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A soldier patrols in front of Notre Dame cathedral AP/Press Association Images

Security bolstered on a subdued Christmas Eve in Paris

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has sought to reassure visitors and put a brave face on the economic damage.

IT WAS A SUBDUED Christmas Eve in Paris today, with tourist numbers down, security bolstered at shops and churches, and locals still on edge after last month’s jihadist attacks.

Heavily armed soldiers patrolled outside the iconic Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores in the city centre, still doing a brisk last-minute Christmas trade but notably less crowded than usual.

“It’s a lot quieter,” said taxi driver Belkassem. “I feel bad for the hotels and restaurants because there are a lot fewer tourists in town this year and this is a crucial time of year for them.”

The famous “bateaux-mouches” boats that carry millions of tourists each year along the Seine have reported a 15-30% drop in business since the attacks of 13 November, which left 130 dead and hundreds injured.

Paris – the world’s most-visited city – has naturally taken the worst blow in the wake of last month’s attacks, with flight reservations down nearly a third compared with a year earlier.

Tourist guide Cecile Reverdy, who translates mostly for Chinese visitors, described a massive fall in business from some countries.

“There are around 30% less Chinese – only 30% because the Chinese are pretty daring,” she told French television. “But for other languages, in Japanese or American, there is a drop of practically 80%.”

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has sought to reassure visitors and put a brave face on the economic damage.

“Of course there are worries and we will never forget the victims, but activity is restarting,” she said recently.

Heightened church security

The government has warned that Christmas church services “could constitute targets of exceptional symbolic force”.

Unprecedented security checks have been put in place at many of France’s 50,000 churches, with bags checked and visitors asked to open their coats to check for guns or explosive vests.

At Strasbourg cathedral in eastern France, a military contingent was set to guard the Christmas midnight mass, where attendance will be strictly limited and the doors locked once the service starts.

France only narrowly escaped a church attack earlier this year, when a 24-year-old Algerian, Sid Ahmed Ghlam, accidentally shot himself in the leg.

Police discovered an arsenal of weapons, tactical gear and jihadist documents in Ghlam’s car and student flat, as well as detailed plans to attack churches in the Paris suburb of Villejuif.

But the atmosphere of fear could nonetheless boost attendance.

“The Sundays after the attacks of 13 November, we saw more people in our churches. People had a need to look inwards, to reflect on life and society,” said Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, spokesman for the Conference of French Bishops.

A total of 120,000 police and soldiers will be on guard and patrol duty to protect Christmas celebrations across the country, officials said.

Read: Employee pockets €20,000 dropped by ambassador in an airport and gets arrested

Read: Man (29) arrested over Paris attacks as raids continue across France

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    Mute Gavin Mckenna
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:13 PM

    Your Mas… so fat when she fell down the stairs I thought Eastenders was beginning!

    320
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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:21 PM

    Your Mamas so fat, she tripped over the wireless internet.

    137
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:30 PM

    Your Ma’s so ugly, the tide wouldn’t take her out

    97
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    Mute Dave!
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:33 PM

    Yo mamma so fat she jumped up in the air and got stuck……

    93
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    Mute Kieran Stafford
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:39 PM

    Your mama so stupid she got knocked down by a parked car

    72
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    Mute Kieran Stafford
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:40 PM

    Your mamas teeth so big I don’t know weather to smile at her or kick a field goal

    25
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    Mute Brian Farrell
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:41 PM

    Your mama’s so fat when she hauls ass she has to make two trips.

    79
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    Mute michael o brien
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:59 PM

    You won’t be popular around here,popcorn time

    73
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    Mute michael o brien
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    Aug 12th 2016, 11:18 PM

    Tumbleweed

    53
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    Mute Paul Beggan
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    Aug 12th 2016, 11:47 PM

    Your Momma’s so fat she’s got smaller fat ladies orbiting her…

    58
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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Aug 12th 2016, 11:56 PM

    Your Mom’s an extra on The Simpsons.

    6
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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Aug 13th 2016, 12:02 AM

    jaysus chlrines cut that msg by half and its still too long

    64
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    Mute Kieran Stafford
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    Aug 13th 2016, 12:03 AM

    I will take your mama out for a nice steak dinner then never call her again

    23
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    Mute Chlorines72
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    Aug 13th 2016, 12:18 AM

    Your mama never complained about it being too long.

    24
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    Mute Chlorines72
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    Aug 13th 2016, 12:19 AM

    @Jester

    9
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    Mute Val
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    Aug 13th 2016, 1:53 AM

    Best comment on this article, too bad you got down voted by all the Hill bots!

    13
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    Mute JMac
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    Aug 13th 2016, 2:02 AM

    K Stafford. “Whether” What has the weather got to do with it?

    7
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    Mute EdmundOrlando
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    Aug 13th 2016, 2:24 AM

    Can’t believe I read through that shite.

    39
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    Mute Chlorines72
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    Aug 13th 2016, 2:35 AM

    You could have stopped reading after the first sentence .

    I bet you laughed your balls off.

    The truth can be painful..

    ..ly funny.

    8
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    Mute justanothertaxpayer
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    Aug 13th 2016, 3:09 AM

    Did you really have to ruin a joke thread with your political ramble though?
    Party pooper. Post it somewhere else sometime

    31
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    Mute Chlorines72
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    Aug 13th 2016, 3:13 AM
    4
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    Mute Colm Flaherty
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    Aug 13th 2016, 6:20 AM

    Jesus Christ, that’s a bloody horrific conspiracy theory laden “joke”, more like propaganda in joke form. BullS***, every word.

    29
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    Mute simon o flaherty
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    Aug 13th 2016, 6:35 AM

    Hopefully someone will run as a “none of the above” candidate ala brewsters millions, as they are both awful people.

    8
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    Mute TellingItAsItIs
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    Aug 13th 2016, 7:41 AM

    Somebody give Chlorine his banjo back.

    18
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    Mute michael o brien
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    Aug 13th 2016, 8:33 AM

    Oh dear,

    2
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    Mute Jimmy Berg
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    Aug 13th 2016, 10:14 AM

    Yo mamás so fat, when she walks past the TV I miss a whole episode.

    4
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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Aug 13th 2016, 8:43 PM
    1
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    Mute luke sarpish
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:19 PM

    Your mama so fat when she sat on Tesco, she lowered the prices.

    102
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    Mute Dave!
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:34 PM

    Yo mamma so fat, she got bit by a vampire an he got type 2 diabetes.

    50
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    Mute Brian Farrell
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:42 PM

    You mama’s so fat she’s still dragging her ass out of bed.

    28
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    Mute Kieran Stafford
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:46 PM

    Your mamas so fat her blood type is ragoo

    36
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    Mute Brian Farrell
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:50 PM

    Your mama’s so fat when her kacks are around her ankles her ass is still in them.

    33
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    Mute Brian Farrell
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:54 PM

    Your momma is that cat she got arrested in Dublin airport for drug smuggling. Turns out she had 4lbs of crack in her kickers.

    13
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    Mute Dec Rowe
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    Aug 12th 2016, 11:01 PM

    Your mommas so fat her belt buckle spells equator.

    15
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    Mute Phil Magee
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    Aug 13th 2016, 8:15 AM

    yo momma so fat she has smaller fat women in orbit around her

    1
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    Mute Phil Magee
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    Aug 13th 2016, 8:16 AM

    yo momma so fat, when she walked out in front of my car and i swerved to avoid her, i ran out of petrol

    4
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    Mute Phil Magee
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    Aug 13th 2016, 8:17 AM

    your ma is so fat she needs a boomerang to put on her belt

    2
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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Aug 13th 2016, 3:23 PM

    I’m sure all your mothers are very proud of you all after reading these comments.

    1
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    Mute Brian Farrell
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    Aug 13th 2016, 9:38 PM

    Your mothers so proud after getting you a sense of humour bypass operation.

    1
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    Mute Blind Faith
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    Aug 12th 2016, 11:27 PM

    Surprised he hasn’t used the ‘N’ word in one of his bullying rants. . . yet.
    The world is broken & Trump & his ilk are making things worse.

    65
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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Aug 13th 2016, 3:23 PM

    Give him a minute.

    1
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    Mute Lynne Anthony
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:25 PM

    how presidential of him

    45
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    Mute Noel Ryan
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    Aug 12th 2016, 11:57 PM

    Had my pension reviewed today. Financial advisor said if Trump gets in and angers someone like China, I may not be around like the rest of us to avail of it when I retire.

    20
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:13 PM

    Every time my 7 year old daughter sees Hilary Clinton on the TV she can’t stop laughing.
    I asked her why.
    She replied:
    ‘Dad, she has the same hair as the dinner lady in school’.

    41
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    Mute Gerard McAuliffe
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    Aug 13th 2016, 12:01 AM

    She must be apoplectic when she sees Trump’s hair then.

    43
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    Mute Philip Gerard
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    Aug 13th 2016, 12:38 AM

    My daughter laughs at Trump’s hair and says it reminds her of the orangutan at the zoo.

    32
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 13th 2016, 12:44 AM

    My daughter won’t go to the zoo.
    Or the circus.
    She loves animals too much.

    12
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    Mute Boganity
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    Aug 13th 2016, 2:39 PM

    Really…that sounds like parent values transfer to me

    2
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    Mute matthew boland
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:17 PM

    I think the teenage boy was generally referring to “your mother” in a different context. Trump is still a mad man though!

    39
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:30 PM

    Hilary is just a front for Wall Street.
    Working class America has suffered terrible hardship and deprivation during Obama’s tenure as President.
    George Bush was wrong.
    Seems you can fool the people twice. Or three times.

    39
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    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
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    Aug 13th 2016, 7:58 AM

    Obama’s plan all along was to make the lower class whites show some of the same social problems as the minorities have had to deal with for a very long time ..Social problems like,out-of-wedlock births,drug abuse,not owning a home, etc.
    But of course Don the Con will sort all of this out by giving those people jobs at all of his hotels..Don the Con has promised not to steal gratuities from his waiting staff anymore,,Don the Con has also promised not to hire overseas cheap workers over the locals anymore..Don the Con has promised to pay the people who do jobs for him,the money that he owes them from now on ..

    Don the Con will make America bigly again..

    4
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    Mute Stephen Mc Elligott
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:46 PM

    The journals anti trump agenda continues. “Hillary for president because she’s pro all the social changes that the underground hippies like us want. We don’t care that she’ll start World War III or broke the law just as long as she keeps changing laws that let us all use whatever bathroom we want that’s all that matters. “

    34
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    Mute Philip Gerard
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    Aug 13th 2016, 12:14 AM

    Media anti-Trump agenda me hole. He’s says the ignorant things consistently. He’s an embarrassment to himself and America. His followers are ignorant, racist knuckle draggers. Period.

    42
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    Mute Val
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    Aug 13th 2016, 1:54 AM

    Doesn’t make Hillary a better candidate though, sticking up for her is just moronic

    11
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    Mute Neal not Neil
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    Aug 13th 2016, 7:26 AM

    Stephen what’s your concern here? That the Jpurnal’s audience, almost none of whom have a vote in the U.S., will decide not to vote for him?

    8
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    Mute John Reese
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:42 PM

    I’m loving this Trump…remarks sending the PC brigade into a head spin

    31
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    Mute TellingItAsItIs
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:22 PM

    Complete knacker!

    30
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:27 PM

    Actually, when you study The Donald closely he has a superb sense of timing and knows how to play a crowd.
    Also.
    Anyway, I can’t believe it has escaped the Journal’s attention that there is war going on in the Obama household after Malia was caught twerking and smoking pot at the Lollapalooza festival.
    Guess this is what happens when the parents are too ‘Liberal’ in their approach to parenting.
    http://nypost.com/2016/08/10/malia-obama-appears-to-be-smoking-pot-at-lollapalooza/

    29
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    Mute Paddy Ryan
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:49 PM

    Legal in that state dude…Besides even 22 time Olympic Gold medal winners smoke…

    46
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    Mute Armin Tamzarian
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:49 PM

    the biggest shock about that story is a teenager raised in the white house turns out to be similar to a regular teenager!

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    Mute Jane Austen
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    Aug 12th 2016, 11:52 PM

    Joey Westland:Jaysus, did you even look at the picture? That joint is literally an optical illusion. It’s the woman in the backgrounds glasses!

    19
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    Mute Philip Gerard
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    Aug 13th 2016, 1:04 AM

    It’s not legal in Illinois. Only with a prescription, and I don’t think she has cataracts.

    6
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    Mute Neal not Neil
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    Aug 13th 2016, 7:29 AM

    It’s not for you to decide whether or not she should be prescribed it. You are not her doctor.

    5
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    Mute Life in no motion
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:36 PM

    Yo Mamas so stupid she was yelling into the mailbox. We ask her whats she doing and she said, she was sending a voice-mail.

    28
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    Mute jane
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:20 PM

    What an eegit

    27
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    Mute Sean Lynch
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    Aug 12th 2016, 10:25 PM

    Let me get this right, so cheating tax the least is the formula for being a President? Backhanders excluded. It’s like asking which turd smells the best.

    22
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    Mute mr magoo
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    Aug 13th 2016, 12:00 AM

    Your mama’s so fat, she sells shade

    20
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    Mute John O'Regan
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    Aug 12th 2016, 11:32 PM

    It’ll be some buzz if trump gets to be president, the next few years will be highly entertaining me thinks.

    18
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    Mute Dave Harris
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    Aug 13th 2016, 12:52 AM

    Guessing where the next mushroom clouds come from will be great craic

    23
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    Mute Rory Dunne
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    Aug 13th 2016, 5:51 AM

    Your ma’s so fat she’s on both sides of the family

    12
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    Mute Fintan Oflaois
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    Aug 13th 2016, 6:06 AM

    Trump’s ma can’t have been too fussy about who she let ride her. Bill Maher has suggested that the actual father of her child was an orangutan, since only genes from one of them could account for The Donald’s hair. Trump has still failed to produce a birth certificate to prove otherwise.

    On a more serious note, the Economist’s respected expert George Lucas has found very disrurbing links between Trump and Russian money. It is indeed disturbing to think that a man who wants to be POTUS might actually be what Lenin calloed a “useful fool” and subject tyo manipulation by the new Stalin, Validimr Putler: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3738302/Is-Trump-Russian-agent-Kremlinologist-presents-tantalising-disturbing-dossier-presidential-hopeful-closer-links-Kremlin-appear.html

    10
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    Mute Brian Ó Coigligh
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    Aug 12th 2016, 11:34 PM

    What a hero

    9
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    Mute Neal not Neil
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    Aug 13th 2016, 7:24 AM

    Here’s a mad idea. How about the media start analysing his policies?

    7
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    Mute Fintan Oflaois
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    Aug 13th 2016, 7:35 AM

    He has policies???? LOL

    15
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Aug 13th 2016, 9:28 AM

    His childcare policy doesn’t help the poorest families as it’s a tax credit. His “death tax” policy only effects those with an estate of $5million (if single) $11million (if married) upon death. His wall is stupid. His tax brackets will squeeze as lower and middle earners as it will benefit because when you get rid of a tax bracket some will pay more and some will pay less but it will be all good for the high earners. Pence wants every word of the Bible taught as fact, he’s anti-abortion (Trump is too), he’s anti-same sex marriage.

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Aug 13th 2016, 3:29 PM

    Dave that’s the scariest comment I’ve read. If he does get in and gets through even half of those policies America will go down the plug hole. The Journal should do an article about his policies rather than his attention getting outbursts. Bible as the truth? Please.

    2
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