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Embedding employability in the curriculum: CALT conference report
24 April 2013
A UCL conference dedicated to discussing how we can best prepare students for the world of work through their academic work provided plenty of food for thought, writes Ele Cooper.
Professor Anthony Smith, Vice-Provost (Education), opened last week's conference on embedding employability in the curriculum, which was organised by the UCL Centre for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching (CALT) and the Careers Service. Anthony began by reminding the audience that focusing on students' future careers has never been more important, especially with the increase in fees making many choose a course purely based on what they hope to do afterwards. He argued that our programmes need to have a "distinctive edge", which he believes can be achieved through focusing on the global citizenship agenda.
Employability is a central theme in UCL's interpretation of global citizenship: departments should aim to produce graduates who are ambitious, committed, ethical, entrepreneurial and enterprising. The fact that our student body comprises over 170 different nationalities means that cultural awareness, another vitally important element of being a global citizen, is embedded in our students. But in Anthony's opinion the 'soft skills' such as teamwork, communication etc that are key to a person's employability, (and which we need to try and embed in the curriculum rather than providing solely through extracurricular activities), really ought to be called 'hard skills' because doing that is quite a challenge.
A man who put the skills gained during his UCL education to excellent use in a very successful business career is Jat Sahota, the morning's keynotes speaker, who is Head of Pharmacy at Sainsbury's. An alumnus of the Biology Department, Jat is a shining example of Sainsbury's 'subject-agnostic' stance, having worked as Head of Fruit, Head of Corporate Responsibility and Head of Sponsorship prior to his current role. Jat used his time to talk about the attributes Sainsbury's looks for in applicants to its graduate programme (which had 5,500 applications last year for 20 places – one of which went to a UCL graduate).
Jat told the audience that Sainsbury's looks for people with equally high IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence). The company values those who can demonstrate judgment, drive and influence, and applicants must have a 2:1 regardless of discipline.
I couldn't help but think of the BBC TV series The Apprentice when Jat talked us through the rigorous selection process candidates undergo: they begin with an online assessment and then the few that pass this move on to verbal and numerical reasoning tests, a phone interview to check how articulate the applicant is, various exercises at an assessment centre including group challenges and individual presentations, before, finally, an interview with a Sainsbury's board member. No pressure then.
In interviews, Jat said, graduates tend to focus too much on things they have achieved academically, but struggle to answer the classic "Can you give me an example of a time when you've had to work as part of a team?"-type questions.
This is where, institutionally, we need to focus our attention, and why the conference was themed as it was: for various reasons, not all students are able to engage in extracurricular activities, and it is our responsibility to give them the opportunity to develop leadership and team qualities (to name just two) as part of their degree programmes. The internationalisation of the curriculum agenda touches on this, and problem-based learning is one obvious avenue through which students can begin to gain the requisite skills. The Teaching and Learning Portal has a growing selection of case studies which showcase some of the efforts being made in this arena.
Understanding intercultural aspects of teaching and learning
The ever-charismatic Caroline Selai presented some interesting findings from a project she and a number of others are working on which aims to explore the strengths and challenges experienced by staff and students from different cultural backgrounds. A slide provided by Engineering's Marco Federighi outlining the very different way an Italian academic will interpret institutional guidelines compared with a Brit elicited a lot of laughter, but a more serious message lay at the heart of Caroline's presentation.
Together with Sushrut Jadhav, Caroline runs the Cultural Consultation Service (CCS), which aims to resolve misunderstandings that have possibly arisen due to the different cultural backgrounds of the people involved. Caroline talked about how easily this can happen, describing one of her own students from a few years ago who, having just got off the plane from Taiwan, was utterly flummoxed by the 'interview and then introduce your neighbour' icebreaker activity set on her first day at UCL. Caroline then talked about a colleague making a more successful effort to integrate international students by asking each class member to bring a national dish to a shared meal – a seemingly small thing but one which can go a long way towards making overseas students feel more comfortable talking about where they come from. You can download Caroline's presentation here.
Breakout presentations on employability in Economics and object-based learning
One of the most poignant presentations I saw during the breakout sessions was by Economics' Cloda Jenkins. Having spent several years working in industry before taking up her current post as Senior Teaching Fellow at UCL, Cloda is well aware of graduates' shortcomings when it comes to job interviews. She pointed out that when interviewing someone who's studied at UCL (or any prestigious institution), you assume that they know their theory. The interview process is about testing whether they are able to apply this knowledge to real-life problems – which is why she never once took a UCL graduate through to second interview stage.
When Cloda started teaching here, she made it clear that she wanted to introduce this type of practical learning to her Regulation Economics course. She wanted to give students generic skills that would help them out in any career, as many don't end up working as economists. "And it's not just about getting them the job, it's getting them through the job," she added, emphasising the importance of understanding how to analyse data and knowing which economic model to apply to different scenarios.
Cloda surveyed her LinkedIn network on what they wish their graduate employees had been taught at university, and also asked her own students what they wanted to know but didn't, then set about designing a module that attempted to address these issues and produce better economists. You can download Cloda's presentation to find out what she did, but suffice to say it was popular and went some way towards making UCL students more employable and ready for real-life challenges.
Next, Leonie Hannan presented some interesting research into students' perceptions of object-based learning (OBL), which allows all departments to make use of UCL's Museums and Collections in their teaching. She explained that incorporating OBL into a course can enhance student employability through teaching them to communicate, think abstractly, ask their own questions etc, and presented evidence showing that 87% of students believed their powers of observation were improved by OBL, while its capacity to boost communication and teamwork skills was acknowledged by 77% and 69% respectively. Students appreciated OBL's interactivity and the fact that it inspired them to do more independent learning. Download Leonie's presentation if you're interested in finding out more.
2013 Horizons Report
Carmel McNaught, CALT's Visiting Professor, chaired the last session I attended. Her panel – Fiona Strawbridge, Head of E-Learning Environments (ELE), Helen Chatterjee, Senior Lecturer in Biology and Deputy Director of Museums, and Nick Grindle, Senior Teaching Fellow in CALT – were tasked with discussing the 2013 Horizons Report, and were each given six strictly timed minutes in which to do so.
Fiona identified six trends from the report that are relevant to UCL, but focused mostly on MOOCs, a subject that Anthony Smith is very interested in. Fiona talked through the pros of UCL offering MOOCs (public good, brand awareness, improving application numbers if people liked taster courses, keeping up with the Joneses) as well as the cons (cost, high drop-out rates, the fact that students paying £9,000 a year to study here might not think it's very fair that others can be educated by UCL free of charge). On the whole, though, she was in favour, arguing that MOOCs would be a key way of proving that UCL is a global leader in education, as well as research.
Helen spent her six minutes talking about digital assets in relation to Museums and Collections. She pointed out that UCL is home to one of the best 3D laser scanners in the world, and that we now need to think about how best to integrate the fruits of this into our teaching.
Finally, Nick told us that 'informal learning experiences' is the only Horizons trend that specifically mentions employability – perhaps an indication that the report isn't keeping up with the times? One of the strongest messages that Nick took from the report was that the role of educators is changing, so people are becoming facilitators of learning rather than 'teachers', a word only mentioned seven times in the report, twice in a negative context.
Final thoughts
Anthony Smith's closing remarks echoed Jat Sahota's 'discipline-agnostic' comments: he pointed out that only around a quarter of employers look for people who have done particular degrees. Academics are fiercely loyal to their disciplines but they shouldn't let this overshadow the learning experience they give their students, because it's not what employers really care about – being able to work and communicate effectively and think critically and laterally are the most desired skills. The importance of emotional intelligence, said Anthony, had resonated throughout the day.
No, we don't need an 'Emotional Intelligence 101' course, but it's our duty to make sure that the student experience in its entirety creates graduates who are truly global citizens, bursting with skills and knowledge, ready to tackle the job market head on.
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Prepared by Richard J. Brzozowski, Extension Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Gardening is not easy, but is can be very rewarding. A good first step for the beginner or experienced gardener is garden planning. Garden planning is fun, and the time spent planning pays off. Consider the location of the garden first. Is your garden located in the best place available to you? The location can make or break an energetic gardener. When you choose a garden site, consider the following points.
Plan your garden on paper before you plant one seed or transplant. Your garden plan will save time and increase your chances of success. Here is how you might create a garden plan:
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There was no need to even mention that Paris Hilton may show up at the Bay Point All Stars Gala at the Ritz Carlton South Beach last night---she didn't, so to the commenter who told me she was in Sundance and not South Beach, mea culpa---because she certainly wasn't missed. Pam Anderson was there, with a small entourage including best friends Dan Mathews, Senior VP of Anderson's pet cause PETA, and dragster Elaine Lancaster, without whom we don't think Anderson would have uttered a word. In fact, Lancaster seemed to be running the Anderson show--fielding questions from media, conducting photo ops like the Zubin Mehta of the paparazzi and even telling her what to say and when to say it. Anderson needed no coaching, however, when it came to taking about marriage, telling us that she's done and is in the market for a good divorce lawyer (and asked Lancaster if Bay Point co-host, defense attorney Roy Black was one). Anderson also reiterated that "My mom wishes I was gay already!" before trying to slap a PETA sticker saying "I'm an a-hole, I wear fur" on fellow journo Michael Cohen, who admitted to wearing a horsehair tie. After Anderson said she was supporting the Bay Point cause because she had a soft spot for bad boys, event co-host and organizer Lea Black made a funny, replying, "And bad boys have a hard spot for you!" Even some of the good ones were guilty as charged, at least last night anyway. Moving away from Anderson, who introduced comedian Tommy Davidson who did a hilarious take on Spanish language TV and Sabado Gigante's Don Francisco, the night was full of stellar live performances---the legendary Patti LaBelle, who was kind enough to invite this blogger on stage to sing backup on the disco classic Lady Marmalade, was in stellar voice, as was Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver rocker Scott Weiland, who told us that we should be on the lookout for an STP reunion in the coming months. But the biggest star of the night, besides the event's co host Alex Rodriguez, had to be 6-year-old prodigy pianist slash genius Ethan Bortnick, who played a little Mozart, Scott Joplin and his own original Ethan Bortnick compositions, before fielding questions and photo ops from the impressed, hard to impress crowd. Bortnick's dad Gene told us that Ethan may be performing at the Grammys. Very impressive, as was the event in general---a motley mix of performers, celebs, socialites, Rush Limbaugh (!), and philanthropists made this event possibly the best thus far. Kudos to Lea Black, Haute Living's Kamal Hotchandani, Antonio Misuraca, Jason Clarke and their team for pulling it off so seamlessly. So again we say, Paris who? Following the gala, Anderson and crew made their way to Mansion and then SET, where Weiland was seen holding court in the Trophy Room. They all stayed until about 3:30 a.m. Anderson took off today, back to Malibu on a private plane. She told us she "had to get back to my boys." As in her kids, not another crop of boyfriends. And over at Sundance . . . Anderson's soon to be ex husband of three weeks, Rick Salomon, was spotted Saturday with a Snow Queen---vodka that is, drinking his sorrows away at the Kenneth Cole Reaction Lounge.
« Everybody Doesn't Love Paris | Main | Jay-Z and Beyonce Back in Town »
January 20, 2008
Baypoint Gala Rocked South Beach
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Elaine & Pam seem like they are so in love...finishing each others sentence. Laughing at a particular look or gesture.Looking on one can tell there is a deep meaningful relationship there that goes much deeper the flash bulbs & red carpets. Lancaster seems to be a bit bossy with the media. Is she bossy with you Lesley? I guess I should say protective.
She's very protective of her celebrity friends and her close friends. It's actually very sweet.
"Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver rocker Scott Weiland, who told us that we should be on the lookout for an STP reunion in the coming months."
That's AMAZING news!
yes and he is very excited about it! He sang a semi acoustic version of STP's Plush. It was amazing!
Once again Lea and Roy Black did a
spectacular job for the Baypoint School. I have known Mrs.Lea Black for many years. Her contribution to Florida goes unmatched.
As we enter into a new year we all reflect on what has passed. As I reflect on the life of this renowned philanthropist I feel duty bound to honor her and express our thanks to this loving and giving spirit.
I am proud to say that I am on the "Front Row" to the stage of Lea
Black's life. Virtually everyday is filled with her non stop effort to see
that the Bay Point School is the best it can be. But,it doesn't stop there.
Whenever there is a need Lea Black steps up to the plate to help others who
are less fortuante.
She exemplifies what real Americanism is all about. Lea is ready and
willing to do whatever it takes to bring about the best possible result for
those who stand in need. It is not a matter of ego with Lea, but a labor of
I am proud to call her my friend and proud to sit on the "Front Row"
of her life.
To Roy and Lea and all of the wonderful volunteers we send our best regards!!!!!! Job well done!
Where is the Silver Knights category? I can't find it.
Looking for Palm Beach news? Check out the Palm Beach newspaper at the http://www.happyherald.com.
the Bay Point School is the best it can be. But,it doesn't stop there.
Whenever there is a need Lea Black steps up to the plate to help others who
Tommy Davidson who did a hilarious take on Spanish language TV and Sabado Gigante's Don Francisco, the night was full of stellar live performances http://www.nobledrugstore.com/Heart-Blood-Pressure/Avapro_16.html
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At around 3:30 today Bob McKenzie of TSN reported that several underagers (18/19 year olds drafted in either 2011 or 2012) would be staying with their NHL teams for their five game tryouts and potentially beyond. In a regular NHL season, underagers are allowed a nine game tryout in the NHL before the front offices of the respective NHL teams decide whether to keep the player at the NHL level for the full year, thus burning a year of the players entry level contract. The alternative would be sending the prospect back to juniors for the entirety of the season until after the prospects playoffs for his respective junior team. In this lockout shortened season the nine game tryout period has been reduced to only five games.
McKenzie tweeted at 3:19, "So looks like following underagers start season in NHL: Rakell (ANA), Hamilton (BOS), Yakupov (EDM), Huberdau (FLA)… Dumba (MIN), Galchenyuk (MTL), Matteau (NJD), Laguhton (PHI), Scheifele (WPG). If any plays 6 NHL games, bur year of contract."
Rikard Rikell (6-2, 190lb. Right Wing): Rikell has had an impressive season this year with 30 points in 32 (62 in 60 last year) games for the Plymoth Whalers of the OHL before taking time off to go to Ufa to compete for the World Junior Championship for his native Sweden. As an alternate captain for the silver medal winning nation he chipped in with six assists in six games. Rikell has top line potential but is no stranger to his defensive end. His best offensive ability is his puck control where he shows the ability to dangle and use his 6-2 frame to protect the puck. With Getzlav and Perry trade rumors coming out of Anaheim daily, the Ducks are attempting to find out what they have in Rikell at the NHL level.
Dougie Hamilton (6-4, 187lb. Defender): A year after being named defensive player of the year in the OHL last year with 72 points (17 goals) in 49 games, he's showed no signs of slowing down with 41 in 32 for the Niagra Ice Dogs. This past WJC was his second and he's tallied 8 points in 12 games in the top junior competition in the world, although he struggled this year for team Canada (as did everyone on that team). Hamilton was taken the pick after Sean Couturier in the 2011 draft and he was the guy that I thought we would have wound up with at 9th overall, however we got lucky and Couturier fell in our laps. Dougie has nothing left to prove against armatures, as I'd bet on him playing with the Bruins for not only this full year but for many years to come. He's apparently working with Denis Seidenberg for the B's to start off the year
Nail Yakupov (5-11, 191lb. Right Wing): This one should be no surprise at all. The number one overall pick in this past years draft is a lock to play in Edmonton all year. His skating, shooting, creativity, energy, everything about his game is NHL ready. The thing that separated Yakupov from the other elite offensive prospects (other than the fact that he was the most explosive skater and had the best shot) in this past draft is that he brings the energy of a grinder to every shift. He captained Russia's U-20 team in Ufa this past year, winning the bronze with 8 points in 7 games. He's tallied 10 goals and 8 assists in 22 KHL games (the top league in the world after the NHL) during the lockout after having nothing left to prove in the OHL with a 69 points season last year in only 42 games. With Yakupov, Nugent-Hopkins, Hall, Eberle and Justin Schultz, the Oilers are poised for their first playoff appearance in quite some time.
Jonathan Huberdau (6-1, 171lb. Left Wing): This kid is the real deal. His 30 points in 19 playoff games in his draft year (2011) in addition to winning the Memorial Cup MVP propelled him to being selected at 3rd overall. His 105 points in 67 games as a 17-year old (also his draft year) showed he didn't have a lot left to prove in juniors although the Panthers let him develop one more year in the "Q". Last year his 45 points in 30 games (and 21 more in 15 playoff games) guaranteed that he'll get a look at the NHL this year. He had 9 points in the WJC this past year playing on a line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mark Scheifele where he really showed his ability to make highlight real plays and was fantastic with the puck in tight spaces. He impressed me more than Nugent-Hopkins from a skill standpoint and should continue to impress in Florida for years to come as he's could be their first true superstar since Pavel Bure.
Matt Dumba (6-0, 173lbs. Defender): Going into the 2012 draft there were rumors that the Flyers were looking to move up to get a "North American defender." Obviously that never happened and we ended up with Laughton, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Dumba was the Flyers target. Thank goodness he went to Minnesota at 7 opposed to Pittsburgh at 8, which would have been horrible. He's rather small defender with tons of speed and a big time shot but what sets him apart is his ability to throw around his smaller 173lb. frame. Go to YouTube and type in his name, he's a human highlight real from his bone crushing hits to his ability to lead the rush to his ability to finish. His leadership abilities are evident when he captained Canada's U-18 team last year and scored 12 points including 5 goals in 7 games. I do not expect him to make the team this year, but come next fall or possibly even the fall of 2014 Dumba will be a stud for the Wild. He was far and away my favorite prospect in the 2012 draft.
Alex Galchenyuk (6-1, 199lb. Center): After a torn ACL last year in where he only played two pointless games, Galchenyuk was taken 3rd overall this past June in the 2012 draft. "Gally" set a torrid pace this year captaining the Sarnia Sting to the tune of 61 points in only 33 games and continued it for the US in Ufa, helping us to the gold medal with 8 points in 7 games. Head coach Phil Housley tends not to use 18-year-old as much as he did his 19-year olds, which hurt Gally's ice time, but it didn't stop him from being one of America's top forwards and led many to question why the lack of ice time. Rumors about his name being printed on jersey's already at the Bell Centre lead me to believe he'll be with the club all season as a legitimate Calder contender. He's got tremendous offensive ability with good hands and vision for an NHLer with the ability to finish. There are questions of his two-way play, but I dismiss them as I've liked what I've seen and heard from the young prospect.
Stefan Matteau (6-2, 210lb. Left Wing): I previewed him here as he is in the Atlantic Division. I do not think he'll make the team but the kid comes from NHL bloodlines (his father was a notable Ranger) and a few games experience in the NHL will go a long way. As the 29th overall pick this past draft he hasn't exactly dazzled with only 28 points in 35 games in the weakest of the junior leagues, he still comes from the prototypical Devil mold with his size, skating ability, and two-way play.
Scott Laughton (6-1, 190lb. Center): Laughton is profiled in the link in Stefan Matteau's blurb above. I've said it in multiple posts so I don't feel the need to repeat myself but unless Briere is out for an extended period of time or there is another significant injury I think the Flyers should do everything in their power to keep Laughton in juniors and his contract off the books for as long as possible (that would have his contract kick in for the 2014-15 season).
Mark Scheifele (6-3, 185lb. Center): In one of the more controversial picks in this past year's entry draft, Mark Scheifele was taken by the Jets the pick before Sean Couturier and will now have to live up to the hype of being selected the pick before a future stud. Winnipeg fans are already upset with the decision and its not easy to tell why. Coots was a can't miss, two-way stud who put up back-to-back 96 point junior seasons and was the first draft eligible player to lead the "Q" in scoring since Crosby. Scheifele's 63 points in 47 games last year was okay but he's really improved upon that with a 49 point onslaught in only 30 games this year in the Ontario league. He played on that top line for Canada at the WJC with "The Nuge" and Huberdeau and provided much of the physicality for the three. From a skill perspective, he was noticeably a few notches below the other two players on his line mates although he played the most physical game of any of the Canadian forwards. I don't see true top line center abilities but I think he can be an above-average to good second line center. I think that his five game tryout will truly be a try-out in every sense of the word. If the Jets think they can make the playoffs this year, it wouldn't shock me if they keep him up.
There is a fantastic crop of young talent coming into the NHL and this group of players should all be able to their NHL teams sooner rather than later.


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- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Release Date: Nov 18, 2008
- Also On: Xbox 360
- Summary: Fight together...or die alone. A new and highly virulent strain of the rabies virus emerges and spreads through the human population with frightening speed. The pandemic's victims become grotesquely disfigured, wildly violent psychopaths, attacking the uninfected on sight. One of the "lucky" few apparently immune to the sickness, you, unfortunately, are also trapped in a city crawling with thousands of the bloodthirsty Infacted. Together with a handful of fellow Survivors, you must fight your way to safety or die alone. A co-operative multiplayer action game from the makers of "Counter-Strike," Left 4 Dead is built atop the most advanced version of the Source Engine and introduces version 2 of Turtle Rock's artificial intelligence (A.I.) technology. [Turtle Rock Studios]… Expand
- Developer: Valve Software
- Genre(s): Sci-Fi
- Cheats: On GameFAQs
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
Positive: 57 out of 58
Mixed: 1 out of 58
Negative: 0 out of 58
Every aspect of Left 4 Dead has been refined and tweaked to perfection. It's addictive and atmospheric, and it contains undoubtedly the best co-op gameplay we've seen yet.
All in all, if you know from the start you are getting into a game that is entirely based around its cooperative multiplayer elements you are going to be rewarded with hundreds of hours of the best gaming experience you have had in years.
As it stands, Left 4 Dead is a great game, and Valve is continually improving it with patches already released and a content update promised for the near future.
The inventive and highly entertaining competitive multiplayer mode just adds to the experience, and we're looking forward to seeing what Valve's got planned for the game's future. Out of all the titles that have shaped the Year of Living Cooperatively, this may be the best experience of them all.
Left 4 Dead proves that zombies don't have to be dumb and slow! The game's definite pro is its brilliant versus mode. The campaign mode is nice to have, but nothing more.
If you're a multiplayer fiend and like the thought of mowing down zombies with chainguns, this is definitely worth checking out. The thrill of obliterating hordes of screaming bad guys that just want to gobble up your brains really is quite unique and fun. Just don't expect to be getting very good value for money because there's really not very much inside the box.
Score distribution:
Positive: 437 out of 496
Mixed: 30 out of 496
Negative: 29 out of 496
Jan 18, 2012Left 4 Dead est pour moi, le meilleur jeu de coopération. Il nécessite beaucoup de stratégie et de reflex pour jouer en Versus. Mais je ne le conseille pas à ceux qui ont une mauvaise connection ou aux débutant de ce genre pour jouer en versus… Expand
Sep 25, 2010It is the best game in the world! In it there is all - Replaying, fascination, she class, interesting. I say thank big to developers! In Russia game costs 600 roubles - the real price for such game! First a part of game much more interesting - she interesting and characters is more attractive than the second part better...
All I shall advise to get this game, you will not regret cent, you will be keen in this game for a long time and if you have friends - that tell and let they will buy it, they will not regret!… Expand
Aug 17, 2010The base concept of moving from area to area killing hordes of zombies is nothing new. How they go about making it is remarkable, however. The game forces teamwork and with the help of the ai director you can play this game over and over and over and almost never have two similar situations. Defiantly a groundbreaking achievement in the gaming world.… Expand
Sep 14, 2011This game is flawless! The game play just seems more smoother then in Left 4 Dead 2 and the characters are more attractive Bill a Vietnam vet, Francis the Chopper dude, Louis a successful black man and Zoey a pretty young girl that loves zombie movies.. I would give it a 10 but the game lacks more weapons, more types of zombies, more items, ect that Left 4 Dead 2 provides. Besides those minor things I just can't seem the explain why I feel Left 4 Dead 1 is better. Also the thirdpersonshoulder mode works in L4D1. It is bugged in L4D2 and was never fixed.… Expand
Jan 3, 2012Few games even make the effort to enforce teamwork. To most in the modern shooter genre, a team is just a bunch of loners with guns who can't kill each other, going up against a dozen or so loners with guns with the same constraints. Valve has a habit of challenging this, and the end result is Left 4 Dead, a game that not only requires you to work as a team, but outright beats you over the head with how helpless you are alone in this atmospheric, tense, tactical, intense, and, at times, hilarious zombie apocalypse. The characters and the hours of dialog alone are worth the buy, and don't even get me started on the fun and frustration that awaits you in the versus mode. You can play as the infected too! Alone, it's a damn good game and packs at least a hundred hours of gameplay, but its little brother quickly blew past in both the community and the developer's eyes. Before then, the limits such as weapon selection and special enemies didn't exist. But who can pass up mentioning akimbo assassin, probably one of the most fun achievements available in modern shooters, and the plane crash in Dead Air. Truly classic.… Expand
Mar 6, 2012I purchase 1 and 2 together, and I run 1 first. However, it can't even display anything on my screen. Then I play left 4 dead 2, and there is very little fun, so I decided to delete both of left 4 dead 1 and 2...Now I regret my purchase...… Expand
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"Dick face!"
I slammed the car door shut behind me and released a sigh, Andy looked over towards me.
"Cheer up kiddo, don't worry about Mum" well it was easy for him seeing as Andy was clearly Mum's favourite. I tried to ignore the burning sensation in my chest and swallowed my tears.
"Whatever" I muttered as I looked out the window, Andy sped up and soon we were on Jackie's road, her big mansion in clear view. Andy tooted the horn to alert Jackie and then cut the engine.
"Has Lola emailed you recently?" Andy anxiously asked me as he gripped the steering wheel tightly.
I nodded slowly "she said she might come down with the baby and stay with ... Dad"
Relief spread across Andy's face, Lola was his little sister, he did have to look out for even if she wasn't in the country. A heavy silence remained as I wondered what to say, it was still a touchy subject.
"I really miss her" I said looking out in front of me to see Jackie's door opening.
Andy pulled his eyes away from the steering wheel and placed his hand on my shoulder "I bet she misses you too"
"This is all Mum's f-" Andy put his hand up and shook his head, I pushed it too far.
"Don't start Jas, give Mum a break"
I was about to put up an argument when the back seat door was thrown open as Jackie threw her bag at the seat across her as she flung herself in. A rich perfume smell surrounded the car.
Jackie leant forward to give me a hug and winked over at Andy, I gagged. Andy scanned his eyes over at Jackie's luscious curves in her figure hugging dress and he bit his lip, I swatted his arm and pointed at the steering wheel.
Today was a long one but I was just looking forward to my last period with Harry. As I walked into my last period I saw that Harry was already seated on our table. He had a simple t-shirt on and a small silver chain around his neck; his ocean blue eyes were focused on his phone while his messy hair fell in every direction, as he typed something his arm bulged.
He looked up from his phone and did a double take as his eyes landed on my outfit. Check mate.
"Hi" I gushed as I pulled my chair out to sit down. "What you listening to?"
Harry shot me a grin that made his eyes crinkle and my heart jumped, I felt like jelly as his arm brushed mine to hand me one of his earphones. I nodded my head in time with the beat of the music and he gave a low chuckle making me squirm in delight.
"well hello sexy" that voice, that stupid annoying but fucking sexy voice that made me look up and take out the earphone, beside me Harry sighed and glared up at the one and only Eric.
I stood up quickly closing the space between us, he had a black jumper on today with tight skinny jeans and biker boots, it totally worked for him and couldn't help my eyes travelling down his torso. I lifted my eyes back up fast.
"Hey dick face, I have a name, stop calling me sexy!" I whispered. Eric leaned down and I felt his hot breathe tickle my neck as he leaned down towards my ear
"What should I call you then?" I felt myself sway a little towards him and my eyes close involuntarily. I was scared he was going to nibble my ear but I wanted him to as well.
Harry cleared his throat loudly causing my to jerk my head away and open my eyes, Eric frowned at Harry but then walked past me not before grabbing a handful of my arse. I slapped his arm and he walked away sliding down to his seat where he started chatting to Jessica a pretty blonde.
"God that guy annoys me so much!" I huffed as I took my seat back beside Harry who noticed the blush that was spreading round my face, he nodded but didn't look exactly happy so I snuggled a bit closer to him so now my mouth was by his ear.
class, we need to talk about our date arrangement" I said smiling
as a small blush appeared on Harry's face.
"Eric! Jasmine!" Mr Davies bellowed as people started filling out the classroom, I looked over at Eric who was staring at me. Harry looked over at Mr Davies.
"I'll wait for you" Harry muttered not exactly looking in my direction.
I pulled my cardigan around me and walked over to Mr Davies desk, Mr Davies was quite attractive for an older man, and his stubble made him x10 more attractive. Eric stood beside me, way too close for my liking.
Mr Davies held some papers in his hand and sighed "Eric, your grades are slipping, your step-mother won't be happy" Eric snorted and looked over at me shrugging his shoulders. What an idiot.
"Jasmine, no need to worry your grades are perfect as always" I gave a smug grin over to Eric who rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his light brown hair.
I looked over at Harry who was now bending down to pick something up that he dropped on the floor; I craned my neck to check out his arse.
"Jasmine? Did you hear what I just said?" Mr Davies said a little louder to get my attention. I snapped my head up and blushed.
"Sorry sir, what did you say?" I looked back over at Eric to find him grinning at me
"You have to help me out here Jasmine and tutor this helpless boy" I felt my body stiffen and my eyes narrow into slits, I pushed past Eric so now I was standing in front Mr Davies.
"Sir-" I gritted out "I hate him, please don't make me do this" Mr Davies not so subtly checked out my breasts and my stomach and I slammed my hand down on his desk.
"Jasmine-" he replied as he dragged his eyes off my chest "this will look good on your CV or when you apply to college, this will benefit you too"
"I can't believe this" I hissed under my breath. Eric bit his lip as I turned around to face him "you dick!" I shouted out as I came up in his face not caring that if I stood any closer to him my lips would be on his. "You fixed this didn't you?" I whispered to his lips.
"Jasmine, language!" Mr Davies said standing up and pulling me away from Eric who was smiling at me. I put up my middle finger. I ran my hands through my hair breathing through my nose. I glanced at Harry and he gave me a small smile.
"Jasmine, I need you to start urgently, maybe this weekend?" I held my head in my hands, so now I was meant to sacrifice my weekends for this guy.
"Fine whatever, can I go?" I said not even waiting for a reply as I trudged back to Harry who pulled me in for a hug.
"How about this Saturday we go out, we can make a day or it" Harry gave me a questioning look and I smiled, I couldn't help but smile when I was around this guy.
"Oh no! Sorry-" Eric came up behind me, his arms hovering around my waist, not sounding sorry at all.
"- she has to tutor me this Saturday" Eric said proudly as he snaked his arms around my waist, I pulled away so fast I fell onto Harry, he held my hand. Eric glanced down at our hands.
"There's always Sunday" Harry replied mostly to me and I nodded staring right back to Eric who's face hardened.
"I'll call
you Jasmine" Eric replied before rushing out the classroom.
"More sexy time with Mr sexy?" Jackie laughed as I explained what happened in English.
"How sexy" Jackie said as the wind picked her hair to which she quickly tied up. I frowned and I bit angrily into my sandwich.
"Hey you wanna stay at mine this weekend?" Jackie asked as she also bit into her sandwich, her painted red fingernails brushed crumbs from her dress.
"It's closer to Eric's house" she laughed, I hit her. A shadow blocked our sunshine and I looked up to find Tommy standing sneering at Jackie
"Jas! Nice to see you" he said but only had eyes for Jackie. I gave a small smile and took out my phone, let Tommy and Jackie have their moment.
"Can you get out the fucking way" Jackie gritted.
"No" Tommy replied and I couldn't help but laugh at the way Jackie recoiled. Nobody but Tommy had the guts to talk back to Jackie.
"Take down those photos" Jackie snapped as she put her sandwich down in the box on the grass
Jackie gave a small scream and stood up so now they were face to face. They would actually be a perfect couple; Tommy had curly hair just like Jackie's which he ruffled back.
Jackie had always complained that she wouldn't be able to find a guy who she could go on a date with and she wouldn't have to worry about knocking the guy's confidence down because she was inches taller. Tommy was still taller than her even in her killer heels.
"The only reason why you won't put down the pictures down is because you like me!" Jackie gave a snort. Tommy scoffed.
"What a big headed ego monster like you... Please, don't flatter yourself" I gasped a little but couldn't help enjoying their little spat.
"Well at least I don't have to insult people to make myself feel better" Tommy growled and then stomped off; Jackie clapped her hands and then sat back down beside me
"God that guy is so annoying!"
A/N: I'm thinking of next chapter, Eric POV thoughts? Let me know in the comments! <3
Tommy (:
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Entries for January, 2011 in The Grapevine
By TrystaEakin in The Grapevine
The Internet has struck again! If you've been surfing Facebook the last few days, you know we are all hurtling toward the biggest crisis of our lives - our zodiac signs have changed. The stars have realigned and now we ...
By TrystaEakin in The Grapevine
The wedding and holidays are over. I'm wrapping up GC's January issue. And there doesn't seem to be much on the immediate horizon to plan for or be excited about. So, it's understandable that it feels like I'm waiting for ...


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POPE-AUDIENCE Apr-25-2012 (670 words) With photos. xxxi
Charity, social justice must be coupled with prayer, pope says
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- All pastoral work, including promoting social justice and providing for the poor, must be nourished by prayer, Pope Benedict XVI said.
Without contemplating and internalizing God's word daily, one risks being suffocated by too heavy a workload and one's heart risks hardening to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, he said.
"Charity and justice are not just social action but are spiritual action realized in the light of the Holy Spirit," he said during the general audience in St. Peter's Square April 25. It was attended by more than 20,000 pilgrims from all over the world, including members of the U.S. Catholic Health Association and the Ascension Health Alliance.
Continuing a series of talks on Christian prayer, the pope highlighted Chapter 6 of the Acts of the Apostles, which recounts how the early Christian community decided to call forth "seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom" to be dedicated to charitable action so the apostles could continue to dedicate themselves to prayer and proclaiming the word of God.
"The proclamation of the Gospel -- the primacy of God -- and (providing) concrete charity and justice were creating difficulties," and the community had to find a solution so that both would have their place in the church, the pope said.
The apostles created a new ministry dedicated to the needy because the church is called not just to proclaim the word but to fulfill it through concrete acts of love and truth, he said.
At the same time, he said, the apostles underlined the importance of prayer so that those who carried out the church's charitable mission would do so "in the spirit of faith with the light of God."
Charity workers must be filled with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and not just be "good organizers who know how to do things," the pope said.
In fact, the apostles laid their hands on those chosen for the new ministry, conferring God's grace and "consecrating them in the truth which is Jesus Christ," he said. It was not a simple act of assigning a new role or responsibility to someone as happens in secular organizations, "but is an ecclesial event."
"The difficulty that the church was going through concerning the problem of serving the poor, the question of charity, is overcome through prayer," he said. It's through prayer and reflecting on God's word that people can "respond to every challenge and situation with wisdom, understanding and fidelity to God's will."
Pope Benedict said, "We must not lose ourselves to pure activism, but always let our actions be penetrated by the light and the word of God and, that way, learn real charity."
Truly serving others means not just providing them the basic necessities, it's giving, "above all, the affection of our heart and God's light," he said.
Everything Christians do should be nourished by contemplating God, which is especially important in a world that stresses productivity and efficiency above all else, he said.
At the end of the audience, Pope Benedict called on people to drive sensibly and responsibly.
Greeting families of road-accident victims, the pope said his prayers with "all those who have lost their lives on the road," and he said people have "the duty to always drive prudently and responsibly."
A delegation from the U.S. Catholic Health Association, led by its president and CEO, Daughter of Charity Sister Carol Keehan, was in Rome along with members of Ascension Health, a St. Louis-based alliance of Catholic health care systems.
Contacted by email, Sister Carol said the groups were taking part in an annual weeklong education program in Rome for senior leaders in management, board and sponsorship roles in the field of health care.
"Its purpose is to help them know the church universal better and what it means to lead a church ministry," she wrote.
The "Ecclesiology and Spiritual Renewal Program for Health Care Leaders" included meetings with officials of a variety of Vatican congregations and with the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry.
- - -
Editor's Note: The text of the pope's audience remarks in English will be posted online at www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2012/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20120425_en.html.
The text of the pope's audience remarks in Spanish will be posted online at www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2012/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20120425_sp.html.
Copyright (c) 2012
Catholic News Service
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Selection of participants in this Academy is determined by a nomination process from each Regional Office. PLEASE DO NOT APPLY HERE. Discuss attendance with your supervisor, who can then provide your name to the Region to be considered for nomination. If you are nominated, your Regional Office will notify you and NCTC will follow up with enrollment information.
The Refuge Management Academy provides an overview of the programs, policies, issues and mandates affecting the operation of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Target Audience: FWS staff new to the National Wildlife Refuge System (refuge operations specialists, wildlife biologists, outdoor recreation planners, and environmental education specialists). Note: Selection of participants is determined by a nomination process by each Regional office. Contact your Regional office to inquire how to be considered for nomination to the academy.


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The State Board of Higher Education holds a special meeting to discuss Chancellor Ham Shirvani.
While it is routine for the board to evaluate the chancellor on a annual basis, there is a lot of interest in this particular review.
Today's meeting was held to discuss Shirvani's performance evaluation, however not much was actually said about how he's doing his job.
One board member stepped up to say that the controversy around the Chancellor doesn't just fall on Shirvani, but the entire board.
"Lets be honest it's not just this report, we've all read the paper, I know a lot of focus of this controversy has been on the Chancellor but I think as a board we bear some responsibility here for the environment we find ourselves in and you know I would hope all of us agree that hey I can do things better, we can communicate not through the media but directly," Board member Kari Reichert said.
Republican Senator Tony Grindberg also spoke at today's meeting.
Grindberg shared his reasoning for why he thinks the board is in the position they are today.
"This environment, the leadership is not going to a good place, and so I wanted to share with you why I think this is happening, the board, members of the board and the whole environment over this new model is what's transpired to today that's my opinion," Tony Grindberg said.
Evangelist Franklin Graham prayed on a sidewalk outside the Pentagon Thursday after his invitation to a prayer service inside was withdrawn because of comments that insulted people of other religions. More>>


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Action On Hunger The Irish were intentionally starved out of their homes as well as their Country. This exodus caused by the Great Hunger brought millions of Irish people to the USA. Many who made this journey did survive but many thousands did not. The Irish Immigrant knew hunger as few others ever did. One […]
Check On Us, SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY !
Calendar by Kieran O'Shea
.* Saturday September 13 GOLF OUTING for Div. 11
Saturday, September 13, 2014The outreach center thanks the Hicksville A.O.H.
Visit our 2014 Supporters,
Catholic War Veterans
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Thank you to our 2013 sponsors
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And Friends of the
Ancient order of Hibernians
The Ryan Family, The Kelly Family, The Kenny Family,
The McHugh Family
The Asaro Family & the S.P.A. Service Co.
Next Meeting, Tuesday September 23, 2014
In March we received
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Remember you can always BRING SOMETHING IN,
we love 20 Pound bags of Rice!
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Click below for Food Need List
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The Hicksville Division 11 Ancient Order of Hibernians helped to deliver more than 4,350 lbs Food
St. Ignatius Parish Pantry Could still use More Rice, Beans, Chick Peas, Canned Meats and Toothbrushes
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388 Kenwood Ave.
Delmar, NY 12054
530 Main St.
Bennington, VT 05201
Last week I had the opportunity to have lunch with Andrew Weil at the Nutrition and Health Conference in Boston, MA. I am continually struck by his ability to decipher complex conditions and the science behind them and formulate this understand back to physicians, scientists and the general public in concise and understandable language.
Reaching Theta Brainwaves
Sound healing sessions with gongs bring you into a deep rest where you reach a theta brainwaves state. Theta brainwaves occur during R.E.M. sleep, active dreaming and meditation. This is a deeply relaxed state where healing takes place with more ease.
Why not Pop a Pill? It's Easy…right?
A recent study showed that patients over 60 who were given opiate painkillers after minor surgeries considered to be "low pain," were 44% more likely to still be using the painkillers a year later when compared to patients who were not prescribed opiates right away. There was also a strong trend in the opiate group to graduate from a drug like codeine, to stronger opiates like oxycodone within a year. {Asim Alam, MD, et. al. "Long-term Analgesic Use After Low-Risk Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study." Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(5):425-430.}


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NEW Virgin Atlantic service from Belfast to Orlando.
– 16 July 2014
People in Northern Ireland looking for a sunny getaway next summer will now be able to fly from Belfast to Orlando on Virgin Atlantic.
Call us on 028 3832-3618. Contact us: click here for a callback or send us an email.
Pinnacle Worldwide is delighted to bring you our best ever Cruise Sale Event. Talk to us today about planning your perfect cruise!
We think it's only right your travel plans should be protected under our ABTA membership and have the full financial protection of our ATOL bonded suppliers.
Baros Maldives,voted one of the top 25 Luxury hotels at the Trip advisor travellers choice awards 2013
W Retreat & Spa, Fesdu Island
The Maldives is a string of enchanted atolls embraced by a turquoise ocean. Tiny islands like nowhere else on earth. Explore their crystal-clear lagoons and make footprints in their powder-white sands.
Visitors in the winter months between December and April will enjoy the driest seasons and many flights to the Maldives connect over Dubai so why not consider including a stopover in your holiday.
Mauritius is surely the ideal tropical island destination, its coral sands and turquoise waters enhanced by a cornucopia of beach resorts that know the true meaning of the word 'luxury'.
Dining here is a true epicurean experience and service levels echo those found only in the Far East. World-class spas and championship golf courses are also available whilst a relaxed attitude towards children ensures guests of all ages feel more than welcome.
Idyllic islands adrift in the Indian Ocean scenically the Seychelles is unique and now boasts true deluxe resorts that do them full justice.
The islands have ensured they keep up with all the modern trends, yet beachcombers and bird-lovers have always revelled in these islands, whilst scuba-divers and deep sea fishermen have never really discovered anywhere better. Visit these islands at any time of the year.
Floating like an emerald jewel in the Indian Ocean, the enchanting island of Sri Lanka is outstandingly beautiful. Falling like a teardrop from the Indian subcontinent, this lush paradise has an abundance of attractions. Verdant jungles drape over exaggerated mountains, white sand beaches glisten, ancient cities lay forgotten, traditional dances intoxicate the senses and locals exude a genuine, hospitable warmth.
– 16 July 2014
People in Northern Ireland looking for a sunny getaway next summer will now be able to fly from Belfast to Orlando on Virgin Atlantic.
– 07 August 2014
British & Irish nationals risk getting caught out by local laws and customs when travelling overseas, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office warned today.
– 15 July 2014
As you may know, new airport security measures were announced recently and because the Department of Transport has not been specific about which routes in and out of the UK will be affected, it is important that all customers on all international flights are prepared.
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via Maureenlingle
I spent some time at the Hurricanes on ice sessions this week. I knew I missed hockey, but didn't know how much until I saw the Canes on the ice. The excitement at both the PNC Arena and RCI was palpable. It was great get a chance to see guys working out the new lines. The players seemed to be as pumped as the fans. Can't wait to see what this team can do!


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Langtree Park is rapidly gaining a reputation for hosting some of the best wedding fairs not only in St Helens but in the entire north west of England.
And the latest Wedding Show at the stunning home of Saints rugby league club this Sunday, March 23, promises to be the biggest and best yet!
Boasting more than 30 exhibitors offering pretty much all the goods and services you could possibly need to make your dream wedding a reality, as well as two fashion shows by Occasions and first-class entertainment throughout the day, it is a must for all brides and grooms-to-be.
A spokesman for the event, held in conjunction with the St Helens Star, said: "Wedding fairs at Langtree Park is still quite a new concept – but you would never have guessed it judging by how popular they are!
"People come from all over the north west and the shows always get lots of really good feedback.
"But Sunday's Wedding Show will be the best one yet, with even more exhibitors, even more entertainment and hopefully a record turnout."
Held from 11am to 3pm, the Wedding Show offers free entry for everyone. Bring all the family and even your friends, and if you get there early you will be one of the brides-to-be who will receive a free goodie bag on the day, including a copy of Bride magazine worth £4.50.
Highlights of the day include DJ entertainment from Dave Bradley of Unit One Entertainment and musical performances by classical singer Amanda Hayes and 'Soul Sensation' Matt Philips prior to the two fashion shows, which will take place at noon and 2pm.
There is even something for the children, with Disney's most recent princess, Princess Elsa from the hit film Frozen, making a special guest appearance at 1.15pm to add a little sparkle to the day for the little ones.
The spokesman added: "There is a lot to look forward to. At best you will go home having had a great day and having ticked off everything you need for your upcoming wedding, and at worst you will go home having had a great day and having had your eyes opened to the wealth of options locally in terms of wedding goods and services.
"All tastes and budgets will be catered for on the day, and the Wedding Show also offers the opportunity to take a tour of Langtree Park stadium and its magnificent facilities.
"Saints' new stadium offers a unique setting for your dream day, with a variety of unique suites available, some of which overlook the pitch to create the perfect backdrop.
"Whether it be a civil ceremony, wedding breakfast, evening wedding reception or a small, intimate wedding gathering, if you say 'I do' to Langtree Park an unforgettable wedding day awaits."
Many of the function suites at the stadium will be dressed by a local venue stylist this Sunday to show you how the rooms can look for your special day.
And Karen Caddock, Langtree Park's events
co-ordinator, will be on hand to offer expert advice on every aspect of your upcoming wedding.
Karen can share years of experience in advising brides-to-be on all aspects of their wedding, ensuring that every detail is perfect from start to finish, and if you have a show around on the day booked with Karen you will be given a free bottle of bubbly.
A full list of the exhibitors at the Langtree Park Wedding Show is available at new website www.localweddingfairs.com. You can register via the site or via Eventbrite to avoid the queues on arrival at Sunday's show.


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The Top 10 In Action Sports
0111 Ridiculously Cute Kids That Rip At Action Sports
02Giant Cheese And Crazy French Fans: Meribel Hosts Its First MTB World Cup
03'That Was Not An Orgasm By The Way. It was Just Pure Fear!' - The Course For The Downhill World Cup This Weekend Looks Crazy...
04Bummed You Broke Your Board? Bet You Didn't Know You Could Make It Into A Guitar, Chair Or Even A Dog Bowl?!
05New York City Have Banned Bodyboarding! Yep, Really...
06Want To Escape Civilisation But Only Got Four Days Off? This Is Where You Need To Go…
079 Hilarious Letters From People Who Were Really Sorry They Drunkenly Stole Someone's Bike
08Fancy Surfing In Human Sh*t And Getting Beaten Up By Locals? This Is What The World's Famous Surf Spots Are Really Like...
09BOOBKHANA! The New Series From Ken Block Featuring Boobs, Polar Bears And Crazy Driving...
10A Backpack That's Also A Skateboard?! You Won't Believe How It Works...
Storyboards: Stoke Plaza
A Skateboarding video by joffer - 8,193 views
We head up to the Stoke Plaza for the Love Music, Hate Racism event featuring Skinnyman and riders such as Jed Coldwell and Moggins. This week also includes and interview with Mark 'Fos' about life running both Landscape and Heroin Skateboards, check out part 2.
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A program to put more school nurses in Milwaukee Public Schools is paying off in better health care management for children and families, according to an evaluation done by the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee's Institute for Urban Health Partnerships.
In 2006, MPS allocated Title I funds to hire school nurses for eligible schools to expand its Coordinated School Health Program, a model supported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC recommends a ratio of one school nurse for every 750 students. When the program started, Milwaukee Public Schools had a ratio of one nurse for every 8,500 students, according to M. Kathleen Murphy, Health Services Coordinator for MPS.
Almost 80 percent of children who attend MPS live in families at or below the poverty level, according to MPS administration figures, so almost all MPS schools qualified for the federal program. Funding was also used in the first two years of the program to evaluate the effectiveness of the nurses in the program schools.
"We learned that MPS nurses clearly understand the links between health and learning and the role nurses play in promoting the academic mission of their schools," says Mary Jo Baisch, assistant professor of nursing at UWM and lead evaluator for the report on the Coordinated School Health Program.
Beyond Band-Aids
The evaluation, based on the first two years of the program, showed that MPS school nurses helped cut down on school/class absences, improved the rates of immunization in schools and ensured that emergency records were up to date. School nurses also identified and referred 1,400 students for eye exams, provided 700 health education/training classes, helped place an additional 161 automated external defibrillators in schools and trained emergency cardiac response teams in 153 schools.
Baisch found that the school nurses play an important role in building links between schools and parents and guardians with children in their schools. Many students in MPS have chronic health conditions that, when untreated, keep them from their classrooms. Asthma, for example, is a common problem among MPS students, and one that needs coordinated, ongoing care, according to MPS officials. School nurses helped both students and parents manage these conditions so that students could more regularly attend school.
Health care kids can count on
Surveys conducted as part of the evaluation showed that school staff members were highly satisfied with the school nurses. Data from the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on School Health show that school nurses are often the first and only consistent source of health services for uninsured and underinsured children.
MPS works with a number of partners who help provide nurses to the schools, including Aurora Health Care, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert (Hospital, the Milwaukee Health Department. and the Governor's Office provide special funding. UWM's College of Nursing provides primary care health services to children and families through its Silver Spring Community Nursing Center. While the ratio of school nurses to students still does not meet national recommendations, it has improved dramatically, according to MPS.
The evaluation's findings were presented to the Milwaukee Board of School in May. Overall, the MPS nurse-student ratio has improved dramatically, says MPS's Murphy. This fall, if all positions are filled, only 15 schools will be without nursing services.


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New Treatment for Celiac Disease? Research Shows Blocking a Protein May Reverse Celiac Disease Symptoms WebMD Health News By Denise Mann Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD More from WebMD...
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Zeboyd Games
Cosmic Star Heroine and the risks (and rewards) of having a female hero in an RPG
The industry is actively hostile to games with female leads. Remember Me had trouble finding a publisher due to its female lead, and games with female heroes rarely sell… although they're also rarely given much of an advertising budget. When Zeboyd Games announced its latest game, Cosmic Star Heroine, the game's hero also received attention due to her gender.
I spoke with Robert Boyd, one half of Zeboyd games, to talk about the decision to make the hero female, the resistance they've encountered from gamers, and what this means for the game moving forward.
A long time coming
This is the company's description of their hero:
Alyssa L'Salle is one of the galactic government's top agents and always manages to save the day! But when she accidentally uncovers a dark conspiracy, her own government outs her as a legendary spy and the people's champion! Sure, now she has hordes of adoring fans but every villainous organization she's ever crossed in her career knows who she is and is out for her blood! Can she save the day once more while she faces her greatest challenge… Everyone!?
"Actually, the first RPG I ever designed had a female lead - Molly the Witch in RainbowDespair, which later transformed into Molly the Were-Zompire in the text-based game of the same name, also a playable cameo character in one of the bonus modes in Cthulhu Saves the World, so it's always been at the back of my head to try that again in a game that was more grounded and less parody-based," Robert Boyd said. "I'm sure the fact that I have four daughters or that one of my gaming heroes growing up was Roberta Williams from Sierra On-line have nothing to do with this."
And then the negative messages started coming in. The support for the game has well outpaced the skepticism, but the messages about the female hero were interesting.
"Playing Lunar as a kid, I think I really loved the game for its sense of adventure. I also felt like I could relate to Alex (protag) and the pursuit of his dreams as a teenager," a poster on NeoGAF wrote. "Not sure I can get that same degree of empathy with a female protagonist. I enjoyed the Cthulhu games from Zeboyd, playing as an alien had a charming humor to it. Guess I'll wait and see, but I don't think I'll be backing this game."
"I hope the option for a male protagonist is a stretch goal, even if its just a mustache and cowboy hat on the female sprite tongue in cheek like, I'd be all for that," another stated. "I love Zeboyd's style but i couldn't play as a female character and immerse like in their prior games."
I asked Boyd about the negative messages. "I honestly was a little surprised that there would be any backlash since I had been talking about having a female lead for quite some time," he said. "I think a few people like to project themselves into a game's lead and find it easier to do that with someone of the same gender.
"However, I don't think this is a problem for most people. And honestly, female gamers, and readers, and movie-goers, are constantly being asked to identify with male heroes; have you ever heard a female gamer say that she won't play a game just because the lead isn't female? I haven't."
There are no plans to change the sex of the character, nor are these complaints doing anything to change the design of the game.
"And it's not like our game is the first RPG to feature a female lead - in fact, one of the earliest big Sega RPG series, Phantasy Star, featured a female lead, and it's no secret that the Phantasy Star series is one of the inspirations for Cosmic Star Heroine," Boyd said.
"And that's hardly the only RPG with a female lead - the Final Fantasy series, Wild Arms series, Parasite Eve series, Valkyrie Profile series, Trails in the Sky series, and Atelier series are just a few of the noteworthy RPG series to have multiple games with a female protagonist. In any case, since RPGs frequently focus heavily on characters & their development, it would be downright ridiculous for the genre to not have games with female protagonists since that's cutting out half the population."
In fact, Boyd said some people complained that the game was getting support simply due to the fact the hero is a woman, as if her design and backstory was a stunt. Despite all of this talk, both positive and negative, they're sticking with their ideal hero, even if past games are seen to have been hurt due to having female heroes.
"So no, we have no intention of changing the main character of Cosmic Star Heroine and no, we do not think it will hurt the game financially," he said.
"I'd love to see this industry reach a stage of maturity where the idea that a game won't sell just because it doesn't feature a generic guy or hyper-sexualized and mostly naked female was treated with the scorn it deserves," he finished. "And the only way we're going to reach that stage is if more games are released with strong, well-designed female protagonists."
Disclosure: Zeboyd Games has worked with Penny Arcade on the company's own game series.