P.K.

The size of yesterday's protest marches makes me wonder if Trump might end up being as divisive as Thatcher was! Made me smile though:

So let's look at the competition: Oslo, Bergen, Rejkyavic, Dublin, Venice, Barca, Malta, Gib, Split, Dubrovnik, Monte Carlo, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Madeira etc etc etc. And then you arrive in Douglas.... The Outlaws used to do a lot of cruising. They liked the way all they had to do was waddle on to the coach or whatever and then be whisked off for some (extremely) gentle sightseeing. I have been on one cruise which was around the Greek Islands. I have to say the food and service were absolutely top notch. So pray tell, what would make the IOM a destination of choice...?

I suspect his ego will remain bigger than his Mexico border wall. Scary stuff. Especially as North Korea's nuclear ambitions will need tact and diplomacy to neuter courtesy of China. Better start digging that shelter...

Orkney has the incredible and unique Skara Brae you idiots....

FFS! If you've spent a wedge on a cruise what could you possibly want from Mannin? Dining out on chips, cheese and gravy? Someone needs a serious reality check...

Just been watching his press conference. What with the border wall etc etc it's really scary stuff. Bye bye Obamacare - to be replaced with something a lot cheaper. I wonder how....

Apparently Meryl Streep can't act.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38556030

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz............................................

How about refusing to "right size" the CS/PS? How about the stupidly generous and totally unnecessary MARS scheme? How about it's on his watch and he's in charge? They've known it was going to be a problem for years and years and all they've done is let that problem grow bigger and bigger....

It's somewhat worrying that the CM states that the biggest threat to financial stability is that "the nation is growing older" whilst failing to flesh out the subtext that "pensions are becoming unaffordable - especially the ridiculously generous CS/PS sums that they have awarded themselves during my tenure in Treasury over recent times". The so-called solution - encourage a net influx of some 15,000 private sector workers with their wives and 1.92 kids which would increase the population by stupidly untenable amounts. Always assuming that the private sector could grow by that many jobs in time to prevent financial meltdown. Personally I would guess a NO on that one. So does gov have a solution? Make your own mind up on that one.... ETA: Of course, not all of the migrants would have wife plus 1.92 kids. But unfortunately one of Mr Bells biggest island selling points was what a great place it is to bring up children! Well, until they're teenagers anyway....

I agree. However if your points are taken in isolation it makes me think "Tynwald" loud and clear: "What the public thinks" is vastly overrated." "The average person has no clue of the problems, let alone what to do about them." "Then we all have our own vested interests which don't necessarily coincide with those of the common good." "Can you imagine what the opinions would be or what value they would have or what purpose they could serve?" And here's the clincher: "We all want as much money as possible, to do as little as possible and to get everything for next to nothing." Like parking spaces. Yep, in a nutshell the Tynwald mindset.....

Congratulations! You've just spelled out the T&C's for Membership of Tynwald....

You've escaped getting any of my cash for IOMG to squander on their bloated CS/PS. Suits me just fine....

So why spend hours on here moaning about the Island. Boredom mostly. Not the poster by the way. Seriously if iomg weren't so fucking useless we would have considered returning for the summer months.

In my experience folks leave but at the back of their minds there is an intention to return. However two year s ago my sister and her hubby retired and strange but true a villa on the Algarve just shaded it over an apartment on Douglas prom. We will never be going back because iomg have really fucked up and in any event the quality of life parameters are just far too narrow for our interests. The winters are shite as well....

If the gravy train passengers don't like his proposals what do you think will change? Did you say "Fuck-all"? Well done. That's the right answer...

Excellent piece. So Duckenfield fucked up. Well, who doesn't? Imho it was also so long ago there are no lessons to be learnt from it.

I find it all a bit strange to wit the inquest was to sort-of apportion blame for what happened. The lies, the Sun hitting a nadir in UK so-called 'journalism', the police closing ranks (hardly unexpectedly by the way) and making statements that were basically to diss the fans, Bernard Inghams totally ridiculous letters (prompted by whom I wonder?) are all a sideshow really. The police are made up of people and people fuck up. And this clusterfuck led to a disaster. But essentially the fans, the police, the stewards and so on never intended people to get hurt that day, never mind killed. Unlike Heysel....

And they are all desperately needed and work all the hours God sent. Errr.... I'm telling you - we have Pixies at the bottom of our garden!

It doesn't matter if you're a cat person or a dog person either will do if you're hungry enough.... Daily Mash

The Road to to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson. I like his almost Australian irreverence and his scorn for pomposity. He is also a complete Anglophile which from being American results in a truly unique understanding of British culture and "Where we are now" which in Brysonesque means "What we have lost". Cutting humour and very insightful. Laugh out loud reading - if you can identify yourself... PS Little Dribbling is an ageist reference... Edit - mis-remembered the title due to being happily merry after a three day shift caring for the mother-in-law. 2 x Abbot, 2 x King Goblin, 2 x Old Crafty Hen. The boy is sorted....

eGaming isn't grubby. What are you referring to? E-Gaming may not be grubby. But E-Gambling is. Talk about taking the moral low-ground. Because to some folks gambling is a disease. That makes the IOM a nasty little pool of infection in the Irish Sea....

The world is a colder place...

No. I live with "The Management" - not to be confused with "The Firm".