Electric Ferret: looks harder, finds more

I recently commissioned Zorba the Geek to find a better way to search CCC's bewildering website. Behold the fruits of his labours: the Electric Ferret. Take it for a spin...

Click the CCC logo and search their website for your name, or your street name, or whatever. Then click the Electric Ferret, and run the same search. Now play 'spot the difference'. Top tip: if you're searching for a phrase, put it in double quotes - Beach Street would find all the beaches and streets, but "Beach Street" would find just that street.

Politician calls for depopulation. World trembles.

The Lib Dems have accused you of being a climate change denier. Is that true?

It's not. And denier is an insult because of Holocaust deniers. As a geologist I know about ancient climates and where the atmosphere has been going for hundreds and thousands of years. Yes, there is an impact that man is having on the climate but there’s not much we can do about it, because we're looking at the symptom and not the cause, which is that there are too many people on the planet using up the natural resources. While people are trying to save trees, they aren’t looking at the population issue. Man is affecting the planet on such a scale because of sheer numbers, and that's what needs focusing on.

HB Times interview with Cllr Gilbey, 15th July 2010

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If you would like to find out more about the thoughtful elimination of the human race, and Cllr Gilbey isn't available, have a look at The Voluntary Human Extinction Movement. They advocate phasing out the human race by voluntarily ceasing to breed, arguing that "crowded conditions and resource shortages will improve as we become less dense".

Myself, I think that smarter actions, rather than fewer people, would be a better way of being "less dense".

Politician calls politician "political". Nation laughs, yawns.

You have ferocious exchanges with Lib Dem leader Alex Perkins. What do you think of him?

Alex is the opposite of me, in that he's totally political and everything he does is with an eye to the next election. I speak as I see and try to be honest, with the objective of getting things done, and Alex can be economical with the truth sometimes. On a personal level I have no problem with him, and I admire the fact he can talk the hind leg off a donkey and sound plausible. He has difficulties with his group, because they are all split and my group isn’t.

HB Times interview with Cllr Gilbey, 15th July 2010

Crime-watching

A CCTV camera has been installed on Herne Bay seafront to deter beach hut vandals - but only for six weeks. The temporary measure was put in place after concerns about vandalism and arson attempts were expressed. The seafront at Western Esplanade has long been a target for anti-social behaviour and criminal damage, with countless crimes reported in recent years.

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Crucial bridge must be built soon for safety's sake

How dare Kitewood try to hold the city council to ransom. As MP Roger Gale said, they have already had £1.3 million knocked off the asking price for the land at Margate Road, they agreed a bridge would be built, whoever agreed to the condition that this wouldn't be built until 17,000m² is occupied should be ashamed of themselves.

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No build. Pre-billed.

Heart-warming, really. Our Councillors are falling over themselves to give this developer money and great deals. Latest wheeze: use the "people's project" label to coax a better price from Network Rail, so that Kitewood can build the Blacksole crossing for less. We still don't have the bridge we've paid for. The councillor thinks that if we re-invent this shambles as a "people's project", Network Rail will offer a discount. And that we would be able to pass that discount on to Kitewood without Network Rail noticing or minding. So that Kitewood could build the bridge for less than they've been paid. And keep the change?

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Beacon Hill

The Problem:

The new road markings at the western end of Beacon Hill have created a potential accident blackspot. Cars can now park on the north side of Beacon Hill from the point where the "pavement" (path) peters out - this is the beginning of the (unenforceable?) 20 minute restricted waiting zone for people visiting the Barnes Wallis statue.

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Friends of Herne Bay Museum

The Friends of Herne Bay Museum is a non-profit making group dedicated to keeping a museum, freely open to all, in the town for residents and visitors alike.

In late 2009 there was a threat to turn our museum into an education centre, open only to groups and schools who booked in advance and paid for the service. We won a stay of execution because thousands of people spoke up. It’s our museum and we need to keep speaking up for it, so that it will survive and thrive.

Altira

Sounds like a star, works like a black hole.

One point three million pounds... vanished.

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Nothing to do with jollies...

Andrew is the patron saint of Greece, Prussia, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Ukraine, and sports-themed regional promotion. At the St Andrews Open (a golf thing) our plucky council workers will be promoting us for all they're worth, but it may be a waste of their time and our money, which is why there's a row over the Council's £40,000 golf trip...

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