Wednesday 23 July 2014

Sketching around Ramsgate yesterday afternoon and this morning, possible ramble about blogs, drawing and so on.

I would say the tricky bit with art in the form of pictures is the initial drawing, or if you paint straight onto the blank paper or canvas without first drawing the picture you are going to paint.

You can of course trace or copy a photograph, you can also use a pencil and rubber and keep rubbing out the bits that come out wrong.

I don’t get a lot of time to draw and paint so it tends to mostly be watercolour paint or ink straight on to cheap paper, this is an irreversible process.

So in order starting with yesterday afternoon from my sketchpad, some thoughts on what went wrong.  
 Partly the vanishing point was too close, meaning too much angle on the top

 this was the second attempt straight after something went wrong bottom right the wall on the side of the arcade which is supposed to going away from you just did not.

 wrong angle on the end of The Oak, the photo should show what I mean

 The main reason here is that it was drawn at 6am this morning I think I probably sloping to the right as well as the picture.

 This was around 7.30 the lamppost showing through the campervan was not entirely my fault as it parked there after I drew the lamppost.
This was the lunchtime one from caffé LATTE, everything done in my lunch hour, walking there from my shop, eating the sandwich drawing the picture and getting back to work inside the hour. Mainly the buildings in the foreground got a bit too tall and thin.

A note about drawing people here, all their heads are at roughly the same height and the get shorter from the bottom up as they get further away.  

Next some thought on this blog, once again the comment is becoming a pain in neck, this is entirely due to contributors who can’t seem to manage to debate issues in an adult way. If you want to know what I mean take a look at http://thanetonline.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/save-manston-airport-group-hand-in.html?showComment=1406145549960#c1915794687293351911

Most of this goes something like.

Rom. “Jul is an idiot”

Jul. “Rom is an idiot”

Rom “Jul is stupid”

Jul “Rom is absolutely bonkers”

Rom “Jul is absolutely bonkers”

Rom “Michael, Jul is calling me names, why haven’t you deleted Jul’s comments”

Michael “Read the comment guidelines below, email me the offending comment’s timestamp and web page address”

Then follows all the nonsense about reporting this blog to google, the only reporting facility google has is to get offensive blogs closed down, well I wish them the joy of that particular road.

This blog has around 50,000 comments on it and I would guess a few hundred have offended someone or another and they have reported the blog to google.

127 comments:

  1. Have you thought of getting supernanny to give a few tips on commenting.

    Trouble is comments tend to be either in the "throw stone in pond" type or end up resorting to personal insults however I have noticed more anons now changing to a "nom de blog" since anonymous posting was turned off.

    Did I say that our old "nom de blog" John Hamilton has returned at least only on Facebook under his real name, Michael

    ReplyDelete
  2. With a "nom de blog" I still remain anonymous to other readers, but at least I have had to register my "correct" details with Google, which means that I am traceable. Bloggers who use what I shall call proper names, such as for example Barry James, Peter Checksfield or John Holyer, do not in actual fact prove to me , the reader, that that is their real name, and unless I know these people personally, and meet them to talk to, they are just as anonymous as a "nom de blog", though of course their "correct" details will be registered somewhere.

    There are some commenters who could start a fight in an empty room, others who enter well informed and detailed debate, others still who enter incorrect information as if it were true and are surprised when it is challenged.

    I don't pretend to know the answer to moderating a blog nor how to stop name calling, but as we use to say in the RAF, if you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It seems to me that most of the problems emanate from individuals using their real names and that they are behaving like schoolchildren. As someone with experience of dealing with school children, I can tell you that, as soon as you give them someone to complain to, that person will be inundated. It's a symptom of modern society. People have not been brought up to be self-sufficient. Whenever anything goes wrong, they look for somebody to blame and look to somebody else to sort it out for them. These traits have now been passed through the generations, and many children are now programmed to exaggerate their complaints and to exaggerate the degree of offence to pressurise others to act on their behalf. I was pleased to see that lottery funding is being made available give children in Thanet 'resilience' training. Perhaps some money could also be made available to deliver similar package to the children on this blog.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The thing is EMBOB it is easy to meet in the real world as the treasurer of Friends of Ramsgate Seafront I get to meet plenty of people down at the seafront and occasionally the Gazette has articles about our work with pictures. It is hard to remain anonymous when you have a public profile.
    As has been said before those with a profile make it easy to follow their comments but when you are anon it could be any number of individuals talking.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Michael,

    Stop wriggling. All of this which you profess to abhor is entirely of your own making. You post comments with the intention of stirring up controversy. Along with this you encourage any commenter who deals in insults in the knowledge that this will stir up the most controversy. You do this because your primary purpose is to increase the number of hits and thereby raise your blog in the rankings. This you believe will increase your visitor numbers and hence your sale of books. So you're in it for the money and there is no crime in that.

    A case in point are your recent posts about art galleries; fine that these are they raised scant interest. So true to form you stuck up something about Manston rehearsing your tired theories about CPOs; but not this time River Oak presumably this will come later. And the comments rolled in. However many of them were in response to one commenter with his gratuitous insults. I suspect that you know the identity of this person. Just as you long knew the identity of a notorious anon and did nothing about it. I know that you knew because you told me.

    So, Michael, you do not occupy the moral high ground and never can you with this blog of yours.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Michael,

    You have told me that you occasionally post anonymous comments. Anon comments have been turned off for quite a while now. But I have noticed that they occasionally slip through. I find this curious bearing in mind that you have sole control of the switch. They are off at present so how did anon at 8:12am get through? Michael, I cannot overlook the possibility that you briefly turn off anon in order to post your own anon and then immediately switch it back on. If I am wrong then how do you explain the appearance of the of 8:12 and others?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John,I think the answer re anonymous is easily answered. If I were to make my "Nom de Blog" "anonymous" then that's how it would appear. I will give it a try, assuming that "Anonymous" is not already in use by someone else.

      Delete
    2. EMBOB,

      I take your point. However, if you click on the anonymous at 8:12 it will not take you to a blogger profile. Whereas the examples you posted below do. Also it is not coloured which is another indicator that it is not a 'nom de blog'. The anon at 8:12 was facilited by someone in control of the switch.

      Delete
    3. Point taken too John. Will the real Anonymous please stand up and identify themselves?

      Delete
    4. I guess the answer to Anonymous entries is that the entry has been Emailed to Michael and he in turn has published it as Anonymous.

      Delete
  7. I think it must be difficult to moderate a local interest blog. Blogs of a more political nature (especially Northern Ireland ones) can moderate rules like "No whataboutery", "No playing the man". An example of "Whataboutery" recently would be, in a discussion about Manston, to lurch off in effect to "What about your Pleasurama petition".

    I think there is a tendency for the regulars on this blog to conflate. EG The issue of being opposed to housing development with the matter of support for a CPO to gamble on an airport operation. There seems to be a tendency to describe another person as "Negative" simply because the other person has an opposing view. Also there is a tendency to demonise, for example, Ann Gloag.

    I agree with Anon 8.12. If you consider Facebook there is any number of pages whose titles begin "Justice for ...". Typically such pages concentrate on their own cause initially and gain group comfort from messages of support. Then as the truth hits home, that ranting on a FB page achieves nothing, typically such pages seek to associate their cause with other causes to create a "Campaign" group. That doesn't achieve anything either. Then comes The Petition and gathering signatures. Then the wailing about the adverse response to petition. Often at this stage comments such as "We will never give up the fight" proliferate. It seems to keep them happy and it would be churlish to point out that there was never any "Fight" in them in the first place.

    People may be emboldened by the Stephen Lawrence case. The popular notion that one determined bereaved mother beat all the odds. But the truth is the early involvement of Paul Dacre, Daily Mail, and Nelson Mandela and the political exploiters is what gave the Lawrence case impetus. Without that power propelling the cause then today Doreen would be running her own "Justice for" Facebook Page.

    However what can be useful is to test how much grasp, of their cause, proponents have. As far as Manston is concerned the answer appears to be very little grasp.





    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even More Bemused of Birchington posing as Anonymous

      Delete
    2. Did yo see what I did there John? Back to normal with a slightly changed name.

      Delete
    3. EMBOB,

      I take your point. However, if you click on the anonymous at 8:12 it will not take you to a blogger profile. Whereas the examples you posted below do. Also it is not coloured which is another indicator that it is not a 'nom de blog'. The anon at 8:12 was facilited by someone in control of the switch.

      Delete
  8. Great to see that Primark have taken notice of Margate's "Paint your shabby shops" campaign. It's a pity there's not a similar campaign in Ramsgate (have you seen the state of that old bookshop?).

    ReplyDelete
  9. How do you know there isn't such a campaign Peter is this based on you stroll along the seafront. Ramsgate Town Team would beg to differ. Unless your comment was just to have a pop at Michael perhaps!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. So you think Michael's shop looks ok then? It stands out like a sore thumb from all the other shops in that part of the street (apart from the closed and boarded stores of course)...

    I walk or cycle through every town and village in Thanet at least once a week, unlike most other locals who probably have never visited Cliffsend, Garlinge or Monkton in their life.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Where did I say I approve or disapproves what the bookshop owner does or doesn't do? I didn't even mention it at my 9:59am. Are you just stirring up trouble again?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was asking you a question in the hope of getting a straight answer (obviously you'd rather not say)... If campaigning to get shops to look nicer is "stirring up trouble" then I'm guilty as charged! I'm sure you'd be the first to complain if it was a Tesco or McDonalds that looked that shabby, so why shouldn't private shop owners also be encouraged to tidy up their stores?

      Delete
    2. who were u expecting an answer from? and funnily enough you just target one shop? I'm sure Tesco and McD look after their places. The only issue with McD is the rubbish their customers drop not how well they are painted. If you want to take up the challenge in getting shops painted then contact the Ramsgate Town Team. But then that wasn't why you mentioned it was it?

      Delete
    3. Did you have any paint left over from those amazing-looking steps? Perhaps you can donate a tin or two.

      Delete
  12. Over the past year or two I have seen many comments on this blog and on ECR being savagely attacked by 3 main internet trolls, for the sake of a peaceful blog I will not say who they are but I think we all know.
    It came to the point of having to show them what its like to have a perfectly reasonable comment picked apart and your personality attacked just because your point differed for theirs.
    It took less than 2 days for them to go crying to Michael asking him to remove my comments. I just hope that they have learnt a lesson that being an internet troll not only makes them look stupid but also fills them full of hate. This not only affects the recipient it also affects the administrator in a detrimental way.
    Why not just try and get your point across without attacking the opposing author but with facts that show the opposing author is wrong. If you cant find any facts to show they are wrong then it would seem as though they are right. At this point you just have to face the truth that your argument is flawed and find a different avenue to pursue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Purple Om, are you familiar with the phrase "The pot calling the kettle black"? If not then I suggest you go and look it up. I have seen fouler language from you than anyone else in blogland, even on ECR. Your attempts to take the moral high ground do not work with me. If you have a good point to make then fine, but I have seen you wish ill of others just because they do not agree with your view. You have SHOUTED at people and asked them not to comment on your comments.

      I guess Ramadan is nearly over and things will return to some kind of normality.

      Delete
    2. SEMBOB was this some sort of cast away remark "I guess Ramadan is nearly over and things will return to some kind of normality." if so it is in very poor taste and smacks of islamaphobia

      Delete
    3. When I was in the Middle East we were warned to avoid the locals during Ramadan for the very fact that they were unpredictable. Therefore my statement is not Islamaphobic but an observation on the time of year in the Islamic tradition. If you find it in poor taste then so be it. I do not believe in pussyfooting around these issues.

      Delete
    4. do you believe then that Om is following the Islamic faith or were you just using it as a throwaway line?

      Delete
    5. Sorry Barry James, I do not have to answer to you for my comments. If Michael requests I remove it then I will, under protest, but you of course can form your own opinion. It is more likely that Om is a Buddhist or a Hindu if he follows any religion at all.
      But I am sure he will answer in his own inimitable way.

      Delete
    6. SEMBOB you are one of the trolls. If you have learned nothing form the last 2 days then your even more stupid than I first thought stop it now, or stop posting on here, as everybody is so fed up with your continuous bickering and argumentative manner you are ruining a very good blog site that you will miss if it gets closed either by the author or by goggle.

      Delete
    7. Are you familiar with reality Om? You are now issuing instructions when it is not your place so to do. And if everyone is fed up with my "continuous bickering and argumentative manner" then please let them say so. You of course are all sweetness and light and have never issued an adverse comment. Below are some of your comments from the last few days.

      1. Purple OmJuly 21, 2014 8:58 pm
      Peter your full of SH*T
      Barry thanks for that, but I have decided to troll them for a while so I wont be posting anything other than insults and snipes for a good while lets see how they like it

      EMBOB are you that stupid and idiotic???? Why cant you even type numbers did you mum or dad not teach you? I thought the petition had 26,500 not 26,5000 people who signed it? For someone who is meant to be so fuc*ing great you are sh*t

      John I told you to not comment on what I have said to others and I wont comment on your posts so FU*K OFF and never talk to me again

      John
      DONT TALK TO ME
      John
      DONT TALK ABOUT ME
      John
      DON'T COMMENT ON MY COMMENTS

      Delete
    8. Om, Pot Kettle Kettle Pot.
      In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people,[1] by posting inflammatory,[2] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[3] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.[4]

      This sense of the word troll and its associated verb trolling are associated with Internet discourse, but have been used more widely. Media attention in recent years has equated trolling with online harassment. For example, mass media has used troll to describe "a person who defaces Internet tribute sites with the aim of causing grief to families."[5][6]

      Delete
    9. I have just had a quick read of this and I think perhaps we all should. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)

      Delete
  13. Looks like Purp is having another Rama-Lama-Ding-Dong!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It seems to me Peter that the Ramsgatonians (I nearly said Ramsgate mafia, but that would be troll speak) are ganging up on those of us who live elsewhere.

      Delete
  14. Replies
    1. There you go Om, Troll speak, and from you who claim to be above that sort of thing.

      Delete
  15. They're obviously jealous. It's Margate that gets all the great media attention these days (several reviews over the weekend), and of course we both know that Birchington has the best high street in Thanet!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter something has always puzzled me. When you were interviewed at home by the police over another troll's behaviour was it as a witness, victim or, god forbid, a suspect?

      Delete
    2. None of the above... he was mainly curious about my photography, as he wanted some naughty-but-nice photos done of 'er indoors.

      Delete
  16. Back on topic: Dover District Council motion to support the campaign to retain Manston as an operational airport was carried unanimously last night.

    Hopefully Canterbury, Swale and Shepway will do the same.

    ReplyDelete
  17. If anyone is Interested other than the trolls. I have just been told that the CPO will not be going ahead. The person who was in power until recently told a friend the she was upset that they have not made an announcement yet
    We will have to see if this comes out in the next few days or not but there was no reason for the friend to lie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is obviously BS, as you don't have any friends.

      Delete
    2. ...but if it is true, then that's the end of Labour in Thanet for several years! So not all bad news.

      Delete
  18. Seems early days yet for any news of the CPO. I too believe that it is a lost cause though I would like it to happen, but If I win the Euro millions jackpot I might just have a word with the current owner.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even if you won the maximum amount £161.5 million in my estimation you would need to win 3.5 times to be able to afford her asking price.
      speaking of her asking price often you hear that riveroak offered her the full asking price of £7.5 million has anybody ever seen this form Ann Gloags people or has this price just been made up. It just seems a little low as she took it on with £23 million in debt

      Delete
    2. Who said anything about buying, I would be looking at shares.

      Delete
    3. It would be a good investment

      Delete
  19. Well at least one of us is doing some voluntary gardening at the WW1 memorial created by FORS if anyone wants to help with hoeing the (very small) field of Remembrance the garden is up next to the Granville theatre on Ramsgate's Eastcliff in about 1/2 an hour

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm always interested in hoes!

      Delete
    2. Speaking of fields of remembrance, does anybody know what will happen to the one at Manston if it is to become a garden city?

      Delete
  20. A few thoughts here as I have been in Margate all day and have only just had a chance to catch up with the blog.

    The anon comment occurred because I after the comments on the previous post that I had to delete I put on comment moderation over night and at the same time turned on anon comments.

    As far as Peter taking it out on me, this is much easier to manage than when he takes it out on someone else and I have to put up with their flack.

    As far as promoting arts and literature is concerned, I put my hands up to this, I went to some bookshops in Margate today, looked at the books, bought some, failed to check out the exterior paint jobs, anyone care to oblige?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Having watched supernanny then were she to be stuck with Peter's behaviour he would have been on the naughty step for a long time

      Delete
    2. Michael, often on your travels you photograph buildings etc, pointing out the ones that look shabby and rundown. Perhaps you could take photographs of your own street for us?

      Delete
    3. I've only seen the x-rated spoof version, and I rather liked the way she treated younger men... ; )

      Delete
    4. Michael, your 6:35pm

      So you put your hands up in admission that you deliberately encourage and support controversy on your blog, even of the vilest kind, in order to further what you vaingloriously describe as your promotion of arts and literature.

      I find it difficult to accept your explanation for the appearance that one 'anonymous' comment. Particularly as it supported your views and attacked those who use their real name, such as Peter and myself, who you do not like very much. It then wandered off into education and the young of today, which is another of your pet subjects. Michael, that anon comment has your fingerprints all over it.

      I leave you in the hands of your loyal comment generator the Purple Om.

      Delete
    5. Do I peter, I certainly point out the empty ones and have done posts about The Duke of Kent pub and the empty carpet shop in King Street? Perhaps this would be a job for you, a blog about the existing businesses that don’t come up to your standards of decor. The streets that just don’t cut the mustard, various people have done guides to secondhand bookshops, Driff being the most eccentric and critical, he had plenty to say about quality of stock, prices, the rudeness of owners and so on but he missed the exterior décor so you could corner the market as it were. Secondhand record and cd shops too, I mean I collect records and I am sure that there are several you know of that I have missed, you know how it goes: “I finally found the elusive record shop in Camden, but didn’t like the look of the paintwork outside so didn’t go inside and look at the records.

      John, I think you may need to reread my comment, I put comment moderation on to prevent the vile comments and didn’t put my hands up to condoning anything.

      Delete
    6. Well any shop has to look inviting from the outside before I consider going inside, no matter what they sell. If the owner can't be bothered to keep things looking fresh and clean, then I can't be bothered to give him / her my custom.

      Delete
    7. Obviously a bit too much resting.

      Delete
    8. Michael,

      I have read your comment. Stop wrigling. I stand by what I said.

      Delete
    9. If there was a Waterstones over the road from you, which shop do you honestly think would get the most custom? I know which one my money's on, even though you very probably have a better selection of books at lower prices. A successful business isn't just about the product.

      Delete
    10. Peter I have just changed the blog header to a picture of Thanet’s most famous ruin in the hope you will stop visiting the blog as well.

      Delete
  21. You also need to change the books in the window more often. Faded and dull looking books are off-putting.

    Another tip, always keep the doors open, even in winter. Passers by are far more likely to wander in.

    ReplyDelete
  22. having walked up from Costa in Margate up thru the supposed shops to the Council offices I find it rediculous that Peter feels he has to criticize your bookshop. Maybe he should campaign to get all the empty shops sorted in Margate there are plenty of them

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barry did you see the comment I made earlier about TDC not going for CPO ?

      Delete
  23. I agree with Sandy Ezekiel's (aborted) idea that the top end of the High Street should be converted to housing. All those shops will never be opened again.

    Purp, I checked with my sources : your friend is a liar. Obviously not a true friend, eh?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Talk of the devil... guess who's in my home laying a new carpet at this very moment?

      Delete
  24. I'm going to gen up on Scandinavian Folklore so I will be better informed about trolls. Apparently trolls have been known to issue statements as if they were true and then hurl abuse at those who challenge the statement. They then cross the bridge and pull it up after them.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Only an idiot would take notice of a statement issued by someone anonymous citing an unnamed source. That's why Barry didn't fall for it.

    ReplyDelete
  26. thanks for the endorsement Peter I had to wonder if you thought I was stupid reading some of your statements it's nice to know you don't think I am.
    I see UKIP had their office in King street vandalised last night and also that Keith Churcher left the SMA FB page earlier albeit briefly I wonder what that was about?

    ReplyDelete
  27. Peter would you stay at someone's house after they asked you to leave?
    bemused if you cant grow up please stop talking to me I really am so fu*king fed up of your childish remarks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eh? I live here, it's Sandy who was a guest.

      Delete
  28. I see that UKIP look as if they will win in Thanet South next year. UKIP are pro Manston as an airport. The people of Ramsgate must therefore democratically support Manston, if the polls are to be believed.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Purple Om. At least so far I have never had comments removed by the administrator, a distinction which I believe you hold the record for on this blog. As for childish remarks, I rather think your latest effort would not be out of place in a school playground, sad but true. Furthermore Om you would never be invited to my house in the first place. Your use of expletives serves your cause no good at all, so if you can't make a comment without resorting to that kind of language then please don't make a comment.

    ReplyDelete
  30. 3 unconfirmed reports now that TDC wont be going for a CPO Michael do you know anything about this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have your sauces explained how they got things so wrong?

      Delete
  31. All rumour so far as I have seen nothing from TDC but this is what I heard
    " TDC could not prove to the planning inspectorate that it was viable"

    ReplyDelete
  32. Where are these reports? Names? Links? BS?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. On the whole there seems to be an off the record consensus, among the officers and councillors that I have spoken to, that a TDC cpo is a non runner. I have been hearing this for two or three weeks now, I have however had no official or off the record information that TDC have decided that they can’t or won’t pursue it.

      Unlike Peter I don’t have out of hours access to the council’s legal department however I am assure that they will come back to me today with an update on the position.

      Delete
    2. Thank you Michael. As I have said all the reports are unconfirmed but I have seen 2 other people say the same thing. I asked them where they got it from and they told me that is was from an interdependent sauce other than my post.

      Delete
    3. As I said, if it is true then you can kiss goodbye to Labour in Thanet for a few years. We all know that certain people from the left (Hart, Driver, Scobie) have never really supported Manston anyway, unlike the more honest Gale, Moores, Latchford, etc.

      Delete
    4. Where can I get some of this interdependent sauce and what does it taste like?

      Delete
    5. Michael, your 1:24.

      In other words you have no idea of the truth of the rumour, if indeed it has even reached the status of being a rumour.

      Delete
    6. Nail on the head there John which is why I haven’t done a post about it.

      Delete
    7. Good to know that you won't just accept Purple Om's word either...

      As for me contacting the council's legal department, cllrs also talk to photographers off the record as well as bookshop owners.

      Delete
    8. Frankly Peter I take very little notice of what councillors say off the record, it is often transpires to be incorrect or at least partly inaccurate. It is only definite confirmation from one of the senior officers in writing that would convince me for definite on the cpo issue.

      The fact that the council promised to come back to me promptly with a definite answer either way several hours ago is concerning.

      I think you have got a bit confused here into thinking that this is a political issue, the majority of both political parties appear to wish to save Manston, at the moment the question is can the council legally do so in a way that they can fund and this is down to the officers.

      Funny thing you know, I had a long chat and a cuppa recently with Sandy, and he was a long way from going around to people’s houses and fitting the carpets, has he suddenly gone down in the world?

      Delete
    9. Here is the rely from TDC

      -----Original Message-----
      From: TDC Press Office
      To: 'michaelchild@aol.com'
      Sent: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 16:31
      Subject: Manston CPO rumours

      Thanet District Council confirms that the situation remains unchanged and the possibility of a CPO of Manston Airport will be discussed at Cabinet on Thursday, 31 July 2014.

      Delete
    10. No Michael, the majority of the left only appear to wuish to save Manston now that they know their political lives rely on it. As Cllr Moores has pointed out, many of them were actively campaigning against it until very recently.

      I can assure you that Sandy was here, they if you want to be pedantic he was ripping up the old carpets; perhaps he'll send a colleague round to fit the new ones next week.

      Delete
    11. Peter my own take is that both parties have been engaging in political football over this one and that if anything has prevented a viable cpo above all else it was Sir Roger Gale directing SMA at TDC instead of KCC.

      I don’t know whether this was by accident or design, as it has certainly put the current TDC administration in a no win situation, but it has also prevented a viable and timely cpo, injunction to stop asset stripping and so on.

      Delete
    12. Rogers Gale & Latchford + Simon Moores have always supported the airport. Can you honestly say the same for Ian Driver and John Worrow?

      Delete
    13. Peter i have lost track of which parties they support, or you for that matter, but wouldn't call them typical of either main party, however i suppose it depends on your motives, dredging through Thanet's political history or trying to get the best solution for the airport site. I know you don;t ever use passenger services but some of us would only really want an airport that people could actually fly from and most importantly brought tangible economic benefits to Thanet that outweighed the noise and air pollution disadvantages.

      Delete
    14. Showing your bias again Michael... as it was politicians like them that (at least partly) got us into this mess in the first place then it IS important, particularly if things fall through and the airport remains closed. But don't take my word for it, visit Simon's blog for far more details.

      I should also add: For someone who makes his fame and fortune from selling local history books, you show remarkably little respect for Thanet's heritage.

      Delete
  33. 3 unconfirmed reports that Shergar was seen in Ramsgate with Elvis in the saddle, being led by Lord Lucan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If Purple Om says his "sauces" told him then Michael will believe it.

      Delete
    2. Looks like Pom's friends are liars: http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/manston_update_possible_breakthrough_1_3700527

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  34. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    1. Well Barry and Michael haven't just accepted his word either, so I don't know why you're singleing me out.

      ECR is a woman.

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    2. Is that an unconfirmed report as last I heard his name was Paul but should that have been Paula maybe. Then Peter whenever you talk about ECR steam comes out of your ears so you could just be mischief making

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    3. Interesting that John Hamilton's real name is also supposedly Paul, so maybe they're the same person? I always suspected that JH was a spoof charactor, a bit like his / their other creation Lucy.

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    4. It may well be a good idea to remember that the investigation of Cllr Moores found no case to answer and was based as far as I know on the complaint that a comment was "Liked" on a Facebook entry regarding Tesco, over which Cllr Moores had no control. I may not have my facts totally correct but perhaps I will be corrected if I am wrong.

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    5. Exactly... and the same thing happened to one of his fellow Tory bloggers, so diyplonker needs to get his facts right.

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    7. dwileflunker please read the comment guidelines below and note that I am busy at the moment so if you continue to make derogatory comments about real people my easiest course of action is to delete all your comments unread with my mobile phone.

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    8. And your point is dwilefunker?

      I think you are behind the times. Can I refer you to Thanet Life entry for Friday May 16th 2014. http://birchington.blogspot.co.uk/

      Certainly Cllr Moores was interviewed under caution. Quite what you mean by "protection" I'm not sure but I will let that go. The fact remains that no charges were ever brought and the police dropped their investigation, again. I suggest you and anybody else who hasn't done so read his entry.

      What is still to be decided is his case with the standards committee of TDC, and because of his loss of confidence in our justice system he has decided not to stand at the next local elections.

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  35. Maybe he's / she's a transexual.

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  36. Perhaps I could refer you all to.......


    http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/manston_update_possible_breakthrough_1_3700527?usurv=skip

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    1. No, no, surely this cannot be - the Perp and Michael have been told that a CPO is already a goner - Michael is waiting to be contacted by TDC as I write! Why won't these MPs and Ministers listen to those who know what is really going on. The Perp should be consulted at the highest level - he has friends.

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    2. Actually I posted it on here 15 minutes before you Chris, but I agree with John!

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  37. Riveroak letter counts for nothing at this stage. First TDC have to establish whether an airport is viable and whether a CPO is within the law bearing in mind that they will require a part. If the CPO gets the go ahead then a partner has to be found using EU tendering procedures and then RiverOak can declare their interest and whether they have the funds required for the CPO, at the moment nobody knows how much cash will be required.

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    1. You see even Dave knows that there will be not be a CPO - it's all on his TV chanel - why don't the Government listen.

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    2. Still Dave, positive news for those of us who don't have a constantly negative outlook, eh?

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  38. Confirmed on Southern news not 5 minutes ago. Riveroak will support TDC in CPO.

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    1. No, no, don't take it from ITV - seek the truth from the chanel that knows - Dave.

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    2. I won't open the bottle of champagne just yet, but I am going to make myself a large cup of tea (& biscuits) to celebrate this small victory. Cheers!

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    3. Peter,

      I agree that it remains early days. But anything positive to emerge from that Thanet desert of negativity should be embraced and held tight. At the moment I am enjoying an extremely satisfying gloat; it's a long time since I've had one of those. However, I realise that I'm in peril of hubris, so I'll enjoy a cup of tea and pour a libation for the gods of Manston.

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    4. Presumably Purp and his "friends" are drowning their sorrows!

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    5. I look forward to seeing the Red Arrows in the skies over Thanet again. Let's hope this is not a false dawn.

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    7. quiet because he cant afford a blogger profile

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    8. Peter in this instance you seem to be one again going down the “comments saying that an anonymous comment was made by a named real person,” road. Frankly I am far to busy at the moment to monitor the minutia of inferences that may or may not lead to libel action in your case. This is mainly because of the volume of your comments, over 20 so far today and a considerable amount that I have had to delete recently because they contained obscenities or potential libels. Either start towing the line and abiding by the blog guidelines or as I said earlier to dwileflunker, all your comments will be deleted with my mobile without my bothering to read them.

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    9. OK, I'll try again: folks, read the comments on Tony Flaig's blog! : )))

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    10. peter if it is him then he is running out of audiences with anon comments turned off in here and ECR's blog gone. It makes me wonder why he doesn't get a blogger account. I wonder if its laziness or a technology issue

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    11. He already has a blogger account, as he runs several blogs.

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    12. Right Peter, see this as a final warning, dwileflunker and what appears to be a personal vendetta against a well know Conservative councillor has already has this morning’s comments consigned to the bin, any further comment he makes will go that way without being read and if the comments continue they will be spammed. You have made 26 comments in the last 24 hours, many of them not related to the issue being discussed, many of them just trolling related to second-guessing the identities of anons or just trying to provoke other people so you can complain about their responses, if you want to discuss the airport here then that’s fine, if you want to troll here then it’s over.

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    13. So it's ok for Purple Om to abuse everyone who disagrees with him? And it's ok for Barry to refer to groups / blogs featuring resigning members etc that have nothing to do with your blog posts?

      You also seem happy for Purple Om to make unsubstantiated claims (then complaining when I point out he was wrong), yet call me a liar for claiming that Sandy Ezekiel was in my home carpet-fitting yesterday? If you're such close buddies with him, I suggest you ask him yourself what address he was working at yesterday... and then apologise to me.

      I've tried to discuss on-topic issues with you, but seems that you like to avoid them. Here's an example:

      "Showing your bias again Michael... as it was politicians like them that (at least partly) got us into this mess in the first place then it IS important, particularly if things fall through and the airport remains closed. But don't take my word for it, visit Simon's blog for far more details." ... So did you look at Simon's blog Michael? Would you now agree that many prominent local left-wingers were actively campaigning AGAINST the airport not so long ago? Are you still convinced that Ian Driver, John Worrow and Clive Hart now support the airport? And what do you think changed their minds? Persuasive arguments from the campaigners perhaps.

      I've also asked you several times if you can name a campaign in Thanet history that has (a) Been supported by more people, and (b) Had more national media attention. Looking forward to a reply!



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    14. Peter you just don’t get it do you, you have made over one comment for every hour of the last 24, I get about half an hour max to devote to this blog. This morning it was sorting out the pdf file of the RiverOak letter because I think it is important to those of us interested in Manston Airport.

      Your comments were interesting and pertinent once, now your comments are turning into trolling, so tow the line, comply to the guidelines below, moaning about what other commentators have said, the supposed identities of people commenting on other blogs is just mind numbingly boring. If there is comment that interests you on Thanet Life, comment about it there.

      Frankly who cares who laid your carpet or if you think some other commentator has overstepped the guidelines here, I certainly don't and can't think anyone else would, my recommendation is as you have so much time on your hands, then start your own blog.

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  39. All I'm asking is a simple "Yes" or "No" to my last question. Is it really so difficult to answer???

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    1. Peter as at every level response has been open to all of the supporters of airport expansion worldwide I was surprised how small the response had been. Particularly surprised that the petition to parliament didn’t reach level to trigger a debate.

      Were the responses limited to the catchment area of the airport it would have been impressive, especially had the petition been to KCC who represent that catchment area.

      It is early days for local issues to have FaceBook and internet campaigns, so I guess as people get better at managing them the campaigns will get bigger just because of this.

      So the answer is Yes.

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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.