Off Topic thread *time to say goodbye*

DM_7

ShawnRaven wrote: »

Armagh to help set up the cisco switch for a few extra bodies who were joining.
Hated the place (Armagh town) so much, never saw a place so quiet at 5pm when we were leaving. Couldn't wait to get the home.

I think i will be avoiding Armagh town.

amacachi

DM-ICE wrote: »

I never said it was efficient,nor did i try and defend its efficiency. I said we should be improving the services offerd and its efficiency.

I also said having a well staffed public sector is not as expensive as it appears.

As far as the "imports" go, if nobody buys petrol all people working in the industry in ireland would have no job, if nobody buys cars where do all the mechanics go, if nobody goes on holiday what happens to people working in travel agents, what happens our people working for airlines, no spending on expensive food (which can be Irish and nothing to do with imports) means nobody stacking shelves meaning more dole money. Funnily enough the more that end up on the dole the more people that will have to work in social welfare offices processing claims and the more pople that will have to be hired to work on projects to decrease the dole claims and increase jobs.

Where will all the Vat and Income tax that results from these purchases end up? Back in the exchequer. Where is the dole funded from? Oh yeah the exchequer.

Your post also indicated all public service workers waste thier money on frivelous purchases which is a opinion i wouldn't share. A small percentage of this work force can actually afford these types of purchases. In fact families relying in the dole in many cases have less real expenses than workers with families in all sectors, no need for a car to travel long distances to work, no need for child care, no need to pay medical expenses etc.

So you agree that it's inefficient? Christ we agree, I just picking up on some of the language you used which suggested you had little idea bout economics, which you do actually seem to have a bit of now you've replied a couple more times. All's I'm saying is that there's some people in the civil service we may as well be paying the dole to and as much money will stay in the government's coffers. If the public sector is so great why don't the government hire everyone? But we both know what happens then.

DM_7

amacachi wrote: »

So you agree that it's inefficient? Christ we agree, I just picking up on some of the language you used which suggested you had little idea bout economics, which you do actually seem to have a bit of now you've replied a couple more times. All's I'm saying is that there's some people in the civil service we may as well be paying the dole to and as much money will stay in the government's coffers. If the public sector is so great why don't the government hire everyone? But we both know what happens then.

At around 10.30 i posted

DM-ICE wrote: »

They need to reform the system to offer new services and increase efficiencies rather than reduce numbers

That indicated they needed to keep the numbers up (Not keep specific people, useless people should be weeded out of course) and improve the efficiency. It should also be offering new services to support private workers and jobs.

Yes there are inefficiencies because of bad management by senior civil service managers and an uncooperative powerful unions. I still think the numbers are not the issue, there are problems with the quality of work some of them offer and they should be removed and replaced with the talented people without work.

The public sector already has over 350,000 employees, the civil service is less than a seventh of that. Ireland needs to address the number of people out of work rather than the ones already in employment.

To me your own language about public sector workers spending the money they earn indicated you didn't understand how the government got the cash back, how it supported private jobs and the balance it offers the economy.

amacachi

DM-ICE wrote: »

At around 10.30 i posted


That indicated they needed to keep the numbers up (Not keep specific people, useless people should be weeded out of course) and improve the efficiency. It should also be offering new services to support private workers and jobs.

Yes there are inefficiencies because of bad management by senior civil service managers and an uncooperative powerful unions. I still think the numbers are not the issue, there are problems with the quality of work some of them offer and they should be removed and replaced with the talented people without work.

The public sector already has over 350,000 employees, the civil service is less than a seventh of that. Ireland needs to address the number of people out of work rather than the ones already in employment.

I'm not too sure what jobs they can create tbh. Sure there's the whole getting-people-back-into-work kick, but FÁS could probably do with a kick up the arse before getting any more workers thrown at it. I suppose they can do what they did in an office opened about 2 years ago. I was signed up to publicjobs.ie and got an alert, can't remember what the office was but there were 11 in this new place, 4 COs, 1 EO and the rest above EO. Think it was an SEI office now I think about it. So all those highly-paid admin staff into a new job. I can't imagine what kind of highly-important paperwork they'd be handling that the lower-paid workers couldn't. There'll always be too many jobs for the boys in the civil and public services, and along with the unions there'll probably be very little done to make a meaningful effort to fix it.

DM_7

amacachi wrote: »

I'm not too sure what jobs they can create tbh. Sure there's the whole getting-people-back-into-work kick, but FÁS could probably do with a kick up the arse before getting any more workers thrown at it. I suppose they can do what they did in an office opened about 2 years ago. I was signed up to publicjobs.ie and got an alert, can't remember what the office was but there were 11 in this new place, 4 COs, 1 EO and the rest above EO. Think it was an SEI office now I think about it. So all those highly-paid admin staff into a new job. I can't imagine what kind of highly-important paperwork they'd be handling that the lower-paid workers couldn't. There'll always be too many jobs for the boys in the civil and public services, and along with the unions there'll probably be very little done to make a meaningful effort to fix it.

There is the bad managment.

As you mentioned there are plenty of staff doing nothing in the HSE, get rid of them. Replace them with people who could offer a new service to workers. The numbers employed in the public sector stays the same but the service offerd to the public improves. Ireland needs new swrvices to be offered within the spending already outlayed in the public service.

Lets say they offer child care to working parents or other schemes to make working more affordable. This would mean irish people could work for less wages as they wouldn't be forking out on child care or another service. This means ireland again becomes more attractive for foreign companies as the wages they have to offer is reduced.

If working was of benefit to people in the Republic the company looking after the tolls wouldn't have to be up north where wages are lower.

amacachi

DM-ICE wrote: »

There is the bad managment.

As you mentioned there are plenty of staff doing nothing in the HSE, get rid of them. Replace them with people who could offer a new service to workers. The numbers employed in the public sector stays the same but the service offerd to the public improves. Ireland needs new swrvices to be offered within the spending already outlayed in the public service.

Lets say they offer child care to working parents or other schemes to make working more affordable. This would mean irish people could work for less wages as they wouldn't be forking out on child care or another service. This means ireland again becomes more attractive for foreign companies as the wages they have to offer is reduced.

If working was of benefit to people in the Republic the company looking after the tolls wouldn't have to be up north where wages are lower.

And again the wages are another problem. The government has massive control over the average wage. And of course the higher the wages, the higher the cost of living and even the higher the dole has to be. It applies to teachers etc. as well, no matter how bad you are at your job you'd have to either rape or beat someone up to get fired, and your pay goes up every year. Obviously Labour will probably be looking for pay increases since inflation isn't an issue at the moment, just to try and keep prices up and increase wages even further ahead of Europe.
And I don't care what anyone says, wages and tax are by far the most important things to companies investing in other countries, not bloody education!

DM_7

Whats the story with the bank holidays? Next Monday is a holiday in GB but we have a Bank holiday the next week. Anyone know why this happens. I'd google it but i don't know what to google......

amacachi

Why what? Why ours are on different days? Scotland and Northern Ireland have some of their's on different days to England and Wales too. They were just set by different Governments depending on Church Holidays etc. AFAIK.

ShawnRaven

amacachi wrote: »

Why what? Why ours are on different days? Scotland and Northern Ireland have some of their's on different days to England and Wales too. They were just set by different Governments depending on Church Holidays etc. AFAIK.

This, pretty much!
Germany have a weird set of bank holidays too, they get something like six holidays in the period of about 2 months or something.

amacachi

ShawnRaven wrote: »

This, pretty much!
Germany have a weird set of bank holidays too, they get something like six holidays in the period of about 2 months or something.

Japan have 4 in a week I think, Golden Week I think it's called. Remember back when I'd have to wait an extra week for new Animé episodes because of it. :P

pingu_girl

"hic"

This is Beetle Juice, he is a strange midget


and this is his song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XhGQisD040

/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XhGQisD040

ShawnRaven

What a week it has been! Check this out for a hectic schedule

Sunday - Teaching practice. Shawn gets his first stab at teaching after never doing it before, after spending the guts of two days prior to it preparing a the lesson (and having a near meltdown in the process. It was a pass, but there was plenty of room for improvement.

Monday - ICT Case Study exam. After not even getting a chance to draw a breath, i then have to study further. Although i eventually nailed it, i was then drained afterwards.

Tuesday, I'm informed that a close family friend passes on at the age of 76. Funeral arrangements to be confirmed

Wednesday - I try to start work on my taught lessons class for Saturday, but nothing is coming to me.

Thursday - I have a rough layout for the class drawn up, then i attend the removal. I get back for about 6pm and end up having the entire two hour lesson prepared by the time 4am hits.

Friday - funeral, and then work begins on the exercise sheets, worked examples and organising all my forms. Then the printer goes and runs out of one of the toners, leaving me high and dry. Thankfully the inkjet buried at the bottom of the wardrobe still works and although it takes it's sweet time, it does the job. Work finishes at about 3am and i'm barely able to keep awake.

Today - Wake at 10.30am and get the last minute prep for the lesson which is at 2pm. Panic sets in, i've got as much as i could possibly do, i get to the college to find the room i was supposed to prepare for has been changed for a smaller room with inadequete lighting for the presentation, and half of the PC's cannot log into the network! 13.55 and i'm nearly in a panic, but i get 5 PC's going for the amount of students that I need. And it goes off, with the only exception that it ended 10 minutes early.

Final assessment: "Professional lesson, well done".

I'm glad it's all over from the teaching practice/taught lessons aspect. Guess what i'm going to spend all day tomorrow doing folks?

Yup, sleeping!
Final exam at the end of June. Bring it, says teh Raven.

Diabhal Beag

TEH VOLVO OCEAN RACE 2008/2009-Galway Style
Report by Little Shyte

-It was cold
-It was late
-It was dark
-The boats were slow
-Did I mention it was cold?
-Knackers kept throwing cans at small children
-Bongs were visible

Overall I'd give it a 6/10

ShawnRaven

Should have stayed in and watch Leinster/Leicester Heineken cup final.
Now THAT was worth watching, caught it in a bar right after my taught lessons.

flahavaj

ShawnRaven wrote: »

Should have stayed in and watch Leinster/Leicester Heineken cup final.
Now THAT was worth watching, caught it in a bar right after my taught lessons.

I though you hated rugby!?

Something about grown men sticking their heads between each others legs or something?:p

Very good tense match though all the same. That O' Driscoll fella must be the finest international sportsman we have, if not ever. Always performs on the big occasion, always puts his body on the line beyond the call of duty and blessed with God given skills to boot.

amacachi

Christ James Beam, you have me hungover. :P

ShawnRaven

flahavaj wrote: »

I though you hated rugby!?

Something about grown men sticking their heads between each others legs or something?:p

I do, i still can't stand it. But i had no choice in the matter, and the first half nearly put me to sleep (of course, i was fairly tired anyway), but the second half was a true cliffhanger.

Very good tense match though all the same. That O' Driscoll fella must be the finest international sportsman we have, if not ever. Always performs on the big occasion, always puts his body on the line beyond the call of duty and blessed with God given skills to boot.

Gotta give the guy credit, he looked in bits when he took that knock halfway through the second half, but he really sucked it up.

OrtonViper

Well if I haven't already said it 24 is awesome.

DM_7

OrtonViper wrote: »

Well if I haven't already said it 24 is awesome.

You are correct. 24 is awesome.

ShawnRaven

Threw on the release candidate of Windows 7 just there, direct upgrade from Vista, went on with no problems, no mess and no fuss. Will need to play around but there's a few things been moved around and whatnot. Does seem to run faster than Vista which is always a good thing.

amacachi

ShawnRaven wrote: »

Threw on the release candidate of Windows 7 just there, direct upgrade from Vista, went on with no problems, no mess and no fuss. Will need to play around but there's a few things been moved around and whatnot. Does seem to run faster than Vista which is always a good thing.

Would be tempted to try it if I didn't have the Leaving Cert starting next week. Still don't know what English novels I'm going to do. :P

ShawnRaven

amacachi wrote: »

Would be tempted to try it if I didn't have the Leaving Cert starting next week. Still don't know what English novels I'm going to do. :P

Be wary when you're doing an upgrade as opposed to a clean install. It makes all your files read-only! Just discovered this now and changing the attributes as i type this.

amacachi

When I do get around to changing my OS I'll more than likely reformat the harddrive. Toshibas seem to all split the harddrive into two, one drive being a recovery one, which is just annoying. Having said that I don't know how to fix it, I only work with stuff on computers that is in colour.

That last sentence reads terribly.

ShawnRaven

amacachi wrote: »

When I do get around to changing my OS I'll more than likely reformat the harddrive. Toshibas seem to all split the harddrive into two, one drive being a recovery one, which is just annoying. Having said that I don't know how to fix it, I only work with stuff on computers that is in colour.

That last sentence reads terribly.

Partition Magic is your friend! It turns your hard drive into nice coloured bars to allow you to split or join!

amacachi

ShawnRaven wrote: »

Partition Magic is your friend! It turns your hard drive into nice coloured bars to allow you to split or join!

I shall bear that in mind. Unfortunately both drives are full of stuff I don't plan to delete, and I'm just not arsed burning DVDs right now. :P Really have to get an external harddrive soon.

ShawnRaven

amacachi wrote: »

I shall bear that in mind. Unfortunately both drives are full of stuff I don't plan to delete, and I'm just not arsed burning DVDs right now. :P Really have to get an external harddrive soon.

I think we had this conversation before... deja vu comin' on!

amacachi

ShawnRaven wrote: »

I think we had this conversation before... deja vu comin' on!

Yeah, just hoping I remember this time. :P

In other news, I love Harp. :pac: Could do with some Pringles to with it though.

ShawnRaven

amacachi wrote: »

Yeah, just hoping I remember this time. :P

In other news, I love Harp. :pac: Could do with some Pringles to with it though.

Harp? That sh*t's gotta be the most vile piss i ever had the misfortune to drink!
(and i've drank Bavaria!)

amacachi

ShawnRaven wrote: »

Harp? That sh*t's gotta be the most vile piss i ever had the misfortune to drink!
(and i've drank Bavaria!)

Seriously? I like it, maybe it's just because it was brewed within site up til recently. Obviously there's better around but not for the price, don't like any of the 6 for 7 quid beers alas.

ShawnRaven

amacachi wrote: »

Seriously? I like it, maybe it's just because it was brewed within site up til recently. Obviously there's better around but not for the price, don't like any of the 6 for 7 quid beers alas.

On that note.
Exactly one month to the day since i've given up drink.
C'MOOON!