Somebody's Watching Me...

Shield

...was a mediocre song from Rockwell in 1983. The link to the official video is down the end if you fancy a bit of retro synth-pop.

It's true though. The busybodies in Garnervile are actively monitoring this forum, the posts that you guys contribute, and any information that could easily lead to identifying you in a group of 40-60 people.

This site actually gets a mention during your first week, and recently they've taken to telling new Student Officers that they (the training staff) could easily identify certain posters if they really wanted to, because over the course of time, people may have been reckless with what they've posted, and it just takes a quick glean of someone's username, and in a group of 40-60 people, it would get easier and easier to eliminate who it isn't.

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but there was a plethora of people who went into Garnerville recently who must have got so spooked by whoever mentioned this site's name, that they actually closed their boards.ie accounts. I doubt they'd be as quick to close their Facebook, Twitter or Flickr accounts and this site has given more to them in one visit than those 3 combined.

As long as you're not an idiot on here who uses their real name as their username and posts their address and occupation, you don't really have anything to worry about on the security side of things here. It's a very secure site, and you can be as anonymous as you want and still maintain an active boards.ie account not just for PSNI-related things, but for the community itself.

I don't like the idea that you people out there felt you had to close your boards.ie account or else get a warning or worse. If you enjoyed boards in the past, and you miss not being able to post now, or you just miss the rabble and banter that goes on in the forum sometimes, then create a new boards.ie account, but give absolutely nothing away about yourself, your birth place, location, job, hobbies, etc.

If you closed your account because of the what was said in Garnerville, please come back. They do take advantage of the newest of newbies in there, and if you feel nervous; too afraid to risk saying boo to a goose, then shame on them. Social networking is a huge part of people's lives today, and as long as you're not giving away confidential information about your job, and you're constantly mindful of your personal security, then there is NO reason you can't enjoy the forums that helped you to get this job.

Anyway, I made a promise, so here it is: "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YvAYIJSSZY

Abso-flipping-lutely!

So many awesome people with good stuff to say have been scared off this site.

And then you see their Facebook and realise this was the least of their problems.

As Shield said, the powers that be monitor this. And don't kid yourselves, anyone that hates police monitor this too. But that's fine, because if you don't give away any personal information, or hints towards your info, they have as much chance at knowing who you are as I do at being a lap dancer.

Don't use your name as part of your username. Don't say when you start. Don't say things like 'looking forward to getting in so I can get rid of my '02 white Corsa'

The best and worst things about this board are how much info folk could give to new starts, and how quickly they forget that they were once new starts too.

But no. No one should ever have to listen to that monstrosity of a song. Shield is a badgers on for even linking it.

.S.

When there are so many companies out there that would haul employees in for posting where they work on Facebook etc it doesn't surprise me that the PSNI watch this like a hawk. But I think they main reason they do is because they don't control it, and that probably doesn't sit easy with them.

Obviously people are careful on here, or at least we intend to be. Everyone's human and it's easy to post here a lot, build some sort of relationship / comradery with others and maybe slip up. I think with all you go through in GV though it's less likely to be a serving officer daft enough to post personal details or any info that's sensitive/for police use only. If I ever get in Id like to think my account will stay open, I'll post now and then etc. This place has been a God send for me and so many others.

But... You dropped the ball Shield... Surely you shouldve posted this video =P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOGaugKpzs

Shield

Oh so we're having a song-off are we?

Fine.. I'll see your "Every Breath You Take", and raise you a "Private Eyes"!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anLfoy2XsFw

.S.

I'll see your "Private Eyes"... And I'll raise you a "Private Investigation"! (All this Private talk brings Tina Turner Private Dancer to mind, but that's not really on theme!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxS-ICzjO6I

Suzuka

Surely they could just trace the IP address and join the dots with registered billing info and application form details anyway? ....or has this forum drove me paranoid crazy!! Lololol

Suzuka

Suzuka wrote: »

Surely they could just trace the IP address and join the dots with registered billing info and application form details anyway? ....or has this forum drove me paranoid crazy!! Lololol

Haha, you've actually gone crazy!

I won't go into the reasons why, but there are stringent rules on accessing private information about Internet use. Someone posting on here about the salad bar at GV being a ripoff and someone else complaining about the fact they got a show parade for a greenfly on their tunic don't meet those criteria.

Just don't use PSNI systems to post anything personal, or security sensitive. That's about it.

Suzuka

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Haha, you've actually gone crazy!

I won't go into the reasons why, but there are stringent rules on accessing private information about Internet use. Someone posting on here about the salad bar at GV being a ripoff and someone else complaining about the fact they got a show parade for a greenfly on their tunic don't meet those criteria.

Just don't use PSNI systems to post anything personal, or security sensitive. That's about it.

All this waiting is getting to me lol better than constant "hindsight AC" thinking lol

Shield

Suzuka wrote: »

Surely they could just trace the IP address and join the dots with registered billing info and application form details anyway? ....or has this forum drove me paranoid crazy!! Lololol

It's not that easy to get your hands on boards.ie server logs. They would have to have a very good reason, for example: a criminal investigation, to get a Section 8 Disclosure.

Since this forum doesn't break any laws, I don't think an application for a Section 8 would be granted by the Courts. This discussion would be more suitable in our Legal Discussion forum if we start going into discussing law, but I'm 100% positive that they know for sure they can't just demand personal details of boards.ie users just because they want them. They wouldn't even try.

Anyway, back to .S. - I'm not beaten that easily...

I'm all in on your "Private Investigation" and I call with Blondie's "One Way or Another"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kg9LasvLFE

.S.

That was the next song id lined up!
I'll see your Blondie and raise you Miley Cyrus "See you Again" (I've got my sights set on you)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l47wGBcr2A

Shield

I think the knockout blow is Perfab Sprout's "Whoever You Are"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwZEYcKZUWw

*boom*

Thanks for playing!

Suzuka

PSNI and every thread member about the boards pages lol :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGFToiLtXro

loggingfolk

Well Ive just completed my first week and am home to free my mind from the stress for a day or two. I was as close as I could have been to giving up by Wednesday. I had been broken right down. Something changed on the thursday and I started to feel better. By thursday night I had remembered how to laugh again and began to enjoy the whole experience. I still couldnt wait to get home again last night. I must be looking forward to getting back on Monday though as I found myself Ironing shirts at home today for the first time in my life. By the way i wont be leaving the boards. it has been a great help to me during the process and if I can pass just one little piece of help onto someone else then Ill be happy.

DesertCreat_15

What kinda thing made you feel like packing it in?

Fair play for sticking it out though, at least this 'hell week' is behind you now.

Suzuka

loggingfolk wrote: »

Well Ive just completed my first week and am home to free my mind from the stress for a day or two. I was as close as I could have been to giving up by Wednesday. I had been broken right down. Something changed on the thursday and I started to feel better. By thursday night I had remembered how to laugh again and began to enjoy the whole experience. I still couldnt wait to get home again last night. I must be looking forward to getting back on Monday though as I found myself Ironing shirts at home today for the first time in my life. By the way i wont be leaving the boards. it has been a great help to me during the process and if I can pass just one little piece of help onto someone else then Ill be happy.

I dont know what happened but stick at it! Good to hear things are looking up, you've shed too much blood and tears for your place to give up. It'll all be worth it tenfold in the end, it may feel like its possibly out of your depth but just remind yourself that they picked you out of so many thousands of applicants, just remember that theyve seen the potential in you already

pb82

Starting to get scared now with the induction on the horizon

didierdrogba

Although it all sounds slightly intimidating im very excited by the thought of the challenge,thanks for sharing your experience loggingfolk

Shield

Thanks for letting us know how Week 1 was. I guarantee you that you weren't the only one looking at the ceiling (or the springs holding the mattress above you) on Sunday night thinking "What the hell have I just done?". We've all been there, thought that, and got the Warrant Card for sticking through the highs and the lows.

Try this: Preferably in the evening, after classes and food, find someone else who is feeling in the dumps about it and tell them that you came close to throwing in the towel. It'll be cathartic and helpful to them because many have walked away from high-paying jobs, positions of seniority, managers, etc., just to be where you are now, and whatever their reason is for feeling like they've just made the biggest mistake of their lives, you'll be sooo able to understand how they feel, and you'll have displayed one of the Core Competencies that you'll have to know like the back of your hand: Resilience.

The people that are in your intake will share a very special bond with you which you'll take to the grave. You're going to make some friends for life in the coming months because you'll all have ridden in the same rollercoaster seat, and you'll have stories unique to your intake that you can look back on and say: "Yeah... those were the days".

Watch out for the the phenomenal psychological "Second Childhood" that lots experience in Week 3, probably due to the residential aspect, and being in a Boarding School kind of environment - complete with an Orderly who prowls the halls for signs of partying when their should be sounds of silence!

Head up, eyes forward, pull shoulders back.
Boots bulled, shirts ironed, uniform tacked.
Tidy room, clean sink, bed freshly made.
Clean shave, short hair, or else: Show Parade!
© "Shield" on Boards.ie Ltd 14/12/2014

EDIT: Facepalm. This was written with copious amounts of alcohol on board. I'm silent proud of my ability to give Vogon Poetry a run for its money.

meathstevie

Suzuka wrote: »

Surely they could just trace the IP address and join the dots with registered billing info and application form details anyway? ....or has this forum drove me paranoid crazy!! Lololol

That would be illegal as there would be no justification for obtaining that information. No suspected offences, no high risk missing person, no threat to national security etc etc means that there's no entitlement to that info.

didierdrogba

Terrorists,breaking the law?? The horror of it all!!!

pb82

didierdrogba wrote: »

Terrorists,breaking the law?? The horror of it all!!!

Think it was more aimed at the powers that be within GV

didierdrogba

Lol yeah sorry forgot about the context of this thread