@MTimT Hmmm, good point. Thanks for the link (I do quite like TED talks as well!) Will give it a watch.
The main group considered is usually the professional middle class because that's where most MPs come from and who they associate with. The second group is women, who are specifically assessed as what effect policy has on them. The third group is ethnic minorities because it allows professional middle class politicians to show they are 'enlightened'.
I can buy into the first group, but the second and especially the third? Ethnic minorities are a group that politicians like to pay lip-service too, but that's it.
BBC now reporting on defection rumours... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34283161 I'd prefer it if Corbyn fails on his own terms, otherwise the far-left will still be blaming the MSM and the defectors instead of their crazy policies.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
No relevance to what I said though. The question was asked 'what human in their right mind would want to end up in KSA'? The answer is that many with very good other prospects choose voluntarily to seek a life in the Kingdom. Money is the draw.
Hell, I should know. My dad worked on the design of the (then) new Riyadh Airport between 1982-1984. He was over there in six-month stints, only coming home during Christmas and during the Summer.
And I was a little to the south in sunny Sana'a at the time too. But for three years.
The BBC really skating on "thin-ice" on their coverage of the migrant crisis. BBC reporter just said "Hungary's reputation is in tatters" should they really be making comments like that.
Simon McCoy almost losing it again interviewing a chap who I think was the Hungarian Ambassador. The Ambassador reported that some migrants were throwing their children over the gate and had to be taken into hospital. Pretty desperate stuff.
Did you find evidence of the BBC cutting out the "Allah Akhbar" chants?
Yes. They cut it out. I watched the BBC Ten and they played exactly the same footage, but with the sound muted. So you didn't hear the jihadist war-chants. Why mute the sound when it is such crucial evidence that these refugees might not be the cuddly victims we are led to believe?
I don't usually join in the rightwing BBC bashing. I think it generally does its best (though it is bloated and needs serious reform). But this was a clear cut and provable case or astonishing editorial bias. Journalism so warped it amounts to lies. And on a hugely important issue.
Absofeckinglutely disgraceful
Jesus Sean don't you read the morning threads?!
Muslims chucking rocks at police and shouting "Allah Akhbar" a the Hungarian border is the same stamp as a vicar praising God for a sunny morning when he goes for a bike ride round Niceness-by-the-Wold
The Privy Council stuff is overdone IMO. I don't like Corbyn but it's well known he's a republican and it's fair enough for him to have some quibbles about what's involved. It's not the substance that matters. It's the fact that the stories about him are about trivial matters ("will he kneel?" "He can't do his buttons up.") rather than about him and his political vision.
People will always squeal when money is taken away even if they should never have been given it in the first place. Remember all the wailing that went on here when child benefit was taken away from higher rate tax payers. You'd have thought - from reading some posts - that Herod was at large in the country.
That article is spot on.
It needs to be emphasised again and again and again - tax credits are not primarily about supporting people with low pay - they are about supporting people with children.
The basics:
- Single person earning £15k - gets zero tax credits (today, before the cuts). Zero.
- Single person with two children earning £32k - gets tax credits.
Stop then and think. If both parents (with two children) are present and both earning - even if they both earn just £16,500 (for total family earnings of £33k) - they'll get zero tax credits as well!
(The cut-off for a family with two children is just under £33k).
So without children you get nothing (unless on very low earnings - about £14k downwards).
Couples together with only up to two children also get nothing if both are earning and combined get £33k - still a low salary - only £16,500 each.
And huge tax credits are paid to single earners with children, even on average salaries - and people earning much more with large numbers of children (income cut-off point rises with every extra child).
Mine only eats deli counter roast beef, or a bit of smoked salmon if given a choice.
She will crunch Royal Canin kitten biscuits despite being 7yrs old if I ignore her. I've never had such a picky bloody eater - others loved chinese takeaways, pizza and would kill for a chicken drumstick or packet of beefy crisps.
"This secretive, archaic institution is a loophole in our constitutional safety net"
What a hilarious and idiotic thing to say. Since the change in the Canadian constitution, when has the Privy Council done anything of the slightest significance, and in that its role was essentially ceremonial?
snip
We really do need the like button back. Damn good post, Msr Le Marquis. Labour are about as relevant to serious political discourse at the moment as the mewings of my cat.
And what does your cat think of the Labour party?
I am not too sure, Mr. Hopkins, he is welsh, you see, and so sometimes difficult to understand. However, based on his attitude to property rights, which can be summed by "my chicken is mine and you should give me yours too", I think he might quite approve of some of the Labour ideas.
Mr Llama, you have made an unconscionable mistake, and one most unlike you.
Approving of "my chicken is mine and you should give me yours too" means he is a Lib Dem.
Labour would be : "My chicken is mine, your chicken is mine, and when we run out of chicken we'll print more chicken".
I am fairly sure, though, that his version of printing more chicken means I should just provide it (i.e. it's someone else's job to actually earn the cash to pay for his benefits) - doesn't that make him more Labour than Lib Dem?
I think ours wouldn't eat chicken.
It gets Aldi tuna half anf half with Aldi dried catfood. It eats the tuna and goes away for 2 hours until it is clear no more tuna is arriving. Then it eats the catfood. Then it comes back with the same offended look it had before it got the first lot.
When Aldi ran out of catfood it ate nothing and caught mice for 2 days rather than go Tesco.
The BBC really skating on "thin-ice" on their coverage of the migrant crisis. BBC reporter just said "Hungary's reputation is in tatters" should they really be making comments like that.
Simon McCoy almost losing it again interviewing a chap who I think was the Hungarian Ambassador. The Ambassador reported that some migrants were throwing their children over the gate and had to be taken into hospital. Pretty desperate stuff.
I was watching them the other day and the correspondent referred to the migrants, as a group, as "refugees" when clearly they had no knowledge that they all came from warzones. Almost every close-up is of a woman or child, when 80% of them are young adult males. I haven't seen any coverage of the Syrian passports being bought and sold, the effect of migrants on existing neighbourhood populations in Germany and Sweden. And now they are editing out sound from clips of rioters because they shout "Allah Akhbar".
Its bias on this issue has been utterly astonishing. The government needs to come down on them like a ton of bricks.
I agree with Nick Cohen, it doesn't matter - the Corbynistas won't accept the blame, it'll be someone else's fault no matter how long they get to make it *work*
BBC now reporting on defection rumours... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34283161 I'd prefer it if Corbyn fails on his own terms, otherwise the far-left will still be blaming the MSM and the defectors instead of their crazy policies.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
That just reminds you how worthless 2C's are nowadays.
When Corbyn’s PMQs by email initiative falls apart, he will have no option other than to go for straightforward attacks on the Tory record and the traditional approach of trying to win an argument in the chambering which the Prime Minister gets the last word. Nothing in Corbyn’s record or demeanour suggests he will be the slightest use at winning such arguments. At which point Cameron and the Tories will smash him to bits.
Harsh language? Unfair? No, give it a rest. No-one forced this man to stand for the Labour leadership. He occupies a vitally important position in the UK’s constitutional arrangements and he (one presumes) wants to be Prime Minister. The future of a once great party and the need in a democracy for a proper opposition is at stake. He deserves everything he gets.
BBC now reporting on defection rumours... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34283161 I'd prefer it if Corbyn fails on his own terms, otherwise the far-left will still be blaming the MSM and the defectors instead of their crazy policies.
Things are so bad in Labour that they want to join the LibDems?
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
Mine only eats deli counter roast beef, or a bit of smoked salmon if given a choice.
She will crunch Royal Canin kitten biscuits despite being 7yrs old if I ignore her. I've never had such a picky bloody eater - others loved chinese takeaways, pizza and would kill for a chicken drumstick or packet of beefy crisps.
"This secretive, archaic institution is a loophole in our constitutional safety net"
What a hilarious and idiotic thing to say. Since the change in the Canadian constitution, when has the Privy Council done anything of the slightest significance, and in that its role was essentially ceremonial?
snip
We really do need the like button back. Damn good post, Msr Le Marquis. Labour are about as relevant to serious political discourse at the moment as the mewings of my cat.
And what does your cat think of the Labour party?
I am not too sure, Mr. Hopkins, he is welsh, you see, and so sometimes difficult to understand. However, based on his attitude to property rights, which can be summed by "my chicken is mine and you should give me yours too", I think he might quite approve of some of the Labour ideas.
Mr Llama, you have made an unconscionable mistake, and one most unlike you.
Approving of "my chicken is mine and you should give me yours too" means he is a Lib Dem.
Labour would be : "My chicken is mine, your chicken is mine, and when we run out of chicken we'll print more chicken".
I am fairly sure, though, that his version of printing more chicken means I should just provide it (i.e. it's someone else's job to actually earn the cash to pay for his benefits) - doesn't that make him more Labour than Lib Dem?
I think ours wouldn't eat chicken.
It gets Aldi tuna half anf half with Aldi dried catfood. It eats the tuna and goes away for 2 hours until it is clear no more tuna is arriving. Then it eats the catfood. Then it comes back with the same offended look it had before it got the first lot.
When Aldi ran out of catfood it ate nothing and caught mice for 2 days rather than go Tesco.
Do you get the feeling your animals eat better than you do?
I've often been tempted to get a formicarium, so I have something to feed the breadcrumbs, plus autumn's crop of dead moths and craneflies, to.
@Scott_P Yesterday he also ruled out campaigning for OUT, so it must have been on either Monday or Tuesday. What did he say?
Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire from senior party figures and rivals for the Labour leadership after refusing to rule out campaigning to take the UK out of the EU.
At the latest leadership hustings in Warrington on Saturday, the leftwing candidate said his decision would depend on whether David Cameron was able to change the EU for the better.
In recent weeks, Corbyn has refused several times to make clear whether he would, as Labour leader, campaign to stay in or get out, and has said merely that the EU is imperfect and needs reform.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
That just reminds you how worthless 2C's are nowadays.
I don't disagree. Also worth remembering that back in the 60s and 70s some 30% of Alevel students failed to get an E. Nowadays over 95 % manage an E or higher.
BBC now reporting on defection rumours... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34283161 I'd prefer it if Corbyn fails on his own terms, otherwise the far-left will still be blaming the MSM and the defectors instead of their crazy policies.
Things are so bad in Labour that they want to join the LibDems?
@Scott_P Yesterday he also ruled out campaigning for OUT, so it must have been on either Monday or Tuesday. What did he say?
Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire from senior party figures and rivals for the Labour leadership after refusing to rule out campaigning to take the UK out of the EU.
At the latest leadership hustings in Warrington on Saturday, the leftwing candidate said his decision would depend on whether David Cameron was able to change the EU for the better.
In recent weeks, Corbyn has refused several times to make clear whether he would, as Labour leader, campaign to stay in or get out, and has said merely that the EU is imperfect and needs reform.
That's odd, given his previous statements, and his current statements. I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
I am actually agreeing with you ! Although serious grade inflation dates back to at least the late 1980s with the shift from relative marking to absolute marking.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
I am actually agreeing with you ! Although serious grade inflation dates back to at least the late 1980s with the shift from relative marking to absolute marking.
If that's the case then rather hilariously some people on PB (who no doubt complain about today's generation inflated/worthless grades) would have had their own grades inflated to some degree as well.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
If you want a definitive date, a good call might be 1987. From 1963 (when the A-E grades were introduced to replace distinction/pass/fail) to 1986, grades were norm-referenced (i.e. cut-offs were set so that grades awarded allocated in fixed proportions), since then they have been standard-referenced (i.e. theoretically, cut-offs are set to produce similar standards from year to year even though the grades might vary). Even by 1997 the grades awarded had shifted substantially, though the breakdown has shifted even more radically since.
I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
I'm not keen on ants - but a tank full of another small insect that'd eat little leftovers would be rather cool. My greyhounds ate almost everything [loved brioche rolls], and if they didn't fancy it - my angora goats would pick up the slack.
Mine only eats deli counter roast beef, or a bit of smoked salmon if given a choice.
She will crunch Royal Canin kitten biscuits despite being 7yrs old if I ignore her. I've never had such a picky bloody eater - others loved chinese takeaways, pizza and would kill for a chicken drumstick or packet of beefy crisps.
We really do need the like button back. Damn good post, Msr Le Marquis. Labour are about as relevant to serious political discourse at the moment as the mewings of my cat.
And what does your cat think of the Labour party?
I am not too sure, Mr. Hopkins, he is welsh, you see, and so sometimes difficult to understand. However, based on his attitude to property rights, which can be summed by "my chicken is mine and you should give me yours too", I think he might quite approve of some of the Labour ideas.
Mr Llama, you have made an unconscionable mistake, and one most unlike you.
Approving of "my chicken is mine and you should give me yours too" means he is a Lib Dem.
Labour would be : "My chicken is mine, your chicken is mine, and when we run out of chicken we'll print more chicken".
I am fairly sure, though, that his version of printing more chicken means I should just provide it (i.e. it's someone else's job to actually earn the cash to pay for his benefits) - doesn't that make him more Labour than Lib Dem?
I think ours wouldn't eat chicken.
It gets Aldi tuna half anf half with Aldi dried catfood. It eats the tuna and goes away for 2 hours until it is clear no more tuna is arriving. Then it eats the catfood. Then it comes back with the same offended look it had before it got the first lot.
When Aldi ran out of catfood it ate nothing and caught mice for 2 days rather than go Tesco.
Do you get the feeling your animals eat better than you do?
I've often been tempted to get a formicarium, so I have something to feed the breadcrumbs, plus autumn's crop of dead moths and craneflies, to.
The BBC really skating on "thin-ice" on their coverage of the migrant crisis. BBC reporter just said "Hungary's reputation is in tatters" should they really be making comments like that.
Simon McCoy almost losing it again interviewing a chap who I think was the Hungarian Ambassador. The Ambassador reported that some migrants were throwing their children over the gate and had to be taken into hospital. Pretty desperate stuff.
I was watching them the other day and the correspondent referred to the migrants, as a group, as "refugees" when clearly they had no knowledge that they all came from warzones. Almost every close-up is of a woman or child, when 80% of them are young adult males. I haven't seen any coverage of the Syrian passports being bought and sold, the effect of migrants on existing neighbourhood populations in Germany and Sweden. And now they are editing out sound from clips of rioters because they shout "Allah Akhbar".
Its bias on this issue has been utterly astonishing. The government needs to come down on them like a ton of bricks.
Both the BBC and Sky seem to be constantly focussing on the children's suffering (which is absolutely dreadful) rather than forensic examination of the large groups of men, their origin and whether they really are refugees. Their spokespeople always take the side of the migrants and there is no balance. They never interrogate these so called officials as to what they would do, how have they ascertained origin of travel and whether they are economic migrants or genuine refugees. They never demand to know why Countries are just waving them through rather than registering them in dereliction of their duty. I believe their one sided reporting (for whatever reason) is a betrayal of their journalism and more importantly is creating an atmosphere that can only end in tears and adversly effect the very children we all want to help
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
I am actually agreeing with you ! Although serious grade inflation dates back to at least the late 1980s with the shift from relative marking to absolute marking.
If that's the case then rather hilariously some people on PB (who no doubt complain about today's generation inflated/worthless grades) would have had their own grades inflated to some degree as well.
One thing I found disturbing when teaching.
An A-level Further Maths set in the 2000s would often struggle with O-level questions from the 1980s. Now obviously I picked the harder ones, but still.
They were okay with their own A-level, but those who looked at the S-level/STEP papers got a fright. Funnily enough they don't seem to have changed in difficulty since the 80s.
I'm not keen on ants - but a tank full of another small insect that'd eat little leftovers would be rather cool. My greyhounds ate almost everything [loved brioche rolls], and if they didn't fancy it - my angora goats would pick up the slack.
He was saying whatever he fancied on Sunday - some came out of discussions thinking he was agin the EU, others that he was pro-EU. It was only a matter of a couple of days before he had to stop dissembling and take a position.
Another silly unforced error that makes others mistrust him. Day 5.
@Scott_P Yesterday he also ruled out campaigning for OUT, so it must have been on either Monday or Tuesday. What did he say?
Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire from senior party figures and rivals for the Labour leadership after refusing to rule out campaigning to take the UK out of the EU.
At the latest leadership hustings in Warrington on Saturday, the leftwing candidate said his decision would depend on whether David Cameron was able to change the EU for the better.
In recent weeks, Corbyn has refused several times to make clear whether he would, as Labour leader, campaign to stay in or get out, and has said merely that the EU is imperfect and needs reform.
That's odd, given his previous statements, and his current statements. I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
Same with Milliband.
Which is entirely the electorate's fault. Stupid electorate.
Don't forget, we're all sheeple brainwashed by the Murdoch media (which most no longer read), or, failing that, greedy selfish, racist, anti-gay islamophobes in thrall to archaic, undemocratic institutions like the monarchy.
One day, there will be a better electorate and they will finally understand.
I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
Same with Milliband.
Out of all of Corbyn's political views, I actually think arguing OUT would be the least politically toxic. I think Corbyn opting to argue for IN, is due to much of the Labour party faithful, especially the Labour party establishment being quite Pro-EU. Given how his leadership has started, I doubt Corbyn wants to cause more disunity, so the easiest thing is to stay with a Pro-EU position.
How stupid are Labour MPs? They stuck with Brown even after his ratings took the party into some of their lowest ratings. They stuck by Miliband even though his ratings were appallingly bad and they were regularly losing in Scotland. Then some helped Corbyn get onto the slate because they clearly did not understand how left wing their members were......
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
I am actually agreeing with you ! Although serious grade inflation dates back to at least the late 1980s with the shift from relative marking to absolute marking.
If that's the case then rather hilariously some people on PB (who no doubt complain about today's generation inflated/worthless grades) would have had their own grades inflated to some degree as well.
One thing I found disturbing when teaching.
An A-level Further Maths set in the 2000s would often struggle with O-level questions from the 1980s. Now obviously I picked the harder ones, but still.
They were okay with their own A-level, but those who looked at the S-level/STEP papers got a fright. Funnily enough they don't seem to have changed in difficulty since the 80s.
A major complicating factor is that O level papers I have seen gave a choice of O level questions. My father, who was a good school (and got top grades in his favourite subjects), admits he could never have answered some of the questions.
Mohammad Khaled is one of the asylum seekers who arrived by bus to Frederiksberg asylum accommodation during the night of Thursday. The asylum seekers had received information that they were on their way to Hedemora, but that did not happen, which busload of asylum seekers are dissatisfied with.
"When we arrived here, we realized that it is far from civilization, shops, hospitals and schools. We need somewhere to study and have a good life. We came to Sweden because it would be "Freedom Land". We believe they have lied to us" says Mohammad.
I'd love to be a fly on the wall during the Trident discussions. They've surely got to get a position on that nailed down? (Mind you the Lib Dems seemed to compromise their way through the last parliament on the issue, and got away with it - in the sense that their utter destruction was due to voters disagreeing with their stance on other issues rather than their non-stance on that one.)
He was saying whatever he fancied on Sunday - some came out of discussions thinking he was agin the EU, others that he was pro-EU. It was only a matter of a couple of days before he had to stop dissembling and take a position.
Another silly unforced error that makes others mistrust him. Day 5.
@Scott_P Yesterday he also ruled out campaigning for OUT, so it must have been on either Monday or Tuesday. What did he say?
Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire from senior party figures and rivals for the Labour leadership after refusing to rule out campaigning to take the UK out of the EU.
At the latest leadership hustings in Warrington on Saturday, the leftwing candidate said his decision would depend on whether David Cameron was able to change the EU for the better.
In recent weeks, Corbyn has refused several times to make clear whether he would, as Labour leader, campaign to stay in or get out, and has said merely that the EU is imperfect and needs reform.
That's odd, given his previous statements, and his current statements. I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
He was saying whatever he fancied on Sunday - some came out of discussions thinking he was agin the EU, others that he was pro-EU. It was only a matter of a couple of days before he had to stop dissembling and take a position.
Another silly unforced error that makes others mistrust him. Day 5.
@Scott_P Yesterday he also ruled out campaigning for OUT, so it must have been on either Monday or Tuesday. What did he say?
Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire from senior party figures and rivals for the Labour leadership after refusing to rule out campaigning to take the UK out of the EU.
At the latest leadership hustings in Warrington on Saturday, the leftwing candidate said his decision would depend on whether David Cameron was able to change the EU for the better.
In recent weeks, Corbyn has refused several times to make clear whether he would, as Labour leader, campaign to stay in or get out, and has said merely that the EU is imperfect and needs reform.
That's odd, given his previous statements, and his current statements. I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
Unlike 'hug a hoodie', 'greenest ever', 'green crap' Dave.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
I am actually agreeing with you ! Although serious grade inflation dates back to at least the late 1980s with the shift from relative marking to absolute marking.
If that's the case then rather hilariously some people on PB (who no doubt complain about today's generation inflated/worthless grades) would have had their own grades inflated to some degree as well.
One thing I found disturbing when teaching.
An A-level Further Maths set in the 2000s would often struggle with O-level questions from the 1980s. Now obviously I picked the harder ones, but still.
They were okay with their own A-level, but those who looked at the S-level/STEP papers got a fright. Funnily enough they don't seem to have changed in difficulty since the 80s.
Hmmmm that's very interesting - even back that far! Going to school, I always got the impression that Maths was an especially iffy subject for teachers.
Indeed, I don't know the actual figures, but visiting KSA you'd get the impression that there are more migrants than natives in the country.
Absolutely. but 99.9% are there temporarily before returning to Pakistan/Bangladesh/Indonesia. As a Syrian looking for somewhere to settle, it would - for most - be a temporary refuge at best.
[I've spent far too much time working there - it's an utter shithole if you're anything other than arabic, sunni, devout, male and straight.]
I did my A Levels in 1985. Getting AAA was unusual even at my school, which was typically in the top of the pile for results. I just can't take results seriously anymore - they're so out of kilter with my experience of *good*.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
If you want a definitive date, a good call might be 1987. From 1963 (when the A-E grades were introduced to replace distinction/pass/fail) to 1986, grades were norm-referenced (i.e. cut-offs were set so that grades awarded allocated in fixed proportions), since then they have been standard-referenced (i.e. theoretically, cut-offs are set to produce similar standards from year to year even though the grades might vary). Even by 1997 the grades awarded had shifted substantially, though the breakdown has shifted even more radically since.
An A-level Further Maths set in the 2000s would often struggle with O-level questions from the 1980s. Now obviously I picked the harder ones, but still.
They were okay with their own A-level, but those who looked at the S-level/STEP papers got a fright. Funnily enough they don't seem to have changed in difficulty since the 80s.
A major complicating factor is that O level papers I have seen gave a choice of O level questions. My father, who was a good school (and got top grades in his favourite subjects), admits he could never have answered some of the questions.
Yes this is a factor and I will freely admit I picked questions that the majority of O level students would have skipped. But even so, they were intended for students taking O level.
Quite difficult to measure changing of standards in the more essay-based subjects. At least in the technical subjects there are some reasonably objective measurements available - in history, for instance, precisely the same essay question could be asked and yet the resulting grade distribution would depend on marking criteria and standards.
I'll also admit that in the science subjects, certain aspects have got harder. There are fewer "answer from memory" questions which require you to simply write up a standard experiment or mini-essay or definition, and a bit more analysis.
Congrats on your new job by the way, hope it is working out well for you.
He was saying whatever he fancied on Sunday - some came out of discussions thinking he was agin the EU, others that he was pro-EU. It was only a matter of a couple of days before he had to stop dissembling and take a position.
Another silly unforced error that makes others mistrust him. Day 5.
@Scott_P Yesterday he also ruled out campaigning for OUT, so it must have been on either Monday or Tuesday. What did he say?
Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire from senior party figures and rivals for the Labour leadership after refusing to rule out campaigning to take the UK out of the EU.
At the latest leadership hustings in Warrington on Saturday, the leftwing candidate said his decision would depend on whether David Cameron was able to change the EU for the better.
In recent weeks, Corbyn has refused several times to make clear whether he would, as Labour leader, campaign to stay in or get out, and has said merely that the EU is imperfect and needs reform.
That's odd, given his previous statements, and his current statements. I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
Unlike 'hug a hoodie', 'greenest ever', 'green crap' Dave.
I'd love to be a fly on the wall during the Trident discussions. They've surely got to get a position on that nailed down?
Presumably the party will continue to support Trident and Jeremy Corbyn will as usual rebel against the party whip. It's the new way of doing politics.
The EU have been slowly killing off trade unions. Corbyn and the rest of the Labour Party are morons if they think there is any chance of a Social Europe.
Presumably the party will continue to support Trident and Jeremy Corbyn will as usual rebel against the party whip. It's the new way of doing politics.
I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
Same with Milliband.
Out of all of Corbyn's political views, I actually think arguing OUT would be the least politically toxic. I think Corbyn opting to argue for IN, is due to much of the Labour party faithful, especially the Labour party establishment being quite Pro-EU. Given how his leadership has started, I doubt Corbyn wants to cause more disunity, so the easiest thing is to stay with a Pro-EU position.
The Leave side should want the unions on their side, but is probably best off avoiding being associated with Corbyn. He'll be so toxic by 2017.
Mohammad Khaled is one of the asylum seekers who arrived by bus to Frederiksberg asylum accommodation during the night of Thursday. The asylum seekers had received information that they were on their way to Hedemora, but that did not happen, which busload of asylum seekers are dissatisfied with.
"When we arrived here, we realized that it is far from civilization, shops, hospitals and schools. We need somewhere to study and have a good life. We came to Sweden because it would be "Freedom Land". We believe they have lied to us" says Mohammad.
'Where are the sexy blonde women we were expecting to greet us?'
Perhaps the Swedes should bomb the area, to remind him what he's missing back home.
The Yougov poll to me reads much like you'd have got with any of the four candidates. Labour has a poor image and Corbyn hasn't done anything to improve it. I don't think there is much sign that his left wing stance is doing him either any good or any harm.
I did my A Levels in 1985. Getting AAA was unusual even at my school, which was typically in the top of the pile for results. I just can't take results seriously anymore - they're so out of kilter with my experience of *good*.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
If you want a definitive date, a good call might be 1987. From 1963 (when the A-E grades were introduced to replace distinction/pass/fail) to 1986, grades were norm-referenced (i.e. cut-offs were set so that grades awarded allocated in fixed proportions), since then they have been standard-referenced (i.e. theoretically, cut-offs are set to produce similar standards from year to year even though the grades might vary). Even by 1997 the grades awarded had shifted substantially, though the breakdown has shifted even more radically since.
I was a couple of years before you in 83 for A levels. My daughter is 14 and just started her GCSE studies and I despair at some of the questions she is being asked.
Mohammad Khaled is one of the asylum seekers who arrived by bus to Frederiksberg asylum accommodation during the night of Thursday. The asylum seekers had received information that they were on their way to Hedemora, but that did not happen, which busload of asylum seekers are dissatisfied with.
"When we arrived here, we realized that it is far from civilization, shops, hospitals and schools. We need somewhere to study and have a good life. We came to Sweden because it would be "Freedom Land". We believe they have lied to us" says Mohammad.
I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
Same with Milliband.
Out of all of Corbyn's political views, I actually think arguing OUT would be the least politically toxic. I think Corbyn opting to argue for IN, is due to much of the Labour party faithful, especially the Labour party establishment being quite Pro-EU. Given how his leadership has started, I doubt Corbyn wants to cause more disunity, so the easiest thing is to stay with a Pro-EU position.
The Leave side should want the unions on their side, but is probably best off avoiding being associated with Corbyn. He'll be so toxic by 2017.
The dilemma for OUT is to find a figure who isn't politically toxic to lead their cause!
I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
Same with Milliband.
Out of all of Corbyn's political views, I actually think arguing OUT would be the least politically toxic. I think Corbyn opting to argue for IN, is due to much of the Labour party faithful, especially the Labour party establishment being quite Pro-EU. Given how his leadership has started, I doubt Corbyn wants to cause more disunity, so the easiest thing is to stay with a Pro-EU position.
The Leave side should want the unions on their side, but is probably best off avoiding being associated with Corbyn. He'll be so toxic by 2017.
The dilemma for OUT is to find a figure who isn't politically toxic to lead their cause!
Daniel Hannan is their man, but he's so far off the radar they'll never choose him...
I'd love to be a fly on the wall during the Trident discussions. They've surely got to get a position on that nailed down?
Presumably the party will continue to support Trident and Jeremy Corbyn will as usual rebel against the party whip. It's the new way of doing politics.
I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
Same with Milliband.
Out of all of Corbyn's political views, I actually think arguing OUT would be the least politically toxic. I think Corbyn opting to argue for IN, is due to much of the Labour party faithful, especially the Labour party establishment being quite Pro-EU. Given how his leadership has started, I doubt Corbyn wants to cause more disunity, so the easiest thing is to stay with a Pro-EU position.
The Leave side should want the unions on their side, but is probably best off avoiding being associated with Corbyn. He'll be so toxic by 2017.
The dilemma for OUT is to find a figure who isn't politically toxic to lead their cause!
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
I am actually agreeing with you ! Although serious grade inflation dates back to at least the late 1980s with the shift from relative marking to absolute marking.
If that's the case then rather hilariously some people on PB (who no doubt complain about today's generation inflated/worthless grades) would have had their own grades inflated to some degree as well.
Correct - I reckon my AAB in 1972 should be rhodium plated supernovas today
I'd love to be a fly on the wall during the Trident discussions. They've surely got to get a position on that nailed down?
Presumably the party will continue to support Trident and Jeremy Corbyn will as usual rebel against the party whip. It's the new way of doing politics.
Speaking of AAA grades, I got A*AA in my A-Levels, (which came as a huge shock on the day). All of my subjects were essayed based ones. One thing I do hope, is that if any PBers have kids doing GCSEs and A-levels, and they do well, they don't tell their kids on results day to not celebrate because of 'grade inflation'. You can only work with what you got, and for many people I knew GCSES and A-Levels were a stressful time and not easy peasy.
I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
Same with Milliband.
Out of all of Corbyn's political views, I actually think arguing OUT would be the least politically toxic. I think Corbyn opting to argue for IN, is due to much of the Labour party faithful, especially the Labour party establishment being quite Pro-EU. Given how his leadership has started, I doubt Corbyn wants to cause more disunity, so the easiest thing is to stay with a Pro-EU position.
The Leave side should want the unions on their side, but is probably best off avoiding being associated with Corbyn. He'll be so toxic by 2017.
The dilemma for OUT is to find a figure who isn't politically toxic to lead their cause!
David Cameron. The country will do what he says anyway, so they should probably be focusing on persuading him.
It's not a tax on banks. It's a tax on transactions. It's like VAT. Your pension fund buys shares; a tax is levied. That is charged to you, the future pensioner. Everyone who has a pension, which is not paid out of government revenue, will be affected.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
That just reminds you how worthless 2C's are nowadays.
I don't disagree. Also worth remembering that back in the 60s and 70s some 30% of Alevel students failed to get an E. Nowadays over 95 % manage an E or higher.
Surely, that just shows how much better the education system is today?
It's not a tax on banks. It's a tax on transactions. It's like VAT. Your pension fund buys shares; a tax is levied. That is charged to you, the future pensioner. Everyone who has a pension, which is not paid out of government revenue, will be affected.
NO! The Robin Hood Tax will raised gazillions from bankers without affecting anyone in the real world at all.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
I am actually agreeing with you ! Although serious grade inflation dates back to at least the late 1980s with the shift from relative marking to absolute marking.
If that's the case then rather hilariously some people on PB (who no doubt complain about today's generation inflated/worthless grades) would have had their own grades inflated to some degree as well.
One thing I found disturbing when teaching.
An A-level Further Maths set in the 2000s would often struggle with O-level questions from the 1980s. Now obviously I picked the harder ones, but still.
They were okay with their own A-level, but those who looked at the S-level/STEP papers got a fright. Funnily enough they don't seem to have changed in difficulty since the 80s.
Mr. Ears, I used to have a maths text book aimed at 14 year olds in the 1940s. It contained mathematics which 10 years ago was not even in the A level syllabus never mind GCSE, and I am not talking about how to use a slide-rule (hands-up those who know, without using Google, what a slide-rule is). However, modern GCSE and A level papers contain maths that probably wasn't even discovered seventy years ago, or if it was then it was judged too esoteric for normal people to know about).
So, whilst I feel for university lecturers having to spend time in year one covering stuff that previous generations of students would have known and been good at, I am not sure a direct comparison of content is any real indicator of relative difficulty of school exam papers..
I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
Same with Milliband.
Out of all of Corbyn's political views, I actually think arguing OUT would be the least politically toxic. I think Corbyn opting to argue for IN, is due to much of the Labour party faithful, especially the Labour party establishment being quite Pro-EU. Given how his leadership has started, I doubt Corbyn wants to cause more disunity, so the easiest thing is to stay with a Pro-EU position.
The Leave side should want the unions on their side, but is probably best off avoiding being associated with Corbyn. He'll be so toxic by 2017.
The dilemma for OUT is to find a figure who isn't politically toxic to lead their cause!
Daniel Hannan is their man, but he's so far off the radar they'll never choose him...
No. Dan Hannan appeals to us Tories but not many others. He'll also be demonised as the man that bashed the NHS on Fox News.
Miss Cyclefree, quite, but even worse is that Robin Hood wanted low taxation. Calling it a Robin Hood Tax is like having a Casanova Chastity Belt, or a Dalai Lama Flamethrower.
I really like Dan Hannan, but he's got that surgeon manner - he doesn't come across as warm/fuzzy enough for most. I'd be uncomfortable with him dissecting his opponents so forensically on Daytime TV.
I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
Same with Milliband.
Out of all of Corbyn's political views, I actually think arguing OUT would be the least politically toxic. I think Corbyn opting to argue for IN, is due to much of the Labour party faithful, especially the Labour party establishment being quite Pro-EU. Given how his leadership has started, I doubt Corbyn wants to cause more disunity, so the easiest thing is to stay with a Pro-EU position.
The Leave side should want the unions on their side, but is probably best off avoiding being associated with Corbyn. He'll be so toxic by 2017.
The dilemma for OUT is to find a figure who isn't politically toxic to lead their cause!
Daniel Hannan is their man, but he's so far off the radar they'll never choose him...
Speaking of AAA grades, I got A*AA in my A-Levels, (which came as a huge shock on the day). All of my subjects were essayed based ones. One thing I do hope, is that if any PBers have kids doing GCSEs and A-levels, and they do well, they don't tell their kids on results day to not celebrate because of 'grade inflation'. You can only work with what you got, and for many people I knew GCSES and A-Levels were a stressful time and not easy peasy.
Grade inflation was one of our forbidden topics while the kids were slogging through their GCSE/A-levels - we didn't see it as particularly helpful .
However, I do wish they'd stuck with relative grading rather than absolute; it would render this particular argument moot.
Speaking of AAA grades, I got A*AA in my A-Levels, (which came as a huge shock on the day). All of my subjects were essayed based ones. One thing I do hope, is that if any PBers have kids doing GCSEs and A-levels, and they do well, they don't tell their kids on results day to not celebrate because of 'grade inflation'. You can only work with what you got, and for many people I knew GCSES and A-Levels were a stressful time and not easy peasy.
1) Don't tell them while they're revising, it'll annoy them and if they get in a bad mood they're less likely to revise anyway. 2) Don't tell them on results day. Whatever results they got, this will make them feel even worse on a day they should hopefully be celebrating. 3) Later in life, when they're grown up enough to take it, rub it in. Really rub it in. It is very important indeed to stop people being too big for their boots, or thinking that their parents are useless just because they got worse grades 30 years ago.
Mohammad Khaled is one of the asylum seekers who arrived by bus to Frederiksberg asylum accommodation during the night of Thursday. The asylum seekers had received information that they were on their way to Hedemora, but that did not happen, which busload of asylum seekers are dissatisfied with.
"When we arrived here, we realized that it is far from civilization, shops, hospitals and schools. We need somewhere to study and have a good life. We came to Sweden because it would be "Freedom Land". We believe they have lied to us" says Mohammad.
It's the entitlement of it. "We need this, and you can provide it". And this is the entitlement they have right now. Can you imagine what will happen ten, fifteen years down the line?
A lot of them will get fed of the conformist culture in Sweden and Germany and want to move to a diverse metropolis where people of all ethnic groups carve out their niche. Where could that be?
It's not a tax on banks. It's a tax on transactions. It's like VAT. Your pension fund buys shares; a tax is levied. That is charged to you, the future pensioner. Everyone who has a pension, which is not paid out of government revenue, will be affected.
NO! The Robin Hood Tax will raised gazillions from bankers without affecting anyone in the real world at all.
Don't you know anything?
Other than the thousand of jobs lost in London's financial industry
I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
Same with Milliband.
Out of all of Corbyn's political views, I actually think arguing OUT would be the least politically toxic. I think Corbyn opting to argue for IN, is due to much of the Labour party faithful, especially the Labour party establishment being quite Pro-EU. Given how his leadership has started, I doubt Corbyn wants to cause more disunity, so the easiest thing is to stay with a Pro-EU position.
The Leave side should want the unions on their side, but is probably best off avoiding being associated with Corbyn. He'll be so toxic by 2017.
The dilemma for OUT is to find a figure who isn't politically toxic to lead their cause!
Jim Mellon, reasonably charasmatic and not a politician.
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
That just reminds you how worthless 2C's are nowadays.
I don't disagree. Also worth remembering that back in the 60s and 70s some 30% of Alevel students failed to get an E. Nowadays over 95 % manage an E or higher.
Surely, that just shows how much better the education system is today?
No, it shows the children are smarter. How could they not be, springing from the loins of ubermensch like us?
Miss Cyclefree, quite, but even worse is that Robin Hood wanted low taxation. Calling it a Robin Hood Tax is like having a Casanova Chastity Belt, or a Dalai Lama Flamethrower.
Mr Dancer: we can expect more of this nonsense from Mr Murphy who is as clueless and unpleasant as Matt W described so eloquently earlier on the thread.
Murphy is one who wants the sort of taxation of companies which is completely forbidden by the EU's Single Market. I can guarantee that he will come up with all sorts of superficially attractive but daft proposals, then when it is pointed out that his proposals are illegal under EU law, he will go off and sulk. Rinse and repeat.
The only thing Murphy is any good at is self-promotion.
Speaking of AAA grades, I got A*AA in my A-Levels, (which came as a huge shock on the day). All of my subjects were essayed based ones. One thing I do hope, is that if any PBers have kids doing GCSEs and A-levels, and they do well, they don't tell their kids on results day to not celebrate because of 'grade inflation'. You can only work with what you got, and for many people I knew GCSES and A-Levels were a stressful time and not easy peasy.
Grade inflation was one of our forbidden topics while the kids were slogging through their GCSE/A-levels - we didn't see it as particularly helpful.
However, I do wish they'd stuck with relative grading rather than absolute; it would render this particular argument moot.
Yeah. I know if someone had told me while I was stressing about exams 'your grades will be worthless anyway' I'd probably have cried.
@MyBurningEars I don't see why (3 should happen. I don't think of myself as better than parents for my results - I thank them very much for all the support they gave me! Those results helped my self-esteem immeasurably at the time (which was at rock bottom) and gave me a reason to believe I wasn't a piece of rubbish.
I agree about entitlement. I expected the migrants to get grumpy around Day 4 of waiting at the various borders, I was wrong - 36hrs max and they're kicking off/breaking fences.
Mohammad Khaled is one of the asylum seekers who arrived by bus to Frederiksberg asylum accommodation during the night of Thursday. The asylum seekers had received information that they were on their way to Hedemora, but that did not happen, which busload of asylum seekers are dissatisfied with.
"When we arrived here, we realized that it is far from civilization, shops, hospitals and schools. We need somewhere to study and have a good life. We came to Sweden because it would be "Freedom Land". We believe they have lied to us" says Mohammad.
It's the entitlement of it. "We need this, and you can provide it". And this is the entitlement they have right now. Can you imagine what will happen ten, fifteen years down the line?
A lot of them will get fed of the conformist culture in Sweden and Germany and want to move to a diverse metropolis where people of all ethnic groups carve out their niche. Where could that be?
Speaking of AAA grades, I got A*AA in my A-Levels, (which came as a huge shock on the day). All of my subjects were essayed based ones. One thing I do hope, is that if any PBers have kids doing GCSEs and A-levels, and they do well, they don't tell their kids on results day to not celebrate because of 'grade inflation'. You can only work with what you got, and for many people I knew GCSES and A-Levels were a stressful time and not easy peasy.
1) Don't tell them while they're revising, it'll annoy them and if they get in a bad mood they're less likely to revise anyway. 2) Don't tell them on results day. Whatever results they got, this will make them feel even worse on a day they should hopefully be celebrating. 3) Later in life, when they're grown up enough to take it, rub it in. Really rub it in. It is very important indeed to stop people being too big for their boots, or thinking that their parents are useless just because they got worse grades 30 years ago.
The best point for (3) is when they've starting posting to political blogs, I reckon. So, Miss Apocalypse, congrats on your BCC (as adjusted to 1997, the best year to take A-levels in).
What I find most incredulous is Corbyn's claim not to have been aware. But no, we're told by supporters he's genuine!
Genuine asshat
He did only get 2 Es. He's not the sharpest knife in the draw.
It has to be said though that 2 Es from the late 1960s would at least be the equivalent of 2 Cs - maybe Bs - in today's terms after allowing for grade inflation.
I am actually agreeing with you ! Although serious grade inflation dates back to at least the late 1980s with the shift from relative marking to absolute marking.
If that's the case then rather hilariously some people on PB (who no doubt complain about today's generation inflated/worthless grades) would have had their own grades inflated to some degree as well.
One thing I found disturbing when teaching.
An A-level Further Maths set in the 2000s would often struggle with O-level questions from the 1980s. Now obviously I picked the harder ones, but still.
They were okay with their own A-level, but those who looked at the S-level/STEP papers got a fright. Funnily enough they don't seem to have changed in difficulty since the 80s.
A major complicating factor is that O level papers I have seen gave a choice of O level questions. My father, who was a good school (and got top grades in his favourite subjects), admits he could never have answered some of the questions.
I sat O level papers that looked like that, but actually it was making allowance for different syllabuses - no pupils covered all the subject-matter in a paper.
Comments
And I've just seen this article by the Indy, which in light of the conversation on mental health yesterday I thought may be of interest to PBers: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mental-health-dwp-iain-duncan-smith-work-programme-worse-study-mind-charity-10505037.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34283161
I'd prefer it if Corbyn fails on his own terms, otherwise the far-left will still be blaming the MSM and the defectors instead of their crazy policies.
Simon McCoy almost losing it again interviewing a chap who I think was the Hungarian Ambassador. The Ambassador reported that some migrants were throwing their children over the gate and had to be taken into hospital. Pretty desperate stuff.
Muslims chucking rocks at police and shouting "Allah Akhbar" a the Hungarian border is the same stamp as a vicar praising God for a sunny morning when he goes for a bike ride round Niceness-by-the-Wold
She will crunch Royal Canin kitten biscuits despite being 7yrs old if I ignore her. I've never had such a picky bloody eater - others loved chinese takeaways, pizza and would kill for a chicken drumstick or packet of beefy crisps.
@PickardJE: Former union communications officer Kevin Slocombe has been appointed press spokesman for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Its bias on this issue has been utterly astonishing. The government needs to come down on them like a ton of bricks.
Things are so bad in Labour that they want to join the LibDems?
I've often been tempted to get a formicarium, so I have something to feed the breadcrumbs, plus autumn's crop of dead moths and craneflies, to.
UKIP will tomorrow launch a campaign for September 18th to be named "Union Day" with an "annual celebration" #indyref
That's odd, given his previous statements, and his current statements. I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
See this table and the easier-to-digest graph below.
You have to wonder whether that is deliberate though. In his heart of hearts, Corbyn probably knows the voters won't go for what he really wants to do.
Same with Milliband.
I'm not keen on ants - but a tank full of another small insect that'd eat little leftovers would be rather cool. My greyhounds ate almost everything [loved brioche rolls], and if they didn't fancy it - my angora goats would pick up the slack.
An A-level Further Maths set in the 2000s would often struggle with O-level questions from the 1980s. Now obviously I picked the harder ones, but still.
They were okay with their own A-level, but those who looked at the S-level/STEP papers got a fright. Funnily enough they don't seem to have changed in difficulty since the 80s.
Clearly what we need is a legion of vivarium-sized dwarf goats.
Another silly unforced error that makes others mistrust him. Day 5. That's odd, given his previous statements, and his current statements. I think Corbyn has the same problem as Miliband in that his positions lack clarity and are prone to chopping and changing.
Don't forget, we're all sheeple brainwashed by the Murdoch media (which most no longer read), or, failing that, greedy selfish, racist, anti-gay islamophobes in thrall to archaic, undemocratic institutions like the monarchy.
One day, there will be a better electorate and they will finally understand.
http://tinyurl.com/oottfb5
Mohammad Khaled is one of the asylum seekers who arrived by bus to Frederiksberg asylum accommodation during the night of Thursday. The asylum seekers had received information that they were on their way to Hedemora, but that did not happen, which busload of asylum seekers are dissatisfied with.
"When we arrived here, we realized that it is far from civilization, shops, hospitals and schools. We need somewhere to study and have a good life. We came to Sweden because it would be "Freedom Land". We believe they have lied to us" says Mohammad.
Unlike 'hug a hoodie', 'greenest ever', 'green crap' Dave.
[I've spent far too much time working there - it's an utter shithole if you're anything other than arabic, sunni, devout, male and straight.]
Quite difficult to measure changing of standards in the more essay-based subjects. At least in the technical subjects there are some reasonably objective measurements available - in history, for instance, precisely the same essay question could be asked and yet the resulting grade distribution would depend on marking criteria and standards.
I'll also admit that in the science subjects, certain aspects have got harder. There are fewer "answer from memory" questions which require you to simply write up a standard experiment or mini-essay or definition, and a bit more analysis.
Congrats on your new job by the way, hope it is working out well for you.
Pragmatic and sensible decisions.
@thetimes: Top Labour donor slams Corbyn victory and says he will pay MPs to quit party http://t.co/5dt93zyBbE http://t.co/Wz1ESSJqna
Perhaps the Swedes should bomb the area, to remind him what he's missing back home.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/34282314
May be of interest for those betting on the driver market.
Don't you know anything?
So, whilst I feel for university lecturers having to spend time in year one covering stuff that previous generations of students would have known and been good at, I am not sure a direct comparison of content is any real indicator of relative difficulty of school exam papers..
However, I do wish they'd stuck with relative grading rather than absolute; it would render this particular argument moot.
2) Don't tell them on results day. Whatever results they got, this will make them feel even worse on a day they should hopefully be celebrating.
3) Later in life, when they're grown up enough to take it, rub it in. Really rub it in. It is very important indeed to stop people being too big for their boots, or thinking that their parents are useless just because they got worse grades 30 years ago.
@JEO I like Kate Hoey, but I can't see her wanting to lead the OUT cause. But maybe she'll surprise us all?
There is a strange attitude of self-entitlement to some of these migrants, isn;t there?
A lot of them will get fed of the conformist culture in Sweden and Germany and want to move to a diverse metropolis where people of all ethnic groups carve out their niche. Where could that be?
Spinner's first action was to erase his Twitter: http://t.co/Etn9l9iLaD
Is David David an outer?
He always does his best to annoy DC in any way he can.
Murphy is one who wants the sort of taxation of companies which is completely forbidden by the EU's Single Market. I can guarantee that he will come up with all sorts of superficially attractive but daft proposals, then when it is pointed out that his proposals are illegal under EU law, he will go off and sulk. Rinse and repeat.
The only thing Murphy is any good at is self-promotion.
@MyBurningEars I don't see why (3 should happen. I don't think of myself as better than parents for my results - I thank them very much for all the support they gave me! Those results helped my self-esteem immeasurably at the time (which was at rock bottom) and gave me a reason to believe I wasn't a piece of rubbish.
Not my idea of a guest to welcome in.
@MP_SE Who is Jim Mellon?