asperity Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 That trumps just about everyone else then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 "Clothes maketh not the man" - nor do bits of paper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 asperity  I have no doubt that you worked damned hard to get where you are. (yes it is a compliment) the one thing I would ask is the career path you took still open to new starters.  The reason why I ask is I see adverts on Tv for Blackpool College concerned with the merchant Navy. Also the job I am in you now need A HND before you start, I was fortunate that I got my job and got day release to do it. I think it is wrong but it seems to be the way of things. I know little about the merchant navy but what I do no is they do not suffer fools, so to get where you have got must have taken Dedication and hard work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 .... so stop rocking the boat Kyje! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted September 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 Thank you for your interest Lt. I must admit the way to the top is somewhat different today. However companies are taking on cadets partly to take advantage of tax breaks and partly because they realise that there is a severe shortage of qualified officers that needs to be addressed. At the same time, in common with other employers, the school qualifications required are somewhat higher now than when I started, but the same is true of many occupations. When I left school in 1967 they wanted a minimum of 4 "O" Levels, but even then they were moving towards "A" level candidates. And of course the job itself is more technical than it was back then. There are still some individuals who come up "from the ranks" and I have nothing but admiration for those who succeed because they have done so mainly through their own efforts and dedication. I would say to any young person that if they want to go to sea and are willing to face the challenge then to go for it!! I've enjoyed most of my 42 years in the job and look forward to a few more yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 He's a Parish Councillor....... Â Is he??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 Oh heck...  Worse news than the shock of Geoff S 'allegidly' being a parish councillor is that of Asperity's age He says he left school in 1967 (I was only 3 years old then) and there's me thinking he was a young whipper snapper and much younger than me .. when infact he's getting very close to retirement age  Guess the experts are right and you can never tell who you are really chatting with on forums Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted September 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 I only feel like a young whipper snapper though (except when I'm going up stairs with my knees creaking! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Age is just a number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 I wonder what the 'scores on the doors' would be if we each took our 'O'Levels or CSE's or other qualifications again in the modern format, how would they compare? Â How would we make the comparison and would this prove or disprove the varios theories about today's exams being easier/harder than the good old days? Â Would we pass or fail? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Examinations merely verify the absorbtion of information on a given subject,( one can train a parrot to talk); and are not an indicator of I.Q. Assuming there are no mass genetic factors at work; I.Q levels should remain a fairly constant factor. So the only route open to social engineers, is to dumb down standards in order to improve results, thus ticking more political boxes. Like the ambitious parent that searches for a "good school" for little Jonny; Gov fail to grasp that you can't put there what's not there. However, what you can do, is educate to the full potential of an individual, bearing in mind their capacity, interest and aptitude for a given subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Ok and taking that for granted I thought that the discussion/issue being raised was the quality and content of examinations in our educational establishments and whethre or not they were getting harder or easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Thought the answer was more than impled in my previous post: if you want to socially engineer the appearance of "more passes" for purposes of electoral kudos; the only option is to dumb down standards. This Government has an obsession with University; when the Nation requires well rounded folk who can read, write and speak English, are numerate; and can fullfill a contributory role (in whatever capacity) to the economic benefit of the nation as a whole. As I've said before; I don't knock my window cleaner, if he's a good window cleaner - life's about horses for courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Hmm still think this thread is about exams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 ... and I'm telling you, they've been dumbed down and why! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Geoff, if I took the current Maths & English exams I would be extremely worried if I got any answers wrong. This is probably true of anyone who passed the corresponding exams if they are from my era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Eagle, you do know that they don't use log tables or slide rulers anymore, how would you cope? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 ... and I'm telling you, they've been dumbed down and why! Â Further Maths A level hasn't, albeit that it is now modular. I couldn't do it in 1975 and I couldn't do it in 2009 when my eldest took it....and got an A. Mind you he is off to Bristol to study Maths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Eagle, you do know that they don't use log tables or slide rulers anymore, how would you cope?  It is a slide rule Geoff.  PS Crikey, you can still buy them  http://s206301103.websitehome.co.uk/sale/rules.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted September 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 I've still got mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Yes, I do know Geoff, but I would just have to work things out with brain, pen and paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 eagle have you seen a Maths or english paper recently or are you getting this info from a News Paper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 GCSE Maths  Answer all questions in the spaces provided. 1. (a) Work out 1,436 + 217 Answer: ?????????????????????? (1 mark) ( Calculate 26 ? 19 Answer: ?????????????????????? (1 mark) © Work out 110 ? 4 exactly Answer: ??????????????????????. (1 mark) 4 2. (a) Write 2/5 as a decimal. Answer: ?????????????????????? (1 mark) ( Write 0.38 as a percentage. Answer: ?????????????????????? (1 mark) © Write 36% as a fraction in its simplest terms. Answer: ?????????????????????? (2 marks) (d) Write three hundred thousand in figures. Answer: ?????????????????????? (1 mark) (e) 7/ 8ths of the children in a school are right-handed. What fraction of the children in the school are left-handed? Answer: ?????????????????????? (1 mark)  4. (a) Circle the fractions in the list which are equivalent to 3/4 33/44 4/7 9/129 13/14 30/40 4/5 12/28 (2 marks) ( Circle the numbers in the list that are equal to 1/4  2.5% 14% 0.25 3/12,0.14,1/141 (2 marks)  6. (a) What is a six-sided polygon called? Answer: ?????????????????????? (1 mark) ( What is the total of its interior angles? Answer: ?????????????????????. ? (2 marks) © If the polygon is regular, what is the size of each interior angle? Answer: ?????????????????????..? (1 mark) 8. (a) Find the value of 3a + 2b when a = 6 and b = 5. Answer: ?????????????????????? (2 marks) ( Find the value of 2x? when x = 3 Answer: ?????????????????????? (1 mark) © Find the value of 5x - 3y when x = -2 and y = -4 Answer: ??????????????????????. (2 marks)  9. 100m, 75kgs, 3ft,1.25litres,20lbs,1/2 mile,125 millilitres,2.5m Choose the most appropriate answer from the list above: (a) Weight of a man Answer: ??????????????????????. (1 mark) ( Length of a football pitch Answer: ??????????????????????. (1 mark) ( Height of a room Answer: ??????????????????????. (1 mark) © Capacity of a glass Answer: ??????????????????????. (1 mark) 10. A ten-sided die with sides numbered 1-10 is thrown. (a) What is the probability of throwing a 1? Answer: ????????? (1 mark) ( What is the probability of throwing a number less than 4? Answer: ????????? (1 mark) © What is the probability of throwing a prime number? Answer: ????????? (2 marks) 12. (a) Simplify 4a + 7b + 6a - 3b - 2a Answer: ??????????????????????.. (2 marks) ( Simplify 3(x + 2) + 5x Answer: ??????????????????????.. (2 marks) © Solve x + 5 = 12 Answer: ??????????????????????.. (1 mark) (d) Solve 5x - 2 = 13 Answer: ??????????????????????.. (1 mark) (e) Solve 7x - 14 = 4x + 7 Answer: ??????????????????????.. (2 marks) 15. Rakesh and Tina share out ?40 in the ratio 5:3, in that order. How much do they each get? Answer: Rakesh ????????? Tina ?????????.. (3 marks) 14 16. A furniture company makes tables and chairs. Tables are sold for ?120, and chairs for ?40. (a) An order comes in for 9 tables and 17 chairs. What is the total bill? Answer: ????????????????????????.. (2 marks) ( Write down an expression for the cost of an order (the retail cost, not the cost of manufacture) for t tables and c chairs. Answer: ? ???????????????????????. (2 marks) 15 ) © Fill in the table from this list of angles: 156?, 90?, 310?, 21?, 175?, 89? Acute angle Obtuse angle Reflex angle Right angle (2 marks) 17 19. The recommended price of a Portable DVD player is ?90. TVs Direct is selling the player with 20% off the recommended price. Hi-Fi Gear is selling the player with a discount of 2/9th off the price (a) What is the price in TVs Direct? Answer: ???????????????????????.. (2 marks) ( What is the price in Hi-Fi gear? Answer: ???????????????????????.. (2 marks) © How much more does the DVD player cost in TVs Direct? Answer: ???????????????????????..   There are charts, graphs & figures as well but you get the gist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Do they allow them to use a calculator?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted September 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Where do I pick up my certificate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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