Sunday 10 November 2013

Sunday Ramble

You know the painting by Constable


Looks a bit like this


Well exactly like this sketching from memory isn’t an exact science.



Based on this watercolour I assume, funny thing memory I guess my Stonehenge has got all muddled up with Constable's in my head. Constable obviously went there did the watercolour, took it back to the studio squared it off and painted the oil, not much memory involved.


What was I thinking of? I have got my watercolour paints out again after a break, sketching isn’t like riding a bicycle – for me at least – if I stop for a while I fall off the brush when I try to start again,


this was the first crack at the Constable from memory which looked like this, not good.




A few pictures of deeper Ramsgate today













And a few of today’s walk in the park    


89 comments:

  1. No Remembrance Sunday pix, a shame the St George's Church silence was a couple of minutes late because the Mayoral party could't walk fast enough and the most important part of the process was a picture of the mayor walking!!,!!

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  2. Glad you weren't dogginged or whatever the verb is to receive dogging. And why are the public toilets closed again? Does nobody have a poo in winter? We are paying TDC and our councillors to do less and less.

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  3. Is Will Scobie really a "sponger", as Simon Moores claims?

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    1. Should an aspiring MP have never been in proper gainful employment. Councillors allowances are paid in order to enable said councillor to perform his/her role and serve the public. It is not6 a contract of employment though and was never intende3d as a full time job. Will is now a double hatter, drawing district and county councillors allowances, whilst fighting a parliamentary campaign with no other apparent source of income.

      Does that make him a scrounger, well apply the Harriet Harman test. According to Harriet, all people over 22 should be in gainful employment and, by the usual definition of employment, Will Scobie is not.

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    2. I suspect that most people's concern is how well they actually do their job or work (or whatever you want to call their activities in serving the public), and Will Scobie seems to do a far better job than most. But once again, a bitter and jealous old man specifically names a younger, better looking and more successful person rather than any other non-working cllrs.

      When I was 18 I got a job as a scaffolder for a firm that was partly owned by my father. Everyone assumed that I'd be given an easy time, but instead he made sure that I got the hardest and sh*ttiest jobs (I eventually left to work for another firm so that life was a bit easier!). Likewise, it seems that younger people in politics have to try that much harder to impress; can you imagine if Jodi Hibbert had turned up with pink hair when she was a mayoress? Yet a much older women elsewhere in Thanet gets away with it without comment (despite the fact that imo she looks slightly ridiculous).

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    3. I recall having a conversation about this issue with Laura Sandys around a year before she was elected as MP by which point the correspondence and other stuff she was doing that related to local issues and being MP in waiting, had become a full time occupation with no associated staff or expenses.

      And yes. I am indeed taking up Ramsgate issues with Will, as I was with Laura before she was elected and of course I will do my best to get as much of both of their opinions on the blog in the run up to the election.

      My take being that here in Thanet south constituency we are lucky because both of the candidates are reasonably good and likely to do a fair amount for the area, regardless of which one gets elected.

      All that said a large percentage of voters are under 25 about six million I think and need some sort of representation in government where MPs for the most part are much older, I think the average age of an mp is around 50.

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    4. I suppose the point is, Peter, that most of the other older non working councillors are in fact retired or, like Clive, long term disabled and they are not running for parliament. Also your parallel with your own experience is not valid. You were given a job by your father, but it was a proper job involving hard work. What people are saying about Will is that he has been fast tracked in the Labour ranks through district, mayor, county and now to parliamentary candidate where many others have to wait years before being offered such opportunities.

      Don't make this a Moores/Scobie issue, but judge it purely on the issue. Does Will have enough experience of life to represent a constituency in parliament? I think he has already displayed his naivety with his performance on the BBC Politics show. He spent his time attacking UKIP yet they are his best chanced of winning by taking votes from the Conservatives.

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    5. Well, Sandy Ezekiel, Ted Watt-Ruffell and John Worrow (to name just three) have all had "more experience" in life but where did that get us?

      As for UKIP, I too would feel uncomfortable about approaching a UKIP cllr with a problem.

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    6. Peter, it is rather childish to trade names of failed and convicted politicians for, if we trawl around, there are many on all sides of the political divide. It still avoids the issue which is should an MP have some experience of the life most of his/her constituents lead before aspiring to assist them with their problems. On the UKIP thing, whether you would feel comfortable in approaching them is irrelevant. The votes they take from the Conservatives represent Will's best chance of turning over a 7,000 plus majority, so rubbishing UKIP is hardly clever and I doubt Steve Ladyman would have done it in the same circumstances.

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    7. I really don't see how flying an aircraft or cleaning carpets or being a pirate radio DJ gives anyone "more experience in life". From a personal point of view I've had a great variety of different jobs, but it's almost certainly my hobbies and leisure activities that have given me the most memorable experiences!

      Will Scobie is obviously more honest about his feelings than Ladyboy was, and puts this above his election prospects. Surely this should be admired?

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    8. As for "rather childish", I could say the same about those making "jokes" that a man in his mid 20s should be in short trousers (obviously as ridiculous as saying a man in his mid 50s should be using a zimmer frame!).

      And I know I'm right about the pink hair...

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    9. Peter, you are still bringing in your aversion to Simon Moores when responding to me. You have actually answered my query by referring to your own experiences of life, but you have to live a few years to have them. My query remains, and I do not doubt Will's honesty or sincerity, is has he been around enough yet to properly represent the average person in the street.

      Don't think I have ever referred to Will as being in short trousers nor would I argue with you about pink hair. Doubt though the pink haired lady is a parliamentary candidate, just some poor old soul trying to hide the grey. You into the Grecian 2000 yet, Pete?

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    10. I don't think Jodi Hibbert is a parliamentary candidate either... I no, I have no need to dye my hair as it's still as beautiful and dark as it's always been.

      I know you can't see it (or at least won't admit it), but it's JEALOUSY that inspires Old Moores, nothing more. We've all seen how he likes to brag about his achievements, whether it's meeting famous chess players or running through the desert, yet the highlight of his political career is going to be the head of rubbish at TDC! So he can't stand to see someone much younger than him going on to far greater things.

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    11. Regarding the old dear with pink hair, there comes a time for most of us when we look in the mirror and say to ourselves "I'm a little too old for this!". It happened to me on my 40th birthday (despite the fact I looked about 33) when I removed my earring for good.

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    12. Frankly I would prefer it if everyone dropped the personal animosity and discussed the issues, what negative thing who said about who doesn’t take us forward here in Thanet where many of the failings of local government are down to old bad blood.

      I think the nub of this problem is that politicians need to be drawn from and to represent all voting age groups. If you are fairly bright and one hopes that MPs will be fairly bright then education goes on longer than it used to, a degree being mandatory for most jobs above menial – this didn’t use to be the case but is now – so most of the brighter young people are going to finish full time education around 23.

      Now whether university education with holiday jobs represents more or less experience than leaving school at 16 and working to 23 leaves one with more or less experience of life is a bit hard to say. The only one of my children doing this at the moment spent the summer working in Hong Kong and has now gone back to university and like many scientists is working on ways energy can be produced without harming the planet. No one has said he is too young to do this, young scientists turn into old scientists, you need flexible young minds and older experienced mind combining to solve difficult problems.

      So unless you feel that we should only have old politicians, then we are going to have young ones and yes they will have less experience, but they will have more flexible minds.

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    13. My view would be that younger voters are required but more mature MP's. I would reduce the vote to 16 but end it at 75 and require MP's to be 30 and over. School and university are but one, narrow, part of life. And the likes of Cameron, Clegg and Miliband etc all going from University to Party head office then MP is a farce. As is Will being Mayor, then KCC then MP at 22 in theory.

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    14. Most of the pensioners on here wouldn't be able to vote then.

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    15. Agree with 10:41 about councillor allowances being paid to allow anyone to stand. Unfortunately we've the issue of RTC councillors for example waiving them simply to roadblock the sets as doublehatters to collect allowances at TDC and KCC. Surely we need to restrict one person to one seat and in the area they live. Nothing against Poole or Driver but they live in Broadstairs and sit on Ramsgate issues for example. It's just Party manipulation as is Sandys being bussed in from elsewhere.

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    16. That is because neither Driver or Poole would get elected in Broadstairs so, on your basis 2:07, they would be debarred from becoming councillors. What a waste of abundant talent that would be!

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    17. Laura Sandys was a bit more local than the guy from oop north she replaced.

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    18. The party most likely to win younger votes is the one that campaigns for an equal wage instead of the ridiculous lower rate that under 21 year olds get now. How can that even be legal?

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    19. Not really William - that's the luck of the draw essentially - and councillors should represent their area. Steve Ladyman for example lived and worked in Thanet he didn't arrive just to stand as MP as Laura did. Agree with Peter on both a living wage and a consistent one. Also that pensioners should be barred form voting due to longer life spans.

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    20. Cllr Epps has debarred himself which is perhaps the only thing he's done on Broadstairs Council other than wriggle around TDC and Manston and Thor. Will he sort them out before he goes?

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    21. I suppose the problem there is, Peter, that unlike years ago when the majority left school at sixteen, the majority now go on to higher and further education. That means that many under 21s are part timers working their way through sixth form colleges or university and, if they had to compete on equal terms with over 21s able to offer more experience and hours, they might not get the jobs in the first placed.

      Do not disagree with you in principle, but each of my kids has had part time work whilst still in education. That has been really useful to them, but I think even they accept that they are attractive to employers because they are a bit cheaper. Level playing field and they might not have been so lucky.

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    22. Well in that case we could argue the same thing for the elderly, disabled, ethnic minorities and homosexuals to help them get work.....

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    23. William, there are plenty of full-time and part-time jobs in Thanet: Cancer nurse, Baggage handler, Pollution cleaner, Councillor.

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    24. Perhaps we can get elderly disabled black gay men to work for free? ; - )

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    25. 2:56, a councillor is not a job (according to some!).

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    26. You're right Peter although some make a meal of it!!

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    27. You have very probably just broken the law 2.57. Shame the Diversity Champion is otherwise engaged.

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    28. His idea of "diversity" only applies to gays anyway! Where was he when the gypsies came here, or the West Indians on Margate beach?

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    29. Very true and there's all the KCC and UKIP talk of 27M Romanians arriving but that's the whole population of Romania. Talk about stirring up a race war.

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    30. Unfortunately (for you) neither UKIP nor KCC ever claimed any such thing. They did say that 27million people would be entitled to come here and that statement (unlike yours) is entirely true. I don't think that UKIP or KCC have made any estimate of the numbers who WILL come to the UK. What they have done is to ask the UK government for their estimate and, worryingly, the UK government does not appear to have any idea of how many will arrive or when. Now I may or may not vote for UKIP next year. I haven't made my mind up yet. However, what I do believe is that it is thoroughly irresponsible for the government to agree to open our borders to a new wave of immigration without having some idea of the numbers we will need to cater for. With the recession-driven cuts,we are already experiencing difficulties with school places and access to medical care. Any resident of Kent is entitled to be concerned about these things and we can hardly take the government's assurances at face value when KCC will have to make cuts of nearly £100million in each of the next two years. If you are going to agree to a new wave of immigration you have to provide the funds to cater for these people whereas, in fact, budgets are being cut.

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    31. The point being 7:37 that 27M is ridiculous scaremongering by KCC and Farage as you know and has repeatedly been refuted as such. The forecasts I've seen who are LIKELY to come here are a few thousand. And as with previous immigration many return home again. Britain's woes can hardly be placed upon a wave of immigrants that haven't even arrived yet. Kent has some of the lowest immigration in the UK (and only c.8% in Britain) so how the other 92% of us are threatened is racist twaddle.And in terms of KCC and other public sector cuts imposed by the government I would like to see - and i am sure you would too - how the cuts are selected. In Thanet we could do with KCC witholding more grants from TDC until it reforms from one of the worst councils as we are already badly served by it.

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    32. Michael new blood is also more likely to use modern means of communication to keep in touch

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  4. Given your sea photos any thoughts on Ramsgate Port plans? Looks like silting up and construction work in the absence of getting a ferry. Any new ferry must be ultra-green in terms of air pollution. And has the slipways development been sneaked into the plans?

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  5. There he goes again, regardless of the subject matter of the post, boring the pants of everyone with his mindless prattle. Four comments in quick succession which add up to nothing.

    How about, great pictures, Michael, love the paintings and have you seen Ramsgate's version of Stonehenge down on the Pleasurama Site. In centuries to come they will wonder where those great pillars of concrete and steel came from.

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  6. Ramsgate (in 1967) at 2:25...

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-24826739

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    1. Thanks Peter 1967 was around when I came down from somewhere, much like the paintings memory is a peculiar thing. For me everything changes once I have drawn something, I – for instance – know that if I copied Constable’s Stonehenge from either the watercolour or the oil I would then remember the painting in a completely different and much more detailed way.

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  7. Off to KL today to open new offices for Sincerity Advertising. Malaysian government very interested in Surin Schools. Want to know how much money the charity has raised so far and where it has gone? How many schools have been built in the seven years of its existence and how much is spent on director's salaries and expenses. Good to have such keen interest. TG (or should that be tee hee)

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    1. I will happily second that. Please try and settle out there.

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    2. And so say all of us – having already spammed one 0% with named councillor comment on this post, please keep your air pollution a one way only affair.

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    3. Looks like Holyer going Anonymouse to try to sling some mud. Tim apparently has had something close to death threats from Holyer: hope he sends them to the police. Tee hee.

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    4. Holyer having Tim's photo on his blog is unusual but rather touching. Like an old lady with cats. Tee hee.

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    5. What air pollution Michael? You're scaremongering. There is no air pollution right?

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    6. Death threats from Holyer is hilarious. Hopefully the police would take away his keyboard and dentures!

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    7. Garbutt, after your tasteless post on Remembrance on your own blog I would not be too blasé about threats if I was you. I can imagine you are not exactly flavour of the month at the moment with veterans or the bereaved.

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    8. I don't know why you're all writing messages to Mr Garbutt when he's on his way to Malaysia.

      Where is Holyer anyway, or doesn't he have an opinion on anything else?

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    9. I liked Tim's post on Remembrance Sunday and saw him today in Thanet. No doubt Holyer's gang of crumblies will do him though. Or perhaps Holyer is just a saddo desperate for attention from the police having failed to justify Manston because his dad worked there. What a tit.

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    10. If Holyer's had his dentures confiscated would it be a drive-by gumming?

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    11. But 2:47, you are Tim for only you could like that sick post on Remembrance. Incidentally, going back to anon at 10:06, how many schools has your Surin Charity actually built?

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    12. Another stalker-pensioner fascinated with Tim and frustrated over Manston. Tim will no doubt ignore them like the rest of us.

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    13. Pleeeeease, don't start the "You are Tim" thing again!!!

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    14. Cllr Epps is a storm in a teacup merchant. What exactly was sick about Tim's last post? Other than your approval of Thanet corruption Cllr Epps?

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    15. Well said Sparticus, after Holyer and Epps no doubt Mallinson will pipe up too.Dull.

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    16. I've just quickly glanced through Tim's post (thanks for telling me about it William!), and found it quite interesting though a perhaps a little rambling. Certainly not offensive though.

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    17. Here's a link to Tim's sick and offensive post: http://lovekentloveramsgate.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/we-will-not-remember-them.html

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    18. You tell him Eppsy! You go girl! Get Mallinson on here too!

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    19. Well said 3:14. People fought and died for the right for Epps to restrict free speech.

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    20. You are not a veteran, Peter, I am and I find it offensive. Millions of our countrymen contribute to service charities, not just on the poppy appeal, but throughout the year so for him to say the fallen are not remembered is offensive. On my first active service tour ten of my company, all aged between 18 and 20, died and many more were seriously injured. You do not forget them and you have to have a very jaundiced mind to suggest we do.

      As for comments not being Tim, well how would the anonymous poster above know John Holyer (another veteran) had issued threats. He has never done so on the blogs so it must be by email to Tim or on his own blog which only he has access to.

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    21. Epps isn't restricting free speech. he's just having a whine.

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    22. Cllr Epps strangles another debate on this blog. Whatever happened to his one post a day?

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    23. I suppose the same as happened to your one comment, Garbutt, you mindless moron.

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    24. Just give the you are Tim thing a rest.

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    25. Was there a DDay celebration in Thanet last year or Dunkirk?

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    26. Epps and Holyer can't help themselves it's just insults for the sake of it now. Manston has failed and so have they.

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    27. D Day took place in Normandy not Dunkirk, dimwit. In case you had not noticed, Manston gets steadily busier which is probably why you are selling up in South Eastern Road.

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    28. Well said 4:08 and DDay certainly did not take place last year it was in 1944.

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    29. Many of these people are stupid or drunk or all three.

      Can we not elevate the debate?

      The Vicar

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    30. William, as far as I know you're not banned from Tim's blog, so why not comment on there?

      As far as I can tell he's complaining that not enough is done to remember them anyway.

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    31. Epps is too stupid to read Peter. And he wraps himself too tightly in the flag as a mere national serviceman. Everybody of that age had to serve. And the old fool has started Holyer off again. What a waste of council tax.

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    32. Peter, I have tried several times, but he never publishes my comments however politely couched.

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    33. Garbutt, twenty years is a very long national service.

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    34. Do be quiet William we are all bored with you.

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    35. He is still in better shape than you mentally and physically, fatboy.

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    36. If we all keep very, very quiet then Holyer too might just post a few insults anonymousely for a while, then stop.

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  8. Checksfield your 2:38.

    Here I am, Pete. I see you are dancing to to Garbutt's tune, and making a twit of your self in the process.

    For the record I have not issued 'death threats'.

    As I have said before, Pete, you would be out of your depth in a puddle.

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    1. I was obviously right about you not having an opinion on anything else.

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    2. Pete,

      Pete [your 5:55pm],

      Contrary to your own self regard you are rarely right. You listen with your mouth, never quite grasp the point and manage to get everything slightly wrong. However none of this penetrates your shield of smug self satisfaction.

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    3. Heaven forfend that Pete should be bored.

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    4. Pete,

      I have no wish to discuss anything with you for reasons that I stated earlier. You demonstrate an unshakeable belief in your own self righteousness that I find tiresome. Curiously, it appears that I am always on your mind. This is not reciprocated; for you long ago ceased to interest me. If you truly want me to go away, Pete, then resist bandying my name about.

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  9. Oh dear. Having monopolised the blog and excluded opinions contrary to their own, the three stooges now realise they hate each other almost as much as they hate everybody else. Coming next: The stooges realise that they hate themselves...

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    1. Checkers looks more like Iggy than the other Stooges!

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    2. Elevate the debate you grunter.

      The Vicar

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  10. More like Porno..

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  11. These are grown adults behaving like children and one of them a councillor too.

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Comments, since I started writing this blog in 2007 the way the internet works has changed a lot, comments and dialogue here were once viable in an open and anonymous sense. Now if you comment here I will only allow the comment if it seems to make sense and be related to what the post is about. I link the majority of my posts to the main local Facebook groups and to my Facebook account, “Michael Child” I guess the main Ramsgate Facebook group is We Love Ramsgate. For the most part the comments and dialogue related to the posts here goes on there. As for the rest of it, well this blog handles images better than Facebook, which is why I don’t post directly to my Facebook account, although if I take a lot of photos I am so lazy that I paste them directly from my camera card to my bookshop website and put a link on this blog.