Chain saw volunteers

Round the Epsom Common all weather path a couple of days ago and I am pleased to report that there were no signs of recent chain saw activity.

Perhaps the chain saw volunteers feel that any further deforestation at the present time might actually stir the rather torpid Epsom tree lovers into action and have settled for a spell of detached duty in Brazil, where they can chop down aboriginal forest in favor of giant eucalyptus trees (see 21st November). Bit of an expense getting there - as volunteers they have to pay their own way - but there is the compensation that the aboriginal trees make a much more satisfying thud when they come down than the relatively puny trees to be found on Epsom Common.

Back home to read about how the four pillars of our accounting world - PwC, KPMG, E&Y and Deloitte - when they are not doing very careful audits on banks which are too big to fail and not doing lots of lovely well paid and not too demanding work as consultants to government, make quite a good thing out of the tax havens (see 26th November). According to Polly Toynbee of the Guardian, it is perfectly alright for a big business to do its level best not to pay any tax in the countries where it does its business, but such businesses do like to have one of said four pillars draw a cloak of respectability over said level best. So all the big four run stonking great offices in all the tax havens so that they can provide on-the-spot aid and comfort to businesses as they go about not paying any tax.

And all those oh so respectable, wannabee county types who live in places like Jersey, do not need to actually get their hands dirty, but they do do quite nicely out of it all thank you, hands free & indirectly.

So, as with (illegal) drugs, plenty of vested interest in the rather unsatisfactory status quo.