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No thumbs up where you point it out. I click through to the multi shoutbox when I am on a desktop computer which is rare, I can imagine it being utilized, however I feel like it has no real chance to catch on with mobile devices being the present/future.
When you open an older article with new comments it would be good to see some indication of new ones that you haven't read. I've yet to see a website that can do it effectively but it sure would make a difference.