Good or bad effect? Golden handshake: Rody Molloy Both the Yes and the No sides are desperately exaggerating the effects of the Lisbon Treaty on Ireland. In reality, the Treaty will have very little effect, good or bad, on this country. Its principal areas of reform are either irrelevant to us (space exploration) or else we have secured opt-outs (justice). However, the Lisbon Treaty will have an enormous impact on the lives of millions in the Balkans. This Treaty is the vehicle for the future accession of struggling, post- conflict societies who want to turn the page on the troubles of their last two decades. They deserve our support, and it is for their sakes that I am going to vote Yes. Tommy Tighe, Dublin 6 I am amazed at the contrast between the treatment of Bernie Madoff, who got 150 years in the US for his greedy, reckless behaviour and the bankers here who, despite greedy, reckless behaviour, are being bailed out by hard-pressed taxpayers. Many of these greedy bankers have also walked away with pensions of up to 27million. Weve seen how the head of Fs received a golden handshake and inflated pension as the price of resigning after several wastes of taxpayers money. The Financial Regulator also received very generous severances and pensions despite the obvious failures of bank regulation. All funded by muggins taxpayer again. All of this is very reminiscent of the 1980s when we were being told to tighten our belts by our betters who were loosening theirs to tuck in their Charvet shirts. Unfortunately, we are not being given a referendum or election to Dublins best-read letters page Metro Mail E-mail letters to mail@metroireland.ie with a name. Or text us. Text MAIL followed by comment and name to 53131. *Texts cost 30cent per message + standard network charges. SP. Oxygen8 Communications, Hospitality House, Cumberland Street South, D2. Customer service number 0818286606 talk to us Locusts and the Late Late: Here we go again. According to the Yes crowd, if we accept Lisbon, there will be permanent sunshine, the Late Late Show will have quality guests, and there will be no more recession. If we reject it, plagues of locusts and foreigners will descend upon us, all your hair will fall out, mainland Europeans will despise us, and the Tnaiste will say some pretty silly things. Dave, Clondalkin Sunshine smile: When she smiles and says good morning, the Metro girl on the Baggot St/Mespil Road junction would brighten anyones day. Aidan, by e-mail Utopian Ireland: During an e- mail correspondence with the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, I asked him why I had to pay a toll on the M50 and what Fianna Fil did with all the money Ireland made in the last ten years. His reply was (and I quote): Fianna Fil in Government during those years [the last ten] you referred to improved services, schools, hospitals. Hospitals? What country is Noel living in, because I want to move there. Tony, by e-mail In Brief give our opinion of this massive transfer of wealth from ordinary people, who are struggling to survive, to the greedy rich. The only weapon we have now is to vote No to the Lisbon Treaty on Oct 2. Dr Sen Marlow, by e-mail What a spectacle in the O2 Arena for the Bernard Dunne fight. Full house, gallons of drink flowing, RT coverage for three hours, sponsorship galore... the promoters must have made a fortune from it. Isnt it obvious why Brian Peters is trying to convince us all that Bernard Dunne has another comeback in him? The same goes for Mr Dowling trying to tell us Bernard can fight on and get back to the top. Everyone, bar Michael Carruth, seems to have their own agenda. Bernard doesnt know when to give up, which is an admirable trait to have, but it could cost him dearly if he steps into the ring again. Mr Peters, put your money behind the amateur clubs and, as our Olympic amateurs have shown, youll reap the rewards in a few years time. Mr Lebowski, by e-mail Sendusyour txt Enough about the bloody Lisbon. Just vote on Friday and shut the hell up. Seriously Pissed off It is a clear fact that Ireland is completely different to France mostly in terms of size, population, GNP, GDP and government. Then how can we follow the Frenchs opinion about the Lisbon Treaty? Robert, Dublin Adam, if you had bothered to look into the contents of the Treaty you would know that the issues secured by the guarantees are not contained in the Treaty anyway. Issues like taxation and abortion were red herrings made up by the No side to scare and confuse people. Shauna How many referenda does it take for the Irish Government to do the will of the majority? Why play the democracy game if choice isnt an option? Ciaran, D 8 In reply to John, Lusk, you have been in the EU under an old deal. Lisbon is a new bad one. Get out b4 the Brits do. Grizzly txt MAIL to 53131* D Tuesday, September 29, 2009 METRO 17 My 11yr flight of fancy Ex-fireman single-handedly builds a plane from scratch in his garage No Airfix model: The wings pictured mid-construction Pictures: Ross ParryGarage or hangar? The half-built fuselage outside Mr Shipps home A model pilot: In the cockpit By Jo STeele PLENTY of men will have experi- enced the distinctly male pleasure of building a model aeroplane. The smell of glue, the fiddly bits of wood and stickers and the sense of achievement at seeing the finished product hanging from a bedroom ceiling. Now imagine magnifying those feelings by a scale of 40 then step- ping into the model and flying it off into the sunset. Well, thats the feat achieved by ex-fireman Alan Shipp, who has just become the first man in Europe to single-handedly build a four-seater aircraft from scratch. Whats even more remarkable is he did it in his garage and the instruc- tions were in French. The 67-year-old spent 11 years and 27,000 building the Jodel D140E Mousquetaire, extending his garage twice on the way and importing parts from as far as California. But he said all the effort and 4am finishes were worth it when he saw his masterpiece take to the sky, flown by a test pilot. I must admit, when the plane took off I did have my heart in my mouth because it is someone elses life in your hands but when it all went smoothly I was delighted, he said. To me its magic. Whenever I see an aircraft take off, it just defies logic. Whenever I look at it, it mesmerises me, that massive weight going up in the air, all the thousands of parts working in unison. The pensioner, from Hull, in the UK, worked seven days a week on the project. It was not in kit form so every part had to be built by hand. Even if youre not building, you are studying plans theres no one to turn to, he said. Once the plane, now worth 80,000, passes airworthiness tests, hell be able to fly it himself. Its an amazing achievement we are so proud of him, said daughter Debra. Blue yonder: The aircraft takes off for the first time index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html