On The Bus

I'd actually like Rob to present one of the Covid-19 press conferences so we can hear what the hardworking boys and girls of the DfE Motorsport Team have been doing...

Why isn't Rob being allowed to present any of the media briefings? I thought he had received media training?

Should be run on a commercial basis.

Bless you! Sounds like a nasty cough. Maybe give 111 a call? Just to be safe!

People who are carrying corona quite often don't display any kind of symptoms for a few days. So it may be entirely possible for someone to pass a temperature test and still be infected. Perhaps there are better terms than plague ship, but that is potentially what it could be.

So the Ben will be used as a dedicated Plague Ship for the next 2 weeks?

The teaching of Manx in schools should be culled. A dead language. As should jobs like the Culture Vannin job that was advertised for a Manx language teacher. It should be left to volunteers to do.

No doubt on full pay like all the other public sector slackers

The Goz, to give him his official title.

As have Douglas, as have Port St. Mary, as have Port Erin, as have Ramsey Town Commissioners.

You're right. How many times are Glover & Co. going to ask for a list of cases by address. Then to be told they'll only get them by postcode region which isn't really much use to anyone. Moulton acting up and trying to be some professional journalist is equally as embarrassing. They should actually open it to public questions. Although that would unleash the "U ok him?" brigade, it would perhaps offer some more original and interesting questions. How are the media people chosen for questions anyway?

Strange. There certainly was a time when I was advertising with Energy that Manx Radio suddenly started offering substantially cheaper rates. But as I wasn't chasing the geriatric market there was very little sense in going with MR.

They could tell people to shit in their hands and clap. And Manx Radio listeners would.

What was the price? I'm guessing Braddan commissioners stated it was a £7m project and the quotes were for £6,999,999.99?

They'll need Government approval to fund the borrowing. Government should tell all 22 local authorities that all capital borrowing on their part is off the table for the next 3 - 5 years. Stick to core services and that's that.

Both times there was still plenty of that lovely VAT money sloshing about in the accounts. Now there no longer is. The answer of what smarter is, well that's a Government that is only doing the minimum essentials.

An therein lies the problem. Anything that could/should be cut is always defended as being 'only 1%' or 'only 2%'. The trainspotters use exactly the same logic. At the end of the day it's all stuff the Government should not be spending money on. The time for smaller and smarter Government is now.

MGP will be cancelled.

It would probably be cheaper to commission gold statues of the presenters than to keep funding Manx Radio. As has already been said it is hospital radio at best.

Is lockdown getting to you Jessie? There's no need to be so aggressive - I simply asked a question. Manx Radio run a live blog, we pay them a pretty penny for their reporting so I'm sure a link to that would be enough. It's a fact that (although possibly well meaning) MHKs posting their own blogs just adds to confusion.

On a sort of related issue, Moorhouse. What's the deal with him posting his own version of events on Faceache after every news conference, causing loads of random questions. Why not just share the official Government post?

They've totally disregarded the scenario of a summer like 2018 when there will be even more thermal expansion of the rails leading to even greater expansion. They're acting as if it's cracked and that's it. The exact opposite is true. It's dynamic. The rails will continue to expand and contract for years to come and will continue to crack the concrete.

Virtual airline - is this Manx3.com?

Manxonia House.

Presumably the ratepayers of Port Erin. The same ones who had their Commissionere do a big song and dance about why their costs were (already) so much higher than neighbouring Rushen. Is it the fashion among local authorities to saddle their ratepayers with debts from white elephant projects? Ramsey Courthouse, Manxonia House (PSM), Castletown Fire Station etc.