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Posted: 11-10-2001 20:59 Post subject: Weird Cornwall

Well Weird Cornwall
These stories gleaned from this weeks West Briton 11/10/01

A Steatado Nobilis (False Black Widow) Spider was found in St Agnes by Mathew Roussel who keeps exotic pets including big spiders and snakes. He found the nasty critter while searching for an escaped cornsnake,in his home. It seems it had eggs too! Colonies have been found in Truro, Falmouth and Redruth. A bite can cause swelling, nasty Canary Island resident (and now Cornwall).

All week locals were following the story of a dolphin washed up in Mylor creek. The common Dolphin was saved by almost the whole village turning out and transporting it to a Falmouth Beech were it swam away. Next day a floating dead sea mammal was seen in Falmouth bay but later was found to be a young Pilot whale.

Barnes Wallis’s son visited RNAS Caldrose this week, And Predannack former WW2 airfield. Where trials for Wallis Seniors tested his swing-wing planes (Swallow and Wild Goose) took place. 50 years ago half scale models were fired up a ramp and radio controlled while in the air, leading to rumours of a new remote control plane. (Any UFO reports from 50 yrs ago?)... The North Cornwall coast was a popular site for ‘secret’ government installations including one producing Sarin Nerve gas using captured Nazi equipment (and staff?) well into the 60’s Near Portreath It was common knowledge that a tanker of Mustard gas, and or Sarin left every week to go to Porten Down. One Government spokesman said it was a remote area. It is next to a town or aprox 5.000 and within five miles of Cambourn one of Cornwall’s biggest towns, what he meant was of course is remote from LONDON! ... The bay below the ex-“remote instillation” has seen a few deaths of divers and this may be related to the old mineshaft that they threw all their ‘surplus’ down when it was shut down...They admitted to flushing out to sea CS gas and Mustard gas but who knows what else went down that hole!

Trading standards have warned that human skull candleholders beloved of Goths everywhere, sold in this area have been coated in an inflammable liquid during their production!

And lastly Clarance Thomas champion veg grower has grown a nine-headed cauliflower. Is this realted to the radio active granite?

And that’s all the news that’s fit to print in Cornwall!.....

Posted: 11-10-2001 21:15 Post subject:

I don't suppose there are any pictures of that nine-headed cauliflower, Jon??

Carole:)

Posted: 11-10-2001 21:26 Post subject:

Muck in the sea off North Cornwall is nothing new, however. The Red River, between Redruth and Camborne, got its name from the red plume it formed in St Ive's Bay - this was because all the adits from the local tin and copper mines drained into this river.

And within the last decade there was a red plume in Falmouth Harbour, caused by overflow from the recently closed Wheal Jane Mine, which drained into restronguet Creek.

Cornwall in its time has been the world's top producer of these minerals. (A huge subject - many books on it.)

Posted: 11-10-2001 21:47 Post subject:

oh the Red muck was fun... No one takeing responsibliity.. red harbour and red Oysters (they are ok to eat...no hold on they arnt..oh they are...errr no theyr not) Aparntly all mines can discharge anything they want as long as they are declaired abandoned. ..the real Red River isnt so red anymore but the beech they dicharged on to is, very! I remeber seeing people surfing in the blood red waves....

the caulifloweryes there is a pic in the paper...but its just a nine headed cauli!..not so imprssive...ill scan it if u want (are u resercing freek veg?..)

Posted: 12-10-2001 23:30 Post subject:

Posted: 13-10-2001 21:15 Post subject:

Yeeech now thers a thought , ive always disliked cauliflower chease...could do u a nice'mature' pilot wale burger tho!..(sorry nasty joke)

Posted: 18-10-2001 20:27 Post subject: Weird Cornwall II

Well Weird Cornwall

Gleanings from this weeks West Briton 18 Oct. 01

Congratulations to Gerry Pyke who made it to 100 yrs old last Sunday! (Until he was 99 e lived on is own home in Tavistock, he moved to a nursing home in Grampound road to be near is family) Unfortunately no tips for longevity are forthcoming.

Cornwall Leads the Country in Something
A former shooting range (!) in Chacewater formed the largest Cannabis farm in UK! One of the entrepreneurs got 4 and half yrs in jug for it though. Comprising 151 lights (with 120 spare bulbs) with the electricity meter bypassed so free leccy! They had already harvested 10.6kg with a further 74.2-kg almost ready. They had planned on three crops a year. Guarded by video cameras linked to the owner’s mobile phone, the main culprit fled the country leaving his mate to take the rap.

Big Eyes
The Lizard seems to collect all sorts or detritus but this week a first for UK was found dead on the beach at Gunwalloe. A Big-eyed Thresher Shark. (Eyes indeed big at 2” across) This is the first record north of the Bay of Biscay.

Wave goodbye
Apparently we have a monster tidal wave on the way!...Newquay’s Fistral Beech expects a 20ft wave and its got a name too ‘The Cribber’..Surfers are queuing up to ride these yearly phenomena. Caused by a combination of wind and tide.

We beat Buckminster Fuller!
The Old TA centre in Bar road In Falmouth known as ‘the dome’ is gonna be knocked down (to redevelop it and make homes for retired people probably). Built in 1939 it was built along geodesic lines and this predates the erection of barrel Geodesic structures in Detroit by Buckminster Fuller. Being as to the conservation departments, Cornwall stopped in 1800 I don’t hold out much hope for this lovely structure, theres money to be made and more bungalow-bills to be housed.

Posted: 19-10-2001 22:16 Post subject:

To rescue your thread from oblvion, I'd just like to say, dont put down your beautiful county, it's gods own county, if he, she, or it exists that is. Wink

Posted: 20-10-2001 20:20 Post subject:

ay its its a wonderful place and i couldnt live anywere else now...just the councils seem ell bent on makeing it 'Theme Park Cornwall'

Posted: 20-10-2001 21:35 Post subject:

I know what you mean, but you have to face the fact that Cornwall needs tourists, and sadly tourists like theme parks and they in turn bring in money and jobs, so dont blame the council, they are trying to do their best for the county, look at Florida, it wasn't always a rich state you know.

Posted: 21-10-2001 19:32 Post subject:

yes Cornwall needs tourists...trouble is they are getting older!..In Falmouth we have one of the greatest sailing harbours in the world...with one expensive and snooty marina and they ave been arguing bout a car park here for 15yrs! (so much so when our MP was sworn in a joke was made about it in parliament!).... Our local concil is composed of old retired people desperate to maintain thier self important roles...The employed workers in the council seem quite good tho..

Posted: 24-10-2001 02:54 Post subject: it's gods own county

Glad to see the plural of deity was used

Thing about Cornwall is that the background weirdness is pretty high, so it isn't commented on. Lots of folk know about the dog in Jubilee valley, or consider Ed Prynne to be only a tad out of the ordinary.

What is considered bad is people upsetting the status quo.

They;
complain about the Eden project being bad for the environment
discourage visitors by closing/not authorising car parks
fight the renovation of engine houses
and don't kick out councellors/council officers who they believe line their pockets with developers cash

It's time we saw the headline "The Cornish are Revolting"

Posted: 24-10-2001 09:36 Post subject: Re: it's gods own county

It's time we saw the headline "The Cornish are Revolting"

[/B][/QUOTE]

Here ! Here !

.....and I don't mean that in a bad way either !!!! Very Happy

I think it's really unfair that they let people in to Cornwall for free on the Tamar Bridge, but charge them money to leave - when it should be the other way round !!!

... and while we're at it I think we should install Mawgwr at the other 'border control point' at Okehampton with instructions to vet all cars without a Kernow sticker !

Plus how about an enforced Cornish Diet for all those entering the county with large amount s of (cornish) clotted cream, giant pasties and starry gazy pie ??!? (I think this could be a good test of true worthiness to enter our wonderful country !) ....Either that or an enforced Brenda Wooton listening session - that should sort the men from the boys !!

Posted: 24-10-2001 15:16 Post subject:

On the bridge into Truro...FREE CORNWALL..(i was realy tempeted to add..with every ten pasties)......Back ground wierdness is high alright and so is forground wierdness in my life!.... Ed prynne was normal for most folk !... i wonder if its the openness of Cornwall that makes it strange, other places are just as odd but no one knows?........if the farmers had thier way everywhere would be a car park!.(cargo cult mentality there i think)... The Eden Project, love it.........9 million for a Cornish Uni !( is sugested they call it Cornish University an National Training...but they objected to the acronim)... so we can all get jobs sweeping the floors and washing up ah!....if they gave every small one man biz in Cornwal a new white van they would make a greater contribution with objective one money!....ive got the forms to get it here...it basicly says only aply if u can devote urself full time to getting it.

Posted: 24-10-2001 15:39 Post subject:

Wow ! I remember that 'Free Corwall' bit of graffitti on the railway bridge - in fact I seem to recall that in the early 90's during my Cornwall College days (and also at the same time as BOGOF and 342 offers first appeared in the shops) someone draped a banner over the bridge, so the slogan went 'Free Cornwall -- with every pack of Cornflakes'

Did you ever see that sidecar_jon ?? It was well funny !!!!! Very Happy

Haarp