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Genetic mutations help super bug become highly resistant to antibiotics
Scientists from the University of Sheffield have found that genetic mutations in MRSA allow it to evolve and become more resistant to antibiotics such as penicillin.
The research, published in PLoS Pathogens, found that genetic mutations in MRSA are allowing the bacteria to become highly resistant to antibiotics without reducing the bacteria's ability to cause disease.
Most clinical MRSA exhibits a low level of antibiotic resistance, due to the cells acquiring a new gene encoding a protein (MecA) that makes its cell wall, some strains can evolve high-level resistance and pose a serious threat.
Antibiotics such as penicillin and methicillin do not bind well to the new protein (MecA) meaning they cannot "kill" the bacteria. The next phase of this research is to understand how this protein works with other factors within the bacteria to allow a higher level of antibiotic resistance.
Findings from the research pave the way for greater understanding of the cause and evolution of antibiotic resistance, and will help researchers develop new treatments and drugs for MRSA.
Simon Foster, professor of molecular microbiology at the University and Principal Investigator of the research, said: "Antibiotics have been a mainstay of human healthcare for over 70 years, but the emergence of antimicrobial resistance is now a global catastrophe. In order to combat antimicrobial resistant organisms, we have to understand them. Our work uncovers the complex mechanisms that underpin resistance, giving insight into how we might tackle this global challenge."
Dr. Viralkumar Panchal, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sheffield and leader of the research, said: "The research provides a new outlook into the process of evolution of resistance and reveals important details of how MRSA is so resistant. We can now exploit these findings to develop new cures."
More information: PLoS Pathogens (2020). DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008672
Journal information: PLoS Pathogens
Provided by University of Sheffield


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I found my nail desk at Large Tons. If I've received numerous screws to do, then I will get out the facility drill/screwdriver and have the job completed very quickly. You could not have the time to hit the market and purchase all the providers. Luxury flooring. Ceramic tile, oak planking with contrasting wood insets and butterfly ties, and marble or granite flooring may be out of attaining; however, right now's handsome vinyl flooring is not. An airport could have several fire/EMS stations on the bottom due to the FAA requirement that emergency crews be able to succeed in the midpoint of a runway within 3 to 5 minutes. The runway floor itself has to be a lot tougher than a highway to handle the extra weight of modern aircraft.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Vineyard: Clean silty soil of medium mixture with south exposure;
altitude: 295 meters S.L..
Density of planting: 5000 plants/hectare.
Grape Varieties: Sangiovese 100%
Way of rearing: Spurred cordon
Yield per Vine & Hectare: 63 hectoliters/hectare
Period of harvest: Hand harvest between September and October.
Vinfication: During the harvest the grapes are carefully selected. After destemming, follows a vinification with fermentation in stainless steel vats
at controlled temperature. The fermentation lasts in between eighteen to
thirty days depending on the clone and grape quality of the vintage. Along
the fermentation it is necessary to do two pumpovers a day and delestages every 3-4 days. Refining lasts 18 months in stainless steel vats.
Alcohol: 12,5/13,5 %
Tasting notes: It is a typical fresh Chianti wine of intense ruby red color with brillant violet reflexes. Scent of red berries (cranberries, cherries,
raspberries) and underlined by light spices notes. On the palate it is fresh and savory with taste of cherry and blackberry and a light taste of black pepper. It is a wine with fine balanced tannins, round and mouthful, with a nice freshness and lengthened sensation.
Serving temperature: 20° C
Vineyard: Clean silty soil of medium mixture with south exposure;


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Hello and welcome to the Scottish Games Network Podcast. On this podcast we've got an interview with Maxwell Scott-Slade of Glitchers.
Subcribe via RSS | Subscribe via Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify
We've got another brilliant archive interview for you this week with Maxwell Scott-Slade, the director of the BAFTA-nominated, Edinburgh-based developer Glitchers. The conversation was conducted by Sebastian McKay of The Scottish Business Podcast and follows his similarly enlightening chats with Marc Williamson from Tag and Colin Mcdonald from Rivet Games that we've previously featured on SGN.
Seb caught Maxwell just a few weeks before Glitchers launched their fantastic "delivery car combat" game Drive Buy. The pair chatted about the business side of preparing to release a game and a whole swathe of other interesting topics in this tangent-happy episode, including: the value of the Switch and the Nintendo eShop as a platform for indies; the difference between being doing client work and being a collaborator; building a sustainable studio in a title-focused industry; Maxwell's eye-opening trip to Tokyo; and even Maxwell and Seb's strategies for surviving a zombie apocalypse. (Seb's is ingenious btw)
Maxwell also delivered one of the most nuanced takes we've heard on what subscription-based services like Xbox Games Pass et al could mean for the future of the industry – a favourite topic of ours here at SGN.
If you'd like to go even deeper into the world of Glitchers, check out our indepth company profile from earlier this year.
You can listen to this podcast interview with Maxwell Scott-Slade of Glitchers via our usual podcast feed, or via the YouTube video embedded below.
If you've have any feedback or questions, leave a comment below or send us an email. You can also get in touch with the show via the hashtage #SGNpod on Twitter or message us directly @ScottishGames.
- Maxwell Scott-Slade on Twitter: https://twitter.com/maxscottslade
- Glitchers: https://glitchers.com/
- Drive Buy: https://glitchers.com/drive-buy/
You Can Find The SGN Podcast here:
We're sharing the love (and the good word) across the whole of the Internet. You can find (and subscribe) to the SGN podcast wherever you find your favourite audio updates…
And here is where you can find all of our previous episodes.


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Fears Australian coal might be caught in US-China trade war crossfire
Shanghai/Canberra | The Australian government sought to downplay a link between Chinese restrictions on coal exports and its decision to block Huawei on Friday as shares in mining companies fell on fears the commodities sector would become collateral damage in the technology cold war between the US and China.
Beijing also denied a report that the port of Dalian in the country's north-east had specifically targeted Australian coal imports as part of more stringent environmental checks. However, sources in China stood by the report and a screen shot of a memo outlining the restrictions was circulated on social media on China.
Australian officials in Beijing and Canberra scrambled to obtain answers from their Chinese counterparts after China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday did not deny a Reuters report that Australian coal exports had been singled out for exclusion at five ports in the country's north-east on environmental grounds. Fund managers said the move was a "shot across the bow" for the nation's coal and iron ore industries which reply heavily on demand from China.
Adding to the confusion, the Foreign Ministry on Friday said the report was false. "Customs ... in every port of China are taking coal imports, including Australian coal," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said, adding that environmental quality checks had been stepped up.
The Australian dollar fell more than 1 per cent on news of the ban in the Dalian region on Thursday but stabilised Friday. However, stocks in coal miners fell sharply on concerns that the ban could be extended to ports in China's south, where the majority of exports are handled. The Reserve Bank of Australia warned there would be "very difficult" economic consequences if the ban was the result of diplomatic tensions.
Traders in China maintained the ban was politically motivated. There was no sign so far of bans at other Chinese ports but restrictions were in place on coal imports from Australia and other countries in other parts of the country where it was taking twice as long for shipments to clear customs.
"Australia is one of many destinations so there is probably a tactical element here. It doesn't stand to reason you just ban one country's coal," said one Australian fund manager, who did not want to be named because the export restrictions were politically sensitive in China.
"This could be a shot across the bow. China has large coal resources so it makes sense to substitute imports with local production. Medium to long term it's also worth also considering if China's imports of coal and iron ore have peaked."
The Chinese port of Dalian told shipping companies earlier this week it would cap total coal imports in 2019 at 12 million tonnes. While imports of Indonesian and Russian coal would still be allowed, Australian coal was banned. Reuters first reported the news which traders confirmed with AFR Weekend. Details of the restrictions were also circulated on Chinese social media on Friday.
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham late Friday welcomed the Foreign Ministry's denial.
"We welcome the confirmation from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that reports of a ban or country discrimination are false. We look forward to continuing to cooperate and work together to maintain our strong and mutually beneficial trading relationship," he said.
Earlier, he said Australia was not being singled out.
"We have no basis to believe that there is a ban on Australian coal exports into China or into any part of China," said Mr Birmingham, who this week asked Australia's ambassador to China, Jan Adams, to urgently clarify the situation.
"We do understand that China applies, in some locations, import restrictions and quotas in relation to volume of coal and the application of those quotas combined with different testing, in terms of quality assurance of products and environmental testing and standards, may be slowing down the processing of coal into certain ports across China.
"We do not believe that this is isolated to Australia but may well be and is likely applicable to other coal exporters into China as well."
Ms Adams met with Wang Yilin, the chairman of oil and gas giant China National Petroleum Company for "friendly" talks earlier in the week, according to a story posted on the company's website on Friday, which suggests Australia's LNG imports to China are not threatened for now.
According to government statistics, Australian coal exports to the Dalian port were 7 million tonnes in 2018, 7.8 per cent of the total 89 million tonnes shipped to China. They represented just 1.8 per cent of Australia's total global coal exports.
Shares in Australian coal miners exposed to China fell on Friday. Yancoal closed 2.8 per cent weaker, New Hope lost 3.3 per cent, Stanmore Coal was down 2 per cent and Coronado Coal was off 3 per cent. Glencore, a major coal producer, was down more than 3 per cent in London on Thursday night but BHP Billiton stock was steady.
CBA research analyst Vivek Dhar said although the situation was unclear, it appeared that Australian coal was being singled out.
"The latest reports crystallise fears that began in early February that China was targeting Australian coal. Even though it is Dalian now, there is a concern it could spread to other ports," Mr Dhar said.
CBA expects Australian thermal and metallurgical coal to come under pressure as Chinese buyers look elsewhere for supply.
One analyst in China said Beijing was using Dalian to "test the market" as it sought to wind back Australian imports to boost domestic prices while using it as political leverage at the same time. He said Beijing's suggestion that the issue was linked to the quality of Australian coal was untrue. "Of course, Australian coal does not have a quality issue."
Most of Australia's coal to China arrives at ports in the country's south. Traders said ports at Shantou, Qingdao and Rizhao were also restricting imports of Australian coal but the slowdown also applied to shipments from other countries. Shipments were now taking more than 40 days to clear customs instead of around 20 previously.
Some investors linked the restrictions to China's trade war with the US. China is expected to agree to buy more US goods as part of a deal being brokered by negotiators in Washington this week.
"Given the nature of the Chinese economy they probably have to increase their current account surplus and reduce deficits with others to balance the books. They have to think about what they can domestically manufacture to replace imports and the obvious place to start is coal and iron ore. China has a massive coal resource and a large albeit low-quality iron ore resource," a fund manager said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison also downplayed the possibility China was seeking to punish Australia over recent tensions, such as the banning of Huawei from 5G.
"I think people should be careful about leaping to conclusions about this," he said.
"This is not the first time that on occasion, local ports make decisions about these matters."
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe warned there would be "very difficult" economic consequences if the coal restrictions were a sign of a broader "souring" of the Australia-China relationship.
But he said the more likely factor behind the coal ban was less concerning because China was trying to reform its internal coal and steel industries, not necessarily target Australia.
Dr Lowe said the Chinese coal industry was not particularly profitable and there could also be some changes for environmental reasons. He understood that the amount being blocked was equivalent to two months' worth of exports.
"I would not jump to the conclusion that it is something directed towards Australia. We have to wait to see what the underlying reasons are," he said at a parliamentary hearing in Sydney.
Dr Lowe said Australia should look to diversify its trade relationships to emerging countries like India and Indonesia, adding coal bound for China could be redirected to other foreign buyers.
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President Trump just made Arab countries in the Middle East an INSANE proposition. Are you ready for this because it's just RIDICULOUS.
Here it goes, he actually had THE GALL to ask countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar to --- wait for it... TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LAND. I know, I know, that sounds shocking. The Western world has only assumed the role of Middle East steward for, oh say... EXACTLY 100 YEARS AGO THIS COMING NOVEMBER. But screw it, let's go for another 100!
The Trump administration has proposed a plan to the Arab Gulf nations for them to provide funding and troops that would stabilize and patrol western Syria. In other words... the exact same area we're currently bogged down in.
But it doesn't just stop there. National Security Advisor John Bolton has also contacted Egypt to ask them to lend their support as well. Don't everyone look now, but we might be seeing the beginning of a coalition of nations in the Middle East... THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
This plan still has a ways to go before it bears any fruit, but major kudos to the Trump administration for actually looking at options that scale back our ridiculously overstretched military. Our men and women in uniform are EXHAUSTED. They've been in near constant combat in this region for 17 YEARS. It's well past time for the people who call this region home to take over the reigns.
It's high time we broke this 100-year cycle.
Since 2011, the Arab nations have been relatively nonexistent in the Syrian crisis. I know what you're thinking --- they didn't lend a hand militarily, but at least they took care of the refugees right? Let's leave out Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon. Everyone else: the Saudis, Qatar, Oman, the UAE and Bahrain have contributed exactly... ZERO SUPPORT for the Syrian refugees. ZERO.
The truth is, the Arab nations have grown comfortable knowing someone else will always take care of their problems. They're like a person living on welfare their entire life. Why work when you can get something for free?
It's high time we broke this 100-year cycle. It's time to get out, and it's way beyond time the people who live in the Middle East take some responsibility for their own home.


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Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Welles) to the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Murray)
[Washington,] September 26, 1941.
Mr. Murray: Please let me have your judgment as to the desirability of my attempting to make a further effort towards obtaining credits [Page 650] for the Government of Saudi Arabia. I understand that Jesse Jones has finally and definitely refused to agree to enter into any arrangement with the British whereunder the British would undertake such financing as at the request of this Government.
S[umner] W[elles]


text: The art of ring stacking – because one is just never enough. May 11, 2021 For anyone who's been paying attention, 2021 is the year of ring stacking! Here at Wee Jewel Co this is a trend that we 100% can get behind, because let's be honest when it comes to rings, one just never seems enough Read more


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Timo is taking steps to limit close proximity interactions and gatherings in public spaces as much as possible with a view towards safety for our customers and staff.
We will remain open and available to serve all current customers during this time, however between 17/03/2020 to 31/03/2020, we request new customers to refrain from visiting a Timo Hangout if possible duringat this time. Joining Timo online will still be possible, however you will need to wait a few weeks before coming to the Timo Hangout to complete the process and pick up your card.
We encourage current customers to avoid visiting the Hangout for non essential banking services and use digital banking services instead. By banking with Timo you can take advantage of the variety of Online Banking services available within your App. Here is a list of them for you to familiarize yourselves.
|Services that can be done online or in App
|Services which requires a customer to visit a Hangout
|– Fund transfer/ Move money
– Cash deposit (you can add money to your Timo account by transferring online)
– Find CDMs/ATMs locations
– Pay utility bills
– Top up your phone or others' phones.
– Send Payment Requests to share money after a meal, shopping, sharing a service…
– Lock/Unlock your Debit card/Mastercard in the app or by Quick Actions feature.
– Lock/Unlock ecommerce payments in app.
– Reset PIN
– Log-in to Timo with new devices when you lose the old one.
– Dispute a transaction or create an inquiry (Web app or call our Hotline 1800 6788)
– Request documents online (Web app), get your documents by email or have them delivered to your home address (Balance confirmation with stamp/ Account statement with stamp/ Remittance confirmation with stamp)
– Create/Withdraw your Savings online.
– Find the interest rate in the app.
– Apply for a Fast Cash online.
|– Reissue your card/PIN.
– Dispute a charge in more detail.
– Complete registration for a Timo Mastercard by signing the form and submitting documents.
– Update your TRC, Phone Number or Email details.
– Withdraw cash from a Timo ATM.
As per the guidance of the Government and the Ministry of Health, we encourage all customers to use online banking services as much as possible, however should you need to visit in person, we are open and ready to serve you as usual.
Do spend a moment to read a few of our guidelines to follow while visiting a Hangout to ensure the health and safety of you and others around you.
- Please wear a mask at all times, especially when visiting a Timo Hangout
- Please sanitize your hands at the entrance to a Timo Hangout
- Please allow our security guards to check your temperature prior to entering a Timo Hangout
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us via our Hotline on 1800 6788, via our Facebook Inbox or via email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Together with your cooperation we can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among our community!


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Thanks to PamsHouseBlend...
HRC has changed its policy on supporting an inclusive ENDA -- one that protects gender identity and expression for the whole country.
Their new policy:
I'll let you read Pam's above linked article and make decisions for yourself on the situation and the change in policy.
It's the policy of HRC that the organization will only support an inclusive ENDA. In 2007 House leadership informed us that there were insufficient votes to pass an inclusive bill, so they decided to vote on a sexual orientation only bill. We made a one time exception to our policy in 2007 because we strongly believed that supporting this vote would do more to advance inclusive legislation. We will not support such a strategy again. We look forward to Congress sending President Obama a fully inclusive ENDA for his signature.I've oscillated on this point; my initial statements drew a lot of criticism. I was one of the "support it slowly" argument-makers -- you know, "let's get this now and work on other things later." Right. I have since changed my mind, clearly. I am now a inclusive-only ENDA supporter.
I'll let you read Pam's above linked article and make decisions for yourself on the situation and the change in policy.


text: RELIANCE SABRE 10 HP AC ELECTRIC MOTOR. 1 3/8" X 3 1/2" KEYED SHAFT.SEE PHOTOS ABOVE FOR DETAILS AND ITEM SPECS. IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE AN OFFER ON SOMETHING PLEASE DO NOT DO IT ON A FRIDAY, THEY EXPIRE IN 48 HOURS AND WE DON'T SEE THEM. IF YOU NEED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US LOOK UP C&G SURPLUS ON THE WEB. THANK YOU FOR HELPING US SERVE YOU BETTER. GREEN RACK SHELF C-3 JP. The item "RELIANCE SABRE 10 HP AC ELECTRIC MOTOR 230/460 VAC 3PH 215T 1755 RPM P21S3027" is in sale since Monday, September 30, 2019. This item is in the category "Business & Industrial\Industrial Automation & Motion Controls\Electric Motors\General Purpose Motors". The seller is "aussi*" and is located in Camden, New Jersey. This item can be shipped worldwide.


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Dates Include January 31 Album Release Party At Spaghettini & The Dave Koz Lounge In Beverly Hills, "The Drop" Session At GRAMMY Museum On February 10 And Four Shows At NYC's 54 Below (March 26-28)
Manchester Will Appear On Hallmark Channel's "Home & Family," PBS' "Tavis Smiley" And NPR's "Song Travels" With Michael Feinstein
Lead Single "Feelin' For You" Featuring Keb' Mo'
Manchester will be introducing audiences to her new material – including the smoldering lead single "Feelin' For You," which goes to radio on January 19 – and performing hits from throughout her remarkable career. Click HERE for a preview of "Feelin' For You." The track features an electrifying guitar solo by contemporary blues icon Keb'Mo', who co-produced the song with Manchester and Terry Wollman.
Melissa and Michael Feinstein will spin tracks from You Gotta Love the Life on the new episode of "Song Travels," which airs this week on NPR. Fans in Los Angeles can check out Manchester's in-store performance at Barnes & Noble at The Grove at Farmers Market on Thursday, January 29. In February, she will appear on Hallmark Channel's "Home & Family" (premiering on February 16 and re-airing on February 17) and on PBS' "Tavis Smiley" (air date to be announced).
With You Gotta Love the Life, Manchester celebrates not only more than 40 years as a GRAMMY-winning performer and songwriter, but a renewed independence and vitality. The buoyant title track opens the album with Gershwin/Tower of Power-inspired horn fanfare and gutsy, autobiographical lyrics. "Other End of the Phone," a tribute to enduring friendships that she co-wrote with the late Hal David, pairs Melissa with one of her all-time idols, Dionne Warwick, and features Joe Sample on piano in one of his last recordings. Other guests include Dave Koz, Al Jarreau, who duets with Manchester on "Big Light," and Stevie Wonder, who plays harmonica on the romantic "Your Love Is Where I Live."
Manchester's career is remarkable not only for its longevity and accomplishments, but for its versatility. Following her stint as a founding member of Bette Midler's Harlettes, she established herself as a solo artist with Top 10 hits like "Midnight Blue," the GRAMMY-nominated "Don't Cry Out Loud" and the GRAMMY-winning "You Should Hear How She Talks About You." Her songs have been tapped by motion pictures, netting her two Oscar nominations, and recorded by such artists as Barbra Streisand, Dusty Springfield, Alison Krauss and Roberta Flack. Manchester has appeared on both the large screen in movies (For The Boys) and small screen in television (Blossom), as well as the stage.
She is an honorary artist in residence at Citrus College, where she recorded the new album. Manchester also teaches at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music and it was, in fact, her USC students who inspired her to consider taking an independent route with You Gotta Love the Life. Manchester financed the album with an Indiegogo campaign and is contributing a portion of the proceeds to Barry Manilow's The Manilow Music Project, which benefits school music programs. She will be doing master classes with students at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell on February 26 and 27, culminating with a concert on February 28.
1/31 – Beverly Hills, CA @ Spaghettini & the Dave Koz Lounge – Record Release Party
2/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ The GRAMMY Museum – "The Drop"
2/15 – Sidney, OH @ Gateway Arts Council
2/20 – Mount Dora, FL @ Mount Dora Music Festival
2/26-28 – Lowell, MA @ University of Massachusetts – master classes/concert
3/3 – Boca Raton, FL @ Jazziz
3/4 – Boca Raton, FL @ Jazziz
3/5 – Clearwater, FL @ Capitol Theatre
3/7 – Delray Beach, FL @ Huntington Lakes
3/7 – Delray Beach, FL @ Rainberry Bay
3/11 – Deerfield Beach, FL @ Century Village
3/14 – Sunrise, FL @ Sunrise Lakes
3/14 – Tamarac, FL @ Kings Point Tamarac
3/26 – New York, NY @ 54 Below
3/27 – New York, NY @ 54 Below
3/28 – New York, NY @ 54 Below – two shows
4/9 – Palm Desert, CA @ McCallum Theatre
5/16 – Dowagiac, MI @ Dogwood Fine Arts Festival
# # #
For more information on Melissa Manchester:
Email address:
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50 years in the making
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At 17, Jonathan Walters purchased plans to build a plane; at 67, he flew it for the first time
By Carol McIntire
Advice from a longtime friend, a little inspiration from another and a deep-seated love for aviation nudged Jonathan Walters to complete a project he started 50 years ago: building an Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Biplane.
The project came to fruition Oct. 8 when the plane sped down the runway and lifted off from the Carroll County Airport with Walters at the controls in the open cockpit.
"It was a feeling beyond words," he said attempting to describe that day. "It was like a… like a feeling of freedom. The world sure looks different at 3,500 feet. It looks organized, orderly."
The journey to get to that day and the 50 years it took to complete the project are a voyage through life and a story of lessons learned.
Walters, a Lake Mohawk resident, grew up flying airplanes at a small airport in Madison, CT. with his father, who became a pilot at a young age. At 14, he joined the EAA and at age 17, while a senior in high school, he earned his pilot's license.
"The ink was still wet on my Private Pilot Certificate when I decided to build an airplane," he said leaning back in a chair while discussing his latest accomplishment. "It seemed like a simple plan at the time. After all, how hard could it be?"
As a 17-year-old who was a junior member of the EAA and had read every article in Sport Aviation, he was convinced the average person with simple tools could build an airplane.
"I considered myself at least average and I had access to tools. Much to the dismay of my parents, I decided I was going to build an EAA biplane. I bought the plans to build it. The brochure advertised it could be built for $2,650," he said then, after a pause, added, "It cost a lot more than that." He laughed when he declined to answer exactly how much the project cost, stating, "My wife doesn't even know how much it cost."
His project began in 1970 with the purchase of the plans and was followed by ordering the needed material from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty, and construction of the wings.
"They say the judgment portion of the brain is not fully developed until the mid-twenties, and I must admit the timing for my project was quite poor. I made about a dozen wing ribs and found myself on the way to Ohio to attend college," he related
There was an attraction to Ohio for Walters. The state had a rich aviation history and was home to the Wright Brothers. He packed his bags and headed for Wittenberg University, located not far from Dayton, the home of the Wright Brothers.
"I knew I didn't want a career as a commercial pilot," he related. "Flying is special to me. It's an art. I wanted to fly when and where I wanted to go, not where I had to go."
The plans, parts and pieces of his biplane remained in Connecticut while he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration/economics from Wittenberg and married Meg Kopp, whose family owned Kopp Clay in Malvern.
"We had an agreement that whoever got a job first, that was where we would live. She was an accountant and got a job for a firm in Canton, so we moved to this area."
The day came when Jonathan's mother informed him she wanted the plane's wings removed from the family home so, on the next trip east to Connecticut, the ribs made the journey back to Ohio where they found a new home on a shelf.
"At that point, I owned a Taylorcraft but always intended to continue with my project," Walters said, noting the harsh Ohio winters in the 1970's afforded him the opportunity build the remaining rib wings. By 1990, all four wings and the center section were complete (including fittings), hanging in the garage.
I considered myself a handy person with tools, but had absolutely no idea how to weld. I had the great fortune to receive help a friend, Larry Hawkins of Waynesburg. He is an outstanding welder and was in the process of building a Stewart Headwind. After attending night school for acetylene welding, much practice and a lot of guidance from Larry, I was welding," he related, adding Larry had his Headwind flying with three years.
Fast forward to 1983 when Walters completed work on the fuselage, landing gear and tail feathers. He purchased an 85 hp Continental engine, and by securing the fuselage to a tree with a rope, it was brought to life.
Shortly after that, the project came to a screeching halt.
"I pickled the engine (prepared it for storage) and the project stood still. His time was consumed with the business he and Meg operated and the operation of Kopp Clay. However, he continued to fly, obtained his ATP (Airplane Transport Pilot) license, the highest Federal Aviation Administration (FFA) rating for a certificated pilot, and flew extensively for business.
"During that time, my heart remained in grass roots aviation. I admit, I live and breathe airplanes," he admitted. "Every time I pulled the car in the garage and saw the bare-boned fuselage, I knew I had to finish the project."
Turn the clock ahead to 2013 when Walters witnessed an event that stirred the juices and set him back on track to finish the project he started 47 years before.
"My friend Al Jeske had spent many years building a plane and experienced many delays. I was there for the maiden flight of his plane. It was magical for me and was the inspiration I needed," he said as a smile crossed his face.
With the anxiousness of the young man who started the project in 1970, Walter estimated he would have his biplane flying in two to three years.
"As usual, I underestimated the work to be done and the time needed to construct jigs and develop the new skills required to do it. I attended the Tig welding workshop once and the fabric workshop twice," he recalled.
It was during this time that Larry offered Jonathan some good advice that stuck with him: "It's the journey, not the destination that really matters."
The journey continued into early 2020 and was met head on by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused delays in shipping parts and an FFA inspection of the biplane before it could fly.
Walters happily recalled the events of May 1, 2020, when the fuselage was transported to the Carroll County Airport. Next came the wings and center assembly for final assembly.
"At last, I had my little biplane in a hangar at he airport," Walters said with a look of accomplishment on his face. "Finally my flying wires (a victim of COVID-19) shipping delays) arrived. No time was lost in installation. I was then able to taxi my creation around the ramp."
Jonathan didn't plan on flying in the plane the day of Oct. 8, but the opportunity presented itself and he seized the moment.
"When I got to the airport that day, I was talking to Mike Stitch. When he asked if I was going to fly the biplane, I told him I would like to have someone there the first time I flew it so if something went wrong and I had to bring it down in a cornfield, someone would know where I was. Mike looked and me and said, 'no problem.' He has a smaller, slower moving aircraft that would compare to the speed of mine," Walters said, recalling the details of the day.
"I made a couple high speed taxis and Mike said, 'let's do it.' I really didn't know what to expect – would there be control issues? Would it fly in the air?
"Luckily, there were no real surprises. I climbed to 3,500 feet and circled right over the airport for about a half hour. I didn't have a chance to be nervous. I was too busy checking the gauges to make sure they were accurate. My next thought was…maybe I should try to land it. The landing went surprisingly well. "
The recent warm weather afforded Walters another opportunity to fly the biplane. This time, with Mike Stitch following in his 150 plane, Walters ventured to the Minerva, Malvern area, cruising at about 80 miles per hour with the sun and wind as his only co-pilots.
"It's a feeling like no other," he said, "and the view is so much different from a plane. The world looks so organized and neat."
The satisfaction of completing a project he started as a 17-year-old teenager showed on Walters' face as he described the maiden voyage and the excitement was evident in his voice as he announced plans to "tweak" the biplane over the winter months.
"Oh," by the way, did I mention the name of the plane?" he asked, ready to respond to his own question. "It's PUTZ'N around. It has a dual meaning – it took 50 years to complete and has a flight mission of just (plane) PUTZ'N around."
Walters shared a little advice to others who may have an unfinished project lying around.
"I encourage anyone who has a project collecting dust to reconnect with their dream of building an airplane. It's well worth the blood, sweat, toil and even a few tears."
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Christopher Duffy, founder of East-London design studio Duffy London, is back looking to the depths of the ocean with the Abyss table.
The latest conceptual design from artist Christopher Duff of Duffy London is the Abyss Table. The table uses multiple layers of acrylic glass known as Perspex carefully arranged among wood layers to provide an as accurrate as possible depiction of the ocean depths. Like all of Christopher Duff's designs, the Abyss Table is a conversation piece as much as a functional one. But while previous works play with gravity, this new design is concerned with depth, and creates a geological cross-section as mesmerising as the sea. The design team spent a year developing the table in their London studio, experimenting with sculpted glass, Perspex and wood, arranged like a 3-D representation of a geological map, until they re-created something of the mesmeric abyss that had first captured Duffy's imagination. Boasting strong eco-credentials, everything is handmade by skilled craftspeople in the UK.
"I was looking into sheets of thick glass at my glass manufacturer's factory, and noticed how the material darkened as they added more layers – the same way the sea does as it deepen anI wanted to use this effect to replicate a real piece of the earth's sea bed. Like a mythical power had lifted a perfect rectangle straight from the earth's crust to use as his personal ornament", says the designer.
The Abyss coffee table is limited to 25 editions.


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February 2, 2021
This genre has gained a lot of popularity over the past few years, which means there's a lot of material to choose to read, watch, and listen to. Many true crime episodes are about an hour long, making it somewhat difficult to find the day to watch them without the possibility of watching them late at night when paranoia is through the roof. That's why I here to tell you the best shows to watch to save you time!
The Infographics Show
This YouTube channel offers MANY videos on the true crime genre. I've spent many a bus ride filling my time by watching these. What makes them so enjoyable (is that the right word to use in this case?) is they're typically under ten minutes, yet you get a full understanding of the crime. Honestly, I prefer this over the slow plotting of a three hour movie that leads to the inevitable, "shocking" reveal that the main character is a serial killer.
The Infographics Show offers a playlist on serial killers and one on other high profile crimes that have been committed. Another thing to appreciate is the host's ability to give very small, disturbing details without making it unbearable to watch or listen to. One last plus is the channel talks about crimes that aren't as well known (like my personal favorite: The Hinterkaifeck Murders).
The Lake Erie Murders
My friend's dad grew up in Erie, and he summed up the environment by saying how people left their doors unlocked so their family or friends could freely walk in and out unannounced. Yeah, this show shows the dark side of the town and every shore Lake Erie touches.
A lot of the episodes may actually start out with the whole "it shocked this small town that such a brutal crime" blah-blah-blah-blah. Though if done well, why not copy the same plot? Of course, all the crimes are different, and it's helpful because the episodes don't depend on each other. You can watch the series on and off! Another thing that personally attracts me to the show is that some of these things happened only about two to three hours away from Pittsburgh… yeah, it's a weird form of local pride, I guess.
One of the reasons I enjoy this show is because of how frustrating it is. As the title suggests, it's about missing persons who've suddenly disappeared. Sounds like a simple concept, though what makes these interesting is often there's little to no evidence as to where they could've went or who could've kidnapped them.
On to the frustrating part: after the show goes through all the possible trails of clues and seeming so close to finding where the missing went, you find out it's unsolved. Not all of them are, though as the series went on, the more episodes focused on unsolved cases. While it's also the same basic plot, each story is different and leaves the watcher on edge.
So there you have it! Be sure to tag The SIREN on social media or comment on this post if you watch any of these shows!


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Is Lean For Creatives?Uncategorized
Back from my trip to Malmo last week and reflecting on my Buff keynote speech and workshop with twelve amazing companies at Media Evolution City. One thing really struck home; opening yourself up to new ways of doing things is very hard. If we want to try new things; then we need the tools to do so. As well as that; we need examples, case studies. We need to learn from a diverse range of voices and experiences. We need to have conversations beyond and outside our cosy circle. And most of all we have to SHARE.
New things are hard. We get blinkered, doing the same things, the same way all the time and often shoot the messenger when new possibilities are communicated. But by not looking up and sounding out new ideas, opportunities are missed. Seeing what other industries have learned and how this might help you, is very worthwhile. The big idea from the past week in Malmo is to try. Try, try, try again. Test your ideas and your assumptions and learn from the people who matter the most; your customer. We get so involved with our vision we forget the person we are communicating with.
So many companies are actively redefining and disrupting every conceiveable type of business. Take for example Machinima, a platform built harnessing YouTube's distribution and broadcasting potential, showcasing fan generated content, films and animation. The smartest step for them business wise, was not building a platform. Instead, Machinima concentrated on the core, their community and great content. Machinima wisely left the distribution vehicle to a platform already built and serviced by Google, YouTube.
Business is all about making smart and strataegic decisions, knowing your user and knowing your core business; that golden nugget. The rest is history. Machinima have conquered the 16 -35 year old male demographic in nearly every country. Now large studios send exclusive trailers and material specifically for Machinima's audience to build buzz and traction for new releases.
Business models can be borrowed and tested. Learning and practice from one industry might just save or reenergise your own. Companies like beActive thrive in this testing, tweaking world and use multiple platforms for different projects and audiences. They never fully commit to a platform unless the audience is there. beActive have many years experience doing this; coming from a wish to tell stories in 140 characters. This practice has produced amazing results from Sofia's Diary to Beat Girl.
Innovation and taking chances are where it is at. One constant is change. Maybe it is time to test some things. Bring your film idea, business idea or animation sketches out into the open and talk to your target market. As a good friend once said "never underestimate the value of pizza and beer"! Over a coffee many things can be discovered. A few testers and a few conversations will give insight and value beyond your wildest dreams.
No, it does not have to be perfect. Nothing in this world ever is. Perfect is not the goal; learning is. Making it better is. Getting to a better product or service your user really WANTS is the objective. Yes it is scary. Yes, your idea might be taken. But if you execute on your idea faster and better than your competitors; along with having a committed, energetic community, you get to market first. Simple as that. The more you take on these lean practices, the easier it is to do them again in the future.
The challenge now is to bring this methodology out of tech and into the creative world. If games companies, SAS companies and healthcare companies can do this, so can creatives.
From my workshop with a cross-section of industries, games, broadcasting, app developers, communications, non-profit, film makers and product designers, it is completely possible to put these strategies to work. In every case last week, we saw amazing benefits from working through some case studies and applying this thinking to each individual business.
I am back in Malmo for Nordic Game in May and the challenge for these twelve companies is to put the workshop into practice. A follow up session is planned and I'll report back on their progress. For me this work begins and ends with the customer. Solving the customer's problems and making everything we do better.
Most of all, I'm excited, very excited. There is a sea change happening all around us and it is fantastic to be part if it and leading the charge.
My thanks to Cecilie, Julia and all at Buff and MEC for entrusting me with the keynote speech on Buff's 30th birthday; it was an honour I will cherish. Thanks to Heidi at MEC for organising the workshop and to the participants for being so open, enthusiastic and positive. Thanks to all for allowing me to bring them on a new journey. I'm still buzzing after both events. Big thanks to Mark who was back at base for help and research. Every business needs a great team!
I am interested to hear your thoughts and experiences, comments and feedback more than welcome!


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Ramky Enviro, a specialist multidisciplinary organization has progressed at a consistent pace to become one of Asia's leading players in the integrated environmental management sector.
However, the HR organization at Ramky aspired to develop an agile, diverse, and engaged workforce, with a primary objective to support their consistent business growth.
Building this agility and enabling efficiency in terms of managing and processing data across different sites and connecting it with agility was the key driver of Ramky Enviro's digital transformation journey.
"Ramky and Darwinbox came together to create value not only for the two organizations but for many beyond. This was possible because the product had a strong and unique core, with a very well-designed and user-friendly interface. But more than any technicalities, a transformation is driven by an organizations' people. A committed and fantastic team who really want to make a change, is crucial to the success of any digital transformation"
- Sujiv Nair, CHRO & CTO, Ramky Enviro Engineers


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How Do You Get Rid of Raccoons in The House?
Raccoons are intelligent creatures capable of living in many different environments and climates. This means, of course, they can easily adapt to living in your house. Raccoons can get inside through crevices or openings around attics, basements, or even inside walls. Once raccoons are inside, it can be difficult to get them to leave.
Why Do Raccoons Go Inside Your Home?
Raccoons like to go into houses because they make excellent food sources and den sites. The animals typically fight with one another over food and shelters because up to 15 and 25 raccoons can live within 1 square mile of one another.
Mother raccoons in particular enjoy houses because they are safe areas where they can have their babies. Raccoons avoid areas where humans frequently go, so they don't nest in the living room or the kitchen. Instead, they will likely hide in low-traffic areas like attics and basements where they can sneak in and out with food.
What Do Raccoons Like to Eat?
Raccoons are omnivores, which means they eat meat and plants. Indeed, they will eat most things they can get their paws on, including bugs, fish, fruits, vegetables, and edibles from human trash bins like pizza crusts and crackers.
Does Raccoon Bait Work?
Raccoon bait is special, edible material designed to attract raccoons either to lure them into a trap or away from a certain area. It can be a liquid, paste, or kibble. Most are not poisonous and are highly effective in attracting raccoons through the use of scents like anise or animal musk. Raccoons, though very intelligent animals, can't resist the scent of a gourmet meal and will normally dive headfirst into a delicious-smelling bait that's set out for them.
How To Get Rid of Raccoons
Raccoons—the garbage-eaters we love to hate—are adorable from afar but problematic up close. These nuisance animals are universally recognized by their bandit-like faces and mischievous squeaks, but for those who don't know, raccoons are small mammals that can grow up to 23 pounds.
Found ransacking trash piles throughout the United States, these scavengers enjoy a variety of environments. Right off the bat, most people recognize these little guys by their distinctive gray coat and black facial markings.
A raccoon usually lives for 2-3 years and can make a den almost anywhere. Unfortunately, these freewheeling creatures are opportunistic and love being around humans, who provide tons of food. This means that they'll invade your backyard without a second thought, burrowing in your garden and nesting on your property in order to eat your scraps.
Where Do Raccoons Live?
Raccoons can live in almost every environment in the United States except the hot southwest and northern mountains. Colloquially called "trash pandas," they are dumpster divers capable of living in urban regions like cities and neighborhoods. Many also enjoy the countryside where they can find crops, eggs, and even young chicks for food.
They are omnivores, which means they feast on a diet of both meat and plants. These hungry creatures love berries, eggs, rodents, frogs, fish, vegetables, and many other natural foods. When in urban areas, they will dig through the trash and eat things like pizza, cheese, vegetable peelings, and any other human food they find.
Raccoon behaviour
Raccoons are hefty omnivores: larger males can weigh up to 28 kg. These mammals adapt well to urban areas, because they eat just about anything: worms, spiders, frogs, eggs, fruit, nuts, corn… And they aren't at all shy about going through garbage to get their paws on a meal.
Raccoons retire to their dens for the winter around mid-November. Males leave the den in late January; females follow in mid-March. They sometimes use spaces under porches, garden sheds and similar structures as living quarters. And since they are excellent climbers, they're also attracted to hollow trees and roof structures. Raccoons are born in the spring and spend the next three seasons with their mother.
Are raccoons useful or bothersome?
A raccoon's diet includes small rodents and insect pests.
Raccoons wreak havoc in garbage.
They lurk around homes and can become aggressive if you get in their way.
Like skunks, they can do damage to lawns while digging for white grubs.
Raccoons can get into attics, disturbing insulation and leaving droppings behind.
Raccoons can carry rabies. Keep your distance, especially if you come across one that doesn't seem at all timid. Stay out of its reach and, ideally, make sure you have somewhere you can retreat to in case of danger
Tips for keeping raccoons away from your home
1. Keeping raccoons off your lawn and out of your garden
Make sure your lawn is treated for white grubs, to deprive raccoons of this source of food.
2. Keeping raccoons away from your garbage
Use a garbage can with a lid that is difficult to remove, or leave garbage bags in a bin equipped with a hinged lid that locks.
Clean the can and bin often to eliminate "attractive" odours.
Another strategy is to wait until the morning on garbage day to take out the garbage.
3. Keeping raccoons away from your house, shed or garage
Trim back any branches that could help a raccoon get at your house.
Make sure your roof soffits are secured, and screw metal screens over roof vent and chimney openings.
Block off any routes leading underneath the porch, deck or shed (using chicken wire, sheets of tin or cement). First make sure no adult or young raccoons are already inside.
How to trap a raccoon?
If, despite your efforts to deter them, raccoons (or other animals) are causing damage to your property, you can consider capturing and relocating them. You should know, however, that "evicting" a raccoon is no easy task—it's even a dangerous one
Getting Rid of Raccoons
Many people think they can easily get rid of a raccoon once it's nested in their attic or chimney. So, they use common sense approaches to getting rid of raccoons. For example: playing loud music where you think they may be. They like a peaceful and quiet environment. So, playing loud music can help make the raccoons leave.
But, these methods have their own drawbacks. Namely, raccoons running further into your house, or neighbors grumbling about the loud music at all hours
The safest technique to get rid of raccoons for good is to get in touch with a certified specialist to take care of your raccoon problem. Removal's professional removal experts are trained to humanely catch and remove the troublesome raccoon from houses and attics.
How Do I Know If I Have A Raccoon Problem?
Just seeing a raccoon is not a sign of an issue. However, if you see a raccoon continuously or in combination with a scratching sound in your attic at night, in your crawlspace, or see noticeable damage such as missing siding, debris, insulation, uncommon smells, family pets showing signs of attack, and so on.
If they stick around they continue to cause carnage. In addition to raiding trash bins, they consume pet food (often entering into homes through dog or cat doors!), consume bird food out of your bird feeders, and destroy lawns going after beetle grubs and earthworms.
Getting raccoons out
Before evicting raccoons from your house, you need to figure out how they're entering (that is, if you don't want them coming right back in). Give your house a thorough inspection to find areas where raccoons could get in by viewing your house from the perspective of an animal looking for a den.
Is there anybody in there?
To determine if an opening is being used, block the hole loosely with wadded newspaper. Leave in place for two to three days. If the newspaper goes undisturbed, and the weather has not been particularly cold or stormy, no one is using it as an entryway. If the newspaper is pushed out of place, someone has moved in.
Raccoon tenants
Once you know how they're getting in, find out if your unwanted guests happen to be a mother raccoon with young. If so, the best thing to do is wait a few weeks until the babies grow old enough to leave with their mother—they won't survive without her. Don't try to trap and relocate the family yourself. It almost always leads to separation (and probably death) of the young raccoons, unless done by a professional who knows how to reunite mothers with their offspring. The reunion approach allows the mother move her young to another den site at her own pace.
One-way doors
Some professionals use a "one-way door" to get raccoons out of attics or crawl spaces. Once the animals have left, they're unable to get back inside. Use of these doors is best left to professionals, who can make sure that mothers are not isolated from their litters. The young must be old enough and mobile enough to exit through the one-way door with their mother, and this can be very hard to assess.
Humane harassment to get them out
If you know that you are dealing solely with adults, you can start using humane techniques to get them to leave on their own.
Start small. Gentle techniques may be all you need. Try bright lights, loud noises (set a loud battery-operated radio in the attic or in the fireplace), and unpleasant smells (try a bowl of cider vinegar at the base of the chimney).
Combine techniques. Multisensory harassment works best: light, noise, and smell.
Choose the right time—at dusk, right before the mother's normal activity period. Don't drive raccoons out during the day. Raccoons are primarily nocturnal, so they may be confused in daylight, and they are certainly more vulnerable.


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Overgrown tree
Reported via desktop in the Public Trees category anonymously at 21:14, Mon 6 September 2021
Sent to Bromley Council less than a minute later. FixMyStreet ref: 2983882.
The tree is excreting copious amounts of sap which is ruining ours and our neighbours cars. The branches are growing increasingly closer to our house and blocking our light. There are broken branches resting amid the tree which often fall down and land on/ near our cars It has been many years since this tree was last cut back
Thank you for your report, this is now being investigated. Information on our services and the timeframes we aim to respond in can be found: http://www.bromley.gov.uk/ fixservices
State changed to: In progress
Posted by Bromley Council at 21:15, Mon 6 September 2021
To help us action and resolve this issue please could further information be provided as comments to this report. For example information such as a house number or street light column number can greatly help us to correctly identify the location while further details such as the nature and scale of an issue (especially dumped rubbish) assists us co-ordinating an appropriate response.
State changed to: No further action
Posted by Bromley Council at 10:22, Wed 8 September 2021
Please fix street light outside 96 and 98 Nightingale Lane BR12SE
Posted anonymously at 00:32, Fri 10 September 2021
We ask that new and separate occurrences of issues are logged as new reports to avoid conflicting information or updates and ensure the information is passed promptly to our teams and contractors. Please log the issue via https://fix.bromley.gov.uk as a new report using the map marker and description to detail where the issue is located. Please note that if the location you wish to mark is already occupied by a pin, you can hide the map pins via the button in the bottom left or you can click a nearby free section of the map to drop your green reporting pin so that all other yellow pins indicating existing reports disappear, you can then click and drag your green pin to the correct location and continue submitting your report.
Posted by Bromley Council at 08:42, Fri 10 September 2021
The problem tree is between house numbers 87 and 89 Nightingale Lane. There are also shoots coming out of the base of the tree making the pavement narrow for parents collecting their children from Bickley and La Fontaine primary schools
Posted anonymously at 19:55, Fri 10 September 2021
Thank you for your report, this is now being investigated. Information on our services and the timeframes we aim to respond in can be found: http://www.bromley.gov.uk/ fixservices
State changed to: In progress
Posted by Bromley Council at 20:04, Fri 10 September 2021
Our contractor has been notified to take the appropriate action.
Posted by Bromley Council at 12:26, Mon 13 September 2021
We will have this complete by the end of the month. Thanks for your patience.
Posted by Bromley Council at 09:00, Fri 12 November 2021
The tree has yet to be trimmed!!
Posted anonymously at 20:00, Tue 7 December 2021
I do apologise for the delay, and we are currently trying to schedule a team in to complete these work. Sorry for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience.
Posted by Bromley Council at 11:21, Thu 16 December 2021
These works have been added to our priority list to be completed asap. Thank you for your patience while we work to resolve this issue
Posted by Bromley Council at 13:38, Thu 27 January 2022
Appropriate action has been taken to resolve the issue.
State changed to: Fixed
Posted by Bromley Council at 09:21, Tue 1 February 2022
This report is now closed to updates. You can make a new report in the same location.


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Sturgeon and Salmond join forces in Gordon seat
The SNP leader will join her former boss in Inverurie, in the Gordon constituency.
Mr Salmond is standing for election in the seat currently held by the Liberal Democrats.
After a week of campaigning across the country, and a much-praised performance in the second televised UK leaders debate, Ms Sturgeon and Mr Salmond will seek to show that the SNP is the only party which represents all parts of Scotland.
Meanwhile, Mr Murphy will be in Glasgow city centre, with a message about the choice facing voters on May 7.
The Labour leader will argue that his party can offer progressive change in government, the day after he published his election manifesto in the city.
He will say: "In just 19 days time the people of Scotland face a simple choice. They can vote to change Scotland and the UK forever with the Labour party, or austerity max with the SNP's plans for full fiscal autonomy.
"Scottish Labour wants working class and middle class families to get a break after years of real pressure, and in too many cases, real pain.
"We have a costed plan, a positive programme based on Labour values and the people's priorities.
"We will reinforce our NHS with 1,000 more nurses and 500 more GPs. We will support all our young people to make the most of their lives, with a package of support for everyone, whether they are in work, at university or looking for a job.
"And our progressive taxes will make sure that those who have the most, pay their fair share towards rebuilding our economy."
He will add: "Scotland can have austerity max or elect a real progressive alliance. A coalition of Labour MPs elected in cities of north England, in the industrial heartlands of the Midlands, in the valleys of Wales, in inner city London, and the cities, towns and villages of Scotland, to change our country forever."
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson will also be in the north east as she joins party activists in Aberdeen city centre at a street stall to talk to voters.
And Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson will highlight plans to boost opportunities for young people through increased support for mental health services on the campaign trail in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire.


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A pavilion at the rear of this two storey terrace contained the kitchen, bathroom, toilet and laundry. The kitchen was dated and lacked bench space and storage. The dining room connected the main house to the pavilion.
Cheryl's ensuite was leaking and due for an update. My commission was to modernise the room and give it a more spacious feel while keeping costs down.
The ensuite was stripped and waterproofed. Costs were trimmed by repairing the plumbing but keeping it in place. Floor to ceiling tiling, a wall mounted vanity and frameless shower screen gave an impression of greater space. This is the client's description of the completed project.
While the exteriors of 19th century terraces can be described as timeless, the same cannot be said for the interiors, in particular kitchens and bathrooms. This grand terrace in Toxteth Estate is such an example. A narrow passage connected the formal dining and lounge rooms at the front of the house to the rear kitchen/casual living room which was itself discontinuous due to varying floor levels. These rooms were gutted and the floor adjusted to be on a single level which led to a new deck.


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Ariana Grande's Manchester concert this Sunday will feature huge acts, including Coldplay and Miley Cyrus.
Sources connected with the event told the showbiz news site the charity concert will be held at the Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester, the same place Beyonce performed last July.
In addition to Coldplay and Miley Cyrus, Pharrell and Take That will also perform at the event headlined by Ariana.
They were told as many as 10 acts will take the stage, with the BBC reporting Justin Bieber, One Direction's Niall Horan abd Usher to join and it will be live on BBC tv and radio.


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Annie, 27, from Chengdu in China was able to extend her stay with us thanks to the Erraid Bursary Fund. Annie studied a Masters at Edinburgh University and is interested in eco-communities, having previously visited sites in Japan, Thailand, China and others in the UK.
Annie was been able to get involved in a wide range of tasks during her time with us – from painting Reliance, one of our boats, to covering our veg beds with nutritious seaweed as a fertiliser and mulch, helping to split wood for our wood burners that provide heat and hot water, polishing candles that we sell around the world to past guests and friends and our weekly bread baking in the communal kitchen. She has also enjoyed bringing Chinese cuisine to Erraid and found herself motivated to try new recipes when cooking for the group including making kimuchi, steaming buns, sweet mung bean cakes and stir-fried noodles.
As well as all the practical help she provided in our community, Annie has also been struck by the way we approach our work. She has been interested in the way we use sociocracy to make communal decisions, rotate the person responsible for "holding" the energy of a week and coordinating group activities, and our emphasis on Love in Action rather than an approach that simply focuses on the final outcome of a task. Annie said "The emphasis on Love in Action helps me to remember to bring more consciousness to a task and reminds me that I can work at my own pace, listening to what is right for me and the situation rather than rushing to finish as quick as possible." She also appreciated the mix of cultures and welcome we provide. Our current community, including long-term guests, has representatives from Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium and Greenland as well as the UK.
Annie chose an Angel Card, a way that we tune into a particular quality, of Compassion for this year. She is using this as a focus for learning about how she can accept herself more as well as recognise the suffering of others and seek to connect in a deeper way.
Annie is already writing a blog about her previous experiences in eco-communities (in Chinese) and links up with friends to share experiences and ideas. Back in China she intends to seek to live in an eco-community.


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DOG the Bounty Hunter's 19-year-old son Garry Chapman was hospitalized after a nasty crash last month.
The teen wound up in the emergency room with a head injury after he "wrecked" a four-wheeler.
In a side-by-side interview, Dog and his fiance Francie Frane opened up about the scary accident and how her children are helping Garry to heal.
The father of 12 revealed his son, who he had with late wife Beth, had just gotten out of the hospital the morning of the interview after crashing his four-wheeler the day prior.
Francie added that her son Greg and his wife are "really close with Garry" and were the ones who took him to the hospital, as well as the ones to take him back home after he was released.
She continued: "He has a slight fracture in his tailbone, and a slight concussion.
"They're taking care of him now. What they're building is so [great].
"So, the kids are building a relationship, and we're building a relationship."
Dog, 67, and Francie recently became engaged after both losing their spouses to cancer.
He has previously described Francie as a "miracle" and told how while there will never be another "Mrs. Dog" he wants Francie to become "the last Mrs. Chapman."
While the reality star's children didn't all like his last girlfriend, Moon Angell, Dog said all of his daughters "love Francie," and that she talks to them "almost daily."
As for his sons, they just want whatever makes him happy.
How many kids does Dog the Bounty Hunter have and what are their names?
DOG The Bounty Hunter has fathered a bountiful brood.
The reality television star has been married five times and is a father to 12 children.
He has two children with his first ex-wife, La Fonda Sue Darnell — sons Duane Lee Chapman, II and Leland Blane Chapman.
With second ex-wife Ann Tegnell, Dog welcomed three children.
With third ex-wife, Lyssa Rae Brittain (née Greene), he welcomed his first daughter - Barbara Katie Chapman, on June 8, 1982. She passed away on May 19, 2006 from a car crash.
They share two further children, son Tucker Dee Chapman and Lyssa Rae Chapman.
Dog welcomed two more children with late wife Beth and also became the adopted father of Cecily Barmore-Chapman, whom was Beth's daughter by her ex-husband.
Dog said Garry, who is like "little Beth," was hesitant at first because he "did not like any woman at all" that was around his father, but now "Garry boy talks to Francie more than" Dog.
Francie added: "I'm building a really great relationship with him. I love him so much."
Last week, shortly after Garry got out of the hospital, he paid tribute to his late mother on the first anniversary of her death.
The certified scuba instructor opened up about missing Beth and wishing he could tell her "so many things" that have happened in his life and things he could ask her "advice on."
He continued: "You always knew the path I was on and where it lead which helped you give me invaluable advice.
"To think I've not been able to lean on you for a year now makes me uneasy; but if your lessons taught me anything I can't stop, I must keep going, until my dreams are a reality."


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2001-2025 West Linden Street
Allentown, PA 18104
venue website
Google Map
The J. Birney Crum Stadium is located on Linden Street between
20th and 22nd Streets. Street parking around the stadium is available.
Exit Route 22 at 15th Street. Go south towards town for approximately 1.5 miles past Trexler Middle School (on the left) and the Armory (on the right) to Linden Street. Turn right onto Linden and go past William Allen High School. The stadium is on the right at the bottom of the hill.
Close up map of venue.
Overview map of Fellowship Community.
From the South/East
Take I-78 to Exit 55 (Cedar Crest Boulevard). Turn right at bottom of the ramp. Turn right at the second traffic light onto Hamilton Boulevard. There is a Perkins Restaurant on your left at that intersection. Take Hamilton approximately 2 miles to 19th Street and turn left. Go one block to Linden Street and turn left. The stadium will be on your right.From the West
Take I-78 to Exit 54 (Hamilton Boulevard). Make left at bottom of the ramp. Follow Hamilton approximately 3 to 4 miles to 19th Street and turn left. Follow one block to Linden Street and turn left. The stadium will be on your right.


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Love Lost Sweater
Sweeten up your cold-weather wardrobe with this classic sweater. An eye-catching knit creates an updated, sophisticated feel while the oversized fit keeps it easy to dress up or down. Oh, and did you see that high neck? We're never gonna take this off.
- 56% cotton / 38% acrylic / 6% nylon
- View sizing chart
MODEL (black & camel):
- Bust: 32"
- Waist: 25"
- Hips: 36"
- Height: 5'4"
- Wearing size: Small
Customer Reviews
I love everything from this store, but this is one of my fav purchases. It is very oversized so size down! So cute!!!
Beautiful sweater! Will be ordering more in different colors!
I hate the banding on sweaters because they fall on my hips in an unflattering way, but the nitches in the sides of this make is fall perfectly over my hips. Literally the oversized sweater of my dreams
It is oversized but true. I would order again. The shipping was very timely and appreciated.


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#TheBeastfromtheEast" isn't a guarantee of snow but it is a setup, of bitter cold, where UK snow is much more likely.
It's not necessarily snow in your backyard, I'm afraid. It is deep, intense cold air bringing the threat of snow across the North Sea. Think of it as a mass of dry, bitterly cold air which originated over the snow fields of Siberia and northern Europe. When high pressure develops over Scandinavia (a Scandi-High) the flow around this anti-cyclone pulls south and then eastwards across the continent before reaching the North Sea. This air has little moisture in it, which explains the absence of frost deposits, the white rime we usually associate with cold mornings. As the cold, dry air moves over the North Sea, it sucks up some moisture in its lowest levels and shower clouds begin to form. Depending on the fetch (the length of water travelled) the showers can grow and when they reach land (the east coast of Britain) they dump their snow. This is sea effect snow.
High pressures don't move very fast, they often stagnate. If the Scandi-high remains, then the bitter cold air just keeps on coming. It can get even colder, and more frequent and heavy, even thundery, showers are set off. These pile into the UK often lining up, in so-called Streamers, where a narrow corridor can receive large snowfall totals with hardly any snow either side.
The Beast from the East is this process, this setup. It doesn't happen properly that often, with snow lovers keeping an eye out for the signs over several years. With recent progress in identifying links from European cold winter to SSW (Sudden Stratospheric Warming) and how it affects the Polar Vortex (high-level winds which circulate the earth), there has been more of a build-up to this particular episode.
It's about intense cold- daytime temperatures barely above freezing, significant wind chill making it feel much colder. Frost, ice and deep winter conditions.
Also, a setup for snow. This can be snow showers off the North Sea, or more significant features caught up in the flow which bring more widespread snow cover. Both can push right across the UK if the winds are strong enough. Sometimes, the high then extends over the UK as well and we are stuck in still air with snow cover. This is when the air temperatures sink, with days, even weeks of freezing air, little solar radiation early in the year and fog. Each day the temperatures struggle, and record minimums can result.
March 2018
The UK is now sitting in a bitterly cold easterly airflow. The coldest air, (not often seen over the UK) will be across us Wednesday/ Thursday. We could see the March day records broken, so the top temperature recorded all day being the lowest number. Bone-chillingly cold. The snow showers have been piling in from the North Sea, lines forming over Kent and Essex and through the English Channel. A low pressure moved over northern England into Wales during Monday night, bringing several cms to some areas. 8 to 10cms in Norfolk, Northumberland and North Yorkshire.
More warnings through Weds 27th/Thursday as the flow veers from NE to true easterly and other areas get snow showers streaming in. Later in the week, low pressures from the south cause the easterly flow to judder but the cold air holds on. A lot of uncertainty about how the forecast will pan out but the likelihood of snow continues as frontal bands come up against this very cold air.
Plenty more chat and discussion on the Netweather community forum


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Back walking massage benefits are plentiful. A back walking massage is a type of therapeutic massage that involves the person being massaged lying face-down on a mat and raising their legs while the therapist applies pressure to the back. It's also called "back walking" or "walking on the back".
Back walkers are typically used for people with chronic pain in their lower backs, hips, buttocks, thighs and calves. They can be found at chiropractic clinics, physical therapy centres or as an in-home treatment.
Table of Contents
What is a massage?
A massage uses hands, fingers, thumbs and other parts of the body to knead or rub a person's muscles with various movements. It may also involve pressing on certain points on the skin, known as acupressure, to relieve pain and improve circulation.
It can be performed by anyone who has been trained in massage therapy. Massages can be used to release tension and pain, relax the body, ease feelings of anxiety or stress. And improve circulation or stimulate blood flow by applying pressure on specific points that are believed to affect other parts of the body.
What is a back walking massage?
A back walking massage is a type of treatment that often lasts between 20-30 minutes. It can be done in the clinic or as an in-home service. Participants are fully clothed during this session.
And it consists of long strokes up and down the spine to relieve tension from the muscles. The therapist will also incorporate pressure on specific points on the back to release tension and pain.
How does it work?
A therapist will begin by asking a client if they are feeling any specific areas of discomfort or tightness in their muscles; they may apply deep pressure with one hand while using long strokes up and down the spine with an open palm on the other hand. They might also use cupping techniques on the back to release tension and pain.
What is Ashiatsu?
This is a massage technique that involves the therapist using their feet to apply deep pressure on various points of tension. Ashiatsu is designed to release tension in the muscles and fascia by applying pressure with a combination of long strokes, needle-like movements and circular motions.
History of back walking barefoot massage
Back walking is a type of barefoot massage that practitioners developed in the early 1900s. Back walkers believe it can help reset and realign your spine, which means you can move easier after just one session.
A back walking practitioner will use their hands or feet as pressure points on your body's muscle groups, joints and ligaments.
It is believed that by applying pressure in this way, the back walker can help to release tension (pain) from those areas of your body; giving you relief from any stiffness or soreness for a period afterward. Back walking also focuses on improving circulation throughout your system as it uses gentle movements which stimulate the lymphatic system.
Benefits of a back walking massage
Back walking is a type of exercise that can improve your posture and strengthen the muscles in your back. The most common benefits of back walking massage:
- Relieves chronic pain: Back walking massage increases blood flow and releases tension in the muscles. This can help to relieve chronic pain.
- Improves posture: Back walks may improve posture by lengthening tight or shortened muscles; which forces them to retrain their natural length, shape, and tone.
- It improves range of motion: The feet and legs in back walking massage force the spine to twist and arch away from the pressure, which releases tight muscles surrounding it. This can improve flexibility by stretching those same ligaments more than when doing other exercises or classical massage techniques.
- Improved mood: Back walking massage benefits also include improving the person's mental state; as they are likely to feel less stress and be in a more positive frame of mind.
- Better sleep: Back walkers often report feeling calmer before bed. Because their muscles are soothed and relaxed after doing this type of exercise.
- Reduces muscle tension: Back walking massage benefits can also help to reduce muscle tension.
- Decreases muscle spasms and stiffness – Reduces stress, anxiety, depression: This type of massage is a great way to decrease muscle spasms and stiffness and stress, anxiety, and depression.
- Resets the spine: Back walkers are also able to reset their spines with each step taken, which helps release tension from every vertebra in the body.
- Increases energy levels: Back walkers also report improved mood, increased energy levels, and reduced stress after the session. This is because these benefits all work together to release endorphins in the body associated with a feeling of happiness or well-being.
Would a back walking massage relieve back pain?
The answer to this question is not clear, as there are so many different factors that can contribute to your pain. The most common causes of back pain include:
- Poor posture and repetitive movements in the lumbar spine.
- Ligament tightness or muscle tension caused by an injury, overuse or a sudden movement.
- Arthritis, numbness or tingling in the back and legs from diabetic nerve damage.
- Back walking massage can relieve any tension that might be restricting blood flow to different areas of your body, which could help alleviate pain symptoms on its own
- While no specific scientific studies demonstrate a clear cause and effect relationship between back walking massage and relief from pain. It is still a good form of exercise that can help with posture.
- Back walking is also an excellent way to stretch your legs if you're stuck at the computer all day long.
How to prepare for a back walking massage?
Make sure you are well hydrated. Drink plenty of water before and after the massage. Be comfortable: wear loose-fitting clothing, lie down on a mat or firm surface such as a carpeted floor. Do not eat right before your session.
How to perform back walking?
- Step with each foot in unison while keeping your back straight, arms at your side.
- The walking pace should be about the same as a normal walk (one foot is in contact with the ground, and then you step with the other).
- Perform slow back walks for about five minutes each session. Walk briskly for two to four minutes, followed by one minute of slower-paced steps.
- Back walks are also encouraged for the elderly. Elderly people may need to do two sets of five minutes per session. And then slow down with one minute in between each set.
Back walkers should always consult a professional therapist or doctor before starting the therapy, and proper balance is recommended. It's important to have room for stretching out arms and legs on your back walking path during this exercise; so be sure there are no obstacles in the way.
When first beginning a program of back walking following a professional's recommendations, a person should start with one session per day and gradually build up to two sessions before the end of the week.
Back walking is not recommended for pregnant women or those who suffer from back pain due to other causes.
Side effects of back walking massage
- Back walking can cause pain and muscle soreness if done incorrectly or too vigorously.
- A back massage could irritate discs in the spine or a pinched nerve; so it is important to consult with a doctor before starting this exercise regimen.
- If you are pregnant, it is recommended that only gentle pressure be applied while back walking.
- Back walkers with a spinal cord injury may experience painful muscle spasms and intense back pain, so it's very important to consult an orthopaedic specialist before starting this type of massage therapy.
- Improper balance can cause some people to lose their footing or trip during the exercise, so caution is advised to have balance or vertigo conditions.
The back walking massage is an excellent way to relieve stress and tension in the body. This type of treatment can also help with various conditions, including headaches, insomnia, chronic pain, depression, anxiety disorders, and more.
It provides relief for many people who suffer from these types of ailments by breaking up adhesions on the fascia that cover muscles and loosening tight muscles themselves.
Learn more about how this therapy could work for you! If you have any questions or want to know if it's right for your condition, please feel free to comment below!
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- CA PCA Acc5371
- collection
- [ca. 1909-1910]
The fonds consists of a nursing student notebook (ca. 1909-1910) belonging to Gussie Purdy Cameron who studied at the Prince Edward Island Hospital School of Nursing. The notebook contains handwritten notes on a variety of topics, such as anatomy...
Cameron, Gussie Purdy


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We rank all 14 tacos at the new Wash Park standout, worst to best
Ordering all 14 tacos on the menu at the bustling new Agave Taco Bar will leave no room in your stomach to enjoy any of their other delights, or life itself for 8-9hrs after -- so take our tour through their can't-miss tacos, order only the best ones, and save room for their ever-changing lineup of aguas frescas and margaritas.
Rank: 14
Taco: Quinoa Con Elote
Tasting Notes: The refried black beans, guac, queso fresco, and crema try their best to dress up the quinoa, but it doesn't quite do enough to make it worth eating. The only reason to order this is if you're a vegetarian and/ or if you have an irrational fear of awesome tacos.
Rank: 13
Taco: Lengua
Tasting Notes: The CO-sourced cow tongue is tender, but since it's flavored so blandly, there's no real reason to put another tongue in your mouth.
Rank: 12
Taco: Chicken Tingas Con Papas
Tasting Notes: The pulled chipotle chicken has a mild-yet-sweet flavor, but it's mostly muted by the crema. Like a trophy wife, the potatoes must be there to look pretty, as they didn't pack much flavor.
Rank: 11
Taco: Nopalitos
Tasting Notes: Yet another vegetarian taco left us unsatisfied, though this one featured a more exotic ingredient: cactus leaves sauteed in Mexican oregano. These green chile look-alikes are a common food in Mexico, and to our gringo palates, it's weird in a good way. And fun to chew!
Rank: 10
Taco: Arrachera
Tasting Notes: Can't go wrong with skirt steak, especially one marinated in citrus, and topped with cilantro, onion, lime, and tomatillo salsa. But while the meat itself is tender and tasty, it's sadly all we could taste.
Rank: 9
Taco: Pato Rostizado
Tasting Notes: Pulled, roasted duck with a grilled peach/ chipotle salsa and cabbage chiffonade could've been crazy good, but there wasn't anything distinct about the flavor, other than the cabbage. And a cabbagey taco is not ideal.
Rank: 8
Taco: Adobada
Tasting Notes: This is a simple, well-done, pork adobo taco. Cilantro lovers will find a lot to enjoy, while those who don't like cilantro
never seem to want to go with you to Chipotle might wanna skip this one.
Rank: 7
Taco: Rajas Con Queso
Tasting Notes: Roasted poblano strips, Oaxaca cheese, queso fresco, corn, crema, and cabbage chiffonade all combine to offer a full-bodied flavor.
Rank: 6
Taco: Pollo Chile Relleno
Tasting Notes: The mini-chile relleno atop the chicken is the real winner here. The charred tomato salsa is not super noticeable, but the taco's solid overall.
Rank: 5
Taco: Al Pastor
Tasting Notes: The tender pork holds its own against the onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa, while the caramelized pineapple adds a sweet and juicy component, like those tracksuits girls wore in 2004.
Rank: 4
Taco: Pescado
Tasting Notes: Yeah, that's a black squid ink tortilla. The fish inside it is always changing. When we ordered it, it was served with a roasted jalapeno aioli, cabbage chiffonade, and avocado-pineapple salsa that gave it a decidedly tropical feel.
Rank: 3
Taco: Camaron Ala Parrilla
Tasting Notes: The citrus-grilled shrimp is bursting with fresh flavor (it must be locally caught!), and has a habanero finish that lingers tastily.
Rank: 2
Taco: Panza
Tasting Notes: This house-braised pork belly joint topped with an apple-cilantro slaw is an exercise in taco simplicity. The apple flavor is light, and adds a nice crunch.
Rank: 1
Taco: Carnitas
Tasting Notes: The meat is so tender it practically melts in your mouth. The avocado crema and pico de gallo are perfection. The only thing that could make this not awesome is if you'd just eaten 13 other tacos. Don't make that mistake.


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Even for representatives of the eternally optimistic ski industry, there's just no sugar-coating it: This winter stinks.
"It's friggin' horrible. It's been an epically bad year," said Eric Friedman, marketing director for the Mad River Glen ski area in Waitsfield, Vt. "We get snow and then it rains. It's below zero and then it's 60 degrees. We just keep getting beaten down."
At ski areas, resorts, and related businesses across New England, revenues and visits have slumped amid a winter that has been unusually warm and snow-starved, especially during critical holiday weeks when the companies earn most of their money.
It's too early for final numbers, but industry representatives and tourism officials in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont acknowledged business had shrunk substantially.
Business at Mad River Glen is off more than 40 percent from last year. At Killington Resort in Vermont, fewer than half the trails were open Monday; two hours north, Stowe Mountain Resort's business is down 15 to 20 percent. Closer to Boston, Wachusett Mountain is down 20 percent — and the list goes on.
Blame the decline on a strong El Niño weather system, which occurs when Pacific Ocean water temperatures are above average for long periods, driving wet but warm weather systems across North America. It's a sharp contrast to a year ago, when colder temperatures and a series of large storms helped to bury much of the region in snowfall.
The frustration of ski operators was exemplified by a week of wild weather during the February school holiday, in which a drenching rain was bracketed by wild temperature swings from arctic cold to spring-like balmy.
"It got into the 40s and the snow softened up, and it was pleasurable if slightly thin skiing," Friedman said. "Then it gets cold, the snow stiffens up, and suddenly you're on ice."
Many ski areas said that, after a disastrous December, they enjoyed stretches of weather that allowed them to lay down artificial snow. Even so, it's been hard to lure skiers from population centers like Boston and New York where mild temperatures and bare ground hardly inspire a trip up north.
"Mother Nature acts as a marketer," said Jessyca Keeler, executive director of resort trade association Ski NH .
"If it's snowing down where most skiers come from, that's a huge beacon for people. But if it's sunny or raining, skiing is not the first thing on their minds, even if we have fabulous conditions up here."
Killington cut back sharply on its marketing and advertising efforts in December, when it was mild and dry, said Rob Megnin, the resort's director of sales, marketing, reservations, and snow sports. Executives decided that no amount of money could counter what its customers were — or were not — seeing out their windows.
"You can't fight the psyche of the marketplace," he said. "It's about momentum and consistency, and we just didn't have that this year."
Resorts and ski areas have turned to a variety of strategies in response to nature's indifference.
Waterville Valley Resort in New Hampshire offered customers a steeply discounted "El Niño Pass."
Others such as Sunday River Resort in Maine aggressively made snow, which helped to keep the decline in business to just 5 percent so far.
Other resorts have expanded other winter offerings, such as zip-lines, mountain coasters, bungee trampolines, skating rinks, snowshoe tours, spas, and kids' activity centers. And some have been building up their offseason businesses for years as a hedge against warm winters.
"We've dedicated a lot of resources to making this a resort that works year-round and can adapt to variable weather conditions," said Gabriel Porter-Henry, the director of marketing at Berkshire East Mountain Resort, which built mountain-biking courses and a white-water rafting operation to keep money coming in during summers. "A shorter ski season can turn into a longer biking season for us."
Still, there's no undoing weeks of mild weather. Restaurants and other businesses that rely on the spillover effect from nearby resorts and ski areas are suffering. And much of the pain is being felt by employees, many of whom worked fewer hours this winter.
"One of the real motivating factors to grow our business is that there are very limited economic opportunities for people [in Berkshire County]," Porter-Henry said. "The length of our season was shortened, and obviously that's difficult for lift attendants and other seasonal workers."
Despite forecasts that March temperatures will be above average, ski operators said they were still optimistic the weeks ahead could bring saving snow. In the meantime, they will make the best of a bad hand.
"You want to leave the guest thinking, 'they had the best skiing conditions they could manage, there were other things to do, and we're going to come back next year,' " said Mike Colbourn, Stowe Mountain's vice president of marketing, sales, and communication.
"We're going to put our best foot forward. And it's going to snow."
Dan Adams can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielAdams86.


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Ricotta Recipe
My first memory of ricotta wasn't pleasant. I remember thinking that the cheese was tasteless and had a consistency of something akin to white mud rather than some wonderful food concoction. Fast forward about 20 years and I'm in love with ricotta (and the associated ricotta recipe) and value its subtle flavor profile and creamy texture (not to mention it's versatility). Note to parents: introduce as many distinct foods to your young kids as early as possible!
On the versatility front, ricotta can be used as a spread on crunchy slices of bread, as a simple sauce for linguine (with plenty of fresh ground pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and grated cheese), and, of course, baked with tomato sauce, pasta, and a good melting cheese like mozzarella (here's my lasagna recipe).
Making ricotta at home should be made mandatory in my view given the tasteless junk sold at most supermarkets and the outrageous premium "gourmet markets" charge for homemade ricotta. Ricotta is very easy to make and it stores fairly well. My mother makes homemade ricotta about oncee per month and you can make it more often if you'd like, especially if your carton of milk is about to expire! Here's a quick and easy recipe:
- Heat one gallon of whole milk in a large pot (it's important to use whole milk) until it reaches about 200°F and transfer milk to a clean pot so that it can cool to about 100°F
- Add 2 tsp of kosher salt and stir well
- Add ⅓ cup plus 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar and stir gently.
- At this point, you'll notice curds will begin to form (this is good). Mix and then cover the pot with a clean dish towel and let sit for about two hours.
- After the ricotta has rested for 2+ hours, take cheesecloth and place it over a colander and ladle the ricotta into the colander. Drain as much as the water from the mixture as desired (depending on your preference for how creamy you'd like your ricotta). You can also lift the cheesecloth and create a small bundle and squeeze out any excess water (this will get most of the water out and yield a super rich ricotta!). Ricotta will stay fresh for about a week in your fridge.


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Things to do
Camping and accommodation
Camping is not permitted at Yarraman State Forest.
Other accommodation
Accommodation is available in Yarraman and Nanango and at farm stays out of town. See the tourism information links below or consult the local telephone directory or the internet.
Picnic and day-use areas
Enjoy a picnic or barbecue under a shady tree at Rogers Park. Shelter sheds, toilets, picnic tables, water (treat before drinking) and wood barbecues are provided. Bring your own firewood or fuel stove.
There are no defined walking tracks in Yarraman State Forest, however walkers can use logging and service tracks.
For your safety, never walk on the road between Rogers Park and the D'Aguilar Highway. Entry into harvesting areas is not permitted. Obey all signs.
Viewing wildlife
Whether driving or picnicking, a great variety of birdlife can be seen within the towering hoop pine plantations and dense vine forests.
See nature, culture and history for details about Yarraman State Forest's diverse wildlife.
Other things to do
Registered four-wheel-drive vehicles and trail bikes, horses and bicycles may be driven or ridden on formed roads in this forest. A special permit is not required unless it is a commercial activity, an organised event or a competitive event.
Conditionally registered vehicles are not permitted. The driver or rider must also hold a valid licence to operate the vehicle. Motorised activities are restricted to formed roads only.
Entry into harvesting areas is not permitted. Obey all signs.
- There are currently no park alerts for this park.