Thursday, February 06, 2014

Faecebook

Oh dear. I seem to be on a bit of a toilet roll with these headlines.

So, multi-zillionaire Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook is currently robo-generating one-minute films from your top photos and comments on the social networking site to 'celebrate' its tenth anniversary. If you're on FB, you'll have already seen them, no doubt. Some geek in California has written a bit of software code, and hey presto! - now your best bits are a video, complete with a music track that smells of pure American cheese. An infinite number of monkeys in an infinite number of Avid edit suites would have done a better job, but there you go.

Any-old-hoo, when I went to look at mine, I didn't have one! Apparently my life is so dull that it doesn't even warrant 60 seconds to cover the last decade! I know, you're shocked, aren't you?!?!

No matter, reader John has come to my rescue, and put the above BAFTA nominated piece together. Thanks John!

And while we're on the topic of technology, Apple is giving me the pip. I've used the firm's stuff since Steve Jobs was a foetus, but in the last few years its products have proven shoddy and unreliable. iPads have stopped working, iPhones have developed an inner life of their own, and laptops have burnt out. Its not just me that's suffered, friends have too. You only have to look at the 10 mile queues at the Genius Bars in your local Apple Stores to see that something's gone a bit wormy.

None of that is at all relevant to Ramsgate in particular, or the Ile de Thanet in general. But then that doesn't seem to trouble you lot much when it comes to comments, does it?!

65 comments:

God help us said...

There seems to be some chance with all the wet stuff around that we might become an island again. Who would you like to be marooned on the mainland eh Dick?

Richard Eastcliff said...

As long as I'm with me, I'll have all the company I require, Baz.

Anonymous said...

iPhone, therefore, iWeep

Anonymous said...

Excellent post ECR. In fact I have had a word with Mr Z and it turns out he is wary of your sensitivity about copyright.

Plus there was a misunderstanding about Intha net which they thought might be a rival WWW set up.

I know this is not funny.

Sister Assumpta is funny but she seems to have gone missing.

Richard Eastcliff said...

Sister Assumpta is currently on a residential anger management course at a retreat in Kilkenny. She'll be back as soon she's completed it, and paid the fines.

And yes, 9:10am, I agree. I have personally gone Android and am finding it much less frustrating.

Anonymous said...

How can you ignore Thanet when there's a planning application just gone in for 800 dwelling at Manston Green?

ps. Is your Android a big one?

Anonymous said...

Slimin' Moores upto his usual slimy tricks. How did we elect such thoroughly unpleasant characters?

Richard Eastcliff said...

Yes, I must say Simes is certainly giving it the big build-up. Whatever it is, it had better be at least as good as revealing the definitive on who shot JFK at this rate!

And to answer your question, 11:11am, it's 4.7 inches. Which I'm told is about average in these parts.

Anonymous said...

Slimy characters like Simon pop on the rosette and they've got a few years before they disappear, it's easy.

Anonymous said...

Simon having to gag his mouth with his pause ? But indulging attention seeking behaviour whilst at it ?

Enough of the 4th depth of allegory, speaking to the future malarkey. Puppy dog tails on ECR.

I admit I fail to see a logic. If Police are about to publicly spring a surprise next Tuesday why would the press need to book an appointment with our Simes to be told all about it ?

No doubt all will become clear in the fullness of time. Meanwhile in other news Christmas has been scheduled for 25th December this year.








Anonymous said...

Plums not apples. Ann Barnes puts up the Police tax by 1.99% - almost 4x inflation? Who voted for that and how do we?

Anonymous said...

ECR what is schadenfreude ?

She said there has been a nasty case of it at Westgate. Is it catching ?


Anonymous said...

Simes likes to add the occasional non-English word or phrase. He thinks it makes him look intelligent, but in reality he just comes across like Del Boy without the humour.

Anonymous said...

Slimes is finished and just taking up a salary before he goes like Latchford

Anonymous said...

It is quite funny watching him wind up Baz though!

Anonymous said...

See someone hogging this thread to anonymously attack Simon Mooores. What a brave fellow who, by his conduct, may be eminently suitable himself for elevation to District Councillor. Such a cutting wit should not be left to languish on a blog site.

Anonymous said...

9:41, I'm anonymously attacking Moores while you're anonymously attacking me. Does this make you a better person?

Anonymous said...

By strange coincidence KCC is putting up tax by 1.99% too, same as the Police and over 4 times inflation. Why is tax not being cut given the recession and failure at TDC etc?

Anonymous said...

Laughing at a court jester is rather different from attacking one Anon 9.41

In this case the jester seeks to direct ridicule at other people whilst resenting ever being the target of laughter himself.

On his blog he writes that there are people who take themselves far too seriously (I assume he includes the writer of his own blog ?)

Imagine if he was announced as PPC for Thanet South ? He is the one courting BBC and Home Affairs correspondents. That could come back to bite .....

He was recently advised not to confuse what interests the public with what is the public interest.

The press are under no such illusion.



Anonymous said...

Why would anybody want to join this lot of Thanet Councillors?
There may be a few decent ones but in general the recent critical independent report and the bullying by councillors to have it withdrawn says it all.

Anonymous said...

9.41 You may be referring to me when commenting on the remarks made to Moores on his blog. I am fully aware of this story but what concerns me is Moores agreements with the police and the fact that,despite several requests, he refuses to admit relevant facts. These include that he,with two other councillors, were questioned by the police and that the "learned friend" he refers to was a TDC officer. A good source tells me Moores was spitting blood after his visit from local officers. A case of wounded pride and his vindictive eagerness to publish this story??

Anonymous said...

Richard Eastcliff believe me the story is not all what Moores is building it up to be.

Anonymous said...

I only wrote three of the comments about Moores. So it seems there's at least two of us though I suspect it's actually several people.

Anonymous said...

9.41. Stand for Thanet Council? Not on your Nellie! Too busy winding up Moores but appreciate the comments!

Peter C said...

Well if 2:41 is right (and I've now reason to doubt him/her), then this is obviously about Hammy. Perhaps Epps will then apologise to me for as good as calling me a liar when I said that the investigating officer told me he had spoken to 3 local cllrs.

Anonymous said...

I see you've been dipping your toe in the cess-pool that is Thanet Life, ECR. I hope you haven't caught anything nasty, but perhaps a trip to the clinic for a jab (anti-tetanus at the very least) would be a sensible precaution.

Councillors Moores and Epps - with their usual cabal of drooling right-wingers - seem to be almost creaming their y-fronts with excitement over the story that Moores is planning to publish, and which he is apparently trying to "flog" to a national newspaper.

Their behaviour really is stomach-churning and shows how deep in the gutter our local politicians crawl. We can all reasonably surmise that the "story" is about John Worrow, and is presumably going to paint him in a less than favourable light. For Moores, who has been posting suggestive, provocative comments and muck about Worrow for what seems like an eternity, it will no doubt be presented as justification for his odious tactics. Of course it isn't.

And what about Epps?

His latest comments on Thanet Life echo those he posted elsewhere some weeks ago following news reports about Worrow's arrest. He asked if anyone had any gossip over and above what appeared in the press. He said his phone had been "buzzing" since the news broke. He referred to there being "no juicy details yet". And he said that perhaps he should be glad that he was not one of the members of Sologay's blog and could not therefore post comments there. Speaks volumes about his true feelings.

These "people" claim to be responsible, elected representatives. I am sure I'm not alone is saying their pathetic, sick, gossip-driven behaviour makes me retch.

Anonymous said...

Yes, 2:00 pm, it does because you are naming somebody whereas I am not. If I knew you by name and attacked you as such then I would use my name.

You use your anonymity to hide behind whilst you name others. Huge difference!!

God help us said...

anon 8:45 what is it about rejection you find so hard to deal with? post your proof or be quiet

Anonymous said...

Well said 7:28pm our elected representatives are disgusting as well as inept and Moores and Epps some of the worst. Well said: Worrow deserves our sympathy for putting up with such obnoxious behaviour as this and Gregory. We need to be rid of these fools dragging the area down.

Anonymous said...

Simon Moores is a strange character.

I wrote a comment to his blog about the objections raised by a past Cllr (Dr Charles McAvoy) to change of use consents for guest houses to become old people's homes.

He did not publish that comment but he replied to it on his blog nonetheless. Saying If that is you Rick you cannot libel cllrs.

In my life I have received only one letter alleging defamation. It was over a boxing charity function at Ramsgate over 30 years ago. In fact the Boxing Club did not pursue their claim but they did pay up a sum of money to the charity. To make my point I did have to visit the treasurer of the boxing club and review his accounts of the charity evening. And point out certain "Anomalies" in his sums.

I did complain to TDC Standards about Simon Moores blog comment. But I also sent a communication to Simon complying with the Civil Procedure Rules pre-action protocol. He replied to that saying I should direct all communication to Harvey Patterson.

Harvey is the TDC solicitor. Civil process challenging a cllr is not in his remit.

The fact is, apparently under advice from Harvey, Simon Moores refused to comply with civil procedure rules.





Anonymous said...

To my mind by establishing that Simon would fall silent under challenge I rested there as far as issuing libel proceedings go.

The Standards process began its weary tread. The issue I wanted was whether Cllr Moores would confirm that he had accused me of libelling Cllr Hayton.

But again once challenged Simon Moores refused to clarify.

Harvey then refused to conduct records searches at TDC. Giving his reason that if he did a records search and found evidence of crime he would be under no statutory duty to report it.

I refused to condone further Standards Process because the issue had become the jurisdiction of full council.

Leader Clive Hart elected silence.

The issue had become whether in fact Harvey is under a statutory duty to report. And hence whether his misdirected himelsf and TDC in law.

Sections 38B and 54 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

A number of related FOI requests then met with TDC answers that records cannot be found. For example Planning Enforcement at a gun range. Head of Support Services handing in to police ordnance evidence found at the range and neighbouring property. Record cannot be found etc etc

I decided to contact Lord Carlile QC and the independent QC who monitors the effectiveness of Terrorism Law.

Report was invited and I wrote a report. It runs to about 300 pages including evidence.

It covers a number of concerns.

Including unreliability of emergency generators made in East Kent. There are two other unreliability histories in the report. Both concern weapons systems supplied to Royal Navy. These two are not Kent based manufacturers. Of the three cases only one has a report of sabotage. That is emergency generators.

After the report was sent, a backup generator engineer spoke with me. I reported what he told me. As a result the Nuclear Watchdog reported Dungeness A emergency shut down system to their site inspectorate for inquiry. Historical inquiry as that plant decommissioned in 2006 and has to maintain backup gennies until 2097.

Anonymous said...

It was not long before Simon Moores resumed his blog conduct with a description of a conspiracy theory about MI5, gun ranges, cllrs and Al Quedda.

Presumably he was mocking me ?

But in fact Lord Carlile QC had already concluded that my report is not conspiracy theory.

The neighbouring landowner who went over TDC and Kent Police heads to close the range in 1995 was my friend.

I spoke with him last Sunday and he told me about the outcome of the latest episode in 19 years of police "Attention" his family has endured ever since defying Chief constabke and shutting that range.

Once again a Crown Court Judge has ruled and dismissed charges against my friend's son.

During the week some sort of new trouble arose concerning his son. And my mate became very agitated (he is 72) developed chest pains and died.

That was Thursday night. On Saturday (yesterday) I received an email informing me that House of Lords is calling for inquiry into matters in my report. I don't imagine the call will be anything but discreet.

But it was a day too late to tell my friend.

We won. Rick


Anonymous said...

Anon of 7.35, I don't think any of the challenges to, or attacks on Moores - whether from named individuals or anonymous contributors - are anywhere near as bad as his blog which:

- routinely includes suggestive and provocative posts about political opponents
- attempts to rake up muck about political opponents
- attempts to smear political opponents
- closes up when the wrong-doing is from a Tory.

The "claim" that this is in the interest is b*******. It is political and it is the worst example locally of political dirty tricks.

The current puerile behaviour, dangling the prospect of this story like a rather sad lonely boy in the corner of the playground adds another layer of mire beneath which he and is cronies are sinking.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for publishing ECR

In reply to 9.10AM

This blogging issue on Thanet Life has been explored on another ECR thread.

It may appear to Simon an attractive option to mock concerns about a gun range in order to climb on and promote a bandwagon who cry "Conspiracy theory"

But he is a cllr of an authority that has planning enforcement jurisdiction for the range. As a cllr his readership could be forgiven for inferring that he has knowledge from TDC Records.

The law, however, does not place a burden on complainant to rove "Terrorism". The burden is to prove activity, possession of firearms etc. That burden can be met.

It is then open to the individuals concerns to deploy a statutory defence that their activity was wholly for purposes unrelated to terrorism.

My own view is that the Thanet Range would be unable to make a statutory defence.

But Simon Moores implied by his blog comments that such a defence would be a cakewalk.

In private he emailed me to admit that he knew nothing about the range (He wasn't even living in Thanet at the time the activity occurred)

There are two reasons that make inquiry, into the Thanet Range, by Dyfed Powys and Met Police compelling

In 2003 Gen De Chasterlain (Arms Decommissioner under Good Friday Agreement) sought clarification of his terms of reference to determine if he could deploy to Kent to investigate Police issued firearms certs and activity at Kent gun ranges.

The fact is that a long and detailed history, much of which was subject of mandatory reporting provisions of law, was effectively mocked by Simon Moores.

he elects silence. Hides behind Harvey. Harvey gets challenged about his interpreation of law and falls silent. Simon emails to say he actually never knew anything about the range.

Yet when he is asked to clarify his Royal Marines Reserve Service and his Emergency Medical Tech training he indulges outrage (and refusal to answer) TDC reply to the effect that he did not use that CV as part of getting elected so not their concern.

Rick



Anonymous said...

Just to clarify, Moores story is nothing to with John Hamilton or John Worrow. And yes he and two other councillors were interviewed by police,although he refuses to admit that on his blog.He was spitting blood and seething after the police dared to question someone of such high self-esteem.

Unknown said...

What a hero you are 7:28 and a liar to boot. I have written nothing about Worrow on Thanet Life or any other blog site of late so your comments are purely malicious. Indeed, this year to date, for personal reasons, I have been pretty inactive around the blogs.

On the story Simon Moores claims he is about to launch, I merely suggested patience rather than trying to double guess.

Unknown said...

Peter Checksfield, I have no way of knowing whether or not some DI from Canterbury spoke to three councillors. What I objected to was your suggestion that I was one of them. Since I was not you will have to whistle for an apology out of me.

That said, I am interested in the outcome of such enquiries for I would love to know the truth of all these Arizona based stories.

Anonymous said...

If you really know so much 11:16 then why don't you tell us yourself? Or do you enjoy playing games as much as Slimon?

Anonymous said...

The comments on Moores' blog haven't gone the way he hoped, so he's now sulking and refusing any more comments!

Anonymous said...

Some BIG falls of chalk along the cliffs between Ramsgate and Broadstairs. I wouldn't like to be living in one of the houses on the cliff-top. Whilst I don't think any of the homes is in imminent danger I wouldn't be surprised to see their insurance premiums going stratospheric.

Anonymous said...

Epps seems to be telling porkies now. 7:28 is correct and Epps hasn't posted presumably because he's been proved wrong on every point on which he has posted and now sucks up to Moores. We need to be rid of these fools.

Anonymous said...

EU corruption costs $162BN per year: how much in Kent?

Anonymous said...

Over on Thanet Life, meanwhile, I see "Doctor" Moores has lost it again. As usual when he is caught out, and/or when he realises that there are a good number of people agin him, he throws a hissy fit and runs off to hide like Little jack Horner.

Of course he'll soon emerge from his corner spitting and slapping playground-style and presenting the truth according (only) to "The Doctor". I wonder what threats he'll bandy around this time, or will he go for the sympathy vote again and claim that members of his family are being exposed to verbal attacks in the street?

It's better than a soap.

Kandy Jones said...

i was scared of the 'puter world, and didnt get the point in the trend of i phones, i love the fact less trees are used (probably the only reason to start with) im glad you got your 60seconds thingy, i couldnt understand why you couldnt get one. not done it myself yet, maybe i will.
anyhoo, i didnt read all ^^^comments but some, and theres a rise in tax for police??? does this go with the fact they are trying to close down Ramsgate's smaller version of a police station!
we have less and less, im up for anarchy to an extent! we need order and rules! and to leave ramsgate open to less and less is AN ABSOLUTE CRAZY IDEA! i back corrina (not colour, person!) and tried to get her more petition signatures to stop this crazyness.
maybe you could help her out too??
anon: 8.44... missing paperwork isnt new, this council has held impeccable skills at hiding info, changing doc's, late night shredding occurs! no media footage to back this, but peeps stories, if you listen, a lot comes out, just have to piece it together.
anon: 8.55... sorry for your loss. years of trouble will do that even to the strongest x
ECR: we Ramsgatonians can gossip,moan,chat,debate ALOT! we got'stA skillZ innit! ;-)
also just a lil question! what is it with anon's?? why cant peeps stand up and be counted with their own views?? why hide all the time? no one should be scared of their own opinions and thoughts surely! c'mon peeps stand up eh! xx

Kandy Jones said...

to barry: i cant wait for us to become an island again, i have the thanet defenders steady and at the ready. ;-)

Unknown said...

Hi Dickie old chap. Got a suggestion for a further piece for your rag.

"Anonymous posting on blogs: killer of serious discussion" or some such like. It does get rather childish at times.....

Anonymous said...

Moores is now taking advice from Smithson! We've seen it all now.

Peter C said...

Yes Epps, you do have a "way of knowing whether or not some DI from Canterbury spoke to three councillors", because I told you so! But again, you're implying that I tell lies.

Anonymous said...

I realise that rudeness and personal insults are the stock-in-trade of you and your kind, Councillor Epps, but your latest hysterical outburst does, I fear, make you look particularly foolish.

In early November, on Thanetonline, you made each and every one of the comments I assigned to you in my post of 7.28. They all related to the (then) recent newspaper story about Worrow, and revealed you to be gloating and singularly over-excited at the prospect of "juicy" gossip about him.

Within the last few days on Thanet Life, you have demonstrated the same puerile and unedifying titillation over the story supposedly to be revealed by your crony, Moores, and believed by some also to be about Worrow. You referred to your "pleasure [at] watching those who cannot contain themselves", and suggested everyone should "sit by our screens waiting, rather like the closing act of a Poirot story, for the dramatic closure."

You clearly are plumbing the depths when it comes to standards of behaviour. The facts have damned you and I look forward to (1) the retraction of your reference to me as a malicious liar, and of course (2) your apology.

Anonymous said...

Duncan, if anonymous contributions were blocked, most local blogs would have very few comments on their pages. It is probably why those who get turned on by visitor numbers only block contributions when they get "too close to home". Secondly, I disagree with you that anonymous contribuitons are of poorer quality than those from named individuals. The list of fatuous contributions from named individuals that add little is very long indeed. And, contrary to your recent suggestion to Moores on Thanet Life, anonymous contributors do not have poor debating skills.

Anonymous said...

If Moores was alledgedly one of three cllrs interviewed by the police, then who were the other two?

Anonymous said...

I can think of several less than complimentary things to call Checkers, but a liar isn't one of them. He's always come across as very open and honest to me, both the few times I've met him and on the blogs. So I do have to ask why William Epps finds he has reason to doubt him, unless it's actually HE who has something to hide?

God help us said...

anon 4:18 shouldn't you be asking why were they interviewed?

Anonymous said...

Strange that both KCC and Kent Police each think their own service each requires a 1.99% increase, over 4x inflation.

Or they've rigged it together to see what they can get away with.

Anonymous said...

I'll let you ask them that Baz! I'm more curious about who than why.

Unknown said...

Peter and anon, I am not calling Peter a liar, but simply pointed out that I was not one of the allegedly spoken to councillors as Peter suggested. I have no idea who was approached, but I would hazard a guess that they are at District level.

Anon you are making it up as you go I am afraid. I really do not know to what story Simon Moores is alluding and my suggesting we wait to find out, rather than guessing, hardly implies any connection with John Worrow.

Appreciate you live in a sad world, where you seek to insult anyone whose name you get hold of, but try to get real. I really do not give a stuff what you think.

Peter, you know where I live so if you want to call by when out on your bike, more than happy to have a chat. Whilst I do not mind disagreeing with you when appropriate, I rather think you are misinterpreting my reaction to the DI inquiries. I do not disbelieve that you were told by him that he spoke to three councillors. However, as I know nothing first hand about it, it is simply hearsay via a blog site to me.

Anonymous said...

Town Councillor Epps, I appreciate that the little book of political chicanery that you and your kind follow tells you that if all else fails when blogging:

- accuse a challenger or critic of being sad or in some way ill or unemployed
- acuse them of cowardice for blogging anonymously (if they are)
- turn off the comments box (if you're the blogmeister and are in a really tight corner)
- flounce playground-style and say that you don't care what other people think anyway.

I see you've chosen (1) and (4). Sadly, the facts are unequivocally against you. Perhaps, in your moments of over-excitement, you forget just what gossip and sh** you trade in? Whatver, the evidence is there on the blogs for everyone to see.

Unless you are looking in a mirror, be very careful whom you call a liar in future.

Anonymous said...

There is a well known anonymous popping up on this site who seems to fail to realise how much damage he does to his wife's restaurant by his insults to people. I know several who will never go there again because of him, which is a bit tough on her indoors. Surely she has enough to contend with?

Anonymous said...

Anon 3.48 you’re not likely to find out how much “EU corruption” is in Kent because it won’t be filed under “corruption” so an FOI request won’t get you very far, it won’t be volunteered in a press release, and despite it being massive, rife, and institutionalised, and in our local authority, nobody gives a damn, as if every penny of it isn’t being paid for by you the public. How can they possibly know it is £162BN anyway?

Peter C said...

According to the Thanet Get A Life blog today, one of the other cllrs interviewed was Mick Tomlinson. I recall Duncan Smithson asking me whether Mick could be John Hamilton, and I told him at the time, absolutely not (Mick hasn't got that much hate in him).

So, who was the third man?

Anonymous said...

With characters like Epps and Moores we wonder why the area is a mess. They would rather gossip and insult and deny the corruption etc than improve the area.

Anonymous said...

I agree the £162BN is a bit made up (suspiciously near to the whole EU budget!) but a useful start and surprising no report had been done previously. As you say the figure no doubt doesn't include Thanet any way! Unfortunately the report didn't cover corruption in EU institutions but no doubt will. How do we evaluate corruption in Kent then if it is massive 2:35?

Anonymous said...

Well said 8:58, Epps seems to concentrate on smears and insults rather than Thor mercury Broadstairs. He was drivelling about whether the factory and contamination leaks were above or below the town at one point. Maybe he's hoping to let the pollution and coverup continue?

Unknown said...

OK, 8:58, which blogs when and where? Over to you.

Anonymous said...

Town Councillor Epps, I set out all the details in my post timed at 1.53. I suggest you read it (again). It's all there.