A dose of good old British common sense
I appreciate that often matters are oversimplified in the media but that said some news items do beggar belief.
I hear for example that a monkey puzzle tree in West Cross, Swansea where it has grown unimpeded and unchallenged for the best part of two centuries is threatened with the axe because its prickly leaves present a risk to children. At the risk of exciting some tree risk assessment officers into action (even as I type the name I fear such officers may really exist) would the same not be true of Cedars, Douglas Firs, Horse Chestnuts and indeed Oaks?
Then Anglia- Ruskin University has forbidden students from throwing their mortar boards into the air on graduation because of the fear of injury. No champagne popping there then! Careful with flash photography it could startle passing horses into bolting. and please ensure that there is no rejoicing or celebrations at the graduation lunch in case other diners are overcome emotionally in the mass hysteria brought on by offering congratulations to the graduates.
No litany of the wild and absurd would be complete without an example from Europe and I offer this up as one who is broadly sympathetic to Europe whilst being very well aware of its eccentricities and absurdities.
Lo! a Directive that requires every fortune teller to display a notice presumably alongside the crystal ball warning that accuracy is not scientifically proven! Then on the other hand they should have seen that one coming!
Now I suspect having great faith in my fellow countryman and woman that the average child is aware of the danger of needle like leaves and will only be mildly discomforted if they pick some up and will have learned a valuable lesson too.
The average student will be very well aware post Issac Newton of what happens to mortar boards that are thrown in the air.
The average punter in a fortune teller’s tent knows that Madame Rosa is really Mrs Jones from the chippy raising money for the church spire restoration fund but it will destroy a little of the magic and the suspension of disbelief to be reminded of the fact by al large placard as he goes into her marquee to have his tarot cards read.
A dose of good old British common sense please.
Peter Black said on June 3rd, 2008 at 11:19 am:
Nick, the danger of relying on the press for your facts means that you can sometimes get them wrong. It is true that officers have advised that the needles on the monkey puzzle tree present a risk to children however the principle reason why this afternoon’s planning committee is being recommended to approve the removal of this tree is that its roots are damaged beyond redemption and it could pose a more significant danger as a result.