tockmal

1997 handgun ban. How many classrooms of 5 and 6 year olds have been massacred sinced then? None. The ban is working. Criminals dont follow rules, thats what makes them criminals. No, this is called a democracy, where the protection of the civilian population is provided by the police and army. The army and police are government controlled forces yes, but the people vote for the government. If you dont like the government? vote them out or leave the country. So if someone wants to destroy your home with a tank, you can buy a tank to defend yourself? "America is a mistake, a giant mistake." Sigmund Freud

Legalising guns will make it a hundred times worse.

No, because at that time the Bolsheviks had just seized power in Russia, and the British government would not allow that to happen here, Thank God. British people dont really get off on all that extremist ideology, which is a good thing. The Labour Party was started so the people could have representation in government, not start a bloody violent revolution. Times change Ed. People unfortunatly remain the same, technology and science allowed us to create evermore creative ways of killing ourselves in biggers numbers. Also, moral standards are transient, always changing to suit the current society. So, what you gonna do about it? I bet you dont even vote. Thats because the Swiss dont have an army. They need to give guns to all the citizens, and like most things Swiss, its just for show. Anyway, I refuse to give Switzerland any respect until their government apologises for their neutral stance during the war.

Wrong, it will only become a thing of the past if everyone allows it to happen, this is why such measures as the proposed 40 days detainment of suspected terrorists and the implementation of ID cards cannot be allowed to go ahead. We are allowing this government to walk all over our hard fought for liberal values. If its anyones fault its our own for not doing enough to stop them. This was what I was saying to Ed, criminals have always had the upperhand, they always will because they disregard the current morals of the society they live in, in short they will do what you dont. Thats the way its always been, having guns is not going to change that. The police should probably be armed now. Not the public. This is because the indigenous population of Britain have become lazy, selfish and greedy. I'm happy to have more Poles, Afghans and Nigerians etc. Just so long as they live by our laws.

Your cartoon of the British guy implies that it is only criminals who will be left with guns. I thought you would have the intelligence to realise that throughout the entire history of humankind criminals have always had the upper hand. So your initial cartoon is irrelevant. Like I said before, maybe it is time to arm the police.

I'm surprised at you Ed, I thought you were reasonably intelligent.

Your father sounds like a sensible man. I'm glad Britain has some of the tightest gun controls in the world. The only way a society can become more civilised is by stopping public ownership of guns. Its one part of American culture that I dont like. But its a very different place from Britain. They have their reasons for believing private gun ownership is a good idea. But Britain has a proud legacy of liberalism and common decency amongst its population. And this is probably why your father can't understand your need for being 'heavily armed'. I am aware that more criminals are using guns these days in the UK, and for that reason I believe it would probably be a good idea to arm the police. Allowing the British public to own guns like they do in the US is a step backwards in my opinion. Steve, glad you and the family had a good holiday.

It was worth discussing anyway. Thanks roller, showing initiative is a rare thing these days.

If the private networking business forum is started I would be interested, although there's hardly any other people based up here using ArbTalk. Jamie, Arbgarry and Cordwood. Well thats a start suppose. Sounds like a good idea nevertheless especially if there are tree people who have specialist equipment like HIABs, MEWPS, Big diam chippers etc for hire.

Wont that damage the fibrous feeder roots which have already been damaged by drought? Surely these small roots will be attempting to rejuvenate themselves after being stressed by the drought?

Well....good luck with that vduben and remember as a wise man once said, "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."

I agree with the networking part - sharing resources is a great idea. Private forum? who decides who enters and on what basis?

Morbid analogy of the year award goes to Tony. Ok, is this right? A. mellea will attack and kill live tissue? but we're still are not sure how it enters the tree....roots via soil or entry through wound etc. If the trees are stressed through drought surely this makes it easier for A. mellea to enter? The trees are sitting up high although the driplines extend far beyond the rise the trees grow from so they should have enough coverage for moisture take-up unless the drought was particularly bad? If the trees are left alone with no management will they fight off the infection? if you start pruning - opening fresh wounds and disturbing the soil by decompaction methods will the decline be more rapid?

I know these guys aren't treeworkers, but this is still a good example of why you dont mess with a small hung up dead tree. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ2lIUW5bKw

It looks like it backs onto a woodland which suggests the Honey fungus has always been around, so did the tree becomed stressed and weakened through drought allowing the honey fungus to take advantage?

As soon as you join a forum your IP address is logged and stored, everytime you login thereafter even from a different terminal your IP address will be known to the owners. Some forums like Treebuzz even show them in the box your posting in. If anyone ever wanted to find you they would start with that IP address. In fact the mods here will know roughly where you are in the UK from this number, the police and security services regularly use IP locating software to find the location of criminals, hackers and terrorists etc. So unless your using a proxy server which is very easy to set up (but has it's own problems) your not as anonymous as you'd like to think you are. Look here - http://whatismyipaddress.com/

I've giving up on new years resolutions. Trying to change yourself is impossible. So this year I'm just gonna be myself.

America is a great place, when people from around the world visit the US, they feel like little kids again, the youthful enthusiam they lost as adults returns as they are overwhelmed by an inexplicable feeling that anything is possible. At least thats how I felt when I arrived in America.

No, its extremely dense and unfathomable. One of the most uninspiring and downright boring books I own, sorry, buts it true. Shigo's best book is Modern Arboriculture by a long way.

"Manual of wood decays in trees" by K Weber & C Mattheck I agree, great book with excellent illustrations.

What exactly does that have to do with ID cards? I thought this was a family orientated forum? Sickening! Short term memory loss?

Well norma, that is afterall what this thread is about. norma stitz is a very unusual name.

Thats it norma!! Fight the good fight, 'If you tolerate this, then your children will be next'!! I will stand beside you in our fight for freedom!! Is norma stitz your real name? its just that its an anagram of Matrons Zit

What about microchips under our skin at birth. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/02/fashion/thursdaystyles/02tags.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Ok, sorry, make that £300 per person, thats $600 to you MB and Oakwilt. Identity cards could cost £18bn over 10 years, triple the government's estimate, a draft report has said. This could put the cost to the individual at almost £300 instead of £93, as previously suggested. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4590817.stm On the UK DNA Database - the UK is snoozing nearer to a Big Brother state, with the aid of the National DNA database, according to a new report by GeneWatch UK. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01/13/genewatch_dna_database/ On Laser Bar Codes on humans - One of my good friends was arrested during an anti-war rally in Glasgow, she was sedated and kept in overnight, it wasn't until two weeks later someone noticed the barcode the cops had tattooed on her neck as a way of keeping a file on her. I took a pic - we've been trying to get answers from the cops and have even hired a human rights lawyer - we're getting nowhere fast.