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|System: PC, PS3, X360
|Dev: Kaos Studios
|Pub: THQ
|Release: March 15 2011
|Players: 1, 2-24
|Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p
by Amanda L. Kondolojy
We recently got the chance to sit down with the multiplayer aspect of Homefront, and while we came away impressed, it was the single player aspect that we were most interested in. We recently attended the THQ Montreal studio opening and while there we were able to get some hands-on time with the first level of Homefront. And from what we saw, players are definitely in for a ride when Homefront releases next year.
In case you haven't heard, Homefront takes place in the speculative world of 2027, after the Unified Korean Forces have invaded the US. The game's fiction aims to present a view of war from a resistance perspective, using views that are familiar in context, but alien in the way they have been twisted. This premise is demonstrated well in the game's opening moments. When you first start the game, you are a nameless person just getting out of bed. The radio is on, and the morning show personality is giving the latest news and weather. However, the radio personality's voice is incredibly grim, and then he begins reading the news in Korean. Suddenly, a knock at the door. Korean soldiers appear, accuse you of treachery, and pack you into a bus for a fate that is (presumably) worse than death.
The bus ride portion of the game serves as an interactive cutscene where you can look left and right and get a feel for how the world has changed since the Koreans invaded. Naturally, the scene is bleak, and you'll be witness to plenty of abuses and executions in the street. There are bodies strewn across the sidewalk, and you'll see people in various forms of torture and interrogation in broad daylight. One poor soul even gets shot execution-style while the bus passes by, which leads to some brain matter being splattered on the window. These horrifying images set the tone for the game and are effective tools for getting you into Homefront's narrative. I have to admit though, there is one moment that is so harrowing (I won't spoil it for you here, but let's say it involves a child and its parents) that I had to press the pause button and take a moment to digest before moving on. I would be surprised if this moment didn't generate some serious controversy when the game releases next year, simply because it is the type of violence that you just can't become desensitized to.
Once I was off the bus, the action began. From start-to-finish, Homefront feels like a conventional first-person shooter, which is a good thing. You'll pick up weapons, throw grenades, find cover, and of course try to get as many headshots as possible. The AI was not terribly difficult to overcome, but the game puts you in tough situations where you can't maneuver your way into an easy kill, which is certainly a triumph of the level design. You won't really be able to "run-and-gun" through most areas, and the game forces you to take your time in some areas, which works well in the context of the narrative.
It is obvious that the developers want to the player to experience the world of Homefront as they are mowing down tons of enemies, and the first level shows off this aspect of the gameplay. The most impressionable part of the first level for me was definitely the setting. Even though the opening cutscene lets you know what is going on, you get a feel for the everyday horror of the situation while you are having shootouts in everyday places. The first level takes you through plenty of familiar locations including abandoned grocery stores, a backyard playground complete with treehouse (which now doubles as a lookout post), and even into a civilian's home (complete with crazed mom and screaming baby.) The setting is visceral and dynamic, and definitely is one of the most memorable parts of the game (along with the opening bus cutscene.)
The first level isn't long, but it sets the stage nicely for what should be (according to the developers) a six to eight hour experience. While the gameplay wasn't the most innovative, it looks like the story combined with the setting will make Homefront a standout experience when it releases next year.
Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC News Director
Game Features:


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It's dinner time again folks! This Wednesday, March 16, 2011.
As before, I plan on being there shortly before 6pm in order to take advantage of happy hour prices on food. Other wise, hope to see you there around 6:30 or when ever you can make it.
What: Portland Metro Bike Dinner
When: Third Wednesday of each month
Time: Around 6:30pm (or just before 6 to take advantage of Happy Hour)
Where: Pyramind Breweries McTarnahan Taproom
2730 NW 31st Portland Oregon, 97210

subset: commoncrawl


text: NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Yelp ( YELP - Get Report) shares moved lower after the company reported quarterly results, missing Wall Street earnings expectations and giving guidance that shows revenue growth is slowing. The San Francisco-based firm lost 8 cents a share on $41.2 million in revenue during the fourth quarter, up 65% year-over-year. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were expecting the review aggregator to lose 5 cents a share on $40.29 million. Yelp provided first-quarter and full-year 2013 revenue guidance. For the first quarter, Yelp expects net revenue between $44 million and $44.5 million, growth of 62% compared to the first quarter of 2012. For the full year, Yelp believes sales will range between $210 and $212 million, a 53% rise year-over-year. "2012 was a tremendous year for Yelp," said Jeremy Stoppelman, Yelp's CEO, in the press release. "We completed a successful IPO, launched new products to improve the Yelp experience for consumers and business owners, expanded into new markets while increasing our presence in existing ones, and completed our first acquisition. We believe 2013 will be a tipping point for our brand in Europe as Yelp continues to become a trusted local resource. Our mobile strategy will remain a top priority as engagement increases, and we will continue to focus on the business owner, creating more ways to measure the value of Yelp leads." 2012 marked some highlights for Yelp. The company noted its data is being incorporated into Apple's ( AAPL - Get Report) "Maps" application on iOS 6, and is partnering with Microsoft's ( MSFT) Bing to power their local business pages. Shares of Yelp closed higher in Wednesday trading, gaining 5.67% to finish at $22.38. The stock is moving lower in extended-hours trading, down 1.65% to $21.99 according to Nasdaq.com. --Written by Chris Ciaccia in New York >Contact by Email. Follow @Commodity_Bull


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Ramos waives hearing, pleads not guilty in Norwich murder
Jose E. "Kool-Aid" Ramos, charged in October with fatally shooting Tynel "Blue" Hardwick outside a Norwich bar four years ago, waived his right to a probable cause hearing Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
Ramos, initially represented by public defender Bruce A. Sturman, was appointed a new attorney, Bruce B. McIntyre, after Sturman discovered he had previously represented a witness in the case.
During Ramos' appearance Wednesday morning in New London Superior Court, McIntyre said Ramos has decided to waive his right to the probable cause hearing. Had he opted for such a hearing, the state would have called witnesses in an effort to convince Judge Susan B. Handy there is enough evidence to prosecute Ramos for murder. Now that he has waived the hearing, the attorneys will begin discussing whether the case can be resolved short of trial.
Cold case detectives allege that Ramos, angry after an encounter with Hardwick inside Rumors Bar & Grill on Oct. 10, 2008, retrieved a gun and waited across the street for Hardwick to exit the bar. Ramos allegedly shot Hardwick from a distance of about 143 feet, killing him with one shot to the back of the head. Norwich police identified Ramos as a possible suspect, but detectives were unable to make their case until investigators interviewed cooperating witnesses earlier this year.
He is being held in lieu of a $2 million bond at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution. He is due back in court on Jan. 11.
— Karen Florin
Best of the best: The Day honors Commander, Johnson, Bassett and Gleason
Decorated New London firefighter promoted to battalion chief
Democratic state reps hear from Groton, New London constituents


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YORK, PA – First year York College head wrestling coach Duane Bastress has released the 2013-14 Spartan wrestling schedule.
Bastress, a two-time Spartan national champion, takes over the program from his former coach and fellow Division III Wrestling Hall of Famer Tom Kessler, who stepped away from the program after last season.
Bastress will make his head-coaching debut on November 2 when the Spartans travel to their traditional season opener at the King's College Monarch Invitational in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
York returns to Wilkes-Barre one week later to participate in the John Reese Duals hosted by Wilkes University.
Trips to Lycoming for a match against the Warriors on November 13, a tri-match against Mercyhurst and Waynesburg at Waynesburg on November 16, followed by the Mount Union Duals on November 23 highlight the opening stretch of the season that finds the Spartans on the road for their first five days of competition.
York finally makes their home debut on November 26 when they host Elizabethtown in a regional rivalry that has grown significantly over the last few years.
"The home opener against Elizabethtown is a great way to start our home schedule," says Bastress. "It is a great local rivalry and it's a lot of fun to be a part of."
The Spartans will remain at home for their next event as they host the always loaded New Standard Corporation Invitational on December 7 at the M&T Bank Fieldhouse.
"The New Standard is one of the best tournaments on the east coast and I would expect this year's edition to be much of the same. The quality of the tournament has continued to grow each year and we are very excited to host a tournament of this caliber," states Bastress.
After just under a month away from competition, the Spartans travel to Franklin & Marshall for the F&M Open. The open features primarily Division I competition, which will challenge the Spartan squad to open the spring semester portion of the schedule.
A weekend stay in Williamsport to participate in the Budd Whitehill Duals precedes a trip to the Mid-Penn Duals hosted by Millersville University. The Spartans will be gunning for their third straight Mid-Penn title after capturing the team championship in each of the last two years.
"It's a great opportunity for our guys to get the opportunity to win the Mid-Penns for the third straight year. It's a great chance for fans to see some of the best wrestling that central Pennsylvania can provide," says Bastress.
York will host a tri-match with Penn State Mont Alto and Thaddeus Stevens on February 1 before traveling to the Messiah Open on February 8.
The Spartans conclude the regular season on February 15 as they host Gettysburg at Wolf Gymnasium. That match will be senior day for the Green and White.
The Mid-East Regionals will be held on March 1 with the Division III Championship tournament being held on March 14 and 15.
Bastress is chomping at the bit ready to get the season going.
"I am really excited to get the guys in the room and get started. We have a number of talented guys who are proving to be very dedicated to what we are asking them to do. I think we could have a very successful season. I am ready to go!"


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Ten years ago, Gerry McIlroy bet $341 that his son, Rory, then 15, would win the prestigious British Open before he turned 26.
No one paid much attention to this proud father's bet until last week when Rory McIlroy, who had just turned 25 in May, actually won the British Open by two strokes at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. This was his dad's last chance to win the bet.
With odds of 500-1, Rory's father made a tidy sum of $171,000.
In England this type of bet is called "special odds requests" from proud parents hoping to cash in on a child's future athletic glory or anything else a child might achieve, according to Ladbrokes, the U.K. bookmaker who paid out the $171,000 to McIlroy's father.
This McIlroy bet got the Los Angeles News Group editorial board wondering whether our readers would bet on the future achievements of their children or grandchildren. Would you make a bet like Rory McIlroy's father?
Granted, there are few golfers in the world as talented as McIlroy, but all parents have aspirations for their sons or daughters in some way or another, and not just in the sports world.
More broadly speaking, here's our Question of the Week: What dreams and aspirations do you have for your children or grandchildren? Do you expect them to do better than you have? Would you bet on it?
One British bookmaker told BBC News Magazine some parents place bets that their children will pass a particular exam. "And then there was the grandmother who thought her granddaughter so beautiful that she wagered she would grace the front cover of a leading fashion magazine," the BBC said. Adults making these bets are proud of their children and want to show they have faith and confidence in them. The bets also can serve as an incentive for the child to do well.
But does it? Or is it putting too much pressure on kids already stressed out?
Send your thoughts to firstname.lastname@example.com. Please include your full name and city or community of residence. Also, provide a daytime phone number so we can verify the comment. Or, if you prefer, share your views in the comments section that accompanies this article online.
We will publish as many responses as we can online and in the newspaper on Sunday.


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Fall movies -- like 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'
The best movies of the year -- the thinking-man's spectaculars, the potential Oscar-winners, the latest efforts from big-name directors -- are almost always reserved for the fall. This year should prove no exception, as the coming months will see not only Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (opening Dec. 14) but Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis' take on "Lincoln" (wide release: Nov. 16), Tim Burton's animated "Frankenweenie" (opening Oct. 5), the newest James Bond thriller, "Skyfall" (opening Nov. 9) and many more.
Handout photo
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Whether it's a medical emergency, a house fire, or a car accident, emergency medical technicians (EMT) and paramedics are often the first on the scene. But it's impossible for these emergency workers to be everywhere they're needed. Now, a grant from the HMSA Foundation will help the Emergency Medical Service Bureau of the Hawaii Fire Department expand its ability to help the people they serve on Hawaii Island.
"Helping someone to learn how not to fall may sound like a simple task," said Mark Forman, executive administrator of the HMSA Foundation, "but falls are a leading cause of injury in older adults." The fire department will use grant money from the HMSA Foundation to educate the community on fall prevention, enhance the training program for EMTs and paramedics at Kapiolani Community College, and provide CPR training to raise awareness of stroke and cardiac emergencies.
The Hawaii Fire Department is one of six local health programs and community organizations that received support from the HMSA Foundation in the second quarter of 2013 through $270,000 in grants.
The HMSA Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable foundation that supports efforts across the state to improve the health of Hawaii's people. HMSA Foundation grants awarded in the second quarter included:
American Cancer Society, Inc.: The American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge Hawaii gives Neighbor Island cancer patients and their caregivers free temporary housing when they travel to Honolulu for treatment. Hope Lodge Hawaii provides a comfortable, nurturing environment and access to quality care and support. Grant amount - $100,000.
"We are fortunate to have many benefactors in the community who have come forward to support a Hope Lodge in Hawaii, and are truly grateful for HMSA Foundation's leadership donation for the project," said Jackie Young, Ph.D., capital campaign volunteer and former chief staff officer of the American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific.
Blood Bank of Hawaii: The Blood Bank of Hawaii collects nearly 58,000 pints of blood annually and is the sole provider of blood products in Hawaii. A third of those donations are collected on two bloodmobiles that travel across Oahu - Waianae to Mililani, Haleiwa to Laie, and Kaneohe to Hawaii Kai - to collect blood from donors who could not donate otherwise. A grant from the HMSA Foundation will be used to purchase a new bloodmobile and refurbish the organization's oldest vehicle to make it more energy efficient. Grant amount - $50,000.
"To meet the blood needs of Hawaii's hospitals and patients, Blood Bank of Hawaii relies on the partnership of community businesses, organizations, and volunteer donors. HMSA is a tremendous supporter, not only helping us purchase a new bloodmobile to reach neighborhoods across Oahu, but hosting and recruiting for blood drives and informing readers of Island Scene about the daily need for blood. We can't thank HMSA enough for their life-saving efforts," said Kim-Anh Nguyen, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Blood Bank of Hawaii.
Frank De Lima's Student Enrichment Program: Children are often confronted with negative influences including drugs, alcohol, smoking, peer pressure, and bad nutrition. Without the proper support and education, wrong decisions could have damaging long-term effects. Frank De Lima's Student Enrichment Program provides guidance to help students develop positive attitudes as they mature. Grant amount - $10,000.
Hawaii Fire Department: The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Bureau of the Hawaii Fire Department has expanded its role in public outreach, injury prevention, and education. In addition to responding to emergencies, EMS is supporting the Hawaii Fire Department's EMT and paramedic students during their training in Hilo and on Oahu, educating the community on fall prevention, providing CPR training, and raising awareness of stroke and cardiac emergencies. Funds will be used for community outreach, education, and emergency response, and to subsidize the cost of a vehicle. Grant amount - $35,000.
Help, Understanding & Group Support (HUGS): Hospitalization of a child for any reason is incredibly stressful for families. The HUGS Hospital Visitation Program will bring staff and volunteers in contact with families of seriously ill children who are being tested or treated for their illness and provide valuable resources to combat challenges. Grant amount - $25,000.
Waikiki Health: To provide patients and the community with increased access to oral health services, Waikiki Health is establishing the Makahiki Clinic. This clinic will house their first dental services program to provide oral health services for uninsured, disadvantaged, and homeless adults and children. Grant amount - $50,000.
"HMSA Foundation's generous support will assist us in providing increased access to dental care for underserved, homeless, and other disadvantaged children and youth," said Sheila Beckham, R.D., M.P.H., chief executive officer of Waikiki Health. "We are establishing our first dental clinic, scheduled to open in 2014 in McCully-Moiliili, to improve the oral health status of those in greatest need, including uninsured keiki, the elderly, low-income and homeless families and individuals, and others who lack regular dental care - a critically important component of overall health."
The HMSA Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt private charitable organization. It was founded in Hawaii in 1986 as a public foundation with the goal of stimulating research aimed at some of the pressing issues that confronted Hawaii's health care industry. In 1997, the Foundation was converted to a private foundation to allow for larger contributions from donors, such as HMSA.
The mission of the HMSA Foundation is to extend HMSA's commitment to provide community access to cost-effective health care services, promote health, provide health education and relevant research, and improve social welfare in Hawaii.
Health plan dues from HMSA members and employer groups are not used to fund Foundation grants. Foundation grants are funded with annual investment income earned on its original endowment. For more information on the HMSA Foundation, visit www.hmsafoundation.org.


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***To read the other installments of the National Salad Month series, check out these links: Asian Slaw and Grape Salad
National Salad Month strikes again! Today, I'm bringing you a recipe that Paula Deen first brought to fame (Fame? For a recipe? I don't know…).
I like this recipe for a variety of reasons:
- It uses strawberries, a fruit that is very much in season right now, i.e., tres budget-friendly.
- It mixes salty with sweet — one of my favorite flavor combinations (like peanut butter and apples and sea salt and chocolate).
- It's misuse of the word "salad" makes me giggle. Really, it's more of a layered dessert… A dessert casserole of sorts. But this should come as no surprise since Paula Deen is the one who named the dish.
(Thanks for indulging me… I feel like I haven't gotten to make a list in a while.)
And since it's a Paula Deen recipe, I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you that it has more butter and sugar than necessary. In fact, I was able to cut the butter and sugar in HALF as well as the whipped topping… and I didn't notice their absence!
So… here's my version for your Pinning or cooking pleasure:
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
You'll need:
- 2 cups crushed pretzels (don't bother with the food processor, it's better if they're still in pieces)
- 1/2 c. melted butter
- 2 T sugar, plus 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 of an 8 oz. container of whipped topping
- 1 package of strawberries, washed, hulled, and chopped
- 1 8 oz. can crushed or diced pineapple
- 1 pkg. strawberry gelatin mix
- 2 c. boiling water
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Combine the melted butter, broken pretzels, and 2 T of sugar until pretzels are coated. Spread it evenly over the bottom of a greased casserole dish and bake in oven for about 8-10 minutes or until hardened. Allow to cool.
- After the cream cheese has softened, whisk together with 1/2 c. of sugar then fold in whipped topping until incorporated. Spread the mixture over the pretzel crust and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Combine the strawberries and pineapples and spread over the mixture and crust.
- In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin packet in boiling water and set aside until cool. Pour over the top of the fruit.
- Refrigerate for about four hours, or until gelatin has set. Enjoy!
It's so good…..


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Online Book Store are store which sells books through using the Internet.
Throughout the process of developing a business plan, you need to keep in mind the objective of the plan. Why are you writing the plan? Is it to manage the business? Or is it to raise money?
"Quick Quote - Online Book Store Business Plan" - Talk to our Online Book Store consultants:
A business plan for Online Book Store needs to include a sales forecast, cash flow forecast and a projected profit and loss account for three years. Larger businesses should also draw up a projected balance sheet. The figures used must be reasonable - avoid being over optimistic.
Please contact us at 877-334-4780 or firstname.lastname@example.com if
you have any questions - Business plans for Online Book Store
Contact us for a Online Book Store business plan to get started today!


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Primary Pgce Personal Statement Psychology Phd
The personal statement is your opportunity to let training providers know about your qualities, skills and expertise, and why you want to teach.
You can only complete one personal statement for all the choices you make in both Apply 1 and Apply 2. You can't change it or create different ones for university or school-based choices. The providers you're applying to understand this, so they won't be expecting you to say specific things about them or their programmes. However, if you're applying for programmes in a particular subject or age group, it would be helpful to explain why you have chosen them, and the skills and attributes you have that make them appropriate for you.
I read hundreds of UCAS applications for teacher training every year, and I cannot stress how important the personal statement is.
Claire Harnden, Director of Initial Teacher Training at Surrey South Farnham SCITT
What to include
You do need to think carefully about the things that all your chosen providers will want to know about you. You'll probably want to include things like:
- your reason(s) for wanting to teach
- evidence that you understand the rewards and challenges of teaching
- details of your previous education and how you have benefitted from it
- any other work with young people, such as helping with a youth club, working at a summer camp or running a sports team
- the range of relevant abilities and skills you can bring to teaching, for example, practical experience, managing people, working with or leading a team, and communication skills
- any reasons why there may be restrictions on your geographical mobility
- why you want to study in the UK, if you don't currently live here
- whether you've taken part in the School Experience Programme (SEP) organised by the National College of School Leadership (formerly the Teaching Agency)
These are the things all training providers want to know – whether they're School Direct, a university or a SCITT – so there's no need to worry that you can't write different personal statements. Read what SCITT director, Claire Harnden, looks for in a teacher training personal statement.
In addition to the details you give in the school and work experience section, you can also expand on your experience of teaching, such as visits to schools, classroom observations or working as a teaching assistant. To help, read Chris Chivers' tips for completing your teacher training application.
Whatever the route, the process will have similar elements, which are worth considering, so that the appliation has the greatest chance of making an impression.
Chris Chivers, experienced ITT tutor and mentor
How to write it
You can use up to 4,000 characters or 47 lines of text (including spaces) – whichever comes first. Some word processing packages calculate character and line counts differently from the UCAS Teacher Training system, so you might need to redraft your statement if there's a discrepancy between the counts.
- Write in English (or Welsh if you're applying to Welsh providers) and avoid italics, bold or underlining.
- Get the grammar and punctuation right and redraft your statement until you're happy with it.
- It's a good idea to write your personal statement in a word processor first, then copy and paste it into your application.
Don't copy!
Don't copy anyone else's personal statement or from statements posted on the internet. Make sure your personal statement is all your own work.
We screen all personal statements across our Copycatch similarity detection system. If we find any similarity, your application will be flagged – you and all your choices will receive an email alert and this could have serious consequences for your application.
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There follow four real personal statements from PGCE (teacher training applications). These are real examples, but of course personal details have been altered. They will give you ideas of how to write your own, and might be useful examples for any job or postgraduate study application where a personal statement is required.
The personal statement of your teaching application is by far the most important part of it. You have 47 lines to answer the following question:
Many courses don't interview candidates who don't have recent experience of working with childrenof the relevant age in a state school (although you might get away without this in a shortage subject). For primary, you'll need at least a month's experience. It shows evidence of commitment to teaching.
If you've arranged teaching experience, but haven't yet done it, mention this in your statement, saying what you will be doing. Christ Church University said that students should be aware that only having teaching experience abroad is not sufficient: they need to have had experience in a British school.
Although your classroom experience will probably be the most important part of your statement, evidence of ability to relate to young people in other ways will add strong supporting evidence . What else have you done to show you enjoy working with young people or children? Sports coaching, Sunday school teaching or helping in youth club will all demonstrate a real interest in young people and helping them learn
The work experience statement can contain up to 20 lines, with a maximum of 80 characters per line. You can list where you have worked (paid and unpaid), dates, job titles, employers and responsibilities.
Keep the work experience section factual and use the personal statement to amplify, reflect and interpret how this work experience is relevant to teaching. For example if you have worked in a shop you could mention that you had to work in a busy team under pressure, deal tactfully with customer complaints and adapt quickly to changing situations.
In the section of the application form where students have to enter the percentage of time taken up by each module it states that students should round up or round down rather than having decimal points. However, it also said that the total should add up to 100%, which won't happen if a student has rounded up/down. One student was worried that either way she was not going to be following one of the instructions.
It would be OK to round each module percentage either up or down so that it makes 100% - the module percentages don't have to be exactly accurate!
From Christ Church University's point of view they said that they don't mind if the percentages don't add up to 100.
Who should be your principal referee?
If you are at university or finished your studies in the last five years, your principal referee should ideally be a tutor (or lecturer) who can comment on your academic achievements and your personal qualities. If you cannot obtain a reference from a university or college tutor, your principal referee should be a responsible person who knows you well enough to write with authority about you, for example, an employer or a training officer. Your referee should be able to comment in detail about your suitability for your chosen PGCE courses and any training or study you have done recently.
If you graduated more than 5 years ago, you may not need to supply an academic referee.
Who should be your second referee?
Your second referee must be a responsible person who knows you, and who can provide a character reference for you and comment on your suitability for teaching (ideally a headmaster or teacher who has supervised your work experience in a school). You do not need to ask your second referee to provide a reference on your application. Training providers will contact your second referee directly if they want a second reference.
Once you have qualified teacher status, you are qualified as a teacher, not as a subject specialist, so you may also be able to teach lessons to younger pupils in a subject you studied at A Level or as a subsidiary subject in your degree. This flexibility could increase your employability when applying for jobs.
How to answer questions on the Teach First application form
- Strong enthusiasm for Teach First and a commitment to their vision
- Make links to the programme and how it will allow/enable you to make an impact in the classroom
- We are looking for an understanding of the ambassador movement and how you will have an impact beyond your 2 years, no matter what you do.
Humility, Respect & Empathy
- Clearly detail the example of working with a group of people different from yourself. How were they different?
- Exactly HOW did you work with them?
- How did you adapt yourself in that situation?
- How did you develop in that situation?
Problem Solving
Here you are asked to describe a challenge you have faced.
- Be very specific about the challenge itself. We are looking for your ability to weigh up the pros and cons of a situation.
- What measures did you take to overcome these obstacles? Use I not We…we want to know what you did, not any one else.
- What were the results?
- We are looking for a positive approach.
Here you are asked to describe a position of responsibility you had, the skills you developed and thirdly how these will help you when a Teach First Teacher
- Be very specific about the responsibility you held. This could be personal responsibility or responsibility for others.
- The questions are very specific be sure that you are answering the questions correctly.
- Be very specific around the role and the tasks you personally undertook.
- How will these relate to the role of a Teach First Teacher?
- Don't be afraid to tell us your achievements.
- Show the use of your initiative.
- What positive results came from these leadership skills?
You should not use any of the following content as part of your own personal statement as you would not be reflecting your own experience and ideas. This would be seen as plagiarism and would lead to rejection by the institutions you are applying to. GTTR uses the UCAS Similarity Detection Service to ensure that each personal statement received is entirely the candidate's own work.
"Describe briefly your reasons for wanting to teach giving the relevance of your previous education and experience, including teaching, visits to schools and work with other young people"
Studying Psychology has given me a broad knowledge about child development, the development of language and mental processes and the emotional development of a child. This general understanding is important for teaching.
Studying biology, statistics and computing, writing many essays in English at university in addition to my A-levels made me acquire skills and knowledge which are important for teaching the national curriculum.
In the psychology courses I have followed I have always had a particular interest when it was of relevance to children. This drew me into considering teaching. But my interest started much earlier and was increased by experience.
After my A-levels, I really enjoyed working as an English assistant at an international summer school. Although it was tiring at times, being with the children from breakfast to bed time showed me other aspects of their lives. I found it also very rewarding seeing the progress the children had made in English, and the openness they had acquired to other cultures.
Working as a special needs assistant in an ordinary primary international school was equally rewarding. It was quite demanding as I gradually acquired the responsibility of a group of children, but I also discovered that motivation was an important factor. I used a lot of imagination to maximise motivation, using original games, so that although we were working it would appear more like fun. My various experiences have made me positive about teaching, together with my education they are adequate support for a PGCE in primary teaching.
"Describe briefly your reasons for wanting to teach giving the relevance of your previous education and experience, including teaching, visits to schools and work with other young people"
I am applying to do teacher training as I feel that my experiences of assistant teaching have been both personally satisfying and beneficial to the children I worked with. I have enjoyed three periods of teaching. My first opportunity to teach was provided by the Community Service Scheme at Southwark School, which was one of the necessary requirements for the Gold Certificate I as awarded. The first position I was given as an assistant was at Hendon Junior School. I enjoyed my weekly sessions there and was interested in the teachers technique of teaching young children, however I felt I would have preferred to have taught the subjects in more depth.
I had the opportunity at my second position at Fairgrove Junior School, to instruct my own group of pupils when I taught recorder lessons in the afternoon breaks. I was allowed to devise my own teaching methods and I received great satisfaction when the children showed understanding and progress.
My third experience was provided by Barnstaple College when I worked as an assistant teacher in music lessons at Key Lane Secondary School. Although I applied to teach English I enjoyed the opportunity to teach older children as the lessons were more tightly structured so that a better understanding could be attained.
I am now certain that it is the education of the eleven plus age group that I would like to specialise in as at this level I would be able to teach English or Literature to the depth at which it becomes the most interesting and enlightening. I would hope to give my students a sense of the background and history from which the literature was produced and lead them to an understanding and appreciation of the English language.
"Describe briefly your reasons for wanting to teach giving the relevance of your previous education and experience, including teaching, visits to schools and work with other young people"
I was inspired to teach by my own experiences at school; in particular by my Maths and Drama teachers. Above all they treated me as an individual, encouraging me to achieve my personal best. In Drama our teachers enthusiasm and commitment motivated us to produce A grade presentations. In Maths, a subject that I did not enjoy initially, my tutor used his sense of humour to teach us tricks and mnemonics to make learning interesting. Both were approachable and friendly and their honesty encouraged a sense of openness in the classroom.
I believe I would thrive as a teacher because of my own enthusiasm for and dedication to my subjects; coupled with my ability to relate to people in the 11-16 age group. I have tried to gain as much teaching experience as possible, beginning whilst in Y12 by attending Y9 and 10 English lessons as a classroom assistant. My positions as house and camp prefect enabled me to get to know the younger students outside the classroom. A trip to Kenya to assist in an orphanage and school allowed me to use these skills to encourage the Kenyan children to love communication and learning.
As teacher of English and Drama in the Edenfield Student Teaching Programme, I was able to teach children both practical and emotional expression. Edenfield is a summer programme consisting of classroom teaching and extra curricular activities, including sports and arts. It is aimed at non-English speaking students aged 11-14. The intensive nature of the course encourages meaningful relationships to develop and all the teachers were actively involved in personal and pastoral care. Conveying my own enthusiasm for my subjects helped the students develop more confidence and a better understanding of spoken and written English. I sought especially to find new ways of presenting familiar ideas, to ensure that my class gained as much as they could from the summer school. The positions of responsibility I held at Edenfield also included Head of the Drama faculty and radio media course and group leader. In these demanding roles I participated in planning the overall structure of the whole course, in addition to preparing lesson plans for my own classes. I have also worked with much younger children in summer courses at respected international pre-schools.
During my time at university, class discussion and open forum have proved useful when preparing my own written work and analysing that of others. I appreciated studying a wide range of texts, analysing period and context. I have also maintained a keen interest in extra curricular activities; including being an active member of the Childrens Theatre Company and attending Archbishops school weekly, for one term, to assist in their A-level drama classes. I learned a great deal from the classes and as a teacher I hope to continue discovering and learning along with my students.
Whilst studying Dress Manufacture and Fashion Design at London College of Fashion, I was greatly inspired by one of my Tutors and her enthusiasm for teaching, passing her knowledge and experiences on to me. Her encouragement and support gave me confidence in my abilities and the desire for success. Having gained life experience, I now want to share my knowledge and experiences with the young people of today and help them prepare the path for their future.
The 14-19 age group is one of mixed hormones! Art is a way for young people to express themselves, to release their angsts, any inhibitions, problems and restrictions. Art encourages young people to look at the world from different viewpoints, to challenge perceptions, to be creative in thought and processes and can ultimately enable them to interact and cope better with their everyday experiences in life.
I believe everybody has artistic flair and would encourage all to explore their creativity with confidence and self belief. My own artistic ability, inventiveness and stamina enables me to contribute new ideas and to develop them through an understanding of the design and creative processes and the power of observation. In addition to this, through my own art training and life experiences, I am sensitive to the world around me and accomplished in working in a variety of medias and techniques. Having to accept both advice and criticism of my work, I am aware of what a difficult skill this is to develop but also how important this skill is in life. In the working world, job appraisal is now a routine event involving self evaluation, reflection and critical assessment of performance. This cycle is well established and developed in students through the study of Art & Design.
I am continuously curious and open minded, hardworking, enthusiastic, able to work with others, and organise my time effectively. I believe that teaching makes a lasting contribution to a young person and it is important for them to acquire both knowledge and skills. With my responsive thinking, patience and sensitivity, strong self motivation and enthusiasm I want to pass on all that I have learnt to others and I believe this age group to be the one that I want to inspire and encourage. This is my motivation for pursuing a career in teaching and I feel that I have a lot to offer young people.
My motivation for teaching comes from personal experience of wanting to make a difference. I have recently completed a placement at Grange Park which is a specialist autism school which I enjoyed very much. I saw at firsthand how the teachers improve the quality of life for the individuals studying there and how much the children benefit. I would love to acquire that characteristic and feel that during my placement, I have picked up some of the tools to begin.
For example, I have learnt to communicate with individuals who have different levels of communicational needs. I have learnt to be patient, to speak and explain clearly what I am expecting the children to do and to check their understanding. This has improved my clarity, an important skill for a teacher what ever and who ever you are teaching. I have observed, and used myself, a range of motivational tools such as targets and reinforcement and how to encourage pupils who suffer with ASD. This has extended the leadership skills which I first developed in Year 13 when I completed the CSLA course. I feel that support and encouragement are key to participation in and enjoyment of PE lessons which are fundamental to improved health and fitness. In addition, PE obviously plays a role in supporting the Government initiatives for healthy eating and cutting obesity in children. Above all, though, it should be fun and all children should be encouraged to be active and enjoy sport.
At Grange Park, I have been actively involved in teaching sessions and have used a lot of one on one coaching. I have also taught pupils how to coach others which has been a rewarding experience. Persuading and negotiating with young people can be difficult but with individuals who suffer with ASD, it is even more challenging. My problem solving skills have also improved! My experience has led me to look further into the education and lifestyle of children with special needs and I have used this in-depth research to enhance my understanding and experience at Grange Park. Time management, for example, is a key aspect of teaching at Grange Park because people who have ASD have no concept of time. Times are adhered to rigidly in order to provide routine for the pupils This did lead to a pressured working environment and provided experience of working under pressure as it was essential to provide all relevant teaching points in a small amount of time.
It will be interesting to compare this style of teaching with teaching in mainstream. I have some experience of teaching small groups outside of school both through activities on my course, the CSLA award and I also teach and compete with a local majorette troupe which annually competes at the National Championships.
My paid work is as a fitness and aerobics instructor in a leisure centre so I have a keen interest in health and fitness. To keep fit and active personally, I referee men's football locally at the moment but intend to push on to County level when I finish my degree and have time to pursue my accreditation.
I am looking forward to gaining my degree and starting on my journey to become a P.E teacher. It is a career which has always interested me since my personal involvement as a pupil at school. Now, through my placement, I have developed a passion for teaching and instructing which has led me to apply for this course. I feel it will be a career that will be immensely rewarding and can offer me job satisfaction.
SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION BY SPORTS SCIENCE STUDENT FOR PGCE SECONDARY PE Specialising in Dance)
I was inspired to become a teacher during my second year at university through the module, Health and Exercise Promotion. Within this module I had to organise an event and I chose to organise an event for children, including a practice session before my assessed event took place. By doing this, it made me more confident and competent in what I was going to do with the children within the event. It helped to build my skills in behaviour management which helped me to control the children. Having met them, they knew who I was and what I was trying to do, and they had more respect for me throughout the event. As I had gained respect from the children, I was then able to communicate with them on a different level. I was able to speak to them with firmness, but also to explain to them clearly in language they could understand. They weren't confused about what was going on, which meant they enjoyed the event more. For example, one child never took part in his physical education sessions at school but I managed to get him joining in the assessed event. I was also able to communicate effectively with the teacher of the group as I could talk to him in a professional manner which helped me to gain his trust when looking after his pupils.
Also whilst at college we held a sports day for all the school children within the local area. It was devised by us, the students, and each student had responsibility for running their own selected sport within the day. The event included children attending special needs schools, which meant that I was able to develop my experience in working with special needs children.
My own preferred sport is Dance and I have learnt how to discipline myself within this sport and other aspects of my life. It has helped to build up my confidence and develop me as a person. At the age of 17, I helped the dance teachers within the classes, either taking children to one side and teaching them one to one, or teaching small groups. By doing this it gave me limited teaching experience. It also helped me to adapt to the different ways in which you can teach and talk to children of different ages. By being able to talk to a variety of children, it meant that I had started to develop my communication skills with the pupils, teachers and parents, and being able to adapt to each type of person.
Through this experience and through being a lifeguard, I have learnt the need to be very patient with some children. As a life guard, I had to ensure good communication between the children, staff, managers and other members of the public. Making sure that things were carried out as they needed to be, made me more assertive and firm with people and made me aware of their health and safety in a sports setting. However, it was important to come across in the right manner and tone, without being rude or aggressive. In addition, my awareness of risk, reaction time and capabilities improved with consistently watching the pools and I needed to concentrate fully on my job despite the distractions.
Whilst being at university I am working as a personal trainer. The gym has given me greater responsibility and I have continued to maintain my life guarding qualification. I am trusted to open and close the gym and am responsible in the work place for each person that comes in for a gym induction. I work either in groups or on a one to one basis but I focus on motivation, encouragement and maintaining their training programmes. I enjoy the motivational and encouraging role and I feel this links to the work of the school teacher as they motivate their pupils.
In my current year at university, I am going to be taking a Sports Industry module in which I will be going into a local school to help them with undertaking independent research, developing the ability to contextualise, record and reflectively evaluate sports related activities within the school It will also include developing other aspects within the school, including the business side, and also developing my teaching/coaching skills. This may be within the classroom, on the sports field, in after school clubs and generally helping to conduct the sports that they are undertaking at the school.
You can see my enthusiasm for working with children and young people and the range of skills I have already developed. I know that the PGCE course will be intensive but I look forward to the challenge and moving into a career which I know I will love.
"Describe briefly your reasons for wanting to teach giving the relevance of your previous education and experience, including teaching, visits to schools and work with other young people"
Over a 3-4 year period I have worked as a parent-helper in two local primary schools. I have taken part in teaching within areas of the National Curriculum e.g. reading and group maths work, but I have also helped out on sports days, harvest festivals, school outings and during swimming lessons. Despite finding some of these experiences challenging, I have also found them extremely rewarding particularly when I have been able to help a child overcome a learning barrier. I would also like to teach because doing so would give me the flexibility of being able to spend time during the school holidays with my own children while they are still young.
I believe that I would be able to make a valuable contribution to school life as a teacher. If I were given the opportunity I would be keen to participate in ways that would allow me to utilise some of my abilities e.g. piano playing. I would like to have the opportunity to apply my creative skills towards thinking up innovative ways of combining different areas of the National Curriculum within a project. Although the degree that I am taking, Psychology, is not a National Curriculum subject it is heavily based upon scientific analysis. Statistics/maths, information technology and child development are also core components of this degree. I also elected to take a non-compulsory module in human biology in the foundation year of my course because I wanted to have a good grounding in this before confronting it in core modules.
I feel that the study of psychology is very relevant to teaching, for example, I have learnt that information is better committed to memory (particularly in young children) when visual and tactile aides are used, particularly if used in novel ways. During my course I have learnt that information is grasped best when it is presented in a supportive and encouraging environment and introduced in manageable stages. I also recognise that it is not only the academic development of children that is important within the school system, but also their interpersonal relations.
Since returning to full-time education I have had to develop organisational skills in order to juggle studying with the responsibilities of having a family and home. I also travel a fair distance to University so I have had to be determined and hard working. I am sure that the experiences that I have gained with children and during my degree would make me a good teacher and justify my gaining a place on a PGCE course.
I am inspired to teach because of the freedom to be creative in the work place and the potential for spontaneity. In addition, I am motivated by my own experience following three decades of professional work and some time spent as a voluntary youth worker mentoring young people with behavioural disorders to promote a positive attitude. This, together with my academic background, has fully equipped me to teach. I graduated overseas in Accounting, Biblical Studies, and Business Administration and recently completed MA International Relations (UK)
From the moment I began observing young people with learning and behavioural difficulties, and their unwillingness to study, I was confronted by the issues which many young people experience today. We live in an information age where traditional teaching methods can be unsuccessful. The click and instant message of a PC no longer demands of growing youths the reality of patience and persistence to get the result. I believe I have the drive and enthusiasm as a teacher to make learning fun and to foster a discovering of self potential because of my subject knowledge, experience and wide background as well as the ability to relate to people in the 11 – 18 age group. I have gained teaching experience through visiting schools, mentoring and counselling vulnerable young people in a one to one and team situation. Having myself been in the position of a school prefect in a school of 2500 students, I have gained insight into teaching and helping young people including those with learning difficulties and behaviour management issues. Having obtained a Diploma in Pastoral Counselling, I worked as a pastoral counsellor and have given practical assistance to children displaying behavioural disorders. I have strong relationships with my colleagues and students as a volunteer youth worker with Fairbridge in Kent. I have been able to motivate and inspire young people with concentration difficulties as well as give practical advice.
My varied educational and professional background offers me a unique platform to teach and relate creatively with young people aged 11 years plus. I have taught this age group in a Sunday School setting, visited a school to observe departments and have arranged for a work shadowing placement in my son's school. My experience together with my qualifications in Accounting, Biblical Studies, Business Administration and International Relations have given me a greater awareness of responsibility. I am aware of the challenges ahead working in a dynamic teaching environment but perseverance, which is currently constrained by our fast changing age, will be harnessed with my determination to teach with interest and open mindedness to make learning fun, enjoyable and a journey of discovery along with my students.
More personal statement examples can be found at
Also see our Teaching Careers page


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Although they was just in the honorable mention category of Yahoo! Sports' all-minor league team, Miami Marlins' right-handed pitching prospects Andrew Heaney and Nick Wittgren were named to the list adding another bright spot to the Marlins' future if the organization decides to keep them.
This season, Heaney started off in the Florida State League with the Jupiter Hammerheads. In 13 games (12 starts), Heaney won five games, had one complete game, struck out 66 batters, had an ERA of 0.88 and a 1.005 WHIP. He was completely dominant and once he was brought to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League, he continued to pitch well.
With the Suns, Heaney was 4-1 with a 2.94 ERA and 23 strikeouts in only six starts. The dominance that Heaney is portraying on the minor-league baseball field is something to marvel at right now. There is hope that Heaney and Jose Fernandez can dominate the field at one point in time. Something for Marlins' fans to really hope for.
Wittgren also spent time with the Hammerheads and the Suns this minor-league season. However, Wittgren is more of a reliever and not an impact starter like Heaney. In 52 games of relief, Wittgren had a 0.77 ERA with a 0.891 WHIP with 26 saves. His latter-half of the game dominance is something the Marlins need to invest in. The Miami bullpen is shaky at best, but add Wittgren to it and you have the start of something solid.
Seeing both of these guys starting to develop is interesting, and hopefully for the Marlins, it pays off into some wins and fan support.
Ryan Gaydos is a MLB columnist for RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, "like" him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
Miami Marlins Pitchers Are Providing Their Own Offense
Miami Marlins' Nathan Eovaldi Has Dominated the Atlanta Braves
Miami Marlins' Jose Fernandez Sets Franchise Rookie Record


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Merlin PLUS Firmware Downloads
To perform a firmware upgrade of your Merlin PLUS codec you need to:
- Download the latest firmware to your PC from the link in the table below.
- Connect your codec to your PC in order to open the Toolbox web-GUI for your codec.
The web-GUI is used to perform the firmware upgrade from within the Settings panel. (This process has been tested using MS Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.)
Click to view a summary of Merlin PLUS firmware release notes.
Upgrading Firmware
If you are connecting to your codec for the
first time and upgrading firmware, click here for
additional connection instructions.
- Attach an Ethernet cable to the ETH1 port on the codec.
- Press the SETTINGS button on the codec front panel and select Unit > ETH1 to display the IP address in your codec.
- Ensure your PC is connected to the same LAN.
- Open your web browser and type the IP address of your codec into the address bar of your browser, e.g. http://192.168.0.xxx (the last digits are the private address details unique to your codec over a private LAN).
- Refresh the browser and the web-GUI application should launch automatically.
- When you open the Toolbox web-GUI an authentication dialog prompts you to enter a password to login. The first time you log in you can enter the default setting "password" and click the OK button.
- Click the Settings button at the top of the web-GUI screen if the Settings panel is not displayed.
- Click Firmware.
- Click Update from a selected file and click the Select File button.
- Select the .bin file you have downloaded to perform the upgrade and click Open.
- Press the Update Firmware button to commence the upgrade.
Current Firmware Version
Release Date
Merlin PLUS
TLR5200 Merlin PLUS Firmware v2.18.92 71.6MB download
(Click the link to open MediaFire, then download and save the .bin file to your computer)
Click to read a summary of Merlin PLUS firmware release notes.


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Believe it or not, dogs can suffer from allergies as well as cause them–in fact, allergies are all too common among canines. They can't be cured, but they can be treated, both with medication and by protecting your dog, as much as possible, from whatever is making him sick.
As in humans, allergies are caused by an immune system that overreacts to an everyday substance, such as fleas, pollen, or a certain food. The following are the three most common culprits.
Atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis is genetic. An affected dog inherits a tendency to develop skin problems from pollens, grasses and trees, dust mites, or mold spores.
It usually begins with a seasonal reaction to pollen when the dog is young, and progresses until the dog is allergic to many different substances year-round. Skin irritation usually shows up around the eyes and mouth, armpits, stomach, and anal area. Ear infections are also common.
Your vet can run a skin or blood test to see what's causing the problem, although these aren't always totally accurate and medication can interfere with the results. (Your dog shouldn't have prednisone for a month before the test, or antihistamines for 10 days before.)
Your vet may give your dog steroids for short-term relief from the itching, and immunotherapy (allergy shots) to lesson your dog's sensitivity to allergens long-term.
Flea allergy
An allergy to blood-sucking fleas–or rather, to their saliva–is the single most common skin disease in dogs. In allergic dogs, a flea bite can cause extreme itching, red bumps, and inflamed skin that lasts for days. The more an allergic dog is bitten, the worse the allergy gets.
Steroids and antihistamines can make your dog less itchy, but the only real treatment is tight flea control in the house and yard, as well as on the dog. Luckily, the newer generation of flea control products is very effective.
Food allergy
Dogs can be allergic to several types of food, but the most common triggers are chicken, beef, corn, or wheat–all typical ingredients in commercial dog food. The allergy usually shows up as a skin problem, such as itching, rashes, and hot spots (warm spots of infected skin). Some dogs may have stomach upset as well, with chronic diarrhea or vomiting.
To find out what your dog's allergic to, work with your vet to try an allergy elimination diet. This diet involves giving your dog a special food (which you'll get from the vet), and over three or four months, gradually adding other foods back to your dog's diet. When he starts itching again, you've found your culprit and can keep it out of your dog's food bowl for good.
When it's time to see a vet
A visit to the vet is in order if you spot these allergy warning signs:
- Frequent scratching, licking, and chewing
- Recurring skin or ear infections
- Red, thick, or flaky skin
- Hair loss
- Chronic stomach upset
- Reverse sneezing (sounds a bit like the dog is inhaling sneezes)
Immunotherapy may help
Dogs can get immunotherapy (often called "allergy shots"), just like people. Unlike drugs designed to ease symptoms, immunotherapy may make your dog less allergic by regularly exposing him to tiny amounts of whatever he's sensitive to. It's not effective for food allergies, though.
Not all dogs respond to immunotherapy. About 60 to 80 percent do very well with the shots, about a fourth get some relief, and another fourth don't respond at all. It takes weeks, months, or sometimes even a year to know if it's working. Expect the pay-off next allergy season, not this one.
If it does work, your dog will probably need regular shots for the rest of his life. Your vet or a veterinary dermatologist will teach you how to give the shots to your dog at home, although if you have a tough time doing this, the vet can do it for you. Rarely, a dog will have a serious reaction to the shots, so you'll need to schedule them when you'll be nearby for a half hour or hour afterward to keep an eye on your dog.
One final tip: buy the best dog treats you can find to give your dog after the shot, as it will ease the process.


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Our group's long-standing dream of development of a "personal health network" continues to move closer to ubiquity. Here is a terrific project from some enterprising students at Northeastern University:
A senior design project by Marcus Moche, Alexandra Morgan and David Schmidt at Northeastern University:
Elbow injuries suffered by pitchers in Major League Baseball occur frequently and result in tens of millions of dollars in losses each season, representing the money that must be paid in salaries to pitchers who cannot perform due to injury.
"No single device for measuring the quality of pitching mechanics currently exists, so we have proposed a shirt that is lightweight and can be worn during bullpen sessions or exhibition games," said Moche. "The shirt can be used to show when a player becomes fatigued and his mechanics worsen, through a display of real-time information on a monitor in the dugout."


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Come and enjoy a fun night out with your friends and help support a great cause.
Unlimited Curry from 6.30pm – Only £15 per person.
All proceeds from the sale of food & Raffle will be donated to Help for Heroes.
Please book your table early – call 01485 – 571 765


text: The impact on food supplies to the capital and the rest of the country is disastrous. WFP cereal stocks are close to exhausted and pulses too will soon run out. Suspending food distributions could lead to further tension particularly among the 100,000 displaced people in the overcrowded Bangui airport camp.


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Long sleeves
In these days often have a future priority is perfectly matched maternity clothes. Many women want to emphasize their status with the fantastic maternity wear, from the first days of pregnancy. A woman always wants to be beautiful and feel good in her skin, especially pregnant woman. A woman must be beautiful and exude with femininity at every stage of her life. Maternity blouses are one of many items of maternity clothing we offer for a future moms, which are very popular. This is not surprising, because our maternity blouses are a universal and can be combined with various parts of the bottom from anyones wardrobe. There are many options for creating a superb set for any time of the day and on various occasions. We offer maternity blouses, which made from the finest fabrics, nice and soft to the touch. Every mom can choose from a multitude of maternity blouses with funny and colorful prints. Our maternity blouses are flexible and adapt to the figures. Expectant mother can emphasize their status in different ways. Maternity t-shirts with imprint is so attractive that none will pass indifferently. The future dad will feel proud looking at his partner's tummy wearing maternity blouse wrapped with a nice imprint. A pregnant woman will look blooming and joyfully. Perfect fit, patterns, colors, and with the great convenience as well as comfort. Does not that sound fantastic? Sure, it sounds and looks stunning!
Our maternity blouses have a classic style so they are great to wear them even after a birth. You can combine them in various ways with maternity pants or maternity skirts, they well presented themselves with a very popular maternity leggings. Expectant mother can finally draw attention to her altered state on the street, at a party, during a walk, anywhere, and always will look sensational. A pregnant woman, a pristine beauty, so it's worth it to expose and highlight the beautiful things. Maternity blouse is just one of the many fantastic things that are appropriate. Beautiful Maternity fashion allows it to be comfortable and attractive at any stage of pregnancy. Good looks, a very good mood, which in pregnancy is very important for pregnant women, and thus also for the child.


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Fast Tracks for 5th grade Webelos Scouts
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
Revision as of 17:06, October 16, 2008 by Milominderbinder2 (Talk | contribs)
Use the Fast Tracks as-is or as a resource for your own meeting plans. MeritBadge.Org offers a wealth of other resources to get you started, Belt Loop and Pin Worksheets and Cub Scout Monthly Themes with Program Helps! Also see the Fast Tracks FAQ.
See also
|Webelos Den Leader portal
- Webelos Scout
- Webelos Activity Badge Workbooks (Webelos Pins)
- Cub Scout Academics and Sports Belt Loops and Pins


text: This is a national family history of the first MAWBEY families in Australia. It also includes people whose surnames are pronounced the same but spelt differently who may or may not be actual relatives. The most common spelling variant is 'Mawby'. This is a wide-reaching, ongoing research project, a 'work in progress', by Pamela Mawbey, a great great granddaughter of George Mawbey, the English forebear of the NSW Mawbeys.


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American Express has long recognized and fully accepted our responsibility to safeguard the privacy, confidentiality and security of the personal information entrusted to us. This Privacy Code sets out the privacy policy of Amex Bank of Canada and Amex Canada Inc. ("Amex Canada"), and applies to their products, services and customers (including prospective customers) in Canada. The Code is consistent with the American Express Data Protection and Privacy Principles, which apply to all American Express operations worldwide.
This Code should be read in conjunction with our Online Privacy Statement which is part of the Code and addresses how Amex Canada collects, uses and safeguards the personal information you provide to us online. The Online Privacy Statement describes and provides illustrative descriptions and examples to help you understand how we collect, use, disclose and safeguard information online including through websites, mobile applications and other online communications and content.
This Code and our Online Privacy Statement are available on our website. We may update this Code and the Online Privacy Statement and the most recent version will be available at www.americanexpress.ca/privacy.
In this Code "personal information" means any information which relates to an individual and allows that individual to be identified ("Information").
1. We collect only customer Information that is needed and we tell customers how we use it.
We limit the collection, use, retention, and disclosure of Information about individuals who are customers to what we need to know:
- to initiate and administer their accounts
- to provide customer services
- to offer new products and services
- to understand the current and future needs of our customers and to otherwise analyze and manage our business
- to assess and manage our credit risk
- to detect and protect us against error, fraud and other criminal activity
- to exchange Information with customers who are jointly liable to us
- to share Information with third party suppliers who provide or participate in services or benefits provided in relation to our products and services
- in the case of business accounts or business travel, to provide account reports or data about the business account or business travel to a customer's employer or its related businesses or their agents or service providers
- to comply with any legal and regulatory requirements
- or for any other purpose for which a customer consents.
Nature of Information Collected
The Information we collect will vary by product and can change over time. Here are some examples of the type of Information we collect and how they relate to certain purposes.
The Information we collect from time to time may include:
- Information to identify you such as name, date of birth, contact information, government issued documentation details (for example, a driver's license), and your background (for example, occupation);
- Information about your financial circumstances and behaviour, such as your income, assets, payment history and credit worthiness;
- Information for the provision of products and services (for example, language, travel, lifestyle and other preferences, and information on a loyalty or reward program attached to your product);
- Information relating to transactions arising from your relationship with or through us (depending on the product or service, this may include purchase details, details about how you make payments to us or use our products to make payments to others); and
- Information about your browsing history and the device you use to browse our websites, mobile applications or other online communications and content and your IP address.
- Health Information In certain appropriate circumstances, we or others providing services through us may ask for health information for specific services (such as insurance) or requests. This type of Information will not be used for any purpose other than to address the specific service or request. We will not request or use health information to assess a credit application.
- Social Insurance Number Disclosure of Social Insurance Numbers (SIN) to match credit bureau information is optional for credit/charge or other loan products. However for deposit and income-earning products, SIN is required for income reporting purposes of Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). If you provide your SIN for a credit product, we will use it to match credit bureau/reporting agency information. This allows us to distinguish you from other individuals, particularly those with similar names, and helps ensure the accuracy of the Information collected and reported.
- Date of Birth Date of birth is required in certain circumstances to comply with "know your customer" standards, for security reasons or for retirement products registered with the CRA. It also allows us to determine your eligibility for certain products or services.
- E-mail, Text Message and Other Electronic Communications We may send customer service and marketing communications to you electronically. Examples of customer service include electronic statement, collection and other notices. We may also provide payment due, account balance, approaching credit limit, payment received and other account alerts.
- Online Information We may use online information available through the websites, mobile applications and other online communications and content that you use on its own or combined with other Information we have about you to deliver products and services, prevent fraud, update you about new features and benefits and conduct research and analysis.
- Travel and Lifestyle Preferences If you hold a product in which we provide concierge services and travel services offered by Amex Canada Inc., your travel and lifestyle preferences like the individual authorized to make bookings on your behalf, your preferred retailers, restaurants and leisure activities could be used by us to customize, personalize and coordinate concierge and travel recommendations and bookings.
This involves our understanding you and your ordinary use of our products and services in order to identify unusual activity. It also includes assessing Information in relation to information from other sources including our own records to detect suspicious patterns or connections.
We are required by law to determine whether we have customers who are politically exposed foreign persons and comply with certain legal requirements. There are also regulatory guidelines which indicate we should assess the risk associated with customers who are politically exposed persons. We use Information, publicly available information and commercial database(s) to determine whether a customer is politically exposed. More information is available at the website fintrac.gc.ca.
When, with your consent, we promote and market to you products and services offered by us or from other well-established companies ("promotions"), each promotion is carefully developed to ensure that it meets our standards. We try to make sure these promotions reach only those customers most likely to take advantage of them. To do this, we develop lists for use by us based on Information you have provided us on your applications, in surveys and other communications, Information derived from how you use our products that may indicate purchasing preferences and lifestyle, as well as Information available from external sources including consumer reports. We may also use that Information, along with noncredit information from external sources, to develop lists that are used by us. The lists used to send you promotions are developed under strict conditions designed to safeguard the privacy of customer Information.
2. We give customers choices about how their Information will be used.
At the beginning of a customer relationship, and on a regular basis, we give customers the choice of not receiving promotions and marketing offers. These include product and service offers from American Express businesses and those made by other well established companies. This will not limit information we may provide you when you contact us. In addition, we will continue to provide information to our customers in keeping with the nature of their relationship with us.
If you do not wish to receive promotions and marketing offers, please call us at 1-800-869-3016. You can choose to be excluded from all promotions or from certain promotions based on the partial exclusions that we may make available. Your request will be processed promptly but may not be captured for promotions already in progress.
Subject to legal and contractual restrictions, you can withdraw your consent to our use of your Information at any time with reasonable notice. For example, as described above you may choose not to receive marketing offers or other promotional materials. If you refuse or withdraw your consent for any purpose that is required by us to fulfill our product or service contract with you, we will not be able to provide you, or continue to provide you, with the product or service. In some cases, certain consents are mandatory and cannot be withdrawn. For example, once you have a card or other credit product from us, you may not withdraw your consent relating to ongoing collection and disclosure of credit information. This is necessary to support and maintain the integrity of the credit granting process. Similarly, you cannot withdraw your consent on matters that are essential to the management of our businesses, including the disclosure of Information when we assign our rights to others such as for the sale or collection of debts.
3. We ensure Information quality.
We use advanced technology, documented procedures, and internal monitoring practices to help ensure that customer Information is processed promptly, accurately and completely. In addition, we prescribe standards of quality from the consumer reporting agencies and others who provide us with Information about prospective customers.
4. We give customers rights to access and correct their Information.
Customers have access to Information that is reasonably available and retrievable in the ordinary course of business. Upon written specific request, we will disclose to customers Information about them that is entered in our records, and customers may correct any of such Information that is inaccurate or incomplete. We will respond to a customer's request, and advise the customer in advance of any charges for copies of his/her file. Some information may not be accessed if it refers to others, is subject to legal privilege, contains confidential information, cannot be retrieved using a customer's name or account number, cannot be disclosed for legal reasons, or as otherwise permitted by law.
It should be noted that we do not record in customers' individual files when Information was disclosed to third parties for routine purposes such as cheque printing, data processing, storage and regular updating of credit information to credit bureaus.
If we are informed and it is determined that a customer's Information in our files is inaccurate, we will correct it. If we correct a customer's file, we will, where appropriate, notify persons who received the incorrect Information in the preceding 6 months and, where applicable, to the person who provided the incorrect Information.
Customers may access their Information by writing to: Compliance Department, Protection of Personal Information at our head office at PO Box 3204 STN F, Toronto, ON M1W 3W7. We will respond to a written request from you within 30 days of its receipt. If for any reason we do not grant you access, we will provide you with written reasons.
• Credit Reports
With your consent, in dealing with you we may obtain and consult credit reports on you prepared by credit reporting agencies. You have rights of access and correction in relation to the files held on you by these agencies by contacting them. Please write us at the above address Attention: Compliance Department, Protection of Personal Information if you wish to obtain the name and address of the agency or agencies from whom we have obtained a credit report about you.
5. We use prudent Information security safeguards.
We limit access to customer Information to those who specifically need the Information to conduct their business responsibilities, to meet our customer servicing commitments, for the purposes set out in this Code or as otherwise disclosed to customers. We employ safeguards designed to protect the confidentiality and security of our customer Information.
6. We limit the disclosure of customer Information.
We will not disclose customer Information to entities other than the Amex Canada entity that collected the Information and its affiliates, and their agents and service providers, unless we have previously informed the customer, have been authorized by the customer, or are permitted or required to do so by law or other regulatory authority. In particular, when a court order or subpoena requires us to disclose Information, we notify the customer promptly to provide the customer an opportunity to exercise his or her legal rights. The only exceptions to this policy are when we are prohibited by court order or law from notifying the customer, or in cases in which fraud and/or criminal activity is suspected.
We are part of a global payment and travel network with affiliates, service providers and agents located both within and outside of Canada. As a result, customer Information may be processed and stored in other countries including the United States. While we use contractual and other measures to ensure protection of customer Information, governments, courts, law enforcement or regulatory agencies in these other countries may be able to obtain disclosure of customer Information through the laws of these countries.
We may disclose customer Information in order to manage our businesses including when we assign our rights to others. This encompasses disclosing on a confidential basis customer Information to parties that may be participating in a proposed or an actual business transaction with us including financings, securitizations, insurance, or the assignment of our rights such as for the sale or collection of debts.
7. We are responsive to customers' requests for explanations.
If we deny an application for our services or end a customer's relationship with us, if requested and to the extent permitted by applicable laws, we provide an explanation. We state the reasons for the action taken and the Information upon which the decision was based, unless the issue involves potential criminal activity.
8. We hold ourselves responsible for our Privacy Code.
Each Amex Canada employee is personally responsible for maintaining customer confidence in the company. We provide training and communications programs designed to educate employees about the meaning and requirements of this Code.
We conduct a combination of compliance self-assessments, internal audits, and may commission outside-expert reviews of our compliance with the Code and the specific policies and practices that support the Code.
Employees who violate the Code or other company policies and practices are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. Employees are expected to report violations – and may do so confidentially – to their managers, to their business unit's compliance officer, or to the company's Office of the Ombudsperson.
9. We extend the protection under this Privacy Code to our business relationships.
We require companies we select as our business partners to agree to keep our customer Information confidential and secure, to protect the Information against unauthorized access, use, or disclosure by the recipient company, and limit its use to the purposes for which it was disclosed. We also encourage our business partners to respect their customers' Information by adopting strong and effective privacy policies and practices.
In addition, we participate actively in industry associations to advocate development of comprehensive privacy policies and implementation strategies.
10. Our customers' privacy concerns are important to us.
Our Chief Privacy Officer is responsible for ensuring that our day-to-day procedures comply with our Privacy Code.
Questions and Concerns:
If a customer has any questions or concerns, the customer can take the following actions:
- Begin by talking to a customer service representative at Amex Canada.
- If the issue remains unresolved, write to the Chief Privacy Officer at PO Box 3204 STN F, Toronto, Ontario M1W 3W7.
American Express in Canada operates as Amex Bank of Canada and Amex Canada Inc. Both companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of the New-York based American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc., the largest operating unit of American Express Company.
Amex Bank of Canada issues American Express Cards in Canada, provides American Express merchant services in Canada and provides other financial services.
Amex Canada Inc. is a provider of business travel related services in Canada and assists companies in managing and controlling their business and travel expenses.
American Express Travel Services locations in Canada are independently owned and operated.


text:
We began the Great Real Estate Adventure-Dilemma (GREAD) back in February.
For me, our new home would be the sixth place I've occupied in the past seven years. African herdsman move less often than I do.
Like all naïvely optimistic would-be homeowners, we were sure that we would find several great places to choose from.


text:
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Appoints New Medical Director
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Anthony L. Picone, MD, PhD, MBA, cardiothoracic surgeon in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, has been named medical director of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Picone has been employed at Roswell Park since April of 2009, and for the past six months has served as Roswell Park's interim medical director.
"A well-known and respected faculty member and a skilled clinician, Dr. Picone possesses great strength in practice development and working with community physicians. His combination of clinical, educational and research expertise is impressive and will be valuable in developing new mutually beneficial programs with our many regional partners," says Donald L. Trump, MD, President & CEO of Roswell Park.
In his new role, Dr. Picone will be responsible for coordinating and planning strategic and tactical aspects of the Institute's clinical services. He will also serve as an advisor to the President and CEO, and other key staff on clinical and administrative issues related to medical practice.
Additional responsibilities include directing and managing the organization's medical affairs strategy, including clinical quality and risk management, monitoring clinical practice, medical staff policy development, physician recruitment and credentialing.
Besides his role at Roswell Park, Dr. Picone is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md.; an Attending Physician in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Kaleida Health Care System in Buffalo, N.Y.; a Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo. N.Y.; and on active staff in Cardiopulmonary Surgery at Sisters Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y. He served as a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Department of Surgery at Keesler Medical Center in Biloxi, Miss. from 1988 through 1992.
Dr. Picone is board certified in thoracic surgery and surgery, and has particular interests in management and quality, coupled with significant experience in the Buffalo community.
The mission of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1898, Roswell Park is one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation's leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit www.roswellpark.org, call 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355) or email firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow Roswell Park on Facebook and Twitter.
Tara Yates, Director of Public Affairs
716-845-5747; email@example.com


text:
Lester signs off in style
Jack Lester ended his playing career with a two-goal farewell as Chesterfield cruised to a 4-0 home win against Exeter.
The 37-year-old striker, who announced his retirement on Friday, marked his 395th and last League game by taking his tally to 149 with a penalty and a typically cool finish with Jay O'Shea and Marc Richards also getting on the scoresheet.
Lester led Chesterfield out but it was O'Shea who sparked the game into life with a spectacular 25-yard shot into the top left corner in the 22nd minute.
Richards headed in a free-kick in the 31st minute before Lester gave the home fans the goal they had come to see when he converted a 34th minute penalty after he was tripped by Jordan Moore-Taylor.
Exeter rarely threatened Chesterfield and they were four down on the hour when Lester was put through to place a right foot shot into the bottom corner from 12 yards.
Lester made his exit to another standing ovation 15 minutes from the end when he was substituted and Richard O'Donnell denied Exeter a consolation with three smart saves in the closing minutes.
Source: PA
Source: PA


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A few weeks ago I picked up these two liquid lipsticks from Bloom.
I have a thing for creamy, pigmented lip colours! I got these two shades which are pretty natural beauties – Lily and Jasmine.
The packaging looks like that. Rather pretty, rather non offensive.
The liquid lipstick is just what it says on the tin – a creamy, hydrating rich sheer lipstick.
In Lily:
In Jasmine:
The applicator is a soft foam:
It smells funny – I love it cos its soft and easy to use but it smells a bit like burning plastic to me.
Lilly again – a nude beige with no shimmer at all:
Jasmine is a warm coral – very pretty:
They look like worms!
Both of the liquid lipsticks smell fab – Bloom make up is based on Aromatherapy, so these both have a soft floral aroma.
Lily is here – its about as inoffensive as you can get:
This is Jasmine. Its coral so has a warmer edge to it – its another safe, day to day shade but has a bit more oomph – I think I prefer this!
Both liquid lipsticks smell nice, have a lovely hydrating texture and make the lips look great.
However – I don't think they really count as liquid lipsticks – more lipglosses. They are quite sheer so if you want some real colour on your lips, this isn't the product.
I like the applicator – its very easy to use.
Bloom is sold in Superdrug in the UK.


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Runner, Philanthropist To Share Extraordinary Story As President's Speaker
Sept. 11, 2013
SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt
The voice in Gilbert Tuhabonye's heart is that of a champion, a motivator, an inspiration.
When he visits the Sam Houston State University campus as the fall President's Speaker Series guest on Sept. 25, he will share that "voice"—one that led him out of extraordinary circumstances to achieve extraordinary accomplishments—with members of the Bearkat and Huntsville communities. His presentation will begin at 11 a.m. in the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center Concert Hall.
Born in 1974 in the southern county of Songa in Burundi, a small, mountainous country in east central Africa, Tuhabonye grew up as the third of four children of Tutsi-tribe farmers.
The President's Speaker Series
Gilbert Tuhabonye
Wednesday (Sept. 25),
Tuhabonye will sign copies of his book
During his youth, he forged a love of running, which became a preferred method of travel as he ran to the valley's edge to get water for his family, to school five miles away, and in racing his friends and herding his family's milk cows.
Tuhabonye began running competitively while attending a Protestant school in Kibimba, where running barefoot, he won an 8K race while only a freshman. As a sophomore, he met a man who taught him how to change his running technique and encouraged him to work hard and strive for the Olympics, and he became the national champion in the 400 and 800 meters as an 11th grader.
As a senior, Tuhabonye worked to get a scholarship to an American school, with the goal of getting an education and returning home to Burundi.
But fate had another plan.
In October 1993, the centuries-old war between the Tutsi and Hutu tribes erupted in horrific reality.
One afternoon as Tuhabonye and his classmates were in school, the Hutu classmates at the Kibimba school, their parents, some teachers and other Hutu tribesmen forced the Tutsi children and teachers into a small building where they beat and burned them to death.
After eight hours of being buried under the corpses of his beloved friends, Tuhabonye, himself on fire, jumped free of the burning building and ran into the night, surviving one of the most horrible massacres in the long Tutsi-Hutu war.
Nineteen years later and more than 8,000 miles from Burundi, Tuhabonye is a celebrity in the world of running.
After coming to America in 1996 as one of the select members of the International Olympic Committee's development training camp, a program for athletes from developing nations, Tuhabonye earned the honor of carrying the Olympic torch and participated in the Opening Ceremonies in Atlanta.
He moved to Abilene in 1999 to attend Abilene Christian University, where he overcame language and cultural challenges to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree.
During that time, despite being covered with scar tissue from his extensive burns, he was also a national champion runner. He also was honored in Washington by President Bill Clinton as the recipient of the Giants Steps Award on National Student Athlete Day in 1999, received the Courageous Student-Athlete Award from the National Consortium in 2000, and met lifelong idol Muhammad Ali.
Tuhabonye now lives in Austin, where he is the award-winning coach of Gilbert's Gazelles, a training group consisting of hundreds of dedicated runners of all skill levels.
His Gazelle Foundation works to improve life for people in Burundi and offers educational assistance to children in Austin.
In addition to coaching and training runners, Tuhabonye is a national speaker, presenting to groups of all ages and backgrounds. He speaks English, French, Swahili and his native Kirundi.
His life story is captured in his book, This Voice in My Heart, a testament to the triumph of the human spirit as Tuhabonye emerges from the scars of his unimaginable ordeal to live a life of optimism, grace and victory.
Tuhabonye and wife Triphine have two daughters: Emma and Grace.
Created in 2002 by SHSU President Emeritus Jim Gaertner and originally underwritten by the estate of the late Huntsville resident Lu Ellen Gibbs, the President's Speaker Series is designed to bring prominent leaders to the SHSU campus.
Speakers are chosen for their ability to deliver messages of substance with the potential to significantly impact the student body.
Previous speakers have included Gene Stallings, Debbie Fields, David Robinson, Ken Jennings, J.C. Watts, Drayton McLane Jr., Sherron Watkins, Bob Dole, Marcus Luttrell, Lech Walesa, Tony Dorsett, Ann Compton and Nolan Ryan.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will end with a question-and-answer session from the audience. Tuhabonye will also sign copies of his book earlier that day, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Lowman Student Center Atrium.
This page maintained by SHSU's Communications Office
Associate Director: Julia May
Manager: Jennifer Gauntt
Located in the 115 Administration Building
Telephone: 936.294.1836; Fax: 936.294.1834
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to firstname.lastname@example.com.


text: Polo Ralph Lauren has been designing timeless sweats for decades, and it's not showing any sign of letting up. From classic stripe sweatshirts to zip pullovers detailed with the label's iconic pony motif, each piece is a casual essential you'll wear on every off day. Its cuffed sweatpants offer a tailored finish, while Polo Ralph Lauren's wide-leg alternatives are super-relaxed styles made for lounging all day.