Comments are cool, but I am more interested on you posting more and as offten as you can. I do not know how much the comments are necessary. Keep up the good work.

Hey Andrew,
Your time is best spent if you gather, document and post what is going on in the country. You are one of the few reliable sources. A lot of people and organization relay on you and this website. I don't much care about the comments and don't miss it if it is to be shut down. To be honest, lately it's become repulsive.

I request however you post as frequently as possible - may be twice a day or at least once.

Regards

Hi Andrew,

First off, let me start by saying you're doing a wonderful job at what you are doing right now. My hats off to you. You are ,by the way, our only eyes and ears in Ethiopia covering events as it happens. Please keep on doing extraordinary job that you are doing.

It takes a lot of courage to go out there and do what you are doing where chaos reigns at the moment.

You are the only one and first journalist who blogs and makes photos available to everyone using the world's slowest internet access.

everyone is coming to your site because obviously people don't get any news from other media that is current and relevant.

One thing is true about most Ethiopians. That is, there is lack of respect for others view, comment and opinion. There is lack of open mindedness. unfortuantely, it is a culture built on suspecion and mistrust.Instead of trying to understand what's going in Ethiopia, they come with their mind set on their agenda.

PLEASE KEEP UP THE EXCELLENT WORK. YOU ARE THE MAN.

Thanks

Tyrel

Hey Andrew, comments are not worth having, and I say this as they are bound to get out of hand, as you mentioned.

While we appreciate your posts, we will not forget that you have a daytime job ;) We'd much rather have your reports hit the mainstream media, for better awareness.

Thanks for being our eyes in ADD.

Hi Andrew,

Thank you again for your superb job. Well, I don't agree with flitering comments or shuting them off. The whole idea of blog is to have an open space for any one to have a say on issues on the table. I agree there are extreme comments here and there. But the only way to go is to educate as we blog.

Thanks

You should defiantly delete extreme comments, we have the Ethiopian Review, cyber Ethiopian etc for that

Thanks for the picture of the soldiers in Meskel Square. Such an image speaks loudly to the rest of the world.

Use your best judgement on comments. If the comment is there to annoy other people, take it out. If it's logically argued and brings up serious issues bothering people, you should keep it as it will benefit you and others following this blog, as we all struggle to interpret the meaning of events taking place in Addis and elsewhere in the country.

For example, the following kind of comment from Tyrel is an example of an irrational belief, as the person has given us no hard evidence to support it:

"One thing is true about most Ethiopians. That is, there is lack of respect for others view, comment and opinion. There is lack of open mindedness. unfortuantely, it is a culture built on suspecion and mistrust.Instead of trying to understand what's going in Ethiopia, they come with their mind set on their agenda."

I think you should take these kinds of comments out. These kinds of generalizations are offensive and do not help with clearing up our thoughts on momentous events unfolding in Ethiopia. You should say NO to lame statements.

Hi Andrew,

Thank you for meskelsquare and thanks for the balanced reporting. I know that you have been around in Ethiopia for quite a while now and I assume that you know what really matters to Ethiopians. Please continue the good job of being our reliable eyes and ears.

Suggestion:
If you get overwhelmed by inappropriate comments and if you, as you say, don’t have the time to police the comments posted, please turn the feature off. I wonder if such comments on meskelsquare would not do a disservice to those readers like me who heavily rely on you.

Ruphael (Wash. D.C.)

Take care.

Andrew,

If, as you've mentioned, you've no time to police the site, I'd rather the comments be turned off. I've read your blog avidly for months now, however I must mention, I've found many of the comments made to be either highly offensive or simply annoying. Though I'm not in favor of making this a permanent decision, I'd not want comments made by some of us to detract at all from this website, for it is invaluable.

Thanks for your balanced reporting. It seems too me that you are doing the right thing by not allowing highly offensive comment such as racist or ethnically motivated comments.

Once again keep up the fabulous job!

All the best ,

Joseph

Campbell , CA