News, Local history and Thanet issues from Michael's Bookshop in Ramsgate see www.michaelsbookshop.com I publish over 200 books about the history of this area click here to look at them.
Saturday 6 July 2013
Sunny Day Ramble
33 comments:
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.
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Dreamland http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2357434/Not-Dreamland-Pictures-sad-tale-decaying-seaside-resort-attracted-2m-visitors-year.html
ReplyDeleteNew book by retired Kent cop
ReplyDeleteI am told that the book is an entertaining read about the coppers lot.
As you know the blogger Bertie Biggles many moons ago had raised concerns about quasi military cadet groups in Kent. In fact he had contacted South East Command of the Army and the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch.
Iain seems to have been serving with Kent Special Branch at the time County Cllrs told Margate Charter Trustees in the late 90s that someone had raised inquiry by Kent Special Branch into private cadet groups like Thanet's Kent Adventure Training Corps.
That was when the Charter Trustees withdrew public funding of the private cadet group. Voting to sustain funding (But losing) were Cllrs Daley and Watt Ruffell.
As you know too Michael Bertie Biggles also took concerns to Kent County Council Youth Group Affiliation Services.
As you know then Michael there was in fact, completely independent of Richard Card's complaints, making corroborative complaints.
So there circa 99 was REME Corps Secretariat calling in MOD POlice and a local concerned citizen calling in RMP SIB and both complainants contacting KCC Youth Services.
This would be about the time your other friend got a phone call from his local county cllr telling him he was talking to the wrong people about what he saw at 6th Thanet Gun Range.
Iain hasn't clarified his recall on this period yet as far as I know.
But as you know Retd Det Ch Supt Biddiss has sent a report of concern to Kent Police Pro Standards about his own Thanet inquiries at that time. The Ken Speakman murder case.
As far as I know there is nothing in Iain's Special Branch memoirs on the Thanet involvements of the Branch.
May be worth stocking the book as it is being well received as a good read.
Cool. I was wondering what my first book purchase from Michael should be? Maybe I will promote it around the lgbt community?
DeleteStrange, a civilian cadet organisation would be well outside the jurisdiction of either the MOD Police or the RMP SIB. Not on MOD property and not involving any green on green crime. Do you make is this up Rick? Also, what relevance has it to a Sunday Ramble in Ramsgate?
ReplyDeleteInteresting how the comments by Richard Card, whether as anonymous or L T Palmer, are kicking off again around the blogs as those of the Aquifer Man have gone quiet. Could they be one and the same person or possibly inmates of the same institution?
ReplyDeleteThere was one the other day from probably the same source that seemed to contain a potential libel of the council’s solicitor, followed by a surprised one when I deleted it.
ReplyDeleteI guess whoever it is must be a lot wealthier than me.
But yes the old dilemma, at the moment I only delete the comments that fall outside the comment rules.
So what do others think, should I just treat this sort of thing as non commercial spam and spam it like the commercial spam, or should I just leave it, if it fall inside the rules?
Michael,
DeleteI would suggest that if the comment falls within your comment rules then you should leave it be. I suspect that you have neither the time nor the wish to sit in judgement on every posting.
For example if I post that during my ramble on this sunny day I noticed that Ramsgate beach was all but deserted. Someone had told that the reason for this was that extraterrestrials had landed at Manston overnight and contaminated the surrounding sea and sands. In response I at once set up a business selling tin foil hats as a protection against ET's thought control. I also sold toffee apples. Strictly speaking I would not be off topic. Slightly mad maybe, but that's another matter.
I suppose the question you might consider, Michael, is whether your blog should have the freedom of a Speakers Corner albeit a bit dotty at times; or whether the blog should be moderated by the rigorous rules of a serious intellectual debating society?
Sorry I can't come up with a solution, but as someone who enjoys your blogs I am saddened by the way almost every topic you post is followed by the same people either trying to be amusing or being rude about each other - or both. Perhaps if they totted up the number of comments they have made and then read them, they would realise how tiresome they are.
ReplyDeleteI am with, Anon 12:19, for the endless exchanges of insults and repetitive conspiracy theory postings do get tiresome as well as endangering reasonable debate of the subject thread. As someone said above, whatever has a book by a retired police officer got to do with a Ramsgate Sunday ramble. How blog authors handle such is a difficult one, but, perhaps, the deleting of the same old rubbish about illegal cadet ranges or aquifers might be a good start.
DeleteOn the ramble topic, isn't it great to see the sun, lots of smiling people and something of a holiday feel to the town. Long may it continue.
Your comment reminds me of one of my favourite films: Stepford Wives. Perhaps I should include this as my favourite film in place of Brief Encounter?
DeleteBrief Encounter remains my favourite film of all time.
DeletePerhaps much of the comment moderation relates to time, more than anything else.
DeleteI have a busy life, a business and primary school children, in my spare time I mostly read and occasionally paint or draw.
I do a blog post most days, I can touch type, so they don’t take me very long to write and to be honest I don’t really attach a great deal of importance to most of them.
Today’s post, the one above this one, for instance, mostly involved adding a bit of text to pictures I had taken today, two of sketches I had done today but I would have done these and taken the pictures anyway. My mobile phone automatically puts the pictures on the internet, so I only have to open the bog editor, click on add pictures from your phone, highlight the ones I want and write a bit of text around the pictures.
5 mins in a fairly busy day, most of which was spent in shops getting childrens clothes.
On the other hand I think some of the more obsessive anonymous commentators don’t have busy lives, probably spend hours writing and thinking about their comments, many of the ones I delete are probably ok and carefully constructed and researched. Trouble is I don’t have the time or the inclination to work out whether they are libellous. Same with the ones with offensive language, my mobile goes beep, I start reading a comment, come to a rude word, and zap it.
I would guess most reader are the same, they have a very quick glance at the blog post, look at the pictures, think I could have done better and get on with something else.
Michael I visited all three beaches 2 were packed and Ramsgate wasn't. Can it be due to the lack of sand which seems to be less than in previous years, along with tombstone city and a deserted pavilion
ReplyDeleteHardly likely to be down to a deserted pavilion or tombstone city for they have both been around for years. My impression from walking the Eastcliff Promenade was that Ramsgate sands had a pretty good crowd, but then I am not such a miserable killjoy as you Barry.
DeleteOver in Broadstairs every bay from Joss to Dumpton seemed pretty packed with people enjoying the sun. Always seems better when the sun is out except, it would seem, to our local protest about everything fraternity.
Perhaps they are mostly indoors watching Andy Murray in the Mens' Final?
DeleteWell done Murray
Delete"Ramsgate sands had a pretty good crowd" but"Over in Broadstairs every bay from Joss to Dumpton seemed pretty packed with people"
Seems to prove the point somewhat. And you know I didnt see a protestor on Ramsgate beach so why wasn't it as packed as the other beaches?
Splitting hairs over terminology now, Barry, hardly proves anything. From what I observed, Viking Bay was the most packed, but probably similar numbers to Ramsgate sands, closely followed by Joss Bay with smaller, but adequate for size, numbers on Kingsgate, Stone, Louisa and Dumpton. That is from walking from lunch at the Captain Digby back to Ramsgate. I did not see much to moan about, but then I am not you.
DeleteI dont think so they were your words after all. Maybe you should have made your point clearer.
Deleteyou dont help your argument by calling someone a "miserable killjoy" which of course was meant to provoke. You, after all, do not know me at all.
You will note I don't categorize you at all expect, to use Michael's words "get a blogger account" This will save you from being copied by other anons who choose to hid behind their screens. How do we know you are the real Allan Mallinson after all
The pavillion hasn't been used by the beach going public for many many years, and the pleasurama site has been closed for 10+ years. Hence neither will be having any more or less effect than any other year, that along with the usual huge quabtity of sand on the beach would seem to indicate your post is incorrect at BEST James.
DeleteWe look forward to the day when we can enjoy the shops and bars, and stay in the hotel that will be built, and having a nice spot of lunch in the J D Wetherspoons that has opened in the Pavillion.
oh dear hammy speaks. so why were ramsgate main sands less crowded than Margate and Viking Bay could it be that for 10 years people have got fed up with the fiasco that is pleasurama tombstone city and gone elsewhere.
DeleteMargate has a distinct advantage over broadstairs and Ramsgate as evidenced by the many people getting of trains and walking to the beach. Viking bay doesnt look like a building site so as Michael evidenced less people at 2pm on a glorious sunny day on Ramsgate main sands
We all look forward to some change down there but with TDC's track record well!!!
Understanding and facts are clearly not your strong point James. I paste my comment in the hope your carer will help you this time ;)
DeleteThe pavillion hasn't been used by the beach going public for many many years, and the pleasurama site has been closed for 10+ years. Hence neither will be having any more or less effect than any other year, that along with the usual huge quabtity of sand on the beach would seem to indicate your post is incorrect at BEST James.
We look forward to the day when we can enjoy the shops and bars, and stay in the hotel that will be built, and having a nice spot of lunch in the J D Wetherspoons that has opened in the Pavillion
Just for your information, Barry, having an account proves nothing since even then one can take any name. Did you really think there were people called Solo Gays or sundry other strange handles some account holders come up with.
DeleteFurthermore, I am not too worried about being copied if there is anyone out there who would seriously want to, and what difference does it make whether I am real or not. Surely it is the comment that counts in this type of exchange.
Sorry if I offended you with the killjoy remark, but it just gets to me how on a glorious weekend I saw lots of people, both in Ramsgate and Broadstairs, enjoying themselves and somebody has to put a negative spin on it.
Maybe if we stopped being so negative towards just about every proposal for Thanet the place might improve.
maybe it would be better if we had a pro=active Council who got serious with our council tax. Instead they continue to fall over backwards to support a developer (not) who has played them like a fish on a line. The only thing TDC are good at is allowing themselves to be manipulated by people who want to extract as much as they can for as little effort on their part. Hence a derelict site since the unfortunate fire in 1998
DeleteAllan,
DeleteI take your point about identity. However, in my view when a person makes the effort to acquire a blogger account it becomes possible to have a discussion with them over time. It also indicates to me that they have put serious thought into what they say and do not fear being challenged. In the main this is not the case with those who hit the 'anonymous' button every time a thought occurs to them.
Occasionally, the blogger name that a person adopts is indicative of how they see themselves.
John, whatever, but surely freedom of choice plays a part as well. You and I have already had exchanges on occasions and, I would suggest, the fact I prefer not to use an account did not detract from the opinions shared.
DeleteBarry, have you ever been a councillor? I have elsewhere, rather than Thanet, and in my experience most people who put themselves forward do so out of a sense of public spiritedness. In the main they do their best within the limitations of their council's authority and the finances at their disposal. The idea that councils are corrupt or incompetent routinely is nonsense. Some individual councillors may be but not the whole council.
It is we the public that elect the councillors so the remedy is in our own hands. Unfortunately there is always an element, and particularly so in Thanet it would seem, that are quick to protest, but not so fast at offering real alternatives. Maybe even standing for office themselves.
Allan no to councillor as I dont do politics. I have been a school Governor and worked extensively in a Special Needs charity at the same time as a support adviser to parents with special needs children.
DeleteYou said you made the remark because you were frustrated, the apology is accepted.
If you want frustration I will give you 2 examples of why FORS is upset.
1. TDC talk about the process of "due diligence" being incomplete with the developer (not) of the former Pleasurama site. Whatever TDC mean by "due diligence" I no not however in normal people speak what it has meant is Shaun Patrick Keegan is a complete unknown as they hold no documentary evidence confirming his identity nor his address.
2. I recently (last week) had a meeting with a councillor where the subject of current negotiations came up. He said "The developer asked for the 2009 agreement to be varied and TDC refused" they are at an impasse. Why this is frustrating is the developer asked (specifically what did he ask to be varies) and TDC refused (what was refused and why?) The answer was not commercially sensitive as there is only one developer but it may be politically sensitive.
It is like going to the dentist for an extraction If TDC are standing firm for our benefit why aren't they promoting it more?
More annoyed at constant negativity than frustration, but accept there is a similarity.
DeleteYou say you do not do politics yet you seem to take the searching for answers much further than most of the electorate. Seems to me that we have had quite a few district council elections over the duration of the Pleasurama saga, giving plenty of opportunity to change the council make up. We have even had Labour, Tory, Labour led administrations over that time which makes me wonder at these allegations of secrecy and cover up. In my experience, where the two major parties are concerned, they like nothing better than exposing the failings of the last lot, yet this has not happened. Do you seriously believe the reds and blues are in some joint cover up.
looks like reply went in wrong place, see above.
DeleteI dont subscribe to conspiracy on the part of councillors however with the developer I believe that they deliberately obscure for reasons best known to themselves. Is it sharp practice? who knows it certainly isnt clear and honest
The picture above was taken at 2.05 yesterday and you can see how few people were on Ramsgate Sands, clicking on the picture to enlarge it and then clicking on the enlarged picture to enlarge it again will make it big enough to see the individual people.
ReplyDeleteNot sure of the reason, but may take is that it should have been busier.
There seemed to be some sort of special event going on in Broadstairs yesterday so maybe that was attracting people from Ramsgate.
DeleteI am told that the Developer has the funding, and is ready to start works immiediately. And it is not SFP that want changes to the development agreement. It is the funder.
ReplyDeleteAny funder in the current market place will not tolerate interference from TDC.
And lets face it. Who can blame them....TDC have hardly covered themselves in glory.
Lets hope so Anon 11:42
DeleteAnon 11.42 You mean Tesco is interested?
ReplyDelete