Bernard Moffatt's blog

I think the Chief Constable and the Lubyanka crew are losing the plot if this story is to be believed. Either that or there’s to many of them with too little to do. Come to think of it with cuts everywhere and the population falling how do numbers in the force stand up to scrutiny? (link):

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/police-support-castletow...

I’m becoming more than a little annoyed with Howard Quayle the Chief Minister which is sad because I was starting to warm to him especially now his ‘Two Ronnies’ double act with Paul Moulton was rivalling ‘Unforgotten as the high point of my weekly viewing.

I mean Howard can come across as smugly indifferent especially when you learn that people are starving on his watch (link):

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/the-big-table-welcomes-e...

One of our regular commentators contacts me to say they are just a tad angry that various people seem to want to peddle the myth of a ‘subterranean village’ under the reservoir in the West Baldwin valley.

Imagine them all down there in their watery graves - the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker - just one problem its a load of bollocks!

‘The great man’ (aka Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK) is out and about in the media beavering away in line with his mantra that Tynwald have not all buggered of on holiday it’s business as usual. Strangely although one or two Minister are about there’s no sign of Cannan and Thomas they are in a bunker somewhere no doubt reprising Oliver Hirschbiegel’s film ‘Downfall’

There is hardly a surfeit of telecom operators to share the business on the Isle of Man just two so you would think they would rub along.

However now SURE are accusing Manx Telecom of deceiving their customers - strong stuff. To me it sounds like a dispute between the Chamber of Commerce and the Employers Federation over who gets more time engaging with COMIN Ministers.

In any case I would have thought that SURE like MT are out to make a buck that's the nature of private enterprise so why wax all altruistic it has to be a sales ploy.

My comments - somewhat tongue in cheek - about the great student funding furore has spawned a sub debate of its own. We should invest in young graduates to work here say some others say quite accurately that many will not come back to work here. After all a good degree and even better academic follow up qualifications these days make the world your oyster.

So why should we - the great unwashed - fund students education for folk who may not grace our shores for many a year after throwing their academic caps in the air?

Manx students are revolting but it's less ‘barricades at Bordeaux’ and more ‘pontificating in the Portal’.

The students are not these days energised by challenging the capitalist system - after all they eventually hope to become part of it. They are challenging the imposition - nay burden - of student charges. (link):

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/manx-university-students...

The problem with me is although I’m an ‘oldie’ now I still have an enquiring mind so when I see an item on Manx Radio referring to ‘The Third Sector’ I wonder just what it is. I always find the term somewhat dystopian:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/third-sector-plays-down-...

It's almost armageddon on Manx Radio. There’s hosepipe bans, the red meat market has collapsed even the Beach Buddies dog has gone to ‘the great lamppost in the sky’.

I start thinking of that quote from Robert Oppenheimer: "I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds” and right on cue Manx Radio have an item with Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly MHK on their pages.

The Syrian refugees are back! Remember that plan to bring a small number of families to the Island when the refugee exodus was on.

There was support here offers of accommodation and financial support for a tiny number of families. The government seemed equally supportive and met the Christian charity mob while making positive noises.