this ancient woodland

Quote: London Mayor Boris Johnson

It’s tragic we have protest groups talking about ‘this ancient woodland’ when actually there’s no tree in this country that’s more than 200 years old…most mature trees die at about the age of my age, the average life expectancy of a tree can’t be more than about 60 years. There aren’t that many ancient woodlands around is the point I’m trying to make. -

Mayor Johnson made these comments in a diatribe where he claimed property owners were protesting high speed rail to protect real estate values, but they were hiding behind bogus environmental concerns.

My research indicates that the term "life expectancy" cannot easily be applied to a tree as it does with an animal. Trees get more vulnerable to disease as they get older, but the actual variation is huge and is totally obscured by natural or manmade threats. Red maples live 80-250 years, American chestnuts 100-300, white oaks 300-600, bald cypress 600-1,200 and stands of bristlecones whose average age exceeded 4,000 years and in one case 4,600 years have been found.

Besides a "woodland" can be older than any single tree that it contains.

I think the mayor is being pretty cavalier with his facts.

It sure doesn't sound genuine and true, but I'm sure he believes it. If it was this country his motivation would probably be wanting to steal someone's property leaving his more valuable to develop after their's is taken and useless. I think most people know trees live quite a damn long time if not cut or burned. He has an ulterior motive or he wouldn't have to convince himself of something so false.

Old age for trees is when they have grown so big, they can no longer possibly have enough branches and leaves to support their trunk surface area.

Quote: 1nickelmiracle

He has an ulterior motive or he wouldn't have to convince himself of something so false.

As a politician it might be enough to say that people rant about ecological concerns when they are really motivated by property values. It doesn't pay to go off into tangents using so called facts that he thinks up off the top of his head.

Or does it? There are legends of politicians who used to just make stuff up.

Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (November 29, 1908 – April 4, 1972) was a pastor who represented Harlem, New York City, in the United States House of Representatives (1945–71). He was the first person from New York of African American descent to be elected to Congress. He was notorious for simply making up numbers in speeches, that were simply impossible.

Quote: Pacomartin

Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (November 29, 1908 – April 4, 1972) was a pastor who represented Harlem, New York City, in the United States House of Representatives (1945–71).

For years I had no idea ACP was a black guy. When
I was a kid I thought he was Italian, he looks like
a crime boss. He even talks like one.

Quote: Evenbob

For years I had no idea ACP was a black guy.

He was mixed race and he could "pass". As he was only 1 of 5 black students at Colgate University, and the only non-athlete he chose to pass as white.

As a politician Powell told stories of his paternal grandparents being born to slavery.
But, his paternal grandmother, Sally Dunning, was born as at least the third generation of free people of color; in the 1860 census, she is listed as a free mulatto, along with her mother, grandmother, and siblings. Sally never identified the father of Adam Clayton Powell, Sr., born 1865.

Today, "race" is a question of self identification, but the one-drop rule was adopted as law in Tennessee in 1910 and in Virginia under the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 (following the passage of similar laws in several other states). As ACP went to college in New York he did not have to comply with any regulations, but socially it was easier to pass.

Quote: Pacomartin

He was mixed race and he could "pass". .

He looks like Perry Como's father. He looks
like one of the bosses sitting at the big
meeting in the Godfather. He doesn't have
even the hint of a black inflection in his
voice. Amazing.

There were some black politicians in congress after the civil war, but when that period ended it was decades before one got elected. Illinois 1st congressional district was the first to elect a black man in 1928 (about same time ACP was in college.

From 1928 to 1943 the congressman were lighter complexion. William Dawson elected in 1942 was darker




ACP was elected in 1944.

By 1971 when the Congressional Black Congress was formed, only Gus Hawkins was the early fair skinned black congressman left.

Quote: Pacomartin

C'mon, this guy is Greek. He's Aristotle Onassis brother.