Last week, I was in Ireland for 3 days.
The air was quite different this time, a lot of stress about the countries debt.
Hopes and best wishes to everyone there that a good solution will be found.
Agreed. Potato wedges aren’t enough. Let’s hope for a quick and lasting resolution to their woes.
Oh, it’ll all be all right. Apparently cheese will be their salvation. Now, whose turn is it to get the next rind?
I remember when the USDA American-made cheese was given to the poor. I’m not sure whether they still do that, or not. Of course, such a give-away can be made fun of, because the poor in this country and in Ireland, I’m sure, need a lot more than a hunk of cheese. But cheese is a high quality protein food, and a cheese give-away would surely help the farm economy as well as the poor, who don’t have enough quality food to feed their families. Sufficient food, in my opinion, ought to be a birthright, not something that you have to earn. But, then again, I’m a socialist who believes that all of us have a birthright to share in the wealth of the country. We need to create institutions that make it possible, something a lot more than handing out cheese hunks.
Bingo, but that forum is no more…alas.
Sez you.
As ever (and ever, and ever), we cordially invite the politically itchy among you to get thee to The TEH.
yup, much controversy there… cough
a few, ah, expats…
I wouldn’t know. It’s there to be used, is the thing. Not my business if the Anemoi can’t stir up a tempest.
Think this was the stuff
PCD5 PASTEURIZED PROCESS AMERICAN CHEESE FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS
Seems like other programs have made it obsolete. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_cheese
Was good stuff from what I remembered, but more modern “cheeses” like Velveeta were popular in our house because they melted in a picture perfect way. Those 5 pound blocks in a brown wrapper might have some of the better cheese available to us.
sure. sure… The owner hasn’t been seen in over a year. No one is keeping the place up. James threatens once in a while. The answers to the questions are not all correct. But if Nano doesn’t have to drive by it then it’s just fine, innit!
It ain’t my job, so as far as I’m concerned: that’s right. And the point would be…?
Now. Music, anyone?
I was sittin’ here playin’ flute while I awaited yer reply…
Might as well go have some CHEESE.
You play for a bit. 
It continues, at least in the American Indian communities. It’s good baked up with some scalloped potatoes.
Actually, if I remember correctly, you didn’t necessarily have to be poor to receive the 5 pound blocks of cheese. They announced the delivery point and times in the newspaper, and anyone that showed up qualified. I got some for myself, now that I think about it. I still have a 2 pound block of the processed cheese in my refrigerator, but, thankfully, it is not the same cheese. I use it to make macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches for my wife.
The great part is that the USDA is giving away cheese and encouraging (paying) farmers to make more cheese. But at the same time, the USDA is telling people to lay off cheese because it’s got a lot of fat, so farmers are being paid to make more cheese, but the USDA has a huge stockpile of it because they can’t give it away (literally) because of their own policies.
They really want to have their cake and not eat it too.
Ah, Raygun’s unfit-for-human-consumption government cheese! That was more a bailout to a politically-influencial industry lobby group than it was aid to the poor.
The “welfare cheese” that I remember being given out was when I was a kid, long before Ronald Ray-gun-zah. Around here that cheese was only given to the poor, many who could easily turn it into cold hard cash. On “give-away-day” that cheese was highly prized because it was very, very good cheese and couldn’t be bought in stores. People who didn’t get that cheese were regular buyers from the recipients.
Here’s something on Ireland’s money woes:
http://www.safehaven.com/article/19125/to-ireland-with-love
Also, http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2010/11/in-rare-agreement-with-krugman-onerous.html
Am curious how this unraveling is affecting instrument makers and performers over there. Though its not much better here. Orders have slowed way down and everyone is trying to offload instruments (similar to houses).
Casey