EVERY WEEK, WE take a look at the best comments left by you, our lovely readers, on TheJournal.ie.

As always, the comments have attracted a lot of debate and discussion. This week, you’ve been talking a lot about VAT, JobBridge, flying with Ryanair, the so-called ‘god particle’, emigration, and the bright star that’s been appearing in the skies recently.

So without further ado, here’s our picks for our favourite comments of the week:

Daisy Chainsaw’s description of having to fly with Ryanair struck a chord with a lot of people:

Flying Ryanair is akin to having a smear test. You’d rather not, but sometimes it’s necessary, so you grit your teeth and get on with it.

Cornelius Traas looked at the big picture about the announcement this week from CERN that the Higgs boson – the ‘god particle’ – may or may not exist:

A good news story that will be remembered in a hundred years, long after this recession, and its lessons, are forgotten. Science builds on past advances, politicians forget about them and make the same mistakes again and again.

And speaking of the Higgs boson, Conor Farrell suggested a new law for when commenters mention Bertie Ahern – even when he’s nothing to do with the piece:

I think there should be a new scientific rule called “The Journal’s Law”: As the comments section of an article grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Bertie approaches 1, regardless of the initial nature of the article.

Commenters were divided in a discussion about whether emigration is a good or bad thing. Sunnysweeney gave his own experience:

Emigration isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I left Ireland in the late ’80′s and settled in New York. I gained valuable work experience and exposure to business environments that I could never have got in Ireland at the time. Two years ago, my wife (Irish too) returned to Ireland. We both got work very quickly – and we are using those same skills now here in Ireland. I know lots of (hugely qualified) people who left in the 80′s/90′s and who returned in the last years to raise their families in Ireland – and in the process started new software companies and filled positions in multi-nationals where their highly sought after experience is in demand. So it’s not doom and doom out there folks – if you emigrate, please do use it as an opportunity to ‘skill-up’ – Ireland Inc. will need you in 10 years.

Réada Quinn channelled Oscar Wilde on news that the a second US drone had crashed somewhere it shouldn’t have:

To lose one is unfortunate but to lose two in downright careless!

During a debate about disadvantaged schools, taggers described what it’s like to be a teacher:

walk a mile in the shoes of a teacher in a disadvantaged school mark. i never became a teacher for the money. i love my subject and hope to pass/have passed on my enthusiasm to my students. but to see the vast unfair treatment to disadvantaged schools doesn’t make sense while the private schools get funded. ill put it to you in your terms- not only is your tax paying my wages it also pays the wages of teachers in schools    whose students pay tens of thousands to attend annually. is that maybe making you angry? now imagine instead if your tax helped a disadvantaged child have a few more minutes to get things explained to them one to one, or maybe have an actual breakfast provided to them in the morning,or some help at homework club.
after 4 years in college(and a fine college loan) and 8 years teaching i still earn less than my brother who has a v poor leaving cert to his name.and yes, he still has his job. he made his choice of career path,i chose mine.my tough??
so you see its not about public v private mark. and the gov are only too happy to hear comments like yours.allow the peasants turn on themselves.

Joe Bloggs was unimpressed with Mary Mitchell-O’Connor’s criticisms of the new Call of Duty game. The TD had said that the video game was causing society to become desensitised to violence:

And I suppose it was Monopoly’s fault for desensitising us to mortgaging properties and building loads of houses/hotels.

Norman Hunter thought the government should be reducing VAT, not increasing it:

A vat reduction of say 2% would not reduce prices much but would go along way in giving people hope and that our government does care about its people.The evidence to date shows the opposite.I went Enniskillen yesterday with my father.He is a pensioner and cannot afford the price of his medication in the south.The price in the republic for 3 items 50.48 euro.Price in the north 27.40 euro.The chemist accepted euro and this was the price after conversion.Also the items were the same branded as tge south.The carparks of Tesco,Iceland and Asda had as many southern cars as locals.This will only increase after January.If the minister thinks he will get an extra 670 million from vat i’m to say he’s nuts and should sack whom ever suggested raising vat by 2% in one go.Before someone blames FF or the Troika the agreement between FF and the Troika was a raise of 2% over 2 years.

JobBridge came in for a lot of criticism from readers, but South Dublin explained her positive experience of it:

I’m currently working as a JobBridge intern in a Montessori School. I have many qualifications including an Hons Psychology Degree but cannot get a job. Instead of sitting on my arse at home I decided to get out and do something. I have been volunteeringfor a number of years in my spare time (and still am) but needed more! This internship is, in my opinion, providing me with great experience in working with young children, I am receiving a certain amount of training there and the employees and owner are fantastic! I think it’s far better than sitting around doing and learning nothing! I have a routine which I believe to be very important. With my circumstances (I live at home and have no dependence) the money suits me down to the ground! As I want to continue my studies next year, the experience I gain through this internship will 100% help me get the course I want. It’s a matter of using JobBridge wisely and choosing the right internship which I believe I am doing.
It’s not for everyone but right now, it’s for me!

And finally… Seán Ó Briain, who commented on the article about the bright ‘star’ that’s been appearing in the skies recently had this stunning photo of Jupiter that he’d taken using his telescope:

Not sure if you’re trolling or not – But it’s Jupiter. Here’s a picture from my telescope:http://goo.gl/Y9z2o

It’s not the best, but you get the jist. You can see the 4 moons too with even a pair of binoculars.