kevinjohnsonmbe

There is some serious absence of moral fibre being demonstrated here. We dont get to “choose” which laws we “agree with.” It’s part and parcel of enjoying the liberties of a free society - there are certain inferred responsibilities. Which laws that are broken are suitable to report to the appropriate authorities? Theft? Arson? Murder? All OK? Speeding? Drink driving? Shoplifting? Planning? Not OK?? Living in fear of retribution? Christ alive, you’d be a prisoner in your own living room. Its the law breakers that should live in constant fear of discovery, not the good citizen - heaven help us! ?

Good piece! Thought it would be. ?? There is, of course, always the option (which nobody seems to want to contemplate) of a re-united Ireland. Despite the obvious contradiction (and irony) I rather doubt the Republic would have any appetite for attempting to manage the disquiet that might ensue. Whilst not wishing to see a return to the turmoil of the past, I can't help taking some pleasure in imagining the possibility of giving them what they've always wished for and watching them try to 'handle' it.....

It would take no more time to forward detail to LA than it has done to post here. Why should those that "do it right" give way to those that don't. If it bothers you enough to post on here it should bother you enough to take the time to email the LA and let them take it forward. No good complaining if you don't follow it up.

Link not working for me Mark, I’ll look it up later... I generally appreciate the gritty honesty that he delivers even if I don’t wholly subscribe to his politics.

? no doubt attributed to high ABV continental lager... Bloody Europeans!

I thought Stubby had finally had a MAMIL!!

There was an article about churchyard Yew recently on one of the FB pages. There is a group that are seeking to record / protect church / cemetery Yew, and there’s like, a Yew interest group also. If yome really keen to ‘do it right’ Mark, I’ll see if I can find the links / contact details - they may be willing to offer some input to your tree owner / architect fellows? Or just tell them there are ancient mythical powers associated with cemetery Yew which will consume their souls and condemn them to pergatory if they fuck around with it...

There is certainly some satirical humour to be drawn from your image Mark ? But the alternative is TRULY terrifying!

Turn TV on! (Glorious Leader)

I thought the opening was a prelude to 1, I’m now thinking 4!

Too late!

PM Press conference imminent: 1 - resignation 2 - Gen election 3 - Second Neverendum 4 - Carry on regardless Any takers?

Pish and avoidance - yome demonstrating 2 fundamental qualities for current politics! ATFQ! ?

What would be your first dictat ?gg5? Open to all.... What would be the first thing you’d do as PM?

Rarely, uncharacteristicly, you ARE wrong! TCD threw his lot in, but it was me self that suggested a pub conversation in Padstow ?

Was it thee & me that had a chat about fishing a while back and I suggested we take the online discussion to a certain pub in Padstow? I have a vague recollection, and I’m guessing it might have been the 2 of us....

Noooooooo!

All been done before.... But still (tragically) amusing:

That would be because it’s the WRONG COLOUR! (only kidding - just pulling yr leg ?)

It's just SO well suited to that sort of work!

I've got some Beech in at the moment, not very big though, and some Ash & Syc waiting to be picked up - unfortunately nothing very large diameter at the mo and it's the big rings where I've found it comes into its own. I'll get the GoPro charged ready for a splitting day which may (depending how things pan out) be this week! ??

The inspections were undertaken Khriss, wether the recorded observations, subsequent recommendations and repeat inspection periodicity can be defended is, in my opinion (and since we have the outcome) highly questionable. Put it quite simply, the glaringly obvious observable features, the existence of previous, but discontinued bracing (but no substantial structural changes to justify discontinuation) , the target range etc etc can only result in a finding of negligence / incompetence. That is but 1 part of the equation. The other part is the approval of costly, unnecessary, inappropriate and nugatory works with no apparent justification other than as some form of olive branch to the mob - who will in any case, not be satisfied until the trees are removed. It has dawned on me today that it may, in fact, be a subtle approach by the LA, to reduce the crown, by degrees, over the coming years such that the tree ultimately succumbs to the stress of defoliation until it is incapable of fending off the inevitable fungal colonisation. - bingo, fell. Its a PUBLIC tree, it’s PUBLIC money and the LA have a responsibility to the PUBLIC. If only people would would take them to account.... PS - I wouldn’t be at all surprised if someone on AT is advising one side or the other on this.

Cornwall Council - in an unmarked, well stuffed brown envelope! Won’t do you any good though, they’ve already established their own “in-house” cartel!

Stump planer attachment for the black splitter rotator head arrived today! Looking forward to getting this to work on some Leylandii stumps shortly, will grab some video on first run out! It just bolts on where the cone splitter comes off....

There is considerable "background" to this scenario. The issue of liability and compensation for damage caused by (what can only ever be found to be) inadequate prior inspections and maintenance - which is the subject of current investigations / negotiations by insurance companies - and resulted in the failure posted earlier, has caused widespread concern amongst those living nearby. The reality is that there has been a campaign over decades to have the trees removed and this is being used as the 'final push' to add weight to that viewpoint. To be fair, the tree that failed WAS in need of attention and it was the failure on the part of the LA to recognise and properly action this that has resulted in the current situation. Current situation is that some of the more determined of those in the immediate vicinity now feel emboldened to insist upon further action whereas the tree that genuinely needed attention has failed and been removed. The remainder have no observable justification for remedial works but the LA (swayed by political pressure no doubt) have approved works which can only (IMHO) be seen to be (a) an unnecessary and inappropriate expense to the public purse and (b) detrimental (and therefore improper duty to maintain) the retained trees. The up-shot being that the locals that want the trees removed will remain unsatisfied, the longer term viability of the trees will be denuded and there will be necessary / inappropriate expense to the (supposedly stretched budgets.) All round, a Lose, Lose, Lose scenario. To complicate matters further, it is the councils 100% share owned / profit share "arms length company" that has been directed to submit the application (and, no doubt undertake the works) so it is the LA spending public money on a task that is inappropriate and paying it's own company to do the work which will result in some profit share back to LA. The arms length company has made an embarrassingly inept attempt at the initial and subsequent TPO application, the council's TO has made an embarrassingly inadequate assessment of the scenario and the LA has approved the application. If you have a moment to look at the consulate and public comments at the planning page, and the works spec submitted by the arms length company, you'll see how genuinely poor that work is.... Here's a pic of the tree taken this morning. The suggestion that this tree would in any way benefit from further crown reduction is, frankly, laughable (if it wasn't so tragic!) and as to the requirement to achieve the highways clearance, that too is laughable. This is a single track lane access to a village car park. There must be 1000's of miles of roads in Cornwall that would score infinitely higher on the 'need' for highway clearance before this one even appeared on the radar - it is just laughable. Screenshot 2018-11-12 at 10.47.05.pdf