Boards.ie is obsessed with the Public Sector

Flamed Diving

DeVore wrote: »

Flaming_Diving, I think you will like this.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=63322910

Basically it shows that a year ago the number of posts on Boards containing the phrase "Public Sector" over a year ago was hovering around a miniscule amount of about 0.01%.

In the last 12 months it has risen to a significant 1% of the posts on Boards!

I'm not sure what that proves other then that the general public has become engaged with the topic but as a great man once said "That is yet another example of something".

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=63322910

DeV.

So, this hundredfold increase takes us from a forum that was "not at all interested in the public sector" to "being interested in a very popular news item". Hmm, not quite the same as an "obsession" now, is it?

Flamed Diving

imme wrote: »

I feel utterly vindicated.:cool:lol
What about threads where people say PS or civil service or public servants instead of "Public Sector", as you say that's yet another example of something.

Why? Clearly the forum is not obsessed, lest we would have seen double-digit rates. Instead we find that one in a hundred threads started are about the one topic that dominates the front pages of every newspaper in the country.

Woop-tee-doo.


Just admit you made a silly over-reaction and feel thoroughly ashamed and we might forgive you.

imme

Flamed Diving wrote: »

Why? Clearly the forum is not obsessed, lest we would have seen double-digit (1) rates. Instead we find that one in a hundred threads started are about the one topic that dominates the front pages of every newspaper in the country. (2)

Woop-tee-doo.


Just admit you made a silly over-reaction and feel thoroughly ashamed and we might forgive you.(3)

(1) it's gone from 0.01% to 1%, a ten fold increase. colossal increase
(2) what evers on the front of the papers, have we no minds of our own?:D

(3) you're very gracious. Thanks.:D

ardmacha

it's gone from 0.01% to 1%, a ten fold increase. colossal increase

Perhaps what they say about maths education in Ireland is true.

It's a big increase, the topic dominates in forums where it is appropriate anyway, I await a "does the PS eat mustard" thread.

imme

ardmacha wrote: »

Perhaps what they say about maths education in Ireland is true.

It's a big increase, the topic dominates in forums where it is appropriate anyway, I await a "does the PS eat mustard" thread.

true it's a 100% increase, mustard indeed

nesf

imme wrote: »

true it's a 100% increase, mustard indeed

No!!!

A 100% increase would be going from 0.01% to 0.02% of posts!

Flamed Diving

imme wrote: »

(1) it's gone from 0.01% to 1%, a ten fold increase. colossal increase
(2) what evers on the front of the papers, have we no minds of our own?:D

(3) you're very gracious. Thanks.:D

1) No, it really isn't when you have an education. Observe:

1-10 = Ten fold increase 1
10-100 = Ten fold increase 2
100-1000 = Ten fold increase 3
1000-10000 = Ten fold increase 4

So, given a small starting figure, a tenfold increase requires merely nine units, versus the 9,000 unit difference required in the last increase. If this were a function, it would be concave, with tiny increases (X) at the beginning leading to tenfold increases (Y), but to get more tenfold increases requires ever higher inputs.

Perhaps the easiest analogy for this is peoples postcounts. Oh, how we relished the first tenfold increase! The second tenfold increase wasn't too long in waiting, given our obsessive PS posting! Imme, you may notice that your third tenfold increase is taking its time. I know my fourth tenfold increase has been taking ages! Why is that?

2) Sigh. The news (think of what that word means) tends to reflect the zeigeist, imme. Therefore, we tend to talk about whats on our mind and the collective mind. It's called society. I think the Personal Issues forum might be for you, although be prepared for Boards.ie's "obsession" with straying boyfriends. :rolleyes:

3) The offer still stands...

imme

Flamed Diving wrote: »

Sigh. The news (think of what that word means) tends to reflect the (1) zeigeist, imme. Therefore, we tend to talk about whats on our mind and the collective mind(2). It's called society. I think the Personal Issues (3) forum might be for you, although be prepared for Boards.ie's "obsession" with straying boyfriends(4). :rolleyes:

(1) so in your opinion the news makes the news?
(2) our collective mind, hmmmmm?
(3) personal issues?
(4) ?????

seclachi

nesf wrote: »

No!!!

A 100% increase would be going from 0.01% to 0.02% of posts!

The maths on this thread is starting to make my head hurt

Why cant people just say 100x increase

Flamed Diving

imme wrote: »

(1) so in your opinion the news makes the news?
(2) our collective mind, hmmmmm?
(3) personal issues?
(4) ?????

1) No, the news is:

news  [nooz, nyooz]

–noun (usually used with a singular verb)

1. a report of a recent event; intelligence; information: His family has had no news of his whereabouts for months.
2. the presentation of a report on recent or new events in a newspaper or other periodical or on radio or television.
3. such reports taken collectively; information reported: There's good news tonight.
4. a person, thing, or event considered as a choice subject for journalistic treatment; newsworthy material. Compare copy (def. 5).


Given the fast approaching budget, the economic crisis and our overbloated public expenditure, the Public Sector pay talks were generally going to make it onto the front pages in Ireland. Since this is a politics forum, one would expect it to reflect what covers the nations news stands. Do I really need to explain this? Really?

2) Yeah, the zeitgeist. Geez, read a book, willa?

3) Yeah, it should be the one forum guaranteed not to have PS posts. Under Soc>Personal Issues. You would be happy there.

4) Want a sandwich?

imme

Flamed Diving wrote: »

1) No, the news is:

news  [nooz, nyooz]

–noun (usually used with a singular verb)

1. a report of a recent event; intelligence; information: His family has had no news of his whereabouts for months.
2. the presentation of a report on recent or new events in a newspaper or other periodical or on radio or television.
3. such reports taken collectively; information reported: There's good news tonight.
4. a person, thing, or event considered as a choice subject for journalistic treatment; newsworthy material. Compare copy (def. 5).


Given the fast approaching budget, the economic crisis and our overbloated public expenditure, the Public Sector pay talks were generally going to make it onto the front pages in Ireland. Since this is a politics forum, one would expect it to reflect what covers the nations news stands. Do I really need to explain this? Really?

2) Yeah, the zeitgeist. Geez, read a book, willa?

3) Yeah, it should be the one forum guaranteed not to have PS posts. Under Soc>Personal Issues. You would be happy there.

4) Want a sandwich?

(1) I understand what the news is, but understand that all that is reported is not all that is going on. 'overbloated', that made me laugh.
The negotiations between govt and unions were NOT paytalks, do you understand this.
(2) I understand the meaning of the term zeitgeist, but think your use of it is misplaced/wrong in reference to the 'news'.
(3) Why do think I want a forum without PS posts in it? I'm perfectly happy to read/write on threads to do with the PS.
(4) a sandwich? are you a psychologist?

DeVore

Whats really interesting is something no one has mentioned yet. The timing.

This isnt something recent... it jumped to 2000 mentions in Feb this year, thats not a "recent news" thing. This was triggered by something back then and its been pretty high all year.

I certainly wouldnt rank it as "obsession", I'd say that its "engagement in public affairs" by the public.

Perhaps the news is lagging behind Boards.ie's Zeitgeist.

I still dont understand how an entity like "Boards.ie" can be obsessed with anything.

DeV.

Flamed Diving

imme wrote: »

(1) I understand what the news is, but understand that all that is reported is not all that is going on. 'overbloated', that made me laugh.
The negotiations between govt and unions were NOT paytalks, do you understand this.
(2) I understand the meaning of the term zeitgeist, but think your use of it is misplaced/wrong in reference to the 'news'.
(3) Why do think I want a forum without PS posts in it? I'm perfectly happy to read/write on threads to do with the PS.
(4) a sandwich? are you a psychologist?

1) What are you talking about? You are just assuming what I believe now. This gets stranger and stranger... I really do think you need a lie down. Maybe a nice sandwich.

2) You "think" wrong. Yet again.

3) So long as you are complaining about it. People like to complain a lot in the PI forum, I just thought it might suit you better.

4) No, but I just think you need one. And a cup of tea. Just relax and stop thinking so much. It doesn't suit you.

DeVore

btw, these figures are for the entire site not the forum here. They are also for "posts" containing the term.... not *threads*.

So there may be a few PS-centric threads bumping the numbers accross a few forums.

DeV.

imme

Flamed Diving wrote: »

1) What are you talking about? You are just assuming what I believe now. This gets stranger and stranger... I really do think you need a lie down. Maybe a nice sandwich.

2) You "think" wrong. Yet again.

3) So long as you are complaining about it. People like to complain a lot in the PI forum, I just thought it might suit you better.

4) No, but I just think you need one. And a cup of tea. Just relax and stop thinking so much. It doesn't suit you.

(1) ok so you don't understand that the recent govt/union negotiations wer not paytalks, ok.
(2) I hope you get to use the term zeitgeist correctly one day.
(3) Now I'm complaining?;)
(4) I hope you get to use the term zeitgeist correctly one day.
there really is no need to be so condescending.

Flamed Diving

imme wrote: »

(1) ok so you don't understand that the recent govt/union negotiations wer not paytalks, ok.
(2) I hope you get to use the term zeitgeist correctly one day.
(3) Now I'm complaining?;)
(4) I hope you get to use the term zeitgeist correctly one day.
there really is no need to be so condescending.

1) No, for every word I read about those talks were mysteriously translated into the opposite meaning. I am adamant there were five magic dragons at those talks, and thats that! Whatever those talks were about, they certainly had nothing to do with expenditure, like I said. Dragons!

2) I always do. In a continuous process into infinity.

3) I hope you get to use the term complain correctly one day.

4) I reckon a good cucumber sandwich would fix it.

imme

Flamed Diving wrote: »

1) No, for every word I read about those talks were mysteriously translated into the opposite meaning. I am adamant there were five magic dragons at those talks, and thats that! Whatever those talks were about, they certainly had nothing to do with expenditure, like I said. Dragons!

2) I always do. In a continuous process into infinity.

3) I hope you get to use the term complain correctly one day.

4) I reckon a good cucumber sandwich would fix it.

I think I like you a bit better now FD:rolleyes:

jimmycrackcorm

Boards must also be obsessed with the Private Sector as I'm pretty sure there has been a comparative increase in the number of posts mentioning Private Sector over the year also....

imme

Seeing as Boards.ie is still obsessed with the Public Sector, only today another great thread was posted "Santa is a Public servant".

Maybe on account of massive interest Boards.ie might set up an exclusively PS-based thread. Is it fair that the PS-based threads are taking over the Business & Budget section of the society part of Boards.

Does nobody want to discuss PE ratios or share prices?

MI5

To be honest, when the PS sat down with government and made a list as long as the Shannon of things they would do to reform, it really proved to Joe in the private sector, what he had long suspected.
That the PS is one most assenine, backward, self serving, organisation on the planet. It is now crystal clear that their modus operandi, is do as little as possible, for as much as possible, whilst having put barriers in the way of not just reform, but basic simple common sense for decades now.
Can you in your wildest dreams imagine a private sector company which could have survived since the days of the foundation of this state, whilst holding on to the work practices that it started out with.
No, you cannot.
When you think about it, it's the PS, unions just holding up their hands, and admiting, ok, we really are a totally disfunctional bunch of workers, but we aint gonna change one bit unless, we get 12 days unpaid holidays next year, and no real change to our salary structure thereafter, whilst the private sector plebs, go eat cake.
Bah humbug. Lenihan is damn right to have a go at them.