Partial credit is alive and well in England, it seems.
A pupil who wrote f**k off on his GCSE English paper was given two marks out of 27.
Even though the task was to "describe the room you are sitting in", simple correct spelling and conveying a thought counted for something...
If it had had an exclamation mark it would got a little bit more because it would have been showing a little of skill.
Imagine if he had added "you bloody plonker" at the end...
Apparently, the largest exam board that controls the testing in England doesn't acknowledge correct spelling and syntax when it comes to obscenity. Let's face it - someone who writes "Fuck off" as an answer to an essay question is going nowhere fast, and probably deserves zero points; but to sanction or disregard obscenity in a graded writing as a matter of policy - well, aren't you limiting thought/expression?
I'm finishing up my workout this afternoon with 20 minutes on a stationary bike. The last random song from my workout mix is That's Good by Devo. Mark Mothersbaugh has always been the iconic face of this group for me.
I don't know what I like more about that video...the french fry nailing the donut or the sillouhetted image of the band at the end.
In the last year, my daughters have come to love the TV Show Yo Gabba Gabba!. Mark routinely appears on the show doing a "how to" drawing segment. He looks like he did in 82. Just older and fatter with more facial hair. Come to think of it, so do I.
In 2006, I spent six months in Bahrain working on the FIFTH Fleet Staff. Towards the end of my tenure, a Reserve Lieutenant Commander reported to the staff. Mark Mothersbaugh is his cousin.
In 2001-2002, while my family and I were living in Bahrain, my oldest was really into the Rug Rats. Hell, we all were. Who did the music? You guessed it...Mark did it.
My son loved the movie Rugrats in Paris. In the opening scene the kids are "acting out" a scene from the movie The Godfather, but calling it "The Bobfather". Some thought this was a reference to J.R. "Bob" Dobbs, founder of The Church of the Sub-Genius. I had several friends in college who really went overboard with that stuff. It was entertaining at first, but then it got annoying.
Oh...and Mark Mothersbaugh is a Sub-Genius which, while it may associate him with my friends' annoying obsessions around 1988-89, it means he celebrates "The Feast of St Cthulhu" which, according to the Sub-Genius Calendar, is November 10th. So I guess that's okay. Maybe we'll have a feast here at the restaurant on November 10th.
Speaking of 1989, I still have We're All Devo! on VHS that I bought in '89. My roommates and I used to watch it a lot. I bet it's just as cool now as it was then. I should fire it up and see.
I've spent about my entire adult life (not to mention adolescent life!) dealing with this guy in one way or another.
My wife is great; she got me two new books from Amazon, and they both speak to two of my passions that, unfortunately, I have not exercised for too damned long. The first is Brewing Up a Business by Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione. I love brewing beer. I'd love to say I've been brewing for 14 years, but in reality it's more like I've owned brewing equipment for 14 years. It's been a year at least since I've put it to use. I've always thought it would be great to make and sell my own craft brewed beer. I had even thought of a name for the brewery and beers. Who knows, with (arguably) seven years until my retirement from my first career, maybe this book will provide the spark.
The second "dormant passion" is surfing. And for that, I received All for a Few Perfect Waves, The Audacious Life and Legend of Rebel Surfer Miki Dora. I dunno' where to start about him, so I'll just quote Tolkien and leave you to substitute the name...
Gandalf! If you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I have only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale. Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion.
It's true. The guy was a legend. Like brewing, I haven't paddled out on one of my four boards in years. Maybe I'll get another spark...
So I can't wait to dig in - once I finish my current book.
I've been in a bit of a funk lately. I guess having one of your people die in an accident and having the standard set of school-kid illnesses ravage the household for the weeks that follow kind of kills your muse. Having lunch with my cousins James and Bob today helped pull me out of the funk. It took some really stupid jackasses to bring back the muse, though.
How much does smoking really cost? Try $250,000 and twenty years. The captain has lit the face punching and racial epithet lights. Please remain seated with your seat belt fastened tightly across your lap when you finish assaulting the flight attendants.
But flying is SO uncomfortable when it's stuck up my ass. I guess this brings a new meaning to the term "coke head" ... I mean it, this lady was wiggin'.
