A momentous week -Confirmation - Briton as bent as nine bob note

I started the week thinking that maybe I ought to ponder on the passing of St. Georges Day, conscious of recent discussions concerning the moves by Scottish nationalists to trash the United Kingdom.

The idea of celebrating the pettiness of nationalism in the context of one of the nations which currently makes up the UK seems trivial in the extreme, at this moment in time, when Scottish nationalists are plotting the end of the British State.

This country (Britain) is as we know is involved in a pointless war in Afghanistan, few if any of us have the slightest idea why,  perhaps we have a vague idea of Afghan people have some tenuous link with Al Qaeda, what we all know is that British service men and women are at risk and that Afghanistan the country is corrupt and dominated by a barbaric society committed to perpetuating violence toward it's people in general and it's women in particular, and being a major supplier of drugs.

Although being British is considerably more important to me than being English, it is now clear to me that within a few short years, Britain will have cease to exist, and why because a handful of cranks will lead a minority population within the UK to seek independence.

For reasons never explained, it's a fact, those who live outside Scotland will be impotent, while voters Scotland will be given the power to destroy not only their region but the rest of the UK, labour as we all know, decided to devolve government in Scotland and Wales, while leaving England disenfranchised and even worse than that, allowing Scottish politicians to continue to inflict themselves on us English people, no surprise given the fact that at the time labour was well stocked with Scottish MPs.

Still what institutions are worth a light in England or the UK, watching evidence given to the Leveson committee on the press and media, it must be a common view, that not only is much of the media bent but so too it seems are our police and politicians.  The question of Minister, Jeremy Hunt's refusal to resign, following the revelation from the Murdoch family that even if he didn't fully cooperate with them, one of his sidekicks did, is nothing if not indicative of something wrong in our society.

This week it seemed that Alex Salmond may well have sung for his support for Murdoch as it were, having come in for much criticism from Labour, the Sun newspaper in Scotland backed Scots nationalist, and now we are likely to suffer as a result of his quest to cut ties with the UK.

Maybe there is nothing worth saving within the British culture, I doubt that this country has ever been entirely honest, still at this point it's difficult not to find any of our institutions that  doesn't appear as bent as a nine bob note.

Perhaps we should celebrate the future as a people entrapped in the undemocratic Europe with less say than maybe Spain or Greece, still there is a bread of people who have done alright out of the EU, mainly your bureaucrats who are happily thriving in a bland and unaccountable world.

Bleak as things are for Briatin, I suppose there will always be an England, although it will probably be minus Cornwall. I'm British first, English second, and prefer to be part of a bigger state rather than end up as a tin pot region of the institutional blamonge that is the EU.

Thanet in the age of the minority

We are living in a period of near anarchy in local politics, it seems to me that perhaps a new breed of wild eyed, frankly bonkers local politicians are setting the agenda, it makes me think kindly of the time when Sandy Ezekiel and Roger Latchford ruled the Island.


I know I was harsh on Labour yesterday and see no reason to be polite today, such is the substance of Clive Hart's leadership. It's worth noting how despite Labour adopting a craven nimby manifesto in last years local election, they failed miserably in the local elections and lack authority.


Maybe issues such as, the de-selection of their hard working representative in Northwood, and the selection of candidate Ian Driver who repayed the favour by ditching Clive Hart, and his mates at the earliest opportunity.


I'm not sure whether this is still at the "are they serious" stage or whether it's confirmed that cllr. Will Scobie will be the Labour choice for Margate Mayor, but if true, it can be taken as indicative of the superficiality of Labour, no insult or offense intended but as educated and keen as he is, Cllr. Scobie will be perceived in some quarters as a bit of a whippersnapper lacking the maturity usually expected of your run of the mill Mayor a role usually reserved for ageing dinosaurs.


I note that the latest political sideshow group, Thanet Independent Group, are backing Will in the their highly influential blog, no doubt they will expect to be rewarded.


Will Scobie is without a doubt one of the brighter members of Labours Thanet group, I just wonder if the young councillor is being both acknowledged for his talent and side lined in the role as Mayor so as not to offend some of the less capable dinosaurs in senior posts with local Labour.


Rather odd if you ask me is labour putting out the begging bowl for increased councillors allowances, I  just wonder why Clive Hart didn't ask himself still particularly in these times when many of us haven't had a pay increase in years, it's a big ask (Here at Bignews Margate we continue to offer public service for free in pointing out hypocrisy, why can't our councillors be more public spirited).


Not sure how true this is but I understand that life is not a bed of roses for labour bods with one member heroically continuing duties for the party, despite drawing sick pay (public sector I believe) for stress.


Finally just coming back to the TIG website I notice they carry the legend that "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" of course I feel a tad guilty that I have yet to report one of their number to Thanet council standards for accusations made on this blogsite. Also the same councillor is about  to hijack sorry lead a campaign to save the Margate Hospital, what a hero! saviour! of animals, champion of single sex  couples hoorah!

Labour's limp administration

A bit strong you might think (if you happen to be Cllr Clive Hart), and my justification a rather pitiful comment by one of Hart's colleagues, Alan Poole in response to Thanet councils negligent management of Margate town centre.

According to Friday's Isle of Thanet Gazette former councillor Paul Twyman, was motivated by council indolence into dragging a 10ft plant holder to the council offices, which had broken and lain some days strewn on Margate high street, astonishingly despite the proximity to the council offices and of course ignoring the fact, reported elsewhere in the paper, that Thanet council employs 45 cleaners, 5 mechanical sweeping machines, one road washing machine, 2 dog mess cleaners and 3 dumped rubbish removal squads, a list that long, should include a cuddly toy and a conveyor belt.

Still it would appear that despite all those cleaning resources, they don't have the apparatus to deal with an uprooted plant holder, anyhoo rather than saying thank you, Cllr Poole has given this rather mean and miserly response, "I am informed that you were aware of the broken hanging basket on Wednesday you did not think to inform anyone at the Council to get this dangerous object removed.

It's clear to me that any right-minded person seeing a plant holder, in middle of town (High Street) near the council offices, would natural assume that either an officer or street cleaner would deal with this, I'm taking a guess that Cllr Poole got advice on what to say from a council officer, otherwise he might have been a bit more apologetic, for what in actuality looks like council negligence and if he was a bit more savy, he would have done more than to promise to "investigate", more appropriate would be to "sort out" or "take charge", as you would expect from Thanet's Deputy Leader? .

So far Labour have yet to inspire confidence, whether it's former comrades, independents calling the shots or just the general style, I'm sure some time soon they'll show some leadership.

Do you have anything for vegetarians?

Life is just so different these days, lounging around Flaig mansions this afternoon having been up earlier this morning for the benefit of BBC radio Kent, to give them my uncharacteristic upbeat appraisal of the Turner contemporary, with little spoiling between now and work, I thought I'd watch a film on Netflix.

The choice is not extensive however it is generally easier than finding a DVD and stuffing it in the player, still life is not always that easy,  for some reason films would not display however categories did and I was somewhat surprised that a category exists for gay and lesbian films.

Still wishing to sort out the prob, I rang to sort out, I have to say I was not entirely impressed, that the solution, was a variant of the standard cure all advice for any electronics, turn it off and on, still curious whilst on the phone I thought I might as well inquire why the necessity of a film category based on sexual orientation, apparently this is a request of customers in Canada and the US.

It seems ludicrous to me, I don't think they have a category for heterosexuals, nor apparently one for vegetarians, why I don't know. Anyway no doubt, Thanet's hysterical cyber cops will be giving this some sinister interpretation.

Briefly coming back to this morning, apart from having the rare privilege of being inside the TC on a Monday, my input  on BBC radio Kent breakfast could probably have been done on the phone, earlier it's worth noting that not having anything to criticise about the TC I was screened out as an interviewee although, once it was established that I was a convert of sorts to the TC, I was screened back in as a former heritic, finally I'm all in favour of unfettered reporting but some of the "objective reporting" on the Contemporary, seems to be looking for a negative that maybe for once does not exist.

Anyhow if you'd like to hear a positive endorsement, go to the listen again page of BBC radio Kent, I'm on about 1:40 in to the programe.

Happy Birthday Turner Contemporary

Although late in opening by a few years, Turner Contemporary has so far proved a success, many of those, who were sceptical have since changed their minds, myself included. Put on the spot by a journalist last friday, I couldn't find anything to fault the establishment so far, and I couldn't think of anyone of consequence, who'd have anything much to criticise this little gem of culture and civilisation.

Anyhow last years opening, certainly gave the town a lift in contrast an otherwise bleak background, one thing that impressed me was the positive atmosphere and genuine pleasure of those present at the big opening, oh and the weather was a bit warmer than this year.

I hope those in charge continue to deliver goods after what has been an outstanding first year, and I also hope they take into account mainstream taste. Anyway here are some photos from last year!

MISSY LOOKS TO THE FUTURE

A poignant moment for Missy as she ponders the greater world, recovering from being neutered and if the cat had the ability to consider these things, would be dwelling on the ramifications.

Similarly having heard rumours that some local activists are considering reporting local bloggers if they haven't already for "Hate Crime" I feel that  my right to freedom of expression has been eroded by several threats already.

Accusations that I have "allowed" various hateful comments, is nonsense, a recent decision concerning a case bought against Google by Payam Tamiz, a former candidate for Thanet District Council is worth reading, basically I understand that Mr Tamiz sued Google for defamatory comments found on Google.

And this comment reported by the Telegraph seems relevant

In a ruling which gives Google widespread immunity from English defamation laws, Mr Justice Eady upheld pleas that it is merely a "platform provider" and "should not be regarded as a publisher, or even as one who authorised publication".

"It is no doubt often true that the owner of a wall which has been festooned, overnight, with defamatory graffiti could acquire scaffolding and have it all deleted with whitewash", said the judge.

But he added: "That is not necessarily to say, however, that the unfortunate owner must, unless and until this has been accomplished, be classified as a publisher."

As I've mentioned elsewhere for the benefit of Ian Driver, who looks to me, to be a particularly sensitive I've now given him my mobile phone number so he can alert me to offensive comments, which assuming I'm not involved in some safety critical matter at work or asleep, I will examine.

Still if anyone does experience genuine Hate Crime, they might like advice from the following source.

I choose freedom over repression

Some of you will have read the previous post, and I think that most readers will have found something to either agree with as well to be offended by, and clearly such is the case of councillor Ian Driver I think very miffed indeed. I won't go into too much detail regarding our man of the people since I shall in all probability refer his comments to Thanet councils standards committee.

Now if someone takes the effort to write a comment, I don't feel to happy to delete out of hand, what is said, also I don't go through with a fine tooth comb ever comment, there are times when I monitor ever comment as they come in, however unlike a news paper letters page, letters are not published by me as an editor of a newspaper would, comments are self published, by you the reader when you press the button marked "Publish Your Comment", I do accept that when able to do so I should delete some contributions.

Still who am I, I'm not God, it's difficult to decide which is acceptable and which isn't sometimes, clearly I get allsorts read this stuff, from ordinary people, labour duffers, Tory toffs and the eccentrics who traipse from one group of cranky activist to another in an attempt to find a home for their own sense of self importance.

A recent group who make a regular contribution to these pages are those who claim that children are being taken in to care on the flimsiest reasons and then hastily put out to be adopted. Now extraordinary as this seems to you and I it's worth giving these people the benefit of the doubt, particularly when set against recent history, when children from this country were routinely sent to Australia and Canada by church groups in some cases as little more than slaves.

My last post was very much about liberty and expressing yourself in a free society, we can expect read views we are offended by and I have to accept that I'm not always right, in my honest opinion, some of our councillors are nothing if not hypocritical, whilst I'm more than happy to act on suggestions from readers, why Ian Driver thought it necessary to say the following "Tony you should be ashamed of yoursel"f or "Tony I am disgusted by some of the postings you have allowed here" or implied threat "Tony Faig, Gordon Bennet, Tom Clark et al be advised that some of the comments which have been posted/ allowed to be posted on this blogsite in relation to =marriage are offensive and abusive and motivated in my opinion by homopobia Be warned that you are sailing very close to to the wind and that action may be taken.

Driver also said this "The least you can do is to remove the posts and aplogise to John." which I did, however so far Driver is no mood to do similar, understand this I did not allow a comment it appeared on this website, not being a control freak, I allow free debate, when was able to respond I did, not as quickly as I should have maybe.

So hear it is, I allow you free reign, usually, and I have no problem in apologising for some offensive comment even one placed by the odd tit, still I find it galling that Cllr Ian Driver after his usual right-on stance, is not man enough  (Oh dear I hope that's not sexist) to apologise himself, for all that homophobic crap.

Still we still live in a free society and Ian Driver (sometime councillor (when it suits, I think)) is a part of that, so keep those comments even those over the top nit picking ones, however way off the beam they might be.

Finally I've had several death threats and threats of violence over the years, I even had saint *** and the Kent establishment try to silence me and they can all go a **** themselves for all I care, I try to keep this site honest and charlatans & opportunistic  politicians beware.

Oh and apologies for the next person who finds free speech and maybe a bit of latitude uncomfortable.

Post Office - Why not upset the Germans!

Life is so difficult these days, attitudes have changed and as a fifty something I display all the external signs of being a grumpy git and I suppose it's an involuntary reflex to change, what was once acceptable and mainstream is no longer. This story I find particularly irritating about Royal Mail  taking exception to comic postcards produced by Bamforth's (for 140 years), complaining that a couple postcards from the first and second world wars were anti-Germanic. 

I feel drained by the shallow superficiality of political correctness and failure to acknowledge that there was a time, when there was every reason to make fun of Germans, since they were involved in both wars of killing on an industrial scale, admittedly years later Germany is a benign country with no aspirations to meddle or interfere in the affairs of other European states, except perhaps if you happen to be living in Greece, a view it seems is being disgracefully promoted by bad taste propagandist.

Just to finish off, this bit as far as I can tell most Brits if they delve a bit will find themselves to have a mix of nationalities in their ancestry so what's wrong with joking about other nationalities.

These days people are so sensitive, whatever happened, to humour, we live in an age when minority group's can threaten and bully anyone  they consider to have insulted them, with impunity and people like me in their fifties, who grow up in more liberal times, when you could make a joke about differences without feeling stifled and threatened, now find it necessary to self censor before speaking.

How trivial some things now seem, recently I was asked if I could "Like" some biodiversity cods wallop on a facebook site,  Cllr John Worrow had sent an email directing me to The Thanet Diversity Network, it now being seems PC's so mind boggling, all the traps of what is and what isn't acceptable, apparently he was hoping I would "like", well to be honest I dont have an opinion, still I see in association with the "Red Hall" crowd a video has emerged of Nigel Farage, daring not or rather I quote Norman Thomas "refused to support the principle that gay people should be allowed the same rights to marriage as others." when questioned by John Worrow, exactly who the others might be I'm not sure. The line of questioning seemed to me to be bullying in the way, that kids use to demand to know what football team you support.

We've seen vast leaps in social equality, homosexuality was outlawed until 1967, nobody is bothered outside of the bigotted world of the church or those lot who enslave women and issue death threats against cartoonists and authors.

Myself I think most of us accept civil partnerships as the equivalent to marriage, so what's problem, marriage was defined until about five minutes ago as the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc

Thought for the Day - Francis Maude why hasn't he been sacked?

Currently I'm working some odd shift' pattern which means I'm not in touch with what's going on in the world, still having caught the news headlines tonight, I take it that Francis Maude (the face of the governments incompetent and harmful fuel panic?) has yet to do the decent thing, take responsibility, resign or get sacked for creating panic at Britain's filling stations.

Still maybe I'm overreacting glancing at Maude's website I'm reassured to see that hot issues listed on his website, don't include fuel crisis or indeed dangerous and  inflammatory advice by half baked government ministers, fortunately such matters don't trouble his constituents in Horsham.