinsic value to the thread. But lately, I've noticed some folks going out of their way to deliberately misspell common words and butcher the English language beyond recognition. To cite a recent example, one poster found it appropriate to spell "anyways" (which is not a real word, anyway) as "Anywayssss." I could go on, but the drift should be apparent. This blatant disregard for decent use of the language creates an unpleasant environment for those of us who still place value on written communication that resembles something above moron-grade level. My suggestion is that Trap 17 staff make a stronger effort to enforce the rules and guidelines it already has in place to this effect, specifically: Thank you for your consideration.

The rituals involved with New Year's Eve are ancient ones, but the practice of celebrating per the Gregorian calendar seems to me arbitrary, at best. Consider the fact our calendar wasn't adopted until around 1700 by Britain and her colonies, and that depending on the country, faith and culture, New Year's eve can fall anywhere between September and April. January 1st holds no astrological or timely significance for me. Though the Bahai seem to have the right idea by celebrating the day March 21, which just happens to be the Vernal (Spring) equinox. Doesn't that make more sense? January 1st falls during the dark of winter, when nature dies back into the night in preperation for it's rebirth in Spring. That alone heightens the insignificance of Jan 1. Further, many traditions spread the jubilation over a course of several days. Chinese New Year, for example, lasts some 15 days. But leave it to the industrialized West to dehumanize the tradition, whittling it down to one, pitiful evening I fondly refer to as "amateur night." And why do I use that term? Take a protestant nation like America, a relatively young culture which still has a puritanical attitude toward alcohol. It wasn't that long ago when folks were running moonshine to evade prohibition and jail time. Now couple these provincial attitudes with New Year's Eve, and you've a recipe for disaster. What you have, in large part, is nation of people who never learned how to drink in a civilized fashion due to the ridiculous taboo associated with alcohol. When people view use of a particular substance as immoral/illegal, then the tendency toward abuse of that substance increases dramatically. In France, a Catholic country, alcohol consumption is considered a normal, everyday part of life. I visited Paris during Bastille Day (French independence), and the streets were crawling with drinking revelers - yet people remained civilized. Contrast the same scenario in the United States, and you couldn't pay me enough to attend. All the amateurs who never learned how to drink would raise hell. And that's exactly what they do every New Year's eve. That said, who says you necessarily have to go anywhere and act in any particular fashion just because it happens to be December 30? I'm very much the contrarian when it comes to holidays, especially New Year's eve, and keeping a low profile when the masses are out and about acting like fools is always a wise choice. So, gentle topic-starter, do what you would normally do any other night of the week. If that entails enjoying a few cocktails, more power to you. It is, after all, a free country, at least for now. That is, unless, the Nannie State decides to declare another prohibition against alcohol. They've done it before, and I can see them doing it again as the dumbed-downed masses are now highly vulnerable to anti-drinking propaganda. When that happens, I'll be packing my bags for France. Until then, I'll be spending New Year's Eve the way I do every other night: sharing the evening with a shot (or two) of Johny Walker Red.....at home.

Excellent, I see my site is back up and running after a half hour or so of down time - at least I assume that was the duration. Not sure how long it was out of commission before I turned my computer on. Either way, it's very disconcerting to members who have no way of knowing with any certainty what the problem is. After all, it could be any number of things. We are fortunate Trap 17 provides the Hosted Members area to post support-related queries, and that moderators respond with real help. I imagine I speak for all members in voicing my appreciation for whatever the moderator did to help resolve the problem and alleviate our concerns. Jlhaslip, you are truly an asset to this community.

Howdy. When I try to log into CPanel I get the annoying "Connection Timed Out" message. Looks like my site, and those of other members are down too if the Shout Box is any indicator. I assume this wasn't scheduled maintenance. Does anyone happen to know how long things will be incapacitated? Thanks

If all that is has been preordained, what is man ? in all his arrogant insolence - doing here? To my mind, the two seem at odds, though that would certainly explain our current state of discord. Does a soul imprint for each life exit a-priori despite our innate desire to leave some individual mark to posterity, or are we mere drones destined to carry out the will of the Great Architect? This is a question for the ages, and one we can only venture to throw our limited human conjectures at. Still, the idea of being nothing more than a chess piece in the game of life is certainly one worth challenging. But note how both ideologies, even defeatism, actually imply the existence of God. For those who can read between the philosophical lines, this should come as some spiritual consolation, if nothing else. I imagine the truth actually lies somewhere between free will and predetermination, though at times ?fate? may supercede both for the overall good. Benjamin Franklin was fond of the term ?manifest destiny? in describing America?s future as expanding super-power. It was simply destined to be by powers greater than ourselves, or so went the philosophy. So to that end nations, as well as individuals, are assigned a fate. The die has been set, the play has been cast, and the actors are in place...but the mold hasn?t dried just yet. Perhaps man, with his sentient powers of self observation and ability to inflict evil, was introduced to the mix as co-production staff, if you will. Is it possible we also have a part to play in creation? As I see it, the soul does in fact garner a sort of ?blueprint? as it falls into matter, predisposing it to certain psychological attributes, which in turn chart a course of future patterns and preferences. If you guessed Astrology has some part in this theory, you?d be correct: One need look no further than this ancient science to witness it?s effect on the course of man?s history and it?s believers, who were more often than not great leaders and thinkers (including Benjamin Franlkin). Skeptics should ponder this: If a single gene can predetermine much of your physical state, is it so far fetched to believe other forces can predict your spiritual nature, and perhaps, your future? We should recognize the tools of destiny for what they are and utilize them to our full potential. You may be born with genes that leave you prone to diabetes, but knowing this you can make changes to your diet that help you escape your physical ?fate.? And the stars may have predisposed you toward sloth, but having armed yourself with a personal astrological chart, you can also overcome this tendency, thus altering the course of future events??to a degree. Pardon this overly simplistic attempt to describe the indescribable, as it doesn't begin to do justice to this worthy topic. And it is only one possibility of many?. Now, where the heck is the Philosophy forum?

Eat weed? Doesn't sound very appetizing. Besides, I thought people usually smoked that stuff. Let?s briefly set the record straight on what constitutes a debate, shall we? For starters, a debate is more than a casual ?exchange of ideas.? We could theoretically have a friendly exchange regarding most anything on the countless non-debate venues of this forum, but a debate differs primarily on two fronts: 1) The first party (the affirmative) presents a topic of debate (proposition) for competitive argument. Sure, you can maintain a more lighthearted approach if that's your preference, but don't chastise folks who actually enjoy exercising their brain in the form of true debate. 2) The opposing party (the negative) presents reasonable arguments attacking the proposition for the purpose of winning the argument. So as you see, debate is cerebral competition. Debates run the gamut of parliamentary to the more casual approach found here at Trap 17. But in either case, the goal is not to reach consensus, but about winning the debate. Obviously, providing reasonable proof and playing fair put you in a better position of winning. A good debater can argue either side and win while keeping emotion at bay ? just watch a trial lawyer! Admittedly there are no ?judges? awarding prizes here (sadly), but the satisfaction that comes from honing your reasoning skills is reward enough....don't ya think? Providing facts and evidence is a primary manner of presenting an argument Here again, the rebutting side attacks an individual for following one of the key principals of debate. If this were a formal venue, a judge would have penalized the negative by now. Attack the argument, not the person.

Last I checked, this forum is open to input from all members, even those who vehemently disagree with the unsound logic put forth here. The author may want to consider conducting a closed conversation via IM or email if he wishes to exclude those who hold diverse opinions or otherwise threaten an established worldview. Otherwise, free speech reigns. Oh my! I highly suggest the author learn the difference between an attack on an individual verses an opinion of an idea. Do I disrespect ideologies based more on subjective guilt and lust for flesh than sound reason and scientific fact? You bet I do! But I do not participate in, nor approve of personal attacks (otherwise referred to as ?flaming?) such as the ones exhibited in this author?s post. Furthermore, I will not dumb-down my language for fear of coming off sounding ?superior? to those somehow threatened by intellect and proper use of the English language. How far, I wonder, must the common denominator be lowered before everyone is ?comfortable.? If some had their way our conversations would be reduced to the occasional grunt or groan, as we make our way through the filth on all fours. By the way, if vegetarians often come off sounding smarter than their beef-eating brethren, it?s because they are - some five IQ points to be exact. This is a generalization of course, but the facts are conclusive per a British study carried out over the course of 20 years. Here is evidence for those who remain skeptical: http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

As usual, the infantile attacks against this progressive lifestyle fly in the face of all logic and reason. Having grown up strict vegetarian, I?ve heard every idiotic anti-veg argument you can think of, and over time, each and every one of them have been proven false by the scientific community. But it appears some folks are still motivated by the guilt-ridden rancor that often accompanies feeding on animal corpses in an age when such barbarism is completely unecessary. How else can one explain the moronic: ?But plants have feelings too? rant still being hurled around as if it actually had any relevance to this debate. Flesh eaters: If you truly care as much about plants as you claim to, then you MUST go vegetarian as you consume (and thereby kill) infinitely more plants via eating a cow than going directly to the source. Or better yet ? starve yourself and rid us of your juvenile excuses to continue killing animals to satisfy your selfish lust for flesh! Yes, you can debate all you want, but in the end it all comes down to your personal lust and inability to control it. And be careful: Pointing the finger at those who have a handle on their base appetites is a dead caveman giveaway. All satire aside, I hope you see my point that nothing in life is black and white. Yes ? we are all involved on some level with the taking of life to sustain our own, and I don?t know a vegetarian who?s hypocritical enough to argue otherwise. By the same token I doubt anyone would argue that our fellow mammals, unlike plants, have central nervous systems that respond to pain stimuli. But we, unlike other life forms, have the capacity to choose how much of an impact we leave in our wake, and ultimately how much pain inflicted. Does that make us superior to the other beasts? That?s debatable. Does it make us more accountable? Most definitely. So, as reasoning beings fully capable of moral judgement, do we contribute (indirectly or otherwise) to the senseless, cruel slaughter of sentient creatures who clearly feel pain, who cry out in mournful agony when the butcher?s knife spills their essence on the blood-soaked concrete, and who cling to the life force as we do? Or do we choose the path that humane men have consistently chosen through the ages? The choice is yours; choose it wisely.

Seems like I recall hearing about some proposed legislation to "regulate" Canadian pharmaceuticals. In a nutshell, this will eliminate any incentive Americans have to order Canadian prescriptions by raising their prices on par with ours. How's that for a corrupt pharmaceutical lobby! Apparently sovereign borders are no match against the drug company's political clout. I would think there would be some way around this for "creative" individuals, and I'll certainly let you know if I hear of anything. Oh, now I know: Claim illegal Mexican status and the US medical industry will literally be at your beck and call, with all the prescriptions you wish at no cost. No cost to the Illegal anyway. The American taxpayer gets to foot the medical bill for the foreign lawbreakers invading our beloved homeland. Oh, the obscene irony!!!

Great topic, Sheepdog! Thank you for offering your fine expertise and guidance. I haven't had a dog, other than the occasional foster dog, since my beloved Helga died several years ago. I like the classic German Rottweiler temperment: strong, stoic, loyal, calm, and a fierce defender of home and family - in other words, nothing at all like the product of America's backyard breeder. Helga, unfortunately, was the victim of a such a breeder who wasn't concerned with maintaining proper temperment, health or physicality. She was long of leg, where Rotts are supposed to be stout and muscular - not unlike a Pitbull. Her face was long and narrow, and she tended toward hyperactivity. Still, she was a great dog but died fairly young due to what I can only assume was bad breeding.My question is, do you think it makes sense to buy from a breeder who claims German bloodlines in their Rottweilers, or is that just a load of baloney? Or does it make more sense to import a dog directly from Germany?

Yeah, I noted this and related entries as well ? hence my confusion. To make my point, the official instructions focus on summarizing topics with limited words while Keyword Relevancy is all about incorporating as many words as possible to trigger interest from non-members surfing the web. These strike me as conflicting guidelines, and due to this disparity I?ve been hesitant to start new topics until clear expectations regarding Keyword Relevancy are laid out for everyone. If anyone has thoughts on how to reconcile these two apparently opposing dictates, feel free to chime in. That?s excellent advice that?s worked very well for me in the past, but now I?m told Keyword Relevancy is the highest priority. I was previously unsure if members should be following the official guidelines we?ve been following all along or the ones recently conveyed. But since the response regarding Keyword Relevancy has been minimal to nonexistence, it?s obvious we should be following the official rules. I actually made this suggestion via PM a while ago, but sharing the concern with all staff and members may prove more productive. Perhaps moderator staff can discuss options of incorporating Keyword Relevancy in official guidelines to save admin the headache of more work. In the interim, it?s probably impractical to expect members to follow anything other than the official rules. That said, the Misanthrope shall cast aside concerns of Keyword Relevancy until their policies are set forth for ALL to see ??..

Oh My! Two weeks and 127 hits later there remains no public acknowledgment of this topic from staff. The silence is so loud it's deafening, or perhaps I just need ear plugs. Apparently Keyword Relevancy isn't the "extreme high priority" I perceived it to be, or I imagine it's details would have been made common knowledge by now (just a wild guess). And since I can't seem to locate instructions specific to Keyword Relevancy, I'll simply use the Trap 17 Forum Rules and Guidelines which are publicly posted for all members as my reference. Funny - I thought I was already doing that. No matter, they'll be no double standard on the Misanthrope's watch. Sorry for the confusion, folks.

I'm the nervous, jittery, high strung sort who can certainly relate to sleep deprivation and it's related maladies. But since I don't know the topic starter's situation in it's entirety, I can only relate what works for the Enlightened Misanthrope. Generally speaking, I become off-kilter (I mean, more so than usual) when schedule changes or interruptions to my normal routine disrupt my insanely fragile sensibilities. My personal philosophy is this: Man thrives when he adheres to the Great Architect's preordained laws and withers under random chaos. The heavens, and the entities which guide them, follow a preset course, schedule, or "natural law," if you will. The sun and moon wax and wane with such certainty that should they falter, life as we know it would cease to be. Is man so vain to think he can buck nature's tide and not suffer the consequences? So, gentle topic starter - get thee a schedule and stick to it! Make a point of waking around the same time every morning and eating meals on some semblance of a schedule. And while you're at it, work in a nightly routine to help yourself wind down in the evening. Avoid physical activity several hours before sleep and take up calming, introspective pursuits. Turn off the idiot tube and ditch the pharmaceuticals. When ready to retire, lounge in bed with a book on a spiritual or otherwise lofty topic to rid yourself of the day's mundane concerns, and enjoy a glass (or two) of red wine. Before you know it, sleep will welcome you with open arms. Heck, I get tired just thinking about it.

This question goes out to everyone, including mods and members: Where are instructions specific to "Keyword Relevancy?" I've gone through Trap 17 Readme and can't find them, but maybe I'm just missing something (it's been known to happen). Perhaps someone else has spotted guidelines and can point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance!

What would a garden (or kitchen) be without the alluring odor of fresh herbs? This year, it's Parsley, Dill, Rosemary, Thyme, Earl of Bergamot, Basil, Mint, and Wild Oregano. Not too crazy 'bout the Wild Oregano though, as it spreads like a weed and is not nearly as pungent or useful as the cultivated Greek variety. But it smells heavenly and looks even better. I'm allowing it to spread around some raised beds, as it creates a lovely camouflage around the the unsightly concrete blocks that hold in the dirt for produce.I suspect there is also a Comfrey plant out there, though it's not yet confirmed. For some reason, it lays back flat about half way through the season, as if some wild thing had used it for it's night's respite.