kevinjohnsonmbe

You could argue (in the academic rather than confrontational sense, whilst not wishing to inflate academics nor denigrate confrontationists - just for equality purposes) the preceding few posts illustrate that we might have already....

Perhaps my insensitivity (it's not like I've ever tried to conceal it (I may have tried to curtail it, but generally unsuccessfully)) is matched by what I might think of as your over sensitivity Felix? But I don't hold that against you, I just celebrate the diversity of opinions.... I'd just as readily call my wife a baboon. In this house it's perceived as something of a friendly good natured recognition of a clumsy or careless act. I'll take your point though, I perhaps should readjust my choice of words on the expectation that an over sensitive PC warrior like Dianne Abbott might take offence, or someone might take offence on her behalf. I'll add it to the New Years resolution list. I have tried that before. I did one year resolve to not get into any emotional, heated, controversial discussions on AT. Can't remember which year that was but I failed miserably, and considerably sooner than even I had anticipated. (I guess the trouble is, it's no use having a discussion / debate with someone you agree with?)

We used to agree more often.... Before you went a bit Radio Rental over Brexit.....

Agreed! It's not the best solution for large scale grass cutting but it's not a one trick pony!! The cost of the mower attachment to fit an existing machine is a fraction of the cost of a dedicated mowing machine that (a) only mows and (b) takes up more (storage & transport) space. Getting more usage hours out of the pre-existing machine is the key - hours working is hours earning (if only a little.) Example, I can take the mower and tree shear on 1 trip, cut the grass (for a fairly modest cash return) and reduce the hedgerow trees (as a bonus.) 1 machine, 2 attachments, 2 tasks. Horses for courses... If only there really was a silver bullet!

It was 'of it's time.' It's not of 'today's time.' The question posed was, yes, we have changed immensely in a relatively short time in what is deemed to be 'acceptable' from 40ish years ago to today, has the change in what is considered 'acceptable' resulted in a measurable change in the actual levels of real or perceived separation / discrimination / disadvantage of distinct cultural / ethnic groups? We're inclined to agree....

Sounds more like a problem of preconception on your part.... I'd just as readily call a white person a baboon as a black person. The significant difference being the black person would more likely claim it to be racism rather than a reflection of the behaviour that led to the association! I call our little one a cheeky monkey, thank **** she's not black I'd have the old bill, the social and all manner of PC crusaders beating a path to the door.

You can look it up for yourself! Try 'Alf Garnet' in YouTube search and you'll be presented with plenty.

I'm confused now! Are you saying you cut 30000m2 per hour? That'd be £120/hour would it? Who's got a lawn (or even grass) that size?? Are we talking golf courses? And what machinery does it take to cover that sort of area? Is it tractor gang mowers? Grass cutting is not really my 'thing' but I got a mowing deck for the front of the multione and I cut the sports pitch at the school our nipper goes to. It's 10 minutes away, the previous contractor was a shambles and there is ancillary tree / hedge and other works which make up for the low return on grass cutting. I can have it done in an hour. I guess we're at opposite ends of the scale so possibly not either giving a representative / useful answer to OP. Maybe if OP could provide a bit more detail about scale and frequency + equipment availability we might be able to thrash something out??

That's bonkers Richard! I do one (pretty much at cost because I choose to) which is 4651m2 (1.149 Acre) and it's £114 per visit. That's £0.40/m2 (+VAT.) How anyone could operate at £0.004/m2 is beyond belief!

Hey-up Mull! Haven't heard from you for AGES, I was wondering if your tinterweb connection had gone down. All well in the Islands I hope? "...White supremacy documentary..." What, you mean that popular, mainstream TV comedy series that ran for +/- 4 years, over 7 series and > 50 episodes?? Hell's teeth! I wonder what the audience count was? That'd be a frightening thought if watching that equates to KKK membership! I'd suggest it's an interesting barometer of how 'accepted' attitudes have changed over the past 40-50 years. Mid 70's it was socially acceptable, nay enthusiastically consumed, centrally disseminated, popular propaganda piped direct into the heart of middle England for Saturday evening family TV consumption. Roll the clock forward 40-50 years and we have Dianne Abbot and the Loony Left Momentmob baying for corporate crucifixion over a f*cking fancy dress costume! Consider the mind boggling change of what might be considered 'acceptable', over such a mind bogglingly insignificant (in evolutionary terms) time frame and then ask, has anything really changed as a consequence of having this PC BS imposed upon us? Just my view, but can't see it really. On a separate note, I was wondering where you'd got to of late (missed ya!) I thought the Scottish income tax comment might have tickled your fancy?? PS - can't believe they've actually rolled out the incompetent, sanctimonious baboon on the AM show.... Can't be any chance of Labour thinking there'll be an election anytime soon, they'll have to put her back into a soundproof bunker at least 1 year before any election campaign starts.

So that’d be ‘greyist”? i could be emotionally bruised! (but I’m not because I’ve been watching back episodes of “Love thy Neighbour” on YouTube! Laughed myself raw!)

I hope you’re not suggesting Clarkson is an idiot!?!

Had to youtube it! Punchline comes at about minute 3: (and if you're not standing to attention signing the National Anthem after watching that you must be a Fifth columnist and should be flogged and deported (I care not where) without delay)

"...This wasn’t some guerrilla marketing stunt..." See, I just find that funny.... "...Ms Abbott was the victim of almost half the abuse directed at women MPs on Twitter during the 2017 election campaign..." Not to be condoned obviously, but maybe if she wasn't such a complete baffoon people wouldn't feel compelled to tell her? It's the same with our local MP (Tory) - quite unpopular for widely recognised reasons and also the target of considerable online and actual abuse via defacing of office and billboard posters during election campaig. It's not because she's 'white' though, it's because she is unpopular. Anyone remember Spitting Image? If you were easily caricatured, you WERE! So where are we now - you can only caricature an idiot if you are the same race as them?

Er, no.... I followed the link YOU posted in your signature block - out of interest. It's a fairly safe assumption, I would have thought, that if someone posts a link to their website they are INVITING people to view it. Having done so..... I was 'amused' to see the quote previously posted. No "high horse", no threat to democracy, just the freedom to express an opinion - you know, that which you hold so dear (apparently.) No biggy.

Scottish Rate of Income Tax.... Will be interesting to see how popular that socialism thing is in reality....

It has the effect of making you look forward to a hard day - rather than dreading it

How many are "big" enough? The bigger the company - the further away the decision makers are from the impact zone. I wonder if Amey are regretting taking it on? It's probably not fair that the blokes on the tools are copping the flack, no so worried about the rent-a-thug security geezers, it's the line of work they chose.

"...We believe removing a tree should be a last resort..." https://www.commonwealthtrees.co.uk/our-services.html

Inextricably linked though Gary? The scandal rightly sits at the upper echelons of SCC decision making and it's the 'little people' (on both sides of the argument) that are copping the flack. I tend to agree with the position you've taken regarding the inappropriate nature of lawful workers being interrupted by (sometimes lawful, sometimes not so lawful) protest. But these might be assumed to be the actions of a desperate few that have lost all faith in local government. And it's probably true (I don't know because I'm not there) that the career anarchist / professional protester / loony Left / Starbucks socialist element are getting involved because there'll always be a 'cause' somewhere for the itinerant fraternity to hang it's hat on. But the Brit's are a stoic bunch - it takes a lot to get Mrs Miggins out of her arm chair (Poll Tax for example) but once the belief in fair and honest democracy has been denuded to such a degree that she's up and out with her tartan thermos and zimmer frame, and the inherent bias of habitual political allegiance is overcome, it results in a fairly power statement of 'people power!'

It wasn't my first draft reply, but I am trying to be less "direct!" Maybe it's the Season, it won't last, never does....

Holy cow! That’s intuitive!!!

Unless it was, like a 250 Hectare "garden" totally agree! Heard about a hilarious situation tonight that I'll have to tell about offline!!

Oh, OK, it must all be good then....

“Old” keeps getting further away! Way things are going with the age of state pension keep going up, makes you wonder why you bother with NI! im more concerned by the thought of being “old” rather than skint!