Mike Todd

And an even smaller proportion of those that move.

I'm not sure that I agree with the previous adverse comment - it seems to me that with a conventional voice commentary or even a subtitle story it would be just fine. The lack of either draws attention to the cutting which would normally not be noticed so much. But I suspect I am only telling you what you already know - it's your film anyway!

It may remove silt from under your boat but give a thought to where it goes. It won't be far.

Forestry is, arguably, one of the quiet but strong new-ish investments. A number of larger funds have, in the past decade, invested significantly in this sector which produces good returns. Of course, it bucks the 'get rich quick' trend but does come with some positive environmental factors. The reality is that without the investment element, far fewer trees would be planted as they do not otherwise bring too many benefits to the landowner. Better a forest than a housing estate? (Yes if you focus on the green side of life, no if you are desperately looking for a decent home which is way out of reach of minimum wage households) Trees do have a carbon capture aspect that is not (yet) factored into the investment calculation. One option for climate change abatement might be to encourage further planting by subsidies. As has been said in another post, old trees are not that valuable other than as part of a pretty picture. Once they die they are less likely to be replaced. Thankfully, the commercial trends have taken us away from the universal swathes of conifers that grow quickly and are felled equally soon. Wood as a commodity has regained ground and a greater variety of species are now viable.

Surely, Tree Preservation Orders.

That looked pretty scary - especially on the Avon. Where were you holed up and how long? How did you know when to set off once more? Evesham Lock (and another?) looked almost impassable with all the debris - so how did you get through? I know most of the places you passed through but subtitles, even better a commentary, would make it even more fascinating (and stop people like me asking all the obvious questions!) We were not boat owners again until 2008 but had a 6 week hire in 2007 (40th Wedding anniv) and met the flood mostly up north - one night at Broadreach was, for us, a tad scary - but we also saw floods in Leamington. A useful reminder of just how powerful rivers can become.

Even as boat owners, having to sort problems as they arise, we'd much rather it just 'all worked' and we could be a sleeping partner, at least with ourselves. (This idiom could easily go all wrong . . . ) But your experience does, if nothing else, remind potential sharers that they need to check out their compatibility with the ethos of the group as it is not necessarily the same as hiring a boat where you have no connection at all with the people on board last week. This is perhaps - I'm speculating - stronger when buying into an existing group but, as you say, still important (and in some way perhaps more intense) when setting up a new group where many more 'real' decisions have to be made in the early days. Your experience is just as important to those considering sharing as those from folk who are the clubbable sort - although I must say that the canal experience is much more for those who are content and self sufficient in themselves. But there are all sorts of situations and each person has to find the one that suits them. Sounds like you have!

But do those 'modern' materials have consequences in terms of the production of raw materials (eg mining, quarrying etc?) I assume that in today's climate, a plastic spire would be unacceptable.

Of course, one of the consequences of the growth in allowing anonymous posting to social media is that such connections are much harder to make. Me, I'd make it illegal to have anonymous or untraceable accounts on social media, but then I'm perhaps 'old school' and believe that people should have to defend their stated views, not be allowed just to stir up the waters with no personal consequence.

Now that's an effect I've never come across before . . .

For those contemplating a share boat (and I( am not sure how significant a market it really is, other than for drawing in people for whom it is not suitable) it would be helpful to know what sort of decisions were made that you would have had issue with had you been present. In other words, what should sleeping partners be on the look out for that might leave them at an especial disadvantage?

What's an ignore list? (Or is it a colloquial term for the Delete button?)

But the slenderness ratios are far from the same

Would the technology of the day been able to make it? I would have thought it too cumbersome and weighty . . .

Can you cite an example?

Dismissing is not the same as debunking. One takes know;ledge, the other ignorance.

And just think how much worse it would have been if Trump had been in charge! When will politicians learn that sometimes experts do have more and specific knowledge!

Highway Code: Country roads Rule 154 Take extra care on country roads and reduce your speed at approaches to bends, which can be sharper than they appear, and at junctions and turnings, which may be partially hidden. Be prepared for pedestrians, horse riders, cyclists, slow-moving farm vehicles or mud on the road surface. Make sure you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear. Same advice applies when boating!

You can always try - there are plenty of unusual and specific arrangements but you asked originally about the principle and, as far as I can see, a boat share is most definitely not going to meet your need and better to put your time in to researching something that does (eg custom made schemes). That said, I see a lot of boats in marinas that seem to be unvisited between September and Easter. You may well find that owning a fairly new boat and keeping it ion a marina with a very helpful engineering capability on site is the easiest way for your planned lifestyle. Stress-free lifestyles generally avoid pushing the envelope - which is what your time share plan seems to be doing. The more unusual the scheme, the more likely you will be 'on your own' when things go awry. Remember, there is a Law (built into creation) that says that things will go wrong when you can least afford/are able to fix them!

I suspect that more often than not, those who think that a passing boat is 'going too fast' are actually moored in a shallow bank stretch where any boat movement is going to have an amplified effect on a moored boat - just 'cos the water has to go somewhere. (Some people forget that a boat goes forward because the prop extracts water from arounbd the boat causing it to 'fall' forward down the wave. Similar effect when going through very narrow bridges and coming to an almost complete stop) There are just a few permanent moorers whose only daily delight is in shouting at a passing boat regardless of what speed they are doing! Since few know what actual speed they are doing it is always a win-win for the moorer! In any case, as with bank wash, it is not a matter of absolute speed, but what speed is right for the specific circumstance.

Like boaters . . . Well, some anyway, probably those who don't slow down . . .

IIRC (but we are told the notice has now disappeared!) it was quite straightforward for a through route provided you knew where to turn at the correct moment (ie up Brades) to take the Old Main Line. Same number of locks (you still have to get to the Wolverhampton :Level whatever) but a more contour led route. Just a tad further (ie why the new Main Line was built).

SO: the system for reporting the canal 'now open' depends on a single individual who is under pressure to meets targets and thus finds himself in a position that he embroiders the truth, no doubt hoping that he would be able to make it true by the time anyone tested out the updated stoppage notice. A pastorally-aware organisation would not only not put such pressure on under-qualified and under-resourced individuals at the bottom of the food chain but would treat them better and respect their specific skills. A fully resourced organisation would not rely on single-point failure procedures and would have someone checking that the original report was accurate - we used to call them foremen or overseers. A better resourced organisation with boaters as a sole focus would have afforded to put a boater-liaison person (aka lengthsman) on duty for the first day to make sure everything went smoothly and in contact with those who can correct the glitches. Since none of this happens today, where to lay the blame, if we insist on playing the blame game? Obviously, it is necessary to ensure that such resources as are available are used as effectively as possible - although in a world of competing demands, it may not always be possible to satisfy everyone equally. priorities have to be set. But beyond that? Who sets the resource level? Who demands that public and quasi public bodies, such as CaRT, run on a shoestring (aka 'austerity')? WE DO -the Great British Public. We elect governments time and again on the basis of least cost rather than best value (ie lowest taxes). It is our fault and let's not forget that. Put it to the fore in our minds and we might just get a different way of running things.

We are only giving it to 'the state' in its role as an intermediary. The basic principle is that we are giving it to the person next door, or in another city/town/village - who we do not know - who is in a need that can be met by our money. It is oft said that the mark of a civilized society is how it looks after those who cannot support themselves, for whatever reason and whatever their condition. Such a view challenges the 'charity begins at home' brigade, especially those who also think it ends there as well.

According to Google, both are just over a mile and a quarter and half an hour walking, Burslem a tad closer. Not too bad for going to the pub - not so good for a return! (It is too many decades to admit since visiting either so I cannot comment on whether it is worth it!)