I’ve ditched Facebook so I can read the papers
I RESIGNED from Facebook, I joined some time ago, but found the whole thing pointless, as in useless, with useless tittle-tattle gossip, and full of semi-illiterate people.
The friends I had before I joined, I still have them. The strangers who became so-called friends will regress to being strangers again.
How can one become a friend of someone they have never even met, who texts ‘happy birthday’ and adds a yellow small roundy face called a smiley, with the usual ‘thumbs-up’ sign?
‘Farcebook’ becomes an addiction – well it did for me in the time I spent on it. I rushed to the computer first thing in the morning and after dinner before supper and last thing at night, always searching for the response to my input the day before. An egoist’s trip. Satisfied, I then write another page of a poem or a funny verse and wait again for a response, a never-ending hunger for approval.
The crux came when I bought the Sunday paper and laid it down and went on ‘Farcebook’, I read or tried to read it the following Wednesday but my mind was on what was happening elsewhere, what was I missing.
My days held no time for anything else, even though I am retired with all the time in the world, except I hadn’t all the time in the world, it was taken up. Whilst away from Farcebook, I was thinking about who might reply to my last poem or funny story. Now that I am free, I can’t believe how precious my time is to me. It’s like getting back a lost life somehow. I can do the crosswords again and decipher all the news on the papers again.
I have enough addictions in my life without more pointless ones to do battle with on a daily basis.
So it’s goodbye, Farcebook, and hello, the Sunday papers. HOLLY BARRETT, Mallow, Co. Cork.
Brenda is spot on
I AM writing to express my complete admiration for the wonderful journalist Brenda Power.
She has the courage so lacking in our wishy-washy politicians and, dare I say it, judges, to describe things as they really are in this country. Her article on the Tallaght Lidl (Mail, Tuesday) criminal occurrence was so true. I could not disagree with a single word in it as any right-minded person also could not.
Until we adopt a zero tolerance policy and stop spoon-feeding criminals with free legal aid, and also start putting the wasters to work, this country will keep going downhill for the hard-pressed taxpayer.
Well done, Brenda, you have been my hero for a long time.
GAYE O’HARA, Sutton, Co. Dublin.
The Eighth saves life
GIVEN the fact that deletion of the Eighth Amendment will effectively allow innocent children to suffer the death penalty of abortion, I find it strange and inconsistent that those campaigning for repeal of the Eighth are not also calling for the repeal of the Twenty-First Amendment (which bans the death penalty) and the Thirty-First Amendment (which protects children’s rights). MARGARET SIMCOCK,
Navan, Co. Meath.
Meningitis support
MENINGITIS Research Foundation was saddened to hear of the death of a young girl from Navan to suspected meningitis and her cousin being hospitalised with suspected meningitis.
We would like to offer our sincere condolences to her family and friends; our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult time and we are here for them if they would like any support.
Meningitis is the inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord. It shares many of the symptoms of other, more common, everyday illnesses such as the flu or even a hangover. As a result, it is vital that your readers are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of the disease.
Because meningitis develops so quickly, it can be a particularly devastating disease for those affected. It can also have a resounding effect on the surrounding community. Parents should be reassured that most cases of meningitis are isolated. The bacteria that can cause the disease cannot live longer than a few moments outside the human body, so they are not carried on things like clothes or toys. People usually need to be in close or prolonged contact for the bacteria to pass between them.
The MRF supports people affected by this disease through in-depth information and support. We want to make the public aware of the symptoms of meningitis so If anyone would like any further information or feels that they could benefit from talking to someone, please call our free helpline on 1800 413344, our Dublin office on 01 8196931 or visit our website www.meningitis.org.
MONIKA MARCHLEWICZ, Ireland Manager of the Meningitis Research Foundation, 64-66 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1.
A policing mess
ONLY in Ireland would we advertise for a boss of the police with no policing experience required.
I would think that the job of Garda Commissioner is a poisoned chalice anyway, and no matter what the remuneration (€250,000 is a tidy sum) it’s not worth the flak you will get – from all sides. KIERAN McNEILL, by email.