Blogs

Oh dear government do seem to be getting themselves in to a pickle. I mean there’s one thing giving someone like Trevor Cowin (or me) the bums rush over a freedom of information request. However now they seem to have provoked the ire of the Islands only newspaper group:

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=42284&headline=Our%20Steam%20Pa...

Few of the distinctive headstones designed by Manx designer Archibald Knox will be found outside of the Isle of Man, the best known being that created for Arthur Lasenby Liberty for whom the gifted Manx designer worked for several years. But a lesser known memorial, behind which lies a tragic story, resides in a quiet, Lancashire churchyard in its centenary year.

One of the Isle of Man’s ‘HNWIs’ comes in for a bit of stick on the Scottish Independence site ‘Wings Over Scotland’. Michelle Mone of course was a prominent figure in the NO vote camp at the time of the referendum and misses no opportunity to slam the Scottish nationalist camp. It seems the feeling is reciprocated:

https://wingsoverscotland.com/black-snake-mone/#more-105365

As I predicted yesterday ‘the W C Fields of Manx Politics’ turned up on cue in ‘the portal’ to tell us black is white over inflation.

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/drop-in-inflation-good-n...

Even in the UK inflation is on the increase while here via a variety of devices and mechanisms that would even have the late Tommy Cooper gazing in awe its going down.

Close to the village of St John's (Manx: Balley Keeill Eoin) in the Isle of Man (Mannin) is the Ballaharra Quarry. It is owned by the Corlett family, who run a genuine Manx company with ownership and control remaining within the same family since it was established in 1947. They bought the site at Ballaharra after discovering working deposits of sand suitable for building materials. Production began in 1965.

For most people prices and the cost of living are soaring so it comes as a surprise when you hear inflation is falling drastically. It just doesn’t add up. Well actually it does. In 2015 we warned that these indicators were being altered when CPI rather than RPI became the benchmark of choice:

https://www.facebook.com/805941286121301/photos/a.806379472744149.107374...

I see the drones that Chris Thomas coordinate have suddenly come up with this:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/big-drop-in-inflation/

For a moment I muse about having a look at the statistics but decide that at my age my blood pressure won’t stand it.

I decide to read Alice in Wonderland instead because I think in terms of veracity Lewis Carroll had more going for him than the ‘boys and girls’ on Prospect Hill.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster, with its headquarters at Broadcasting House in Westminster, London. It is principally funded by an annual television licence fee which is compulsory and charged to all British households, companies, and organisations using any type of equipment to receive or record live television broadcasts. The BBC has faced  accusations regarding its bias coverage of many topics. Despite being publicly funded and claims of being 'balanced' it is certainly not impartial or neutral.

Manx journalism is not so much given a slap-down by MHK Lawrie Hooper in this report as being sent to ‘the naughty corner’ so it's hardly a body blow to the profession more a gentle chiding (link):

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/journalists-dont-go-far-...

The interesting thing is of course that Hooper avers journalists could do more when in the past journalists were being chided for being to assertive or lacking balance depending on your perspective.

Ireland's President Michael D Higgins is officially opening the 2018 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Drogheda this afternoon. Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is the biggest traditional Irish music festival in the world and is taking place between 12th-19th August 2018. The annual event celebrates Irish tradition through music, song, dance and the Irish language.