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EVERY SATURDAY MORNING we take a look at all the best comments left on the site by our readers over the past seven days.
This week there was a lot of talk about the general election and the death of Terry Wogan.
The 5 most popular comments this week
1. There has been plenty of talk about the general election in recent days as the nation gears up for 26 February. Under our poll about who people will vote for, Dylan wrote:
If you choose not to vote you’re part of the problem.
Some 1,355 of you approved.
2. Many people were shocked and saddened by the death of broadcaster Terry Wogan. Anon Ymous got 1,206 likes for this comment:
Another one who I thought would always be around. RIP Terry.
3. Cormac Harrington had this to say about Wogan:
One of our best exports. RIP Terry.
His comment got 1,046 green thumbs.
4. On an article about what the colour of your snot means, Lester Jeffcoat wrote:
This is the best article on snot I’ve read so far today.
That one got 907 likes. Thanks Lester, we do try.
5. Beano had this to say in reply to someone who suggested people take up cycling instead of driving (under an article about a woman awarded €16,000 in damages after suffering whiplash when a driver ‘tipped’ her car):
Good luck sticking two kids on the back of a bike, dropping them to school/crèche, then cycling up the N7 to work every morning
Some 912 of you agreed.
The top 5 articles which received the most comments this week
1. Labour TD reveals ‘absolutely disgusting’ hate mail (332 comments)
2. Labour reckons its incredibly fabulous candidates can win 36 seats (303 comments)
3. Poll: Who will you vote for in the general election? (288 comments)
4. A misogynist ‘pro-rape’ group called Return of Kings is planning a bizarre meeting in Kildare (279 comments)
5. There’s bad news for Fine Gael but Labour has gained in the latest poll (264 comments)
Standout comments
During the week Mattress Mick told a very personal story to Humans of Dublin about a past love who died from cancer. She called him to say goodbye shortly before her death.
Here’s the end of the story:
Every time I think about that phone call I get very sad. It was the nicest phone call I have ever received in my whole life. It meant so much to me. That someone who knew they were terminally ill and hadn’t a lot of time could actually think about me, and tell me that … I guess it is true, it’s never too late to tell somebody how you feel. She died that week, but she’ll always be in that very special place in my heart.
It prompted a lot of discussion, with Mr Phil Officer noting:
“Be kind to strangers, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about”
Nigel Tuffnel wrote:
It goes to show everyone has a story. The humans of Dublin is very interesting, the people you walk past daily have lived through some extraordinary things. As for Mick he seems like a genuine bloke.
After Lorraine Courtney penned a column arguing that naming doctors in fitness to practice inquiries should be scrapped, Colin Davenport wrote:
Thank you for the article. As a doctor, I feel that the keypoint here is that while doctors should definitely be held accountable if unprofessional or incompetent, the current system involves a lot of trial by media before any of the facts come through. Complaints about doctors should be investigated in full (and in the current system that takes place with a lay-person majority, so it’s not just doctors judging doctors), but I think that the investigation should take place first, and only if wrongdoing is found should the information be released to the public. Otherwise a doctors career, reputation etc can be maligned all over the country on the basis of allegations and not facts. It’s also an interesting point the author makes regarding the need for the medical council to protect doctors as well as patients, as it must be somewhat difficult for one body to represent both sides of any issue fully and equally.
Under a post about what happens in the run-up to an election, Colette Kearns asked people to spare a thought for the babies who will be kissed in photo ops the length and breadth of the country:
Agh its a terrible time for babies, god love them!!
During the week, we had a poll on who you would like to be the next US President.
Hillary Clinton may have come out on top, but we could get on board with Jessie Paden‘s suggestion:
Tom Hanks
However, Drew TheChinaman :) disagreed:
No way…. Harrison Ford was clearly the best cinematic portrayal of POTUS.
Tough call.
Sticking with all things political, Kerry’s Michael Healy-Rae released a general election song earlier this week.
Lester Jeffcoat had this suggestion:
There’s only one thing for it. Eurovision.
Under a story about Groundhog Day, Pauliebhoy wrote:
Think I read this story already
We see what you did there.
Meanwhile, AARO-SAURUS hit the nail on the head about a Lotto winner failing to come forward to claim €1 million:
You’d be absolutely sick if you copped it a day late.
On another note, students queued outside garda stations in a number of locations across the country this week to register to vote in the general election.
This prompted james to write:
I for one welcome our new student overlords.
Speaking of voting, Peter Mc Hugh had an alternative option for our poll on who you’d like to see as the next Taoiseach:
I voted other. I think I should be given the job. Because…I’m great.
You make some really good points, Peter.
Finally, after ice cream flavours at two Sligo shops were named among the best in the world, Helen O’neill-clayton commented:
There goes the diet, I may well have to take a trip up there, sure it’d be rude not to after them winning an award. Just for research purposes of course. Not because it looks savage. Research.
Can we come?
See any good comments? Email them to orla@thejournal.ie.
Serve Apple right!
They are a bunch of thugs. They were (not for the first time) caught using unscrupulous methods to kill off any competition.
Thugs is a strong word. What did they do exactly?
Eh jeff Apple employing over 3000 people in Cork!!! Thugs! They have done a huge amount for the local community. I’ll be Supporting local jobs thats for sure and sticking with Apple :)
Thug’s is a strong ok but the essence of the comment is right. Apple for the most part have created nothing new just did things a similar but better way. Steve jobs said it himself they only ever took other peoples ideas and improves them. others are now doing that to apple. and they deal with it through the courts instead of competing on price and product.
as for how many apple employ in Ireland their competitors employ more people here so that’s no basis for supporting either side
sent from my iPhone
first time I saw a tablet pc was on Startrek, Captain Pickard had one long before Apple.
@Ray
You will find everything from the floppy disk,mobile phone through to tablet came from startrek.As much as people give that show some stick it was ahead of its time.
But he was in the future though…time travel?
If it wasn’t for apple we’d all be using crappy symbian OS phones made by Nokia. Whether you love em or hate them they transformed mobile phones and tablet markets.
Well said Jay ;)
Android is older than iOS.
But Android was already in development before Apple started the iPhone and WebOS was already developed. Palm & HTC had been making touch screen phones and personal assistants for years…
Apple just applied their industrial design & UI to other peoples ideas…
They all stole their ideas from Babbage. How can they claim to be adding anything new? Balderdash!
Should be harsher consequences for apple
Maybe, but having to publicly admit they were wrong? Against Samsung? I bet that will sting horribly more than any fine. It will be very interesting to see how they handle this.
Android Rulez…!!!
For Jay. – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone
I didn’t say invent Smartphones..they transformed them…and no one knows whether IOS/Android was first.
Google claim 2005 for Android but iOS was released in 2007 well ahead of it so it’s safe to assume Apple were working on it earlier than 2006 etc..
Either way both make great smartphones and I’ve had both including the very first android phone released.
never liked apple, and I never will… so I’m really happy to see how that case ended :)
Michelle Hennessy is pretty
Big fan of hers!
I have an iPad and a Samsung android phone and I love them both equally.
I am so disappointed with you.
Stick with one technology and look on with contempt at the other…
the most fundamental aspects of the iPhone are the glass top which is based on a compound called gorilla glass that was shelved by the manufacturer and reported after Jobs met its CEO and described what he was trying to do with touch screens – which conveniently leads into multitouch that came from the iPad design that was already on track at iPhone design stage, and scrolling was designed by the kid Jobs hired in the Apple building foyer after he had screwed his job interview on demonstrating a magnify feature that he jade programmed and first appeared aa a feature on the iMac, not to mention iPod integration etc etc. you may not like Jobs end to end integration that is the basis of the Apple walled garden, but consider why so many US businesses use Apple – because everything is simple – understand one device and you simply get the rest – and everything collaborates particularly with the streamlining of iCloud. Btw – I just composed this comment on my Samsung Note :)
Hi pat, I’m due an upgrade and can’t decide between the note or the galaxy s3. I’m going in tomorrow to get the phone. I love the size of the note but worried I might find it to big for one hand so I’m just wondering how you like it, is it comfortable to use. Sorry I know this is off topic but it’s a big decision for me.
I find the Note to be brilliant. I used to carry a notebook everywhere. Now I just ensure that I have my headphones and mic and I notate on the phone. Anything important is synced to Evernote. I like it :)
Thanks Pat.
Jim: have note too as second phone and it’s awesome… It’s not too big once you get used too also there is function to allow one hand typing – keyboard gets smaller and moves to one or another side of the screen allowing one hand typing which is not really possible on this phone with standard keyboard layout. Screen is perfection finally screen that is comfortable even for watching movies and super hd amoled screen beats even iPhone 4. Have s3 too which is my main phone but prefer note to be honest the only reason note is not my 1st phone is that I use it in car mainly as gps device.
Thanks Fizi I think I’ll go for the note, I mostly use my phone for internet so it sounds perfect for me.
Correct me if I’m wrong but the iPad was around before the galaxy tab. If that’s the case then Apple should get the apology. BTW I have an iPad and tried the galaxy tab, there’s no comparison, Apple rules
Unfortunatley for you, the court case wasn’t based around which you think rules or not… It’s about intellectual property. If what you are suggesting is correct, then Microsoft and Fujitsu should sue both Apple & Samsung as they have been producing tablets for years…
True…the ipad was actually being developed back in 2002-04 but Jobs decided to go with the phone first.
This pics came out in the recent trial.
In light of the super interesting comments above could you change the headline to “Apple and Android users in Ireland drop knowledge bombs about how cool Apple and samsung products are. UK judge to reconsider findings.”
Hey Stephen….everyone knows that Apple products are way cooler than Samsung…even the Judge said it in this same case so it must be true :)
Cool vs Cooler. The only thing we can know for certain in this whole debate is that the judge has a streetwise nephew from Philadelphia living with him. Everything else is irrelevant.
I have a windows phone :(
Actually agree with you on that Paul…if anything it was Bill Gates who created the first tablet pc back in 2002 but it was too far ahead of it’s time. Plus running windows :)
Bloomberg ?
There is a little button just above the comments section for reporting a typo or correction
What is the difference that android was first before iOS I have now Samsung galaxy s3 supposedly best android phone on the market and can’t complain about it, but in all fairness iPhone maybe crashed on me once a week, this Samsung crashes daily. Not like complete crash, but whatever application stopped to work do you want to close, wait, etc. os itself is also just smoother on iPhone – you have to be seriously blind to say otherwise. Android not bad thing but when it comes to simplicity and stability it loses with its in my opinion. Feature wise it wins.
have your say