baby politics, he's playing happily at it
― bill paxman (darraghmac), Wednesday, 5 December 2012 17:55 (eleven years ago) link
12000 dont even buy hima suit, oooh the rebel
― bill paxman (darraghmac), Wednesday, 5 December 2012 17:56 (eleven years ago) link
dunno who yerman in between was, but he was ok i think
pringle's a moron an all
― bill paxman (darraghmac), Wednesday, 5 December 2012 17:59 (eleven years ago) link
Well that was unpleasant. The case studies are a bit odd. To be honest you have to take the firms providing with a huge grain of salt seeing as they have consulting work for state and semi-state bodies in their sights. Don't want to be too pass-remarkable.
It's the sneakiness of some of the cuts that also grates.
I still honestly think the price of fags should be raised properly. I accept that is cruel and totally subjective.
FF-SF for next government. I'm taking the bets now. How has Martin been so adept at rehabilitating FF's image? Has FG really missed the point that they won't/can't last forever? What do all the consultants do?
Of course this whole thing with Ming's jumper is manna from heaven right now for the coalition.
― hyggeligt, Thursday, 6 December 2012 21:24 (eleven years ago) link
i'd hope that ppl have longer memories than to bring ff back in, i'd hope that ppl are smarter than to srsly consider the basket case that is sf economic policy (which, AFAICT, exists only as the headings written by that cunt editor from the star)
best case scenario is that irish people realise that 3.5bn per annum doesn't come from nowhere, that it did need taking out of the economy regardless of any bailout once revenues had fallen as quickly as they had, and that FG/LAB are going about things methodically and not all that badly (for irish politicians)
o'reilly should have been fucked out on his ear, clearly. labour should have been more honest in their promises/manifesto (when is this never not true). i'm undoubtedly biased but croke park was not a FG/LAB plan and is being renegotiated early to get better terms for the state- really if they bring in a few more supertaxes for superearners and on wealth next year, there's not a lot different a government could feasibly have done, budget wise.
anyone telling you any different would want some seriously convincing backup.
― bill paxman (darraghmac), Thursday, 6 December 2012 22:51 (eleven years ago) link
Those pro-life ads popping up targetted at politicians are harsh. It's not often that I would agree with Shatter but there is a real bullying element to it all.
― hyggeligt, Wednesday, 12 December 2012 20:25 (eleven years ago) link
Labour implosion
― hyggeligt, Friday, 14 December 2012 08:34 (eleven years ago) link
Or is it Harder, Franker, Furter Gilmour? (Apologies to Scooter)
― hyggeligt, Friday, 14 December 2012 08:35 (eleven years ago) link
ah jaysus, there ought to have been a pun tax in the budget
― first u get the flower, then u get the honey, then u get the stamen (darraghmac), Friday, 14 December 2012 09:02 (eleven years ago) link
so, look, cmere
Croke Park agreement. What d'ye think of it?
― first u get the flower, then u get the honey, then u get the stamen (darraghmac), Friday, 14 December 2012 09:06 (eleven years ago) link
Truthfully? Not altogether sure I understand it. If, as the meeja would have me believe, it's public servants having a laugh and jacking up exorbitant salaries then I am against it. If, on the other hand, it is actually about safeguarding lower paid public servants then I am for it. I don't, however, understand why it can't be revisited or revised.
Yourself?
― hyggeligt, Saturday, 15 December 2012 22:52 (eleven years ago) link
Sorry "jacking up their already exorbitant salaries..."
― hyggeligt, Saturday, 15 December 2012 22:54 (eleven years ago) link
it's probably serving both purposes for the term, tbh. On a personal interest level i was against it on day one and voted against it, as i'd not got permanency at the time and it meant my take home pay dropping by about 10% when i didn't feel any responsibility for the causes of the cuts.
As the situation facing the country became more and more entrenched and undeniable, and when i gained the benefit of permanency, i probably view the agreement over the three years as a decent settlement- bear in mind my pay is some way beneath avg industrial wage though- my strongest feelings on the irish tax debate are reserved v much on the lines of income/wealth vs low waged/poor as opposed to public/private.
The agreement is supposed to have seen massive savings on payroll from high earners' early retirement and cutting numbers. Numbers have been cut by numbers not being renewed- ime that's v much concentrated at frontline positions and therefore highly impacts servicd delivery, which seems not to be the public interest methodology. ITO high earners retiring early, eh there's accountancy at work but if you asked me to work out how paying out lump sums and pensions to those at high level who've retired works out as worth having done, i'm at a loss- and i'm p good with numbers tho i say it myself. That others in public service have to take on those duties without pay or recognition is not a desirable outcome imo, even if savings are being delivered on these terms.
There's apparently massive changes have taken place in work practices and efficiency. I must have missed them, but then the need for them have been overstated by at least the same margin- i've worked since 1994 across a rangeof jobs and sectors and there is no loss of efficiency, abilty or dedication to role in my current colleagues that cannot be explained in large part to the different aims and culture necessitated by the nebulous nature of public service where there often exists many different stakeholders (many of whom are emboldened and empowered in a way the never are nor could be in ordinary customer service transactions) and no one simple driving force as galvanising nor glamorous as profit motive.
If the govt claim it's working, and the unions claim it's worth keeping, i can understand very well why the general public would be wary of it. The savings attributed to it are dubious, certainly, and the assurances afforded the public servant under it are rightly the envy of the private sector counterpart. But public services are being maintained in the face of pretty serious cuts, there isn't any question of the types of strikes/unrest that has occurred in other countries (the cynic in me wonders if this wasn't the whole point, bearing in mind my perspective on capital vs labour and the fractured nature of the latter force -split as it is btwn private/public and in other ways imo- in the current climate) and i think that it has delivered some progress in a time of serious instability.
Public sector's got a lot of improving to do- as much as the private, i think at times. I don't think, tbh, that another, more radical, agreement next year would be a bad thing at all. I'd be surprised if it focused on wages the way the media and IBEC would like it to, but overall it's p much done the required over the course and may well serve as a successful template for further necessary reform in the future.
― first u get the flower, then u get the honey, then u get the stamen (darraghmac), Saturday, 15 December 2012 23:51 (eleven years ago) link
i was so pissed last night btw
― first u get the flower, then u get the honey, then u get the stamen (darraghmac), Sunday, 16 December 2012 11:14 (eleven years ago) link
You were remarkably lucid for someone who was pissed! Fair play. So essentially the cost-savings appear to be down to people leaving? That's hardly ideal from the aspect of keeping a fully functioning civil service in play. Are any new hires (I'm sure there unofficially must be a number and not just on JobBridge) only on contract?
I have to say that from a private aspect there are very few things I am jealous of in public service. Possibly only the shoe allowance. It's not easy and to be honest it's only the outlisrs who sound like they are doing well.
― hyggeligt, Sunday, 16 December 2012 19:13 (eleven years ago) link
compared to the outliers in the private sector, they're not, tho. Compare the resources/assets managed and the scope of decision-making responsibility required of a county manager, who gets paid roughly the same as my mate the IT manager of a firm you've never heard of.
Cost savings, in the main, are through nonrenewal of contract staff, and as i said that's lower level and frontline in nature, so yeah it's a direct services impact.
No shoe allowance, but imo non-receipted allowances ought be slashed to next-nothing, the majority of them are a nonsense, and also imo they're both the biggest valid stick to hit public sector with as well as a substitute for genuine wage reform.
New hires are, ime anyway, agency staff working week-to-week for less money with no benefits like sickpay or anything beyond minimum leave allowance. Yay croke park, friend to the working man.
― first u get the flower, then u get the honey, then u get the stamen (darraghmac), Sunday, 16 December 2012 20:13 (eleven years ago) link
Mr McEntee's brother Gerry spoke at the Mass of anonymous critics of his brother in recent times. "Shame on you people, you faceless cowards who sent him horrible messages on the website and on text. Shame on you. I hope you are not proud of what you achieved . If you are, we are in a worse state than I ever thought we were in," he said.
like idk is this the line to take at a funeral oration tbh, whether or not anyone can ever say what caused his to take his own life
― banlieue jagger (darraghmac), Tuesday, 25 December 2012 04:05 (eleven years ago) link
This sounds heartless but I heard that and thought it was pretty sad that it was all being blamed on dose gurriers wit dere interwebs. Tragic that a person killed themselves whatever the reason.
― hyggeligt, Sunday, 30 December 2012 08:42 (eleven years ago) link
it seems a small-time thing to throw out at a funeral, and i'm fully aware that you maybe oughtn't criticise someone speaking at such a time but we've all been there or thereabouts and you can usually comport yourself as hoped ime
― slitherin sockattacks (darraghmac), Monday, 31 December 2012 01:40 (eleven years ago) link
So we're ahead on tax! How long until we are in the black again? I'm quids in for a prediction of the budget after the next election but only if we vote FG back in.
Also I don't understand or condone the existence of Howlin.
― hyggeligt, Thursday, 3 January 2013 20:50 (eleven years ago) link
there he is, y'know? there's health, which is just a shit job and god help anyone who takes it, and then there's his role, two absolute non-winners. finance, at least if you're decisive and consistent and not always completely fucking wrong (and i have to say, noonan has impressed in the role far beyond what i'd expected) you'll get respect, but howlin's role is just an invite for a fucking.
― let's bitch about our stupid, annoying co-ilxors (darraghmac), Thursday, 3 January 2013 23:43 (eleven years ago) link
joke reasons given for turning down right to assisted suicide.
bishops and the usual cranks consulted on abortion legislation.
Steady building pressure on measures to control evil social media
Have i missed anything
― let's bitch about our stupid, annoying co-ilxors (darraghmac), Thursday, 10 January 2013 13:02 (eleven years ago) link
http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/736524_10152407624245693_544914632_o.jpg
― Vote in the ILM End of Year Poll! (seandalai), Thursday, 10 January 2013 13:05 (eleven years ago) link
was surprised by the amount of anti-abortion ads around when i was home. above urinals and stuff. couldn't piss that high unfortunately.
― Heterocyclic ring ring (LocalGarda), Thursday, 10 January 2013 13:08 (eleven years ago) link
they're pretty good at punching above their weight, presence-wise. Pity that it seems to work.
― let's bitch about our stupid, annoying co-ilxors (darraghmac), Thursday, 10 January 2013 13:27 (eleven years ago) link
That's because there's a lot of US funding going into the anti-abortion campaigns. http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/01/why-american-pro-life-dollars-are-pouring-into-ireland/266981/
― gyac, Thursday, 10 January 2013 19:34 (eleven years ago) link
I thought this was priceless (from broadsheet):
http://www.broadsheet.ie/2013/01/10/an-easy-thing-to-forget/
Caroline Simons of the Pro-Life campaign told the Joint Committe on Health and Children today that she was unaware of being in that pro-life video broadcast on the American Christian channel EWTN.
Fine Gael TD Marcella Corcoran Kennedy said she couldn’t understand why Simons didn’t know about the EWTN video, considering she appears in it.
Caroline Simons: “In relation to EWTN. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m sorry I can’t help you with that one”.
Later, she added: “I wasn’t aware that I was on it. I don’t know any agents of the culture of death, I hope. Certainly they haven’t introduced themselves to me.”
I tried complaining to the Guards in front of the GPO just before Christmas about the signs. While they were sympathetic they wouldn't do anything. It's the images that really get me. Everyone has a right to opinions, faith, etc. but putting images like those into the head of kids is just OTT and wrong.
About controlling social media I am much more worried about Shatter's privacy bill.
― hyggeligt, Thursday, 10 January 2013 21:14 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21291356
wtf
― Ballboy to Afghanistan (LocalGarda), Friday, 1 February 2013 15:09 (eleven years ago) link
They went to the local garda station and they got him tea and biscuits. He gobbled up the biscuits as he was ravenous so they got him some curry chips. They discovered he had been missing for the past eight months and that he was in fact an international high flyer”
Love this Christy Moore song.
― Ballboy to Afghanistan (LocalGarda), Friday, 1 February 2013 15:10 (eleven years ago) link
He said rumours that he had been abducted...were speculation.
Uh huh.
― lets just remember to blame the patriarchy for (in orbit), Friday, 1 February 2013 15:15 (eleven years ago) link
Mental.
Don't believe a fuckin word but fair play, celtic tiger entrepreneurs love getting into the indo
― b'hurt's tauntin' (darraghmac), Friday, 1 February 2013 15:18 (eleven years ago) link
"ah jaysus, you gobbled up those biscuits quick didn't ye? you must be ravenous!! here sure, we got ye some curry chips, tuck into those now while we decide what to do with ye at all."
― Ballboy to Afghanistan (LocalGarda), Friday, 1 February 2013 15:20 (eleven years ago) link
If there's a vigilante group going round kidnapping, torturing and carving these cunts then good, i want in.
― b'hurt's tauntin' (darraghmac), Friday, 1 February 2013 15:24 (eleven years ago) link
really hoping they did the Brad Pitt speech from Inglourious Basterds while they was carving it in
― Hermann Hesher (Noodle Vague), Friday, 1 February 2013 15:30 (eleven years ago) link
Don't believe a fuckin word
do you just mean about him not being kidnapped? i don't know what to believe about the general story here.
― Ballboy to Afghanistan (LocalGarda), Friday, 1 February 2013 15:35 (eleven years ago) link
apart from the insight into the garda diet
Out of him
― b'hurt's tauntin' (darraghmac), Friday, 1 February 2013 15:39 (eleven years ago) link
well if he wasnt kidnapped what happened to him then? bizarre story
― Old Boy In Network (Michael B), Friday, 1 February 2013 17:41 (eleven years ago) link
my completely uninformed guess is declared bankrupt, fucked a load of people into the shit, put whatever he could salvage into a wagon of coke and took for the hills of cavan
― b'hurt's tauntin' (darraghmac), Friday, 1 February 2013 18:24 (eleven years ago) link
sounds more plausible actually
― Old Boy In Network (Michael B), Friday, 1 February 2013 20:35 (eleven years ago) link
i want to see the movie of this
― Old Boy In Network (Michael B), Friday, 1 February 2013 20:54 (eleven years ago) link
Herzog to direct
― Number None, Friday, 1 February 2013 21:16 (eleven years ago) link
and star
― questino (seandalai), Friday, 1 February 2013 22:24 (eleven years ago) link
mcgeever - wrath of gard
― Ballboy to Afghanistan (LocalGarda), Saturday, 2 February 2013 01:58 (eleven years ago) link
apparently "babushka" was carved into his head.....either they were russian or big kate bush fans who knows
― Old Boy In Network (Michael B), Monday, 4 February 2013 05:20 (eleven years ago) link
musta been a big forehead to get "babushka" carved into yer head tho
― Old Boy In Network (Michael B), Monday, 4 February 2013 05:21 (eleven years ago) link
C/r in my hand from minister x to which i must reply like he's not a fuckin moron:
one of my constituents has a telephone no. similar to yours and she's pyoor mithered will ye change?
― ben foster five (darraghmac), Tuesday, 5 February 2013 11:40 (eleven years ago) link
this magdalene stuff really fucking disgusts me. it's almost worse imo, if you can compare this kind of thing, than the sexual abuse scandals (not that it doesn't involve sexual abuse) just for how brazen a violation of people's human rights it was. like the idea of just imprisoning people for absolutely nothing, it's just truly disgusting to me that our state could stand over this after so many years struggling for independence.
― Ballboy to Afghanistan (LocalGarda), Tuesday, 5 February 2013 14:16 (eleven years ago) link
A long struggle for independence doesnt usually result in Utopia afterwards tbf, no reason for us to be any different
but it's bad, as bad as the other abuses and the worse for being even more of an open 'secret'
― ben foster five (darraghmac), Tuesday, 5 February 2013 14:28 (eleven years ago) link
ah i know, obviously.
for me it's worse than the abuses for the imprisonment/torture element. these were fucking slave camps, it's just absolutely abhorrent.
― Ballboy to Afghanistan (LocalGarda), Tuesday, 5 February 2013 14:29 (eleven years ago) link