showrecentcomments({"version":"1.0","encoding":"UTF-8","feed":{"xmlns":"http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom","xmlns$openSearch":"http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/","xmlns$georss":"http://www.georss.org/georss","id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-12-03T08:31:21.855Z"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"EASTCLIFF RICHARD"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cb\u003eRamsgate, \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Ramsgate-to-be-millionaires_-playground-newsinkent390.aspx\"\u003ethe new millionaires' playground\u003c/a\u003e, as seen by a new millionaire\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSqueezing the news pimple on the arse of Thanet since January 2006\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default?alt\u003djson-in-script"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default?alt\u003djson-in-script\u0026start-index\u003d26\u0026max-results\u003d25"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"1967"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"25"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-3092477111212774336"},"published":{"$t":"2009-12-02T15:29:00.010Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-12-02T17:52:31.437Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Doctor Who"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ramsgate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"bollards"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"RamSoc Ruckus"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cobject width\u003d\"400\" height\u003d\"300\" class\u003d\"BLOG_video_class\" id\u003d\"BLOG_video-75c9e3beae7f72b6\" classid\u003d\"clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000\" codebase\u003d\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version\u003d6,0,40,0\"\u003e\u003cparam name\u003d\"movie\" value\u003d\"http://www.blogger.com/img/videoplayer.swf?videoUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvp.video.google.com%2Fvideodownload%3Fversion%3D0%26secureurl%3DqAAAAHfApvOOOB_WlESfHfM9b00VpdhblTU51OzkpkrMLdAVvITGugwDnnC8VZ5AOE6owiFalU3-nazACgfOfIqvvi7nNFi9b6zye3r4otyJdLarj4HDQjxpWvHvHMAFndFuF4E_FLKL3s3XrXmMmHL-3pQvm1wOvbFhWGhYG3VDg8t5VMX0FDU0Sd954JKOLuXVCPO9b3V5ukiSKEyy7MhKukvDY_cG7nTlq4ceOMUxxmd8%26sigh%3DMyFzzgm0u-4dnqUFP_pySaXJeaE%26begin%3D0%26len%3D86400000%26docid%3D0\u0026amp;nogvlm\u003d1\u0026amp;thumbnailUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2FThumbnailServer2%3Fapp%3Dblogger%26contentid%3D75c9e3beae7f72b6%26offsetms%3D5000%26itag%3Dw320%26sigh%3Dy5kr5wdQpn0dXtfdMfaqs9zkcpA\u0026amp;messagesUrl\u003dvideo.google.com%2FFlashUiStrings.xlb%3Fframe%3Dflashstrings%26hl%3Den\"\u003e\u003cparam name\u003d\"bgcolor\" value\u003d\"#FFFFFF\"\u003e\u003cembed width\u003d\"400\" height\u003d\"300\" src\u003d\"http://www.blogger.com/img/videoplayer.swf?videoUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvp.video.google.com%2Fvideodownload%3Fversion%3D0%26secureurl%3DqAAAAHfApvOOOB_WlESfHfM9b00VpdhblTU51OzkpkrMLdAVvITGugwDnnC8VZ5AOE6owiFalU3-nazACgfOfIqvvi7nNFi9b6zye3r4otyJdLarj4HDQjxpWvHvHMAFndFuF4E_FLKL3s3XrXmMmHL-3pQvm1wOvbFhWGhYG3VDg8t5VMX0FDU0Sd954JKOLuXVCPO9b3V5ukiSKEyy7MhKukvDY_cG7nTlq4ceOMUxxmd8%26sigh%3DMyFzzgm0u-4dnqUFP_pySaXJeaE%26begin%3D0%26len%3D86400000%26docid%3D0\u0026amp;nogvlm\u003d1\u0026amp;thumbnailUrl\u003dhttp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2FThumbnailServer2%3Fapp%3Dblogger%26contentid%3D75c9e3beae7f72b6%26offsetms%3D5000%26itag%3Dw320%26sigh%3Dy5kr5wdQpn0dXtfdMfaqs9zkcpA\u0026amp;messagesUrl\u003dvideo.google.com%2FFlashUiStrings.xlb%3Fframe%3Dflashstrings%26hl%3Den\" type\u003d\"application/x-shockwave-flash\"\u003e\u003c/embed\u003e\u003c/object\u003e\u003c/center\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eBleurgh! Eeurgh! Phthaaaa!!!! No, er, no... that's... just.... look, I'm not sure I can even bring myself to peep at this blog from behind the old \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.tibesti.com/Worlds_Most_Expensive_Sofa/37\"\u003eRon Arad sofa\u003c/a\u003e after that last item. Let alone write anything. I don't think I'll be letting Ted do another Pet Care Corner any time soon.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAny-old-how, I've just been catching up with all your luvverly emails, and this one immediately grabbed my attention:\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ci\u003eAttached is a short video from the Ramsgate Society meeting on Friday. Some peeps just got up and started having a go about something, but I couldn’t quite follow all of it. Something to do with the Ramsgate Society and planning matters. I only got the tail end, after I’d fished my phone out my bag, but stick it up on the blog if you like.\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFrom what I've heard this bit of argy-bargy, concerning a planning application in Liverpool Lawn, was about as animated as this particular meeting got. No wonder people were feeling uppity, after being subjected to several hours' discussion about the size, colour and quantity of bollards in the Millionaires' Playground!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eStill, you have to applaud Walph 'Mr Wamsgate' Hoult's Kissinger-like diplomatic effort at calming the situation down. And if you're quick, you might spot a \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eDoctor Who\u003c/span\u003e character. Definitely not one that you'd have to hide behind the sofa for, though!\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-3092477111212774336?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/3092477111212774336/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d3092477111212774336","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/3092477111212774336"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/3092477111212774336"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/12/ramsoc-ruckus.html","title":"RamSoc Ruckus"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-2164035733718824586"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-29T02:14:00.007Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-30T19:29:41.036Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ted's Pet Care Corner"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Ted's Pet Care Corner"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eOnly in your super, soaraway Eastcliff Richard! Each week our animal loving expert Ted solves your pet-related health problems!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003eDear Ted, our three day old gerbil Gary was recently playing in the kitchen when he accidentally fell into the deep fat fryer. He does not seem anywhere near as lively or playful as he was before. I enclose a picture. Is there anything we can do to restore him back to health?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eHoping you can help. T.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SxHZgTwX1uI/AAAAAAAAD2s/x_KqpiSQMFs/s1600/gerbil.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;\" src\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SxHZgTwX1uI/AAAAAAAAD2s/x_KqpiSQMFs/s400/gerbil.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409343776530880226\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eTed writes: Nah, he's a gonner. Chuck 'im outside.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eDo you have a pet that's feeling poorly? Email your problem, preferably with a photograph, to Ted@richardeastcliff.co.uk\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-2164035733718824586?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/2164035733718824586/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d2164035733718824586","title":"12 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/2164035733718824586"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/2164035733718824586"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/teds-pet-care-corner.html","title":"Ted's Pet Care Corner"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SxHZgTwX1uI/AAAAAAAAD2s/x_KqpiSQMFs/s72-c/gerbil.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"12"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-6096324101790737896"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-27T17:49:00.005Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-27T18:17:12.487Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ramsgate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"margate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"council tax down the drain"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Margate 60,000,000 - 0 Ramsgate"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SxARYTPtuhI/AAAAAAAAD2k/iOUp4JZR8zQ/s1600/Ramsgate+Society+meeting.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 246px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SxARYTPtuhI/AAAAAAAAD2k/iOUp4JZR8zQ/s400/Ramsgate+Society+meeting.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408842261652683282\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eAbove is the banner headline for tonight's crunch meeting of the Ramsgate Society (7.30pm, The Media Centre, Cavendish Street) aimed at helping 'secure a future for Ramsgate'. Be there or be, er, unRamsgatonian!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThey've sourced the £35m figure from the \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.margaterenewal.co.uk/our_vision.aspx\"\u003eMargate Renewal Partnership website\u003c/a\u003e, but surely it's an underestimate? Add on the £17.5m for the Ike and Tina Turner Centre, another couple of mill for the de-dualling of Fart Hill and the snazzification of the old town, plus £3.7m just dished out to Dreamland, and by my reckoning it's closer to £60m.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAnd what do we get here in Ramsgate? A mill for a crumbling facelift for our crumbling East Cliff? There was meant to be £1.5m from the Lottery Heritage Fund, but nobody seems to know where that went. And where do all the harbour dues from our lovely marina and port go? Certainly not into dredging the flippin' thing, it seems. Apart from that, it's all closed toilets, asset sales, and knackered old jumbos 24/7! Not that the RamsgateSoc are even going to tackle the question of night flights over 900+ listed buildings, I hear.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eDon't get me wrong. Margate is in desperate need of a transfusion before it dies, like the Mayor's cat, of anaemia. But although Ramsgate isn't doing so bad on its own, with new shops opening up almost on a daily basis, I'm not sure that any of us here on the sunny south side will be prepared to donate armfuls for very much longer!\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-6096324101790737896?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/6096324101790737896/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d6096324101790737896","title":"8 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/6096324101790737896"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/6096324101790737896"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/margate-60000000-0-ramsgate.html","title":"Margate 60,000,000 - 0 Ramsgate"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SxARYTPtuhI/AAAAAAAAD2k/iOUp4JZR8zQ/s72-c/Ramsgate+Society+meeting.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"8"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-5423247363512941045"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-27T14:02:00.007Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-27T14:38:54.214Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Seaman Stains"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Eastcliff Richard Find A Fannit Flag Competition"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Thanet Flag"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Ilfracombe Shows More Spunk Than Thanet"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sw_cQxrExrI/AAAAAAAAD2M/Lh0HlkRxk_s/s1600/Ilfracombe+logo.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 249px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sw_cQxrExrI/AAAAAAAAD2M/Lh0HlkRxk_s/s400/Ilfracombe+logo.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408783858265278130\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eAccording to the \u003ca href\u003d\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8380785.stm\"\u003eBBC News website\u003c/a\u003e, a row has broken out in the north Devon resort of Ilfracombe after some of the locals with more, er, fertile imaginations decided that the town's new logo made the place a 'laughing stock'. The critics are of the opinion that the dot over the 'I' resembles a sperm.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI must say that this is the same kind of misguided, Mary Whitehouse thinking that put the kybosh on my Flag for Fannit. I mean, look at it. How could anyone interpret it as anything other than the majestic North Foreland lighthouse, rising into our clear, blue sky atop our magnificent chalk cliffs over the sandy tussocks of Joss Bay!?!?!?!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sw_iUKb9-XI/AAAAAAAAD2U/ZQvEsWERr1M/s1600/Thanet+flag.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 238px;\" src\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sw_iUKb9-XI/AAAAAAAAD2U/ZQvEsWERr1M/s400/Thanet+flag.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408790513522178418\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-5423247363512941045?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/5423247363512941045/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d5423247363512941045","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/5423247363512941045"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/5423247363512941045"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/ilfracombe-shows-more-spunk-than-thanet.html","title":"Ilfracombe Shows More Spunk Than Thanet"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sw_cQxrExrI/AAAAAAAAD2M/Lh0HlkRxk_s/s72-c/Ilfracombe+logo.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"2"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-3271795367085218929"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-27T13:07:00.007Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-27T13:38:16.880Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ramsgate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Michael's Bookshop"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"'Local' Bookshop Goes Bust"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Yep, \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/nov/26/borders-closure-stores-amazon\"\u003eBorders is no more\u003c/a\u003e. And, um, the closest outlet was in Lakeside Thurrock. But d'you see what I've done there? By judicious use of the inverted commas, nobody in their right mind is going to think I'm referring to our actual, local biblio-bloke's splendid tome emporium on King Street, right here in the throbbing heart of Ramsgate's bustling metropolis.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIn fact I would imagine Michael is, as we speak, calling the administrators to arrange for three bargain pallet loads of surplus Maeve Binchys (or should that be 'Binchies'?) to be trucked down the M2 pronto! Good luck to yer, Michael!\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-3271795367085218929?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/3271795367085218929/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d3271795367085218929","title":"7 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/3271795367085218929"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/3271795367085218929"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/local-bookshop-goes-bust.html","title":"'Local' Bookshop Goes Bust"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"7"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-7164931762631982165"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-26T20:59:00.006Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-26T22:06:30.946Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Chas 'n' Dave International Airport"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Infratil"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The Incredible, Disappearing Airport (Story)"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sw7sZHqfePI/AAAAAAAAD2E/2SPwui3QrBQ/s1600/manston+story+disappears.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 158px;\" src\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sw7sZHqfePI/AAAAAAAAD2E/2SPwui3QrBQ/s400/manston+story+disappears.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408520118816700658\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eHoly news sections! I've received several emails from readers who've been disappointed to find that a story in the usually excellent \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eyourfannitinnit\u003c/span\u003e appears to have been spiked. The \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.yourthanet.co.uk/kent-news/Airport-could-be-sold,-claims-business-website--newsinkent30338.aspx\"\u003eitem\u003c/a\u003e about a New Zealand pundit predicting the sale of Chas 'n' Dave Margate International Airport by Kiwi owners Infratil was on the paper's website on Tuesday. But within 24 hours it had vanished, to be replaced by the above error message. Try as I might to track it down, luck I have had none (and now from George Lucas Dialogue Disease seem to be suffering I am).\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFar be it for me to suggest that the paper has been 'got at' by the airport's spinmeisters. No, not me. Certainly not. Not in the current climate of legal retribution that has enveloped the Thanet blogosphere. Oh no. Oh deary me, no no no no no.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eCoincidentally, Infratil have this week launched their finalised Master Plan for the airport, which downgrades passenger predictions from 2.7m to 2.2m by 2018, and from 5.7m to 4.7m by 2033. That'll only mean finding an extra 4,689,578 passengers a year, then, within the next 23 years. And, of course, the 116 page document is so dense that your averagely illiterate Thanetian ain't going to bother to plough past the pretty pictures on pages 1, 2 and 3. That includes me, I hasten to add, and a GCSE in English I have!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.kentinternationalairport-manston.com/index.html\"\u003eClick here to download C'n'DMIA Master Plan\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-7164931762631982165?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/7164931762631982165/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d7164931762631982165","title":"6 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/7164931762631982165"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/7164931762631982165"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/incredible-disappearing-airport-story.html","title":"The Incredible, Disappearing Airport (Story)"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sw7sZHqfePI/AAAAAAAAD2E/2SPwui3QrBQ/s72-c/manston+story+disappears.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"6"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-5855140221801979620"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-26T15:02:00.005Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-26T15:21:05.047Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"East of the Wantsum"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Euroferries"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"East Of The Wantsum"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sw6Z1vpHq6I/AAAAAAAAD18/5FHT4c00yD4/s1600/East+of+the+Wantsum+28+for+blog.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 154px;\" src\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sw6Z1vpHq6I/AAAAAAAAD18/5FHT4c00yD4/s400/East+of+the+Wantsum+28+for+blog.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408429351119596450\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIt's been almost a week since this appeared in the \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eIsle of Thanet Gazunder\u003c/span\u003e, but to be honest I've harboured a certain amount of trepidation about putting it on the blog, given the 'chilling' effect of Euroferries' legal threats against myself and fellow Ramsgate blogger Adem Djemil.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eStill, now that the service has been confirmed as being postponed yet again, this time until the New Year, I think it's pretty fair comment. I wonder how Dr Steve Ladyman MP feels about being associated with a company that puts the legal frighteners on his constituents, whose only concerns were to shout about what a good thing the new service would be for Ramsgate, and keep their readers informed of its, um, comings and goings? Er, better go now before I make too many waves! I wouldn't want to ruin my reputation as a 'spinless coward'!\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-5855140221801979620?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/5855140221801979620/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d5855140221801979620","title":"7 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/5855140221801979620"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/5855140221801979620"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/east-of-wantsum_26.html","title":"East Of The Wantsum"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sw6Z1vpHq6I/AAAAAAAAD18/5FHT4c00yD4/s72-c/East+of+the+Wantsum+28+for+blog.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"7"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-1497130653853383658"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-24T19:27:00.005Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-26T11:11:26.421Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ramsgate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Euroferries"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Ferry Delayed Until March?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I have just received this email which purports to come from Euroferries, the company which is planning to introduce a fast ferry service between Ramsgate and Boulogne. I hasten to add, I have not seen any confirmation of this anywhere, so do treat with the usual caution and suspicion. However, it does appear that the company is not now taking bookings on its website until 1 March 2010.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ci\u003eDear ----,\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWe have just suspended all bookings until 1st March 2010 as a precautionary measure to prevent causing further inconvenience to our customers, you will therefore be unable to book for christmas at the moment.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFeel free to book from March onwards, as the service will be fully operational by then and the prices at present are at the cheaper winter price rate.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI have copied your email address onto our contact list so you will be kept apprised of all developments and news regarding the service.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eKind regards,\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eHannah Green\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eEuroferries Customer Service Dept.\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003eUpdate:\u003c/span\u003e Confirmation that the service has been delayed yet again, and now won't start until next year, can be found \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/thanet/Ramsgate-ferry-start-year/article-1552602-detail/article.html\"\u003ehere\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-1497130653853383658?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/1497130653853383658/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d1497130653853383658","title":"11 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/1497130653853383658"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/1497130653853383658"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/ferry-delayed-until-march.html","title":"Ferry Delayed Until March?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"11"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-2114086251809654896"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-24T13:17:00.004Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-24T13:38:39.700Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"wind farms"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"humbug"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ramsgate harbour"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"bangin' sounds"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Noises Off"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Swvd1eO_QiI/AAAAAAAAD1s/HQtb_T_J1QA/s1600/noise.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;\" src\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Swvd1eO_QiI/AAAAAAAAD1s/HQtb_T_J1QA/s400/noise.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407659688307147298\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eNew reader Lynn writes:\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ci\u003eI have recently moved 'out of town' to the quiet (or so I thought) realms of North Foreland, only to hear what I would describe as a sonic boom every half an hour. What on earth is it? Any ideas?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eYours, baffled!\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWell Lynn, we've had reports on this blog before of pile driving for the Thanet Offshore Wind fart farm causing this sort of disturbance, so it may be that. Or it could be those army wallahs letting a few big ones off at their Shoeburyness testing range across the Thames Estuary. If any of you lovely readers have any other thoughts, do pass them on.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eMeanwhile, still on the theme of annoying noises, reader Millicent writes:\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ci\u003eIs it just me or does anyone else hear a constant hum in Ramsgate at night? I remember someone else mentioning it a few months ago. For weeks I do not hear anything then suddenly it is back with a vengeance. It is driving me to distraction this week - all I want is a good night's sleep. And no I don't think I have tinnitus as I don't hear it when I sleep in hotels and elsewhere.\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWell, I can't say I've heard a hum Laura. Smelt one down at our lovely Royal Harbour where the duffers can't be arsed to clear the icky detritus from the water, yes. But heard one? Nope. Anyone else having the same problem?\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-2114086251809654896?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/2114086251809654896/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d2114086251809654896","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/2114086251809654896"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/2114086251809654896"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/noises-off.html","title":"Noises Off"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Swvd1eO_QiI/AAAAAAAAD1s/HQtb_T_J1QA/s72-c/noise.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-6157187405074440696"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-22T17:47:00.008Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-22T18:44:36.071Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Royal Sands"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"crumbling East Cliff"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"pleasurama"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"What's The Crack?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Swl5M9BHpTI/AAAAAAAAD1k/DeV8X8Tcqg8/s1600/Royals+Sands+crack+in+cliff+face+2.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 350px;\" src\u003d\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Swl5M9BHpTI/AAAAAAAAD1k/DeV8X8Tcqg8/s400/Royals+Sands+crack+in+cliff+face+2.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406986091079640370\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eForget \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e! This piece of work from our beloved council looks as if it'll barely make it to 2010!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI hope our local, crusading biblio-bloke Michael Child doesn't mind me purloining the photo he took this morning of the, er, 'newly renovated' cliff face behind the Ramsgate Royal Sands (Pleasurama in old money) development.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAfter more than three years of 'temporary' Heras fencing, our crumbling East Cliff was tarted up only last year in readiness for the imminent construction of the long awaited, ribbed-rubber-roofed condominium, the plans of which famously show people's heads embedded in concrete, and no escape routes should the planets align (in accordance with some ancient Mayan myth), causing sea levels to rise 29,000 feet. Work on building the condom itself has just been delayed yet again until 2011, putting the Pleasurama eyesore in its 13th glorious year.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI mean, this new cliff face has only been up there a matter of 18 months, and it's already cracked to buggery! The flippin' Mayans (to continue the theme) managed to bung up stuff that's still there 2,000 years later! As council taxpayers, we forked out around a million sovs for this. Not to mention the millions the Thanet Reich has let the developer drop his bond by. If you ask me, it's the Cecil Square duffers who have dropped their \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.bonds.com.au/\"\u003eBonds\u003c/a\u003e and allowed themselves to be shafted right up the crack by whoever carried out this bloody atrocious cliff facelift!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAnd speaking of pants, yes I did hobble out to Westwood Vue to take in the new Roland Emmerich blockbuster \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e last night, as you may have already guessed. In fact it was beyond pants, more like utter gusset. But then I thought the same of his other end of the world movies, \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eIndependence Day\u003c/span\u003e and \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eThe Day After Tomorrow\u003c/span\u003e when I first saw them at the flicks. And d'you know what? Having now watched them both something like 23 times on ITV4, I'm almost coming around to liking them!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://thanetonline.blogspot.com/2009/11/royal-sands-development-how-dangerous.html\"\u003eClick here for more cliff complaints and photos on Michael's blog\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-6157187405074440696?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/6157187405074440696/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d6157187405074440696","title":"7 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/6157187405074440696"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/6157187405074440696"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/whats-crack.html","title":"What's The Crack?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Swl5M9BHpTI/AAAAAAAAD1k/DeV8X8Tcqg8/s72-c/Royals+Sands+crack+in+cliff+face+2.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"7"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-727869801131046873"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-21T16:00:00.005Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-21T16:59:16.270Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Children In Need"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Dickie The Dosh Disher"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwgOqSfsGyI/AAAAAAAAD1c/2pb-KNMMMs0/s1600/children+in+need+2009+donation.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;\" src\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwgOqSfsGyI/AAAAAAAAD1c/2pb-KNMMMs0/s400/children+in+need+2009+donation.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406587472340327202\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eUrgh! I'm still suffering from the effects of the after party. But it was worth it to see Terry doing the conga around TV Centre yet again with his boxers on his head. It's a bit of an old party trick of his.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eMany thanks for all your comments yesterday. We had 21, plus the promise of a fiver from 'Captain Killer', which tots up to a total of £26 for \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eChildren in Need\u003c/span\u003e. Slightly down on last year, but I suppose everyone's feeling the pinch. Er, except it was my money of course. Maybe the fact that comment moderation is on to avoid having to hand out any more dosh to the men in wigs has saved me money after all. Albeit in an unintended kind of way!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/\"\u003eDonate direct - click here to go to \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eChildren in Need\u003c/span\u003e website\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-727869801131046873?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/727869801131046873/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d727869801131046873","title":"4 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/727869801131046873"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/727869801131046873"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/dickie-dosh-disher.html","title":"Dickie The Dosh Disher"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwgOqSfsGyI/AAAAAAAAD1c/2pb-KNMMMs0/s72-c/children+in+need+2009+donation.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"4"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-3573579232711853874"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-20T14:00:00.004Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-20T14:20:21.853Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"comments for charity"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Children In Need"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Celebrities In Need"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwahlYxn6QI/AAAAAAAAD1U/cP-KmzSDccw/s1600/children+in+need.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwahlYxn6QI/AAAAAAAAD1U/cP-KmzSDccw/s400/children+in+need.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406186066382678274\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eHurrah! I'm running my 'comments for quids' for \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eChildren in Need\u003c/span\u003e again this year! The idea is that for every comment, charitable or otherwise, that appears on this post over the next 24 hours, I'll donate a shiny, new oncer to help the little kiddiewinks!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eUnfortunately, due to, er, legal constraints this year, comments are being moderated. Which means they won't appear instantaneously. And as I'm going to be rather busy as Sir Tel's assistant wig wrangler up at TV Centre, I shan't be getting onto the old iPhone much to publish them either. But do join in!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eLast time I managed to raise 32 nicker, plus a fiver from a showbiz mate for getting the director to do a close up of the old Wogan barnet (and no, you couldn't see the join). So let's see if we can crack the 50 this year!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/\"\u003eClick here to go to \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eChildren in Need\u003c/span\u003e website\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-3573579232711853874?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/3573579232711853874/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d3573579232711853874","title":"21 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/3573579232711853874"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/3573579232711853874"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/celebrities-in-need.html","title":"Celebrities In Need"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwahlYxn6QI/AAAAAAAAD1U/cP-KmzSDccw/s72-c/children+in+need.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"21"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-2787010205832111604"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-19T22:09:00.004Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-19T22:16:13.211Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"silly as a bum full of smarties"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Eurovision"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"President Who?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Whilst not wishing to alienate my ever-growing readership in Oostende (Ostend in old money), Belgium and the wider European continent, I find I now have a President whose name I had never even heard of until ten minutes ago! I am not, like many of the Thanet bewildered, a detractor of the European project, nor am I a supporter of Tony Blair. But having to swear allegiance to the Prime Minister of Belgium, and address him as 'President' van Rumpy-Pumpy is not, frankly, floating my boat!\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-2787010205832111604?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/2787010205832111604/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d2787010205832111604","title":"7 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/2787010205832111604"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/2787010205832111604"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/president-who.html","title":"President Who?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"7"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-950245884048097119"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-19T14:05:00.007Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-19T14:40:10.263Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Tour de France"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"France For 15 Nicker!"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwVYrS5QhII/AAAAAAAAD1M/U_7D8uJa6Bg/s1600/eurotunnel+promo.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwVYrS5QhII/AAAAAAAAD1M/U_7D8uJa6Bg/s400/eurotunnel+promo.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405824428557763714\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eAs Adem has already pointed out on his \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eBig Blog\u003c/span\u003e, those splendid chaps at Eurotunnel are running a special promo to celebrate their 15th birthday! You can take the jalopy any Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday from now until 17 December, and it'll only cost you three crisp fivers. What's more, you can be certain they'll be running! And, ahem, for the avoidance of any doubt, what I mean by that is, unlike the Dover ferries which were cancelled due to high winds yesterday, the Channel Tunnel is weatherproof.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThey've also come up with 15 juicy facts for their 15th. For example, did you know they reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 45% in 2008? Or that they've transported 35m vehicles since 1994, and 250m customers? And since the regs were relaxed in 2000, 475,000 happy pets have travelled with them. So go on, treat Rover to a day trip too. You never know, he might enjoy un poop sur la promenade!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.eurotunnel.com/ukcP3Main/ukcPassengers/ukcTickets/ukpfifteen.htm\"\u003eClick here to go to Eurotunnel £15 promotion\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-950245884048097119?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/950245884048097119/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d950245884048097119","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/950245884048097119"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/950245884048097119"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/france-for-15-nicker.html","title":"France For 15 Nicker!"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwVYrS5QhII/AAAAAAAAD1M/U_7D8uJa6Bg/s72-c/eurotunnel+promo.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-5901960744964627303"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-18T11:27:00.004Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-18T12:31:52.904Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Chas 'n' Dave International Airport"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Infratil"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Manston Sale 'Expected Within 12 Months'"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwPai9QqQKI/AAAAAAAAD08/rqMRgeHvcC8/s1600/new+service+from+manston.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;\" src\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwPai9QqQKI/AAAAAAAAD08/rqMRgeHvcC8/s400/new+service+from+manston.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405404271869575330\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eYesterday's news that Kiwi conglomerate Infratil, the owners of Chas 'n' Dave Margate International Airport, have reported a NZ$31m loss for the first six months of their financial year has cast a serious questionmark over their continued commitment to the 9,029 foot strip of concrete that sits on top of our lovely aquifer.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eInfratil's portfolio includes energy, buses, and, of course, airports. In Europe, they have just sold Lubeck Airport in Germany back to the local authority, Prestwick in Scotland is suffering from much reduced passenger numbers, and Manston is losing £4m a year. The firm is currently in a joint venture to buy Shell's network of service stations in NZ to facilitate, according to Infratil boss Marko Bogoievski, the sale of more meat pies.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAlthough Infratil says it doesn't need any more dosh to complete that purchase, its investors are already expecting it to divest Prestwick and C 'n' DMIA in the near future and concentrate on core business activities such as energy assets in NZ and Oz. According to no less an authority than NZX, the New Zealand Stock Exchange, Bogoievski sent out 'a clear signal' at Monday's results meeting 'that non-energy assets, with the exception of Wellington Airport, could be sold'. The commentary on the NZX website continues:\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ci\u003eForsyth Barr head of research Rob Mercer said he expected Infratil's two problematic British airports, Glasgow Prestwick and Kent, would be sold within 12 months. Infratil's shares were trading at about a 30 per cent discount to net asset value of $2.25, indicating that the market had lost confidence in the company's ability to grow net tangible assets over the next 12 months.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThe shares closed yesterday at $1.51, down 3c. The discount was equal to $480m, representing the combined value of the British airports, New Zealand Bus and 32 per cent owned Energy Development.\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSo, putting my wildly speculative hat on, if our beloved airport is sold, who's going to buy it? Another airport operator? Or would two operators in ten years unable to make a go of it convince prospective buyers that it's not a viable business? Is Infratil's current application to instigate night flights a cunning plan to beef up the sale price? And if it's not viable as an airport, what's Plan B? A business park? A world centre of eco-energy excellence? I think we should be told!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.nzx.com/home/3072699/Infratils-Shell-bid-a-done-deal\"\u003eClick here to read more on NZX website\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-5901960744964627303?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/5901960744964627303/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d5901960744964627303","title":"33 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/5901960744964627303"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/5901960744964627303"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/manston-sale-expected-within-12-months.html","title":"Manston Sale 'Expected Within 12 Months'"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwPai9QqQKI/AAAAAAAAD08/rqMRgeHvcC8/s72-c/new+service+from+manston.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"33"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-6045508850734401595"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-17T11:25:00.008Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-17T12:52:18.537Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"margate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Arsonists' Playground"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Right Royal Rumpus Over Margate Slur"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwKIXyq5rCI/AAAAAAAAD00/COU1_HeHAs8/s1600/tivoli+arcade+fire+margate+2.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 253px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwKIXyq5rCI/AAAAAAAAD00/COU1_HeHAs8/s400/tivoli+arcade+fire+margate+2.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405032445118098466\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eYikes! I see a Labour election candidate in east London has got himself into a right pickle by declaring the Queen has 'more front than Margate'. Rather stupidly, he made the comment on the Facebook page of a Tory MP who is campaigning for a public holiday to mark the monarch's diamond jubilee in 2012.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003ePeter White, the Labourite in question, who is seeking election to Havering Borough Council, wrote: 'What is the point of celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of someone who is born into a position of privilege, she is a parasite and milks this country for everything she can. She has more front than Margate asking for extra money from the civil list. Maybe she should sell a couple of her properties'\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIt's got me wondering whether 'more front than Margate' can be considered an insult at all in the 21st century. It seems more of a quaint anachronism. After all, the Arsonists' Playground itself has rather less front than Dymchurch these days. Although if you equate 'front' with, say, 'smile' it would be one with several teeth extracted by arson, multiple wooden dentures, and one great big, oversize concrete molar springing up behind Droit House. Hmm, on second thoughts if I was the Queen, I wouldn't exactly be flattered by the comparison!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8363702.stm\"\u003eClick here for more on BBC News website\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-6045508850734401595?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/6045508850734401595/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d6045508850734401595","title":"7 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/6045508850734401595"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/6045508850734401595"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/right-royal-rumpus-over-margate-slur.html","title":"Right Royal Rumpus Over Margate Slur"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwKIXyq5rCI/AAAAAAAAD00/COU1_HeHAs8/s72-c/tivoli+arcade+fire+margate+2.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"7"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-1452607890228660104"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-16T14:25:00.005Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-16T15:07:41.186Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"margate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"jingle bells Margate smells"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Alleged Corruption In Margate"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwFl2Wy0QUI/AAAAAAAAD0s/nQSP-5R6wuw/s1600/margate+news.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 108px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwFl2Wy0QUI/AAAAAAAAD0s/nQSP-5R6wuw/s400/margate+news.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404713012327366978\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWith culture minister Margaret Hodge today dishing out the dosh to the Arsonists' Playground [\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eWhatever happened to the £1.5m lottery funding that was meant to go on tarting up Ramsgate front? - Ed\u003c/span\u003e], I thought I'd apply the old ECR brain cell to finding out a bit of background.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eScouring the interbollocks, and eschewing Margate's most fatuous blog (as ever), I landed on the rival site \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eMargateNews.net\u003c/span\u003e. Here, unlike its fatter namesake, you can read fearless investigative coverage of government grants being handed out willy-nilly, time-serving corrupt local politicians, bribery charges going back to the 80s, and planning permission for static caravan sites doled out on a favour basis. Oh yes, it's all there!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eOnly trouble is, this is Margate, Florida, USA! Kuh, talk about giving a dog a bad name!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article190.asp\"\u003eClick here to read more on \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eMargateNews.net\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/margate/Margate-s-Dreamland-dreams-come-true/article-1517841-detail/article.html\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/margate/Margate-s-Dreamland-dreams-come-true/article-1517841-detail/article.html\"\u003eClick here to read about government dosh for Margate, Kent, UK\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2007/06/up-front.html\"\u003eClick to read about the grant to Ramsgate which we've never seen\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-1452607890228660104?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/1452607890228660104/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d1452607890228660104","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/1452607890228660104"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/1452607890228660104"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/alleged-corruption-in-margate.html","title":"Alleged Corruption In Margate"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwFl2Wy0QUI/AAAAAAAAD0s/nQSP-5R6wuw/s72-c/margate+news.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-1369953967793110913"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-16T12:11:00.002Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-16T12:16:28.704Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"comments for charity"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"comment moderation"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Cock-Up On The Comments Front"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Ooops! Must have pressed the wrong button when I was putting comment moderation on after all that nastiness last week. No wonder I haven't been hearing from all you eager readers!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eYou can comment away to your hearts content now my lovelies, but your purple prose will have to be read and approved by me first. And, er, should you feel inclined to transfer over a few fifties for my fighting fund while you're at it, feel free!\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-1369953967793110913?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/1369953967793110913/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d1369953967793110913","title":"14 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/1369953967793110913"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/1369953967793110913"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/cock-up-on-comments-front.html","title":"Cock-Up On The Comments Front"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"14"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-1581209218077508532"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-15T12:54:00.012Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-18T17:11:37.838Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"margate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dreamland"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"regeneration"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Culture Vulture"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwABMJBaBVI/AAAAAAAAD0k/A61gU9ETh1s/s1600-h/scenic+on+fire+dreamland+margate.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 226px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwABMJBaBVI/AAAAAAAAD0k/A61gU9ETh1s/s400/scenic+on+fire+dreamland+margate.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404320860936471890\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eEr, sorry about that last post. However, I am now much restored and neurie dust sprinkled on Kelloggs appears to have done the trick again this morning.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSo, thanks to Bertie Biggles' excellent \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eThanet Strife\u003c/span\u003e blog, we now know the Culture Minister Margaret Hodge \u003ca href\u003d\"http://thanetstrife.blogspot.com/2009/11/so-tax-payer-bails-out-developer.html\"\u003ewill be touring Margate\u003c/a\u003e tomorrow morning apropos of doling out £3.7m worth of state aid to prop up the town's festering Dreamland hole. As the island's premier blogger, I have every intention of attending in the press corps. But what questions should I put to Ms Hodge? I've drafted a few here:\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e- Ms Hodge, do you know you are shaking hands with a man who is currently being prosecuted by the RSPCA for causing unnecessary suffering to a kitten?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e- Ms Hodge, are you aware that this other man you are shaking hands with has been up before the Standards people twice? Once for calling another politician a 'f*cking tosser' and on a second occasion for causing upset when a petition he disapproved of was being handed over?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e- Ms Hodge, would you like to comment on the fact that several buildings along Margate front, along with the Dreamland Scenic Railway itself, have been subjected to arson over the past six years, and that the local woodentops have yet to prosecute anyone?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e- Ms Hodge, what would your view be of a company that received EU grants to enhance an attraction that was pulling in 100s of 1000s of visitors, which then had to close a few years later due to 'lack of interest'?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e- Ms Hodge, do you honestly think it is in the taxpayers' interest to hand over almost £4m of their mazoomah to help regenerate a town which is clearly suffering because of the local authority's madcap scheme to build an entirely new town from scratch at Westwood Cross?\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eThere. That should do the trick!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article6912730.ece\"\u003eClick here for Margaret Hodge's seaside tour in \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eThe Sunday Times\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1228219/Margate-wins-3-7m-grant-build-worlds-vintage-theme-park.html\"\u003eClick here to read about £3.7m Dreamland grant in the \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eDaily Wail\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-1581209218077508532?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/1581209218077508532/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d1581209218077508532","title":"9 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/1581209218077508532"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/1581209218077508532"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/culture-vulture.html","title":"Culture Vulture"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SwABMJBaBVI/AAAAAAAAD0k/A61gU9ETh1s/s72-c/scenic+on+fire+dreamland+margate.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"9"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-8645356857591249017"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-14T23:24:00.009Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-18T20:24:31.861Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"I'd rather drink Krug"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Chas 'n' Dave International Airport"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Noght Flight Cunsultation Not Exprcted Until Sprong"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sv89Kc6iPPI/AAAAAAAAD0U/MSibColgO7g/s1600-h/plane+over+ramsgate+1.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 226px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sv89Kc6iPPI/AAAAAAAAD0U/MSibColgO7g/s400/plane+over+ramsgate+1.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404105327637576946\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eEsxcuhe me but I'm a bit the worse rfor weare. You would be too if you'f had a week like I have. Anyhoiw, necking back the old Krug down at Miles BAr earlier, I got talking to some bod from Thanet Counciul. According to hims they are not going to consult on the dreaded night flightts over Ramsgate until the spirng. Maybe, with a £6m pound black hole in their trouserds, they're not willing to spend the £80,0000,0000 0 00 it's going to cost to consult.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eAnyeay so then like I told him he could stuff his chuffing night flights and it all went a bit handbags at danw3 like. I see the Tories transpoort spokesman has been gassing on about building a Euro MArine enrgy park in Ramsgate lets all vote for LAurs Sansdyssd and hope they build it on the fuifrkjncking airpoport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Tories-will-build-a-_marine-energy-park_-off-coast-newsinkent29962.aspx?news\u003dlocal\"\u003eClick here for more on shadow Energy Sec's 'Euro Marine Park' plan\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.yourthanet.co.uk/kent-news/Manston-night__flights-consultation-behind-schedule-newsinkent30136.aspx?news\u003dlocal\"\u003eClick here for confirmation of consultation delay [\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eRight again! - Ed]\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-8645356857591249017?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/8645356857591249017/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d8645356857591249017","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/8645356857591249017"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/8645356857591249017"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/noght-flight-cunsultation-not-exprcted.html","title":"Noght Flight Cunsultation Not Exprcted Until Sprong"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sv89Kc6iPPI/AAAAAAAAD0U/MSibColgO7g/s72-c/plane+over+ramsgate+1.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-5441085081006796302"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-14T10:45:00.010Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-14T12:08:31.751Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Dane Valley Ted"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Thanet Labour"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Moving Swiftly On..."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sv6KX5PN2tI/AAAAAAAAD0M/aWRJcg3BkXc/s1600-h/dane+valley+by-election.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 370px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sv6KX5PN2tI/AAAAAAAAD0M/aWRJcg3BkXc/s400/dane+valley+by-election.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403908745997441746\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhy doesn't it surprise me that the proprietor of Margate's most fatuous (Geddit?!!!?!) blog appears to have got \u003ca href\u003d\"http://thanetstrife.blogspot.com/2009/11/is-bill-ferness-nomination-valid-for.html\"\u003ethe address of his Lib Dem candidate in the Dane Valley by-election wrong\u003c/a\u003e? You'll recall that this vote has been precipitated by the enforced resignation of Tory councillor 'Panama' Steve Broadhurst, who spent more time in Central America than actually doing anything for his electorate in Central Margate.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eOrdinarily, being of a Liberal persuasion, I would have thrown the entire weight of the ECR media machine behind Fat Bloke's Bill Furness, who I hear is a jolly nice chap. But not on this occasion.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIt's less to do with his proposer's continual petty snarking at yours truly, and more to do with the fact that, as far as I can see, Labour have more chance of winning. And anything that helps oust the current Thanet Reich has got to be a good thing in my book. Hopefully Panama Steve's Dane Valley colleague, the alleged feline-killing Tory Mayor of Margate, will do the decent thing soon and step down too. If so, the Blue Rinsers won't stand a cat's chance in oh dear let's not go there.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eSo come on Dane Valleyers! Vote for the lovely Labour candidate Sandra Hart, wife of the equally lovely Labour leader Clive Hart, on 3 December!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:78%;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003eDisclaimer:\u003c/span\u003e I would like to make it clear that my support of Sandra Hart is in no way motivated by a petty desire to see a 'Mr and Mrs Hart' on Thanet Council and consequently be able to make endless jokes about 80s TV shows, 'Max', 'Freeway', and 'big hair'.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-5441085081006796302?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/5441085081006796302/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d5441085081006796302","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/5441085081006796302"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/5441085081006796302"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/moving-swiftly-on.html","title":"Moving Swiftly On..."}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Sv6KX5PN2tI/AAAAAAAAD0M/aWRJcg3BkXc/s72-c/dane+valley+by-election.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-1696977062162522472"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-12T18:07:00.001Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-12T18:11:46.181Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ramsgate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Euroferries"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Euroferries - An Apology"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"In a recent item on this blog entitled 'Breaking News - Euroferries goes bust' the following statement was made: 'According to the ongoing debate on Adem's Big Blog about the new fast ferry service between Ramsgate and Boulogne which is due to start on 14 November, Euroferries, the operator which was attempting to introduce the service, has just 'gone bust'. This is an unconfirmed report at the moment. More updates as they come.'\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI would like to make it clear that this allegation was false and unjustified. Euroferries are not 'bankrupt' or in any other way insolvent and I apologise to them unreservedly. I have undertaken not to repeat these allegations.\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-1696977062162522472?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/1696977062162522472/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d1696977062162522472","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/1696977062162522472"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/1696977062162522472"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/euroferries-apology.html","title":"Euroferries - An Apology"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-7670108375405449781"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-09T14:25:00.003Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-09T14:32:04.718Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"East of the Wantsum"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"East Of The Wantsum"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"That last item about the Arsonists' Playground reminded me that, what with all the excitement, I'd forgotten to put the latest \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eEast of the Wantsum\u003c/span\u003e on the blog. Actually, it sort of echoes and predicts that story in today's \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/span\u003e about Margate being rubbish. Except I'm doing it in a knowing, tongue in cheek sort of fashion and not in any nasty, lefty, snobby, media luvvy kind of way. Oh, alright then, yes I am.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SvgnKrasPZI/AAAAAAAAD0E/bfzSwZsU1fg/s1600-h/East+of+the+Wantsum+27+for+blog.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 154px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SvgnKrasPZI/AAAAAAAAD0E/bfzSwZsU1fg/s400/East+of+the+Wantsum+27+for+blog.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402110817437760914\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-7670108375405449781?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/7670108375405449781/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d7670108375405449781","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/7670108375405449781"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/7670108375405449781"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/east-of-wantsum_09.html","title":"East Of The Wantsum"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SvgnKrasPZI/AAAAAAAAD0E/bfzSwZsU1fg/s72-c/East+of+the+Wantsum+27+for+blog.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-2961634893800218594"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-09T12:11:00.007Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-09T12:48:39.186Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Thanet Tories"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"margate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sir Roger Wind"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Margate Mauled In The Guardian"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Cripes! It's been a bad couple of days for our septic isle! On Saturday, a \u003ca href\u003d\"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/restaurant-praised-ramsgate-rubbished.html\"\u003erestaurant review in the \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eIndependent\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e described Ramsgate as 'blighted'. Today it's Margate's turn to get kicked in the proverbials by the \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eGuardian\u003c/span\u003e.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eWriting about his quest to find the muse of T S Eliot in the Nayland Rock shelter, which was recently listed by English Heritage for being the place where the poet wrote part of his epic \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eThe Waste Land\u003c/span\u003e, Stephen Moss writes:\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ci\u003eI had hoped that coming here to pay homage might move me to write my own state-of-the-nation epic as part of my stuttering campaign to be Oxford professor of poetry. But the words will not come. It doesn't help that I had three pints of Kronenbourg in a forlorn bar on the front last night, and that my head is spinning. The cars on the roundabout next to the shelter sound like . . . damn, I can't even manage a simile in my befuddled state.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003ePerhaps I can blame the town itself rather than the lager? Almost every shop on the front is boarded up; even the potentially inspiring store selling racy lingerie is closed; and Dreamland, the town's nightmarish leisure park, is derelict. Margate desperately needs a new attraction, and this shelter could surely be it. I can see it now: the Eliot Trail, Waste Land Walks, the Ezra Pound Shop. I may not have written a poem, but I think I have the makings of an urban regeneration plan.\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eMind you, he's got a point. Perhaps he should ask Margate's Tory MP Roger Gale, who's presided over more than 25 years of dereliction in the town, what he's done to improve things? After all, him and his missus seem to be getting no end of publicity now that her £40K a year job as his secretary might be at stake. Has he ever put the same effort into hauling his constituency off its knees? I think not!\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/nov/09/ts-eliot-waste-land-margate\"\u003eClick here to read full story in the \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eGrauniad\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ntfnv\"\u003eMargate's Turner Centre on tonight's \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-style: italic;\"\u003eInside Out\u003c/span\u003e (BBC1, 7:30pm)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-2961634893800218594?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/2961634893800218594/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d2961634893800218594","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/2961634893800218594"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/2961634893800218594"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/margate-mauled-in-guardian.html","title":"Margate Mauled In The Guardian"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"2"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20691138.post-191930883110668959"},"published":{"$t":"2009-11-09T09:23:00.010Z"},"updated":{"$t":"2009-11-09T09:35:20.898Z"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ramsgate"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Euroferries"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Port Of Ramsgate - Latest Photos"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"One of my spies has been busy snapping away down at our lovely port at the weekend. Currently it doesn't look as if any preparations have been made for the Euroferries Ramsgate - Boulogne service which is due to start on Saturday. Still, a week is a long time in shipping, as they say (er, no they don't, actually)!\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Svfg287AhWI/AAAAAAAADzU/N3ruS_bAo7g/s1600-h/Port+of+Ramsgate+5.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Svfg287AhWI/AAAAAAAADzU/N3ruS_bAo7g/s400/Port+of+Ramsgate+5.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402033512725382498\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Svfgv4xI0jI/AAAAAAAADzM/kis2zfwVNM0/s1600-h/Port+of+Ramsgate.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;\" src\u003d\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Svfgv4xI0jI/AAAAAAAADzM/kis2zfwVNM0/s400/Port+of+Ramsgate.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402033391351157298\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SvfhjIu26_I/AAAAAAAADz8/t7FxjcREZwg/s1600-h/Port+of+Ramsgate+1.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;\" src\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SvfhjIu26_I/AAAAAAAADz8/t7FxjcREZwg/s400/Port+of+Ramsgate+1.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402034271809891314\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SvfhLHPRObI/AAAAAAAADzk/kzEByO7iYZ8/s1600-h/Port+of+Ramsgate+4.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;\" src\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SvfhLHPRObI/AAAAAAAADzk/kzEByO7iYZ8/s400/Port+of+Ramsgate+4.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402033859092101554\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Svfha3gz-4I/AAAAAAAADz0/gWa56A340T4/s1600-h/Port+of+Ramsgate+2.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;\" src\u003d\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Svfha3gz-4I/AAAAAAAADz0/gWa56A340T4/s400/Port+of+Ramsgate+2.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402034129748622210\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003ca onblur\u003d\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SvfhUkIPLMI/AAAAAAAADzs/l0CbdiyPAn0/s1600-h/Port+of+Ramsgate+3.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg style\u003d\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;\" src\u003d\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/SvfhUkIPLMI/AAAAAAAADzs/l0CbdiyPAn0/s400/Port+of+Ramsgate+3.jpg\" alt\u003d\"\" id\u003d\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402034021466057922\" border\u003d\"0\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003cimg width\u003d'1' height\u003d'1' src\u003d'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20691138-191930883110668959?l\u003deastcliffrichard.blogspot.com' alt\u003d'' /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/feeds/191930883110668959/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID\u003d20691138\u0026postID\u003d191930883110668959","title":"7 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/191930883110668959"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http://www.blogger.com/feeds/20691138/posts/default/191930883110668959"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://eastcliffrichard.blogspot.com/2009/11/port-of-ramsgate-latest-photos.html","title":"Port Of Ramsgate - Latest Photos"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Richard Eastcliff"},"uri":{"$t":"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10514972891192411470"},"email":{"$t":"richardeastcliff@yahoo.co.uk"},"gd$extendedProperty":{"xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","name":"OpenSocialUserId","value":"08657946624575829952"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YuTUzBBALhA/Svfg287AhWI/AAAAAAAADzU/N3ruS_bAo7g/s72-c/Port+of+Ramsgate+5.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","$t":"7"}}]}});