Mark Bolam
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Everything posted by Mark Bolam
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Been thinking about this, and have come up with an ideal solution. Fuel price should be based on how good-looking and muscular you are. It would increase with increased ugliness and body fat. For instance, my diesel would cost me less than 2p per litre. However, a fat lass would be paying around £3 per litre. This would encourage her to walk to Iceland, lose some weight, and therefore be entitled to cheaper diesel! Everyones a winner! Well, apart from Deano. Best have a root around for your running shorts if you want that Landcruiser mate....
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Great find Mark. I want one more than life itself. Like Deano, I made similar as a lad, but small shotgun size and with nitro powder.This is a little gem.
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Why, as an industry in general, are we so scared to increase prices? I don't want to supply customers who think a 'ton' of logs should be £50. I have politely refused to supply quite a few customers like that this year, but I always sell out of seasoned stuff to my loyal fan base!
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Arborwear are good, and reasonably priced. Stretch Air look just like chainsaw trousers. Handy when it's REALLY hot....
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You're not wrong Lee! 15 litres on the last biggish takedown. I'll have to start buying cheap cocaine if things get much worse.
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Good post Lorry. Hope Dylan gets over it quickly. I never like bothering doctors myself, but you'd never take chances with young 'uns. Well done mate, and a good reminder to others, now and in the future.
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Hoisted by your own petard Deano! Not much good owning a Prius in North Northumberland at the minute! Maybe we should all move to towns with super-efficient public transport systems. You wouldn't be stuck in queues all the time if those fat-arses could be bothered to walk their kids to school! There is no solution but to save fuel where you can, and increase prices if you need to. I want to do well enough so I don't have to worry about fuel costs, but that isn't happening this week....
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Really well put John, great post. The problem with fuel prices and everyone it affects is that it is not on a level playing field. In rural Northumberland there is virtually no public transport system so you have to drive everywhere. Most people have to drive further to work than average in the first place. They have to buy plenty of expensive fuel. Down here in Kent loads of mothers drop their kids off at school because they think 1/4 mile is too far to walk. It looks like a 4x4 supermarket outside the school from 8.15-9.15 and again at 2.30 till 3.15! Diesel at £10.00/litre wouldn't affect them much as they hardly use any! It's only ever going to go up, though, and I'm looking to cut out unnecessary journeys as much as possible. I will have to walk to the pub. The fuel price is the same for your competitors as it is for you, which is about the only positive I can see at the moment.
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Was that up by Hepple Ross? I think my Mam has ordered some of those logs!
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No. You could cut the hitch cord if there was a drama.
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Honest post John. Good man.
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Did Jodi get anything nice?
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One of your better vids Tim. Didn't realise you were as old as that. How's the leg?
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Condolences Lyn Ed. Tragic.
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Can you get laminated ones?
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Late start tomorrow, told the lads don't bother coming in before 11. Then hot mince pies and coffee whilst watching porn till about 12. Been a good year, so will dish out the envelopes containing cash bonuses. The lads should have finished counting their wads by about 2, then its pub time. 16oz fillets paid for in the local, sirloins for the vegetarians. Champagne, premium lagers and port on tap. Stretch limos with hot tubs and naked hos then provide a taxi service back home. Carlsberg don't do Arb companies.... Merry Christmas fellas.
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Awesome John, especially 3 and 4.
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Agree there Bomag. Arborist, well done mate. By blowing the whistle you will at least have improved things for the dogs, and it must have taken guts surrounded by violent cowardly scum like that.
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Arborist, you obviously know the crack, and there is no doubt that some horrendous practices did/do exist in the hunting field. Rather than turn your back, do you think you could have helped by staying in there, but trying to change the way things are? Stopping up earths so a hunted fox couldn't go to ground and/or digging it out was what got the publics back up anyway. Rightly so, I feel. Plenty of hunts now run a more level playing field approach, and their popularity has increased accordingly. Anyone partaking in some of the things you have mentioned would have felt the wrath of my forehead immediately. Being a supporter of field sports AND animal rights is not mutually exclusive.
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Amen. The gum lifting its root plate on felling is nuts.
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What is your single most beneficial exercise for Arb work.
Mark Bolam replied to coolie's topic in General chat
Wouldn't want you chasing me with a hard-on Big Lad! -
Stevies tip about using a tyre for hand splitting was a winner. Coupled with the Gransfors splitting axe, the hydraulic splitter has stayed in the shed most of the time this year. I will say at this point I don't see my logs as a commercial enterprise as such. Keeps me busy in crap weather, only sell to regulars, work short hours etc. Can do about 5m3 a day cutting and splitting if I need to, but that is working hard. Half that leaves me time to read James Bond books by the brazier and walk the dogs at 3. And leave no cut and split stuff for the doasyoulikeys to thieve during the night. If they want to lift the cord they can do the hard bit themselves!
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Pheasant shooting at it's best is one of the finest sports in the world. At it's worst it is barbaric and massively unsporting. It's all down to how the birds are presented and the ethics of the people shooting (at!) them.
