I Found This Really Snooty, And Could Have Been Dangerous!!
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
June 17, 2008 9:35pm CST
Okay I solemnly promise this will be the last discussion pertaining to the tree business I've been ranting about lately....promise! And this isn't a rant, but something I found really snooty and the potential for danger...that is to my computer.
If you've been following my rants about the hatchet job that was recently done in my area of the beautiful trees, done by a so called Tree Expert company (yeah sure)...you'll know how outraged I was by it all since any kind of major pruning of trees at this time of the year is a definite no-no as it weakens the trees and puts them into shock. The result was that yes, one of the beautiful trees right outside my bedroom window came crashing down just last night
So I haven't been idle and have been contacting every known organization known to mankind about this voicing my opinion. I've emailed the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Parks and Recreation, emailed news media helplines...I even was able to track down the tree company itself and emailed them--while I was "diplomatic" with them, the tree company that is, I was basically suggesting they go back to forestry school and learn how to properly prune trees and as to when to do so.
Anyway, in my email, I got a response supposedly from a member of the Kissena Park Civic Association--I say supposedly, since I DID NOT contact them...so like how did this person get my email? And why would I contact them as they aren't that close in my particular area.
The reply to me by this so-called member was what I thought rather snooty and snotty--let me share it with you:
[i]I have been informed of your matters pertaining to the street trees in Elmhurst. I share your sentiments.
These are NYC street trees under the jurisdiction of DPR Forestry and Asplund is contracted by DPR Forestry to undertake the pruning work as per ANSI and Industry Standards. I suggest that you contact the Queens Director of Forestry Joe Bonkowski- xxx-xxxx (number edited by me)
I also suggest that you inquire whether the arborist for Asplund- the person doing the chainsaw pruning was an ISA Certified Arborist and perhaps get his name. A description of this certification can be found at the ISA website (international Soc of Arboricuture). If not, then why not? How and why are novices for Asplund under a DPR Forestry permit authorized to touch and prune (in your case hack) public shade trees?
[b]Educating and fully informing yourself of the matters pertaining to the care and preservation of our public trees allows you to become an educated tree steward and not just a perceived uninformed trouble maker. I also suggest that for you to better understand tree care and the language, that you take a Citizens Pruner course at the Qns Botanic Garden hosted by Trees New York.
[/b]
Good luck and enjoy your summer.
[/i]
Okay boys and gals...lets pick this apart..LOL...First of all, this jerk didn't spell Arboriculture right, nor the Tree Expert company's name..is ASPLUNDH. Also, why does this person assume that only ONE "arborist" was involved with the "pruning" of the trees? It was a crew of about eight to ten men and there were about three, yes three large crane trucks with a crew of several men.
Oh and I just love the part that I have in bold here...first I'm not an uninformed troublemaker...I do happen to have some gardening and pruning savvy as I used to volunteer my time with a Ms. Conway who was a highly skilled gardener at my local library's garden...she taught me a LOT.
Now here's the dangerous part....the real WTF?????? Included with the email was an attachment. Since this was a so-called representative member of the Kissena Park Civic Association I thought, okay...so I go to open it, when....a big alert tells me that the attachment contains a virus--WHAT?
AND NO..I did not open it. Of course having a Mac computer, the potential for Windows/PC type viruses wouldn't affect my computer, but I still didn't want to take the chance and find out the hard way.
So I want some feedback here...One do you think this email to me was a bit snooty and snotty, two, and most important do you think this person really was from this Civic Association??...Oh I did look it up and they do have a website and the person's name IS listed...but that doesn't mean that it really WAS the person who emailed me. If the person WAS legit, why the frick was the person sending me an attachment with a virus potential?
5 people like this
12 responses
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
18 Jun 08
Pye's Mommy...
seems to me that someone got your email and sent it on to this person and figured they were good at trying to put people in their spots and make you feel like an idiot..oh yea trying to mess with you by giving you a virus maybe too...so if i were you i'd take there email bit by bit and tell them like an old school teacher would there mistakes in grammar,spelling and error's in what really happened with mentioning that you do have expert advise and why would they think otherwise? Maybe if they see you can put them down in the only way they know how, they'd realise you aren't a bunch of idiots like them?
Doesn't hurt to try it right? love the beginning explaining to you that these are NYC trees No duh?
Good Luck! and keep me posted Love this mess and am not tired of hearing about this subject cause you know how i love trees
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Jun 08
I'm beginning to think it might have been some idiot from the tree company itself since I did email them. Oh, I did email the person back..and told him off very distinctly that I did have gardening and pruning savvy, that I wasn't a misinformed troublemaker..also, at the end I mentioned the fact that "you sent me an attachment, why? and added that my system alerted me that there was a virus.
Also this yoho was all wrong...the NYC street trees are NOT sanctioned under the Forestry Dept...there is NO such thing here in NYC, but is under the jurisdiction of the Department of parks and recreation
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Okay I emailed back the jerk..he claims he didn't send an attachment..oh? I just got a reply to my email by the way..he was curious whom I've contacted...here's my email back to him..
[i]First of all, there was indeed an attachment with your email.
Second how can I ask any ASPLNDH crew member about their credentials if the crews are no longer working around here? I also found it strange that you gave me a the suggestion that there is a Citizens Pruner Course at Queens Botanic Garden, when there is none. I looked up Trees NY website and yes there is a course, but held at Lost Battalion Hall located in Rego Park.
As for whom I've contacted....Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Department of Parks and Recreation (which is the actual organization from what I understand has jurisdiction with City Trees not Forestry), Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, Congressman Crowley, Councilwoman Helen Sears, the Mayor's Office, SaveATree, Environmetal advocates Of NY, Department of Environmental Conservation..also have contacted the news media via..Help Me Howard, Channel 7 On Your Side, Arnold Diaz's Shame on You, John Deutzman, investigative reporter, NY One For You..you get the idea..
[/i]
I ACTUALLY DID contact all these people...probably now thinks I'm the biggest beech going...LOL
1 person likes this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
18 Jun 08
well I hope you showed them that you aren't a youhoo like them and you caught there game..sending you a virus..what if? no telling..glad you caught it in time...
1 person likes this
@KrazyKlingon (5005)
• United States
18 Jun 08
If you still have the email, look at the "full headers." You can usually get the IP address as to where the email came from. I can find out the IP address of the computer that it got emailed from (assuming that it's not sophisticatedly masked). I cannot explain what to look for.
Once you have the IP address of the computer, it can be reported to the proper authorities.
2 people like this
@KrazyKlingon (5005)
• United States
26 Jun 08
If you can actually find the company that choppily chopped the trees, you might find that maybe the main headquarters or district headquarters, might just be located in an entirely different area.
Usually, unless it is civil service people paid by the city/county/state doing a job, they are on salary with paychecks coming from the municipality. If a job like this needs to be done by a vendor or outside contract, by maybe a landscaping company that the city/state/county needs to hire, a bond is made, & then the job goes out for bid. Then the procurement office of the municipality would probably choose the lowest bidder after receiving quotes from various companies.
Assuming that the IP was not spoofed, the company that got the job may have very well been in Virginia.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Jun 08
A fellow MyLotter (who lives not far from me) and I were very busy last night...he too suggested the business about the IP address...then I did some tracking...seems the IP address/location has several "shared" emails addresses attached to it...seems weird no?
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Thanks ever for that link..tried it...according to it the IP number originates from Virginia...uh, duh?? I would have thought the origins would be here in NY
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
18 Jun 08
IF that person is on the listI would email them or call and talk to them and find out if they did send the email and why the attachment had a virus in it!
and I know they did prune att he wrong time my hubby worked in the woods for years and you never prune this time of year . Never do it when the sap is up if you want something to live its only done right in the winter time when sap is down.
yup snooty
And since they seem to be city trees would o to city personnel and have them come look at the PRETTY job that was done on the trees maybe they can stop the next place not to get the hatcht job done tothem!
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Look at my response that I give under winterose's reply here...#11...I go into a lot of detail there--but basically I think I may have really rattled someone along the line...I did email this bozo back, and point blank asked him why he sent me an attachment, and that when I was about to open it gave me the virus alert...he emailed me back...and among other things he DENIES sending me an attachment at all...that's odd in itself, isn't it?
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
18 Jun 08
Educating and fully informing yourself of the matters pertaining to the care and preservation of our public trees allows you to become an educated tree steward and not just a perceived uninformed trouble maker. I also suggest that for you to better understand tree care and the language, that you take a Citizens Pruner course at the Qns Botanic Garden hosted by Trees New York. Good luck and enjoy your summer.
OK... this does sound patronising and snooty.
But giving him the benefit of the doubt... maybe he did not express himself correctly and was hoping to recruit you in a "save the trees" organization.
Just about every email attachment is a virus potential under Windows security. So I would not read too much in that either.
2 people like this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Man or man what a mess. I can see how the person form the Kissena Park Civic Association got your email by being forwarded by someone you sent the original to.
Now for the the virus I it sounds like you are being set up by someone sending you hate mail. Someone who did not like your letter and is trying to cause you problems.
I do not like that the person is suggesting that you take pruning classes. WTF is that all about? Why would you need classes when you can get any book and read on it as to when you should prune a tree?
There may have been only one Certified Arborist on the job. I do not know if a job like that needs more then one certified arborist or if everyone cutting trees needs to be certified. That part may make sense.
Be aware you may have made enemies all for the preservation of those beautiful trees.
Good luck,
Oh and by the way to answer your question yes, it is snoody
2 people like this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
18 Jun 08
You go girl! that is why you are my friend.
2 people like this
@moxalot (100)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Hi...
I've been reading about the trees near your house.
And as I was catching up on news in New Hampshire, I came across an article in the Union Leader, about how many people in the town of Epping were really upset because the electric company was "trimming" all the trees. Apparently, they think that will stop power outages during storms. They have been doing this dumb tree trimming stuff all over St. Louis after there were outages a few summers ago. In Epping the utility said they had permission from the owners. And here the electric company is supposed to have permission from tree owners.
Now the other thing... That's just plain odd. And maybe the person who sent you it is silly enough not to scan attachments.
That's really weird.
I'm so sorry the tree fell down.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Want to hear something really strange? I emailed this guy back and did ask him why he sent an attachment...he denies sending me one at all...that's kind of strange..no?
@moxalot (100)
• United States
19 Jun 08
Holy Cow that is so odd.
Makes you wonder.
I was thinking yesterday about my husbands grandfather. He spent many years trying to kill a tree in his yard. He kept topping it. But the tree is still there, thriving.... It kept coming back. YAHOO!!! Tree....
Have an awesome day....
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
18 Jun 08
Sounds like a phishing job to me, by some hacker who wanted to make it look legit by jumping on the bandwagon of a current event. Since a lot of people probably did write to that company, they figured that they could make it look legit.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Oh my I just got a brainstorm...maybe the person posing as a member of this Civic Association was actually a member of that tree company since I did email them too.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
18 Jun 08
I think you are seriously over reacting,
I read this letter and the person is trying to give you all the tips to be helpful to get the results you want but you are taking them as negative,
the more you know when it comes to government and agencies the more you can get what you want that is a fact of life,
so this person who does not know you took the time to read you and give you tips on what you can ask and things you can do to make a strong case,
does that person know how much gardening experience you have no, he or she does not know you personally, but he or she is writing to you like you are any concerned citizen.
Snooty would have been take a course in gardening and don't bother us,
meaning you are whining for nothing,
this person can you some very helpful tips to help you to manage through the sea of red tape that is out there.
Did this person create the sea no but is trying to help you to wade through it.
Melanie don't shoot the messenger,
and please stop taking professional style writing (minus the mistakes) to be abrupt, snooty, forward or whatever you want to call it. YOu do the same with me and my writing.
This is not personal, it is a fact filled email with tips to strengthen your case only.
If governments and agencies feel any citizen does not know what they are talking about they simply do not listen, this email is trying to point this out.
this reminds me of the story of the woman who could only see fault in everything (I am not saying you only see fault in everything here, I just want to illustrate a point)
In her case, she and her son was swimming and the son ventured out too far, she couldn't save him,
She screamed for help from the beach, a nice man heard her and swim out and saved her son and came back to the beach with him,
was the woman happy with the man that saved her son?
did she thank him? No instead she criticized that the boy had a hat on and the man did not come back with the hat?
the moral hear is don't sweat the small stuff, the issue here was a strange man saved her son that is the big picture,
not that he didn't bring back the boys had which in fact is a minor issue,
do you see what I am getting at?
the big picture is that you got that email, the person was trying to help you weed through read tape
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
18 Jun 08
okay but you didn't mention any of this stuff in your last discussion only gave us his email, which I really did not find anything harmful about it, if I did I would have been the first one to tell you,
but this is all new info you are presenting here and now the case is taken on a new an sinister form, be careful, you don't get in too deep and not be able to get out if you know what I mean.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Jun 08
Well all this "new" info occurred after I posted this discussion...like I said, the other MyLotter and I were emailing each other like crazy until real late and I only got the second email from this Cartsen character after I posted my discussion as well.
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
19 Jun 08
hmmmmmmmmmm....Sounds like this person hasn't a clue what she is talking about, not the other way around. This email may have come from her but was being told what to say by someone else who, also, has no clue what they are talking about. As for the email virus, I would email it back to her and tell her to open it herself being your computer won't open it. Most trees have to be pruned in either early spring or late fall BEFORE or AFTER they come out of/go into dormacy. That's also when they can be safely dug up and replanted somewhere else. Otherwise, it can harm and possibly kill them. You don't nesseraliy have to paint that black goop on the fresh cuts either because as long as it's a clean cut with no jagged edges, the tree can and will heal itself w/o suffering from disease or insect damage. The jagged cuts, like my township was doing, will indeed kill a tree no matter how you try to save it because it's a open cut down deep in the heart of the tree where disease and insects can thrive.
1 person likes this
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
19 Jun 08
LOL Looks like you beat me to my 2nd posting under mine.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Jun 08
LOL--I'm telling everyone to read my response under winterose as I go into a lot of update details about all this...But yes I'm aware that trees should never be "pruned" until their "dormant" season and not now. So read my response there
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
18 Jun 08
I would first of all attempt to verify the senders credentials. If you can't verify them then I would contact your local counterpart and tell them what happened...someone is obviously monitoring e mail traffic and may be attempting to plant a virus in government computers via your e mails. The e mail itself was out of line and I would check and see if any of the recommendations actually hold water, that is do they have a Citizens Pruner Course and such.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Jun 08
I hunted around Queens Botanic Garden website...they do have courses but not this Citizens Pruner thing...then I hunted Trees NY ..they do give courses and the only ones available are in another location, but NOT Queens Botanic. He was very curious whom I had contacted about this...this should rattle his brains a bit cause here's the list of places I did contact
...Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Department of Parks and Recreation (which is the actual organization from what I understand has jurisdiction with City Trees not Forestry), Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, Congressman Crowley, Councilwoman Helen Sears, the Mayor's Office, SaveATree, Environmetal advocates Of NY, Department of Environmental Conservation..also have contacted the news media via..Help Me Howard, Channel 7 On Your Side, Arnold Diaz's Shame on You, John Deutzman, investigative reporter, NY One For You
Uh, been busy haven't I??? LOL
1 person likes this
@littleowl (7157)
•
25 Jun 08
Hi Pye-there so may people out there now ale to pick up emaills etc from peoples computers that they are now sending viruses etc through emails you did the right thing in not opening it-just be careful if you receive an email you don't recognize and dlelete it just don't open it-your friend littleowl
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
26 Jun 08
Yes I'm glad I didn't open that attachment...even glader that I got the warning about it
@jerzgirl (9226)
• United States
18 Jun 08
What it sounds like to me is that SOMEONE thought you were a troublemaker and shared your "disruptive" email with others in their office, one of whom DIDN'T think you were and forwarded or printed and shared a copy with this tree preservation activist. I'm sure you can easily check on the validity of their claims (that their organization or citizen activist designation exists and that the classes they suggest also exist). These people are volunteers and aren't always known for their tact, even though they may not intend to come off as snobs.
But, it does sound like someone somewhere made a big issue out of your communications and that someone else passed your concerns on to this person who regularly fights for the preservation of trees in NYC (which would be why she knows who to contact).
It may not be the negative thing it appears, although you do need to be careful with ALL attachments from anyone, especially people you don't know.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Jun 08
LOL--I'm referring folks to my response I gave with winterose...reply #11..goes into a LOT of detail...This Carsten first of all gave me a lot of misinformation for a so-called tree activist...He comes across as a tree saint from what I've read about him, yet he's connected with the Forestry organization (that Joe guy) that hired the very same tree company that did the hatchet job all over my area. Strange, no? Just read that other response I made..goes into a lot of "scoop"
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Jun 08
I wrote a friend of mine about this and she's kind of freaking me out a bit...she says I should be careful, that yes, there could be even a mob connection to this and I might be some kind of target because I've rattled off to a lot of people about this..yeesh
@jerzgirl (9226)
• United States
18 Jun 08
I will humbly retreat and ask forgiveness as I go - I failed to read down to the bottom where you said there was a viral attachment attached. Your explanation to Mooch more than makes it look like a "connected" situation. Be careful - those who are "connected" aren't always nice people.
1 person likes this
