VYDRA is a world roiled by constant eruptions, but the technologically savvy Vydrans manage to safely divert the lava flows and even harness that thermal energy to power their civilization.  With consummate skill, they build highways and homes out of igneous rock.  There is nothing that science and fire can't accomplish together on Vydra.  This includes their final partings, with funereal rites that always involve a trip to the nearest volcano.  The mourners dress in elaborate heat-resistant costumes, and with the departed they dance.  All the way to the fissure they dance... one last dance before saying goodbye.

LIOTIA is the galactic standardized spelling of the name of this planet in the Ventura sector.  How its inhabitants spell the name changes exceedingly frequently.  In fact, their entire alphabet has been changed several times in living memory.  The controlling corporate interests republish everything on a regular schedule, using recycled plastic as a medium.  Liotians take learning a new written language in stride, having done so for generations.  It is suspected that a very old transcription error may be responsible for another one of their strange customs.  When a male Liotian dies, his nephews (if any) are expected to ritually eat his corpse.  Vanishingly few go actually go through with completely butchering their relative, but it is considered obligatory to at least consume a tiny fingernail paring or something like that.  Visitors should probably hire a cultural acclimation assistant before even arriving on Liotia.

ORNELLA has a small civilization located entirely on the banks of the river "Orn".  The remainder of the land is mostly desert, apart from the mountains from which the Orn flows.  Their collective economy is centered on two forms of artistic expression -- statuary and jokes.  Almost everyone is a sculptor in their spare time, and when they eventually finish a new piece, it is added to a lengthy procession in the parkland situated at a safe distance from the river.  A well-executed statue serves as a store of wealth for its creator, until it is eventually "sold" to the author of a new and well-appreciated joke.  The joke is then inscribed on the pedestal for all to enjoy.  (A punchline is sometimes moved to the back of the statue for effect.)  The now completed work attaches to the esteem of both the sculptor and the comedian, and contributes to the permanently memorialized culture of Ornella.

This weekend we checked out POST (Philly Open Studio Tours) in our neighborhood. I particularly enjoyed this artist, Carol Cole. She does gorgeous things with found objects.

EUODYNERUS is an urbanized theocracy whose lonely youth are forbidden from fraternizing with one another without being chaperoned by a member of the ecclesiastical organization tasked with preventing promiscuous behavior.  This policy provides steady employment for a certain number of minders, but because few wish to double-date with these officials, it provides employment for an even larger number of surveillance specialists who make sure that no one evades the requirement.  Computer software is quite attractive to the young singles, though, having somehow escaped definition as promiscuity on a technicality.  So there is lots of employment for others, too.

This is actually pretty close. Pad kaprow is a very simple recipe. Normally there would be oil involved.

Ingredients:

• One jalapeno, minced
• Three garlic scapes, minced
• Three green onions, minced
• Two dates, minced
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Bragg's liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
• Six white button mushrooms, sliced
• Small box of shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• One red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup basil leaves, chopped
• 2 cups green beans, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 boxes extra firm tofu

Slice the tofu and bake it in an air fryer for 25 minutes at 400 degrees, coated with balsamic vinegar and a good sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Meanwhile, combine jalapeno, garlic and onions and simmer in a tablespoon or two of water in a wok or large pot over medium heat for one minute or until fragrant. Wait until the water is starting to spit before adding tha jalapenos etc.

Meanwhile, combine dates, rice vinegar, aminos and another tablespoon of water.

When the jalapeno mixture is fragrant add add the date, vinegar, animo and water mixture. Stir and simmer another minute.

Add the mushrooms, stir and simmer for three minutes.

Add the green beans, basil leaves, chopped tofu and another three tablespoons of water and simmer until it brings out the color in the green beans, stirring occasionally.

Serve over rice, or rice noodles.

禸 is the site of an infamous heist that was as much an astonishing technological feat as it was a brazen crime.  Investors from Gondilly proposed building a circular transportation system around an uninhabited but mineral-rich region of this planet.  To that end, they purchased drilling and mining rights from the government, promising economic benefits to their citizenry.  What happened next was an unprecedented event in the history of geological engineering.  The region of interest comprising approximately 10% of 禸 was literally severed and ejected into space.  Falling debris caused massive environmental damage and pollution on the surface below.  The Gondillians set about attaching drive systems to the launched fragment and began to propel it towards their home planet, where it will be completely mined in accordance with the legal rights which they have obtained.  The surviving inhabitants of 禸 continually write bitter laments about the treacherous theft, which can never be repaired.

ZAROBYAN is the home planet of a movement known as the "Right Initiative" that invites others to join them on their wild, untamed planet.  Whether that name refers to "doing right", "being right", "having the right", or perhaps "not on the left" is not revealed to the uninitated.  The initiation involves a beverage called "khorutyuny" which they claim to have discovered on Zarobyan.  Samples of this substance have not been made available for testing, as the drink must be consumed under careful supervision.  It supposedly sends the initiate on a spirit journey to impart the meaning of Right to them.  Zarobyanders have expressed their wishes to keep khorutyuny freely and safely available, despite the reservations of concerned offworlders.

ÇAMLIKÖY was once a functioning corporate world, but it has become enveloped by a maze of twisty little wires, all different.  None of the numerous businesses operating on Çamlıköy could agree on which wiring and communications standards to use, so they each implemented their own.  Every office and home is serviced by dozens of connections, each with a color scheme or braiding that attempts to distinguish it from the others.  Of course, they couldn't even agree on that, so wires from competing companies sometimes look alike.  Maintenance of the tangled cables causes frequent outages, and on occasion overloads cause sparks and fires.  Rather than attempting to deal with the melted mess that results, Çamlıköyers usually just start over with a whole new set of connections, leaving the old ones hanging there.

KRAVTSOV is a planet governed by what might be charitably described as popular sovereignty, or uncharitably described as mob rule.  There are technically officials in charge of everything, but they daren't enact any policies that are even slightly controversial for fear of violence against their person.  So there is at least nearly universal assent to every law on Kravtsov.  In particular, everyone agrees that "growth" is the most important thing to achieve.  This applies quite literally to the growth of the planet itself.  External trade is judged to be beneficial if the imported goods are more massive than the exported goods or services.  Kravtsovans enjoy performing labor in exchange for deliveries from other worlds.  Tourists are welcomed only if they come bearing tangible gifts.