Bignews does the ramble Art, Politics, Icy roads, plus local Blog Rankings

Some bloggers, have a sunday ramble, a weekly ramble and possibly a daily ramble, with time to burn yesterday, rather than sit and fester at Flaig Mansions, I thought I've two choices Mrs Me has requested that I tidy up the study/library (spare room with lots of stuff old papers, brochures, magazines, books, tools and work gear) or I could get some fresh air.

I have until the end of the week to tidy up, or else and not having had much fresh air I decided to get out, anyhow although Mrs Me doesn't appreciate these things but I have tidied up the old desktop, defragged the hard drive, removed a lot of rubbish and updated stuff, so despite the bitter cold a walk was by far the more appealing option. I don't generally ramble or muse but here goes.

It's difficult to express how poor our local authority has been in clearing roads, as for pavements forget about it, despite listening to upbeat music on my iphone I could not help but have dark thoughts about our county and district councillors, particularly the former since these blighters trouser I think 13 grand plus a year, for what, couldn't they at least earn the money by clearing paths or something.

I cheered up, once in Margate to realise that contrary to media reports, there was some life left in Margate, and Rooks butchers still sell fine savoury delights such as sausage rolls and one of there unique specialities the cheese and bacon twist, basically a circle of puff pastry, with bacon and melted cheese on top, delicious, even better that, they now sell coffee.

Fortified I stumbled, back into the "Market" then walk down the lower high street, obviously activity is low, but which high street is still thriving, anyhow wandering around the old town, its pleasing to see the shops that are occupied which five years ago were empty, I visited the Margate Gallery which has expanded since I last visited and currently has a fine exhibition of work "Lovers of Light".

I see Southern Gas networks are busy ripping up much of Margate with considerable  mess in the old town, I just hope that they leave things as they found them but I'd take a guess that some of the elaborate blockwork paving will get replaced with tarmac, on to the Harbour Arm, I see this is now colonised by contractors building flood defences,  given that work is set to continue throughout the year, I just wonder how serious the risk of flooding is and whether its worth a years disruption.

Saturday I visited Turner Elements, but through the magic of the mobile phone, got interupted, so yesterday spent an hour or so wandering round the Turner Contemporary, first the Hamish Fulton exhibition, which devotes itself to the artist's interest in walking, with no to wish criticise I cannot help thinking if the artist, was to document his quest to fill out his annual tax return, using randomly sized notices and simple bold text, bullet points, accompanied with equally random pictures, then there would be little difference indeed it might prove more interesting.

Coming to the "Turner Elements", this is as you'd expect marvelous, the exhibition is pegged on the idea of elements as understood by greeks? earth wind water and fire and er air, anyway some great pictures and snippets of Turner capturing ideas, impressions of light and objects, a sort of visual memory, brilliant still a small point, one picture Evening of the Deluge is lit from above and the frame casts a shadow over the picture.

The Turner Elements is a great distraction from the world, outside the gallery is another distraction as much disconnected from the reality as anything inside, at first glance it looks like a hastily arranged Tracy Emin retrospective, from her tent period but happens to be the  "occupy campaign" camped at the bottom of the stairs, you have to admire the futility and stupidity of the protest, a vague and apparently pointless, anticapitalist group with no realistic objectives or goals. I couldn't help wondering whether hidden within the mess of tents, campaigners hadn't pegged out, however on leaving I could hear disembodied voices coming from within the canvas, rather them than me.

Taking a glance at "Occupy Thanet" vacant, facebook page and having taken a gander at the bland meaningless press release, even with the "like" endorsement from local activist and film maker Christine Tongue, someone ought to be kind and tell them their wasting their time.

I hope that someone gets this lot get evicted, Margate harbour area all ready looks a mess, with the harbour arm converted into a builders yard, the clump of tents just by the entrance is a complete pigs breakfast, of course had the protesters a rational objective, instead of wallowing in pity and loathing of vile capitalists, why don't they do something, like get a job, or if they already work, get a better job and be happy.


As a capitalist in the loosest definition, that is I go to work and earn money, I'd like to see that the someone from the jobcentre, makes sure I'm not grafting to subsidise these people, particularly since they can't even bother to articulate themselves.

I applaud protest, when it has an objective like that of the late Brian Haw a long term campaigner, who set up his own peace camp opposite Parliament, reminding politicians of the consequences of decisions over Iraq, for the last ten years and even if you don't agree at least you can respect the man's purpose in speaking up for children and civilians, victims of the Iraq war.

Sorry for the ramble finally, I took a quick glance at rankings using figures from Ebuzzing formally Wikio as you can be sure these are kind to me, which is why I wont be quoting my google page rank which has slipped down the toilet. I know Michael Child publishes monthly figures but anyhoo these are independent.

Bignews Margate score  801

Thanet Press score 833 (mostly from TDC PR who I thought Michael was no longer going to use )
Thanet Life score1000
Thanetonline score 1574
Thanet Star score 1907
Thanet Waves score 14073 (this is the first reference to this site and as such is likely to rise rapidly since  Luke Edwards site is one of the better reads in Thanet,.

NEXT IF I GET ROUND TO IT - Another instance of BBC sloppy reporting?