Labour’s Vigilante Scare

Labour locally, like their colleagues nationally, are in somewhat of a crisis, aware that most of the electorate have rumble them and realising that the Blair and Brown years, were based on mortgaging our future, and covered up by a whooping lie from Brown “the years of boom and bust are over”.

Local labour have played a pretty poor game of late, own goals like fighting against jobs, social housing, de-selection of Mark Nottingham who has been replaced Ian Driver of whom, it’s not clear (at least as I see it) whether he's still a member of the Labour party or not.

Still I have to say, its difficult not to admire, Cllr Driver who seems to have run rings round not just Labour but also the Tories particularly his deft influence and handling of the appalling cross channel export of live animals.

Getting back on topic, Labour have little to campaign on, as regards social issues they’ve gone the extra mile to stuff job opportunities and object to affordable housing, still crime, is always a good one for any party who’ve lost their way.

We told by the Gazette that, Labour councillors, Clive Hart, Linda Aldred and Doug Clark, are worried about gangs, vandalism and drug-dealing, and complaints are increasing in Cliftonville, something needs to be done. So serious is the problem that Clive Hart, no less has “written a letter to Kent Police and the council's chief executive to demand action.” and then something I find insulting, this comment  "We have serious concerns that decent local people could take matters into their own hands."

The inference is that you and I are so, stupid and bonkers, that we are about to tool up, and presumably stalk the streets of Thanet and what?  of course it’s utter nonsense but it makes for a good photo, Clive Hart looking determined and his colleagues maybe a little surprised and puzzled.

I’m not belittling the fact that crime, may be on the rise, and here in Margate we clearly have problems exacerbated, if not created by Labour’s time in office particularly the social experiment in mass migration, which the Labour cabinet showed scant regard nationally for the welfare of either millions of low paid workers or easily exploitable migrants.

Despite what Cllr Clive Hart has to say, what he needs to take on board, is that Labour are to blame for a crass policy of social engineering that has caused considerable stress and strain on society, however most of us a little smarter and more tolerant than he gives us credit, clearly Thanet Labour are a disgrace, if they are following Clive Hart’s lead in what I’m sure is inflammatory scare mongering.

If anyone can answer this, just exactly what is the basis of Cllr Clive Hart’s  “serious concerns” slur against his own constituents, you couldn’t make it up!

The Queen’s visit to Margate

No doubt excitement is mounting throughout the upper echelons of the great and the good of Thanet Society and indeed, Kent as a whole. As yet details of the visit due on Friday 11th November are limited, however I would assume a circuit of the Turner Contemporary is most likely, in which case I’d guess Thanet’s top knobs might well play second fiddle to KCC wallahs.

I see at least one local councillor is showing he’s already muchly excited “a great privilege for the town and the island in general. I suspect that the frantic polishing of shoes and pressing of suits and dresses is already well  underway” regular local blog readers will “I suspect” recognise the fawning style of Cllr Moores .

Anyhoo I’d just love to be a fly on the wall as our “betters”, vie with each other for a chance of hand shake or exchange of pleasantries and speculate on the machinations between Labour and Conservatives particularly given the tenuous grip on the council of the latter and the ambitions of the former.

Well as a sort of republican, I would, if we lived in a proper democracy vote for the Queen as President, since from my observations, she appears to be well informed and has experience well beyond any politician in Westminster.

Since at this point through oversight or whatever my invite has yet to arrive at Flaig Mansions, it’s unlikely I’ll need to brush up, on protocol, still I doubt I would bow, however I could and would willingly manage a nod.

Respect to the Queen for nipping down to these parts, and I’m sure she’ll enjoy the Turner Contemporary. I hope she also gets to use the HS1 from St.Pancras, rather than the Thanet way, avoiding any holdups.

For those who don’t know how to behave, according to the British Monarchy Website   “The Queen meets thousands of people each year in the UK and overseas. Before meeting Her Majesty, many people ask how they should behave. The simple answer is that there are no obligatory codes of behaviour - just courtesy.

For men this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way.

On presentation to The Queen, the correct formal address is 'Your Majesty' and subsequently 'Ma'am'.

Rupert Murdoch should we know who he shares his nights with?

Sorry not the most wholesome thought and not for the squeamish, but maybe we should ask the question, since Murdoch's papers, continue to poke and pry into the lives of those it considers noteworthy.

Murdoch's News International company, already tarnished by a mountain of evidence of sleaze and corruption, from it's News of the World paper, looks to have learnt nothing, I chanced upon an article from Monday's Sun, it speculated on Prince Harry's relationship with a waitress, which of course is none of our business, or Rupert Murdoch's.

I understand that Mr Murdoch is not a supporter of royalty and neither am I, however if Murdoch wants to change things, we live in a democracy, we can discuss and make the case for change.

News International, newspapers, have in my opinion frequently wrapped themselves in the Union Jack, when it suits but have had a long history of intrusive reporting, trivialising the Royal family.

So what's the big deal, well, whether I like or even Murdoch likes it, the Royal family, are constitutionally part of the government of this country, so until such time as that is no longer the case, it would be nice if News International could show some respect for a British institution and cease the continual corrosive tittle tattle and endless banal revelations such as young bloke albeit Prince tries or gets leg over, so what!

No doubt the journalist Pete Samson, the editor and the proprietor of the Sun would claim some dubious public interest argument in disclosing, Prince Harry's private life, however I'd see this "story" as at best nothing to do with us the public and at worst a potential threat to security of the royal family and by implication the UK.

The press and media continue to insist on self regulation, which thus far has never worked, while continuing, generally in the more squalid newspapers to publish vile stories of no merit or genuine public interest.

CCTV Cutback in Thanet

No fan of CCTV myself I have to say Thanet councils announcement that they will be cutting by a quarter the time these things are monitored is a master stroke, instead of Thanet's crooks, low life & scum, having to guess when someone's watching, TDC have let it be known that the cameras will be unattended at...... no doubt a press release will be issued later.

As much as I believe in open government you would have thought that they could have at least kept the rascals guessing.

NHS What's to save?

Just a quick observation, having seen over the last year or so adverts in the press and on telly advising the need to act quickly in the event of someone showing signs of having a stroke, it comes as no surprise that once again the NHS is failing patients.

According to the Independent newspaper stroke victims have in many cases been denied vital treatment because of sloppy management of resources like MRI/CT scanners.

In the last few weeks it has been revealed

• That nurses in Margate were issued with aprons suggesting patients should not speak to them.
• That patients should be looked after by relatives, Royal College of Nursing I think.
• Patients being starved to death or left to dehydrate.
• East Kent health trust fifth worst in the country.

No doubt some of you think this is just blasphemy, but then you've probably never witnessed patients incapable of feeding themselves left with meals out of reach, or unwashed and I don't suppose you've had to point out to a nurse, then doctor that an elderly patient shouldn't, having been admitted due to a fall, risk death because they can't be asked, to see a patient get fluids or as later happened allowing the same patient to fall again because they would not provide safety equipment like a Zimmer frame.

As I mentioned earlier to criticise the health service, is like blasphemy to the vast majority of our godless society (of whom I'm one), however I concede that a significant number of health workers are not only competent but also genuinely caring people although for some it's a more a well paid occupation and who knows what superfluous directors and managers are motivated by, because it is self evident even before the cuts all was not well with our health service.

I'd like to see some system whereby citizens could sack the senior tiers of management of health authorities when they fail to deliver

Perhaps a petition signed by a couple of hundred worried citizens could be the criteria for sacking useless fat cats and might encourage health chiefs to act quickly rather than do nothing and continue to wallow in that state which afflicts many in the public sector the overwhelming feeling of self importance.

Iphone has eaten my blog posts

I frequently post using my phone, however for whatever reason the app I use conflicts with the new Iphone operating system and has eaten my posts!

The picture is of the family cat, Mr Puss who has made it his mission in life to partake in Sunday lunch, often lunging toward the roast when least expected, swine! but unlike Apple I can forgive him, so far he has yet to succeed with the big prize, although he is not above begging as above.

Every little helps Tesco but Margate? - Politicians ought to do less

Every little may well help Tesco but in the case of politicians, a little can do a lot of damage. 

As far as I'm concerned, too many politicians and for that matter citizens expect politicians to do some about blimin everything.

Whether politicians are professionals (MP's), semi-pro (councillors who screw those fat additional allowances) and keen amateurs such as TDC back bench councillors they all appear to share an uncontrollable urge, to do something, about just about every thing, they can't help themselves. 

Take a run down town like ours, trying to reinvent and remodel itself, then think of the eyesore that is Arlington house and it's environs and then mix in property developers/estate owners, witless councillors and top it off with flipping Tesco and what have you got? Wallop a blimin disaster.

This is from memory, so check the facts, Thanet council rarely noted for strategic thinking, recently approved plans for a supermarket at Arlington House, and as I understand such are the historic levels of competence within planning, decided to change long term plans to accommodate, what will be an unwelcome out of place development. Why develop local plans if your just going to fold at the first opportunity?

Typically one councillor, known for er …. extravagant claims wittered on about how we wont get a chance like this again, to which I say thank God!  lucky the owners of Arlington House didn’t propose a sewage treatment plant, to which I don’t doubt the average Thanet councillor would give serious consideration.

So what will Margate get out of the proposal for a supermarket, another flipping Tesco, traffic jams, Arlington House itself will probably remain in is current jaded state, more independent traders will be put out of business and more importantly visitors will be greeted with a hideous supermarket building, just what you need, after millions have been invested in regeneration.

At one point, an outline suggestion was made that a hotel could be the catalyst for improving the area, another is that the existing building could and should be revamped, its clear to most outside the council, we don’t need a seafront supermarket, which will blight the town, and the planned heritage theme park.

Should the planning committee, vote the development through, lets hope the people of Margate and Thanet make it there business to see that those responsible, don’t get elected to public office again.

Here’s my advice to councillors, learn to say NO and sometimes do nothing, its not necessary to build a supermarket just because someone wants to make a lot of money out of your little vote!

Did I hear right?

Not got time to blog however, listening to BBC radio Kent this morning (Monday) I heard that Kent council has managed (sorry wrong word) to lose 25 vulnerable children and young adults on its care, since March this year.

It is suspected that these children have been almost certainly are part of the apparently increasing Human Trafficking crime, forcing young people into the sex trade, drug crime, forced labour.

Another failure of our county council but more importantly society ( which is you and me), however many of us seem oblivious, still it sounds as if Kent Council are at least beginning to react to a rarely reported hideous crime.

Yes i did hear right I've just replayed the early part of this mornings (Monday ) BBC radio Kent breakfast programme.

iOS 5 “bull…..”

No doubt the new Iphone, is blimin marvellous but I have to say for a company firmly placed in the quality end of the market, their new operating system is not as it should be.

They claim to have taken the iphone/pad operating system to a new level, which in my case has proved to be the basement, a long winded process to install, while irritating is not unexpected, however unlike the seamless transfer of information from my original 3gs to 4, this “upgrade” didn’t transfer my apps and added a half hour to the process as I trawled around for a solution.

Asking another user, what their experience was the work “bull….” summed up the experience losing not just music from their phone, they claimed it had also exited the computer. Not sure that they’ve resolved the issue as a friend was going to nose around their PC for the missing files.

Admittedly I’ve not had much time to play with the hyped improvements, but my first impression is that there not all that. One example the camera from the locked screen, was not accessible until in my case I had asked someone, who told me you have to click the home button twice for it to show, trivial until you want to use the camera quickly.

Apple enthusiasts will of course think I’m a miserable old git (guilty), and feel that apple are doing us a favour, however apple are looking to grab a fair bit of business by persuading us to store information in the icloud, although you get some space free, no surprise there are options to buy more space to store photo’s etc.

If you haven’t already upgraded you Iphone, I would wait a day or two unless you’ve got nothing spoiling for an hour or so, until such time as online support groups have more answers.

PS The new notification doobry firkin, seems to have no wish update me other than with weather info, so much for the hub updating me on the latest tweets, facebook, email and texts, still I suppose that might well have more to do with my “Billy no mates” status.

Marvellous Japan

I read in my paper today, that the Japanese Tourism Agency are looking to select 10,000 people to offer free plane tickets to, according to the i, the agency said this "We are hoping to get highly influential blogger-types and others who can who can spread the word that Japan is a safe place to visit. "

So as one the leading members of Thanet's Bloggerati I'm expecting my ticket probably business class for a blogger of my calibre to arrive pdq.

If it speeds up the selection process I'm happy to state here and now how marvellous Japan is, and would also be happy to big up the Japanese consumer electronics industry if they could throw in some photographic gear and one if those mega screen tellys to show my holiday snaps, on my return from a wonderful holiday.

PS In support I would draw attention to positive posting on a recent holiday to Spain, for which I had to dig deep into Mrs Me's pockets.

Well that should do it!

Points - Labour and the Press New Standards in Hypocrisy

A couple of things have riled me this week one is the rather school boyish comments surrounding Liam Fox and his friend, yes undoubtedly a error of judgement has been made, but is it necessary for the media to have hinted at or implied Liam Fox’s sexuality as appears to have been the case. Gay or Straight who cares? its none of our business, listening to the radio on way home I hear a couple of obnoxious newspaper editors bleating about press freedom, after all the crime their industry has been involved in, the government now wants proper regulation and replace the useless Press Council who have clearly failed to police the crooks.

How caring and worried, the Labour Party, seem over the unemployment figures, the only problem I have, is that these are the same people, who with no public consultation, no thought to the consequences allowed around 5 million migrants to enter the country during their period in office. As a result many schools struggle because children cannot speak English, there is not enough housing, the health system is under strain, and all the Labour party can do is snipe at the coalition, who not surprisingly cannot wave a magic wand. But hey don’t worry, because those responsible are still working, Tony Blair (UN Middle East peace envoy despite being involved in the Iraq war), and Gordon Brown drawing his MP’s salary.

The Olympic Legacy

Admittedly it’s way to early, to reflect on the London Olympics, but since the future of the main arena is back in the news, what the hell, hopefully there will be a great televisual experience, maybe Team GB will do well (perhaps the last before Scottish independence), but it seems a typical British squabble has already broken out, over the bones of the event.

I’m a cynic, so far, from what I’ve seen, it’s a triumph of big business over people, particularly those in East London, I’ll explain and fess up to having benefitted myself, around 2006 I had a couple of nights work, protecting cabling adjacent to factories, warehouses and offices as they were being demolished, at the time I wondered, how would this benefit the locals and concluded that it wouldn't as most of those once employed in premises being obliterated would have joined the dole queue.

More substantially, improvements to London’s rail network, have provided me and co-workers with work for some considerable time, although most not coming from London let alone places like Hackney and Stratford more likely Kent, Essex, Birmingham, Yorkshire, Bulgaria, Romania, and "up North".

During the Olympics I guess much of London and the South East will be in paralysis, I've heard work will cease on the railway infrastructure at the time, of the Olympics, so perhaps I'll be indulging in that speciality of significant numbers in Hackney
form filling.

I assume that central London and certainly East London will be effectively sealed off, by officialdom, my own sporting discipline, hurling a white van up the A102 and seeing if I can get it through the Blackwall tunnel will almost certainly be cancelled given the proximity to the Olympics.

Admittedly so far the Olympics has put money in my pocket and has driven many essential improvements to London's infrastructure and helped create a large new shopping centre in Stratford employing I hope locals selling goods no doubt produced in China.

I just feel sad that ordinary people will not share the first hand direct experience of the games that rich people will, due to the slanted ticket allocation.

London as a whole has and will continue to benefit, but having worked around Hackney, it's difficult to see any improvement, and I cannot help thinking that the controversy over disposal of the main arena, is a prelude to other problems, what will happen to the velodrome, the basket ball courts or the tiddlywinks stadium or even the long term unemployed of East London.

What do experts know about Margate

Quite a bit it seems, just swilling down my breakfast cup of coffee, trawling through my paper the "i" , and I stumble across yet another article about our beloved Margate

The article written by Dominic Prince, describes how "urban guru" Andrew Ashenden, would save Margate.

Not surprisingly in referring to Tesco's plans to plonk a supermarket around Arlington House, Mr Ashdowns suggestion is to flatten the tower block "one of the ugliest buildings, I've ever seen" and create a nice open space.

Not a bad appraisal, but then my home doesn't happen to be in Arlington House.

For myself Arlington House has withstood the last 40 years, all it needs is tidying up and some imagination breathed into the retail area below, not a blimin great ugly supermarket to compliment the already aesthetically challenged Tower.

Random points

Another free weekend, somewhat of a rarity for me, and rather irrationally I feel I should put finger to keyboard and bang out some torturous posting about what…….

A scan of the papers has produced little to get my goat, Sunday Times has big bribes scandal in Saudi Arabian business deal, I think so what, it’s generally that way in a country that routinely abuses women ruled by some royal elite.

The Liam Fox thing, seems overblown set against world crisis and I wonder if there is a   as little bit more to this as does the man himself quoted in the Telegraph “I think there are underlying issues behind these claims and the motivation is deeply suspect.

This weekend’s Kent on Sunday has a less than exciting story about schools being encouraged to become academy's.

A couple of blogging related points, one goggles hit counter seems to get more optimistic by the day, I note one blog has tripled it’s audience in a month?, however others counters remain fairly restrained and what happened to Michael Child’s embargo on council press releases, did the council back down, I know when I last spoke to their legal boffin, things hadn’t changed. Is Michael getting preferential treatment?

Still if nothing else, I’ve had another pleasant weekend, vegging out mainly, this afternoon watching “The man who would be King” followed with a Sky Arts showing  Cream reunion (2005) at the Albert Hall, well that’s all, I shall continue my veg out with Channel 4 showing the classic Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, not sure about the story but great pixels.

Kents Belgium Waffle

A lot of talk today in the media from Kent council on a fresh investment panic, I guess they have found themselves once again wishing they hadn't invested money in a foreign bank, apparently ten mill is deposited with the Belgium bank Dexia, which is currently being bailed out by the French and Belgium governments.


The only worry I would have, is that the "confidence" expressed by the council is not just so much waffle and that they will get our money back, baring in mind similar ebullient remarks, were made when, Icelandic banks went tits up, so far considerably less than half of the 50 mill deposited by Kent council has made the journey home, 37 million has yet to be repatriated.

Cameron calls for bulldog spirit

Presumably to side track us from the normal Conservative bull .

In the last week or so I've heard that Tories are to change planning laws on the advice of the construction industry, hardly the most trusted sector of British industry, government department s are to, did I hear this right give away land to developers?, and withdraw human rights.

Cameron wants us to clear our person debts which according to him will just require the British Bulldog spirit, just as well since much of my money is going to to pay down the debts of irresponsible and probably crooked bankers.

Instead Cameron could say to the Banks, stop your near criminal rates of interest on credit cards, so that consumers are not robbed blind or payback the money bleed from taxpayers at similar rates also demanding the parasites in the banking industry stop paying themselves more than say 40 grand a year until their own debts are paid.

Rodin's Kiss - Maybe an opportunity for Labour

The opening of Turner contemporary's latest offering the sculpture by Rodin "The Kiss" was apparently enlivened by a group of animal rights protesters seeking publicity in their campaign to stop live animal exports from Ramsgate Port.

Details of which can be found on the this is Kent website by Gazette reporter Andrew Woodman and if you are prepared to poke around there is insight from Cllr Ian Driver's twitter stream and Stop live exports group on facebook .

Seeing Ian Drivers name pop up in connection with the protest, I was curious to find out about his status with the local Labour party, with that in mind I thought I would give him a call, unfortunately he was unable to verify whether he was still in the Labour party or outside.

I suppose whether this is good or bad news for Labour is a moot point, certainly I can only imagine that Labour leader Clive Hart, assuming he is still leader, must be regretting the day that labour selected Ian Driver rather than the former councillor Mark Nottingham to represent the Northwood constituency.

Still perhaps it is a perfect time for Clive Hart and Thanet Labour to let bygones be bygones to decide, who if any of them is prepared to kiss and make up.

Assuming Labour could bury the hatchet, we could have a marvellous publicity shot of a group hug, in front of Rodin's Kiss, which might just go some way to redress, the cheap negative publicity bought about by a recent or current member of Thanet Labours council group.

No one in their right mind would endorse the squalid trade of exporting live animals on long journeys to god knows where, however this has nothing to do with the Turner Contemporary, the staff or indeed us locals who have seen an encouraging boost bought about by the gallery, to our own conditions, culturally economically and perhaps local pride morale.

Which seem's to count for nothing, on Cllr Ian Drivers (Labour ?) agenda thanks! Let's just hope this isn't all about Ian Driver!

Still maybe Local Labour Leader Cllr Clive Hart could just sack him from the Labour Party pronto, if he'd like to maintain any credibility.

Do we need another, even if it’s Tesco-on-Sea

Before I go on too much, I have to say that when it was suggested that Tesco build a whooping great big supermarket on Margate front, I thought it utterly bonkers, for this reason, it would be out of place and stuff up the traffic (stuff wasn't the actual word).

I couldn’t imagine Thanet’s councillors would be so feeble, so insensitive or that stupid to wreck the efforts to improve Margate with a ( in my view, Tesco lawyers please note) hideous supermarket opposite the beach.

But lets face it, few Thanet councillors inspire confidence and the same sadly could be said of “officers” a view you may feel outrageous, but with the town having seen massive investment, to regenerate and build on a cultural niche, it just seemed incredible that the council would allow Tesco to distort the town is such an awful way.

I don’t dispute Tesco can be innovative like the Tesco I bought breakfast this morning (the old Hoover building on the A40) but the designs we’ve seen so far are crap in my opinion.

I have to say I was surprised to find what was a forthright editorial referring to Tesco amongst last Friday's Gazette letters page, even eclipsing the contribution by new Labour leader? Ian Driver. Well done Rebecca!

If we do somehow need a new flipping Tesco in Thanet to compliment the two superstores? two metro? two express (one about to be built) couldn't the council having changed the local plan to suit Tesco at least ask them to design something special as was the case, with the the Hoover building I mentioned earlier, something that not only compliments their bottom line but also enhances the look of our town and so that visitors on the beach are not constantly reminded of some grisly retail park.

Failing that I suggest the people of Margate boycott Tesco.

Post Office Travel Money Card Plus–How inconvenient can it get?

I recently returned from a holiday, now for me being cautious, the problem always arises, of how to take your money with you, in a safe and convenient form.

Till this last trip I’ve always taken a bit of cash, cards and travellers cheques, as I was getting cash for my trip, from the post office, I decided rather than use travellers cheques I’d get a “travel money card plus” this looked a lot less fussy, more 21st Centaury and perhaps more secure than the old American Express travels cheques.

Below are the main bullet points stressing the convenience and benefits the Post Offices website.

• You can conveniently and safely carry your spending money overseas on one handy card.
• Easily load money on to a card online, SMS or in a participating Post Office® branch.
• Use the Travel Money Card Plus like a debit card in millions of shops, bars and restaurants around the world.

Now with hindsight here are the main drawbacks as I see it

• You cannot easily redeem money left on the card
• Assuming your call to their number is answered, the advice seemed to me unhelpful, apparently for some arcane reason, this card which when travelling appears to carry your money electronically, doesn’t should you be stupid enough to wish to redeem the damn thing at the post office.
• Instead you have to wait for a redemption letter which cannot possibly be produced in (dependant on who you speak to) under 5-7 days also what with posting out, up to 15 days is the time to your expected to wait.
• Mildly concerned for the whereabouts of my money, I rang to check progress a week after, mentioning that it would have been easier if I could have had it paid back into my bank account, I was told this could be arranged, the post office bod either told me or implied that they would ring to confirm, they didn’t but I assumed sometime this last week, my account would be credited, it wasn’t
• In defence of the laggardly approach of the Post Office, to returning my money, I was asked if I had read all the terms and conditions, clearly I hadn’t and who would in a sane world.

My overall impression is that the Post Office in this instance, is they haven’t moved on during my lifetime, the “didn't you read the terms” malarkey is reminiscent of customer services in the 1970’s. (Also I have to admit I didn’t read the conditions on my holiday flight ticket, nor the manual for the Airbus A320 which failed to take me on holiday as arranged) my shame I know.

Like most people I'll read the main details and in my view reclaiming your money after a holiday is a not insignificant detail, the Post Office ought to make clear that getting your money back, might well be a flippin mission and could as in my case, take more than the rather optimistic 15 days quoted.

Finally the reason the PO give for not instantly redeeming the card is that transactions may take up to seven days to come through, but since they claim the money is loaded on to your card electronically, how is it possible, that you could spend somemoney and its not recorded on the card? surely if that were the case you could spend more money than you’d loaded, a dream for fraudsters.

I know the header of this blog reads Bignews Margate, with a commitment to offend politicians etc and this is somewhat trivial, but I’m sure if you read my terms and conditions, when I’ve finished writing them, it will be allowed under the section, its my blog,

Incidentally the sum involved is probably not enough to buy lunch for the Chief Executive but its my money and would pay this quarter’s blimin electric bill if I ever see my money again.

I’ll email the PO media department see whether they’d like to comment or correct me, if my version is wide of the mark I shall fess up.

Phew what a scorcher

Margate was once again looking busy in the extraordinarily warm weather, I had a quick stroll around the old town and harbour arm latish yesterday afternoon, how fantastic to see the difference in just a few months. The exceptional weather matched by the equally exceptional change in Margate, people coming to soak up the growing artiness of the old town, which complement the more traditional seaside attractions.I find it difficult, to be cynical as I once was, about the Turner Contemporary even if you cannot find something to suit you in the gallery itself, galleries around the old town have plenty offer.A marvellous weekend, great to see so many people enjoying themselves in Margate, either enjoying the surreal experience of spending time on a hot beach in October! or a Margate’s cultural establishments, unbelievable a few years ago.

New look dilemma - Should I stay or should I go

This is a bit of self indulgence, you know the whole business of blogging, who am I to pontificate, I’m not god….

Sometimes delusional as to my position in the Big Society, I feel I do my bit to represent an underclass of middle aged nonentities, and have a mission to inflict views which are unrepresented in the mainstream, probably for good reasons.

Once in a while, I like to think, I’ve put things in the public domain which would otherwise be dismissed by proper media.

Excuse the pompous, prelude to the meat, of this posting, the thing is Google Blogger have launched a new template (framework) called Dynamic View, which presents a much better overall view of the content.

I’d change the format immediately but for the lack of customisation possibilities, admittedly Bignews Margate is cluttered will all sorts on nonsense like the gadgets in the sidebar (Dog woof, and the fish) and links to other blogs which is essential in my mind.

Anyhow not to worry, from a reader perspective if you click here you can have the future, today, as blogger have made available a preview, there are seven different “dynamic “ views, the one I prefer is timeline. however at the top on the left you have several choices, maybe you could, give an opinion.

Assuming that Google add customisation such as gadgets, header, etc I will abandon the present layout at the earliest opportunity but for the moment will stay. Thanks to Google who allow people like me a soapbox and a world wide audience.

If you like, you can view other  “blogger” blogs in the new format by adding /view/timeslide etc and if nothing else enjoy the clash.

A couple of other local blogs in the new format