1801 + 14241

Blogging how hard can it be, think of a subject and add some words, easy, the right words, grammar and punctuation, is the tortuous part.  I have opinions on most topics.

Israel for instance, yesterday I listened to BBC's Last Word, a programme featuring obits of significant people, who've pegged out, in the last week, the first subject was Helen Thomas, a well respected Washington Journalist, who commenting on Israel said this "There no real freedom of speech in this country(USA) if you mention Israel" which I believe is sadly true, in the news today, talks are to restart concerning Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine, will they resolve anything, will Israel stop abusing Palestinians, will they commit further war crimes, what do you think, for myself Israel has a right to exist but not to abuse it's neighbours, admittedly it's not a terrorist state in the way, we in the western world understand, since it's unlikely to attack us, whereas their enemies are.

The Royal birth, I honestly don't recognise the nation as described by the media, good luck to the Windsors and baby,  but please could the BBC and Sky News quit it, with all the sycophantic reportage, the nation celebrates!, er, no they don't, most of us have a mild interest, significant numbers in our community and work life, have little or no attachment to this country. Society has changed, I assume that, the elite that control output of broadcast news live in a bubble, people who are insulated, the sort that celebrate not only royal births but multiculturalism although they probably don't encounter either. I work pretty much daily in London, the cultural centre of our British nation I'd be surprised if  more than half those I see on the streets can even speak English, maybe there's an oasis somewhere which replicates the sort of world presented in the 1944 film "This Happy Breed" 

Another issue that I could blog on, is the outrage in some quarters, caused by the Home Office publicising the suggestion that illegal immigrants should go home, in one article in the Sunday Times an outraged lady accepts that there maybe a million plus such people but clearly thinks to mention it, is rude and no doubt racist ,I couldn't read the whole damn thing.

Anyway thanks for taking the trouble to read this far, I've the day off, I'm frankly bewildered by the propagandist nature of current media, and the lack of honesty or representation of normal opinion. Britain has been overwhelmed by "liberal" commentators, who justify the crazy social change which effects our daily lives, one local item of news is the continuing strain on school places, in Kent a story apparently promoted  by Labour, caused I suspect by newly arrived from europe.

Finally this is the posting number 1801 according to blogger,thank you for the 14241 comments agreeing or disagreeing and the handful of death threats etcetera, once I've published this I will later go back and add subtract commas words to make some sense of it all. 

Clive's delighted are you? - Will Scobie tries for Parliament

This is my personal view, of the announcement by Thanet Labour that Will Scobie, is to stand for South Thanet at the next General Election. 

Firstly you need to ask, why a clearly intelligent, articulate young man with some talent has been sidelined from Thanet politics. Now some of you will think Will 's role as Margate mayor involved him in Thanet politics, well not really, it sidelined him to cups of tea and ceremony usually reserve for old duffers, you know politicians in their twilight years, but helped any way, it him get elected to the Kent county council.

My view is that, perhaps ThanetLabour leadership have a fear of ability, Will Scobie if he is going to represent Thanet South he could benefit from being a part of TDC Labour cabinet, why hasn't Clive Hart made him party of the team.

Just what Will has to offer the people of Thanet South is not clear, on the plus side, he is one of the few local councillors  in favour of open reporting of council meetings, on the negative side he has limited experience, and could be that most useless of MP's, the professional politician.

Still perhaps the biggest millstone around Will 's neck is not Thanet's challenged dinosaur colleagues but his failure to take a credible stand on the astonishing handling by Clive Hart, of the multi million pound debt accrued by the council which of course will never be recovered.

Who will vote for Will Scobie, while he fails to criticise the Transeuropa crisis, what many see as negligence of Thanet council officer's and his fellow councillors lamely endorse.

As you will know such is Labour commitment to free speech, they don't allow comments on their website but if you would like to comment on this post or indeed theirs, knock yourself out, you can publish your views by using the comment feature,but please keep it clean.

Finally Clive Hart spares little in his praise of new candidate for Thanet South, so why doesn't he use such talent, perhaps he could have advised Clive and his challenged colleagues on the wisdom of allow a massive debt to develop?

A sign of the Times

Seeing the above road sign, on the way to work, my initial reaction was, what the hell does that mean, "modified speed cushions", naturally I quickly decided that Transport for London, had become car friendly replacing the cruel speed humps designed to cause pain and damage to vehicle suspension with something altogether softer and humane.

Wrong, where there had once been manageable speed bumps, in this particular North London road, it appears to me that some sneaky mean group of road planners who probably don't drive have decided to inflict maximum hurt. The "cushions" are a cruel joke offering extreme discomfort.

Language evolves, words change, the urge to invent new ways to express never seems more important than when involving communication with us proles.

Why? often to sweeten the unacceptable and unreasonable, locally we now know that a three million pound debt accrued by a foreign ferry isn't a loss? Britain has the best police force in the world but is regularly on the news for corruption.

Without euphemistic language covering the backsides of the incompetent how would we get through day, without a revolution.

Crime out of control? Dane Valley deserves better

It seems daily we read negative stories about our police, everything from rewriting police statements after the Hillsborough disaster, giving info to the newspapers,  perhaps more revolting is the recent revelation that metropolitan police actively sought negative information about the family of murdered Stephen Lawrence.  

One common feature to many failings of our police is that many of their shortcomings are motivated by senior officers trying to present themselves in a more positive way and as we've seen this is done regardless of the hurt it causes to innocent victims of crime. 

Here in Kent our local force, has recently been criticised over failing to record crime correctly, one that did however get reported was the theft of some medals from a police officers home. 

The medals were apparently for representing the "service" during the Jubilee and Olympics and only issued to officers, on personal note I worked during the Jubilee/olympics and understand that the rail industry will not be issuing medals, not even for the night i worked on a bridge that her Majesty sailed under a few hours later,  while bored British Transport police looked on. 

Anyhow on the subject of burglary, I know how distressing this is, and as it happens recalling some recent excitement about increased crime I thought I'd look at  local statistics. 

A quick unscientific look at info from UKcrimestats here reveals that Dane Valley offers a truly awful indication of just how effective police services are in Margate during the first fours months of this year burglary has increased by almost 3 times to 48 incidents (assuming they've been correctly accounted for) over the same period in the previous year (2012, 17 burglaries). 

Just what if anything is being done to resolve this crisis, can I suppose, only be answered, by Kent police, as I understand it, little or no feedback is offered to victims, people of Dane Valley clearly deserve better policing than they are getting.

What hope is there, little unless Kent Police along with pretty much every other police force in the land accept there is a problem,  with police attitudes, any public service ethos seems to have disappeared many years ago, when senior officers started thinking that they're more important than the public who pay their salaries and pensions.  

Lunch time interruption -Celebrate West Cliftonville Community

J

Sorry for the late nature of this notification, just opened an email referring to the above event, apparently an extravaganza is to take place, er about now 12:00 to 16:00 in Northdown Rd. 

This is a celebration of Cliftonville West community, for a tenth birthday, just who's is not clear, at least to me. 

Given the enticement of Live Music, street entertainment, free refreshments, how sad that it is taking place on a working day and not weekend.  

Still all is not lost I see that the Mayor of Margate will be in attendance along with the deputy chair of Thanet council Harry Scobie and I suspect maybe their comrade Labour boss Cllr Clive Hart, imagine the joy to those work free citizens of West? Cliftonville. 

This is all I understand arranged by the Cliftonville Partnership, more info here  http://www.cliftonville-partnership.co.uk/

This event is sponsored by tax payer so why

not have it on weekend???????????

NHS Management and Labour

Like so many zombies with fixed expressions  health "professionals" (by that I mean the managers thin on competence but fat on salary) have been  paraded on tv screens in the last day or so to comment on the emerging scandal highlighting around 13,000 deaths due to inept hospital management, perhaps the most irritating, was not a health professional but former health minister Andy Burnham who's blaming, yes you've got it the coalition government.

No surprise that one of the contributors, to the Keogh report, highlighting this tragedy,  Sir Brian Jarman, has accused Labour ministers of presiding over a "denial machine" ignoring his findings of high mortality rates, given the childlike denials Labour have for the economy I doubt few if any are listening to Labour on this topic.

Admittedly the Stafford hospital scandal was not the first  failing hospital and as we've been seeing in the last few days, a significant number of hospitals are similarly poorly run.

Nobody's asked for my opinion, however the root cause if you were stupid enough ask, is this, arrogance generally emanating not from true professionals clinical and technical staff the ones with degrees, but the administrative bods, who might well be a dab hand with a power point presentation, or creating a spreadsheet, but useless with anything practical.  Still maybe, visitors and patients should be questioning more.

I visited Stafford hospital quite often in the nineties, at the time I would have said it was vastly superior to Canterbury and Margate hospitals based on superficial criteria.

Over the years I've seen poor welfare in several hospitals, in recent times, I make a point of reporting poor practice, and this week has shown you can't trust the health trusts or Labour. 

Clearly health staff are under pressure, that said if you think, you've  relative being neglected, make sure you express your concerns.

A Sunday ramble in Margate

Sorry for the ramble, as a rule I leave this up to others but I have not been around Margate old town or indeed the High Street so I was much please to see that much has improved since my last stroll around the town.

Particularly impressive apart from the Joke shop and more gallery/gift shops which is the real spin off from Turner, a new hotel (Sands Hotel) which looked smart tidy and of high standard, secondly a new cocktail/restaurant Rickus were I and Mrs Me enjoyed very good lunch with top service and at a reasonable price.

Also I see that the new sea defences/steps are proving a popular seating area for just taking in the ambience, and on a sour note I noticed Labour using it recently as a photo oppotunity as if they've done much if anything for the area, anyway in the manner of Michael Child here's some photos.

Cut cut cut

A communication* has been issued from Thanet's revolutionary forces "The Peoples Assembly" centred in the hotbed of discontent and revolution Broadstairs, it seems that the fight back against responsible government has begun with a mishmash of the usual suspects having gathered in the town,  no doubt to wallow in misery of the delusional mindset of those who believe in entitlement.

Entitlement being that irrational idea shared by large herds of the public sector employees and benefit claimants who feel that they have a god given right to a comfortable life style irrespective of economic reality, this being evidenced in the public sector by examples such as BBC executives helping themselves to unearned bonuses or local government officers involved in unsecured loans to foreign companies and not resigning or being sacked,  and whether you like it or not those who have made welfare a lifestyle choice, such as those who are incapable of work through drug abuse, shear laziness or poor family planning. 

Christine Tongue of the "Red Hall" seems to be a spokesperson for the apparently self appointed Thanet Anti-cuts vigilantes of the left who have formed yet another new group of Thanet benefits saviours, not sure what if anything they are doing is going to help those who are genuinely in need through disability or age but maybe these activists could contribute more by fund raising for charities or getting a job.

Last week Cllr Ian Driver was once again leading from the front, protesting at the Prime Ministers visit to Margate, frankly I think he would do better concentrating on his admirable work in exposing Thanet council officers and councillors for agreeing a multi-million pound unsecured loan to a foreign company without it looks, even having the diligence to get a credit reference, and shocking as it is no one has yet been sacked!

Clearly the majority of benefit recipients are honest deserving people, and some are clearly victims of Labour's term in office in which they not only deliberately undermined British working people by encouraging exploitation of East Europeans, failing to protect UK interests have left the Schools, Health Services, Defence and Law enforcement services under pressure.

I understand Hariiet Harman a member of the government that did so much to make spending cuts a necessity also recently visited the Turner Contemporary, for some reason local leftwing crazies didn't think it fit to confront her with a demonstration.

Those mindless morons who speak endlessly about "cuts" ought to take a chill pill and accept where the blame lies and its not with the banks, business or some grand conspiracy, the blame lies fairly and squarely with Labour's negligent time in office, when they failed to regulate the banks,  failed to manage the economy, failed to get skivers off their sofas and failed to protect British national interest plumping for a Euro-blancmange we now inhabit.

Most of us just go to work, pay tax, and look after ourselves and empathise with those who need help, and accept the reality that you cannot fund welfare with a blank cheque.

Finally how many times do we have to hear the phrase "Its not worth getting a job", what the heck is that about, anyway reminded that David Cameron's visit was linked to the alternative energy industry and the London Array, how about this as an alternative energy source, why not build treadmills linked to an electrical generator, healthy claimants could maybe be asked to generate electricity say for four hours a day, five days a week, leaving them time to continue to apply for work and with a sense of contribution removing the stigma, Yes I know this will infuriate but what the hell!

*Bonkers PR release below (in my opinion) 

PRESS RELEASE

JULY 2013

PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY IN THANET BEGINS CAMPAIGN TO SAVE WELFARE STATE

The first meeting of the national People’s Assembly Against Austerity in Kent took place last week (Thursday July 4) in Broadstairs.

Over 140 people attended the meeting which was addressed by national figures in the People’s Assembly movement, including Jeremy Corbyn MP and Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party.

The speakers declared their opposition to cuts in public services and warned of the growing privatisation of the National Health Service.

One of the organisers of the meeting, Christine Tongue of Anti Cuts Thanet, said:  “Britain’s public services are under attack like they never have before. Now everyone must come together to fight back. This meeting marks the beginning of that fight back.”

“The cuts are justified in terms of the financial deficit, but this is nonsense. The government is using the financial crisis as an excuse to push through policies they wanted to adopt anyway. 

“The Welfare State was founded in 1945 when Britain was bankrupt after the war. People knew it was needed then and it’s still needed today.”

The meeting voted overwhelmingly to support a national demonstration to protect the NHS.

Another meeting to discuss local actions will be held on Tuesday August 6 at 7.30pm in the Red Hall, 11 Grosvenor Road, Broadstairs. More information from Christine Tongue on 01843 604 253. and 07989 070843.

MIck, Keith, Charlie, Ron Thanks for a great night

I doubt that any member of the Rolling Stones needs the money, so thank you for continuing to entertain the public and still being at the top of their game after 50 years.  

I can't think of any performers of the Stones vintage that could appeal to young'uns through to pensioners in the way they can. It's only the second time I've had the privilege, my only regret, not being able to secure more than two tickets, as clearly for many this was a family event with grandparents throu to grandchildren.

Going off on a tangent I had this thought, the band love their music, are hard working and very talented, enjoying what they do, a situation that many approaching retirement will not be in, for myself as much as I might enjoy getting up before dawn, building railways and coming home just in time for a quick meal and bed I wasn't too happy to receive a letter from Graeme Wallace Pension Director (DWP), telling me I have to work till my 66th birthday to get my pension, the letter didn't give a reason but I suspect that much of my last year working will be required to contribute to his and other public sector workers fat heavily subsidised pensions. 

Finally closer to home, I'm always surprised that more is not made of icons of British culture, Jagger and Richards link with Kent and Dartford, maybe Dartford council could have a bill board proclaiming Dartford as the birthplace of the greatest rock and roll band in the world.

Some out of focus random photos below and this classic Gimme Shelter from youtube 

Will? MP for Thanet South?

Surely Labour are having a laugh, Will Scobie candidate for Thanet South at the next general election. I just stumbled upon a letter in this weeks Thanet Gazette from Barry Coppick extolling the accomplishments of the relatively young inexperienced Labour councillor.

Here's, why I think it's a joke, as far as I know Will Scobie has been immersed in politics educationally and vocationally, not helpful I feel in giving the sort of life skills or work and business background needed to understand wider issues, ideals, theory and training are quite separate from harsh reality.

So far Will Scobie, has been a Thanet Councillor for a couple of years, and probably as a result of being made Margate Mayor a narrow victory for Kent county council.

I've been busy of late but last time I looked, Thanet council leader Clive Hart has yet to use his talents in his cabinet.

Thanet Labour along with the national party represent that awful "entitlement culture" quick with the "Cuts"  begging bowl but thin on solutions, and if we are honest ignorant of their own treachery to working people.

In fairness I believe Cllr Scobie has shown some promise, such as when council dinosaurs debated using mobile phones and tablets at the council, but then during the recent shameful crisis in which Thanet Council has given away THREE MILLION pounds plus to a foreign company Transeuropa what was his contribution, well I don't know other than a well publicised picture of Scobie looking into pot holes.

Still I don't doubt that current member for Thanet South, Laura Sandys MP would not be too perturbed at the choice.

If you'd like to know more about Will Scobie click here for his comments about potholes such as reporting twenty himself or "potholes can be dangerous"  not as dangerous as Thanet council officers and councillors agreeing THREE MILLION POUND unsecured credit with a foreign company and has he reported this to the councills auditors?