Manston's imaginary friends

"Action for Manston Airport" - clearly a heartfelt plea, so if any of you have any spare action, do sellotape it to a postcard and send it Mr Buchanan at the airport.

It's also the name of a Facebook thingy that's just been magicked out of thin air by a very enthusiastic couple - Irene & Antony Horwood. They have dragooned all their Facebook "friends", and a number of other people, into being an involuntary fan club for Manston.

Of the 222 current members, only 1 "joined" (Irene), all the others were "added". I know of people who have been press-ganged onto this site who never wanted to be there. And I think it's a fair bet that the Horwoods are pushing their luck a bit by adding the whole of Ramsgate town as a "friend"... an indication of how desperate Manston is to synthesise "support".

Another indication is the rash of pro-airport letters in the local press. Some come from people who don't exist on the electoral register, and may not exist at all. More recently, a pro-airport letter appeared under the name of an anti-airport campaigner. Inspector Knacker and a leading local editor will be working closely to find the true author.

Comments

[Igloo]

Do the Horwoods have a vested interest in this?

[Ranter]

I daren't comment Igloo ;-)

[Igloo]

Daren't ? Gollly, that sounds like a case for Norman.

[Oh Dear]

It doesn't exist so who is making things up now?

[Ranter]

Oh Dear, yes it does... https://www.facebook.com/groups/237397686353120/

[Igloo]

Friends of yours are they? Well why don't you go and post on their Facebook page instead? Let me guess. You wouldn't get much of an audience over there.

[Oh Dear]

No, never heard of them but as the page doesn't exist then it's hardly surprising but then a lot of what's written here is made up nonsense.
I presume your face is one of those featured in the local rag this week amongst the extremely small minority that took part in that particular PR disaster. Is that what you used some of the Tiny Minority's cash for? Oh Dear!

[Oh Dear]

Ok, found the page - thanks to Ranter. It all saved me a lot of hassle, I shall now get my thousands of dedicated followers to go and join up :)

[Igloo]

I'll wager we get more than the 522 votes you got with your unpalatable minority views. As for the money, don't worry your little head. It's been wisely invested.

[Oh Dear]

Shouldn't you be campaigning about the noise and sleep deprivation thatyou will be suffering on Sunday morning when the Towers finally get blown up? And don't forget to get onto the solicitor about the dustdrop in your house prices because of the dust cloud

[The real Malcolm]

Oh Dear

See me in the office - this will entail an interview without coffee, you know the location and times I am there - or do I send you an e-white feather?

[Igloo]

Ah, the Towers. Yet another lost cause you nailed your colours to. First we had Manston and night-flights, then we had the slipways, then we had the cooling towers. Isn't it about time you learnt to back the winners?

[Oh Dear]

The real Malcolm? Aren't you a clown?

[Igloo]

Oh boy. This one could run and run. Taken from Manston inaction:

"If we want the airport to succeed, we all need to show our support by letting them know. Don't sit by and let this great opportunity fly right by us!"

So, the airport has been losing millions of pounds every year simply because the people of Thanet haven't been writing to them?

[Maurice Byford]

Manston up for sale. Oh Dear!

[Oh Dear]

Good afternoon Maurice, but then I suspect it's probably not been a good day for you and your moaning minnions
Infratil have finally announced what some of us have known for a while, that the airport is up for sale and from what i've been hearing about who is in the running to buy it and, if II was in your tiny shoes, I would be reaching for the brown trousers at this moment. Stand by for a 24 hour operation coming to an airport near you very soon.

[Denis Cannon]

If we really have to read the puerile rubbish put on here by the poster 'Oh Dear' could someone please send him or her a dictionary so that we at least avoid the obvious lack of spelling ability on his or her posts.

Minnions indeed !

Must try harder Oh Dear....

[Oh Dear]

I'm really sorry Dennnnnis old love that my qwerty skills have offffffended you, I really will try harder next time. Who is the one writing the puerile rubbish exactly?

[Local Resident]

'Oh Dear' Dear oh dear ! Nothing better to do but insult anyone who is against night flying at Manston, now the power station chimneys too ! Where does he get off ? Shame on you.

[Sarah Wise]

I must say being a newcomer to the area, I am amazed at how gullible people have been over the jobs promise! I found out yesterday a work colleague was employed by the airport 20 years ago on the proviso it would become an airport! It is sad that people have lost their jobs but I am sure whatever takes its place will be an employer of many more jobs.

A Film Studio was one suggestion; I think it would be great for jobs and the area. Maybe, an airport like Biggin Hill with France being so close. Alternatively, a Theme Park! I have discovered that Corruption and people with “imaginary friends”, letter writing fraudsters are all part of “Thanet Life”. Working in Government I hear all about “Corruption and Wrong-doing” on a daily basis. It would be good if we were all fighting the same cause!

I admire the dedication of the Night Flights Campaigners.

Well done.

[Oh Dear]

"It is sad that people have lost their jobs". Yes, isn't it? After all we certainly wouldn't want it to get in the way and our lovely campaign would we. Why not put some flags up to celebrate or, even better, hire a bus and tour the local towns to tell everybody how wonderful it is what we've achieved.
Let's hope when the cuts in Government occur, as they almost certainly will, that you are not one of those to go, it's certainly the longest drive/train journey home you will ever experience but then you're in "Government" so I wouldn't expect anything else!
Theme Park? Film studio? Now you are being silly. No, land fill site and industrial incinerators if it has to be anything but it won't because it will continue to operate as an airfield and a highly successful and very busy one at that under its new owners.
Sleep well for now

[Mrs Gabriel]

Gerry, do shut your face and make the coffee.

[Igloo]

And in telling us about economic development, we would listen to the properietor of a whelk stall because...?

[Mrs Gabriel]

Goodness what is it about shop keepers and their opinions on economic development?

Of course I have to turn to Wikipedia, at least for the roots of concern about the lack of economic vision of shopkeepers:-
The phrase "a nation of Shopkeepers" ("une nation de boutiquiers") is a disparaging remark supposedly used by Napoleon to describe the United Kingdom as unfit for war against France.

"L'Angleterre est une nation de boutiquiers."
—Napoleon I

This phrase can be translated from French to English as:

"England is a nation of shopkeepers."
—Napoleon I

The phrase, however, did not originate with Napoleon. It first appears in The Wealth of Nations (1776) by Adam Smith, who wrote:

"To found a great empire for the sole purpose of raising up a people of customers may at first sight appear a project fit only for a nation of shopkeepers. It is, however, a project altogether unfit for a nation of shopkeepers; but extremely fit for a nation whose government is influenced by shopkeepers."
—Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations[1]

....and so we have it, catastrophic capitalism in a gobbit!

[Oh Dear]

What is it with all the cross dressers on this site? Mrs Gabriel, Sarah Wise and others, all sheep in women's clothing. You are not doing your cause much good hiding away in the closet and maybe you should wear some less revealing as we can see right through you!