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Ground squirrel via Shutterstock

LA park evacuated after squirrel found with deadly plague bacteria

The squirrel was trapped on 16 July and test results revealed on Tuesday that the plague bacteria was present.

A SQUIRREL IN a Los Angeles Park has tested positive for the plague.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the US Forestry Service officials have now evacuated and closed the Broken Blade, Twisted Arrow, and Pima Loops of the Table Mountain Campgrounds where the squirrel was found.

In a routine examination, the squirrel was trapped on 16 July and test results revealed on Tuesday that the plague bacteria was present.

The campsite will be closed for at least seven days as squirrel burrows in the area are dusted for fleas. Further testing of squirrels will be done before the area is re-opened to the public.

“Plague is a bacterial infection that can be transmitted to humans through the bites of infected fleas, which is why we closed affected campgrounds while preventive measures are taken to control the flea population,” said Dr Jonathan E. Fielding, director of public health at Los Angeles County.

“It is important for the public to know that there have only been four cases of human plague in Los Angeles County residents since 1984, none of which were fatal,” he added.

Transmission of plague through flea bites causes bubonic plague, with symptoms including enlargement of lymph glands near the flea bite and rapid onset of fever and chills. Untreated bubonic plague can progress to infection of the blood or lungs, causing pneumonic plague. All forms of the disease can be fatal if not treated. However, most patients respond well to antibiotic therapy.

In the 14th century the world experienced one of the most devastating pandemics in human history with Black Death plague killing between 30 million and 50 million people — about one of every three Europeans.

Read: Scientists crack genetic code of Black Death plague>
More: US farmers fear plague of ‘stink bugs’>
More: Irish researchers trace origins of Black Death>

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56 Comments
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    Mute Jack Cassady
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    May 16th 2017, 12:41 PM

    Here young people just get smashed and don’t bother with the avocado.

    811
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    Mute cortisola
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    May 16th 2017, 1:54 PM

    @Jack Cassady: HOW ANYONE DARE TO ASK THEM TO SAVE !!!!

    167
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    Mute Ciara Kennedy
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    May 16th 2017, 2:53 PM

    @Jack Cassady: extortionate rents and lack of houses available are the main reason people cant afford houses obviously

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    Mute Gulliver Foyle
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    May 16th 2017, 3:16 PM

    @Ciara Kennedy: funny that average house prices and rents have (aside from irregular peaks and troughs) increases at exactly the same rate as the average industrial wage over the last 20 years. Maybe this guy is onto something, that the millennials (who incidentally also have had a longer time to save than their peers from 20 years ago, who bought at a younger age) prefer to spend on advertised crap (iPhones, nespressos, beamers when they should be on a moped, gym when they could go for a walk) than being frugal and planning for the future instead of waking up at 35 and wondering why no-one has given them a house for the wife (wedding cost: €30k) and child they recently had to support.

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    Mute cortisola
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    May 16th 2017, 4:25 PM

    @Gulliver Foyle: All millenials will tel you that iPhones, nespressos, beamers, avocados on toast for $22, etc are basic life features everyone should be able to afford. That’s their world.

    43
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    Mute Ciara Kennedy
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    May 16th 2017, 4:52 PM

    @Gulliver Foyle: what’s your source?maybe your wages have increased but for most people it actually looks like wages have remained flat while rental prices have been soaring. Lack of rental houses have increased demand which means landlords can command a higher price making it harder for people to save.

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    Mute Kevin De Groot
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    May 16th 2017, 6:12 PM
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    Mute cortisola
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    May 16th 2017, 6:13 PM

    @Ciara Kennedy: Damn landlord having our houses and avocados !!

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    Mute Theunpopularpopulist
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    May 16th 2017, 12:48 PM

    While I think it’s a bit rich (pardon the pun) coming from a billionaire he does have a point.

    My generation (myself included) want to have it all.

    There’s a great saying “don’t expect to take off where your parents landed”. I think this rings true.

    My parents had no central heating in their first house and didn’t go on holidays for the first 5 years of their marriage (be that at home or abroad). I was recently moaning to them about how hard it was to have anything to save at the end of the month.

    They then pointed out that I eat out, go out with friends for drinks regularly etc, none of which they did when they were younger.

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    Mute Carl Nolan
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    May 16th 2017, 1:34 PM

    @Theunpopularpopulist: While it’s true young people expect a more comfortable life it’s also true that owning a home nowadays is a totally different bal lgame to back in our parents’ generation. Back then ordinary working class people could buy (albeit with a struggle), now that’s practically impossible, at least in Dublin.

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    Mute John B
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    May 16th 2017, 2:12 PM

    @Carl Nolan: carl, are you telling me a young person who stopped going out, coffees out, no holidays or sky sports etc couldn’t buy a property? Nonsense. Our parents generation scrimped and saved. Also they bought fixer uppers to live in while slowly renovating one room at a time over many years. Nowadays younger people are wooed by marble top kitchens and turnkey properties.

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    May 16th 2017, 2:15 PM

    @Carl Nolan: lol..lol… Carl I think you have missed the point of the whole article. .

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    Mute Ciaran Ó Fallúin
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    May 16th 2017, 4:16 PM

    @John B: My parents bought their house for £30k, for me to buy it now, that would cost €300k+, for the same house, but older…. My point is that the 50+ generation in this country, have told us, we need to pay an obscene price for the same house and want us to sacrifice our ambitions to afford it. We can’t contribute to our own pensions since we are required to sustain their unsustainable pension packages that they arranged for themselves, then denied from us. Make no mistake, I don’t blame any individuals or my parents, but as a generation, they have robbed from their children’s future to get rich today.

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    Mute Brian Henoll
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    May 16th 2017, 8:54 PM

    @Ciaran Ó Fallúin: Take home pay was also far lower back then. Everything is relative.
    And yes, you do have to make sacrifices if you want things in life.

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    Mute Shane Murphy
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    May 16th 2017, 1:10 PM

    The guy is 100% correct

    281
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    Mute Joanna
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    May 16th 2017, 1:13 PM

    @Shane Murphy: indeed. I for one will happily spend 12k a year on avocado.

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    Mute cortisola
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    May 16th 2017, 1:56 PM

    @Shane Murphy: Having an avocado on toast is a basic First World human right !!

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    May 16th 2017, 2:16 PM

    @Joanna: and long may you enjoy it ..just don’t expect to have a house as well.

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello.
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    May 16th 2017, 4:16 PM

    @Steve Austin: It’s a vegetable on a piece of toasted bread. Not friging caviar.

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    Mute James Brown
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    May 16th 2017, 4:49 PM

    @Neal Ireland Hello.: It’s a fruit on a piece of toasted bread. Not a frigging vegetable.

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello.
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    May 16th 2017, 5:00 PM

    @James Brown: Whatever. It’s still one of my five a day.

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    Mute The Guru
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    May 16th 2017, 12:41 PM

    The Australian Bill Cullen. I only pay $15 for my smashed avo and $3.50 for coffee so I’m already #winning

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    Mute Patrick Doyle
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    May 16th 2017, 12:41 PM

    Fat cat spouts an ignorant false equivalency. No mention of income to price ratio which has widened in every western city. No mention of increased immigration/population. No mention of insecure contracts. Out of touch fool.

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    Mute Brendan Hughes
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    May 16th 2017, 12:56 PM

    @Patrick Doyle: it’s the principle of what he is saying is true. Some People spend 20 euro a day on coffee here and then complain about not being paid well enough.

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    Mute thenightmancometh
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    May 16th 2017, 1:14 PM

    @Brendan Hughes: Who the f eck spends €20 a day on coffee?

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    May 16th 2017, 1:34 PM

    @thenightmancometh: Between breakfast, lunch and coffees €20 is very easy. When I was saving to buy a house I certainly wasn’t buying these I brought them in. All the people under 30 are spending this money and complaining about how there rent is too high and they can’t buy. That is the point but I wouldn’t fully support it myself but there is an element of truth.

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    Mute Patrick Doyle
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    May 16th 2017, 2:17 PM

    I don’t believe him. 14 hour days 7 days a week my eye. He had seed money. Did he declare what was given to him? Did he factor in the cash buyers from Asia that Aussies are competing against? Did he factor in the fact the austrakia has become one of the most
    Expensive places in the world when once sit was the cheapest? These guys are frauds

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    Mute Cindy Crawford
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    May 16th 2017, 2:18 PM

    @Brendan Hughes: 20 euro a day on coffee? Get real.

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    Mute Dub_Right
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    May 16th 2017, 2:19 PM

    @Kal Ipers: If no one bought Coffees and Avocado then the coffee shops and fruit sellers will lose their jobs and have no money to buy a house, it’s a vicious circle!

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    Mute Joanna
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    May 16th 2017, 2:23 PM

    @Dub_Right: capitalism is only bad when young people spend money.

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    May 16th 2017, 3:02 PM

    @Dub_Right: You could look at it that way if you aren’t thinking. The person selling you luxury probably already has their house so you are giving him money for luxuries on top of his home. If you can’t afford a home because you buy a luxury regularly that remains your problem. If the person can’t sell you a luxury they close up or more importantly don’t start.

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    Mute Brendan Hughes
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    May 16th 2017, 5:24 PM

    @Cindy Crawford: 20 euro a day on coffee is not unrealistic depening where you live and work. I used to buy 5 cups of coffee a day. 6am 10am 1pm 3pm and 6 pm. At average 2 – 2.50 each that’s 10 to 12.50 a day of cheap service station coffee. Now you take some one working in a city who might have a fancy name achino coffee a few times a day that cost goes way up.

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    May 17th 2017, 12:11 AM

    Coffee just doesn’t hold its value these days. Bit of a leap from that to a beamer, though.

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    May 16th 2017, 1:13 PM

    I think people actively saving for a home forego many things. It’s grand in your twenties to go on lots of holidays and getaways but ridiculously expensive clothes and have expensive tastes in food. Once they want to settle down it does change. You see packed lunches and car pooling and a weekend in Doonbeg rather than Two weeks in the Algarve. That’s two single working people though. It’s impossible for working couples with kids paying rent to save for a house. All the while trying to not deny the kids all the family stuff kids want. Having a roof over your head these days seems to be a privilege these days

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    May 16th 2017, 1:38 PM

    @Catherine Sims: No It isn’t impossible for people to buy it is harder than before. The thing is when many people’s parents were younger only one income was normal so prices reflected this. Things change and changes make more things change

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    May 16th 2017, 2:19 PM

    @Catherine Sims: maybe save and get your house ..THEN have the kids …or perhaps don’t have kids ..it’s not the law to have them.

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    Mute Dermo Germ
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    May 16th 2017, 2:21 PM

    In Elizabeth Warren’s study of the collapse of the middle class in America she compares family expenditure in the seventies to now, adjusted for inflation and her study shows that people spend less on groceries, clothes and extras now than they did in the past. What they’re spending more on is mortgage, credit, Healthcare and second car. The same can be said for any Neo liberal country nowadays.

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    Mute Barry Davidson
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    May 16th 2017, 1:31 PM

    He’s right and wrong. People need to save and go without in order to get the things they want. Personal responsibility needs to be learned. Equally we need to remove unnecessary barriers.

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    Mute cortisola
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    May 16th 2017, 2:03 PM

    @Barry Davidson: Demanding life style is a problem. And there is no good way to face it unfortunately. It is hard to comment really on this article as you may say we are all entitled to everything, aren’t we ?

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    Mute Dub_Right
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    May 16th 2017, 2:27 PM

    Would take a young worker about 5 to 8 years hard saving to get the $34,000 that this rich kid was given by Grandaddy as a gift

    41
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    Mute Termaz Fx
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    May 16th 2017, 4:35 PM

    Youngster needs a new phone (preferably apple/S galaxy) every year – 50eu/month – 600eu a year.
    Youngster cannot be bothered working on a 600eu PC laptop, he needs an apple for 1500eu, because he does graphics, music, cures for cancer and space exploration. This needs to upgraded every few years, because you know its old and stuff.
    In a year there are 261 working days, a lot of youngster around me buy at least one- two take away coffees per day (say 3eu per cup) – 1000-1500eu a year.
    A lot of youngster cannot be bothered with a used car, they need a new one (with a PCP contract), because you know, what will neighbors think if they wont show up their new 171 plates. At least 200eu per month (not even counting the deposits and balloon payments) – 2400 eu a year.
    I know a woman who refused a large discount on a new car because she wanted to wait till January for those fresh plates.
    Btw whats wrong in living with your folks for a few years until you save up for the deposit? This was never an issue with my parents generation.

    Now I’m not saying that each youngster does all of these things, but by dropping this id1otic ‘I want everything now’ attitude any youngster can easily save at least 2000-3000eu a year.

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    Mute Darren Whelan
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    May 16th 2017, 9:07 PM

    @Termaz Fx: all generations are a product of their childhood. that’s why older people tend to hoard (world wars and rationing), empty nesters tend to obsess over house value and their 4×4′s that venture no further than the city limits (as they lived through the recession in the 80s) and millennials could be considered expectant because they were spoilt in the celtic tiger. Of course these are sweeping generalisations, and no one really likes to hear it.

    I know plenty of people of my age (26) and around it who are actively saving towards a house. I think if saving for a house is not your intention then spend your money how you please, support commerce and independent suppliers (a favourite of these hipsters people seem intent on vilifying). It’s interesting however that the same articles don’t exist in relation to 50+ generations that have hoards of money in the credit union, not working for them or the economy. Or of seniors who hoard medications because they only have to pay the prescription fee.

    Basically, all generations have their flaws but wide-reaching unfounded articles like this one help no one.

    PS. if anyone wants to find me a house for 170k in the Dublin suburbs, the amount the banks will give me despite putting away 50% of my wage a week – feel free (and people tell me wage to mortgage ratios are the same – psh!)

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    Mute JustOneScoop
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    May 16th 2017, 1:37 PM

    Man who makes is fortune flipping properties in upwards only property market has opinion on making money in property market…. Lets face it though tbf, Property has become a ridiculous profit focused asset in the last 30 years. It messes with the rest of the normal economic activity we need to move back to Governments providing far more social or affordable housing as was done in decades since WWII.

    38
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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    May 16th 2017, 3:04 PM

    @JustOneScoop: Property speculation is nothing new. The government failed to build sustainable communities and will never build housing like they once did. We are still suffering from the mistakes of the past.

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    Mute Gerry Fallon
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    May 16th 2017, 1:25 PM

    Can you just imagine the TSB question on the application form.”Do you eat smashed advacado on toast?
    What a load bol*x

    37
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    Mute Cindy Crawford
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    May 16th 2017, 2:11 PM

    Whatever happened to marmalade on toast, or just butter when times are hard.

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    Mute Damocles
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    May 16th 2017, 2:22 PM

    @Cindy Crawford: butter? Luxury!

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello.
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    May 16th 2017, 5:06 PM

    @Damocles: They use to give monthly butter vouchers out.

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    Mute Missyb211
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    May 17th 2017, 9:36 AM

    @Cindy Crawford: You were pampered with your butter! Blue Band and jam and if they ran out before the week was out, that was it, the cooking marg came out!

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    Mute Chris Mansfield
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    May 16th 2017, 2:24 PM

    He’s a bit young to be accusing the young people of today of being lazy/wasteful/entitled. Normally you need to be in your 50s or 60s before you start going on like that.

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    Mute Cathal O'Neill
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    May 16th 2017, 2:16 PM

    The average house price in St Kildare is $1.2 million these days, while apartments average at $500k. That’s why this guy is a bullsh!tter. He got at least two lucky breaks to set him on his way. Getting that first seed cash or deposit is a big hurdle for investors

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    Mute Damocles
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    May 16th 2017, 2:15 PM

    If you’re willing to experiment a little in the kitchen you can find far nicer, cheaper and more satisfying meals. Stuffed beef heart for instance.

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello.
    Favourite Neal Ireland Hello.
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    May 16th 2017, 4:15 PM

    can we start with the fact that Avocado Toast is just avocado (one of your government-recommended five a day) on bread that has been toasted?

    16
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    Mute Pat Redmond
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    May 16th 2017, 2:14 PM

    Eddie Hobbs, bless him, taught the taxi to work and bought sandwich brigade how to save.

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    Mute Philip Farrelly
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    May 16th 2017, 12:40 PM

    G’an

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    Mute Sean
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    May 16th 2017, 10:50 PM

    A lot of commenters have gotten hung up on the avocado on toast comment. Obviously if you bought the avocado and bread in a supermarket it wouldn’t be a luxury purchase. His gripe was with people paying $19 for same in upmarket restaurant.

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    Mute Missyb211
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    May 17th 2017, 9:38 AM

    If all young people could get a loan like that to start them out and your boss financially backing your first attempt as self employment to get you on the ladder, sure they’d all make a go of it.

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    Mute Ger Kelly
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    May 17th 2017, 7:42 AM

    Reading this article and slowly clawing/saving a 20% deposit made me lose my appetite (pushing away my fois gras, cavier, filet mignon)

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    Mute Alison Maguire
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    May 17th 2017, 4:44 PM

    Its the Enda Enda

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    Mute seamus mcdermott
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    May 20th 2017, 8:46 PM

    Look, if you don’t spend, the economy will tank. If the economy tanks, then housing prices will fall. Everyone will be out of work, because the economy has tanked. So nobody will be able to afford a house. The banks will take them all back.
    We’ll be right back in the 1850s.
    Thanks for the advice, though, ye horses rear end.

    1
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