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Chris Ling International Photographers is a renowned wedding photography studio in Singapore with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Our journey first began in 1993 when Chris Ling started taking wedding portraits. His passion for his craft soon started a chain of events that led to the rise of Chris Ling International Photographers. Now, as veterans of the industry, we have evolved over the years to become one of the best wedding photography studios in Singapore.
Our exclusive partnership with Z Wedding, an esteemed bridal boutique in Singapore, further solidified our position in the wedding photography industry. As one of the best bridal boutiques in Singapore, Z Wedding is committed to helping couples have their dream wedding. Customers will not have to worry about struggling to find the perfect wedding gown, or about the appropriate hairstyle. In the years we have worked with them, the entire process had become second nature to us, creating a seamless flow that may be unheard of in other studios. Less time will be spent on fussing over every detail translates to giving our team more time to focus on you.
We believe in providing our customers with eternal pictures that can withstand the test of time. Even after ten years, we want you to look at your wedding pictures and remember the loving moments you shared with your partner during the photo shoot. That cannot be done without a professional team that is willing to push the boundaries to think of new ways to reinvent the wedding photography and videography industry in Singapore. At Chris Ling International Photographers, we take pride in our work and constantly think of ways to improve our services.
As we understand the importance of capturing cherished moments, we offer wedding videography services as well. Our videographers will be there on your pre-wedding or actual day to immortalise the heartwarming events that unfold. With a carefully edited video consisting of many lovely moments, you will have another way to remember your wedding day.
Other than elaborately designed settings, we have minimalistic backdrops for our photographers to capture the delicate details. From the embellishments on the gowns to the beautiful expressions on your face, every subtle element can be captured by our photographers.
While the settings may look beautiful, the actual magic happens behind the scenes. Under the unforgiving scrutiny of the photographer's lens, issues like bad lighting and terrible angles are magnified tenfold. To combat such technical problems, all our photographers spent a significant amount of time training in the studio, and only premium equipment was purchased. Due to their extensive training, our photographers know the best angles for every setting, allowing them to make the most out of every concept.
At our studio, we had achieved the difficult task of creating a conducive environment for photography while keeping it aesthetically pleasing. Our success has caught the eyes of the media and other photographers in Singapore. On multiple occasions, Mediacorp rents our studio as a location for their films and programs. Undoubtedly, their rental of our photo studio is evidence of its quality and worth.
As our studio is only open for rental on a selected basis, do contact us to find out more details. We will be more than happy to provide you with more information and conditions of the rental.


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on August 28, 2014
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Cypress Planted Mugs
Our hearts are aching in light of the recent Sandy Hook tragedy. One of the many thoughts that came to us recently was how much all of the teachers we've had have sculpted, guided, protected and challenged us to become who we are. Below we've outlined a simple, sweet gift for all those educators and mentors that devote their lives to helping others.
For this holiday gift, head to the antique market, Salvation Army, artisan fair or your favorite home good store in search of coffee mugs and tea cups. We found ourselves drawn to the hand-thrown mugs and also this vintage mug with the candy cane striping. We'll use this as our container to plant our mini cypress trees. You can also use saplings, paper white bulbs, amaryllis or whatever holiday floral element you like. — The Ladies of Forêt
More details follow after the jump . . .
- cypress trees
- rocks
- soil
- mugs or teacups
- thin jute or baker's twine
- mini stapler
- assorted papers
- tag punch
- alphabet stamps
- ink pad
- wood stake
- hot glue
1. After you've chosen your mug, place a few rocks in the bottom of the mug for drainage. Then fill with some soil and plant your tree inside the mug or teacup.
2. Next, using your punch (check out your local craft stores — these punches come in all different shapes and sizes), cut out your tag. Tie a small knot at the end of your twine and attach it to the tag with your mini stapler. We loved using the small stapler because it really emulates the teabag tag.
3. Using stamps, add your message. With the tail end of the twine, wrap the small floral wood pick and secure with either your stapler or hot glue.
4. For the tea lover, complement your gift with a bag of their favorite loose tea.
And you're done! There are many additional add-ons you could include with your planted mug, like a small jar of honey, a little spoon or a tea ball.


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Are AI and Automation dirty words for some?
by Arvind Yadav
Man being replaced by machines has been a topic very well documented in our academic and social history. While, designing machines that can replicate human intelligence is 'the dream' for many, the idea has seen its fair share of resistance from anxious workers afraid to lose their livelihood. It would be a mistake to think that the phenomenon is only very recent. The Luddite movement, which began in Nottingham in 1811, was named after a disgruntled weaver who broke two stocking frames in a fit of rage. Destruction of machinery, as a form of protest, was carried out throughout England by groups of English textile workers and self-employed weavers. Since then, the term 'Luddite' has become a reference to someone opposed to industrialisation, automation, computerisation or new technologies in general.
Back to the 21st Century, Infosys's human resources head Krishnamurthy Shankar has revealed that the company had "released" 8,000-9,000 employees in the last 12 months due to automation of lower-end jobs. The employees are not necessarily jobless and have been retrained and absorbed to carry out 'more advanced projects'. The company also reduced its hiring in the Jan to December 2016 period to 5,700 compared to 17,000 in the first nine months of previous fiscal year. Infosys is not alone in their journey towards automation. Most Indian and global IT services companies are investing in automation of processes in their core businesses such as Application Management, Infrastructure Management and Business Process Management (BPM).
India's IT giants are leaving no stones unturned to fill the gaps in their digital portfolio of products and services. The subjects of Internet of Things, Cloud, Artificial Intelligence and Automation figure high on each company's organic strategy and also in their shopping list for inorganic growth (Table 1).
(USD mn)
|Provider of automation technology for large scale enterprise software management
|Healthplan Services
|A technology and Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) provider in the U.S. Health Insurance market
|A services company that helps customers create next-generation Worker and Customer Experience using the latest cloud technologies
|A provider of digital experience solutions, including mobile commerce and in-store shopping experiences to large retail clients
|Tech Mahindra
|The BIO Agency
|UK-based digital transformation firm
|Tech Mahindra
|Target Group
|A provider of business process outsourcing and software solutions
Automation is heralding the age of Industry 4.0 which is characterised by a diminishing boundary between the cyber and physical systems. In October 2016, World Bank research announced that Automation threatens 69 % of the jobs in India, while 77% in China. Google's AI research lab, Google Brain is working on building AI software that can build more AI software. I wouldn't blame anyone if they started thinking about the Skynet from Terminator or the writings of James Barrat – Our Final Invention: Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era.
As per research by Gartner, IT process automation (ITPA) is very underpenetrated (only 15-20%) and will move towards maturity over the next 5-10 years. Most leading vendors in the IT services space have launched an automation platform to boost delivery efficiency.
|An artificial-intelligence platform built on opensource computing aimed at optimising resource utilisation and reducing costs
|Enables creation of intelligent robots that can resolve incident related to customer orders
|An Artificial intelligence-based automation platform which automates and optimizes IT processes within an organisation.
|Tech Mahindra
|Carexa Uno
|Customer care, with agent virtualisation, analytics, assisted
interactions and digital channels.
|HCL Technologies
|A digital service exchange platform enabled by ServiceNOW
Source: NASSCOM, Edelweiss
Platforms based on novel technologies will minimise the human effort required. Are the coders coding away their jobs then? Thankfully, there are learned people who believe otherwise. As per NASSCOM, the future may not be as dire. There is a distinct possibility that repetitive and labour intensive jobs such as data entry and testing may get completely automated, but there will be augmentation of cognitive jobs. New roles will emerge which will focus on training, learning and maintenance requirements of AI systems. Indian companies will also need to invest in re-training its employees or importing talent in the short term. In the long term, a joint effort with technology schools such as IITs and IISc will be needed to build a supply chain of talent. 65% of Google DeepMind's hires were directly from academia.
The Indian IT services sector is worth approximately USD 150 billion, and it is largely export dependent. The Indian players need to enhance their digital capabilities to compete globally. Automation is a key area of this digital growth and so is the evolution of skilled workforce and their job profiles. The fear of technology destroying all the jobs is as unreasonable now as it was in the 18th century. Also, it is evident from history that technology has always led to creation of more jobs than it has destroyed.
The workforce engaged in IT services by nature is flexible and open to evolving work profiles. Workers in some other sectors may not have that option, especially at the jobs requiring less complexity. HDFC bank just announced that it has witnessed a head count reduction of 4,500 due to efficiency improvements and attritions in the last quarter alone. The Bank is planning to install up to 20 humanoids named "Íra" at its branches in the two years to assist customers. Ira has been developed by Kochi-based Asimov Robotics and the company has already received queries from airports, hospitality industry and retail chains to deploy similar humanoids. It would be a good move for all professionals in all sectors to ask themselves – "Can a Robot do my job?", and upgrade their professional skills accordingly.
This article was first published on the Product Nation website on Feb 1, 2017.


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FIFA 18 Ultimate Team / FUT player reviews to help you pick which players will be best for your Ultimate Team. There are many players across many leagues that you will be able to choose for your team so why not have a read of our FUT player reviews to help you make your decision.
Players to follow upon FIFA 18 release so be sure to keep an eye on this page and bookmark it so you can return each week.


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ands together, lets give a round of applause for the winner of the Monster Mash Giveaway 2010 . . . lucky comment number 12 . . . . . kkfoster35!
{ Warning: Classic Movie Monsters will be lurking in your mailbox soon!! }
Be sure to visit her lovely blog, AVON by Karen for the most wonderful AVON products and information!
Thank you to everyone who named a favorite, hearted, followed, and tweeted! I truly appreciate your participation and hope to see you again for future giveaways! Happy Halloween! ✿
. . . . . .


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Ultrasonic Test
Ultrasonic Test of Pipes of carbon Steel, Stainless Steel Materials.
Thickness Survey of Pressure Vessel, Tanks, receivers for Corrosion analysis.
Thickness Survey of Dish End Pipe Fittings and Flanges.
Ultrasonic Test of Rods of Carbon Steel & Stainless Steel Material.
Ultrasonic Test of weld joints for pressure Vessel, Heat Exchanger, Columns and Beams.
Magnetic Particle Test
Magnetic Particle Test of weld joints for pressure Vessel, Heat Exchanger, Columns and Beams.
Magnetic Particle Test of Flange Weld Joints.
Magnetic Particle Test of Machined Components.
Interpretation of Magnetic Particle Test.
Dye Penetrant Test
Dye Penetrant Test of Weld Edge Preparation of Plates and Pipes.
Dye Penetrant Test of Root Welding, Back Gouging and Inter Pass Welding.
Dye Penetrant Test of Weldments of Pressure Vessels, Flange segment joints, Streamline pipes and Heat Exchanger Pipes.
Dye Penetrant Test on Welding overlays.
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Accustomed to fast paced projects where deadlines are a priority and handling multiple jobs is the norm, I enjoy a challenge and take pride in my work.
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A top spot to buy is in Fresno. It's best to rent in San Francisco. Los Angeles falls into a gray area, according to new report by Trulia, an online real estate website.
Trulia on Tuesday released its "Summer 2011 Rent vs. Buy Index," which compares the cost of buying and renting a two-bedroom apartment, condominium or townhouse in America's 50 largest cities.
Buying a home is cheaper than renting in 74 percent of major U.S. cities.
"Depending on personal circumstances, such as one's tax bracket, it may make more sense to buy a home in Oakland, Austin, San Jose, Memphis, Boston, Los Angeles and Portland, even though it is still relatively cheaper to rent," according to Trulia.
Local news from across Southern California
The median monthly rent in Los Angeles is $2,100, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Falling home prices and record-low mortgage rate are enticing people to buy homes.
Yet, "today, many banks are actually less enthusiastic about approving residential mortgage applications, which has dragged out the home buying process, according to Trulia.
And "many highly qualified buyers may be forced to be renters by choice for now," according to Trulia.
Trulia experts say the cost of buying a home definitely out weights renting in most cities if you've got money for the down payment, half a dozen monthly payments and enough emergency cash.


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Electrical Line Worker
Electric Line Worker
4-year training program
7,360 hours on-the-job training
640 hours paid related instruction
Additional related instruction may be required
Classroom instruction is offered in weekly blocks staggered throughout the year
High school diploma or equivalent
Valid driver's license or reliable transportation
Commercial driver's license (CDL) with an "A" endorsement or the ability to get the CDL
Most employers test applicants for basic verbal, arithmetic and abstract reasoning skills
Some employers test for physical ability, such as: balance, coordination, strength and mechanical aptitude
Applicants apply directly to the electric utility
These icons may appear next to a college name:
- Program is part of a stackable pathway at this college. Click icon for career pathways rep.
- Program transfers from this college to other institutions.* Click icon for college transfer info.
- Program can be completed entirely online at this college.


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Corporate event photographer in Chicago
Seeking professional corporate event photography in Chicago and other Unites States cities including New York, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, or Washington? Pinpoint has specialized local Chicago event photographer providing highly detailed and objective driven corporate event, headshot and other business photography and video services helping our clients depict their story. We go above and beyond what is expected to give our finished product an innovative and competent edge.
If you searching for a seasoned Chicago event photographer, we can say that your search is over. Having more than a decade of experience, we are well positioned to work with Chicago area businesses and organizations. So, add excitement to your next event by using any of our offerings - your event is our mission. Irrespective of the size or scale of the company we work with, we deliver excellent still images. We have a large base of clientele who are satisfied with our work.
From Chicago corporate headshots to modern photography, Pinpoint National Photography has you covered. Give us a call or write to us to get a free quote for your business event.


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I saw her sitting there, in front of the locked window, the streaming sunlight burning her hair as she carved her emotions into the well-worn frame. Her aching fingers moved with a frantic yet firm intentionality, her strong nails desperate to leave a mark in the rotting wood, her body begging to expunge its anxiety. She made intricate designs, long, curvy lines intersecting and converging in a broken corner where she'd once hammered in a hook. It used to hold her father's old camera until the hook fell off from its weight.
She remembers her days in Paris, the men she'd known, the songs she'd sung walking unprotected in the rain. Some of her favorite lectures play out in a hazy reverie, the snippets of fierce feminist monologues, daydreams of Pushkin, talks over Fellini films. She wonders why she didn't take more chances, but she doesn't regret a thing. She doesn't regret anything.
From the corner of her eye, she sees me watching her. She pretends not to notice, and I remain rooted to the floor, silent. My right ear starts ringing, and her body goes gently limp, whether from the weight of her memories or disappointment in my dishonesty, I can't tell. The room smelled faintly of cigarettes and her, and I, in my cowardice and despair, knew not what to do but swallow my thoughts and leave.


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Note: Royce DeBow, past Community Action Board president shared this story to illustrate his passion for Twin Oaks Shelter for the Homeless. DeBow passed away in 2014. We bring you his story in honor of Strike Out Poverty fundraising event supporting Twin Oaks.
"As a board member of Community Action Inc. of Rock and Walworth counties, I take pride in the programs we run that are aimed at creating pathways out of poverty. Whether it's transitional housing, job training or other programs, the staff works to illuminate options for individuals in need.
With beautiful resorts, vibrant communities, diverse businesses, dairy and crop farms in Walworth County, as well as a state university and a technical college, many would view the area as a snapshot of middle class Americana. Rock County also enjoys diverse employers, ample farming operations and higher education opportunities with Beloit and Blackhawk technical colleges.
Both counties have arts communities, family businesses, medium and large employers, and quality public and private schools. Recreational opportunities abound. The lake communities in Walworth County and the Rock River bring tourists and visitors who infuse millions of dollars into local economies.
By comparison, our residents have lower than average incomes and more poverty than the typical Wisconsin county. Food pantries are active and social services administered by the counties are busier than most would agree they should be. We live in a place with more people in poverty than most of us likely realize. That truth was underscored for me personally during a recent experience. The church my family attends holds an annual gingerbread house event where families enjoy dinner and build a gingerbread house with supplies provided by the church.
While sitting in an early December Sunday service and hearing the pastor promote the event, it occurred to me that Twin Oaks Homeless Shelter, a Community Action facility on the Rock and Walworth county line, would likely have some families with young children.
The evening of gingerbread-house building, I signed out a church van to pick up three families from the shelter to attend the event. The van was filled with excited chatter from the kids about where we were going and what it would be like. Less than a mile from the shelter, one of the youngest children repeatedly said what a "great" car this was and what a "nice" car this was. Keep in mind; we're talking about a plain white church van with vinyl bench seats. Then, the child said, 'Mom, can we live in this car?' While everyone continued their conversations anticipating the evening's activities, the voice of that young child, plaintively asking if she and her family could live in the van, were the most shattering words I've ever heard."


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TWA #11 – Steamy Revenge Battle Thread
"The Aether Mine" by Ellie Ann vs "The Weight and the Balance" by Albert Berg Welcome short story lovers. It is time to pit two tales of steampunk vengeance against one another. Albert Berg winds up and lets go, bringing us a tale with western flair in: "The Weight and the Balance." … Continue reading


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M&S | New Sticky Bottom Buns
In need of a mouth-wateringly good baked treat..?
Following the launch of our exclusive hybrid, 'The Cretzel', the innovators at M&S Food are back with the next big star at our instore bakeries … our Sticky Bottom Bun!
This is not just any Sticky Bottom Bun… this Sticky Bottom Bun is made from delicious butter pastry for a melt in the mouth texture. With a sprinkle of pearl sugar between each layer and bottom that caramelises and makes the buns oh so gooey – they are perfect for those looking for some sweet familiar comforts at the moment.
Oven baked and pre-bagged in our instore bakeries, our Sticky Bottomed Buns are traditionally made and delicious alongside a cup of coffee for breakfast. Or for a sweet dessert or afternoon treat, serve with a scoop of our Cornish Vanilla Ice Cream.
M&S Bakery Product Developer – Kirsty Rowley says: "A delicious all butter spiral of joy, which is crispy on the outside, has a delicious caramelised sugar sticky bottom and a mind blowing melt in the mouth centre. It's a little bit of everything you want for breakfast or a delicious anytime treat."


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Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Announces the 2019 Parade Grand Marshals & Special Guest
(Waterloo Region, ON – October 10, 2019) – Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is pleased to announce the Parade Grand Marshals along with a special guest for the 2019 Thanksgiving Day Parade!
This year's Parade Grand Marshals are two-time Olympian ANDREW POJE and Olympic Gold Medalist NATALIE SPOONER.
Poje and Spooner are currently competing on CBC's hit BATTLE OF THE BLADES, in which athletes from two of Canada's favourite sports – figure skating and hockey – pair up and perform in a live, high-stakes figure skating competition for the charity of their choice.
Born in Waterloo, Ont., Andrew Poje began figure skating at the age of six. In 2006, Poje teamed up with Kaitlyn Weaver, who would eventually become his long-term partner on the ice. Together, the pair represented Canada, winning three World Ice Dance medals, two gold medals at the Grand Prix Final Championships and also three Canadian Ice Dance titles. The pair have also represented Canada in ice dancing at the Olympics games, placing seventh at Sochi in 2014 and PyeongChang in 2018. Poje is currently near completion of his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Waterloo with hopes of stepping into the business consultation and finance world.
Born in Scarborough, Ont., Natalie Spooner began playing hockey at the age of four. By the time she was a teenager, she was offered a scholarship to play for Ohio State University. She played for their team, The Buckeyes, while also earning her pre-med nutrition degree. In 2012 Spooner played one season with the Toronto Furies after being drafted into the Canadian Women's Hockey League. In 2014, Spooner secured her spot on the Canadian Women's Olympic Hockey Team, where she earned her first gold medal in Sochi, Russia. Post Olympics, she returned to the Furies where she earned the Clarkson Cup Championship's Most Valuable Player. She became the first woman in hockey history to win both an Olympic Gold Medal and the Clarkson Cup Championship in the same year. Spooner also helped Team Canada bring home a silver medal in 2018 at the PyeongChang Olympics. She is currently playing and training in pursuit of the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Spooner has always been an avid volunteer and dedicates her free time to charity events. She believes deeply in the empowerment of women and wants to continue to help young girls and women get into sports.
Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is also happy to announce that the TORONTO RAPTOR will also join this year's Thanksgiving Day Parade as a special guest. He has spent 25 seasons as the official mascot of the 2019 NBA World Champion Toronto Raptors. In addition to being named best mascot in sports multiple times, The Toronto Raptor has made appearance in 5 continents and over 20 countries around the world.
"We are proud to be welcoming and highlighting Canadian athletes at this year's Parade," says Tim Beckett, Festival President. "It's a great time for sports in Canada and we are thrilled to have not only two-time Olympian Andrew Poje and Olympic Medalist Natalie Spooner, but to also welcome our special guest the Toronto Raptor representing the 2019 NBA Champions."
Andrew and Natalie along with the Toronto Raptor will appear in the Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day Parade on Monday, October 14th beginning at 8:30am. If you miss it live, you can catch the CTV broadcast starting at 12 noon.
About Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest
Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is Canada's Greatest Bavarian Festival. The not-for-profit organization was founded in 1969 by a group of volunteers committed to contributing to the social and economic vitality of Kitchener and Waterloo, Canada. Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest annually provides $21.8 million of economic benefit to the community, while not-for-profit organizations associated with the festival raise funds each year for their causes. Hosted in the twin cities because of the strong German heritage, Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest celebrates German food, music, fashion, and more! The nine-day festival runs every October and is operated by six year-round full-time staff, over 450 volunteers, and 1,300 community and service club volunteers. Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is one of the top three most recognized event brands in Canada. For more information visit www.oktoberfest.ca.
- 30 -
For additional information:
Alfred Lowrick
Executive Director – K-W Oktoberfest Inc.
519-570-4267 x222
Katie Owens


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|Contribution of People's Participation: Evidence from 121 Rural Water Supply Projects (World Bank, 1995)
The lessons from this study have important implications for policy, project design, and implementation strategies for rural water supply programs. The overarching one is that rural water projects must be fundamentally redesigned in order to reach the one billion rural poor who lack a sustainable water supply. Redesign must encompass a shift from supply-driven planning to demand-responsive, participatory approaches to ensure beneficiary participation, control, and ownership. Changes must be made at the sectoral policy and community levels; ignoring either level will create problems for both.
The conclusions and recommendations of the study are organized around three questions: What do we know about participation? If we know so much, why hasn't participation occurred on a large scale? What can we do differently?
What Do We Know about Participation?
Beneficiary participation-including participation by women-in the rural water subsector is essential for project effectiveness as well as for local capacity and empowerment of people for sustainability. Multivariate analysis established that even after controlling for the effects of eighteen other determinants, beneficiary participation is the single most important factor contributing to project effectiveness. Availability of spare parts and repair technicians and the appropriateness of technology are important, but the study found that without beneficiary participation (and hence beneficiary responsibility), water systems are unlikely to be sustainable even when spare parts and repair technicians are available. Beneficiary participation is also a significant contributor to other performance outcomes, including the percentage of water systems in good conditions, overall economic benefits, percentage of the population covered, equality of access, and environmental effects.
Among the proximate determinants of outcomes, beneficiary participation was found to be a significant determinant of both overall quality of implementation (instead of quality of overall project design) and quality of operation and maintenance (instead of quality of construction). The quality of design was significantly negatively affected by complexity of the design, as measured in part by the number of different activities and organizations to be coordinated.
All relationships between proximate determinants and beneficiary participation were weaker when measured separately for participation at a particular stage of the project. Thus to maximize its benefits, participation must be treated as a continuous process. Beneficiary participation is important throughout the life of a project; it is a cyclical, iterative process that cannot be broken into elements. In other words, participation cannot be effective when it is limited to the later stages of a project, as it is in the "handing over" syndrome.
Study findings prove that participation is not a nebulous concept; it can be defined, measured, and observed. Participation is dynamic, and its nature changes over a project cycle; mechanisms and forms of participation vary widely depending on project objectives.
The extent of beneficiary participation achieved is determined by characteristics of both the beneficiaries and the agencies. The two key beneficiary characteristics are demand, or commitment made before project implementation, and the degree to which beneficiaries are organized for their role. The three key agency characteristics are the extent to which local knowledge is incorporated in a project, the establishment of participation as an agency goal that is monitored and evaluated, and the relative autonomy of the agency to manage its affairs. Participation is most likely to occur when both beneficiaries and agencies perceive the net benefits to be high, as they do when beneficiary demand is high and agency commitment to the goal of participation is firm.
Markers on the road to realizing participation are user financial investment in the project, the degree to which local groups achieve control and ownership, responsiveness of the agency to clients, and the extent to which users listen to field agents or extension workers. In turn, local ownership and control are more likely to be achieved when beneficiaries are organized, when the organization is based on local traditional collectives, when clients are skilled and have leadership qualities, and when agencies themselves have autonomy to allow local control of subprojects.
Achieving participation can be costly, consuming perhaps as much as 15-20 percent of the project budget, and it is not necessarily simple. The rich, the elite, and the formal leaders can be effectively coopted, however, to support poor people's participation in decisionmaking and to bring additional resources to their community. And although neither communities nor subgroups within communities, such as women, are homogeneous, commonality of interest can bring people together to solve problems when the need is great.
Over time there is movement from intense, informal, direct forms of participation to more formal, indirect forms through various representational strategies. As goals are met, mechanisms set up to manage intense levels of participation often are dissolved or adapted to new activities.
Why Hasn't Participation Occurred on a Large Scale?
Notions of people's participation have been around for a long time in one form or another. What has gone largely unrecognized is that participation is a process with important implications for policies, organizations, budgets, resources, and staff skills. In other words, participation affects institutions, and the main reason for lack of participation on a large scale has been reluctance to frame the issue in institutional rather than technological terms.
Viewing rural water supply primarily as a technology issue reduces participation to simply one more add-on task which gets done as long as it is convenient, free, controllable, and available when commandeered. Such a narrow conception of participation as a microlevel activity with no linkages to policy and institutional reform hampers large-scale beneficiary participation. Moreover, several pervasive, damaging myths about the water sector bear directly on the ability to institutionalize participation.
Myth: The poor are unwilling to pay and they cannot afford to pay; therefore, water should be provided for them.
Fact: The poor are already paying, often more than the rich; the poor will pay if they get reliable services.
World Bank-sponsored studies demonstrate that poor families sometimes pay ten to one hundred times more than the rich for water, since they have to buy it from vendors. The poor also travel the farthest to get water, often from polluted sources that adversely affect health. Experience in projects around the world establishes that when communities are in charge, they apply culturally appropriate ways of instilling responsibility and ownership without excluding the poor. These strategies range from setting fees on a sliding scale to having the poor and destitute contribute their labor to a project.
Myth: Poor people cannot solve problems or manage technology; they do not know what is good for them.
Fact: People in poverty are creative. Every society employs elaborate organizational systems and rules for managing natural resources.
Experience demonstrates that where government largesse and population pressure have not destroyed traditional water-management systems, these function effectively and maintain a balance between human needs and environmental protection. People in poverty can adapt traditional institutional forms to meet new challenges; they have done just that in many parts of the world when they have had assistance in doing so. Innumerable examples of local organizations finding solutions in the face of ecological, financial, and technology constraints attest to human ingenuity.
Myth: To achieve equity, the service level provided must be minimal so that limited resources can be spread as far as possible.
Fact: If people are not given what they want, they will not organize to undertake collective action or pay requested fees.
Participation cannot correct for fundamental inability to match what people want with what is offered. While it may be important to spread limited resources to a large segment of the population, strategies have to be developed so that subsidies do not detract from the community self selection process. The service level should be based on the willingness of a community or household to match or add to partial subsidies to achieve the desired service level.
Studies from India and Thailand prove that people are willing to pay for a high-service level (namely, hard-piped water connections), although they are unwilling to pay lesser amounts for communal facilities.
Myth: If beneficiary participation is made a goal, women will be reached.
Fact: In most cultures, unless women are specifically targeted and strategies are developed for their empowerment, they will not be reached.
In most rural societies poor women are more disadvantaged than poor men. Women work longer hours and have less free time; they have less income; they are more isolated; they receive less information; they have poorer nutrition and health; they have less education; and they are often more illiterate than men. They are rarely community leaders, and they do not participate in community decisionmaking bodies. Although women are the primary carriers of water, they have limited power, access, and control over resources. In this context, how can women possibly be reached without special support and investment in their development?
The study found that of the twenty most participatory projects, about half successfully reached women. The study also found that the factors determining women's participation were different from those affecting overall beneficiary participation. Unless programs make women's empowerment a specific goal, women's participation will not move beyond tokenism.
Myth: Public sector agencies and engineering departments must be the service providers, since the main task is construction and the main indicator of success is construction completed.
Fact: In rural areas where there are few economies of scale, engineering departments are successful when they monitor and provide technical support to others (NGOs, the private sector, and other nonengineering government departments). The key task is creation of local management and institutional capacity for sustainability after construction.
The technology issues in rural water-supply projects are well known. Further technological innovations may be important, but the key challenge is to create local ownership, organization, and responsibility for the management of assets. Typically, public engineering departments have neither the capacity nor the culture or temperament to empower the poor. They should do what they can most efficiently do, which is to provide technical assistance and monitoring as needed.
Of the twenty most effective projects in the study, over 90 percent were executed by NGOs, parastatals, and government ministries other than the public works or engineering departments. The renowned Malawi self-help project began in the country's community development department in the late 1960s; by the time it was taken over by the public works ministry, it had absorbed a strong community development orientation.
Myth: Master plans based on extensive data gathering before implementation are needed so that a uniform approach can be implemented.
Fact: Blueprint, master plan documents stifle the growth and evolution of participatory programs; data collection need not be extensive before implementation, but it does need to continue throughout implementation. Too-early standardization of implementation procedures leads to failure.
Extensive planning before implementation shortcircuits community decisionmaking. The temptation is to manipulate community choices so that they fit what has already been decided, yet success depends on communities taking initiative and choosing what they want. Extensive, village-by-village data gathering is unnecessary; rather, data collection before implementation should aim simply to set the parameters and develop the processes and strategies for managing a learning process. Detailed data collection is relevant only during the implementation process, as communities, together with community facilitators, develop village inventories for analyzing their particular situations. In the absence of blueprints, two-way information flow becomes an important tool for managing change within a short planning cycle. At the same time, the focus of project data collection before implementation shifts to institutional analyses, which are accompanied by a search for experience across sectors to guide the flow of funds so that financial mechanisms can support community self-determination.
Managers who use the blueprint approach to planning have difficulty tolerating the high levels of uncertainty and ambiguity inherent in participatory projects. The blueprint design approach provides a sense of security by creating the illusion that all is known and under control. Experts who manage large sums of money believe they can reduce risk by knowing all the answers. They are therefore reluctant to adopt a structured-learning approach, which presupposes that all cannot be known and that a range of institutional options must be tried, monitored, and refined over time to match community demand and local management capacity. But risk can be reduced by offering options and by planning for shorter periods of perhaps a year, with later plans developed after evaluating the experience of the previous year.
Myth: User decisionmaking is important but should be limited to well-defined parameters; control should remain with project managers.
Fact: The whole participatory process is about giving people a voice and a choice. Participation cannot be turned on and off by outsiders; participatory processes mean giving control to communities.
There is a tendency to underestimate what people in rural communities can achieve, although most communities manage communal and private resources effectively. Yet giving people choices does not mean that they must do everything themselves and become experts in all technical issues. Explaining new technology in terms of short- and long-term costs, and laying out the ultimate financial and organizational implications of the new technology, helps communities make informed choices.
Participation is a long-term process that cannot be effective if it is restricted to certain stages of a project (for example, handing over water systems to communities after construction is completed). When communities choose and supervise contractors who are required to satisfy them before receiving payment, not only do costs decrease but the shift in the power balance and accountability reinforces community empowerment and ownership and responsibility for the project's physical assets.
Myth: Participatory approaches take a very long time and can only be done on a small scale.
Fact: When projects respond to demand, action is rapid and the community organizational process occurs quickly
When agencies assume that the need for a project is great in the absence of a community expression of need, eliciting participation becomes a hit-or-miss affair. Things go well if a match between demand and response is in fact achieved, but eliciting participation becomes problematic if the community has different priorities. In this situation, educational activities have to precede community organizational activities. Experience shows that community organizational activities generally take between two and six months, depending on the degree of self reliance sought. In sum, the study demonstrates that participatory approaches can be used on a large scale.
Myth: Beneficiary participation is difficult to replicate on a large scale because it requires the presence of charismatic leaders, NGOs, and other special, gifted people.
Fact: Beneficiary participation is replicable. Charismatic leaders are useful for starting the process, but broad-based leadership keeps the process going. NGOs are often more successful in adopting empowerment strategies, and they can be effective intermediaries. Like other technical specialties, skills in designing and implementing participatory programs are learned.
The presence of charismatic leaders at the community level may be needed to start and energize collective action, but the study establishes that broad-based leadership qualities are more important than charismatic leaders for sustaining the organizational process.
NGOs played important roles in many of the most effective projects in this study (see appendix 2). About half of these projects were executed by NGOs, and NGOs were involved as partners with government agencies in other projects as well. Other executing agencies for the most effective projects included parastatal organizations and government departments of health and community development.
Myth: Participation is a nebulous concept that is difficult to define and measure. The goal of human development through participation in decisionmaking is important but impractical.
Fact: The concept of participation can be put into operation and measured simply. Measuring, monitoring, and evaluating participation makes agencies more accountable to supporting human development through participation.
It is often assumed that participation and other project "software" are too messy to be measurable. This is a fallacy. Most planners will not fully consider participation unless it can be measured and its benefits proved, at least to some extent. Making participation a goal at the agency level, combined with monitoring and evaluating participation and linking it to successful performance, was an important determinant of beneficiary participation in the projects covered in this study. But unless using participatory strategies and studying their impact are considered as indicators of success or evaluation criteria, there is ultimately little incentive for project staff to support this relatively unpredictable, uncontrollable task. Fortunately, the study also shows that simple measures and benchmarks can be developed, and that community people can come up with the most situation-specific and meaningful indicators of their participation.
What Can We Do Differently?
Obviously, the main challenge at the country level is to change policies, institutional structures, project design features, and implementation strategies to support beneficiary participation in demand-responsive service delivery. It is important to involve all stakeholders in this process, and to ensure that the process is participatory, so that ownership of institutional reform and project design clearly lie with the country. Six areas are particularly important at the national or subnational levels for managing the necessary changes. These concern the clarity of objectives, the funding mechanism, the selection criteria, the planning process, the intermediaries, and the community organization.
Clarity of Objectives
Objectives must go beyond general statements of "provision of improved water and health." The most important specific objectives to address are sustainability and effective use of the water system and capacity building of local people, especially the marginal-the poor and women-through participation in decisionmaking. If a project aims for institutional reform to achieve these objectives, this should be stated at the outset so reform can drive the project; if the objective is to set up decentralized, community-based systems, that needs to be stated; if the objective is to achieve community participation and women's empowerment, the goal should be stated as such. Only then can links among objectives, planning strategies, and monitoring and evaluation criteria be clarified and mutually reinforcing from the start.
Funding Mechanism
The funding mechanism for projects has to be set up to quickly respond to demand, if projects are to truly support local-level decisionmaking. The study finds, in fact, that the funding mechanism is the most important factor affecting the demand-responsiveness of projects. Funds that can be disbursed easily, in small amounts, and with minimum bureaucracy and with accountability, enable local-level decisionmaking on a large scale without creating entirely new organizational structures. This is one of the main reasons that NGOs have been able to work with communities more successfully than have large government agencies.
Decentralized funding with transparent criteria for accessing funds is critical for effective local government involvement; it is also necessary for getting the private sector and NGOs involved in service delivery as intermediaries or as providers of specialized services needed by the community. Decentralized funds are essential to close the gap between where the construction takes place and where the decision is made to commit and release program funds.
Except where fees are collected to provide services, community funds for operation and maintenance should be left with the community to manage. This increases local ownership, responsibility, and accountability, and minimizes transaction costs.
Selection Criteria
The selection criteria should support the primacy of user decisionmaking. Since the policy environment is not the same in all developing countries, the focus needs to be on the principle of community self-selection, which includes user investment in capital costs. It is important to institute a process whereby communities establish their commitment by undertaking particular tasks and raising all (or a certain percentage) of capital costs before construction begins. Communities must have a stake in the continued functioning of the water system.
Three tools for assessing demand are particularly useful: participatory needs assessment, beneficiary assessment, and willingness-to-pay studies. The latter are especially important in gauging the interest in different service levels and in guiding the early planning for the overall project.
Planning Process
The planning process should focus on learning. In project design, this implies clarity and agreement on objectives, clear definition of indicators of success, and a framework for monitoring and evaluation to guide management decisionmaking at all levels to allow for flexibility. When this learning process is applied to projects, budgeting becomes an effort to estimate expenditures in different categories, with the express recognition that pinpointing costs for narrowly disaggregated categories of expenditures against a time line is counterproductive. Long lists of village inventories are not needed for the planning process; instead, data should focus on institutional capacities, creation of appropriate funding mechanisms, strategies to interact with communities, and pilot activities to try out the strategies suggested while the project is still under preparation.
When programs have to respond to the needs of hundreds of scattered communities, large, centralized agencies in the public sector are neither effective nor efficient in service delivery. Greater attention must be paid to institutional analyses of other agencies that can serve as intermediaries. If institutional reform and institutional capacity building are envisaged, these must be made specific objectives; the goal must go beyond providing hardware and infrastructure and setting up special units for preparing and monitoring projects.
The choice of engineering departments as the lead agencies should not be a foregone conclusion. Instead, other agencies (including NGOs) with an established community orientation and presence should be drawn into new partnerships.
A multiplicity of executing agencies fosters competition and encourages centralized agencies in the public sector to give up control of the details of implementation.
Community Organization
The effective use, operation, and maintenance of a water system at the community level depends on users, individually and collectively. The degree of organization necessary to keep the technology working and effectively used depends on the functions that the community organization is to perform. Thus, investment in strengthening the capacity of community water groups must be greater for water-user groups that are expected to manage the water systems on their own than for groups that merely report breakdowns to higher levels.
Given the record of limited government resources, scattered communities, and poor maintenance, most rural water programs must invest substantial resources in building the capacity of community-level institutions to work autonomously or in partnership with other support agencies. This investment in community organization recognizes that technology is embedded in a particular social fabric and requires the interest, talent, and skills of individuals working in coordination to manage resources to keep the system functioning into a changing future.


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(Full time) 2020 start
Italian B BA
Rich in cultural heritage, Italy is also a leading world economy. This degree allows you to learn Italian from scratch and acquire an in-depth knowledge of the history and culture of this vibrant country.
Core modules will enable you to build your language skills while introducing you to Italian history, culture and society. You'll then be able to select from optional modules covering a variety of topics from Renaissance art and Dante to cinema, contemporary literature, linguistic varieties, material culture and Italian for business. You'll even spend a year in Italy to experience Italian culture first-hand.
Our expert tutors cover a wide range of research interests which means we can offer a range of modules that give you opportunities to pursue your interests.
This course will introduce you to Italian at beginners' level and is aimed at those who have had no previous or little contact with the language.
Specialist facilities
As well as our great library resources, you'll have access to our Language Centre which has digital language labs, on deman d resources, audio/video practice booths and Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL).
There's also our Electronic Resource Information Centre, which offers specialised computing facilities for translation studies and Interpreter Training Suites.
Course content
You'll develop reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in Italian in your first two years, while selecting modules introducing you to different elements of Italian civilisation, from Medieval and Renaissance Italy to contemporary Italian literature, cinema, culture and history. Through these modules you'll develop language skills and cultural awareness that you can really cultivate in your third year, which is spent working or studying in Italy.
When you return to Leeds for your final year, you'll study advanced language modules to refine your skills, while exploring more topics that interest you. Modules might cover topics such as contemporary literature, the history of the Italian language, or fashion, design, and specialised uses of Italian for marketing and business purposes. Some of these modules might be taught entirely in Italian.
You will develop critical and analytical skills while conducting independent research – skills that you can showcase when you complete your final year project.
Course structure
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.
For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Italian B BA in the course catalogue
Year 1
Compulsory modules
- Exploring Italy: Introduction to Italian Culture and Society (Beginners) 20 credits
- Beginners Italian 1 20 credits
- Beginners Italian 2 20 credits
- Italy from Fascism to the Present 10 credits
- Fictions of Fascism (B): Watching the Detectives 10 credits
Year 2
Compulsory modules
- Italian Language B 20 credits
Optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
- Introduction to Dante's Comedy 20 credits
- Linguistic Variety in Modern Italy 20 credits
- Italian Cinema: Genre and Social Change 20 credits
- Italy: Regions, Identities and Nation 20 credits
- Linguists into Schools 20 credits
Year 3
Compulsory modules
- Year Abroad in Italy 120 credits
Year 4
Compulsory modules
For your Final Year Project, you will choose from: Dissertation; Extended Essay; Translation; Extended Translation; Digital Documentary.
- Italian Language 3 20 credits
- Final Year Project 20-40 credits
Optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
- 'Giocare al Romanzo': Italo Calvino and the Novel, from Neorealism to Postmodern 20 credits
- Dark Italy: Italian Crime Fiction 20 credits
- Made in Italy. Italian for Business 20 credits
Broadening your academic horizons
At Leeds we want you to benefit from the depth and breadth of the University's expertise, to prepare you for success in an ever-changing and challenging world. This course gives you the opportunity to broaden your learning by studying discovery modules. Find out more on the Broadening webpages.
Learning and teaching
You'll benefit from different learning and teaching styles, including lectures, seminars and tutorials, or occasionally workshops.
Independent study will be important throughout your course, since it allows you to develop your research skills and think critically about what you read. The University Library runs training programmes to help you make the most of our library resources.
On this course you'll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
We also use various types of assessment. Exams and essays are a significant part of this, but in some modules you may also be assessed on components such as group work, business reports, translations or oral presentations. We offer support in these areas as well – for example, we run extra classes on skills such as public speaking, structuring essays and exam technique that you'll be able to attend throughout your time at Leeds.
Entry requirements, fees and applying
Entry requirements
A-level: ABBOther course specific tests:
Where an applicant is taking the EPQ in a relevant subject this might be considered alongside other Level 3 qualifications and may attract an alternative offer in addition to the standard offer. If you are taking A Levels, this would be BBB at A Level and grade A in the EPQ.
We welcome applications from mature students with Access qualifications, and from students with a wide range of qualifications.
Access to HE Diploma
Pass diploma with 60 credits overall, including at least 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 credits must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher. An interview and a piece of written work may also be required.
BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma: DDM. Other BTEC qualifications are also considered. Please contact the Admissions Office for more information.
Cambridge Pre-U
International Baccalaureate
34 points overall with 16 at Higher Level.
Irish Highers (Leaving Certificate)
Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers
BB in Advanced Highers and AABBB in Highers, or B in Advanced Highers and AAABB in Highers, or AABBBB in Highers.
Welsh Baccalaureate
The Welsh Baccalaureate is not typically included in the academic conditions of an offer made to you for this course. If you choose to undertake the Welsh Baccalaureate we would strongly encourage you to draw upon these experiences within your personal statement, as your qualification will then be taken into account both when your application is initially considered by the selection panel and again when reviewed by the admissions tutor at the time your A-level results are passed to us.
Other Qualifications
European Baccalaureate: 77%
Read more about UK and Republic of Ireland accepted qualifications or contact the Schools Undergraduate Admissions Team.
Alternative entry
Were committed to identifying the best possible applicants, regardless of personal circumstances or background.
Access to Leeds is an alternative admissions scheme which accepts applications from individuals who might be from low income households, in the first generation of their immediate family to apply to higher education, or have had their studies disrupted.
Find out more about Access to Leeds and alternative admissions.
Typical Access to Leeds offer: BBC at A Level and pass Access to Leeds.
We accept a wide range of international equivalent qualifications. For more information contact the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies admissions team.
International Foundation Year
International students who do not meet the academic requirements for undergraduate study may be able to study the University of Leeds International Foundation Year. This gives you the opportunity to study on campus, be taught by University of Leeds academics and progress onto a wide range of Leeds undergraduate courses. Find out more about International Foundation Year programmes.
English language requirementsIELTS 7.0 overall, with no less than 6.5 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.
Improve your English
If you're an international student and you don't meet the English language requirements for this programme, you may be able to study our undergraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.
How to apply
Apply to this course through UCAS. The institution code for the University of Leeds is L23. Check the deadline for applications on the UCAS website.
International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK/EU students. Our network of international representatives can help you with your application. If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.
Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.
Admissions policy
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures Undergraduate Admissions Policy 2021
UK/EU: See fees section below
International: £19,500 (per year)
Undergraduate tuition fees for 2020 entry
For UK and non-UK EU full-time students starting in 2020, the fee for 2020/21 will be £9,250.
The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation, and as permitted by law. Fees for UK and non-UK EU undergraduate students are decided by Government and may vary if policy changes.
The UK government has confirmed that non-UK EU students starting in the 2020/21 academic year will have home fee status and be eligible for UK government student loans for the duration of their course. The UK government has not confirmed the situation for future years, so keep checking our website for updates.
UK undergraduate tuition fees for 2021 entry
Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students starting in 2021/22 have not yet been confirmed by the UK government. In other years, the government has confirmed fee levels in summer. When the fee is confirmed, we will publish an update on this website.
Tuition fees for a study abroad or work placement year
If you take a study abroad or work placement year, you'll pay a reduced tuition fee during this period. For more information, see Study abroad and work placement tuition fees and loans.
Read more about paying fees and charges.
Visit our Brexit page for the latest information on the effect of the UK's exit from the EU on current students and applicants to the University.
There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs
Financial support
If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.
Career opportunities
A degree in Italian will provide you not only with linguistic fluency, but will also equip you with skills of argument, analysis and effective communication. Graduate employers will particularly value your confidence in different social environments, demonstrated by your year abroad. You'll also acquire a number of transferable skills, such as teamwork, presentation, written and oral communication, research and critical thinking.
Our graduates have plenty of career options as a result, and they've gone on to work both in the UK and abroad in a variety of sectors. These include retail, education, IT, marketing and administration, management, international banking, business development and law.
Others have studied for a postgraduate qualification in translating or interpreting to pursue language-based careers or continued to study Italian language or culture to Masters level, either for a PhD and career in academia or to further their knowledge.
We are committed to helping you achieve your career ambitions. The School of Languages, Cultures and Societies careers and employability support includes promoting internships, providing opportunities to work for the School and employer-led workshops and events.
Careers support
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. Thats one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
Leeds for Life is our unique approach to helping you make the most of University by supporting your academic and personal development. Find out more at the Leeds for Life website.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
Study abroad and work placements
Residence abroad
You'll study in Leeds for two years before spending your third year in Italy, immersing yourself in local culture and cultivating your language skills. Whatever you choose to do, you'll gain a new insight into Italian society as well as valuable experience of adapting to another culture. For many of our students, it's the real highlight of their course.
Study abroad
We have partnerships with a number of Italian universities where you could study alongside Italian students.
Work placement
Alternatively, you could undertake a work placement with a company in an Italian speaking country or work as a language assistant in an Italian school under the British Council's programme.


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By Jason McKeown
Some people just can't take a hint. Four months after effectively being told his Bradford City career was over – either by accident or design – goalkeeper Matt Duke's position at the club looks more secure than ever. From unwanted back up to first choice stopper, and goalkeeping coach to boot, Duke's topsy-turvy first 12 months at Valley Parade have reached a new peak.
And who'd have thought that, when Duke's name was included amongst a handful of contracted players informed they could find another club last May? Or six weeks before that, when Duke was so far out of the picture he was playing on loan at relegation rivals Northampton Town? His name seemed destined to join the likes of Russell Haworth, Mark Paston and Robert Zibica as quickly-forgotten, unloved City stoppers. However, after helping the club when it was in a hole last April, Duke earned the right to a second chance at Valley Parade. So far, the signs are promising.
Perhaps Saturday's 4-0 thrashing to Rotherham offered a timely reminder that Duke – along with his team mates – still has some work to do in order to fully convince. As the ball kept flying into the back of his net, you couldn't help but question whether the 35-year-old might have done better on a couple of occasions. Looking back at TV pictures of Rotherham's goals, I'd argue that he was only slightly culpable on the fourth. Nevertheless Duke probably stands accused of being the only City goalkeeper – at least in my time supporting the Bantams – who we look to blame when a 30-yard worldly goes flying into the top corner.
And the reasons for that lie in his less-than-impressive start to life at City exactly a year ago, after Phil Parkinson had signed him within days of being appointed manager. With previous manager Peter Jackson robbed of Jon McLaughlin due to a pre-season bout of food poisoning, loanees Martin Hansen and Oscar Jansson were entrusted with goalkeeping responsibilities. You could understand why Parkinson immediately decided he needed his own man for this specialist position, and brought in a goalkeeper he had previously worked with, Duke, who had recent Premier League experience.
Yet Duke's less than inspiring home debut against Bristol Rovers was immediately followed by a difficult Tuesday evening at Port Vale, where he made a howler for Vale's second goal in a 3-2 home win. Two weeks later Wimbledon defeated the Bantams at Valley Parade, with the winning goal a decently-hit-but-hardly-unsaveable long range effort. It became a regular pattern throughout October: opposition players taking pot shots from distance and – all too often – finding the net.
Indeed in the middle of the month and – having being kindly handed some opposition scout reports, with strict instructions not to show them to another soul, by then-Chief Scout Archie Christie – I pondered what opposition scouts would be reporting back about Parkinson's fledgling Bantams side. I asked Christie "will opposition players be deliberately targeting Duke from distance on purpose?" "Totally, absolutely" was his reply.
From day one Duke struggled to build any confidence amongst City fans. His final act was to concede a soft winning goal at home to Cheltenham in November. He didn't look match fit (and how often do you question a keeper's fitness?), as a shot stopper he looked hesitant, as a number one he was severely lacking. A fit-again McLaughlin was recalled, became a penalty shootout hero in his first match and didn't look back.
Until the events of March 27 that is, where – in hindsight – McLaughlin was to become the biggest loser from Crawley brawlgate. Previously viewed as mild-mannered, the way McLaughlin waded into the post-match fight with a series of punches stunned everyone. Great to see him sticking up for his team mates, but the red card he collected in the dressing room, alongside Andrew Davies and Luke Oliver, looked set to tip City relegation-avoiding balancing act the wrong way.
That night, Duke was presumably stopping in a hotel nearby Northampton, after rediscovering his form while on loan at Sixfields and earning positive reviews. The following morning a call was made to Northampton and Duke was back at City. Conceding a goal three minutes into his comeback match at Plymouth was hardly the greatest of starts, but Duke impressed over the 90 minutes and – along with another discarded first teamer, Guy Branston – would go on to help steer the Bantams away from trouble. Duke's form at this time was good if not outstanding. He didn't look great at dealing with crosses; but no one was scoring worldlys past him, and the few goals he did concede hardly required an in-depth enquiry. Nevertheless McLaughlin was recalled for the season's final game, and a few days later Duke got the news he should be looking to move on.
What happened next is unclear. But as pre-season friendlies brought the players back into the spotlight, Duke was still a prominent figure and ended up having more game time than his younger rival. With goalkeeper coach Kevin Pressman moving to Millwall over the summer, Duke was even asked to take on coaching responsibilities. Parkinson spoke of how he considered both Duke and McLaughlin to be equal ability-wise, and when the season kicked off at Meadow Lane in the cup it was Duke on the field and McLaughlin on the bench.
Duke's early season form has been impressive. He is commanding his area again, and has made a series of excellent saves as the new-look defence in front has curiously given him a little too much to do. McLaughlin's run-out at Watford in the cup last week suggests Duke is not runaway first choice yet, but even if he didn't have the greatest of afternoons at the New York stadium on Saturday (not that any of his team mates did either), it would be harsh to drop him now.
Twice it seemed as though Duke's future lied away from Valley Parade, twice he has turned it around. There may still be plenty of sceptics in the crowd but, if Duke can build on his solid start to the season and continue to impress, there is every reason to believe he can nail down a number one shirt that – since Rhys Evans four years ago – no one has quite been able to keep hold of.
Categories: Midweek Player Focus


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Game recap by: Kirk Jessome
(Halifax, NS) – In the second semi-final matchup of the Rod and Joan Shoveller Memorial Tournament, the Dalhousie Tigers hosted the Cape Breton Capers. The defensive pressure of the Tigers helped them to the 76-62 win in this one.
The Tigers started hot from the field, with Alex Carson (Lower Sackville, NS) doing all the scoring on an 8-0 run to start the game, hitting back to back shots from deep to force an early timeout from the Capers.
The Capers came out of the timeout and fought themselves back to within four, thanks to the shooting of Osman Omar (Mississauga, ON) from deep.
At the end of a quiet first quarter, the Tigers held an 18-13 lead.
The Tigers picked up the pace right out of the gate in the second quarter, with Carson picking up five points, followed up by Mike Shoveller (Arnprior, ON) knocking down a three of his own to extend the lead to 10.
With the lead up to 16 at one point, some late turnovers allowed the Capers to cut the lead down to 12 before the half on a contested three from Ibrahim Gosselin-Diawara (Longueuil, QC).
Going into the break, the Tigers were up 39-27 over the Capers.
Coming out of half, the Tigers quietly increased their lead with a few nice moves in the paint from Shoveller and Sascha Kappos (Miami, FL) finished a big dunk over a defender to make the lead 20.
The Capers were able to force the Tigers into some foul trouble, getting most of their scoring in the quarter from the free throw line, but once again, they were held under 15 points in a quarter.
At the end of the third, the Tigers lead grew to 60-38.
Osman Omar was single-handedly taking care of the Capers offense to start the final quarter with a great steal off the initial inbound that led to a bucket. He followed that one up with three straight baskets to help cut down the Tigers lead.
The Tigers continued to get production from their bigs on both ends of the floor, with Shoveller and Kappos each knocking down a three, with Shoveller collecting blocks on the other end to help maintain their 20 point lead.
The Capers finally had their 20 point quarter, but it wasn't enough as the Tigers were able to secure the 76-62 win.
Omar led the Capers in scoring in the loss, finishing with 22 points, while Mike Shoveller finished with 19 points and 6 boards, and Alex Carson had 20 points and 5 rebounds for the Tigers.
The Tigers will move on to the championship game against Saint Mary's tomorrow at 3:00, while the Capers will face Memorial in the game for third at 1:00.


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COWBOY MAGIC® Greenspot Remover - Shower in a Bottle is easy to use and formulated to:
- Remove manure and urine spots instantly.
- Remove wet or dried sweat instantly.
- Give those newly cleaned spots a high-shine after brushing.
- It is concentrated: Greenspot® Remover/Shower in a Bottle is made from very expensive, natural, non-sudsing cleaners derived from plants.
- It works instantly: Breaks down foreign molecules and dissolves manure, urine, dirt, and sweat, melting them away.
- It is a deep conditioner: We have added silk and panthenol to strengthen the hair and condition the skin.
- It creates a shine: We have added shea butter to make it possible to brush up a shine after drying. It is important to use a damp towel to activate the ingredients. Follow up with a dry towel to pickup and absorb manure, dirt or sweat.
- It only takes a small amount: Spray on a small amount and massage it in and wipe it off. Repeat, working on small areas. Spray, massage in, wipe off, spray, massage in, wipe off.
- It works on people too: Greenspot® Remover/Shower in a Bottle is great for campers and mountain bikers who want to clean up dirty, smelly bodies without using lots of water. The only water needed is to wet the towel to activate the ingredients that break down the sweat or dirt. Follow up with a dry towel to remove the sweat or dirt.
Ingredients: Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamide DEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Shea Butter, Honey, Rose Flower Extract, Sage Leaf Extract, Rosemary Leaf Oil, Thyme Oil, Nettle Extract, Matricaria Flower Extract, Peppermint Leaf Extract, Lavender Oil, Comfrey Extract, Horsetail Extract, Witch Hazel, Tetrasodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance.
Available Sizes: 16 oz, 32 oz, 1 gallon.
Free shipping from Hyperdrug
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|Over £49.00
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Most orders are despatched the same day and standard delivery is 3 to 5 working days from despatch. FAST Expedited delivery options are available.
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*Free delivery and selected charges on orders over £49.00 mainland UK Parcelforce Zone1 for more information check the delivery info page.
| Product Reviews


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CROSS Exhaust Systems are made of lightweight stainless steel with special welded on Titanium Tips. Weighing in just between 22-29 lbs. these exhausts systems are the lightest stainless steel models on the market. Power to weight ratio is realized due to the massive weight savings that the exhaust offers. Also larger piping and thinner walls aid in power. Built utilizing the latest state-of-the-art equipment with larger diameter piping and smooth bends realize true power gains with a sportier exhaust tone.
Special technology that is used during production allows Titanium and stainless steel to be welded together that gives the CROSS Sport Semi Titanium exhaust system a sporty titanium look with out the high price.


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To view the school's Calculations Policy, please click on the link below:
Calculations Policy - awaiting ratification from Governors
Mathematics Policy - awaiting ratification from Governors
Introduction: Mathematics is an interconnected subject in which pupils need to be able to move fluently between representations of mathematical ideas. The programmes of study for each year group are organised into distinct domains but pupils are taught to make connections across mathematical ideas. Children also apply their mathematical knowledge to science and other subjects.
Vision: The vision for mathematics at Downsview Primary School is that all children:
- Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics using both written and mental methods easily and effectively (see Calculations Policy)
- Are able to reason mathematically
- Can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems
- Will have a "mastery" of mathematics in which they experience a consolidation and broadening of the programme of study for their year group
- Will have access to a wide range of manipulative equipment to support them in their understanding and development of mathematical concepts
- Are assisted in making their thinking clear to themselves as well as others through teachers' inclusion of discussion to probe and remedy misconceptions
Spoken Language
- The National Curriculum for mathematics reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils' development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically
- The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are key factors in developing their mathematical vocabulary and presenting a mathematical justification, argument or proof. All staff, therefore, use mathematical language and terminology consistently and appropriately across the year groups.
Organisation Of Mathematics Teaching
- Children experience the teaching of mathematics through daily mathematics lessons
- Key vocabulary and terminology relevant to current teaching is always on display and used by teachers and children to support learning
- Mathematical displays are consistent between year groups so that children are familiar with the use of them
- The expectation is that the majority of pupils will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace. However, decisions about when to progress are based on the security of pupils' understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage
- Differentiation takes place only where it is useful and appropriate to do so, in order to avoid creating artificial ceilings which limit pupil progress
- Some children (usually those significantly above or below age-related expectation at any given time) have a personalised programme of study
- Where mathematical interventions are required, these are time-limited and measurable in their impact
- Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly are challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content
- Pupils who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material are taught to consolidate their understanding, including through additional practice, before moving on
- Technology is used to support pupils' conceptual understanding and exploration of more complex number problems
At Downsview Primary School teachers from year 1 to year 6 are using detailed schemes of learning published by the White Rose hub to plan effective maths lessons incorporating fluency, reasoning and problem solving.
The White Rose schemes support 'Teaching for Mastery'
Year 1 Mathematics Yearly Overview
Year 2 Mathematics Yearly Overview
Year 3 Mathematics Yearly Overview
Year 4 Mathematics Yearly Overview
Year 5 Mathematics Yearly Overview
Year 6 Mathematics Yearly Overview
- Children are encouraged to evaluate and discuss their own mathematical learning
- Formal White Rose Assessments will take place three times year in Year groups 1-6
- As well as offering praise, marking highlights errors and misconceptions
- By the end of each Key Stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study


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After losing in 2012 Mitt Romney stated that he is done running for president…but this is 2014 and rumors are swirling.
Before too much is made of Mitt Romney chances in 2016 it is important to realize that history is very much against there ever being a President Romney.
We can break this down to a simple three step process. For Romney to be elected in 2016, he would need to: (1) Seek the party nomination, (2) Win the party nomination and (3) Win the general election.
The first step is a huge hurdle. It requires the candidate to have emerged from the previous loss sufficiently strong physically, emotionally and politically. This is quite rare.
Since 1900, there have been twenty candidates from the two major parties who lost their first general election for the presidency. Only five of those twenty (25%) ever formerly tossed their hat into the party nomination ring again. To put it the opposite way, for a variety of reasons, seventy-five percent of losing candidates decided to never run for president again. As of 2014 the last seven losing presidential candidates of major parties (McCain, Kerry, Gore, Dole, Dukakis, Mondale and Ford) never again sought the party nomination.
Romney emerged from the 2012 loss reasonably strong. He did not run a terrible campaign, did not have an embarrassingly weak electoral performance, did not make a disastrous choice for a running mate and will not be considered "too old" in 2016.
If he does seek the nomination, Romney has to convince Republicans to back him again rather than a different Republican candidate. This is another high hurdle. Of the five losing presidential candidates who sought their party's nomination again, three lost in the primaries: Wendell Wilkie, Hubert Humphrey and George McGovern. This means that of those twenty losing candidates only two (10%) made it over the first two hurdles.
If Romney wins the Republican nomination, he then has to win enough electoral votes to be elected president, a feat he failed to do in 2012. He would need to energize his base more to improve supporter turnout and/or swing over more votes from the few remaining non-party loyalist voters.
Of the two candidates who made it over those first two hurdles, one (Adlai E. Stevenson*) was defeated in his second general election.
This leaves only one person since 1900 to have lost his first general presidential election and later succeeded at being elected president – Richard Milhous Nixon.
While a one out of twenty may seem like a long shot, I am sure some pundits are salivating at the opportunity to hear Mitt Romney proudly declare "Let me be America's next Richard Nixon".
* Adlai E. Stevenson (Democrat) lost soundly to Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican) in both the 1952 and the 1956 election
Note: Previously we discussed that a history paints a similarly bleak picture for Paul Ryan's chances of ever being elected president.


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Olay Complete Sensitive Cream 50ml
Olay Complete Sensitive Cream 50ml
£6.69 Save: £0.96 RRP: £7.65
Brand: Olay
Code: 3029600
Weight: 55g (includes packaging)
Complete Care Daily Sensitive UV Cream is a facial moisturiser that has been specially designed to give you everything you need most to calm your very dry skin. With Aloe & Camomile it contains the essential ingredients your skin needs most to calm & relieve dry sensitive skin.
- Soothing aloe and chamomile
- Long lasting moisturisation
- Effective protection from UVA and UVB rays
- Easily-absorbed formula
- Provides daily nourishment for sensitive skin
- Gives skin immediate and all-day hydration for softer, visibly smoother, skin
- Advanced UV protection system
- Recommended by dermatologists
About Olay
Olay is about beauty, inside and out. It's about keeping in constant concert with a woman's wants, her needs, her aspirations. But more than anything, it's about celebrating the unique beauty within every woman, because loving the skin we're in is the most beautiful feeling of all.
Everything sensitive skin needs most to look it's best: soothing aloe and chamomile as well as long lasting moisturisation and effective protection from UVA and UVB rays that are responsible for over 80% of the signs of ageing. This easily-absorbed formula has a unique skin feel agent which provides daily nourishment for sensitive skin. Proven Olay moisturisers give skin immediate and all-day hydration for softer, visibly smoother, skin. The advanced UV protection system with a Vitamin/Mineral complex and SPF 15 helps protect the skin from UVA and UVB rays which are the main cause of premature ageing of the skin. This level of daily UV protection is recommended by dermatologists.
Apply liberally and gently massage onto your face and neck. Easily absorbed and provides an excellent base for make-up.
Avoid contact with eyes. If contact occurs rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Aqua, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Niacinamide, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Dimethicone, Polyethylene, Isopropyl Palmitate, Octocrylene, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Gel, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Arachidyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, C12-13 Pareth-3, Laureth-7, Triethanolamine, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Disodium EDTA, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Methylparaben, Sodium Propylparaben.


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Debuting later this Spring, it aims to publish five or six titles per year beginning with the paperback edition of the hugely successful Bradley Wiggins: Tour de Force by John Deering formerly published on the Polygon imprint.
Other titles planned include Va Va Froome: The Remarkable Rise of Chris Froome by David Sharp; Jewel in the Glen: Gleneagles, Golf and the Ryder Cup by Ed Hodge; the paperback edition of Behind the Lions: Playing Rugby for the British & Irish Lions by Stephen Jones, Tom English, Nick Cain and David Barnes; and Season of Wonder: Manchester United's Treble Season by Daniel Harris.
Stephen Jones, rugby correspondent for The Times and The Sunday Times and one of the authors of Behind the Lions: Playing Rugby for the British & Irish Lions said, 'The advent of Arena Sport is great news. At a time when the publishing industry has its challenges, a genuinely positive development and the arrival of a potentially outstanding sports list will be warmly welcomed by authors, and readers alike.'
Peter Burns, sports editor, commented 'We are delighted to be launching Arena Sport at this time and we have some very strong titles coming out over the next twenty-four months. We are developing a list which not only features globally renowned sports personalities, teams and brands, but also, crucially, contains some of the finest writers working in the industry today. Our aim is to commission the best writers available, bringing their touch of magic to a range of fascinating stories, and publish their work to the highest spec.'
Stay tuned for more from this exciting new imprint!


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Start Italian (Learn Italian with the Michel Thomas Method)
Author(s): Michel Thomas
Learn over 50 essential words at the heart of Italian and how to put them together to make yourself understood. This one-hour 'taster' course is the first hour of the eight-hour Foundation Italian course and will get you speaking the language immediately: no books, no pens, no memorizing - just listen, connect and speak.
What's new?
This new edition includes remastered audio.
How does it work?
During the course, you will join Michel Thomas and two students in a live lesson, learning from both their successes and their mistakes to keep you motivated and involved throughout the course. You, as the learner, become the third student and participate actively in the class. Within the very first hour you will be able to construct simple phrases by listening and thinking out answers for yourself without the pressure of writing or memorizing. You'll stick with it because you'll love it.
Why is the method so successful?
The Michel Thomas Method was perfected over 50 years by celebrated psychologist and linguist Michel Thomas. This unique method works with your brain and draws on the principles of instructional psychology. Knowledge is structured and organised so that you assimilate the language easily and don't forget it. The method breaks down the language into building blocks that are introduced sequentially in such a way that you create your response and move on to ever-more-complex sentences. There is no need to stop for homework, additional exercises or vocabulary memorization, so you progress rapidly.
What's in the Course?*
Start Italian comprises one audio CD. It is the first hour of the eight-hour Foundation Italian course. The booklet is available to download from www.michelthomas.com.
*Note that the course content is the same as the previous Start Italianedition, but contains remastered audio.
Learn anywhere
Don't be tied to chunky books or your computer, Michel Thomas Method audio courses let you learn whenever you want: at home, in your car, or on the move with your MP3 player.
Where do I go next?
Foundation Italian (ISBN: 9781473692824) follows on from the Start Italian course with seven audio CDs and two audio review CDs.
Product Information
General Fields
- : 9781473692817
- : Hodder & Stoughton
- : Michel Thomas Method
- : December 2018
- : .6 Centimeters X 12.5 Centimeters X 14 Centimeters
- : May 2018
- : books
Special Fields
- : Michel Thomas
- : CD-Audio
- : English
- : 458


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Long time no posts! I have been busy trying to work out how to mount 360 cameras on a consumer drone. As it turns out its possible! I was worried about that the Kodak sp 360 4K dual cameras will be to heavy for a drone like Xiro to get some lift!
Design was done in Autodesk 123D free modeling software. I first looked at some other 3D printed drone dampers and remixed for using the Kodak 360 4K mount. If you find this interesting or would like to 3D print your own drone mount for 360 cameras please let me know in the comments below! 🙂