Arob

It does depend on politicians though Nepia, but only up to a point, they have to make sure legislation prevents wholesale wrecking, but they still need people to be creative and take the steps to make it work in the other direction, maybe it'll become easier for budding Ben Law's to get permissions granted to live and work in the woods?

Was amazed and very pleasantly surprised to read this BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Big profit from nature protection perhaps we might come to see a change in investment patterns in UK forestry too? Very encouraging to see that UK Gov. is on board.

Both fb's appear to have gills, including the smaller one which appears to be emerging. Have seen degrading Ps but it's alsways looked spongy with pores, wouldn't it need to be very even degradation on the underside to give an appearance like that? Plus the upperside isn't scaly.

Saw this gilled bracket on a sycamore this morning, didn't recognise it, but based on a quick look i'm thinking it must be saprophytic. Can anyone help with a positive ident?

BBC - Breathing Places - Tree O'Clock

Thanks Andy, I think I'm going to have to take a closer look at them.

I've been put off the Landrover type phone, although it sounds good and has a 3 year unconditional guarantee, a friend of a friend apparently has one and I hear it's been sent back a few times already.

So it seems there's 2 main choices; super tough but basic phone, or a mobile office with a phone on it (that you have to keep in a box!). Do those of you who have email and internet on your phone find that you use them very much? Has owning a blackberry changed the way you've been able to manage your work?

Not your average arb stuff, there's lots for old school carpentry and green woodworking tools The Woodsmith's Store - Green Woodworking Tools - Green Woodworking Accessories (NB I'm not on commission or connected to this - though I have met the guy that runs it and he's a real enthusiast)

The leaf log is mentioned here too, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8356583.stm (but it's the dog logs you need to be careful of!)

I've heard these kind of headlines, boom and bust and all of that, but who would you cite as being a good example of Chancellor, who has saved for a rainy day and how did they manage to do that? Can't the guy get credit for taking the time to write the letter, they aren't just hollow words, yet as part of a wider campaign, some people prefer to make petty remarks about spellings or handwriting. In this case it is The Sun who are stirring it up, but in the final reckoning what good have they ever done? They have a long history of provocation (just ask anyone from Liverpool) and in this case they have been far from impartial and clearly have an agenda.

Hahaha, thanks very much, didn't think anyone would bother to read that let alone reply! Does anyone want to pick over the bones though? I think all the statements in that first post are accurate. (btw I'm not a GB supporter, and haven't a track record of supporting politicians but I do think that this latest stuff is way ott hence my post. As TCD says we get the Government we deserve, but if all we ever do is snipe and make snide attacks then we'll only ever have a crap Government - as who else but people out for themselves would want to put up with that crap? And no I'm not being paid to say this!) SSS says of GB, "Could equally be said that he has been a key figure .... in a government whose policies have led to 'global financial meltdown'" and I don't dispute that, but I would say that it may only be a partial analysis. Financial Services are biggest single tax payer in the UK so as chancellor he had no option but to entertain them, what's the alternative - he'd be accused of encouraging them to move and destroying the UK economy! (In my view the easing of regulations by the Bush admin in the US had massively more detrimental and damaging effect.) As I say, nation states can't tackle this alone, corporations are too big and have too much power, only through international agreements can this be tackled. That's why I say good on him, it's all too easy to slag people off, much more difficult to provide workable alternatives to their proposals. Happened to hear this on the radio today BBC iPlayer - The Media Show: 11/11/2009 which is quite interesting as it explores some of the likely motives for the latest hoo-ha.

I just wanted to throw a line for our Prime Minister plus column he has kept financial services industry (our biggest source of tax revenue) in this country he is credited by the winner of the Nobel prize for Economics as a key figure in helping avoid global financial meltdown he has, in the past week, called for a global response to that near meltdown, pushing for international legislation on the financial services industry (currently the fsi have free reign, if any country tightens legislation they will look to take themselves and their taxes elsewhere) he is recognised as one of the foremost leaders when it comes to campaigning for action against global poverty he is recognised as one of the foremost leaders when it comes to campaigning for action against climate change he took the time to hand-write a letter of condolence to a mother whose son had lost his life in service for his country minus column he isn't very pretty to look at he isn't a real charmer he hasn't got the nicest smile he isn't too good at kicking a ball around a park he isn't, and hasn't married, a pop-star he made a couple of spelling mistakes Now I'm not a big fan of politics, but I take my hat off to him, he deserves far more credit than he's got. People are so easily distracted from reality; it wasn't duck houses and all that that nearly knacked the economy, there was greed on a much grander, more organised scale. Mr Brown is now calling for an international response, and it is only by all countries acting together that legislation can be passed to prevent that whole cycle of greed from re-establishing itself. Already big bonuses are back, banks are due to make record profits, Fred the Shred is old news, but a man who is trying to take them on, who has already shown some real balls, is being criticised in the most small minded ways. This week it's the letter, the last one was his eyesight. I for one hope this doesn't stop him from making the kind of changes we need to see. Well that's just my tuppence worth.

And using it cack handed didn't help, wonder what he was planning, was he just going to try and plough right through? "I don't need stiches!" I hope he changed his mind!

just posted this link to this on BBC website on SWB's mutant animals pics thread BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Three bald bears perplex experts

Have any of you seen the bald bear BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Three bald bears perplex experts

superb!

Is it a Red Kite the climber's looking at in pic 19 too?

What's the best phone for arbwork? Needs to be robust and not break when taken to work (i.e. cope with the odd bump and a bit of dust and damp), and ideally have a camera for those all important pics.

There was some research done a few years ago using refined Japanese Larch wood tar (which was extracted from wastes from charcoal manufacture), it proved to be a very effective preservative, so charring the end will help to move the tar fraction within the wood and provide a similar benefit.

And if you're using a type 1 or 2 creosote it helps to warm it up (65-100 deg C) to allow the wood to absorb it better.

So do you only use it when the weather's Friesian?

Here are a couple which are benefitting from a bit of a rest, (have already posted the pic of the beech in amazing trees of the world, but make no apologies for posting again here).

Local indoor climbing centre uses all screwgates, and auto-belays use screwgate karabiners similar to these, with a plastic clip that covers barrel and helps to maintain position of karabiner. (I think some manufacturers produce the plastic clip as a stand alone product - whereas some are integrated into the krab.) DMM Belay Master

Chris, if I were you I'd try the job first, then decide what tickets, qualifications and kit to get. If you can get a start with a local firm you'll soon get an idea of what the job involves, if you can get on with a good local firm they may put you through your tickets, may buy your kit and may give you time off to go to college. Depending on your aspirations, chosing and getting on with the right firm could be the single most important thing you do - find a good one.