John Wright

They wouldn’t lose anything with a single occupancy discount or a new system that replaces rates. It’ll have to raise the same amount in total, whatever system you use. Favour some people, and reduce what they pay, and others will pay more.

As far back as I can remember short variations at low tide on spring tides with Ben. Given that Mx draws 8 inches more I’d expect them to be more frequent and longer.

See above. Whilst the heating allowance is not directly means tested it varies between £250 and £600 and what you get depends on what pensions or benefits you receive. And the benefits that link to the winter heating allowance increased rates are means tested. Average council tax in England is between £1200 and £3000 a year, plus water charge. Average rates in IoM are between £500-£2000 plus water rates.

That’s a winter fuel allowance, not a Pensioners Christmas Bonus. And, yes, it depends on age and what benefits you are on and whether you are partnered ( and their age and benefit entitlement ). Anyone was suggesting the UK pensioners Christmas Bonus was £500. It isn’t. However, that shouldn’t detract from a debate about how IoMG justify not paying a pensioners winter fuel allowance for winter 23/4. Last year it was probably because they allowed MUA to sell electricity below the cost of production for an extended period. Racking up a huge loss, between £26 and £50 million. Of course that subsidised everyone, even those on tax caps, rather than focussing on those who needed it. We know that £600 to every pensioner is approx £14 million - because of the recent pension increase announcement. Now, all of us, from the very poorest to the very richest will have to suffer increased electricity prices whilst the additional debt is paid back. As in all these things, subsidy needs to be focussed, not general.

No. The UK pensioners Christmas bonus is a measly £10. Not sure what the other £490 is in your £500 figure.

There are planning restrictions. Both time of day and (a very limited) number of days per year if the Heysham facilities aren’t able to be used. However availability of a marshalling area or tug masters and drivers would limit that severely.

I’m pretty clear it’s the IoM very own version of Copine, which is actually SAP. why police, prosecution and courts describe it as Copine I don’t know. Copine isn’t suitable for forensic criminal/court use. SAP is now outdated. However, as long as it’s used consistently within the Island system, it’s not too important as it means, for sentencing they compare like with like. Of course that makes jurisdictional comparison impossible. Its exactly the same principle for drugs sentencing, where the police, prosecution and courts use an overstated “street” value. It’s fine for IoM internal ( as long as values don’t change - they do - but makes jurisdictional comparison and meaningful use of sentencing guidelines produced with judicial and academic rigour, rather than suck it and see knee jerk, impossible.

Still not sailed. Expected to depart around 7 am

Wasn’t that Dave Hudspeth?

See above

Used to be the Misses Sayle’s, then Joes Caff, then Peppermint Palace. PP indeed run by Alexa Jones, who became Alexa Gough. Wasn’t Carpet House in the old Burtons/Rural library building, on corner of Victoria/Duke St? Mike Allen was also in the Sayle’s/JC/PP building.

I’d really prefer not to say. Apparently if I provide accurate information I’m conceited, showing off, smug, superior, and so on. I’m terribly hurt by the slurs. It’s clearly because I’m a member of a group with protected characteristics. I’m being bullied.

EVILC

It’s a mess. im booked on the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander in December. I’ve felt it necessary to book the Steam Packet 2 days early. A few days later Paul is going Eurotunnel and driving through France, Switzerland and Italy, before getting the ferry from Ancona to Igoumenitsa in Greece. Again we’ve felt it necessary to build in extra time in case of steam packet cancellations. Siltation? FFS.

According to the High Court it’s OK to call someone “Tory Scum”. Is there a difference?

James Lay’s? May 1940 fire. Others from 1930 and 1970. Think the change to Peter Luis was 1974/5? Later research. Jimmy Lay from 1865, James Lay Ltd from 1907 to 1973 in Douglas. It lingered on in Ramsey for another 28 years. Peter Luis from October 1973 to 2013

Well, at least you aren’t Cuey, Fear & Loathing, Port Soderick Herald, Brit, Offshoremanxman, Steady Eddie, etc.etc,

It’s the copine scale the police, prosecution and courts work to hear. Heavens knows why. The press reporting is accurate. See above.

Police in first place, then prosecution.

That it’s back up to high levels after the Murtaghs efforts, shows it’s not a solution. It’s a Forth Road Bridge task. Never ending. Deckchairs on the Titanic. For a few days or weeks. But it would come back. And where are they going to put it? It won’t go back to whence it came/was scoured from.

You just need to get your head round the fact that the sexuality spectrum and the gender spectrum are separate. They’re both continuum. They may intersect. But they’re two separe things. And people can be in different places on each at different stages in their lives. if someone transitions their gender it has nothing to do with “escaping gayness”. Sexual attraction and gender identity are independent. I know trans men who are CIS, gay, bi, asexual, poly. And trans women who are lesbian, bi asexual, poly. ( I’ve limited the category labels because I’m not keen on labels generally and some people, me included, find the alphabet city of terms confusing, to some degree or another )

I’ll raise you and see you. Where did you read about the youngsters who transitioned an then regretted and transitioned back? or, more specifically, been prescribed puberty blockers and regretted it?

It’s cyclical, a natural rhythm, up and down, over decades and centuries.

Really? I’m not aware of anyone who is angry. No one has hijacked the “gay cause” ( whatever that is? ). And I’ve no idea what a gay platform is. You wouldn’t. You’re too busy being befuddled, confused, distanced from reality for it to be anything other than a trolling exercise. I’d love your explanation of the differences. They are really closely aligned. Why would one have any more legitimacy than the other? There’s no piggy backing. The struggle is just so similar that you look and make a false claim. It’s just elements of the establishment marginalising others. It was done to gays, it’s being done to trans. It was done to single mothers. It’s being done now to those in receipt of PIL, DLA and mobility. It’s their duty to work! How long until you, or someone like you claims that wheelchair users are only a benefit cut away from walking. I see what the right are doing to marginalised groups in the name of freedom of speech. I see what they’re doing to the trans community. I see what they’ve done to abortion rights for women in the States. And if they succeed gays will be next in the firing line. Any gay man, or woman, who thinks that the equality successes over the last 60 years are embedded, and can’t be taken away very quickly, is deluding themselves. . The trans struggle is the gay struggle, and vice versa.

I’m not sure it did. Just washed in and out. Millions of sandflies. Wouldn’t want to sleep between the sheets after they’d been laid out on the beach to dry. Sand and flies. Yuk.