You live in a world where unfortunately social networking has taken over! As much as I say 'unfortunately' I still find myself glued to Facebook and Twitter all the time (If your on twitter get following!) One week ago I finally reflected on my social network usage time and realised I probably spend at least two hours a day pondering round home pages and news feeds, which is utterly ridiculous! Purely for the fact you put so much effort into that 'funny' tweet or 'look at me' status and get absolutely nothing in return- Maybe a 'RT' if your lucky. At this point I thought I had grown up and established that I need to start making my time on these networks worthwhile, so instead of reading about someone having a new hair cut or losing some weight I have started following more interesting and real people who I can learn something from! 

I have always followed someone called Maverick Sabre, some of you may not have a clue who he is but personally his soulful voice sends shivers down my spine! I follow him on twitter and I am very proud to admit he has tweeted me back before agggggh, a few weeks ago he tweeted a competition through Motorola to win tickets to see him perform at a secret intimate venue. All I had to do was enter my name and email address and thought wasting a few minutes that day wouldn't do any harm! Saturday just gone I opened my emails to discover I had won two tickets, I screamed and jumped up and down- I have never won anything in my life never mind going to see him!

The event was last night and it was held at Netil House in London, the venue is an old warehouse and our party was on the roof! Walking up the many flights of stairs was well worth the effort because I walked out into the London skyline, lights glimmering, music playing and a very relaxed feel; it was beautiful. When Maverick Sabre entered myself along with the forty nine other guests all went crazy, he was not even a meter away from me singing acoustically it really was a special moment! Then too add to the excitement when he finished Radio 1s MistaJam took over the crowd, he played a brilliant set that changed the quiet intimate crowd into lively party animals; every person was jumping around to the sound of the beat.

Upon leaving I realised I had just experienced something very special and as much as I complain about spending so much time on various networks without doing so I would have never won the tickets. I shall carry on with my 'addiction' to the internet and the channels you can be a part of, I now see the networks as ponds of opportunity and after all every fish has to start somewhere! 

Not often does a life as short as Amy Winehouse's erupt such a spilling of emotion.

Like many I was not surprised but still shocked when the news broke that the 27-year-old singer had been found dead at her Camden home on Saturday afternoon.

Her later life was plagued by that very cruel "disease of addiction" described by comedian and actor Russell Brand, himself a former drug addict.

Yet I was saddened to find myself also not surprised but still shocked by the wave of comments that have been posted on the KentOnline story about the Rehab singer's demise.

"Vastly over-rated and her demise is entirely self-inflicted" read a comment from Hardly News.

"Beats me how someone with half as much talent as an everyday female pub singer got so famous" were the views of Maureen.

Someone leaving their name as Lord Sir Barry, the Pride of Kent - no doubt believing himself to be hugely funny - wrote: "The most pertinent question is thus: what has the death of a talentless, thick, smelly junkie singer, from London (albeit fake American) got to do with Kent?

"I couldn't care less about this waster popping her clogs. KoL should stick to stories about car crashes, lost cats and non-league football!"

How a fragile woman who has only just passed away in what strongly looks like hopelessly tragic circumstances can be subjected to this kind of comment is brutal.

To clear one point up, her Kent connection is admittedly not hugely strong - her London cabbie father Mitch lives in Greenhithe. Yet many people in Kent will know him and this is a story that has connected with thousands of people who live in the county, proved by the high number of comments on the story.

Yes everyone accepts that she fell into the trap of drink and drugs. It is not clever to point out that she was a recovering drug addict. It is heartless to imply that she somehow deserved death.

On the talent front, inevitably her second album Back to Black is going to become one of 'those' albums now. She had the ability to perform in the classic style of soul, R&B and even jazz but not lose that "what you looking at?" swagger of her Southgate upbringing.

The woman won five Grammys. Not the actions of "an everyday female pub singer" or someone who was "vastly over-rated."

Clearly these self-righteous, downright uncalled-for twitterings are not limited to KentOnline. Most people's views on their place in society is also widespread. Many of the comments left were respectful, which should be acknowleged.

That Amy has joined the fateful 27 Club - which includes the likes of Kurt Cobain, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin - will no doubt automatically propel her into the category of legend.

But it is nothing less than deserved. She was a huge talent who never fully reached her potential and that - regardless of how she lived her life and what contributed to her death - is a tragedy in itself.

THE government has caused concerns among councils by several recent pronouncements.

Cuts, more cuts, changes in ground rules ....

One recent letter from Bob Neill, the Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has added a few ripples to the pool of consternation. He wants to encourage bloggers, tweeters and assorted amateur cameramen to report and record what councillors are doing, as they are doing it, and for the future stars of screen to welcome this with open arms.

Try raising your camera in Medway Council!

Come to that, produce a mobile phone, aim its camera anywhere close to a seat of power, and you are likely to attract the Evil Eye from either side of every councillor's face as the officers descend on you from all corners of the chamber.

It's not unique to Medway. Many are far worse. Every council is worried that the occasional slip, sneer or outright bit of abuse will become worldwide news. Yet Mr Neill makes a convincing argument for openness.

"It is essential to a healthy democracy that citizens everywhere are able to feel that their council welcomes them to observe their local decision-making and through modern media tools keep others informed as to what their council is doing.

"The mainstream media also needs to be free to provide stronger local accountability by being able to film and record in meetings without obstruction," he wrote to council leaders and monitoring officers.

"Council meetings have long been open to interested members of the public and recognised journalists, and with the growth of online film, social media and hyper-local online news they should equally be open to Citizen Journalists and filming by mainstream media.

"Bloggers, tweeters, residents with their own websites and users of Facebook and YouTube are increasingly a part of the modern world, blurring the lines between professional journalists and the public."

He added: "... I want to encourage all councils to take a welcoming approach to those who want to bring local news stories to a wider audience."

I asked the chairman of Allhallows Parish Council, Cllr Yvonne Forrest, last night whether her council would open up in the way that Mr Neill suggests. After all, Allhallows has not been having the easiest of existences with recorders and writers - professional or amateur.

Mr Neill's letter came a fortnight after her council insisted that only the clerk could record conversations, scenes and actions.

It is a great pity.

Had the council not barred the cameras, tape recorders, DVDs, blogs et al it would have made for the sort of entertainment that few (other than seasoned journalists) get to see, and which stretch the credence of the written word.

She considered the question.

"It would need a change to our Standing Orders," she said. And no, there were no plans for such a discussion.

There is hope for the peninsula's eager emailers, Tweets and Blog-ettes: Cllr Mark Skudder asked for it to be discussed at the next meeting of the council. The spoken request will not be enough, however. He has to use modern communication methods (an email) for the request to be considered.

Dibley-on-Sea would rival anything Dawn French might have conceived.