conradthewoollyllama

You can read them dramatically for 3 minutes?

Think your crap at poetry? Now's your time to shine!Bring along your very worst poems, your least goodly descriptions, most complex metaphors, and highly tenuous rhymes, to see if you've got what it takes to be crowned as the very best (worst?) NO!et by our panel of judges.Email manxbard@gmail.com to book a slot to read (3 minutes max), or just come along to enjoy! There's always a chance to take part on the night in the flash poetry round. Taking place at Amber on Loch Prom on the 4th of August from 7:30pm.

International Women's Day celebration at Henry Bloom Noble Library - an evening of poetry, prose, and song. All performances will be themed around this year's topic of change. Come along to sample a variety of local talent in a fantastic venue. Tea, coffee, and other refreshments provided. See poster for further details. *(International Men's Day is the 19th of November, before anyone says anything.)

An evening of truly terrible poems. Think you can write something shoddy enough to win? Email poetryunlimited@outlook.com , or let us know on the Facebook Event, and we'll book your space.

Unless every single person attempted to speak to you in another language I don't see your issue. If I moved to France with someone I'd certainly be speaking English to them when conversing alone, and French elsewhere. You really shouldn't be so concerned with eavesdropping, could be a new tactic to avoid people like you lots listening in. The island isn't can't function without immigration. It's really sad to hear these attitudes.

Most people, who aren't from either of those places. Either way P*** is offensive, racist, and just generally awful. Cannot believe how patronising your post about the Jewish community was either. The mind boggles.

Phones are still just cutting out entirely.

The lack of communication is awful. They didn't even confirm the cancellation of my sailing until half 2 today. Luckily I'd seen earlier, but the phones are just cutting out entirely whenever you try to ring and there's nothing via email or Facebook either. Not a clue how I'm getting home. Judging by their Facebook and the media reports, I'm not the only one stuck either.

They've been impossible to get hold of today. Very disappointed, but not surprised. I need to be home for work and a medical appointment on Wednesday, but it's not looking likely as I've heard naught at all despite ringing, emailing and Facebook-ing. Here's hoping tomorrow's better.

My Grandfather finally became old when he was 93 (he's 95 now). There's no definte age, but you can see the change in a person when it happens. My Gran is 80 and has Alzheimer's but she's still very fit, not wobbly, and very energetic so I don't think of her as old so much as sick. Youth wise, same applies, I know 18 year olds who I think are young, and those I don't.

It's really not something which helps the island's image in terms of being modern. I certainly don't think he should be fired, but I also don't find it funny at all. It's just dated and out of place.

It's not specifically for anyone, if you started charging for parking at any workplace that currently doesn't charge no one's going to be happy about it, and it's going to seem like a wage cut. Low paid workers everywhere are effected, and that's not good. It's terrible that some people can't afford the transport to work, I'm not saying it's sensible or that I agree. I've mentioned before what my job is, but there's plenty of people working at the hospital that aren't Government. It just seems unfair that you're taking a 'screw you' attitude just because of who employs people. I couldn't do my job in the private sector - isn't available here. As I've said, it's usually a case that parking's free outside of a town centre. People often take jobs with this in mind - it's why I ended up where I am and not in the town centre. It's not right, and it's not fair as the majority of jobs are in the centre, however that's also where there's less space for parking. Why should I have to pay for parking just because someone else does? I'll do it if I have to, I don't have any other option as the bus won't get me in on time, but it's not an easy amount of money to write off. This isn't about who employs me, it's about an extra charge which didn't previously exist, it's not something anyone's going to be chuffed about, is it?

At what point did I say my need was greater? I just said it'd be a blow to people on lower wages. I don't think that's an unfair statement? Also, for all you know, I could be a cleaner or caterer working for a firm who's contracted by the Government. Not everyone who works at the hospital is a Government employee. In terms of none of us having any money, I'd wager that quite a few people are doing a lot better than others. I certainly wouldn't compare myself with a consultant money wise, nor an established professional working in Douglas. If parking charges are the way it goes, then that's what happens and I'll deal with it, but it's certainly not easy at the moment.

One of my kids is on minimums wage. Government still thinks he can afford £6 a day to park a car in a Douglas carpark to get to and from shifts (that don't fit in with bus timetables) so why should we have any sympathy with you when it's your employer that has been forcing these charges on to us for the last 10 years? Either we all pay or nobody pays. Why do government workers think they should be fucking exempt from everything? Because they work in Douglas city centre and have a more reliable bus service which can actually get them to work which provides them with options? They also have the amenities of a city centre, and the charges that come with that. Usually when you work outside of the city centre you don't expect parking charges - I've worked in Douglas centre and chosen to pay or get the bus respectively, and I've worked in outlying areas and haven't. That's fairly common as far as I'm aware. The hospital isn't in the city centre, and therefore you wouldn't expect parking charges. It's all to do with space. Yes, space isn't abundant - that's why I park away from the main building in the overflow car park. If there was a bus that got me there on time and got me back home any time around when I started and finished I'd get that. I'm not defending Government spending, just pointing out that not everyone working at the hospital is swimming in money and that charging for parking would be a hit to lower waged staff. At least those working in Douglas have already factored this in. But yes, what I mean by all of this is that I should be exempt from absolutely everything and I think I'm better than everyone ever.

I work at the Education Centre at the hospital and am on a lot less than 100,000 per year - as are a lot of staff. Many people working there will be on a fairly basic wage and paying for parking will bite hard. I realise people think everyone's on megabucks, but it's not the case. If it needs to be done, then it's understandable, and I'll make it work out, but with costs coming from all sides I'm beginning to wonder if my poor parents will ever be rid of me.