The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub

First topic message reminder :

Welcome to the virtual rugby pub - a place where you can come in for a sly beverage and discuss whatever's on your mind, or just eavesdrop on the regulars if you fancy a break from all the rugby chat.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no defacing the Tommy Bowe photo on the bar. That's a banning offence

So pull up a chair....what'll it be?



Previous pub: https://www.606v2.com/t11223p1000-the-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub#366751

Was just about to post that myself!

Its a lovely top by the looks of it - really like the design.

MBTGOG wrote:Oh you've SKY+ out there as well? Very cushy.

Think its UPC maybe. I can record and stop anyway. Setanta are showing RWC arent' they?

Every game. I'd watch RTE when they are showing the games though.

On a slightly related note, what do Irish posters think of that commentator Hugh Cahill?

Sky Multiroom would be cost effective in halls of residence

MBTGOG wrote:
On a slightly related note, what do Irish posters think of that commentator Hugh Cahill?

Don't like him personally.

As far as exams go, I've only ever failed one - by 1%

To add insult to injury (it was Bursary (NZ's A-level equivalent) English) the previous year I'd scored a 1 (awarded to the top ~5% of people taking the subject) in 6th Form Certificate. Shows what a difference having novels I enjoyed to study made, added to my inability to rote-memorise quotes to back up my points.

I'm told you can bring books in now.

By the by, the Pro12 FINALLY has a new website up and running.

http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/index.php

[quote="MBTGOG"]Oh you've SKY+ out there as well? Very cushy./quote] Blydi Munsty you make it sound like the Wild Wes...... ah yes. that's cos it is

poissonrouge wrote:
I'm told you can bring books in now.

Yeah that's what it sounded like from the other people on my course. Crazy that.

And some of the texts for GCSE are not the full book, just certain aspects of it so you don't actually have to have read the whole thing to do well.

booked a holiday with my mate. The lady asked "Queries?" I said "No, just good friends."

What's the point of that? Doesn't that then mean you don't get the whole context of the book. And who is decide what the important parts of a book are or what?

For some exams, its stupid. For other exams it's a lot smarter.

We had to memorise large screeds of text and quotations for our English exam. Which is not ideal for literary analysis. Soon it becomes memory that is tested, not the skill of deconstructing and analysing a text. Kind of silly that revision constituted writing out notable quotes multiple times to memorise them and then crowbarring them in to your answer rather than spending time reading the text, reading the critical analysis of the text that is already out there and then answering the specific question with the ability to refer back to a text for salient quotations to support your points

When you get to University you'll mainly be writing essays. I think coursework is the way to go, but obviously they are concerned about cheating/over-extensive parental involvement. But very rarely will you write about a text you don't have to hand. The idea is not meant to test knowledge of a text but rather your ability to interpret it.

Or so it should be. I was never great at Maths or Science, nothing special at a lot of things, but in school English was depressingly easy.

Hi pub. I was just looking at the world rankings and I have a question that just requires a quick answer, so it's not worth asking it in a new article. I know ranking points are doubled at the world cup. But as far as rankings are calculated, will New Zealand's games be counted as home games or as games played at a neutral venue?

ps

That Pro12 website looks horrible.

MBTGOG wrote:

poissonrouge wrote:
I'm told you can bring books in now.

Yeah that's what it sounded like from the other people on my course. Crazy that.

That would be nice. I did 5 papers at Uni that had open-book exams (Intro Statistics, Intro Management Science, Intermediate Management Statistics, Intermediate and Advanced Econometrics), in them. 5 A+'s (I'm good at organising my notes, and figuring out how to solve problems - but memorising a formula ...). And I passed Intro Business Law by picking up enough marks in the Interpretation of Legislation section (you were allowed copys of the Acts of Parliament) to make up for not remembering which cases to quote backing up my points in the Case Law section)

I agree. I wish I could remember the specific example but it was something like they only had to study the letters in a novel or something similar.

The kids didn't see the point of reading the whole book if they didn't have to!

Mrs P, the exam question could be about the letters in a novel, but they shouldn't tell the pupils that! They should be required to read the novel and find out in the exam hall what the question is.

Feckless Rogue wrote:Hi pub. I was just looking at the world rankings and I have a question that just requires a quick answer, so it's not worth asking it in a new article. I know ranking points are doubled at the world cup. But as far as rankings are calculated, will New Zealand's games be counted as home games or as games played at a neutral venue?

ps

That Pro12 website looks horrible.

I can't find anything on the IRB site, but I'd guess they should count as home games

I used do that all the time. Learn off the key points by rote. Get the skeleton of your answer with it. Fatten the answer up by tailoring some quesiton-specific information. Gets you a C or a B easy.

Feckless Rogue wrote:Hi pub. I was just looking at the world rankings and I have a question that just requires a quick answer, so it's not worth asking it in a new article. I know ranking points are doubled at the world cup. But as far as rankings are calculated, will New Zealand's games be counted as home games or as games played at a neutral venue?

Er, good question.

I assume that any game played by a test nation in their own country counts as having home advantage. It's not explicitly stated in the explanation but it's probably the common sense approach?

Notch wrote:For some exams, its stupid. For other exams it's a lot smarter.

We had to memorise large screeds of text and quotations for our English exam. Which is not ideal for literary analysis. Soon it becomes memory that is tested, not the skill of deconstructing and analysing a text. Kind of silly that revision constituted writing out notable quotes multiple times to memorise them and then crowbarring them in to your answer rather than spending time reading the text, reading the critical analysis of the text that is already out there and then answering the specific question with the ability to refer back to a text for salient quotations to support your points

When you get to University you'll mainly be writing essays. I think coursework is the way to go, but obviously they are concerned about cheating/over-extensive parental involvement. But very rarely will you write about a text you don't have to hand. The idea is not meant to test knowledge of a text but rather your ability to interpret it.

Or so it should be. I was never great at Maths or Science, nothing special at a lot of things, but in school English was depressingly easy.

I agree to an extent about spending too much time learning off long lists of quotes but an exam isn't just about text analysis. It's about your ability to remember important things and shows the work you've put in for that exam.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:Mrs P, the exam question could be about the letters in a novel, but they shouldn't tell the pupils that! They should be required to read the novel and find out in the exam hall what the question is.

Yeah, thats the point of an exam isn't it? You rarely are tested on the whole subject area but you don't know what will come up so you (in theory) study everything.

Realistically, most people tailored their studying to what was most likely to come up knowing that if they covered a certain amount of topics the weight of probability means they'd have learned enough.

Just seemed such a shame that the kids felt it was a waste of time to read the whole novel and, from the point of passing the exam, they were right.

Cheers. Yeah, they'll probably count as home games. It means that if anyone does beat New Zealand in this world cup they'll fly up the rankings. Deservedly.

The question is whether teachers are told what's going to be in the exam paper. If they know what's going to come up, with league tables and all that there must be at least the temptation to narrow the focus on to that aspect of the set text, which is a real shame. Education shouldn't be solely about getting pupils to pass exams but to enlighten them and to deepen their understanding and appreciation of a subject.

Notch wrote: I assume that any game played by a test nation in their own country counts as having home advantage. It's not explicitly stated in the explanation but it's probably the common sense approach?

Jebus Notch, how long've you been watching rugby ? IRB, common sense = mutually exclusive

On the exams/tests v learning. "I learnt to drive after I passed my test" - discuss

Hopefully you could operate a car to a basic acceptable standard before you did your test but you got much better at it as the years passed?

I agree with Penfro. There is driving and "exam driving".

red_stag wrote:I agree with Penfro. There is driving and "exam driving".

And that's worrying considering those people will be doing real driving on their own on the roads.

I know yes. I've driven every day this week and I find that I get so frustrated trying to to teach myself bad habits. For example going through EVERY roundabout in 2nd gear is nonsense.

red_stag wrote:I know yes. I've driven every day this week and I find that I get so frustrated trying to to teach myself bad habits. For example going through EVERY roundabout in 2nd gear is nonsense.

Why is it?

Feckless Rogue wrote:Cheers. Yeah, they'll probably count as home games. It means that if anyone does beat New Zealand in this world cup they'll fly up the rankings. Deservedly.

Feckless, I can see it now, Al Kellock lifs the trophy and Scotland at the top of the IRB rankings for the first time ever

As some "roundabouts" are not roundabouts at all in my opinion. Going up through Raheen there are some which essentially are just painted circles on a straight road.

So it's the point of the roundabout you have a problem with, not the gear at which you can drive through it in?

Why are you teaching yourself bad habits\/

red_stag wrote:. Going up through Raheen .

Hope you girl doesn't read these boards Staggy Raheen, is a Irish girls name, no ?

PenfroPete wrote:

red_stag wrote:. Going up through Raheen .

Hope you girl doesn't read these boards Staggy Raheen, is a Irish girls name, no ?

Think you mean Rosín Penfro!

MBTGOG wrote:So it's the point of the roundabout you have a problem with, not the gear at which you can drive through it in?

Yea thats a more accurate way of putting it.

Just on the point of roundabouts, it's good practice to go into them at second gear so that you can slow down accordingly preparing for the possibility of cars coming from the right who have the right of way ahead of you.

you have to be able to drive before you take your test, I can't see how it can be any other way.

I haven't blydi driven in ages now though, so goodness knows when/if I'll do my test

Congrats to Asbo and Miss Asbo.

MBTGOG wrote:Just on the point of roundabouts, it's good practice to go into them at second gear so that you can slow down accordingly preparing for the possibility of cars coming from the right who have the right of way ahead of you.

Nah, cruise into them in fifth, ready to slap down to second to power round the outside of slow moving traffic

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

MBTGOG wrote:Just on the point of roundabouts, it's good practice to go into them at second gear so that you can slow down accordingly preparing for the possibility of cars coming from the right who have the right of way ahead of you.

Nah, cruise into them in fifth, ready to slap down to second to power round the outside of slow moving traffic

With your back end out, middle finger up and tyres screeching.

There is a difference between exam and normal driving, I can switch between the two when the rents are in the car! Main bad habit I have is one hand on the wheel.

Taking driving advice from Asbo????

I seem to remember that are some big piles of rubble where ancient monuments used to be, that would tell you that is not a very good idea!

Jeez, memory like an ...

We were saying earlier about womans greater ability for memory!

Actually, aren't we better drivers too?

poissonrouge wrote:


We were saying earlier about womans greater ability for memory!

Actually, aren't we better drivers too?

According to insurance companies, yes.

For the people having to sit in the car with them, well that's a different thing altogether!

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

MBTGOG wrote:Just on the point of roundabouts, it's good practice to go into them at second gear so that you can slow down accordingly preparing for the possibility of cars coming from the right who have the right of way ahead of you.

Nah, cruise into them in fifth, ready to slap down to second to power round the outside of slow moving traffic

And let the oncoming motorbike crash into the side of you