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Never Knowing when to shut up!
I used to like the man but I think that ‘Rip Off Republic’ is a biased piece of sensational TV but I don’t want to blog about that. What I do want to blog about is what Sarah had to say about Eddie Hobbs and his lies.
On the first show he did a piece on Trim, near to my home. The council refused planning permission to LIDL, a discount food store. A local woman was incensed and began a local petition to campaign to make the council change its mind. In a town with a population of 7000 she collected 5000 signatures and faced with this overwhelming will, the council changed their policy and granted the permission. AT LEAST THAT’S THE WAY EDDIE TOLD IT.
Firstly, the council did not “change” their minds. An Bord Pleanala granted the permission. They could do this where the council could not because the land was not zoned correctly. This part of the article was published.
Unfortunately, I presume due to constraints on space, the second bit was not published. I checked around and quickly discovered that the maximum estimate of the signatures on the petition was 2000. Far short of the 5000. Two councillors I spoke to believed there were only 800 signatures. The guy who actually had the petition was on holiers. I got confirmation from him today that there were no more than 600 or 700 signatures.
So while the main stream media are all fawning over Eddie Hobbs a blogger has gone and done some fact checking. This is awesome, correct me if I’m wrong but I can’t remember reading something like this in the Irish blogosphere before. This is cool and hopefully we’ll see more of this. i.e. Blogs doing the jobs that the mainstream media are too lazy to do.
Note: I’m taking bets on whether Sarah’s story gets ripped off or not!
Update 25/08/2005 10:48 BST: Just noticed that Dick O’Brien also picked up on Sarah’s story about Eddie Hobbs.
Update 02/09/2005 00:50 BST: I’ve closed the comments due to the volume of abusive comments I recieved, if people can’t be civil they can go elsewhere. Those who do want to continue having a reasonable debate are recommended to check out the Boards.ie thread on the matter.
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We can only hope that serious blog journalists take up the huge amount of slack that is the mainstream media and give them a run for their money.
The bloggers sure did a great job on the elections last year.
I’m also hoping that podcasting will give radio a huge run for their money too!
You may want to check out the motivations of Ms. Carey. Her father is on Meath County Council and was opposed to Lidl.
Rip Off Republic is not telling us anything we didn’t already know, in Ireland we enjoy low income tax but pay for it with every purchase we make. Concentrating on certain aspects of the show and fault finding on individual cases is pointless, the facts speak for themselves.
Deirdre: Would you mind explaining what the facts exactly are? As far as I can see never in Irish history have people had so much disposable income, we also have far more than 99% of other countries so I fail to see how there is a ‘Rip-Off’ going on.
Sure things are expensive but since when did expensive equal rip off. I earn way more than people in my position did 20 years ago and prices have risen in accordance. Where is the problem.
I THINK EDDIE HOBBS IS ONLY POINTING OUT THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF THE GOVERNMENTS SAGA, WHICH IS THE ONLY SIDE WE DONT HEAR ABOUT.I TAKE MY HAT OF TO HIM AND HIS TEAM FOR TAKING THE ROSIE HUE OFF A ONE SIDED GOVERNMENT. ALL FACTS SHOULD BE DISCLOSED, IF EVERY ONE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF SLATING THE MESSENGER WE WILL MOVE FORWARD AS A NATION.
Joe first of all PLEASE DON’T SHOUT. Secondly I presume you support the war in Iraq since you believe it’s acceptable to lie as long as you achieve your ultimate goal.
Sorry dave, for shouting!!! If i believe in lies , i would have slated eddie hobbs and backed the government. They didnt disclose all the facts to achieve there goal, so the question is back at you m8,lol.
Dave I think you need to be awoken out of your little cocoon,
or from whatever cartoonland your living in and enter the REAL world.
When I have paid for ESB, Eircom, Petrol, Food, I don’t have
any disposable income left. I bet you don’t even do you own shopping, it’s obvious that Mammy must still be providing for you and buying all your food, because if you can’t see this economy is a RIP-OFF then questions should be asked about your mental stability and your eyesight. Either that or your a pro-government loon, who deserves nothing more than to be buggered by a fish fork.
I would suggest that you travel a bit, do a bit of shopping
abroad get a brain transplant and then come back.
What this government needs is a Lee Harvey Oswald !!!
You Twat !!!
Whats your financial status dave, i recon your answer (by the way you cant see the facts) is middle to upper class, if so this topic doesnt have anything to do with you.
If your answer however, is , middle to lower class, then you must hate having money and you obviously eat grass and twigs while walking everywhere dressed in a loin cloth, wake up man, and stop defending this government.
Its a true saying:”the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer”
First up Tony it’s a real pity that you’re so incapable of arguing that you have to be both abusive and advocate assassination.
I live in the real world with a real job that I work hard at, I refuse to believe you have no disposable income. I also refuse to believe that it is anything other than the smallest subset of society in Ireland that doesn’t have disposable income. When I go to the cinema or the pub it’s packed so explain that, how can people spend money like that if everyone is as pauperised as you contend.
So basically Tony if you have no disposable income then you must be hugely unfortunate.
With regard to travelling, this Summer I was in New Zealand, Greece and Hong Kong. All 3 had varying prices on things with some thing being pricer and some things being cheaper. The example I will outline though is Greece, in Greece a beer cost me €2, which is fantastic, half of what I pay here, but, guess what the bar staff were earning €2.50 per hour. So In Ireland I pay €4 for a beer and the staff get €7.65 at a minimum. So basically bar staff here are better off, and yet again we’ve shown that when people earn more prices are higher, very simple free market economics.
People have yet to come here and comment and actually give figures and examples so far it’s all hyperbole.
Joe for the record I earn approximately the average industrial wage and have no problems.
thanks for the link Dave. However, I must correct John C. The Da is indeed in MCC and tipped me off that Hobbs’s version of events was lacking. However ALL the area councillors were in favour of the LIDL and indeed separately met the LIDL managers. While the application went to An Bord Pleanala they began the process themselves to rezone the land so that the permission could be granted. However the Bord granted it before they could complete this. The only person who was actually against the LIDL was the area manager (local authority employee) who was panicking that a new development in the town needed an anchor tenant and he wanted LIDL to move into the town centre. LIDL said no ‘cos they only do cheapo out of town sites. The Da was more than happy that the truth be put out. It wasn’t in his or the other councillors interest for Hobbs to tell the rest of Ireland that they were anti-LIDL when they were not. For my own part I’m far too susceptible to marketing to buy funny German brands and I’m a sucker who will pay the premium for the brandnames in Tesco etc.
Sorry dave but it gets frustrating sometimes m8.I know ur not looking down ur nose at this, but can you admit the governments overspending is a problem.?????
For the record i earn 380 a week and have a non existant social life with a 100,000 mortgage and still wondering where the money goes.
Somethings not right.
Dave !!!
So you earn the average Industrial wage and you say there no rip off ……Yeah right !
A few Questions for you Dave ?
What’s your job ?
What is your weekly take home ?
Are you Married ? or Single ?
Do you have Kids ? how many if you have ?
Do you owned a Car ?
What engine size ? Car Tax grade ?
What type of Car ?
How many mile do you travel to and from work per day ?
Do you have a Mortgage ? or you still live at home ?
What area of the country do your live ?
Do you have a dependant partner ?
Does you Partner work ?
Does your Partner help with the Mortgage ?
How much to you spend on Food average per week ?
How much do you spend on heating fuel per year ?
What political party do you support ?
Are you an active member ?
Answer these question truthfully and I’ll get back to you !
In the mean time you may want to checkout PIGSBACK.com
see link below for a few opinions of the present RIP-OFF.
http://tinyurl.com/aaz6e
The Majority of public opinion is against you my friend !
Adrian.
Joe I agree with you.
I earn about 500 per week. My Wife wages pays the mortgage
with a few quid left over. Between Food shopping for us and two young kids, Petrol, ESB, Telecom, Sky, Bins, School etc. etc. the left overs is basically change that we use between us for eating at work. and I’m the same as you scratching my head as to where the money went. As soon as it comes in the door and you think “this week I’m clear of bills etc.” something always rears it’s ugly head and takes the money.
For Dave to say that Eddie Hobbs is only pointing out the negatives of the government ( Ha ha) There ARE only negatives to the present government. I think Dave you should change your name to Stevie Wonder because Sonny-Jim if you can’t see a RIP-OFF economy in this country I’m afraid your blinder that he is !. The only thing that I can take from your comments is that your very Pro-goverment which comes across very strong and which leads me to believe that you are an active PD member or worse a Fianna Failer.
The fact of the matter is you can spew all the economic facts and figures garbage that you want but it doesn’t change the fact that my wages can barely tackle the costs of my weeks like the majority of people in this corrupt country. The Majority of the country is in agreement with Joe and myself and you can keep putting you point across as best you can and until your blue in the face but it remains you have already lost you argument. The vast majority of the country are not happy. So you’re whispering into the winds of a hurricane. So don’t be a sore loser !
I can guarantee that the minority that do not think we are being ripped-off are in the upper-middle class to high class bracket.
Seeing that you were in New Zealand, Greece, and Hong Kong during the summer speaks volumes to me about your Marital situation (single with no kids) and your Job and I would place you in the minority
“Average Industrial Wage” ??? I think not my friend.
Adrian.
Hey David
Degree in Microelectronic Engineering ?
That sounds like the Average Industrial Qualification alright.
Now don’t try and Bullshit everyone by saying you earn the Average Industrial Wage with that qualification.
Come down from your pulpit and learn to listen to people with families instead of preaching about to us about how we are not being ripped off. You’re living in a dream world.
A single high-earner like you, no wonder you can jetset around the world, out drinking at the weekend. You’ve got no commitments, no wife and kids, to provide for, and you’re probably either renting or living with the your parents. Is it any wonder that you’ve got disposable income. I can guarantee you whatever disposable income I have I have more sense that to hand it over to a greedy publican. I would use it to improve my house, or provide clothes, books for my kids.
Live it up while you can. Because when you get married and have kids you’ll learn a lot more about living in the real world, and real cost of living.
No rip-off in Ireland. (hahahahahaha) You should be a comedian !
T.C
Dear Davy Boy (I say boy because thats what you are.. a boy )
On Looking up your Age your only 23 years old.
(HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA)
No wonder you have so much disposable income you silly twat.
Get Married and have some kids and see how far you’ll get on your wages then Mr. Einstein.
The cheek of a little upstart practically out of nappies
to tell other older people living in the real world with families to support and heavy mortgages that Ireland does not have a Rip
off economy……You cheeky little wanker !!!!
This goes only to prove how little you really do know about the
the cost of living you dumb shit.
I pay 300 Euro a week on my Mortgage.
I pay 100 Euro a week on Shopping.
I Pay 60 Euro a week on Petrol.
I pay 40 Euro a weekly average on my bills
This leaves me with fuck all disposable income,
Through out the year I also have to pay for:-
House insurance.
Car insurance
Car Tax
Childrens Clothes
Childrens Toys
Bins Charges
Water Rates
Upkeep of the house
The list is endless….
Then you have the balls to tell me about my disposable income.
You cheeky pup. Your whole wage is practically disposable you fucking idiot ! So what the fuck would you know about the cost of living !!! Your probaby still getting hand-outs from your parents !.
“Mommy can I have some money I spend all mine in the pub, drinking with all my spotty-faced friends”.
When you grown up and become a married man with children…
Or…..even when you grown up and become A MAN, you’ll realize what a dumb shit you really are, trying to argue with people who have the been on the planet a little longer than you, and have
experienced living a family life in this economy.
YOU KNOW NOTHING !
A
For Some reason The End of my Message was cut short.
So here goes Dave you Emybro !
YOU KNOW NOTHING !
All your experiencing now is the phase between Student life
and Married life. It’s that same as student life because you have no commitments no responsibilities other than:-
“What time I am going on the piss at?”
“get Phone credit to text my little buddies”
“i think I’ll get out of bed at 4pm this weekend”
the rest of your thoughts are filled with circus music !
RIP-OFF Ireland will give you a big kick in the teeth
when you do get some real responsibilities and dependants
who all have to live on your wages !
T.C.
23 Years old Aye Dave ???
Have to agree with Tony (blunt as he may be) but at 23 you think you know eveything, (I know I did when I was 23). I’m 36 Now.
Believe me you don’t.
I had a great time before I got Married and had the Kids.
I was out 3 nights a week at least, travelling to Grand Prix’s etc.
but when you settle down, everything changes, especially when you take out a mortgage, then you have additional bills to pay with the mortgage ESB, EIRCOM, HEATING, SKY-TV, FOOD etc.
You get paid on a Thursday and it’s a case of - What bills do I have to pay - I Need to stock the fridge and freezer.
Then going out when married is down to one night a week.T
hen the kids come along…. Christ……..you’re lucky if you get out once every three months
Then You’d want to be printing money.
Dave I’m talking from experience here, Enjoy the disposable income while to you can, because it won’t last forever, As soon as you buy that house it will take a huge bite
out of your wages, and your lifestyle WILL change completely to support that new way of living….Then you have a wife and kids another huge bite out of the wage. Try living the lifestyle you do presently with well over half your wages gone everyweek and then tell me if it’s not a RIP-OFF economy.
Try doing and experiment for a month.
Take 300 Euro from your wages, every week for four weeks.
(Save it) pretend it’s Mortgage, Petrol, Food.
And for those four weeks use the balance as disposable income.
For Beer, (Fags if you smoke) Treats/Snacks, Cinema.
Then pay for the ESB, Sky, and Eircom within that month also.
Try it see how you get on and come back to me !
The RIP-OFF economy is there. Just hasn’t impacted you yet
because you’re young, care free and have no mortgage kids etc.
one day it will !…..SO PREPARE FOR IT NOW……SAVE MONEY !!!
Regards Adrian.
Well there’s no point in leaving this open for comments because clearly people have their minds made up (and Tony Clifton is incapable of arguing a point without being abusive), to be honest I don’t card, this post wasn’t even intended to be about whether ‘Rip-Off Ireland’ existed or not rather whether Hobbs lies with figures. Since no one has disputed any of my figures I’m going to leave it at that.
Interestingly enough Adrian I noticed that you have a vodafone.ie email address which means you are a customer of vodafone. If Ireland is such a rip off and meeting ends is so hard to do how come you are on the most expensive network in the country. It’s hard to have sympathy with people who pay way over the odds when they don’t have to.
For the record you can look it up the Av. Industrial wage is approximately €28,000, another indisputable figure. This is far more than the Average Wage in other EU countries even when cost of living is taken into account an compensated for.
As I said I’m closing this post because to be honest I don’t enjoy having Tony calling me expletives in fairness most of the posters were civil here and I recommend you continue posting opinions on Boards.ie where there is an active debate on ‘Rip-Off Ireland’