David Cameron's green flight tax

This weekend's papers are full of David Cameron's green agenda, as with all issues Green for some reason it involves paying more tax, although to be fair to him in a some sort of patronising way, the effect will be minimal on us proles, since allowance will be made for the once-a-year package tour traveller.

Now David Cameron is being a bit more conciliatory to the great British public, than the likes of Gordon Brown, however why is it that the green solution, involves the public dipping into their pocket to pay more tax.

Many people who have worked all her life and are now enjoying the freedom to travel that budget airlines have bought, I suggest David Cameron and Gordon Brown keep their hands out of our pockets.

Who are politicians, to restrict the general public from the freedom to travel by taxation. If any of these politicians were genuinely concerned about the environment, there would naturally be other suggestions coming forth apart from fuelling the Treasury.

Here's my solution for greener air travel, outlaw first class/business class cabins allowing more passengers per plane and less fuel wasted and shake-up the system that allows airlines like British Airways, to hog routes at our major airports, allowing more open competition for budget airlines.

Access to our roads should be regarded as a right and also a privilege (one that has been earned). Road congestion could be tackled by more stringent enforcement of speed limits and other traffic regulations, thus forcing bad drivers off the road also resulting in greater safety, this would be as effective and would not involve extra taxation.

Our politicians are lacking imagination, put simply we could have a greener planet, without more taxation, it's possible but unfortunately our politicians are addicted to taxation.

Mr Puss calls for calm
in local authority Fat Cats row!

Although Mr Puss works in the private sector he is becoming increasingly alarmed at the criticism of local government Fat Cats.

In a rare and exclusive interview with BIGNEWS MARGATE Mr Puss has decided to speak out.

During our interview Mr Puss at first miaowed and then after some provocative questioning he growled his displeasure at public disapproval of council Fat Cats, abruptly leaving the room for the garden. Some minutes later he returned more reserved, and refusing to add to his earlier comments, clearly Mr Puss is a cat under pressure.

We discussed his early career, how as a young cat, he had been forced onto the streets, a life of crime beckoned until the day he broke into Flaig Mansions.

The owner took pity, Mr Puss was offered the position of Cat, in the Flaig household, however, in those early days not everything went smoothly, keen to show his all-round ability he decided to add the finishing touches to a spreadsheet on the computer, unfortunately his keyboard skills were not up to the task, a birth defect had left him with four paws, a lot of fur and no brains.

Mr Puss had learned his lesson, after this he concentrated on traditional skills, sleeping, killing things, and his own speciality torturing bumble bees.

Things now run smoothly, there have been occasional setbacks, like the time the vet removed his testicles (Ouch!) and that scandal when a family of 15 mice or more, moved in.

Overall life has been good to Mr Puss, now in semi-retirement he can reflect on how he earned his position as a 'Fat Cat'.

Sometimes he ruminates on what life would have been, as a Public Sector Fat Cat, but never having courted publicity, preferring Tuna fish to Smoked Salmon, not relishing the idea of the public baying for his blood (along with the dog next door). In common with Edith Piaf ( " Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien") he has no regrets.

Never mind the quality feel the width

as Local bloggers reach new heights

Proof that Thanet has become Kent's blogging hot spot, as Thanet life announced Friday that its hit counter would shortly pass the quarter million mark, this news was then followed by a further announcement that Eastcliff Richard's own counterstaterometer would soon exceed a rather incredible 2 million hits.

Here at Bignews Margate, figures are closely guarded, so as not to unsettle and discourage other talent, however it is impossible to suppress information concerning Google's Pagerank the measure given by Google as to the importance and relevance of any given webpage.

Therefore I would like to point out, that this page frequently scores 4 out of 10 (including Friday) on checking today I note that Thanet life scored 3 out of 10 as did Eastcliff Richard, Eastcliff Matters. ( to be fair this does fluctuate day-to-day time to time) Check your ranking or some else's at http://www.checkpagerank.com/

Still as Homer Simpson would put it, IN YOUR FACE!, not bad for someone educated in one of Kents second rate secondary schools.

Apologies for that, I don't know what came over me.

On a more serious note Mr Puss has expressed considerable concern, over the fate of the cat illustrated in Thanet Life's Hooray! post, and is expected to seek assurances that the cat in question has not been flattened artificially.

Well done Simon Moores and please note that this blog would not exist had it not been for Thanet Life but please no more flat cats.

Stephen Ladyman addresses employment

Looks as if local Labour MP (South Thanet) may actually be canvassing some of his potential voters', for in this week's Thanet extra, in his "in my view column", he has broached the subject of agency workers.

Now there will be many of us, who will be familiar with agency work, particularly from my position in the food chain. For many workers skilled or otherwise temporary agencies, have grown and taken the place of traditional employers.

Excluding the higher skilled temporary workers, many now find that it is no longer possible, to have any job protection, since by its very nature it's impossible for agencies to offer employees long-term contracts.

It's great that Stephen Ladyman, should deign to consider such matters but as ever he seems to have missed some of the more pressing issues involved.

The emphasis of his view is concerning the rogue end of the market but I think it's time the government looked at the multinationals, who use temporary workers, purely to avoid their responsibilities as employees.

Mr Ladyman MP for once it looks as if, he is considering real people good, keep it up but I suggest he needs to be acquainted with more of the issues involved.

Many MPs appear to have a superficial touch on real problems, one such area which Mr Ladyman might consider, whilst pontificating about employment, is the assistance available to jobseekers. If as I suspect he finds himself in receipt of a P 45 in the not-too-distant future once Gordon calls his first election (and last), it will be too late to influence such matters.

Here is a typical example of nonsense, concocted by civil servants and New Labour , the Government's JobCentre New Deal, which is more No Deal than Deal because potential beneficiaries have to be in receipt of benefits for 18 months (often an indication that you are not interested in work), quite honestly you might as well take your chances with Noel Edmonds, unless of course, you're 50 plus in which case you only have to be unemployed for six months. Those who live outside of the benefit culture, end up taking poorly-paid agency work because they, rarely receive help and all the Government's doing is creating a propaganda tool, giving the impression they care, when clearly they don't.

Now I'm sure that Mr Ladyman is a perfectly decent bloke, as are many representatives of the Labour Party, however, most working people's priorities are simple they wish themselves and their families to have a decent standard of living and if Labour wish to continue in office, they need to concentrate on this as everything else including Iraqi adventures are secondary.

Labour Party members may consider me harsh, but frankly, their government has done little, for ordinary people and the unfortunate thing will be the prospect of a Tory government looking after their own.

Turner bonus

Looks like Turner contemporary is now delivering additional benefits, judging by the latest artwork commission, which is part of their arrivals series.

Not only is the new art work pleasing on the eye, but large sections of Margate's Stone Pier, have received a much needed a lick of paint as part of the new work by Norbert Francis Attard.

I just wonder whilst he is in the area, whether he might consider a commission at Flaig Mansions.

Details of this and other work are available at Turner contemporary's website click here.