D Wednesday, November 25, 2009 METRO 21 Didnt 424 get the memo? MEP for France, Christine de Veyrac attends a debate on the upcoming Copenhagen climate change summit in Strasbourg yesterday Picture: Reuters The Big Picture Blame the Minister Over-stretched: Hospital services To Gavin, I understand your frustration at having your appointment cancelled when it holds huge importance for you. However I think that your anger is being directed at the wrong body. First of all why not ask, why did you have to wait such a long time in the first place? Especially considering that three years ago this country was riding the fat back of the Celtic tiger. Money was in abundance and yet our health service was still leaving people like yourself waiting around. This is not the fault of the nurses, doctors and other hospital staff.. Surely the blame for this must lie at the door of the Minister for Health and the Government she represents. I think then that supporting the public sector as they strike against cuts in the already stretched and over pressurised public service is the only form of action I can take as a private sector worker. After all the public service pay my wages by spending their wages on the goods and services that I work towards. I do sincerely hope you get a new appointment soon. Worker Bee As a member of the defence forces Ive done my share of filling sandbags over the years. I hope all the people whove been so quick to demand public service paycuts remember that its the firefighters, ambulance service, army, coastguard, naval engineers etc whove been out the last week helping the unfortunate people affected by the bad weather. Its just a shame the military arent allowed to strike or Id still be in my bed now! G man 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 Something to think about: To nostril hater and Captain Ahab, and to all the other moaners do me a favour, take a trip up to St Francis Hospice in Raheny or to any other hospice where there are terminally ill patients, with families not knowing if their loved ones will make it to share their last Christmas together. Anon Thai smile: Heres something that made me happy today I just realised this time next week I will be on a flight to Thailand for three weeks of drinking Thai whiskey, Singha beer and eating Thai food. Owen Full-time sniffer: Imagine having to sit beside a girl that sniffs, sneezes and clears her throat for 37 hours a week!!! I wonder if anyone encounters the same person on the train from Thurles in the morning? Snuffles Quack: I cant believe the stupid strike stopped me from getting into Herbert Park this morning! I couldnt feed the ducks! Those poor things must be starving having had no visitors all day. Shame on you, public sector workers! Breadman In Brief Ill, I live in Ballinteer where the 14/14a bus terminates. It is well known in the area that Dublin Bus do not provide enough buses on this route to service its timetable. Usually it is fairly reliable at rush hour, however outside of this, only every second bus that is scheduled actually runs. I dont care what Dublin Bus say or any driver that writes into Metro, buses are not late on this route... they simply do not exist. There is absolutely no point in complaining because there is nobody to listen or care. I walk 35 minutes to the Luas or cycle into town. Easier/ faster/less stressful and more healthy. However if none of these options are open to you Im afraid youre in for some miserable times waiting for the phantom bus this winter. Ex Phantom Bus Commuter Tut Tut, how is it possible that so many buses break down every day? If every bus really left at the time on the timetable, even if it breaks down, there would be another one within 20 minutes. I have more than once waited an hour for a bus. Bus lover Sendusyour txt Was on picket duty with my workmates on the front gate of Trinity College from midnight till 3am at the start of the strike and the support was phenomenal. A big thanks to the lovely firemen who brought us down a huge pan of delicious soup and buttered sliced pans. Much appreciated at 1.15am. Niamh Isnt it strange that on a day when a quarter of a million public sector workers go on strike, there are huge tailbacks heading north towards the land of cross-border shopping? No day off for me, Dublin Go strikers! I got a seat on the train from Donabate this morning. Thanks guys, maybe you should have a day off every week. Rested Driven Mad, it is possible to get low insurance rates and no hidden charges. You just need a good broker. For the last four years I have been with three different insurance companies and havent paid a single cent on top of the base. Peter txt MAIL to 53131* index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html28.html29.html30.html31.html