Big Tim, the Isle of Man was taken to the Court of Human Rights about birching in the 1970s. For some years, though it remained on the Statute Book, it was never used. Your friends must have been some of the last to be birched. It's been off the Statute Book for a good number of years now, and we've even got rid of capital punishment off it within the last few years.

Liz the Squeak wonders what an anti-social motoring offence might be. I think in this case it was driving whilst under the influence of alcohol, which slows the reactions down and puts others at risk. These days, there seems to be a proliferation of speed limits round the Island, but there's no limit (pace, George Formby) over the mountain road, so there's a regular run between Ramsey Hairpin and Hillberry where people open up (often quite anti-socially, especially if you're driving in the opposite direction!). This year, we've not had the TT, Southern 100 or MGP, so bikes haven't featured to the usual extent. As for Douglas front, if you want confirmation that one end bites and one end shites, just set up there with the driver of the horse tram.

Suzanne (skw) - 'Scouser' is certainly a term used for Liverpudlians, but 'Wack' or 'Wacker' used to be a fairly well-known nickname, used when addressing a person, whereas 'Scouser' is used as a description. There's bound to be a cross-over with Dublin, bearing in mind the strong connections between the cities, so maybe 'Wack[er]' is the result of that. Scousers use the word 'judy' for a female. I'm sure the 'Liverpool judies' comes into a song or two. I don't know about an Irish Gaelic equivalent, but the Gaelic of the Isle of Man has 'doodee' meaning a young woman, which is obviously connected.

Slaynt mie,

Bobby Bob