Free cheese!!!!!

Poor Uncle Tom

Oh Cheesus!......stop this thread and let me off...

dusty207

PaintDoctor wrote: »

Dammit dammit dammit dammit. I came here to post a Monty Python quote, and I've been beaten to it. Blessed are the Cheesemakers indeed, the Greek shall inherit the Earth. Did anyone catch his name?

Stelios from CheezyJet?

Agricola

I see page 8 is too late to come in with a "Cheesus" pun.

dusty207

Nachorally

Trog

I don't give edam about cheese. This kinda thing really grates me.

Just.Ranting

Hi. This is my first post. I was really maddened by the coverage of the free cheese scheme and just wanted to see if others felt the same.

Today as I was listening to the radio coverage of the EU funded scheme that is being administered by the Department of Agriculture to distribute free cheese to people in need I became enraged at the condescending and amused tones of the presenters, politicians and pundits when discussing the announcement. I was particularly upset by the way in which the matter was dealt with by The Last Word on Today FM. I think The Last Word is an informative and entertaining news and sports show but as I listened to Andrew Doyle (Fine Gael's Agricultural Spokesman), Paul Allen (of Paul Allen & Associates Public Relations) and Matt Cooper (the show's host) collapse into laughter at the ridiculous notion that the people of Ireland could possibly need free cheese I realised just how unequal our society is today and how out of touch our media and politicians have become with the less well-off sections of our society. The show had gone out on to the streets of Dublin to ask the ordinary folk if they could use a free kilo of cheese this Christmas. Oh, the very idea! How hilarious! It is true that thankfully most people in the country are not in such desperate need at the moment. However, it is also true that the charities such as the SVP and Focus Ireland (who both distribute free food either directly to families or to individuals in their cafes) have noticed a huge upsurge in the number of people availing of their services. Some people really are relying on schemes such as these. Do our politicians and those working in the media believe that people in financial need are all deaf or unable to listen to radio shows? The coverage of this scheme seemed to completely ignore the feelings of those who will benefit from it. It was hugely insulting.

Andrew Doyle remarked that this scheme has actually been in existence, in one form or another, since the late 80s, and the government decided to promote the scheme now simply so they could appear like they were being generous to our nation's impoverished and to deflect attention from the upcoming budget cuts. I do not doubt that he is correct on this.

It seems almost certain that these cuts will hit the poorest hardest and I feel truly sickened that our media is so willing to be complicit in such obvious and insulting obfuscation.

The whole country benefited from the celtic tiger but those on higher incomes generally reaped much greater benefits and the gap between the rich and poor widened over this time. Now the recession has hit and let's be completely honest here, some people in the country are not affected by it at all. It seems likely that the government will try to reduce the deficit by reducing spending rather than by increasing taxes. There is a good reason for doing this, they don't want cripple consumer demand, but we need to be very aware that what this will do is further widen the gap between the rich and poor.

This is Ireland. We're supposed to be the ones who understand what it means to have it rough, to always give as much as we can afford, to always cheer and encourage the underdog. Not kick it to death and laugh as whimpers in pain. OK, maybe that's too dramatic an analogy but my country fights for equality, justice and respect for all. At least that's what I grew up believing and if it isn't true then let us at least try and make it true.

It goes without saying that if we are really going to try and build a more just and equal society then we need politicians and media that are in touch with what it really is like out there. Listening to The Last Word this evening all I could think of was how cozy must be the cocoon in which they live.

Unfortunately I don't have any great suggestions as to how we are suddenly going to kick our politicians and the media into touch. But we're all people, and maybe, just maybe, some might happen to read this and realise it's time to stop being amused by the maddening inefficiencies and inequalities in our state and time to start understanding just how difficult they are making life for a growing a number of people here.

So yes this is nothing more than a rant. But if you feel the same way could you please forward this on to everyone and anyone who you think might feel the same?

Whether you agree with me or not, thanks for taking the time to read this.

** If this is not the kind of thing you should post on a forum I'm really sorry - I just was looking for an outlet somewhere **

charlemont

dusty207 wrote: »

Just seen the news on rte with shots of the sandbags in clontarf, seems like they're expecting a strong bries

are the sandbags full of cheese ?

ilovesleep

When I read the title 'free cheese' i thought this thread was going to be from hardluckwoman giving away free cheese to boards users - the cheese she bought for her man - the asshole that led her on and the cheese she doesnt need anymore.

Came in for a read and how wrong was I. The governments way of solving the recession - free cheese. and fcuking cheese that costs 6 billion. Fcuk me. How about and this just an idea leaving people with money in their pockets so that maybe they can afford to buy food. No - free cheese is better. Maybe people might die quicker living on a diet of only cheese.

Things are going to get very bad in decembers budget if the government is stacking up on cheese to feed people.

mike65

charlemont wrote: »

are the sandbags full of cheese ?

Yes - to Edam the water.

mad al

The government has announced it is to hand out 53 tonnes of cheese worth 750,000 over the Christmas period. This is possibly the most ridiculous thing they have done so far.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1105/breaking22.html

maringo

Maybe they could barter a few thousand e-voting machines for a bit of ham - its ok for you vegetarians but what about us meat eaters?

Scofflaw

Cheese threads merged - result: fondue.

Will there be any political discussion of the cheese, or are people limiting themselves to expostulations? Will check back in a while to see if this thread needs to be put out of its misery by closure or transfer.

moderately,
Scofflaw

subway

Let them eat cheese?

ninty9er

This is nothing new. It's been the case since the 80s. Nothing to see here...opposition sees opportunity to gain political capital...nothing new either.

Callan57

I suppose there isn't a bit of cake left? :mad:

flutered

ninty9er wrote: »

This is nothing new. It's been the case since the 80s. Nothing to see here...opposition sees opportunity to gain political capital...nothing new either.

nothing new here dff makes another cock up, why the hell had a minister to go on early morning radio to announce this.

Laminations

Please close this thread, I'm cheesed off with the bad jokes

Just.Ranting

OK totally alone on this one - good to know

mike65

Guardian article and blog replies to feed on

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/nov/05/ireland-recession-let-them-eat-cheese

mad al

Scofflaw wrote: »

Cheese threads merged - result: fondue.

Will there be any political discussion of the cheese, or are people limiting themselves to expostulations? Will check back in a while to see if this thread needs to be put out of its misery by closure or transfer.

moderately,
Scofflaw

Sorry I didn't realise there was already a thread on this topic. I do believe that it should stay in the political section though as it is a political decision by our government and has already made it into international newspapers.

mike65

Robbed from the Guardian

What did the brie say to the bear in the woods?

'C'mon bear'.

Scofflaw

mad al wrote: »

Sorry I didn't realise there was already a thread on this topic. I do believe that it should stay in the political section though as it is a political decision by our government and has already made it into international newspapers.

Unfortunately, not every political decision is worth discussion. I really can't see this one going anywhere except a long round of cheese jokes and the occasional gasp of outrage from people who are discovering this scheme for the first time - it has, after all, been running for 23 years.

In deference to the opportunity it presents for cheese jokes, and the fact that it's Friday night, it can go to AH rather than just dying. If, by some bizarre twist of fate, it suddenly turns into a discussion of CAP, Irish farming, the dumping of agricultural products on the market, the options for non-money subsidy for the poor, the persistence of poverty in Ireland, or anything else that's actually political, it can be sent back again.

moderately,
Scofflaw

Firefox11

Free Cheese??....Hold on a minute, i just checked my calendar and can see that April 1st is a good way away yet so something is seriously wrong here.:eek:

mike65

AH now has a surplus of Cheese threads :pac:

littlefriend

Scofflaw wrote: »

Cheese threads merged - result: fondue.

I am so impressed with this post!

Overheal

Scofflaw wrote: »

Cheese threads merged - result: fondue.

INCORRECT: this is what you get

niva*sis

will we ever again be able to say CHEESE when a photo is being taken!!!!!!!

mad al

Scofflaw wrote: »

Unfortunately, not every political decision is worth discussion. I really can't see this one going anywhere except a long round of cheese jokes and the occasional gasp of outrage from people who are discovering this scheme for the first time - it has, after all, been running for 23 years.

In deference to the opportunity it presents for cheese jokes, and the fact that it's Friday night, it can go to AH rather than just dying. If, by some bizarre twist of fate, it suddenly turns into a discussion of CAP, Irish farming, the dumping of agricultural products on the market, the options for non-money subsidy for the poor, the persistence of poverty in Ireland, or anything else that's actually political, it can be sent back again.

moderately,
Scofflaw

Well it certainly has led to much discussion around the world today with it making it into major international media and of course our own media. Also the existence of a free food scheme may be around for many years but the governments choice of cheese is questionable. I know what you mean though about the jokes and all.

líreacán

Wow, I camembert all these cheesy lines!!! Unbrielieveable.

Truff Puff

cheese with pasta, cheese on bread, baked cheese, stuffed cheese potatoes, cheese omelets, cheese cakes... . anymore suggestions guys??