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Messages - tbrick18

#1
General discussion / Re: Hamas launch attack on Israel
December 05, 2023, 05:12:46 PM
Quote from: seafoid on December 05, 2023, 04:56:10 PMZionism will collapse  when the economic system does. Certain Jews manipulate US public opinion to keep apartheid going. Israel is evil.  Apartheid is wrong. Everyone is afraid of the lobby. Tammany Hall was the same in the 20s. It also collapsed.

I hope you're right on Zionism.
But I do think that saying Israel is evil needs to be qualified. There are plenty of ordinary Israelis who don't agree with what's happening in Gaza. Now saying the Israeli leadership/state is evil, I'd have no issue with.
#2
General discussion / Re: Cryptocurrency
December 05, 2023, 03:29:39 PM
I must admit, I dont have the first clue about trading in crypto and I'm a million miles behind when it comes to what is on the market now.

Can anyone provide a very high level overview on the current state of Bitcoin/cyrptocurrencies etc? I see a few posts there about Gaming and AI coins, but I've never even heard of those.

I feel like I'm missing out and could be making some money on side  ;D
#3
General discussion / Re: Hamas launch attack on Israel
December 05, 2023, 03:18:56 PM
Quote from: Keyser soze on December 05, 2023, 11:25:30 AMThis situation has pulled the curtain aside to reveal the wholesale corruption that has become the bedrock on which western democracy operates. And the attendant nauseating hypocrisy of their claim to be the world's good guys whilst supplying bombs that are being used to carpet bomb civilians with tens of thousands of babies, women and children murdered.

The Israeli's are gifted billions of dollars annually courtesy of the US taxpayer, they spend most of this on weapons from US weapons manufacturers, who in turn spend enormous sums of money greasing the palms of politicians, on both sides of the aisle.

Who then vote further billions annually to the Israelis, no strings attached other than they must buy American weapons, but they can use them to kill whoever they like.

The money is also used for more straightforward bribes to politicians 'campaign funds' which have little oversight, and to fund lobby groups like AIPAC, to which every major political figure in the USA is beholden. When AIPAC issue an invitation there is no-one in American political life in any position of influence that will say no.

The taxpayers' dollar is also used by Israel to compromise politicians in case the carrot approach doesn't work.

Hence you create a scenario where a massive racist and blatant anti islamic sc**bag [Steve Seldovitz] can become a National Security Advisor to Obama. You can be sure that the DoD and NSA are packed with similar headers, a quick look at Biden's WH shows that it is peopled with Zionists.

Large amounts of this taxpayer money has also been used by Israel to buy up influence in US media companies to the extent that they are all more or less controlled by Zionists, hence none of this corruption is ever mentioned let alone investigated by any mainstream media outlet. And in fact they take a blatant pro Israel stance whether the facts warrant it or not.


The rest of the western world toe the American line although there is also plenty of straightforward bribery directly involved in other countries, certainly in the British system were it is nearly as blatant as the US situation with Friends of Israel and their 'factfinding' trips... aka holidays. The ease with which they were able to ditch Jeremy Corbyn on an antisemitism charge shows the influence these people have to get rid of a political leader in another country just because he advocated for a Palestinian state.

The only people who benefit from this is the US military-industrial complex, to the tune of c$800bn/annum [not all for Israel of course] and the corrupt politicians who are siphoning millions from the people.

This has led to a series of disasters in US foreign policy over the last 70 years. I would struggle to name interventions that have worked in USAs favour since WW2, maybe the Berlin airlift and Cuban Missile Crisis.

Completely mad policies like subverting democracies because you don't like the person elected and invading other countries on manufactured grounds have become the norm whilst still holding up the beacon of freedom as the leader of the free world and ignoring the stench of the millions of people who have perished by american guns and bombs.

The curtain has been pulled aside, will this be the beginning of the end for western democracy as the world's policeman?

Surely their replacement could do no worse?


Very good post.
The main problem as I see it is that we can't do anything to change this.
Are there viable alternatives to elect in the US? Can they even get elected with the system that is in place?
In terms of the UK, they are just US-Lite. The arrogance of this political class of self-worshippers knows no limits and with the exception of a few individuals in the Tory/Labour parties, there's not enough who want to change the system.

#4
General discussion / Re: Computer Help
December 04, 2023, 01:57:22 PM
Quote from: bennydorano on December 04, 2023, 11:15:59 AM
Quote from: tbrick18 on December 04, 2023, 09:54:08 AMDoes anyone have any experience of using Virgin Media for Broadband?
They recently installed fibre lines in our area and I'm looking at alternative providers so thought they might be worth a try.
I've had free broadband for a few years through my employer but I've since moved jobs and the cost of my current package seems pricey in comparison to what else is out there now (and my speed is only 60M ish).

Advice?
I had their cable broadband before my current 2 year contract with Vodafone. It was 100% performance wise, moved because of end of 2 year pricing deal. Still have an ugly cable wiring & box on the front of my house tho, cabled right up through my lawn too.

Customer service ok?
That's a good point about the cabling, I hadnt even considered that. How much control do you have over where they run the cabling? I've a tarmac driveway they'd probably have to come through followed by a concrete path.
#5
General discussion / Re: Computer Help
December 04, 2023, 01:54:44 PM
Quote from: JoG2 on December 04, 2023, 11:27:08 AM
Quote from: LeoMc on December 04, 2023, 11:04:57 AM
Quote from: LC on September 16, 2023, 01:38:58 PMDid a bit of reading over holidays so realise it would be a good habit to get into again.  Was thinking of getting an Amazon Kindle but I see you can get an Amazon Fire for similar money which seems to be similar to an ipad plus will also act as a Kindle.  No big expert on tech stuff so just wondering why is the Kindle on its own (16GB) is similar money even though it only does one thing.

The kindle itself uses a different screen technology to more closely mimic reading a real book, it is not backlit so you can't read in the dark.

The Kindle Fire is or used to be limited in the software and apps you could load.

My kindle is back lit. They're a great job

I've got a kindle paperwhite, back lit and deadly job.
#6
General discussion / Re: Computer Help
December 04, 2023, 09:54:08 AM
Does anyone have any experience of using Virgin Media for Broadband?
They recently installed fibre lines in our area and I'm looking at alternative providers so thought they might be worth a try.
I've had free broadband for a few years through my employer but I've since moved jobs and the cost of my current package seems pricey in comparison to what else is out there now (and my speed is only 60M ish).

Advice?
#7
General discussion / Re: Teachers get it handy!
November 30, 2023, 10:36:40 AM
Quote from: statto on November 30, 2023, 09:49:32 AM
Quote from: armaghniac on November 29, 2023, 06:56:57 PMNot so good for NI teachers to be paid much less than Wales!



Someone coming out of Uni with limited teaching experience I don't think should merit a great salary.  I graduated in 2007, I was happy enough to get a job of any description to try and get the experience required.  I dare say there is a big difference generally in a teacher at 21/22 and someone at say 30 who has been round a few corners the same in any job really. 

I agree in principle.
However the amount has to be reflective of the true cost of living.
The national living wage is going up to £11.44 an hour in April, and by my rough calculation a new teacher in NI will start on £12.ish per hour. So a professional qualification earns a teacher £1/hr more than someone serving at a till in the local corner shop.
The pay doesn't reflect the job they do.
#8
General discussion / Re: Teachers get it handy!
November 30, 2023, 10:29:30 AM
Quote from: Delgany 2nds on November 29, 2023, 11:01:59 PM
Quote from: Deerstalker on November 29, 2023, 08:19:52 PMHow many years to you are top of your scale, was one of the teaching pay deals a couple of years ago not that you got to about £38k in 7/8 years ?
It takes 11 years to get to Upper Scale 3

Not 100% sure but I think once you hit that upper scale, that's it. No more pay rises.
Only way to get more is to go for a VP or principal role or take on extra responsibilities, but there are only so many of those to go around.
if 38K is the top and that's what you are on, year on year you get a pay cut in real terms with inflation.
#9
GAA Discussion / Re: Best score ever?
November 29, 2023, 03:32:42 PM
Quote from: AustinPowers on November 29, 2023, 01:20:09 PM
Quote from: Derryman forever on November 29, 2023, 12:39:48 PM
Quote from: AustinPowers on November 29, 2023, 10:28:56 AM
Quote from: Derryman forever on November 29, 2023, 10:08:11 AM
Quote from: RadioGAAGAA on November 16, 2023, 08:05:50 AM

Dunno if this has been mentioned yet, surprised if it hasn't.
How many times can you bounce the ball back then?

As far as I know, you  can bounce/dribble the ball basketball -style as much as you want , as long as you don't catch it in your hands .

Oh! I didn't know that.

You're clearly  still annoyed about 1994, aren't you?  ;)

It certainly annoyed me at the time, even it if was one of the all time great games.
But what annoyed me more was the Derry County Board sacking Eamon Coleman after it. He'd lost 1 championship match after winning an All-Ireland.
#10
General discussion / Re: Teachers get it handy!
November 29, 2023, 10:30:02 AM
There's an obvious theme here that many feel the job teachers have isn't deserving of the pay as they get too many holidays or have 10 month contracts or have a decent pension.

That's the job, it comes with those holidays and perks. Like many jobs in private sector that come with perks such as pensions, company car, private health care etc.

Yes teachers have a 10 month contract, but they still have bills for 12 months like the rest of us, so their wages are split over 12 months. Not sure why that's an issue as their annual salary hasn't changed. If you want to compare a 10 month contract with a 12 month contract, then take the annual salary of someone on a 12 month contract and compress it to 10 months, the comparison applies then.

The fact remains, the role a teacher provides is a professional one that all children need.

In terms of hours worked...that's so far off the mark you've no idea.

I'd be the first to poke fun at a teacher and the short days and long holidays, but the reality is totally different.

To add insult to injury, teachers doing the same job in other parts of the UK are getting paid more.

It's unsustainable.
Teachers will leave the jobs. Kids will ultimately suffer the consequences and all those people who see the schools as free childminding will be up in arms.
#11
General discussion / Re: Teachers get it handy!
November 28, 2023, 04:56:47 PM
Quote from: armaghniac on November 26, 2023, 10:20:10 PMTeachers in the wee six not doing so well



I hadn't seen that before, but I can say that it feels about right.
My wife is a teacher now for well over 20 years. She has management points and her take home now is roughly 2k more than when she started all those years ago. Less than £200/year increase in salary.
I can say in all honesty, she has more hours to work in a week than I do.
Was recently chatting to a young lad in a tyre depot when getting a puncture fixed, he was about 21/22 and he was telling me he's taking home over £500 a week. One of the neighbours kids has a part time job in Tesco, and her hourly rate is better than what my wife earns.
I get that there isn't money in the education budget to pay them more, but the current state of things where students and early stage "non-professional" jobs (such as a tyre fitter) earn as much as if not more than a teacher of 20+ years in a management position is fundamentally wrong. I'm not suggesting that those other workers don't deserve what they are getting paid, but teachers should certainly be getting paid more.
I know of 2 young teachers who recently resigned. One of them is just looking for work in shops etc until they find their feet. The other is doing reflexology from the house 3 nights a week and making more than she was when teaching full time.
#12
General discussion / Re: The Late Late show
November 27, 2023, 10:30:53 AM
Watched the toy show on the rte player on sat night as we'd the transfer test on Sat am.
It's the first time in years we watched the whole thing. It felt like it was about the children and the toys again.
Kielty has a much better persona and approach to this, he really was excellent. The children had a chance to talk without any condescending remarks from the presenter who just wanted attention on himself.
Still had the obligatory amount of cheese, which is actually great.
#13
GAA Discussion / Re: Ulster Club SFC 2023
November 27, 2023, 10:21:34 AM
Unfortunately I didnt get to see the Trillick v Scotstown match but by all accounts it was a very good game.
I had a feeling Trillick would win it and had the potential to win Ulster under the radar, but not to be.

Glen probably deserved to win the first SF, that point at the end to win it was worth it alone.
I still think they are not playing as well as last year, but perhaps that will come yet. Glass has been underwhelming, but that's not to say he's playing badly, just doesn't seem to be hitting the same highs as last year.
I dont think that was a penalty tbh, and had it not been given Glen probably ran out comfortable enough winners. Hurson had a reasonably good game, though I though he was a little harsh on Glen in general, but for me he got the penalty wrong.

Glen and Scotstown will be an interesting game. Glen perhaps slight favourites, but not much between them. Scotstown keeper play could be the difference in the two teams.
#14
Quote from: clonian on November 24, 2023, 03:09:03 PM
Quote from: trailer on November 24, 2023, 02:32:32 PMHow long would a retender take?
Depends on whether the design has changed. They could issue tender documents with a qualification document along with it instead of getting a short list first - that might save 6 weeks. For a project that size you'd need at least 6-8 weeks to price it. Same again to assess it and award it.

Add in a couple of weeks for downtime over christmas too. 4-6 months maybe before it can be awarded I'd guess.
#15
Panorama last night about the missing children in Ukraine.
Seems to be a concerted effort by Russia at the highest level to "re-locate" children from Ukraine into Russia. Difficult to understand the motive behind that.

Also some of the propaganda on Russian media about the Ukrainian state selling children's organs into Europe was just bonkers.

Really heart-breaking stuff in general....albeit a completely 1 sided view of the story, however, it's difficult to see any justification for any of what was covered.