D Tuesday, October 20, 2009 METRO 17 Opinion Come on Ireland! Balls-up: Pity the fool who threw the red beach ball on to the pitch Oh no, we got France is that really what everybody has been whinging about? France was the best possible draw for us they are an ageing squad of former greats who are in disarray and hate their manager. They are in the play-offs for a reason because they didnt have the quality to top their own group. Portugal would have definitely been the worst outcome they had a rocky start to their qualifying campaign, but have since hit form and have enough individual talent to have caused us serious problems. Russia live in Russia, which is a million miles away, freezing cold and has a plastic pitch no thanks. Plus, they are a rising force in world football. And with everybody talking about how much they would have liked to draw Greece, it would have come hand-in-hand with Irelands biggest weakness complacency. Ireland was the team each of the top seeds wanted to avoid, we should pity the French for getting drawn against us! And in any case, everyone knows the French invented giving up. The Red Balloon On the RT 1pm TV news yesterday, newsreader John Finnerty promised they would be crossing to Zurich to broadcast the Fifa World Cup play-off draw LIVE. Ten minutes later, Mr Finnerty calmly announced we had drawn France. Who was the director of this programme, and why is he/she still in a job? Thanks to their screw up, Ireland was deprived of the excitement of experiencing the draw LIVE on TV. You can be sure Russian, French, and Greek TV didnt make a similar error. Shame on you, RT TV, that was a serious mistake! Ciaran, Rathfarnham 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 Growl: Annoyed Student, you dont have the right to sit down because youre not paying taxes to fund public transport! And furthermore, could all school children out there please take off your backpacks when entering a crowded Dart or Luas carriage, as that would allow at least one more person on. Annoyed Taxpayer Confused: Annoyed Student, I couldnt agree with you more! Back to a similar point, I recently texted in about being given out to for sitting on the floor, and now people always look at me weird for sitting on the seats! If we cant sit on the seats and we cant sit on the floor, where are we supposed to sit? Aaron Smile: Annoyed Student, I sometimes stare at students and its not because you have seats, its because Im reminiscing on how great it was to be so young and care-free. Smile, they might just smile back! Dee We dont need no: I think the wages of secondary school teachers need to be examined in the next budget. Each summer, they get paid a pensionable salary for three months for doing absolutely nothing! Pat In Brief A constantly barking dog is upset over something, more than likely a lack of exercise or affection and barking is the animals only way of expressing its feelings. To everyone reading this, when it comes to perfection, even the humblest garden spider is over your horizon of comprehension. Point out any problem with a domesticated creature, and you can blindly bet that theres a flawed human to blame. J First we had the famous Hand of God goal. Now we have witnessed the goal of Gods Testicle ending Liverpools Premiership title hopes. Yes, it was a rather bizarre goal and yes, I am sure the young Liverpool supporter who threw the ball onto the pitch will get a deserved kicking. But, that said, I wonder why Liverpool never get any bad referee decisions in their favour like Manchester United (ptooey) do? Certainly strikes me a little bit odd, and what about Manager Alex Fergusons improper conduct charge? I bet hell just get a wee fine and a slap on the wrist. Pathetic! Villa Sendusyour txt Noozander, I completely agree. Id love to see people with a bit more style, grace and panache in the morning, rather than the glum, morose specimens that amble along like zombies. Come on, Dublin, show us what youve got! Abby Do Ireland have a chance against the French? What do other Metro readers think? Emmo, Ranelagh To all cyclists, please take note of red traffic lights. Ive nearly been knocked down by cyclists twice in the past week when I had the green light to walk! Some of you need to go over the rules of the road. Disgruntled Pedestrian Whats the difference between sultanas, raisins and currants? Anna DIT Donal, I work in a cinema and were told to smile when we come within five feet of a guest (thats a customer to you) and if were spotted not smiling, we can even be given out to! Enjoy your movie! Sinad txt MAIL to 53131* Enda Kenny explains why he wants to scrap the Seanad if his Fine Gael party wins the next General Election Why the Seanad has to go... I dONT want Fine Gael to simply talk about change. I want to demonstrate that we mean what we say. To persuade the electorate that we are serious about change, we ourselves have to embody that change. People rightly ask: what does that change mean? It means creating 100,000 jobs on the back of an 11billion investment plan that prepares Ireland for the next leap forward by investing in key infrastructures such as energy, broadband and water. It means changing our failed two-tier health system by introducing our FairCare model for a one tier universal health system. And it means changing how our money is managed so that our public finances are under control and our services are delivered more efficiently and more effectively. I believe the Seanad should be abolished. I have come to the conclusion that a second house of the Oireachtas can no longer be justified. I have examined the outcome of similar decisions in countries such as Sweden, denmark and New Zealand. Our system is an odd man out in Europe. Two-thirds of all European Parliaments do not have an upper house. A Fine Gael Government will also seek to reduce the number of Tds by at least 20. These changes will save an estimated 150million over a dil term. But this is not just about reforming the Oireachtas. It is also about transforming how the State works. Fine Gael will redistribute power from the Government to the dil; from Central to Local Government; from the State to the Citizen. The fact is, were all in this together. As Benjamin Franklin once said, we must all hang together, or we will hang separately. Unless we unite as a society, we will never solve our problems. Ch-ch-ch changes: Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny wants to redistribute power from the State to the citizen index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html