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RIP the Broccoli Tree

kottke.org

121–130 of 149 posts

Re: RIP the Broccoli Tree

#121

Lest we blame the internet, attacking beloved trees is nothing new: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_Oak_(Austin,_Texas)

I agree that the perpetrator needs a punishment, but nine years is a very, very long time. Around here few first-time murderers need to sit that long.

Agreed that nine years is probably (not knowing all the details) disproportionate.

But the Wikipedia article mentions the tree is sacred to the Comanche. Compared to what he would have endured at their hands hundreds of years ago, had he been caught by them, he's lucky :)

Re: RIP the Broccoli Tree

#122

There's so many examples of this it's just so sad. Joshua Tree on U2 album cover destroyed: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2971368/U2-fan-pilgr... Kids knock down 16 million year old rock formation: https://military.id.me/news/idiots-ruin-18-million-year-old-... One man accidentally killed the oldest tree ever: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-one-man-accide... World's most isolated tree knocked…

The lesson here, clearly, is: tall poppies get mowed. It is known. :-/

Who would mow their poppies? Other than the Dutch?

Re: RIP the Broccoli Tree

#123

There's so many examples of this it's just so sad. Joshua Tree on U2 album cover destroyed: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2971368/U2-fan-pilgr... Kids knock down 16 million year old rock formation: https://military.id.me/news/idiots-ruin-18-million-year-old-... One man accidentally killed the oldest tree ever: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-one-man-accide... World's most isolated tree knocked…

The 'oldest tree ever' is still alive, probably because its location is undisclosed publicly:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methuselah_(tree)

Re: RIP the Broccoli Tree

#124
post #77

Note that it's a willow tree, so the vandal and workers may have "just" unintentionally coppiced it. Far from killing the tree, some of the oldest trees in the world are coppiced. Coppicing is supposed to happen in winter, but it's possible this tree could survive. Looking at the "before" picture, the tree might itself be a spray formed when an older tree was cut. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coppicing

I am not sure that it is unintentional. The observers may just have not asked what was going on. The reason I'm unsure of intent is the height of the stumps. That's rather abnormal as trees are usually cut much closer to the ground. Also, the tree could probably have been saved. It didn't look like a cut that would have destroyed the entire tree. A good arborist could have removed that without overly damaging the res…

[deleted]

Re: RIP the Broccoli Tree

#125
post #79

Note that it's a willow tree, so the vandal and workers may have "just" unintentionally coppiced it. Far from killing the tree, some of the oldest trees in the world are coppiced. Coppicing is supposed to happen in winter, but it's possible this tree could survive. Looking at the "before" picture, the tree might itself be a spray formed when an older tree was cut. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coppicing

Can confirm. A couple of years ago the ornamental plum in my front yard died and I cut it off near the base. Almost immediately about a hundred new trunks sprouted from the stump and roots, and it was what I considered a handsome shrubbery for a year or so before my wife made me coppice the whole thing out of the ground with axe and pickup truck.

More likely the scion died and the root stock took over. It wouldn't have grown the same plum or flower.

You didn't coppice it when you removed it. Coppice is when a tree is "topped" like a haircut and then it grows back.

Not all trees are suitable for coppicing, but the ones that do grow back vigorously and are great for firewood / lumber.

Re: RIP the Broccoli Tree

#126

There's so many examples of this it's just so sad. Joshua Tree on U2 album cover destroyed: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2971368/U2-fan-pilgr... Kids knock down 16 million year old rock formation: https://military.id.me/news/idiots-ruin-18-million-year-old-... One man accidentally killed the oldest tree ever: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-one-man-accide... World's most isolated tree knocked…

white house allows mining company to destroy this: http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/10/politics/bristol-bay-salmon-in...

Re: RIP the Broccoli Tree

#127
Does anyone look at this from an economic standpoint? I think this is just an (unfair) form of taxation for being famous. Someone or something became too famous. People want a "cut" of the fame (in this case, it was literally the cut, ha ha). It's interesting to think how we can redistribute this type of "wealth" among people. I can think of Twitter replies or blog trackbacks as a primitive way to achieve it, but what can the society/government do?

edit: economical -> economic

Re: RIP the Broccoli Tree

#128

There's so many examples of this it's just so sad. Joshua Tree on U2 album cover destroyed: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2971368/U2-fan-pilgr... Kids knock down 16 million year old rock formation: https://military.id.me/news/idiots-ruin-18-million-year-old-... One man accidentally killed the oldest tree ever: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-one-man-accide... World's most isolated tree knocked…

The 'oldest tree ever' is still alive, probably because its location is undisclosed publicly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methuselah_(tree)

The “oldest tree ever” is always alive!

Re: RIP the Broccoli Tree

#130
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've seen this trope be used so much on TV/movies that it's doubtful that this retelling would make much difference.

For the internet & social media http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/InformationDesk For the tree http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TreasureRoom & http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MonumentalTheft & http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PricelessMingVase & http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WomenAreDelicate For the vandal/brother http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ThenLetM…

For me (continued) http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EurekaMoment

For you (if you're wondering (really how could I say?)) http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LeaningOnTheFourt... https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uuuploads/trai...

Meanwhile back at the ranch for Euereka's script http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MeanwhileBackAtTh... & http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SeasonFinale

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