The mission of the Montgomery County Food Bank is to assist people who are hungry in Montgomery County, Texas. As a private non-profit organization, the Food Bank collects and distributes more than 8.1 million pounds of food each year, equating to 6.6 million meals to low-income children, adults and seniors living in Montgomery County, Texas. Currently the Food Bank serves an average of 35,000 + individuals each month.
The Montgomery County Food Bank acts as a clearinghouse for food items donated and purchased for distribution to charities assisting the poor and victims in crisis.The Montgomery County Food Bank is a 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Organization, a partner with the Houston Food Bank and a member of the Texas Food Bank Network and a member of Feeding America.
The Montgomery County Food Bank was created in 1985 by a concerned group of people who volunteered at the local Crisis Action Hot Line and recognized the need for a formal organization to distribute food to disadvantaged families and those in crisis in Montgomery County, Texas. Last year, 8.1 million pounds of nutritional food was distributed to those in need or that were experiencing a crisis.The Montgomery County Food Bank warehouses and distributes food to approximately 50 member agencies throughout Montgomery County. The agencies are accountable for food received and distributed and they must qualify as a charitable institution in accordance with Texas laws. The Food Bank has a volunteer Board of Directors – one of which is a founding board member. Chartered by the State of Texas, the Food Bank is a charitable non-profit organization and granted tax-exempt status. For more information, please call 936-539-6686.


The Napoleon KENS3-BZ-B Kensington Round Patioflame Table keeps you warm while you're relaxing on your deck or patio. The stainless steel burner in the center that produces strong, steady flames and produces an incredible 40,000 BTUs of heat, enough to keep you and your family comfortable while you're gathered around it. The burner comes with an easy-light feature that starts the fire with the push of a button. Once the flames are lit, their intensity can be adjusted by turning the control knob on the front of the table.
The flames not only draw the eye, but they also leave enough room to rest plates and glasses on the table, making the Kensington fire table a natural centerpiece for parties and family get-togethers. The table also comes with a burner lid that covers the burner and turns it into a fully-functional table.
The Napoleon KENS3-BZ-B Patioflame Table is made from lightweight aluminum, which resists rust and corrosion, even after being exposed to heavy weather. Because it's lightweight, it's easy to move and arrange in your backyard. The burner also has drainage holes to divert rainwater before it can collect inside the table.
The Napoleon KENS3-BZ-B Patioflame Burner has a rustic bronze finish. It looks great against a natural environment and goes well with woood and wickerfurniture, so its appearance always complements your decor.
The Napoleon KENS3-BZ-B Patioflame Table comes with a bag of topaz glass fire media. It sits atop the burner and reflects the light from the flames, creating a warm glow for you to enjoy.
The Napoleon KENS3-BZ-B Patioflame Table is equipped with an automatic gas shutoff switch that cuts the gas flow whenever the flames are interrupted. The switch not only prevents sudden accidents, but also prevents gas from being wasted.
The Napoleon KENS3-BZ-B Patioflame Table comes with a kit that lets you switch the burner from propane to natural gas. All the required equipment is included and step-by-step instructions are included to guide you through the process.
Application: A patio heater that keeps you warm outdoors year round.
Automatic gas shutoff keeps you safe from accidents.
Burner lid converts it into a functional table.
Comes with topaz fire glass.
Equipped with a 40,000 BTU burner.
Frame is made from rust-proof aluminum.
Runs on propane, but comes with a natural gas conversion kit.


You can create many unique looks from just one item. It can be worn as a scarf, cardigan, poncho, blouse, shrug, stole, turtleneck, shoulder scarf, back wrap, front wrap, tunic and headscarf. It can also be styled to create your own unique look.
The inventive slit placement and design makes it possible to wear so many ways. The unique snap feature allows corners to be connected together easily. This means no awkward or uncomfortable bulges.
Finally, a fashion solution that's simple, flattering on all figures and extremely versatile. You control how you wear it. It adapts to your lifestyle and mood. It multitasks, just like you do. Carrying one in your handbag is like carrying fashion insurance. It's made from the highest quality, ultra soft fabric and is available in beautiful colors. Perfect for travel and makes a great gift.


Well, you've made a decision to perfect the SEO of your own website. Healthy for you! However, there is a whole lot information that you may not have access to a clue where to begin. Don't worry, SEO tips are here! Allow me to share many ways that can help you get moving and organized so that you can become a search engine optimisation expert.
If you're unfamiliar with SEO, think about using a pre-made template for any blogging system like WordPress. These templates add professionalism to the site, which, with good content, can attract human-created backlinks. WordPress especially also provides plug-ins which do useful SEO-related things like auto-produce a sitemap for your site at will.
To be able to enhance your search engine marketing, use the maximum amount of natural language as possible. Don't pack your text filled with keywords as search engines like yahoo will count this against you, knowing this has been a trick to enhance search rankings in past times. Instead, use carefully chosen keywords sparsely throughout your text.
To optimize search engine results, never change or retire a page without a 301 redirect. A 404 (page not found) will be the absolutely worst case scenario a server can deliver. A 301 redirect tells the search engine the latest ULR and transfers that in the search position. Finding out how to conduct a 301 redirect is simple and will keep the search engine results optimal.
SEO Omega could be a great tool in search engine marketing. Whenever you write something totally new, tweet the website link, encourage your followers to share with you the website link and post it on social websites sites. Each time a link is attached and sent around Twitter, real-time searches are often more successful for your internet search engine goals.
Make sure to put plenty of keywords throughout your website. The title as well as the page headers are certainly two of the most important spots to get these tags. Make certain they are appropriate and fitting on the site, but use plenty of descriptive words people would use when looking for what available for you.
To be able to help crawlers and spiders index your internet site, you need to create a site map. A website map is a listing of every one of the pages that define your website. By creating one, web spiders are able to discover including the most obscure and hidden pages, as well as to receive other important info. This will increase your visibility on the web.
Don't spread yourself too thin by trying to include a lot of keywords. Maintain your site dedicated to a dozen or so main keywords or phrases that really capture the essence of the items your site is about. Use analytical tools to determine which words and phrases really attract Feature a transcript for closed captions along with your online videos to help drive more visitors to the site. The main search engines like yahoo will scan these transcripts for keywords, so adding those to your videos can help give you more visitors. Buy Fast Traffic Formula to see what its all about.
Search results are directly connected to the keywords with your website, but knowing where you can put the keywords is essential to optimizing your SEO. Along with placing them with your content, you need to use them with your page titles, image captions, URLs and, most significantly, your title tag and page header.
Maintain your meta descriptions interesting, in order to draw more visitors to the site and enhance your SEO. Engaging information with your meta description can draw visitors to your website, because this is used by Google, because the text below your link searching results. Upping your traffic consistently across a longer length of time, helps you to boost your overall ranking, so stay creative and fascinating!
As mentioned above, search engine marketing is really a term to be very acquainted with while working on the net. Making use of the tips and techniques above will put you in front of the curve and provide your website, blog or Internet business the exposure it deserves. Keeping search engines like yahoo in your mind is really a positive way to drive traffic towards your website.
This entry was posted in Blogging and tagged generating traffic, seo, seo omega, traffic on June 9, 2013 by admin.


That morning she looked herself on the mirror after waking up from a disturbed sleep. The puffy eyes didn't startle her. Silently she went by the routine. Last night she cried her eyes out. The pillows got damp and her mouth went dry. But she let the tears flow and didn't try to stop. She wanted to make peace with life and everything that was happening to her.
Distractedly, she started getting ready for work. She applied thick layer of Kohl and lots of liquid eyeliner on the eyelid. As she vociferously applied more of the black gel, the puff in her eyes started disappearing. She knew that it was only camouflaged and has not fully disappeared; it was not healed yet.
Like how the kohl that hid the puffy eyes, we should train our heart to hide the sorrow. Instead of mourning about an uncertain future, it becomes critical to live for the present. What joy did she derive by shedding tears all the night? Did anything change? Did she get what she wanted? Sadly, everything is same. She just lost some precious moments in her life; a rarity already.
Sometimes, it becomes important to think about good things and glide skillfully. Many a times, it is important to keep oneself happy and be selfish.
If the answer is YES, then, don't bother about the future; it is not in your hands. Don't give a thought about past; it is not in your hands. Just enjoy the present.
It will not dare to near you then!


Ladies, let's face it: Winter is in full swing and there is no escaping it. There's no better way to get through the chilliest of days than by looking your best, and that means making sure your hat game is on point. When looking for that perfect topper, think bold hues, and chunky knit versions. You want to invest in a hat that is sure to withstand the frigid temps season after season. Whether you're more of a beanie lover or prefer a trapper, we've got you covered. Scroll below to see some of our favorites to shop right now.
This winter hat is sleek and oh so warm.
Look to earth-tone shades to get you out of your rut of wearing all black.
Plaid looks good with everything.
A pop of color is always a good idea.
Navy—a great alternative to black.
A classic beanie in a neutral hue is always a great way to go.
This will withstand the season's harsh elements from year to year.


"Adopts" a thread, created with the Windows API CreateThread function, to the C++Builder RTL by hooking up the necessary internal data (exceptions, stack info, and so forth). _adopt_thread thereby allows the RTL to handle exception issues in that thread. The execution path of this thread is then transferred to another function (the adoptive thread function). From the RTL's perspective, during the execution of this adoptive thread function, the thread appears as if it had been created by a call to _beginthreadex and is allowed all the benefits, such as calling other RTL functions and throwing/catching exceptions.
Dernière modification de cette page le 18 avril 2016, à 16:11.


"I asked for someone with an amazing personality and we got JUST that."
When planning a wedding, either small or large you want to be certain that it captures the essence of who you are individually and as a couple. When I asked for referrals, Celia Milton was highly recommended. I asked for someone with an amazing personality and we got JUST that. From start to finish, she was able to formulate a truthful story about my husband and I…. it seemed she knew us forever. That's what we wanted. At the wedding, there wasn't a dry eye. People kept commenting about how awesome and personal the ceremony was. It was personalized in every way and unforgettable. Instead of my guests being bored to tears there was laughter, good tears and they left the ceremony with an everlasting impression of love and the celebration of my husband and I. Thank you Celia!!!!!


I have been imprisoned, tortured, and now made stateless for protesting against the cruel monarchy. I won't stop. But when will the United States and Britain realize they are backing a thuggish autocracy?
"I think my citizenship has been revoked," I said, opening the link. He was laughing at me as I scrolled down the list, searching for my name. There it was — Number 49. My friend was still laughing. "I think your name is here also," I said.
The laughing stopped. There he was, too — Number 70.
Now I am stateless, because of a decree issued by the king that stripped dozens of journalists, doctors, and political activists of their citizenship. This means I can't visit my aging mother, my brothers and sisters, or my friends back in Bahrain. I will have to write "stateless" in the nationality field on any forms I fill out, and the world will look at me as human being missing something — missing a country to recognize him.
My sole crime is that I founded a website called BahrainOnline.org, where people post second-by-second updates of what is happening in Bahrain, and where opposition and human rights organizations publish their statements, as the local newspapers will not allow them to do so. It is a space for every Bahraini to speak his mind about reform, and how to achieve it. Launched as a blog in 1998, and formalized in 2003, the site gathered momentum as its members started planning the 2011 uprising — when it would start, where the demonstrators would gather, and what their demands and slogans would be. At its height, Bahrain Online was receiving more than 100,000 hits per day, and boasted more than 50,000 members.
As a result of my work with the website, I was first arrested in September 2005 and held for two weeks, and then arrested again in September 2010. That second time, I was tortured and threatened with sexual abuse and electric shock. My wife was fired from her work, and I was placed in solitary confinement for two months. I was released at the end of February 2011, just when the uprising started — why, I do not know. The king may have thought that by releasing me and other activists, it would calm the street. But the first thing I did after being released from prison at 3 a.m. was to join the protesters in Manama's Lulu Square. It was unforgettable moment: I felt the beauty of my country and my people like never before.
Less than three weeks later, my house was raided again, and I had to go into hiding in Bahrain for two years.
This is not the first time that the government of Bahrain has stripped the nationality of its citizens as a way to silence political dissent. In 2012, it revoked the citizenship of 31 people, on the excuse that they "cause[d] damage to state security." Both the 2012 stripping of citizenship and the one this year largely targeted Shiite activists and opposition members. Most of them are Bahrainis who live outside the country — the government can't put them in prison, so they use this weapon to punish them instead.
The 2015 decree includes 50 Shiite and 22 Sunni Bahrainis. The Sunnis are almost exclusively jihadis: Many of them — including radical cleric Turki al-Binali — are fighters with the Islamic State. Other members of the Islamic State whose citizenship was stripped posted pictures of themselves trampling or destroying their passports, promising that they will come back to Bahrain by sword, not passport. Number 35 on the list, Salman al-Ashban, posted a YouTube video in May 2014 showing him ripping up his passport.
My citizenship was revoked six months after the government amended the nationality law, giving itself the power to strip Bahrainis of their citizenship should they fail in their "duty of loyalty" to the state. Ali Salman, the general secretary of the opposition Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, has also been put on trial for threatening the security of the state, which could lead to his nationality being stripped as well.
Instead of starting a real dialogue with its citizens, the government of Bahrain is clearly attempting to silence opposition voices through brute force. This is nothing new: When people first took to the streets in February 2011, the king's response was to call for help from the Saudi army, which swiftly brought in more than 1,000 troops to suppress the peaceful movement. Since that time, more than 100 people have died in the ensuing crackdown, and around 3,000 are currently imprisoned.
The British government, sadly, seems all too willing to trade away its democratic principles in exchange for military ties to Manama. In December, Britain announced that it would open a new naval base in Bahrain, at a cost of roughly $23 million. At the same time, a multimillion-dollar deal is in the works that would see London sell Typhoon combat jets and other military equipment to Manama.
With these deals, Bahrain has succeeded in buying the silence of the British government. By turning a blind eye to what is happening in Bahrain, London has shown the double standards of the Western world when it comes to human rights.
For the past several years, U.S. and European politicians have all urged Bahrain to improve its respect for human rights and to end torture, which is still systematic. But harping on human rights issues ignores the real problem facing Bahrain: autocracy. What Bahrain needs is a shift from absolute dictatorship to a democracy where the people choose their own leaders. And I will keep fighting for that change — it is still my country, after all, no matter what the government says.
Ali Abdulemam is human rights defender with the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and member of BahrainWatch.org.


Best A-Z Little Alchemy 2 combinations cheats and hints guide! Includes all Myths and Monsters content pack items cheats! Find out how to make farm! Discover hints for all items that can be created with farm! Little Alchemy 2 Complete A-Z Cheats and Hints Guide... Farm Together is an amazing farming casual and simulation game by Milkstone Studios. Grow your own farm all by yourself, or cooperate with your friends in this unique, ultimate, relaxing farming experience.
The big thing for Alchemy is that certain bloods are interchangeable so you can always get bloods of more common animals rather than hunting down the rare ones. Here is a list of which ones are interchangeable with each other. Bloods of the same group can be used interchangeable in a recipe.... The second, and hardest ingredient you are going to farm, is meat from animals. It is the hardest, since you need to actively farm it 100%, in contrast with Flour processing which you can AFK, and fish farming below, which is the epitome of AFK in BDO.


Eighteen years after leaving the school, the First Lady, Mrs. Lordina Mahama, returned to the Flair Catering Institute with pride, shared an inspirational secret with students and accordingly expressed gratitude to the school authorities. The occasion was the 45 anniversary of Flair Catering last Friday where she joined the staff and 48 graduates for the 42nd Graduation at the school premises at Cantonment, Accra. Ably introduced by her 1995 mate, Mrs. Obuobia Darko Opoku, who is a news anchor at Radio Gold and Onetime Member of Parliament aspirant for the Weija Gbawe Constituency, the First Lady told an elated gathering of management, graduates and their parents that due to the training she received at the institute she can boast of being one of the best hands in the Kitchen. "I have always enjoyed cooking, I see myself as one of the best cooks in the kitchen, thanks to Flair for training me as a caterer. I have been able to train many people how to cook delicious meals," she emphasized. Aside from acknowledging that Flair Catering provided her the platform to add the professional touch to her childhood activity of cooking, the First Lady noted that the training received In the school left a lasting impact on her life and afforded her a window of opportunity that helped changed her life for which she encouraged the graduates to make the best out of the training. "But be prepared for the hours and commitment needed, because you will need to love what you do in order to succeed in this challenging industry, "she admonished. Under the theme "Improving delivery of services in the hospitality industry," 43 females and five males graduated with skills in food hygiene, hospitality catering, hotel management in theory and practical lessons.


Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, Catholic Charities DC announced additional opportunities for furloughed government workers to receive limited financial assistance during the government shutdown that has now stretched past one month. Assistance will be available to anyone with a valid government employee or federal contractor ID. Recipients must present documentation of the bills they need covered.
Temple Hills, Maryland, starting at 1 p.m. Participants are invited to stay for the weekly St. Maria's meal service starting at 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 30 at ANCHOR Health, 1001 Lawrence Street, N.E., Washington, D.C., starting at 4 p.m. Meal service provided by Catholic Charities Enterprise Network will be served concurrently with funds distribution.
• Thursday, Jan. 31 at St. Mary of the Mills, 106 St Mary's Place, Laurel, Maryland, starting at 4 p.m. Meal service provided by Catholic Charities Enterprise Network will be served concurrently with funds distribution.
In addition to emergency financial assistance, Catholic Charities DC can assist furloughed workers with a variety of other support services including food assistance, low-cost medical and dental services, legal aid, and financial guidance from the Catholic Charities Financial Stability Network. For more information on Catholic Charities' services, visit www.catholiccharitiesdc.org.
Catholic Charities DC of the Archdiocese of Washington is the largest independent social services agency in the metropolitan D.C. area. As the charitable arm of the Archdiocese of Washington, Catholic Charities invests in communities by providing critical services to hundreds of thousands of people in need throughout the District of Columbia and Montgomery, Prince George's, Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's Counties in Maryland. The organization serves people regardless of background, belief, or circumstance. For more information, visit www.catholiccharitiesdc.org.


Published in the February 2016 issue of Engineered Systems. And the February 22, 2016 issue of ACHR NEWS.
Berner International Corp. named manufacturer representatives R. Williamson & Associates (Skokie, IL) and SRS Enterprises (Middletown, NJ) as its 2015 "Rep of the Year" for commission and buy/sell reps, respectively. The awards were presented at the AHR Expo 2016, Jan. 26, in Orlando, FL.
The 85-year-old R. Williamson & Associates, a Berner rep since 1973, earned its Presidential Gold – Commission Reps Award for its continued dominance with national drugstore chain accounts and industrial air curtain sales throughout its territory of Chicago, Northwest Indiana, Northern Illinois, and Southern Wisconsin. As an air movements and pollution control specialist, R. Williamson & Associates also went well beyond dock/door applications and continues to promote air curtains as aesthetic front door air comfort and energy-saving products for front entrances of hospitals, commercial buildings, and restaurants, according to Rob Williamson, president.
"They've been one of our top rep firms for a very long time because they self-sufficiently market and sell the product just like an in-house regional sales manager might," said Berner's National Sales Manager Michael Coscarelli, who presented the award.
The 23-year-old SRS Enterprises, which covers the New York City and New Jersey territories, was awarded the Presidential Gold-Buy/Sell Reps Award. Berner officials said SRS Enterprises had a great year with retail, commercial buildings, hospitals, and especially dock/door projects, such as a New Jersey-based kosher winery.
• Bronze Award Commission Reps – Bennett Holland & Associates, Inc., Harrison Township, MI.


text:
Corruption, Elections Loom Over Lengthy 2016 Legislative Agenda
Cuomo (photo: Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of the Governor)
Lawmakers returning to Albany this week to kick off the 2016 legislative session are faced with a litany of unresolved issues from last year and the spectre of the recent convictions of two former legislative leaders.
Add to that impending elections for all 213 legislative seats, some of which will be critical for the future of state Senate control and the prospect of future indictments hinted at by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and you have a recipe for potential
Black, Hispanic & Asian Caucus Faces Growing Pains, Tense Relationship with Cuomo
At the special prosecutor announcement (photo: Governor's Office via flickr)
Gov. Andrew Cuomo was beaming. Touting the historical significance of the executive order he had just signed to give Attorney General Eric Schneiderman the authority to act as a special prosecutor in cases where police kill unarmed civilians, Cuomo smiled for photos. Often rivals, Cuomo and Schneiderman, who
In End of Session 'Scorecard,' Plenty for Next Year's Albany Agenda
Heastie, Cuomo, Flanagan (L-R) (photo: Governor's Office via flickr)
In the Democrat-controlled Assembly, it was 122-13; in the Republican-controlled Senate, 47-12. With those votes and a Governor Andrew Cuomo signature, a final policy package brought an underwhelming end to a tumultuous 2015 legislative session in New York's capital.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Vitamins are a very important part of our wellness program and treatment protocol at Angel Longevity Medical Center in Los Angeles. As such, we would like to introduce our IV vitamin drip therapy treatments.
We have seen over the years that our IV therapy in Los Angeles can be a powerful tool in conjunction with other therapies to help the body recover from many health issues. Intravenous (IV) nutrition is a method of feeding vitamins, minerals, and other natural substances directly into a patient's bloodstream, thus bypassing the digestive system.
This can be a huge advantage as it brings vital nutrition directly to the organ systems of the body. When substances are given orally, they must be processed through the liver, stomach, and intestines.
Many substances may be rendered inactive in the digestive tract, reduced in potency, or they may not be well absorbed due to poor intestinal function.
By directly administering nutrients to the body via vitamin drip, higher than normal blood levels of particular nutrients can be achieved, which may boost the immune system and supplement deficiencies. These increased levels can provide an immediate therapeutic response by correcting deficiencies that may arise from a disease state.
What conditions benefit from IV drip therapy?
Vitamin C is required for a healthy immune system and healthy metabolic functions. This infusion can improve conditions such as poor immunity, cancer, fatigue, hepatitis, chronic viruses, and mononucleosis. It would be difficult to digest high dosages of this vitamin; however, an infusion allows it to last longer and creates a therapeutic effect.
Infusing Vitamin B can help patients increase immunity and energy, and it can improve PMS, migraines, muscle spasms, fibromyalgia, addictions, and post-traumatic stress syndrome. The body stores B12 to prevent anemia, and having healthy stores of other B vitamins can prevent disease and reduce the severity of existing conditions.
This is an important nutrient made up of three amino acids that are responsible for detoxifying cells and working to produce lymphocytes, which fight infections and viruses. It must be present for normal immune function to occur, and it can help the body strengthen itself against colds, the flu, cancer, viruses, and other illnesses.
Immune enhancement IV vitamin therapy in Los Angeles is a combination of high doses of vitamin C, B complex vitamins, magnesium, trace minerals and glutathione. When combined, they have the power to enhance the immune system.
IV infusion therapy allows us to bypass the digestive system and get vital nutrition to your organ systems right away.
What is the Cost for IV Therapy?
The average cost of IV drips is generally $100 to $300 per treatment, depending the drip you are looking to get.
Our difference Quality care. Life-changing wellness.
As a Los Angeles integrative functional medical center, we offer an inclusive wellness program that encompasses a number of therapies and treatment modalities, and we are completely committed to bringing our patients the best possible treatment against the root cause of their problems.
This comprehensive program follows a concierge medicine model, which allows us to provide you with as much of the doctor's time as needed to get to the underlying cause of your health problems and fine tune your treatment as necessary. It also allows us to give you preferential rates on your IV drip in Los Angeles and other treatment protocols that may be recommended.
When I came in here four weeks ago I was really, really sick with the flu, a sore throat, and sinus plus asthma (Just shoot me! Ha!). The vitamin C intravenous sessions have been great- after each one, better and better. Just had my 10th and at last I am looking forward to doing things and having a future (healthy). This was exactly what I needed and I'm so happy I chose to come here. Everyone is great- thank you!
I would like to thank Dr. Anju for what I would consider a miraculous recovery. When I went to the center last August I could not sit in a chair for 2 hours without getting exhausted. Thanks to vitamin C drips and the metabolic typing and vitamin program, I am easily working 8-10 hours a day, doing strenuous workouts on an elliptical machine and I have energy!!!! Thank you!!!!
This is only my sixth week of receiving vitamin C drips and I really see big changes. My blood pressure is normal, I have more energy, and my skin is not as dry as before. I feel good and I thank the doctor for all her help. I am fine seeing her and will continue to see her until all of my health issues are completely taken care off.


Citation: Johns, R., & Davies, G. A. (2019). Civilian casualties and public support for military action: Experimental evidence.Journal of Conflict Resolution, 63(1), 251–281.
Most discussions on the human costs of war focus on military casualties. Civilians—those living in the countries subject to military intervention—are the "forgotten casualties." The changing nature of modern warfare (for example, the use of drones and aerial strikes) places a greater emphasis on the need to protect civilians. Within this context, this experimental study examines how information about civilian casualties influences Western public support for military action. The researchers ask whether reporting on civilian casualties reduces public support for military action or whether the public is more preoccupied with the well-being of their own soldiers. It aims to broaden our understanding of the conditions that influence public support for military action. In other words, how concerned are Western adults about civilian casualties?
The study was conducted with four surveys drawing on representative samplesof U.S. and British respondents. They were given hypothetical scenarios involving Western military action (aerial attacks) and different types of information on civilian casualties. Three scenarios measured the public's support for U.S. and U.K. military air strikes. The fourth scenario tested support for a British intervention of ground troops.
The survey revealed that the number of civilian casualties in multiple scenarios was the strongest variable influencing reduced war support. This was consistent in samples from the U.S and U.K. Whereas the number of civilian causalities clearly shaped the public's support for military action, other moderators had no significant effect. In other words, using terms such as "Muslim civilians," "ordinary Iranians," and "women and children" or using pictures of identifiable victims did not influence the responses. This contradicted the researchers' expectations about how empathy and humanization might influence responses. It does not suggest, however, that the respondents were unmoved by the descriptions of civilian victims. Rather, it clarifies a general aversion to civilian casualties that increases with larger numbers. Empathy and humanization operate regardless of who the civilians are or how they are portrayed.
While significant, the effects of civilian casualties on public support for military action were modest. Even when civilian casualties were projected in the thousands, support for war decreased but did not plummet. Additionally, one scenario showed that the stated purpose of war—humanitarian intervention (e.g., to protect civilians) versus "realist engagement" (e.g., to strike a nuclear facility)—did not make the public more or less tolerant of civilian casualties.
The nature of warfare has changed. As the authors note, traditionally most attention has been given to military deaths on one's own side. Yet, as we are writing this issue of the Peace Science Digest, there is a humanitarian crisis of massive proportions in Yemen. The humanitarian and civilian aspect of this crisis and the growing discomfort with the Saudi Arabian government—with significant public work done by U.S. peace advocacy groups—ultimately led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a resolution calling for the withdrawal of U.S. support for the war in Yemen. The crisis is taking place in an internationalized civil war, where innocent civilians endure the most suffering. In this context, long-term trends and ongoing debates have become highly relevant. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, civilians have been the main victims in many of the armed conflicts since World War II. This finding is supported by numerous researchers and humanitarian organizations, while others argue that the civilian-to-military death ratio is overestimated. There are, of course, difficulties associated with finding and providing unambiguous statistical data on war casualties. However, downplaying the number of civilian casualties is a dangerous distraction from the long-lasting human costs of war. Addressing large civilian death tolls, as this research has done, better reflects the current nature of warfare. It is warfare where so-called "battlefield deaths" are decreasing—an incorrect interpretation of which, by losing sight of civilian casualties, could lead to overly optimistic conclusions about the human costs of war.
People care about deaths in war, whether the killing of their own soldiers or the killing of foreign civilians, which affects their support for military action.
People are less likely to support military strikes when civilian deaths increase.
People are generally opposed to military strikes when the civilian death toll increases, regardless of who the victims are or how they are described (as innocent, for instance).
In discussing the human costs of the post-9/11 wars, Neta Crawford, Co-Director of the Costs of War Project, suggests that "too often legislators, NGOs, and the news media that try to track the consequences of the wars are inhibited by governments determined to paint a rosy picture of perfect execution and progress." Increased transparency about the number of civilians killed and injured "would lead to greater accountability and could lead to better policy."This "rosy picture" was painted when the U.S. Defense Department disputed a March 2019 Amnesty International report (see Continued Reading) on civilian casualties of airstrikes in Somalia. In a statement, the Pentagon asserted that 800 members of the designated terror group al-Shabab have been killed in 110 airstrikes since June 2017 without any civilian casualties.
A thorough war casualty assessment must include direct and indirect war deaths as well as non-lethal consequences. This will counter the myth of "clean," "surgical" warfare with declining numbers of deaths. Kathy Kelly, a peace advocate who has first-hand experience of life in war zones, repeatedly states, "the havoc wreaked upon civilians is unparalleled, intended and unmitigated." The question for peace advocates remains: What further action can be taken for public support for war to plummet rather than modestly decline in response to civilian casualties?
Illusion 10: Suffering Is Minimizedin Today's WarsBy Kathy Kelly. In American Wars:Illusions and Realities, edited by P. Buchheit, pages 89- 95. Atlanta, GA: Clarity Press Inc., 2008.


To book a table at the Golden Swallow Chinese restaurant call us on 01506 653327 or 01506 654124.
You can view our restaurant table menu online before your visit.
Note: Home delivery service is NOT available.
To book a table at The Golden Swallow Chinese Restaurant please contact us using the details below.
Before you order your food and drinks please speak to our staff if you want to know about specific allergens.
Our food may contain GM ingredients.
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text:
The Saar Offensive was the French invasion of Saarland, Germany, in the first stages of World War II, from 7 to 16 September 1939. The original plans called for 40 divisions, and one armored division, three mechanised divisions, 78 artillery regiments and 40 tank battalions to assist Poland, which was then under invasion, by attacking Germany's neglected western front. Despite 30 divisions advancing to the border (and in some cases across it), the attack did not have the expected result. When the swift victory in Poland allowed Germany to reinforce its lines with homecoming troops, the offensive was halted. French forces then withdrew amid a German counter-offensive on 17 October.

Background
In 1921, the French Army and the Polish Army made a defensive alliance against Germany in their military convention.

Objective of the offensive
According to the convention, the French Army was to start preparations for the major offensive three days after mobilisation started. The French forces were to effectively gain control over the area between the French border and the Siegfried Line and were to probe the German defences. The sector was defended by the German 1st Army. On the 15th day of the mobilisation (that is on 16 September), the French Army was to start a full-scale assault on Germany. The pre-emptive mobilisation was started in France on 26 August and on 1 September, full mobilisation was declared.

French mobilisation suffered from an inherently out of date system, which greatly affected their ability to swiftly deploy their forces on the field. The French command still believed in the tactics of World War I, which relied heavily on stationary artillery, even though this took time to transport and deploy. Many pieces also had to be retrieved from storage before any advance could be made.

French operations

Almost everyone expected a major French attack on the Western Front soon after the start of the war, but Britain and France were cautious as both feared large German air attacks on their cities; they did not know that 90 per cent of German frontline aircraft were in Poland. A French offensive in the Rhine valley began on 7 September, four days after France declared war on Germany. The Wehrmacht was engaged in the attack on Poland and the French enjoyed a decisive numerical advantage along the border with Germany but the French did not take any action that was able to assist the Poles. Eleven French divisions, part of the Second Army Group, advanced along a  near Saarbrücken, against weak German opposition. The French army advanced to as far as  in some areas, and captured about 12 towns and villages with no resistance: Gersheim, Medelsheim, Ihn, Niedergailbach, Bliesmengen, Ludweiler, Brenschelbach, Lauterbach, Niedaltdorf, Kleinblittersdorf, Auersmacher, and  (occasionally called "Hitlersdorf" in some French reports). Four Renault R35 tanks were destroyed by mines north of Bliesbrück.

By 9 September the French occupied most of the Warndt Forest. On 10 September, while a minor German counterattack retook the village of Apach, French forces reversed the loss only hours later. The French 32nd Infantry Regiment made further gains on 12 September, seizing the German town of Brenschelbach with the loss of one captain, one sergeant, and seven privates. Near the meeting point of the French, German, and Luxembourgeois borders, the Schengen bridge was destroyed.

The offensive was halted after French forces had taken the  Warndt Forest, which had been heavily mined by the Germans. The French stopped short of the Siegfried line, although they came within a few kilometres south of it, immediately east of Saarbrücken.

The French held German territory along all of the Rhine-Moselle front, but after the collapse of Poland, General Maurice Gamelin on 21 September ordered French units to return to their starting positions on the Maginot Line. Some French generals, such as Henri Giraud, saw the withdrawal as a wasted opportunity and made known their disagreement with it.

As the withdrawal was taking place, on 28 September, a counterattack by the German 18th Infantry Regiment (from the then newly formed 52nd Division) in the area between Bischmisheim and Ommersheim was repelled by French forces.

On 17 October the withdrawal was complete. There had been about 2,000 French casualties (killed, wounded, or sick).

Aftermath

The Polish Army general plan for defence, Plan West, assumed that the allied offensive on the Western Front would provide a significant relief to the Polish front in the East.

However, the limited and half-hearted Saar Offensive did not result in any diversion of German troops. The 40-division all-out assault never materialised. On 12 September, the Anglo-French Supreme War Council gathered for the first time at Abbeville in France. It was decided that all offensive actions were to be halted immediately. General Maurice Gamelin ordered his troops to stop "not closer than 1 kilometre (0.6 miles)" from the German positions along the Siegfried Line. Poland was not notified of this decision. Instead, Gamelin informed Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły that half of his divisions were in contact with the enemy, and that French advances had forced the Wehrmacht to withdraw at least six divisions from Poland.

The following day, the commander of the French Military Mission to Poland, General Louis Faury, informed the Polish chief of staff, General Wacław Stachiewicz, that the planned major offensive on the western front had to be postponed from 17 to 20 September.

From 16 to 17 October, the German army, now reinforced with troops returning from the Polish campaign, conducted a counteroffensive that retook the remainder of the lost territory, still held by French covering forces, which withdrew as planned. German reports acknowledged the loss of 196 soldiers, plus 114 missing and 356 wounded. They also claimed that 11 of their aircraft had been shot down as far as 17 October. The French suffered around 2,000 casualties. By then, all French divisions had been ordered to retreat to their barracks along the Maginot Line. The Phoney War had begun.

At the Nuremberg Trials, German military commander Alfred Jodl said that "if we did not collapse already in the year 1939 that was due only to the fact that during the Polish campaign, the approximately 110 French and British divisions in the West were held completely inactive against the 23 German divisions." General Siegfried Westphal stated that if the French had attacked in full force in September 1939 the German army "could only have held out for one or two weeks."

See also

 List of French military equipment of World War II
 List of German military equipment of World War II

References

Further reading

World War II sites in Germany
Battle of France
Battles and operations of World War II
Battles in Saarland
Western European theatre of World War II
1939 in Germany
1939 in France
Conflicts in 1939
World War II invasions
Invasions by France
Invasions of Germany

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Ants, bees, wasps, termites
Chiggers, fleas, springtails
Dragonflies, damselflies and mayflies
Flies, mosquitoes, 2-winged insects
Snails, slugs, and legless worms
Spiders, ticks, scorpions
True bugs, hoppers, cicadas and kin
Orange or rusty
1 1/2 to 2 inches
1 to 1 1/2 inches
1/4 inch or less
1/4 to 1/2 inch
3 inches or more
Farms, croplands, old fields, hedgerows
Forests, woodlands
Glades, dry rocky areas
In/Near buildings
(-) Lakes and ponds
Prairies, meadows
Rivers and streams
Urban/Suburban, city parks
Waste areas, railroads, roadsides
Wetlands, marshes, bottomlands
Land Invertebrates
Species Types
More than 8,000 species globally
Springtails, like insects, have six legs, but these tiny rounded, oval, or elongated creatures that hop quickly into the air are not insects. They have a separate lineage and many structural differences.
Lady Beetles (Ladybird Beetles; Ladybugs)
Nearly 500 species in North America north of Mexico
Lady beetles are beloved for many reasons. Farmers like the way they devour injurious aphids and scale insects. Everyone else appreciates their bright colors and shiny, compact bodies.
Ground Crab Spiders
Xysticus spp.
Missouri has several species of ground crab spiders in the genus Xysticus. They are usually dull gray or brown with brown, white, or yellow markings. They typically live under bark or on the ground in leaf litter.
Whitebanded Crab Spider
Misumenoides formosipes
The whitebanded crab spider is a small, whitish-yellow or yellowish-brown crab spider commonly found in flower heads. Often its carapace is slightly greenish, with a broad whitish-yellow midband bordered by darker, thinner sides of yellowish brown.
Orchard Orbweaver
Leucauge venusta
The orchard orbweaver is a small, colorful, greenish, delicate spider that makes circular webs in low bushes and damp woodlands. It typically hangs in the middle of its web, its back to the ground.
Annual Cicadas
Neotibicen spp. (in Missouri) (formerly Tibicen)
Annual cicadas look like larger and greener versions of the famous periodical cicadas. Annual cicadas go through a life cycle of only about 2–5 years, and some are present every year — thus they are called annual.
Picture-Winged Flies
About 130 species in North America north of Mexico
Named for the ornate color patterns on their wings, picture-winged flies are small or medium-sized flies whose larvae often feed on decaying materials. If you have a compost heap, you will probably see these flies.
Peacock Flies (Tephritid Fruit Flies)
Tephretid fruit flies, in the family Tephritidae, are often called peacock flies for the intricately patterned, often brightly colored wings of many species.
Daddy Longlegs (Harvestmen)
About 6,500 species have been named so far, worldwide.
Daddy longlegs, or harvestmen, are familiar Missouri animals. They are not spiders, but opilionids. Unlike spiders, they have a fused body form and lack silk and venom glands.
Filmy Dome Spider
Neriene radiata (formerly Prolinyphia marginata)
The filmy dome spider is one of the most abundant woodland spiders in Missouri. Although the spider is tiny, its snare web, which looks like an upside-down silk bowl, is conspicuous throughout the year.
Yellow-Collared Scape Moth
Cisseps fulvicollis
The yellow-collared scape moth is more often "orange-collared." And whether you think it looks more like a firefly or a wasp, it's still a moth!
Plume Moths
Slim, delicate plume moths are instantly recognizable by their T-shaped silhouette, long legs, and muted shades of tan and brown. It can be hard to separate the various species.
Isabella Tiger Moth (Woolly Bear; Woolly Worm)
Pyrrharctia isabella
Not many people know the adult Isabella tiger moth when they see one, but we're all acquainted with its caterpillar, the woolly worm, or woolly bear.
About Land Invertebrates in Missouri
Invertebrates are animals without backbones, including earthworms, slugs, snails, and arthropods. Arthropods—invertebrates with "jointed legs" — are a group of invertebrates that includes crayfish, shrimp, millipedes, centipedes, mites, spiders, and insects. There may be as many as 10 million species of insects alive on earth today, and they probably constitute more than 90 percent all animal species.
Spider Facts
Insect, Spider and Kin Facts


Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has wished President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo long life as he celebrates his birthday.
Mr Akufo-Addo is 74 years old today, Thursday, 29 March 2018. He was born in Swalaba, Accra. He was brought up in Ga Maamli (Accra Central) and in the Nima area of Accra.
He served in the Kufour-led government as Minister of Justice and Attorney General and later as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Mr Kufuor played an instrumental role in the victory of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2016 elections, making Mr Akufo-Addo the 5th President of the Fourth Republic.
The Free Senior High School programme was launched in September 2017 to make secondary high school free for students in Ghana.
The president's vision is to see a Ghana beyond aid in the nearest future.
He is married to Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the daughter of judge, Jacob Hackenburg Griffiths-Randolph, the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana during the Third Republic. They have five daughters.


text:
Julie Christine Johnson
And Still I Write
In the early spring of 2013, my husband and I left our careers in Seattle to move to a remote peninsula in the northwest reaches of the state. It's the place where we'd intended to retire someday, but we had another twenty years of work ahead of us. After crisscrossing the country and oceans to the east and west, we'd at last found jobs we felt we could live out our salaried lives growing into. We worked for the same company, one that seemed to espouse our personal and political ideals. We were earning a comfortable combined wage with excellent benefits.
And I was writing. By the winter of 2012, I had published several short stories and I was deep into the first draft of my first novel. I'd been admitted into an MFA program starting in the fall at a local university, and thanks to a flexible schedule, I knew I could make it all work.
It was a good life. We were happy.
There's a story churning in my gut, a contemporary drama about a corporate culture that allowed a stream of employees to be bullied into impossible corners and intimidated into silence, a cautionary tale of a mentally unstable, power-sick company executive who targeted a worthy rising star, and bullied him with impunity. It's a story with ripple effects both beautiful and grave, circumstances that opened doors and burned down buildings. In it, a couple refused to remain silent or back down; they worked in solidarity to shine light in the darkest of those tight, unforgiving corners.
Seattle is now a place where I once lived. All that happened is a memory in a shared life story.
That ending to our tidy lives, the cleaving of our employment, became the beginning of my full-time writing career. Leaving the city life for a village by the sea meant simplifying and we created a budget that allowed for one income. It also meant sacrifices and a resetting of expectations, but my husband declared his willingness to support us for as long as it took me to build a sustainable writing career. He became my sponsor, a gesture of grace and generosity.
I worked hard, writing hours a day, seven days a week, rarely a day off. I landed an agent and sold two novels and completed a third in the first two years as a fulltime writer. I published short stories and essays, my first poem. I began leading writing workshops and started a freelance editing business. I was awarded a writing residency in Ireland and saved up enough to send myself on a writing retreat in France. I was living a writer's dream, at least one in its early stages. My income was modest: moderate advances and whatever I netted from teaching and editing gigs. Not enough to sustain myself, but enough to give me confidence that I was on the right track.
My first novel launched in February 2016, an event concurrent to the collapse of my marriage. That spring, as I publicly celebrated the most fulfilling, rewarding thing that could happen to a writer, a twenty-five year marriage was very privately coming to an end. How a couple slides from unity to dissolution is a tapestry of mistakes and sadness I will be unraveling for years. But the ending became delayed by something that still shames me to admit: I knew if my husband and I separated, my life as a fulltime writer would end. My security would vanish. I would be forced to return to a day job, giving up my dream almost as soon as it began. Yet to continue in a marriage that was less than either of us deserved would be to continue in a lie.
Ten months to the day after my first novel released, I punched a time card. I was fortunate to have found a job in the wine industry, a world I'd left three and half years before. I worked first for a resort, where the hours were long, the nights were late, the work physically demanding, commuting white-knuckled on dark roads all through the fall and winter. The summer I spent at a winery close to home with better pay, but no benefits and an uncertain future. Then a few weeks ago, a phone call from a new, local, non-profit arts school asking if I would join their staff. A return to my long-ago, rewarding career in education administration, creating systems and processes to advance a mission I could wrap my head and heart around.
And still, when people ask what I do, I say, "I am a writer." Somehow, in the midst of life's chaos, the grief of a marriage ending, the bewilderment of another broken relationship blundered into from fear of loneliness and excitement of freedom, I scribble away still, determined to hold on to that which defines me: my words.
My second novel, THE CROWS OF BEARA (Ashland Creek Press) released in September. I had neither the time nor the funds to mount an in-person book tour. I released myself from the expectation of a sprint after launch and the novel is serenely flying alone. I settle into my new job, reclaim my routines, and set my sights on making bookstore rounds in the spring, knowing now from experience that promotion is a marathon, a slow and steady race without a finish line. A third novel is recently on submission. I have made tentative steps into a fourth project, having promised my agent I would have a draft of something solid by summer. Late summer.
I know of few writers who write fulltime, sustaining themselves on advances and royalties. Most of us, even those with bestseller in their bios, teach and freelance to supplement an uncertain and meager income, or we work full or part-time at jobs unrelated to our writing, jobs that provide health insurance, that pay the mortgage, the college tuition, the credit card debt, the medical bills. Those who have partners able to provide financial stability are the fortunate ones, as I was once. And fortunate I am still, for I have found stability on my own, with a vocation that sustains me financially and intellectually. My avocation, that as a writer, sustains my soul.
Newer PostPulling the Trigger
Older PostA Hive of Words
Book Tour Appearances
In Another Life
The Crows of Beara
Short Stories & Poetry
E-mail Julie
Copyright 2015-2019 Julie Christine Johnson


Christmas week has finally arrived and with it came not four calling birds or even three french hens but an incredible amount of snow. Every year Britain hopes and prays for the coveted White Christmas, people put bets on it, songs are sung about it and children stare wide eyed out the window waiting for it. However, every year the ground remains snow free and we shelf those hopes for another year.
This year the snow finally came but no one greeted it with open arms and smiled as it fell. People, it seems, love the idea of snow just not the actuality of it. With people stuck in airports and supermarkets rammed full of people assuming the snow means the end of the world, snow is definitely not the welcomed Christmas guest.
To remedy the anger at our snow flaked friend, my present to you this yule tide is this picture of the view from my window to remind you all how wonderful snow is.
What a Christmassy shot! Lovely!
What a beautiful shot, James. Am thinking of you and your family what the difficulty of getting around. Hope you're able to pick up Grandma Pamela so she can enjoy Christmas festivities. Hello to all of your family!
This look straight out of one of the first ever Enid Blyton books i had read eons ago! I love snow.Wonderful pic.
Which Enid Blyton book is it? Thank you for commenting.
i havent seen snow since climbing mount kenya and it was nothing like this the last time i saw snow like the was when i was a kid and my sister pushed me out the small window into the garden in bare feet..


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Q: JavaScript Alert Not Working After Inserting Objects Into Arrays I created an array, and after inserting some objects into it, the alert() function ceases to work. Code as shown below.
var map;
var ship_icon = "http://i.imgur.com/ubs6Vp5.png";
var markerArray = [];
function initialize() {
    map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("googleMap"), mapProp);
    addmarker(LocationA, 'Stuff');
    addmarker(LocationB, 'More Stuff');
    addmarker(LocationC, 'Most Stuff');
    alert("This alert() should be shown by the browser.");
}

function addMarker(location, name) {
    marker = new google.maps.Marker({
        position: location,
        map: map,
        title: name,
        icon: ship_icon
    });
    markerArray.push(marker);
}

A: Hoping it is breaking somewhere your method addmarker() that's why alert is not popping up in your browser,
function insertItem() {
    var itemArray = [];
    itemArray.push('FIrst');
    itemArray.push('Second');
    alert('in');
}

insertItem();

A: The error seems to be a difference between your function call addmarker(LocationA, 'Stuff') and function declaration addMarker(location, name).
addmarker is not defined.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


If you have already obtained a diploma or degree but want to advance your career in business, you may want to consider attending Centennial College's Project Management courses. As Mark Thomas, an instructor in this program explains, "This graduate program is (especially great for preparing) international and Native students for the Canadian job market. I think it's an extremely practical course. I think that it's a challenging course. And employers recognize the degree of learning and aptitude required to actually receive this graduate diploma." The Project Management offering is also ideal for experienced project managers seeking to bring a new dimension of leadership to their work environment and for leaders who want to manage innovation in a structured manner.
To apply for Centennial College's Project Management courses, students must submit an official transcript demonstrating proof of successful completion of a post-secondary advanced diploma or degree program. Additional non-academic requirements include an interview, transcript and resume review. The School will consider applicants presenting a combination of education and relevant work experience, open to all disciplines.
The focus of the Project Management courses is on providing students with solid, fundamental hands-on training to equip specialists in any discipline with the skills needed to manage projects in a timely and cost-effective manner. This is achieved at Centennial College though the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) methodology, which is a collection of processes and knowledge areas that are generally accepted as best practice within the project management discipline. THE PMBOK approach is further enhanced through a curriculum that includes hands-on integration of technology tools such as Microsoft Project and leading-edge industry case studies with a focus on organizational leadership. Among the Project Management courses in this offering are Procurement and Contract Management, International Project Management & Professional Responsibilities, Project Estimation and Cost Management, Project Management Office, Project Risk and Quality Management, and more.
To balance theoretical learning, students also partake in a field placement called Experiential Learning Opportunity, which lasts 12 weeks. During this time, students take instruction and direction from their employer regarding the tasks they perform while at work. Throughout the work term, a faculty member monitors each student. This Project Management institute course facilitates sharing of experiences during the internship in a safe and encouraging environment and helps students to structure their experiences in terms of a portfolio.
Once students complete their one-year of Project Management courses, they are prepared to write the PMP certification exam, provided they meet eligibility criteria. They also have the opportunity to work towards the PMI's Certified Assistant in Project Management (CAPM) designation, a valuable entry-level certification for project practitioners.
In the field, graduates of Centennial College's Project Management courses obtain positions as Project Managers (health, engineering, computer, new media, advertising, marketing, financial, education, transportation, construction, etc.); Project Leaders, Process Development Analysts or Global Project Managers.


First things first, it can take a while to research and prepare a quality application, so it is vital that you give yourself plenty of time to complete, check (then recheck) and submit your application or cover letter. Applications can often take a lot longer than expected. Don't miss out on a vacation scheme or training contract opportunity simply by leaving it until the last minute.
You may have prepared the best application possible, but any spelling, grammar or typographical mistakes could cost you an interview. It is easy to miss minor mistakes if you have spent a long time working on the same application, so be sure to use a decent spellcheck or ask a friend or family member to proof read your application for you. Reading your application out loud can also be a useful way of spotting any errors.
As tempting as it is to detail every aspect of your previous work experience or interests, it is worth considering what is most relevant to the firm and role that you are applying for. Think carefully about which past experiences best demonstrate your skills and qualities, and be sure to structure your application in a way that is clear and easy to follow.
Word count limits are useful guides that can indicate where your answer is possibly too brief (or too detailed). Where possible, try to provide answers that are relatively close to the word count, but remember to only include good quality, relevant content. It is equally important not to exceed the word count. It will be noticed if you go over, and some online applications will simply cut off any words that exceed the stated limit, which could leave your answer incomplete!
Most law firms will have a wealth of information available about them online, so firms will expect you to have done your homework before submitting your application. Researching before you begin will help make sure that your application is tailored to that firm. Think outside the box when researching too, try not to stick to the firm's own website but also take a look at legal publications, press articles, and directories. You can use information that you have picked up at open days or careers fairs to support your application as well.
What are the firm's core practice areas and who are their typical clients? How and why do those particular practice areas attract you? Also, what evidence can you provide to demonstrate your interest in those practice areas?
Who are the firm's competitors and how does it distinguish itself?
Has it won any recent awards?
Are there any significant firm rankings, highly commended individuals or people of interest who work at the firm that has caught your attention?
What initially prompted your interest in that firm? Have you previously met someone from the firm or have you attended a particular event that the firm hosted?
Why have you chosen to pursue a legal career?
Why should the firm recruit you over any other candidate?
What skills and qualities is the firm seeking from its trainees, and how have you demonstrated these in the past?
What have you done over and above your studies to demonstrate a genuine interest in pursuing a legal career, e.g. work experience, attending events, joining relevant networks?
Do you have any interesting or unique hobbies or skills (legal or non-legal) that could help you to stand out?
It is probably not the first time that you have heard the words 'commercial awareness' and it is unlikely to be the last. In every application it is crucial that you demonstrate your own knowledge and understanding of the legal sector and the wider world of business. Your application must illustrate that you have a genuine interest in business, how it works and how it can affect the clients that you will be working with.
Firms are aware that things don't always go to plan, which is why most applications will allow you the opportunity to account for any mitigating circumstances that could be relevant to your application. If you encountered a situation that had a genuine adverse impact on your studies then it is important to let your firm know. It may also be useful for explaining any gaps in your CV. Bear in mind, that this should only be used in genuine circumstances where you were put at a serious disadvantage that was beyond your control.
Applying to law firms can be both a stressful and daunting task, but stay positive and don't be discouraged by rejections. There are always more opportunities to apply again, so remain confident and be resilient. You may only be one application away from finding the firm that is right for you!