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Opinion The Leaving Cert might not be perfect but it is fairer than many other systems

The university bribery scandal in the US shows how far some parents will go to secure their child’s college place, writes Caoimhín De Barra.

JUNE HERALDS NOT only the beginning of the Leaving Certificate but also the annual debate about whether the high stake exams are still fit for purpose.

The typical complaints are that the Leaving Certificate causes too much stress and that it fails to develop critical thinking among students.

While there well may be merit to these arguments – finding solutions to these issues is not so simple.

The Leaving Certificate can be pictured as the three-legged stool upon which the entire Irish education system rests.

The three legs are – the format of the exam (mostly supervised exams), the integrity of the exam (students being assessed fairly on their own work) and the consequences of the exam (entry to third-level education).

Trying to change one of these will have far-reaching and possibly unintended, consequences for the Irish education system in general.

That the Leaving Certificate creates tremendous stress for students is the biggest criticism levelled at it. But ultimately it is stressful because third level places are allocated entirely based on scores in the exam.

So to lessen the stress, one must dilute the influence of Leaving Cert scores on college placement. But by doing that, one would destroy the meritocracy that is central to accessing third-level education in Ireland.

One only needs to look at the university bribery scandal in the United States to see the lengths that some people will go to ensure that their offspring get their desired college placement.

In Ireland, the nature of the Leaving Cert removes the temptation to engage in these corrupt practices. But allowing more subjective criteria to be used to allocate course places in third level institutions here would allow for similar issues to arise.

Some may argue that even in our current system, wealthy people give their children an unfair advantage by paying for private schools and grinds. That is true.

But is there any education system in the world that completely negates the educational advantages that come with wealth?

The answer is no and while it has flaws the Leaving Cert offers a relatively level playing field when compared to systems in many other countries.

It is also been argued that the stress associated with the Leaving Certificate could be relieved through continuous assessment, meaning that the educational achievement of students would no longer be entirely dependent on one set of exams over a three-week period at the end of their schooling.

But would this really remove the stress associated with the Leaving Cert?

While the stakes are incredibly high for students come June of their final year of school, they get to spend most of their years of secondary school without incredibly important exams looming over them.

Some students might feel even more pressure if they have to submit projects continuously over a two-year period knowing that each one could potentially determine whether they get the third-level course they want. 

This year Trinity College Dublin moved away from assessing students on the basis of the end of year exams to creating two different exam periods to complement a new emphasis on continuous assessment. But now many students report feeling more overwhelmed than ever before.

The other problem with continuous assessment is that it threatens the integrity of the Leaving Certificate.

As a university lecturer and someone who myself ‘cheated’ in the Leaving Cert, I can attest that the more work that students undertake away from those closely supervised exam halls – the more cheating will take place.

When I cheated in my Leaving Cert – I didn’t think I was cheating. Back in 2002, two of my exams had a research assignment that students were supposed to do on their own over the course of their studies and then write about in the exam.

One teacher simply gave me an essay he had written for me to memorise, while another teacher dictated a field trip report in class for us all to write down and learn off.

Ultimately, in both of these exams, I presented work that I pretended was mine, but wasn’t.

In 2015 a British teacher spoke out about how teachers assisting students to cheat in their in-house assessments was prevalent throughout the education system there. Assessments that should have been done by the student and submitted – were being entirely re-written by their teachers as well as being re-drafted over and over again. 

As a university lecturer in the United States, my courses are graded based on continuous assessment. I regularly catch students cheating on assignments, even though the rewards for successfully cheating are relatively low compared to the stakes involved with state exams in Ireland.

With coveted university places and potentially lucrative careers on the line, it is very likely that some students would cheat on any continuous assessments assignments that were tied to the Leaving Cert.

Therein lies our problem. While many Irish people would like to see substantial reform of the Leaving Certificate, as long as it is tied to university entry – it is difficult to make substantial changes, while continuing to preserve the integrity of the system. 

Caoimhín De Barra is an assistant professor of history at Gonzaga University, Washington. 

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53 Comments
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    Mute Ronan Flanagan
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    Jan 4th 2015, 10:01 AM

    The EU supports big business and banks. It works perfectly well for them, currently overseeing the biggest transfer of wealth to the rich that the world has ever seen.

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    Mute mitch connors
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    Jan 4th 2015, 10:09 AM

    To the rich from the poor ?? For example.. Irish water charge when its privatised

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    Mute Keith Loftus
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:10 PM

    Aspire to be a big business then…

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    Mute Derek Richardson
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:33 AM

    Works like a select band of mafia gangsters

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    Mute Derek Poutch
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:37 PM

    How does the eu work ? answer it doesnt

    11
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    Mute Will Derbylight
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:32 AM

    During the early EEC/EU years, we were major recipients of massive grants to improve our infrastructure – to allow us to start the Celtic Tiger.

    When we failed to control the Tiger – by not supervising bankers and electing mediocre/bent politicians – we blamed/blame our benefactors.

    Nothing to do with us…..

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    Mute Scipio
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    Jan 4th 2015, 10:19 AM

    You’re right. Bondholders speculating on an Irish property bubble is nothing to do with the average Irish person.

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    Mute Richard Cynical
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    Jan 4th 2015, 10:35 AM

    What I get confused about when it comes to Europe, is it is acceptable to go against their rules on things like VRT but we are forced to pay water charges and are told everyone in europe pays water tax…fair enough stop charging 3 different types of tax on my car and I will.

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    Mute Robin Hilliard
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    Jan 4th 2015, 10:41 AM

    The crash was due, almost entirely, to the failure of irish homeowners and Irish developers to repay loans on Irish properties taken out from Irish banks, operating subject to Irish regulation under Irish legislation enacted by the Irish legislature elected by the Irish people.

    In fairness, it had quite a lot to do with Ireland.

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    Mute Richard Cynical
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    Jan 4th 2015, 10:45 AM

    @ robbin And is it our fault every chancer In europe bet on ireland and lost and we have to to give them a money back special, just incase no body gambles here again

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    Mute Michael Connors
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:11 AM

    We are not forced to pay water charges by the EU. We have an opt out. We are forced to pay water charges by the Troika because we owe them a lot of money and they want it back.

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    Mute shane murphy
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:22 AM

    Alot you know thats called been set up for the big fall they pump money in make everyone happy with the quality of life they have then they crash the economy and take everything for way less then the value big businesses do it all the time thats how the imf works just look at what they did in Brazil until they were thrown out now Brazil have one of the strongest economies in the world the eu imf are vampires sucking countries dry of resources

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    Mute Robin Hilliard
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    Jan 4th 2015, 12:15 PM

    @shane, so you reckon economic crashes are “good for business”?

    Do you have any idea at all what it’s like trying to run a business during a crash?

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    Mute shane murphy
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    Jan 4th 2015, 1:02 PM

    Do you? I don’t see macdonalds suffering and im talking international corporations and banks look at all the small banks insurance companies and pretty much every small business going bust big businesses come on take them over for nothing and reap all the rewards open your eyes we were caught wholesale the imf own everything of value the people paid back bad debts and and the rich got richer who own Irelands natural resources? Amazing the money came into the country when the oil off the coast was found what a coincidence!

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    Mute Robin Hilliard
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    Jan 4th 2015, 3:21 PM

    Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I’m a director of a fully irish-owned company, selling fully irish-produced products, which is about 75% export which almost went bust during the crash. We’re now back up to 15 people.

    What’s your experience of running an international company?

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    Mute shane murphy
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    Jan 4th 2015, 3:26 PM

    So you should know more about it as you said yourself you took a hit and survived and fair play I appalled you but as I said I’m talking about multi national corporate dealing in millions and billions their the one’s who set up the crash to profit from it

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    Mute shane murphy
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    Jan 4th 2015, 3:28 PM

    And you dont need a business to see what happened it was planned and executed perfectly

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    Mute graham galvin
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    Jan 4th 2015, 3:52 PM

    Your right Shane. I recommend reading “confessions of an economic hitman” by john Perkins. You will see exactly what happened to Ireland.

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    Mute shane murphy
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    Jan 4th 2015, 3:56 PM

    I did read a small bit of it! Gald u agree

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    Mute Darragh Kelly
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    Jan 4th 2015, 7:12 PM

    @Shane, You said: “I don’t see macdonalds suffering…”

    ‘McDonald’s Profit Down 30% On Sales Slump’
    http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurengensler/2014/10/21/mcdonalds-profit-down-30-on-sales-slump/

    having named one company – only one – you’d think at the very least, that you’d have checked things out to be sure you were right! Try reading something instead of just guessing/supposing/generalising off the top of your head next time.

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    Mute shane murphy
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    Jan 4th 2015, 7:20 PM

    Fair enough but they are not suffering the way small business are its not like their shutting down macdonalds that probably has alot more to do with competition and peoples awareness of wat their putting in their bodies then economic downturn!

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    Mute Darragh Kelly
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    Jan 4th 2015, 7:44 PM

    Sorry, I have no idea what any of that means and I’m not going to waste my time working out your English in order to get to your, probably very weak, point thereunder.

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    Mute Keith Loftus
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:12 PM

    Wrong

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    Mute Keith Loftus
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:14 PM

    Your confused because your using the words “their” and “we” Thats OK though

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    Mute Keith Loftus
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:19 PM

    Every chancer bets on everyone. In the 1980′s bondholders lent Ireland money and we had to pay it back. In the 1970′s bondholders lent Ireland money and we had to pay it back. In the 1960′s bondholders lent Ireland money and we had to pay it back etc etc ETC .. Grow up people of Ireland!!

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    Mute KeiKe
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    Jan 4th 2015, 10:13 AM

    We’d be better off out of the EU its a disaster.

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    Mute Will Derbylight
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:18 AM

    Best thing that ever happened to us…..

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    Mute mitch connors
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:37 AM

    Ireland pays back 9000 euro for every person , Latvia is second at 400 euro per person … Yeah it’s the best thing that happened to us

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    Mute Robin Hilliard
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    Jan 4th 2015, 12:00 PM

    Not sure where you got that figure of 9,000 euro (it’s in the same order of magnitude of the bank bailout, over the course of that, which could be more than 20 year). But are you aware that every man, woman and child pays around 5,500 euro per year for social security here in Ireland – 40 percent of government expenditure?

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    Mute Juninho
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    Jan 4th 2015, 12:55 PM

    It’s € 9,000 before the pension fund dippings are even taken account. That brings the figure to about €13,000. We shouldered 44% of the entire European banking bailout. How is that fair?

    Robin, the vast majority of that €5,500 per year stays in Ireland, whereas the €13,000 is all flowing out of the country. To compare the two and try and stir up resentment towards SW recipients is not fair at all.

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    Mute Mark O'Hagan
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:18 AM

    Badly.

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    Mute Michael Budd
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:36 AM

    I was about to say the same thing.

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    Mute Horgay H
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    Jan 4th 2015, 10:44 AM

    We should leave the EU.

    There are many reasons why. The number one being the fact that the European Commission is an unexpected body that has the power to enforce laws on us that we had no have in deciding. To its very core it’s undemocratic.

    Some more recent reasons:
    Germany and France have lately yet again shown they are bullies by saying they will not adhere to certain monetary rules, saying because they are so big that shouldn’t have to.

    The EU supports Islam over other religions.? Look at Syria. The FSA said that should they won the would turn secular Syria into an Islamic state with Sharia law getting rid of constitutional courts. The EU had no problem with this.

    The EU continues to support the terrorist apartheid state that is Israel despite talk otherwise.

    The corruption issue. Over half the budget lost to corruption. Come again?

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    Mute Scipio
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:00 AM

    The way things are going the EU will be an Islamic Caliphate within a century. Sounds like scaremongering doesn’t it? But take a close look at demographic trends and you’ll see it’s entirely possible. Germany for instance is set to become majority Muslim within 50 years if the current birthrates and immigration trends are maintained.
    I’m glad I probably won’t be alive to see it.

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    Mute Philip Riordan
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:50 AM

    Its a failed project with over paid politicians fuk the EU and FG

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    Mute John T Waters
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:42 AM

    Ask Mr. Financial Market the question;
    “Would you like to control the economies of

    a) One 22 Nation Block with just Plan one A
    or
    B) 22 autonomous nations, each with Plan B, Plan C…..should the Plan A bullies start to make life difficult

    Building our infrastructure was a carrot. Politicians all the way through the system are helpless….piece of genius by the bad guys. Just they didn’t bank on (excuse the pun), the average Joe Soap becoming as knowledgeable as he is today. Only the people can stop these rats

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    Glen
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    Mute Glen
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:19 AM

    Eh it doesn’t !

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    Mute Gary Gary
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:18 AM

    Fear not we have Brian Hayes in Europe he has our backs.

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    Mute mitch connors
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:28 AM

    And Hayes is doing a bad job of it … Infact he’s doing a terrible job

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    Mute Cheeky Bums
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:20 AM

    … And we sent Ming.

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    Mute Robin Hilliard
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:55 AM

    The man is a national embarrassment.

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    Mute Sean J. Troy
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    Jan 4th 2015, 1:25 PM

    I agree with his stance on overhauling drug legalisation. But other than that, he’s an idiot. How do you expect to have a serious debate about legalising soft drugs when you’re dressed in a hemp suit? Like it or not, you have to play by certain rules to get things done.

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    Mute Cheeky Bums
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    Jan 4th 2015, 1:44 PM

    I concur.

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:39 PM

    Enda is a bigger National embarrasment !….Or Charlie “Cult” Flanagan …

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    Mute Gis Bayertz
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:55 AM

    It doesn’t

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    Mute Derek Richardson
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:36 AM

    Mr derbylight ecb was one of the main instigators what transpired which when I last looked was tied to the eu

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    Mute Angry Squirrel
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:04 AM

    Not very well

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    Mute Paul Creedon
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    Jan 4th 2015, 3:48 PM

    How the EU REALLY works
    http://youtu.be/cO4Ayo4mYZg

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    Mute Keith Loftus
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    Jan 4th 2015, 11:21 PM

    If you don’t like living in Ireland why don’t you move ?

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    Mute Luke Evans
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    Jan 5th 2015, 4:08 PM

    EU is like FIFA, corrupt to it’s very core

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    Mute Pepper Brooks
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:34 AM

    Best thing ever

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    Mute Pepper Brooks
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    Jan 4th 2015, 9:31 AM

    Well

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