Thanet needs heretics that take a look at the status quo and says "This will not stand". They face things as they are and they say "there is a different way".

Here are just ten of Thanet's heretics that if you have not bookmarked the sites of you should. They are in no particular order and I know I've had to leave people out.

Tony Flaig, Big News Margate (@tonyflaig on twitter) - for the honest man-on-the-street opinion on things then Tony is that man although which street he is to be found on remains a mystery.

Eastcliff Richard (@eastcliffrichar on twitter) - ECR is a heretic that refuses to take things too seriousely and in doing so shines a harsh light on things that should not be taken too seriously.

Michael Child - when it comes to grilling the pants off of councillors over planning issues this is a heretic that will not stop.

Keep reading for more of Thanet's heretics and boat rockers.

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» Continue Reading: 10 Thanet Heretics You Should Bookmark

Stagecoach's Thanet customers were left confused and angry as no less than three diversions cut off stops across the isle with no indication of which roads were being services or where the buses would be going.

The three diversions are in St Lawrence, Ramsgate; Dumpton Park, Ramsgate; and Northdown Road Cliftonville. However there is almost no indication that stops are out of service or that routes have been changed. Buses display no signs alerting passengers and bus stops not in use still calmly reassure passengers of the arrival time of the next few buses.

The result has been confusion, delay and aggravation for both passengers and drivers. But this impacts not just on those of us choosing not to use a car. All of Thanet is hurt by this lack of communication.

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» Continue Reading: Bus misery leaves customers fuming

Council led home invasion or just litter control - you tell me

Checking my inbox as I do quite often I saw an email from TV Choice. It included a TDC Press release about "operation clean sweep" eith the comment: First time I've heard of what seems to be invading people's homes and looking for illegal immigrants and fire hazards in the same initiative as litter! What do you think? Civil liberties issues????

Now this "operation clean sweep" is/was a targeted "multi partner agency" approach to dealing with problem areas. A bit of that "joined up thinking" so many have been longing for. As I understand it clean sweep works well when it is focused on one black spot. The result is that planning issues, derelicts, fire risks, illegal immigrants (or the housing of) and litter are all addressed along with anything else the authorities can find that they might not like.

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» Continue Reading: Fears of invasive Council operation

With a projected minimum cost per head of £5.77 just for staff costs the Turner Centre is looking like an unlikely project. As a businessman let's consider what I would want to see happen to feel that my investment was safe.

1. The works of Turner or something very close. This is a vital aim. For me to put my money behind such a project (assuming I had any to put behind it) I would want to see a full time Turner expert heading up the team whose job it is to arrange for articles of Turners work to return "home". For this there would need to be a number of arts patrons to cover the costs. The only other option would be to have a centre that teaches artists to paint exceedingly good imitations.

2. Purple Cow. Assuming that all Art Galleries are regular cows this would need to be a Purple Cow. This could be the way in which the Europe's top art talents are drawn to Thanet (and with them the fans) or some other remarkable ellement that is core to the gallery. After all the ideal visitor count is a minimum of 500,000 and that means that the gallery itself from inception needs to worth travelling a long way to see. People should be considering taking a long weekend form all as far away as Tokyo, New York and Sidney just to look at it. Currently you'd be hard pressed to get people to cross the (now smaller) road for it.

3. New artists works for sale. I would also be looking to see a team made up of those skilled at selling works of art. These would head up a regular specialist auction house which should run from the centre. This turnover in works of art and sales (with commissions) would earn an income that could hope to pay some of the running costs of the business. Ideally it should draw more artists to the area cementing the centres reputation as something special.

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» Continue Reading: 7 things that are needed to save the Turner Centre

It seems That Simon and Myself are bound to continue this dance forever.

The dance is of course the dance of Vroomfondel and Majikthise. Douglas Adams (Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy) fans will of course know well the scene where they try to stop the computer that will give the answer to the ultimate question about life the universe and everything but come away with some very sound advice instead.

"Yes," declaimed Deep Thought, "I said I'd have to think about it, didn't I? And it occurs to me that running a programme like this is bound to create an enormous amount of popular publicity for the whole area of philosophy in general. Everyone's going to have their own theories about what answer I'm eventually to come up with, and who better to capitalize on that media market than you yourself? So long as you can keep disagreeing with each other violently enough and slagging each other off in the popular press, you can keep yourself on the gravy train for life. How does that sound?"

Simon Moores should know why newspapers and bloggers write about stuff that seems controversial. It's the same reason the world over. Simon Moores should know why political figures that get close to the media get talked about good and bad. This is nothing new.

This is a dance of mutual promotion and I am honoured that Simon has chosen me as his dancing partner. We will whip up a storm that will drive lots of attention to ourselves and make us more interesting pundits. Keep reading for some interesting punditry on this subject.

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» Continue Reading: Dr Moores should know

I'm probably about to remove an entire market segment from ever wanting to advertise on Thanet Star with what I have to say today.

While I have been struggling with technical difficulties in getting out the Thanet Twitter Podcast I am also actively engaged in other activities of life. Such as taking part in a house hunt on behalf of someone. I've seen a thing or two that have surpprised, shocked and upset me.

Lettings in Thanet is a highly competitive business and yet the companies involved let themselves down so badly that it's a wonder that many of them are still in business. The possible exception to this was Oakwood but more on that later.

I want to call the entire industry out on it's attitude to tenants, landlords and each other.

Each and every estate agent that also deals with lettings should be ashamed of themselves. Your standards are shocking and it is the customer (both landlord and tenant) that is suffering. It will take only one agency to take on board the need to change and it could spell the end for any number of other agencies.

It's first come most likely to survive.

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» Continue Reading: Thanet Estate Agents

While I slave late into the night to bring you the Thanet Twitter Podcast (if you're quick: 08443 511 485). I want to share a thought with you.

Thanet Needs Heretics

A heretic takes a look at the status quo and says This will not stand. They face things as they are and they say there is a different way.

You can tell a heretic because they upset people, they unsettle people who have grown most comfortable, most rich, most lazy with things as they are - people that have forgotten that change is necessary for life to continue.

Heretics like Tony Flaig, Eastcliff Richard and Richard Card. People that are not universally liked, are not always addressed in glowing terms but are seeking to bring change nevertheless. The truth is that Thanet is dead on it's feet and all the while we hope that someone else is going to fix things Thanet will rot further away until there is nothing left to save.

Now is the time for the Thanet Heretic to rise. We need them.

I recently had a close encounter with the ground. Palm first!



The result is that I have rather harmed my ability type very much.

I have managed to add a plugin that makes the latest comments available via feed (Mainly for Michael who very much wants them). I have not forgotten that I am making a podcast about twitter. We have some great content for it but my encounter with the path at high speed (from a bike) has gained you all more time to phone up and say something.

Kent TV could be scrapped by the Labour Party if they win a majority in the Kent County Council elections.

Kent TV is widely regarded as overly expensive and not good value for money. One blogger goes so far as to call it "bollocks". This is mirrored by Kent TVs lack of impact on the social media space for Thanet and Kent as a whole. It has been largly out competed by YouTube which bloggers seem to have a solid preference for.



(It looks like Tony did not get in)

Citing the £1.4 Million already spent on the Kent TV project (and the promise of another £400,000 proposed to be spent on it) the Labour party are suggesting the money could be better spent elsewhere.

I'm inclined to agree. Though this would mean that TDC would have to host their video's elsewhere (read more about the Kent TV hosting plans on Big News Margate). On the other hand it would mean that KCC would have the funds to help them self host.

Calling the conservative policies "out of touch with reality" the Kent County Labour Party Manifesto for 2009 promises to "Scrap Kent TV and improve KCC's website", "ensure proper sports provision in every school" and spend less time and money on self promotion in favour of listening to people.

Keep reading to find out how much Labour claim KCC have cost us.

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» Continue Reading: Kent TV Faces the Axe