Even more exam answers

Seeing as today is results day I thought it was a prime opportunity to have the now annual look at some answers. Oh yeah sure, results are up and A* at A Level is possible, but let's not forget the candidates who maybe didn't work as hard they ought to have, the ones who didn't think through exactly what they were writing and the ones who maybe should have withdrawn altogether.

Just plain wrong
Wrong is as wrong does.

One thing they did was they grew bread more.

Yes, bread grows on trees. Just beside the money trees.

Knight of the Long Knives

Was he at the Round table?

By 1967 Hitler had managed to improve relations with nationalists.

From his hideout in Argentina?

Germany failed in the Battle of Britain because the RAF could fly over the Donegal Air Corridor.

I'm sure if you'd just thought about that sentence you would realise your error.

The Belfast Blitz left 100,000,000 homeless.

You got a bit 000 happy there I think.

Another party was set up, Sinn Fein. This was led by Rev Ian Paisley.

Never, never, never.

The legislative process refers to the Supreme Court.

Does it, does it really?

Operation Sea Lion was stopped because of the risk of being attacked by the RAF in the air.
Ah yes, attacks from the air, something the architect of Operation Sea Lion overlooked.

NI contributed because battleships could get repaired in Lough Erne.
Who was your Geography teacher? You should ask for a refund.

You don't say

You know what they say, make things abundantly clear to the examiner.

The president is the only person to have access to the nuclear weapon launch codes. A significant power in foreign policy.

Significant. I like how you think the possible end of the world would be 'significant'.

The lives of innocent people were lost which decreased the population.

I think that second part was a given.

They were able to help because it meant they could target Germany from different angles eg the sky, below sea level. Also because Germany wouldn't have been prepared for attack at these angles.

You'd have been better stopping after angles, then I might have thought you meant a war on two fronts.

At my primary school our first school rule was to do to others as you would like others to do to you.

And your point is?

Poetry corner

No extra marks for style.

Hitler and Hacha met up to discuss the future of Czechoslovakia. Hitler gave Hacha an ultimatum - give up Czechoslovakia or Prague would be bombed to the ground. It was such a beautiful city that Hacha fainted on the spot.

For he loved the baroque and gothic architecture?

The RUC outstayed their welcome, searching houses for weapons.

Yes, I'd say searching for weapons is no way to impress your host. It's just not dinner etiquette.

Hitler just marched into Austria and took it.

I like that you think it was actually Hitler doing the marching.

Internment was an epic fail.

Ok, so you know your exam is not like your Facebook status?

Judicial review was discovered in 1803.

Why, what's this I have stumbled upon? Well, look what we have here! It's judicial review!

If the President starts to be a bit odd he can be impeached.

Ah yes, they do swear in the oath not to be odd.

If an attack is imminent, civil liberties go out the window to protect homeland security.

Ah yes, the old out the window trick. It's the only place civil liberties ever seem to go.

Telling it like it is

Or maybe isn't.

Women were told their role was to be in the house 24/7, looking after children and satisfying the father (sexually included).

Some things are best left unsaid.

The essay is broad but due to time restrictions I will address 3 issues.

Ok, well you'd have more time if you didn't moan about the time restrictions. Just sayin'.

The population votes for the President. They trust his decisions.

Someone should tell those Tea Party people.

One judge showed himself to be a swinger.

Oh did he indeed? I'm surprised Fox weren't on to him sooner.

In amongst these, there were two that really took me to the fair (and with exam marking you'll already know that you're half way there). Following on from last year's 'some critic's argue' The Repeat Repeat Award goes to the person that wrote 18 sentences beginning with 'Hitler...' You name it, they had a verb following it. Quite a feat in a two sided answer.

The other one that nearly destroyed me was one I tweeted about. It was a girl, oh yes definitely a girl who answered every question out of order. She did each of the four (completely different topics) longer questions first, then she did the mid-length questions of the four, and then finished with the short ones. And she didn't leave a line in between any question! So not only did I have to hunt all the way through her paper to find the answer I wanted to mark, the beginning and end weren't easily distinguishable and there was no room to annotate her answer. Of course if she hadn't wasted so much time drawing circles above each i for a dot I might have been more understanding. My annoyance was summed up in this tweet:

'No one thinks it's cute to circle your i dots ok. I think you're stupid, and I'm marking your GCSE paper. How do you like them apples?!'

My reaction, of course, could have been exaggerated because it was 2.00am in the morning. I know, don't examiners have it rough?

SW19 is the only sporting postcode I know (which is handy for this post)

I know, I know. Wimbledon seems like light years away now doesn't it? Heck even Castlewellan seems like ages away now. Didn't I mention before that August was my half month of blogging?! Yeah, late start but I'm on it now! So to kick things off here are the photos of Wimbledon!

At the famous flower bed!

This is the camera that take the shot of the big screen and all the crowds on Henman Hill.

The Order of Play board was looking a bit thin on it.

Thankfully, we already had our tickets, but this is the ticket resale queue at approximately 10.40am. On men's semi-finals day, with Andy and Rafa playing, you'd have to be determined to get into Centre Court. And these people were.

After wandering about the grounds for a bit, we made our way to check out our seats. We had guessed (and were hoping we were right) that they were right beside where the players walk out. And they were!! 

Just through there they come!

Me pointing at the exciting match that isn't going on in front of me!

Soon Sue and the boys were doing the pre-match build up!

The first match was Berdych against Djokovic. Berdych stole my dream of seeing Federer getting beaten but like my mum said during the quarterfinal when Berdych beat him, it was for the greater good. I would have loved to have seen Roddick too, but alas it wasn't to be!

The new roof was not needed! A bright sun shiny day!

All too soon the match was over and all attention turned to wait for...Beckham to arrive. Every press camera in the place turned to where he was due to enter.

Yeah, ok, so my camera turned too. In fact we started Beckhamwatch monitoring his every movement. He seems a very nice dad, taking photos of Brooklyn and ruffling his hair the way only a dad can!

There was a lot of talk after Murray lost that Beckham was a curse, you know after the World Cup and everything. Well I can reveal that at the beginning of the third set David Beckham left the court (presumably for the bathroom) and missed, MISSED Murray break Nadal!

We were so close to them serving it was actually awkward to take a photo of them as they walked towards us. Murray especially seemed to be looking right at us, like making eye contact and everything. It did seem the right moment to pick up the camera as he replayed in his mind the backhand return that he just fluffed.

I really couldn't decide who I wanted to win, but came prepared for both sides! Depending on who was up at our end I would hold the appropriate sign (although less of the Uncle Toni because I got embarrassed!). It would have been brilliant if Andy Murray had got through, but I've got a soft spot for Nadal! We were close enough to get autographs signed at the end of both matches, we were on TV at the end of the first semi. And excitement of excitements I got Rafa to sign the Uncle Toni sign! Amazing!

This is my favourite press photo! There I am with my British flag!!

Go on Rafa!

In the end, as you might already know, Berdych and Nadal won through to the final. The only slight disappointment I had was that it was over so soon. A nice 5 setter would have been great. (Or Roddick beating Federer in the first semi!)

Murray Mound was a bit depressing afterwards.

After the semis were over we got a nice doubles match to watch.

Martina Navratilova and Jana Novotna! Not a bad way to make up for the somewhat earlier than liked finish!

It was on a bathroom break that I bumped into Clare Balding! She was shocked by it. Or maybe just that I'd even asked for her picture!

And so to finish, two of my favourite videos of the day!

The signature move by the line court judges:

And match point (with the famous wedgie pick! And some fine, fine camera work from me!)

You'll find this truly inconceivable

It's 1.00am. I have to be in Castlewellan in 11 hours. And you've guessed it - I haven't packed yet.

There's no real reason for it. Mostly just down to me thinking I had loads of time only to discover that I, in fact, did not have loads of time. I had great plans of blogging this week - where I went on my bike and exam answers amongst other general stuff. But you'll excuse me if I first of all make sure that I have enough clothes for this week instead.

August. August is going to be my blogging month. Yup, August.

30th International Tina Day

It really is the prettiest day, isn't it? Let me just write it so you can admire how pretty it is - 22nd July. And any way you choose to write it, it's still pretty - 22.07, July 22, 07/22. I can't quite put my finger on it, something about the prettiness of July (or the 7) and the loveliness of 22.

Yes, I do heart my birthday! And even if this one is the break into a new decade of the life of Tina, I still love it. I was at home for this one, first one since 2004! And it was the first birthday I got to spend with my nephew! That boy makes just regular, normal days more fun so you can imagine what he does to birthdays!!

As is customary on my birthday (no matter where I am) it rained today. All morning in fact! Which was disappointing as I wanted to go out and ride my new bike!! Yes, I got a bike for my birthday!

Here I am on it! This was just me road testing it. Don't worry I have a helmet and wear proper shoes!

As is the camp tradition it's got a name (using the colour of it and a meteorological term) and so this is Silver Blizzard!

Tomorrow, the birthday celebrations shall continue some more! I'm going to go out for a proper ride and then out in the evening! Yeeeoooo!

Although the birthday pavlova is already finished. Boo.

London calling

It has taken me longer than I thought to upload the photos. [Just incase the people at Blogger stumble across this, your new system sucks. Like seriously sucks. I like that I can add more than one, but you have to, have to, have to let me add text below the photo. And I would like to be able to do that without scratching my eyes out in frustration.]

Anyway, as you might have guessed from the list before we went to London for Wimbledon, but we're going to build up to that. So here's the non-Wimbledon photos.

We met Chris Moyles!! He was so nice to us, seeing as we just walked up to him on the street outside Radio 1 as he was having a cigarette. He talked to us for a good couple of minutes, asking us what we were going, where we were from etc etc. I am sure he didn't care at all, but he did a good job of pretending. He's got his arm round Ruth while he hides his cigarette with me. Oddly I respect that, no one needs a cigarette draped round them.
















We passed through Leicester Square and saw the build up to the Eclipse premiere. This was the scene at approximately 11.30am. A good six hours before anything, like anything happened. And none of the main stars were even showing up. Oh you'd have to be keen, wouldn't you?


You don't often see an English knight take a cigarette break. This was rapidly becoming a theme for the day. The cigarettes, not the knights.

Who remembers Due South? I used to love that show. This guy reminded me of him. Think it was his cheekbones. Oh and the hat. And the red jacket. And the boots.

All it takes is a free balloon Canada. It was Canada Day, can you tell?

Me and two people I've never seen before at Buckingham Palace.

 

There were loads of people outside in their fancy outfits. Garden Party! Turned out it was for Princess Anne's 60th birthday. Happy birthday Ma'am.

At the Cuuuube recording. I've never seen it before, but I get the jist from Greg James' The Square. Basically they have to do reasonably simple things but when you're inside the Cube, it's much harder. We were there for the celebrity special. Oh no, don't get excited, we had some woman from Coronation Street that wasn't Deirdre or Rita, the only two I know. Philip Schofield was very nice and professional in between takes and at the end posed for photos. I put one on Twitter, which you can see here where Philip himself retweeted it!

We also saw the filming of one more show, Perfection. It's hosted by Nick Knowles and will be going out on afternoons on BBC2. It's no 'Millionaire', but was cool to see it filmed.

So that's the non tennis stuff. Wimbledon is coming next. If Blogger allows it.