EVERY SATURDAY MORNING we like to take a look at all the best comments left on the site by you lot over the past week.
There’s been a lot of discussion this week about the death of Maeve Binchy, and the travails of the Quinn family – not to mention Judge Mary Devins and her comments about Polish people, expenses of ex-taoisigh, Shell to Sea protests, and of course, the Olympics.
So here, in no particular order, are the standout comments from the week.
A journalist at the New Yorker magazine resigned this week after he admitted making up quotes from Bob Dylan. Declan O’Flaherty was sanguine:
I was talking to Bob about this story and he said he thought “it is an absolute disgrace and a lazy attempt at trying to pretend that I would associate with this person”.I have to say I agree with him.
Meanwhile Peter McKenna quoted a great man on the same subject:
“You can’t believe everything you read on the Internet” — Abraham Lincoln
Ronan Keating’s new video is not for everyone, it seems. Chris Dunphy broke it down:
Some small obseravtions:
1. He could do with a dab of Oil of Olay: Ro-K is starting to age rapidly.
2. That scene at the end: he looks like he was trying to lure himself into the car for a bit of howsyerfather. That was the least surprising aspect of the video – you just *know* he’d love to roide himself.
3. His bathroom tiles are nice – I wonder where he got them.
4. All the stage-school angst and over-emoting in the world won’t make us feel sorry for you – not while you’re nipping around in a Bently that would wipe out a lottery win.
5. The video producer seems to have been a little squeamish about including fire to illustrate fires.
6. The song is vaguely tolerable in a “was-that-in-the-Eurovision?” kinda way.
Chris Whyte had a question about the Quinns and people who criticise them:
Would those people showing negativity towards the quinns be described as anti-cementic?
Ireland may possibly – POSSIBLY – be due some good weather next year. David Murphy was letting bitter experience win out over optimism:
I hope you’re right but I think I’m going to have to adopt position of downtrodden, weary resignation. Every spring I convince myself and anyone who will listen that this year there will be a nice summer. Every year I am disappointed and I don’t think I can take that again. I think I’m going to become a weather pessimist.On that note…the rains this weekend will be worse than predicted.
A 16-year-old woman became the first ever Saudi female athlete to compete at the Olympics during the week. She got knocked out in the judo competition, but John looked at her appearance in a bigger context:
Every movement starts with just one or a small few brave people. There was the lady in Saudi who flouted the local law by driving herself around and caused a stir and now this lady. It may not help them personally but hopefully it might or will change things for future Saudi women.
The world needs more Rosa Parks.
A lot of readers left touching comments about Maeve Binchy who died on Monday night. Ann-Marie Wallis was one:
Wonderful writer and speaker, she always spoke so positively about life. RIP and thank you for all the books and stories you left behind.
Pam Irick described what Maeve’s writing meant to her:
R I P Maeve — I wish I could express my sadness. I have spent countless hours in deep enjoyment of her wonderful books. Deepest condolences to her family and friends, including those of us who were fortunate enough to get to know her a little through her stories. A great loss to the literary world, to be sure.
A 26-year-old looking for a job in social media and marketing put together this unconventional project to get the attention of employers – and with tens of thousands of views, it seems to have worked. Jordan McDonnell got into the comments section beneath the article about him:
I just wanted to thank all the well wishers for their positive feedback. It’s been an exciting week since it all began, and one which has clearly paid off big time. As for the critics, I respect your opinions and thank you for them. The fact remains that this is not my CV (as the Slideshare title suggests), and as such does not outline all the details that a CV would. Instead, this was something I put together as a way to achieve my goal of working in digital marketing and social media. So far it has been working a charm, so I guess I must be doing something right. Thanks again
Unexpected moment of the week: Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran has joined Instagram. Ian Murphy wondered:
Maybe he got confused and thought it was “Islamagram”.
Mattoid said that the Quinn family’s interviews to the media this week merited a whole new word:
Maybe we should introduce a new word to the language – “quinnspin”Definitions please?
Silentbob2012 had this definition:
Quinnspin: def: Side effect of hubris, the denial of responsibility where disastrous financial investments have ramifications affecting a nation. Usually includes attempts to evade creditors by offshoring funds, evading national laws and all while pleading ignorance. May also involve manipulating local support despite national aprobation.
One of our favourite videos this week was this guy getting very VERY excited about spotting a rare train. Andy Murray – probably not that Andy Murray knows what it’s like:
I feel EXACTLY the same way every time I see the 46a
(Video: SNCRwy/YouTube)
Spot any good comments? Email them to christine@thejournal.ie
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