12 METRO Monday, December 7, 2009 D Fishing On Lough Dan: Photographer Giles Norman is inspired by Wicklows stunning scenery for his new collection Big Picture Competition We cant afford aid Africa: Aid for children in need has always been Irelands concern To those calling Kev an idiot and insisting he grow up, I think its obvious that the point he was attempting to make is why are we continuing to send millions overseas in development aid when we are in such dire straits ourselves? Its not as if the billions that have already been sent appear to have helped much and weve been subjected to the exact same story and images for more than 40 years now! If were being told to take the pain in pay cuts, increased taxes etc, to the point where we are barely making ends meet, then Kev has a perfectly legitimate objection. There must be a temporary halt or reduction to this obscene waste of money money that can no longer be thrown away we just dont have it any more. Auden, Dublin Over the past number of months I have watched your Metro Mail page with great interest, observing the deepening rift between public- and private-sector workers. Although your editing staff seem eager to rush any half-baked reactionary drivel regarding the public finance catastrophe (and, in particular, the public-service pay bill) directly to press, they do appear somewhat slower to commit well- constructed and articulate rebuttals to print, instead choosing the more meaningless and pedantic arguments (I quote UpsetPetes second point in his Friday response to Neils mail on Thursday). I suspect that the reasons for this phenomenon are two-fold: Firstly, given that the main national news agencies are very obviously strongly influenced by the Government (or at the very least, 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 Primal: SC, the average chimpanzee spends up to eight hours a day, 365 days a year foraging for food, just to avoid starving to death. And, as far as I know, they dont get holidays. This may sound like some kind of ideal lifestyle to you, but personally, I prefer the thought of a fridge full of food to come home to after work, a lie-in at the weekends, and a few weeks holidays to look forward to each year... Orla Fee-fi: To those people upset or inconvenienced by the new northern line commuter timetable, let Irish Rail know. Write to customerrelations@irishrail.ie. They actually read e-mails sent to that address! BL Fo-fum: To whoever designed the new regular service for the Dart, what were you thinking when you amalgamated four services into one coming from Glenageary/ Killiney toward town? Did you really think that this would provide a better service for people heading to work at 8.30am? Its reminiscent of the London tubes at that time of day except the service is far less frequent. As for complaints, Ive been advised to e-mail info@irishrail.ie. Anon, Killiney Useless: The new Dundalk/ Drogheda train timetable has been revised to suit people in Malahide and Portmarnock who already have the Dart. What use is that to the rest of us? Jen But wait! I dont know why everyone is complaining, the new train timetables are fantastic! One Happy Maynooth Student In Brief sympathetic to the Government), it is easy to imagine that a tawdry, free tabloid such as the Metro would be reluctant to go against the grain with regard to its published content, further contributing to the Government-contrived notion that private- and public-sector workers should be at odds in the first place. Secondly, the publication of cantankerous and belligerent diatribes from the ignorant and ill- informed is guaranteed to provoke resentment and conflict between private- and public-sector workers, thus generating further fodder for your Metro Mail page. In the first case, Metro has yielded to the will of those with sinister ulterior motives and vested interests, to the detriment of impartiality or objectivity. In the second case, Metro has simply pandered to the lowest common denominator. Either of these reasons, standing alone, would be ample cause to regard the Metro as a contemptible rag, utterly devoid of any semblance of integrity, journalistic or otherwise. Daf Sendusyour txt The preposterous Bertie Ahern says people blaming Fianna Fil for the waste of the good years should plant bluebells. The sooner hes pushing up daisies the better! Mary When are we getting back the money weve lent the Government to bail out the banks? And will we get a percentage of their profits too as they pay off their debts? AG Shel C, Im not bothered with football even when Ireland play but this was more than football! We were cheated out of a major event which wouldve brought a lot of money to our country during the recession! And what about pride and honour? Off Side Shel C, its only football? Ah yes, the beautiful game which is played and loved by millions of people around the world... JT If the Government can cut public sector pay, what is stopping employers from cutting the pay in the private sector? JM, D8 Metro, youre totally classic! I absolutely loved Fridays picture of the new Iarnrd ireann Dundalk commuter. Had a great chuckle and showed it round the office to much amusement. Keep up the good work! Kim txt MAIL to 53131* GILES NORMAN has just launched his new collection, a black and white study of the Wicklow landscape, at the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre in Dublin. To celebrate this, Metro and Giles Norman are giving you a 25 per cent discount off any of his works just in time for Christmas, when you enter our text competition below. Not only that, but one lucky Metro reader each day will win an exclusive 12in x 16in framed print worth 100. To enter, simply answer the question below: Which county is the focus of Giles Normans new collection? A. Dublin B. Wicklow C. Cork Text GILESN followed by your answer A, B or C to 53133 (texts cost 60c + standard network charge). Answer correctly and you will receive a promotional code via a free text message to claim your discount. The competition closes at midnight on Wednesday December 9, and the winners will be chosen at random from the entries received. Entrants must be over 18 years old. Usual Metro rules apply. The Editors decision is final. SP. Oxygen8, Hospitality House, Cumberland Street South, D2. Customer Service number 0818286606 Theres lots to make you smile, IF you look! Three good looking fellas eating breakfast at the window, wobbly cyclist wobbling! Christmas lights on at the Merrion, nice smelling woman before me, mmmm roses! Cute dog carrying tennis ball home, Galtee van with stop staring, youre holding traffic slogan, St Stephens Green wet, rustic and beautiful. Theres lots to make you smile in Dublin if you just look, people! Open your eyes to the good as well as the bad for the love of all thats soggy! Struggling But Happy Pinkie index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html