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Uncategorized Opera honours Royal Newfoundland Regiment in WWI
Opera honours Royal Newfoundland Regiment in WWI
Ki Adams •July 12, 2016Uncategorized
Ours is a two act opera by award winning Canadian composer John Estacio with libretto by renowned Canadian writer Robert Chafe. Ours is the first full-length opera ever to be set in Atlantic Canada. It is based on the true story of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, who were the best and brightest of their generation and who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of their country. The opera was premiered on July 1, 2016, one hundred years after the Battle of Beaumont Hamel.
Congratulations to Opera on the Avalon, in particular OOTA's Founding Artistic Director, Cheryl Hickman, for visioning and producing this extraordinary new work. Visit Ours website and read a review by Richard Todd.
Welcome Dr. David Buley to Memorial University


These are made from food safe foils encasing a special non-toxic gel that can be frozen or chilled and added to cartons of product that need to be kept at low temperatures. Sometimes referred to as gel packs they are ideal in combination with our other thermal products to keep the contents from degrading or spiking. This solution is very popular in the vaccines logistics industry and the catering industry where such items as cream cakes need to be kept below a certain temperature.


Monday, November 28, 2016 .
It's that time of year! Gift giving time, people and it's Cyber Monday. I must say my favorite gifts are usually cookbooks. Italian cookbooks are even better. Check out my faves and today is the best time to buy them all online at Amazon since it's Cyber Monday!
As most of you know, I am a bit of an Italiophile (understatement). There are quite a few folks, who like me, adore Italy as their adopted country and write about their favorite Italian recipes. These talented ladies are fanatical Italiofoodiephiles… Here's a list of some of the best new Italian cookbooks that have come on the scene this year. All of these ladies are obsessed with sharing their favorite Italian recipes, and let's face it, Italian food is best enjoyed at home. Pick-up a copy for a friend or family member, and of course, don't forget to gift yourself one or all of these beauties, too.
I should add I enjoy following these ladies on Instagram; they have amazing feeds and adventures. I suggest you head over and follow them as well.
4.Rachel Roddy is the author of 2 cookbooks about Rome; either one or both make an excellent gift. Five Quarters is her latest endeavor. I love this book because it highlights Roman neighborhoods. Cooking from each quarter! Would that make a great dinner party theme! Just sayin'… Rachel is a contributor to The Guardian.


Hello, welcome to the Sia Wiki!
This wiki is intended as a source for new community members to understand Sia and its surrounding ecosystem. The wiki is maintained by the Sia community. Feel free to contribute!
Due to spam issues we were forced to disable registrations. If you would like to contribute please send an e-mail to siawiki@fornaxian.com with your desired username. You will receive an invite link soon after.
Frequently Asked Questions - This page answers several common questions, start here!
A number of common questions about Sia (including the technology behind Sia, the coin, and others) are answered in our Frequently Asked Questions page. This is a good place to get started!
The Obelisk is a custom ASIC being developed for the Sia network. See the Obelisk page for more information.


The traditional Viennese company STAUD'S is combining fruit and coffee with chocolate. Vetropack Austria in Pöchlarn produces the clear 0.12-litre jar for these trendy creations.
The trademark feature of STAUD'S of Vienna, an internationally renowned maker of delicatessen products, is its octagonal jar with a black lid. Vetropack Austria produces flint glass jars containing 37 to 580 ml of STAUD'S exclusive specialities. There are now more than 220 different kinds of sweet and savoury delicacies available in Vetropack glass jars. In its latest creations, STAUD'S enhances fruit and coffee with Grand Cru chocolate coatings made by Felchlin, a traditional maker of Swiss Grand Cru chocolate. The distinctive 0.12-litre jar made at the Austrian Vetropack plant in Pöchlarn offers a very special tactile experience even as you pick it off the shelf. The black lid and equally dark-coloured label round off the elegant appearance.
The new sweet temptations come in four different varieties: raspberry, sour cherry, banana and coffee. Whether you spread them on bread or use them as the finishing touch on a dessert, the top-quality ingredients make for an exquisitely chocolatey treat.


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The beauty of walking with strangers
Many people have looked at me askance when I say that I'm heading off for a weekend of walking with a bunch of women I've never met, saying things like: 'Isn't it weird?' or 'What if you don't like them?'
I probably thought the same until I did it. And then I realised what a joy walking with women who are complete strangers can be. Here's why:
You hear their stories
In a world where we all talk to much and listen too little, when you go out walking you have plenty of time for both. Some people will immediately open up and tell you their life story. Others will gradually reveal tiny snippets of who they are. But eventually you get to the heart of what makes them unique. And EVERYONE has a fascinating story. Hearing those stories broadens your horizons, makes you recognise and appreciate people's differences, puts your own story in context and boosts your empathy.
You get to tell your story
When last did you tell someone the story of how you came to be where you are today? Often our current friends either know that story or the conversation centres around the day to day, rather than the big things that have shaped your life. By retelling your story to strangers, it reminds you are how far you've come and possibly prompts you to want to try something new to create an exciting next chapter.
You come as you are
In our daily lives, we slip into a persona people have come to expect - whether that's at work, at the school gate, out on the town, or at sports club. Sometimes that persona isn't exactly who we really are, but it feels like you have to keep it in place so as not to upset the group dynamic. But when you walk with strangers, you can simply be you, no persona required. It is exceptionally liberating.
You realise how different but the same we all are
When you don't get to choose your company, you are presented with a random mix of people from completely different backgrounds. But here's the thing: although we are all so different, fundamentally we are also all so very alike. We all go through similar challenges and emotions. Our experiences may be unique but our basic humanity is the same. Not everyone will instantly be your cup of tea, but if you remove judgement and simply see them for who they are, you see how necessary and beautiful those differences are.
You see the immense strength women have
You probably know the challenges your closest friends or family members have been through. But when you hear about the challenges other women have faced, you realise how universally strong women are. Whether it's relationship breakdowns, loss of children or partners, a career challenge, having to rebuild a new sense of purpose, fighting against injustice putting their own mental health at risk, building businesses and being the mainstay of the family unit - women are pretty exceptional and spending time with women you don't know opens your eyes to the private struggles they go through daily.
You discover a new side to yourself
Sometimes it takes a stranger to hold a mirror up to you to recognise the person you have become. They might say things like: You are so strong. What an exceptional thing you've done. That is so fascinating. Those things may seem entirely ordinary to you, but when you hear it from a stranger, you think perhaps I am strong, exceptional and fascinating. Your confidence will be boosted and your self esteem reframed.
You laugh
Because not everything is serious. And they won't have heard your jokes or funny stories before and you won't have heard theirs!
If you would like to find other women to go walking with, join Glamoraks. It is an online community that lets you find other women near you to easily arrange walks and adventures together. They may start out as strangers but they won't stay that way.
This post was prompted by the most recent Glamoraks Walking Weekend that took place 24-25 March 2018 on the South Downs as well as other recent walks I've done with people who were previously strangers to me. Below is a video of the South Downs scenery and a sense of how a group of strangers left as friends.
If you would like to meet other women to go walking, hiking or adventuring with, join the Glamoraks online community.
Coastal Caper - a wintery Glamoraks walking weekend
It was a chilly morning when 14 ladies gathered in the carpark at Sandsend in mid-January. Some had come alone, others with a friend. All were ready to have a good, long stomp to blow away the January blues and to walk off any lingering Christmas calories. After adding layers, checking backpacks and having final cups of tea from the nearby cafe, we set off.
We walked the two miles along the beach towards Whitby, leaping over streams - some broader than others - as the tide rushed out. Walking along beach sand is remarkably tiring and soon layers were being stripped off and cheeks were pink from the cold and exertion.
Setting off from Sandsend
Beach walking to Whitby
In Whitby harbour
Glamoraks take on the 199 Whitby steps
Too early for fish and chips, we ignored the waft of vinegar and made our way through the old fishing town to the famous 199 steps that lead up to the ruins of Whitby Abbey. If we weren't warm before, we certainly were by the top of the stairs. We bid farewell to two of our group who were off to do their own shorter walk, while we headed for the clifftop path.
Layers of ice made the path through a campsite slippery but soon we were on the muddy path, taking in the stunning coastal views. This route is part of the Cleveland Way, a long distance walking path that starts in Helmsley and ends in Filey, with exceptional North Yorkshire scenery for all of it. It's easy to break the walk up into stages and do them anytime you have a free day or weekend.
We chatted and learnt more about each other as we slipped about in the mud. On several occasions we narrowly missed having a muddy landing and in one, case, did!
Muddy coastal track with stunning views
Some slippery hills
which resulted in some soggy bottoms
Our view from our picnic spot
We stopped for a picnic lunch in a field with an impressive view. The day had brightened up and the sun eventually popped out as we continued on our way. I have personally done this stretch several times, the first time kickstarted my love of walking. It also forms part of the Coast to Coast route, either being the first or last day of the multi-day hike depending on which way you are going. My cousin Lynda - who did the Coast to Coast with me - had flown from Sweden to join me for this Glamoraks weekend, so we had a moment of nostalgia as we found the C2C sign.
With the sun starting to dip in the sky, we made our way down the steep hill into Robin Hoods Bay, a fishing village made up of tiny houses stacked higgledy piggledy on top of one another. Half our party headed to the pub in search of a restorative ale or port, the other half found the last open tea shop and tucked into slices of cake, scones and pots of tea.
And breath in that air...
In Robin Hood's Bay after tea and cake
Looking back on Robin Hood's Bay
A foliage arch as we neared Boggle Hole
My cousin and I back having a nostalgic moment on the C2C
Looking towards the snow on the hills at Ravenscar
Walking into dusk
Almost dark...
Suitably revived, we headed off towards Boggle Hole, just 20 minutes away. The sun was setting, creating a beautiful scene with the snow on the moors ahead of us. We got to the hostel just as it got dark. If you've not been to Boggle Hole hostel before, you are missing a trick. It is festooned in bunting and nautical paraphernalia, with plenty of hidden objects for children to find. And it's situated right on the beach. You can hear the waves crashing as you lie in bed.
After finding our shared rooms, we reconvened in the cosy dining room with a roaring log fire. Glasses of wine, a hearty chicken curry followed by apple pudding and we all felt ready for bed. We had, after all, done 11.5 miles of fairly tiring walking across sand and slipping on mud!
Another reason for the early bed time was Sunday's weather forecast of strong winds and snow arriving mid afternoon, which meant we needed an early start. While we all had the right kit to keep warm, none of us fancied trying to drive back home over the North Yorkshire Moors in a blizzard.
We got the chef up bright and early to cook us a hearty breakfast, while taking in the magnificent sunrise. We bid farewell to four of the ladies who wanted a shorter day and a nosey around the quaint shops of Robin Hood's Bay, before getting the bus back to Sandsend. The rest of us retraced our steps along the path the way we'd come as the tide was still too high to do the beach walk. We were treated to even more spectacular views of the sunrise and we all agreed that it was moments like this that made us face the sub-zero temperatures and get outdoors.
After making our way back up the steep hill in Robin Hood's Bay, we opted for the Cinder Track, a route that runs roughly parallel to the coastal path only it's slightly more solid with less slippy mud. However, what it lacked in mud, it made up for in slippy ice. We still managed to make better time and soon rejoined the coastal path again. Thanks to the very low overnight temperatures, all the mud had frozen solid, making it much easier to walk back.
Sunrise at Boggle Hole
On the Cinder Track
Back on the coastal trail this time with frozen mud
And the glorious sunrise from the cliff top
Smiling, happy faces - a side effect of walking
The frozen mud
We managed to get to Whitby in time for lunch. General agreement was to ditch the packed lunch we'd been given in favour of fish and chips from the famous Magpie. What a treat to tuck into warm chips and gravy on an icy cold day (with the added bonus of trying to fend off dive bombing seagulls).
We could see the weather setting in so we headed back up the beach to Sandsend for our final two miles. As we reached the carpark, the snow arrived, flying in sideways on the wind. A quick cup of tea at the Wits End Cafe, and we dashed to our cars. We drove in convoy up and over the moors in a blizzard, with deep snow on the road sides. Had the driving conditions not been quite so scary, it would have been beautiful, like a scene out of a Christmas card.
When in Whitby....
Ready for the final 2 miles
Reet good Yorkshire lunch of chips & gravy
The drive home across the Moors
We all made it home with rosy cheeks and tired legs. A total of 23 miles walks, washed down with cake, fish and chips, wine, curry, good chat and the chance to forget about day to day life. The perfect Glamoraks weekend really!
If you would like to meet other women for fabulous weekends like this, join the Glamoraks community.
Or these:
If you'd like to do this walk, park at the Sandsend carpark (free of charge over winter), postcode YO21 3TD. Walk along the beach to Whitby (or the signposted path if the tide is in). Head over the bridge in Whitby and follow signs for the Abbey ruins. Climb the 199 steps, walk through the car park and turn left onto the coastal path. Follow this through a caravan site and then simply follow it all the way to Robin Hood's Bay. When you enter Robin Hood's Bay, turn left onto the main road heading down towards the sea. Just after Smugglers pub, turn right and follow the coastal path signs again until you reach Boggle Hole. You simply retrace your steps the next day. Or, take the sign post for the Cinder Track just outside Robin Hood's Bay (where the Coastal Path starts again). Turn right off the track when you reach a road that leads to Northcliffe holiday park. Walk through the park and you'll reconnect with the coastal path. Turn left and follow it back to Whitby and then on to Sandsend. roughly 11.5 miles each way.
Glamoraks walking weekend in Malham
The first ever Glamoraks Walking Weekend was held on 24 - 26 November. And it was fab! Fourteen ladies made their way to Malham Youth Hostel. Most people didn't know each other so there was a certain amount of trepidation, but an evening in the cosy Lister Arms pubs with several glasses of warming red wine, and any anxieties were laid to rest. The hooting of the resident owl sent us off to sleep ready to tackle a day of walking.
Once the rest of the group arrived on Saturday morning, we set off. Using the footpath that runs directly alongside the hostel we made our way up to the base of Malham Cove. It's a stunning setting and gave us a taste of the scenery to come. Crossing a stone bridge over a stream we made our way up the steep steps the carve around the edge of the cove. From the top, the views over the Yorkshire Dales were incredible.
After a warming cup of tea, we gingerly made our way across the limestone pavement - famed for having a Harry Potter scene set on it. The slippery stones made it slow going. On the far side we decided to split into two groups - those who wanted a more gentle walk of 4.5 miles to Gordale Scar, Janet's Foss and back to the hostel; and those who wanted a longer walk up to Malham Tarn and Malham Raikes before picking up the path to the Scar and Foss.
While the sun was glorious during our walk up the Ing Scar, at the Tarn it was bitterly cold, so we found a wall to shelter behind to enjoy our picnic lunch. Suitably revived, we headed for Malham Raikes and got stuck in icy bogs en route. After squelching through those for a while, we were pleased to hit a drier path and finally reached Gordale Scar. Just as we were heading for home, the heavens opened and our faces were whipped with sleep and rain. A final stretch in woodland passed Janet's Foss and we made it back to the hostel before the sunset.
Thanks to Janet for the ingenious idea to create hot port, we feasted on cake and hot toddies and soon thawed out. A team dinner of chilli, rice, salad and garlic bread, washed down with wine, and soon we were solving all the problems of the world. It wasn't a late night for anyone!
We had an early wake up call as the fire alarm went off at 4.30am for absolutely no reason whatsoever. After catching a few more hours sleep and a hearty breakfast, the group once again split into two. The smaller group had to get back in time to catch trains to London and elsewhere, so they headed off to Kirkby Malham where they timed their arrival just as the Sunday service ended. They received a warm welcome from the Parishioners.
The larger group decided to tackle Pikedaw Hill. This is a reasonably feisty climb that started in stunning winter sunshine but ended in murky fog at the top, where a layer of snow still lay on the ground. But before the fog set in, we were rewarded with more spectacular views. We crossed the top and headed by to Ing Scar where we picnicked for lunch, before making our way home, a total of about 7.5 miles.
All too soon it was over. But we left with pink cheeks and smiles on our faces. The best thing about walking with other women - even if you don't know them - is that you very quickly get past the superficial layer of conversation and dive straight into the good stuff.
Thank you so much to all the lovely ladies who joined me and for giving me a snapshot into your lives. Let's do it again!
If you want to meet other likeminded women to go walking with, join the Glamoraks community.
Walking routes with a spa on the way
As much as I love sleeping in a tent alone on the side of a hill, there is something to be said for a little bit of pampering while walking too. With National Spa Week taking place this month, I thought it would be a good idea to do a round up of walks that have a spa en route. Whether you want to break your walk up and spend a day at the spa or simply book in for a foot treatment or massage after a long day on the trail, here are some destinations to tempt you:
Carbis Bay Hotel - St Ives, Cornwall, England
Situated on the South West Coastal Path, this luxury spa hotel looks incredible! Whether you're tackling a good stretch of the coastal path or just doing a day walk, this is the perfect stopover. For £60, you can book the private hot tub on the beach for two of you. Add champagne and strawberries for an extra £20. What a perfect way to rest weary feet and bodies after a walk along some of Britain's most stunning coastline.
The Malvern Spa - Malvern, Worcestershire, England
This spa hotel features hydrotherapy pools, a crystal steam room, salt grotto, herb sauna, kelo sauna, ice fountain, drench shower and personal foot spas (hoorah for tired feet!) You can spend your days exploring the gorgeous Malvern Hills, tackling any of the walks listed here.
Appleby Manor, Appleby-in-West Morland, Cumbria, England
This hotel and spa, situated in the Eden Valley, is close to the Lady Anne's Way , but is also perfectly placed for the Dales Highway, The Westmorland Way and The Pennine Way. Alternatively use it as a base for day walks in the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines. The spa offers an Aqua Thermal journey including different heat experiences, hydrotherapy pool with massage loungers, bench, volcano pads and shoulder cannons, just what you need after lugging a heavy pack.
The Devonshire Arms, Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire, England
This is the kind of place you want to head to for a weekend of long lazy breakfasts and short strolls, with a good side dose of spa pampering. But from the hotel you can take in 2 mile, 4.5 mile or 8.25 mile walks over some idyllic Yorkshire Dales scenery or use it as a stopping point if you're doing the Dales Way.
Cameron House, Loch Lomond, Scotland
For anyone doing the West Highland Way in style, this is the place to go. You will walk along the banks of Loch Lomond on the opposite side to the hotel. After an exhausting day scrambling up and down the loch banks you'll make your way to Balmaha on the loch shore to get a ferry over to the hotel. Here luxury awaits. The spa (which is a short distance from the hotel but has a shuttle bus to get you there) is the perfect place to rest your weary legs before continuing on your journey into the highlands.
Killarney Park Hotel, Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland
The Kerry Way is one of the longest signposted walking trails in Ireland and takes in some of its most stunning scenery. At 135 miles its a challenging walk, that starts and finishes in Killarney, which is why this hotel with its spa is the perfect place to recover after your epic trek. Revel in your achievement in the outdoor hot tub or simply relax in the pool, steam room or bubble pool.
The Snowdon Cafe, Llanberis, Wales
A cafe?! Ok so this is not a spa. It is a tiny tea garden/pub in an old Welsh stone cottage on the lower slopes of Snowden on the Llanberis track. I discovered it after walking up Snowden via the Pyg track and then coming back down Llanberis. Our feet were tired and as it is the first sign of life you come to, we felt a little sit down and something to drink was just what we needed. Unbeknownst to us, the place is famed for its almost ridiculous generosity. First a free glass of home made lemonade. Then some free bara brith, spread thickly with butter. But it was when I took my boots off and massaged my feet, that the owner, came rushing out with a foot spa complete with essential oils. So not a luxury spa, and I can't guarantee the foot spa will always be available, but a lovely treat all the same.
My footspa at the Snowdon Cafe!
Are there any other spas that you can recommend that add a bit of pampering on a long walk? Tell me in the comments below. If you're the kind of woman who loves to get outdoors hiking, but is just as partial to a bit of pampering, you're a Glamorak. Join the community here.
Rosedale Railway Circular Walks - North Yorkshire Moors
Distance: Variable - from 5 miles to 12 miles
Terrain: Mostly easy walking on flat, broad paths - but expect steep climbs up and down when you go into and out of the valley
Refreshments: The Lion Inn, Blakey Ridge, Dale Head Farm Tearoom (plus Shepherd Hut if you fancy spending a night somewhere remote), plus plenty of pubs and tea shops in Rosedale Abbey
'Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet'. That is the Shakespearian line that played on repeat in my mind as I walked along the ridge line overlooking Rosedale in the North Yorkshire Moors. There wasn't a rose in sight, just miles of heather, breathtaking in its purple splendour. I was gobsmacked that I'd never been to this part of the moors before, which incidentally isn't named after roses, but possibly after the viking word 'rhos' for moor.
As it turns out, I had actually skirted Rosedale when I did the coast to coast, but didn't realise where I was at the time (I was a little preoccupied with the blisters on my feet having just walked 25 miles in a single day).
But the best finds are often completely unexpected, so let me rewind.
A friend had called to say that she was spending a night in a shepherd's hut somewhere remote. I invited myself along. Armed with just a postcode and a couple of bottles of champagne, I drove from York, to Pickering, then across to Hutton-le-Hole. As I climbed across Spaunton Moor out of Hutton-le-Hole, I was greeted to a breathtaking sight of heather as far as the eye could see. Daft sheep kept wondering across the narrow road, which meant I had to drive slowly giving me ample time to take in the vista. I was listening to Cold Play's A Sky Full of Stars as I drove, and the combination of uplifting music and stunning scenery plastered a smile of my face while simultaneously moving me to tears. It was simply jaw dropping.
Bracing myself for a perilously steep drive down Chimney Bank (there is a carpark there where you can take in the view - post code YO18 8SE), I noticed old stone structures on the side of the hill and wondered what they were. I found out the next day....
I made my way through the ridiculously pretty town of Rosedale Abbey and still the road continued. Eventually I could drive no further as the path petered out. Stopping the car I climbed out and found my friend, wearing fluffy slippers, sitting in the sun outside the shepherd's hut, located at the aptly named Dale Head farm. It was indeed at the head of the Dale and you could travel no further by car.
We enjoyed home baked cake and tea in the pretty tea room and garden. When all the other walkers had disappeared, we were left to enjoy our champagne, a BBQ and a good long chat outside our hut, while we watched the sun set and the stars come out. After a slightly tipsy stroll that evening, we decided that a walk was in order the following day.
Our gorgeous shepherd's hut at Dale Head Farm
Because you're just not Glamoraks without purple fluffy slippers
The full Yorkshire breakfast nearly put paid to that idea, but we huffed our way up the forest line to the old railway track that runs midway along the ridge. It used to cart trains filled with ironstone ore off to Teeside. We turned right and walked to the old calcining kiln remnants where the ore was blasted to remove impurities, making it lighter to ship. Despite being industrial relics, the ruins were beautiful and ghostly. These were like the buildings I'd seen the previous day and I learned that the entire area was dotted with old mines and kilns.
We could - from Dale Head Farm - have climbed up to the same abandoned railway line track and turned left, following a three mile path around the head of the Dale, until reaching the Lion Inn at Blakey, where you can enjoy a meal or pint, before walking another two miles back down into the valley to the farm. For a day trip, that would make a lovely 5 mile walk, very do-able with children.
Old mine buildings and workers houses dot the landscape and frame the heathery views
The old mine kilns
Where the old railway line would have run
However, having waved goodbye to my friend and driving back to Chimney Bank (where I'd seen the old stone kilns and mining buildings the day before), I spotted an inviting path heading north west in the direction of the Lion Inn. Carpe Diem! I ignored the fact that it was Monday and that I should be working, put my boots on and followed the path. This too was an old railway line, the tracks long since gone, but the flat path makes easy walking. Heather lined both sides of the route while sweeping views across the valley below were wonderful.
By my estimation it's roughly 5 miles from the Chimney Bank car park to the famous Lion Inn pub at Blakey Ridge, situated at the highest point in the North Yorkshire Moors. This pub is a haven for walkers, being on the Esk River Valley route, the Coast to Coast and the Samaritan Way. It is also the only place to eat and rest for miles. I decided that I'd walk to the pub, get a cold drink and then walk back again. And then I realised that I'd left my wallet in the car.....But I used the pub to refill my water bottle and luckily had a few snacks in my pack to make an impromptu lunch, which I had sitting on a stone taking in the views.
During my walk, I stopped to chat to a man who had been in the fire service for years and who had now retired. He spends every Monday walking somewhere beautiful - lucky him. He had started his walk at the Lion Inn and was walking to Chimney Bank, down into Rosedale Abbey, through the village, up the other bank and along the track I'd walked that morning, continuing all the way around the top of the dale, before returning to the Lion Inn. I have tried to map that out (see below) and I believe it will be about 11 or 12 miles - but it may be a bit more. There will be one very steep downhill and another steep uphill during the walk if walking anti clockwise.
But it got me thinking that it would make a fine one-day walk. You could stop for lunch in Rosedale Abbey. If you felt the need, you could stop again at Dale Head farm with its tea garden (although you will be adding in another climb for yourself). And then you could return to the pub for a well deserved pint! Alternatively, you could go for a weekend, and start in Rosedale, break the walk by staying at the Lion Inn and then completing it the next day.
There are many different ways to tackle this particular part of North Yorkshire Moors - but whichever way you do it, I can highly recommend you go. August is when you'll see the heather in all its glory. February is when you'll see the wild daffodils (although Farndale - the dale on the other side of Blakey Ridge - is where the best daffodils are on display). In winter, dress for extreme cold and don't attempt driving Chimney Bank in icy conditions. The walking - while on the old railway line - is mostly flat. The views - assuming you have a clear day - are spectacular.
Here's a taste of what it looks like like, although no pictures can do it justice.
Here's a rough map plotting out of the entire circular loop taking in both the east and west sides of Rosedale. But the best bet is to get an OS map (number OL26) and have fun plotting out your own route, depending on how far you want to go!
Highlighted are: Top Left: The Lion Inn at Blakey Top Right: Dale Head Farm with tea garden and shepherd hut Bottom left: Chimney Bank carpark Bottom right: village of Rosedale Abbey
Join Glamoraks, an online community of women who walk. Find women just like you who love some company while exploring walks around the world.
Yorkshire Three Peaks in winter - a weekend of walking
The Yorkshire Three Peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside are notoriously done as a challenge in which you climb all three and walk the 25 mile route in under 12 hours. Perhaps it was this level of exertion that had stopped me from visiting the area. But in need of a final big stomp and taxing hills as pre-Kilimanjaro training, I thought it was time I tackled them ..... over two days. Given the lack of daylight hours in winter, I felt this to be the more sensible option instead of getting lost in the dark.
I'd walked in the Yorkshire Dales as part of the Coast to Coast. My impression was that of rolling green hills, bubbling rivers, lots of stone walls and derelict stone barns. It was pretty and gentle. The Three Peaks bit of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is nothing like that. It's dramatic, stark and vast, with pockets of picture-book prettiness like the Ribblehead viaduct in between. It's a place that absolutely should be on your bucket list to visit.
The challenge route typically starts in Horton-in-Ribblesdale, goes up Pen-y-ghent first (694m), then onto Whernside (736m) and ends with Ingleborough (723m) to wipe you out. It can be done clockwise or anti-clockwise and you can also be started in Horton, Chapel le Dale or Ribblehead, all of which have accommodation.
We decided to base ourselves in Horton, arriving on the Friday night so we could head off bright and early on Saturday. Our plan was to go in reverse, taking in Ingleborough and Whernside, catching the train from Ribblehead back to Horton-in-Ribblesdale in the evening, and then climbing Pen-y-Ghent directly from Horton the next morning, skipping the long trudge between Pen-y-Ghent and Whernside. This would give us time to get back and collect kids from long suffering friends.
But in hindsight, we could have done this a lot better. At just over an hour and a half from York, we could have got there for 9.30 and saved ourselves the cost of accommodation for the first night (and the breakfast disaster the following morning - more below). We could have parked our car in Horton and climbed Ingleborough and Whernside, staying at the Station Inn at Ribblehead overnight. It offers B&B rooms, plus it has bunk barns and camping as options. The staff we met were friendly, the food is hearty and it is right on the Three Peaks route meaning you don't have to divert and add extra miles. On day two, we could have walked to Pen-y-ghent, climbed it and returned to our car. You can also catch a train from Horton as it's on the Settle Carlisle line.
In Horton-in-Ribblesdale there are two pubs - The Golden Lion and the Crown. Choose the Crown. We made the mistake of choosing the Golden Lion. The staff could not have been less friendly. The 'continental breakfast' (which is all you can get if you want an early start) was four plastic tupperware boxes of stale cereal, a jug of milk and some artificial orange juice. No tea, coffee or toast. The second morning we were there, we'd arranged for the Full English for 8.30, the earliest they will serve it. Except they didn't. No-one turned up. So I would avoid it and choose somewhere else to stay. There is a pub in Chapel le Dale - The Old Hill Inn - which gets good reviews. And the Station Inn mentioned above is another option depending on where on the route you want to break.
The walking
Each of the peaks has one side that is steeper than the other. If you're going anti-clockwise starting with Pen-y-Ghent, you hit the steep bit on the way up with a more gentle descent. Whernside has the gentler ascent and a very steep down, while Ingleborough has a very steep ascent and more gentle descent. Obviously these are all reversed if you do them in a clockwise direction. Whichever way you do it, you are going to have at least one very steep ascent and one very steep descent. There are also plenty of flat bits and more gradual inclines and declines in between.
The route is signposted but I would strongly recommend taking an OS map (you will need Ordnance Survey map OL 2) and a compass too. When we walked, we were hit with a blizzard and we could easily have got lost without our map and compass as visibility was non-existent. In fact the trig point on top of Ingleborough was just 4 metres from us when it finally became visible through the snow.
Should the clouds clear, the views from the top are breath taking (as is the climb to get there), and it makes all the huffing and puffing worth it.
There were a few challenging bits. The climb up Pen-y-ghent going up the steep way from Brackenbottom, was particularly tough because the snow the day before had iced over. There is a section where you need to scramble up boulders, which when icy, didn't give a very firm grip. Similarly, the steep descent down Ingleborough (bearing in mind we did it clockwise so we had the steep bit going down) was tough on the knees, while the slog up to Whernside was particularly unrelenting with a climb that never seemed to end.
Pen-y-Ghent was the busiest of the three peaks, Ingleborough the least busy but that may have been due to the weather which hit at the time we climbed.
Ingleborough and Whernside above. Pen-y-ghent below
You will need proper waterproof walking boots for this walk and I'd strongly advise gaiters too. I used walking poles and found they helped both on the ascents and descents, as well as keeping balance in the icy patches. Definitely take layers, including warm stuff, hats, gloves and snood, plus waterproofs. The weather at the top of the peaks can be pretty fierce so it's best to have everything you might need.
Take plenty of water and a thermos of hot tea is very welcome on a cold winter's day. You will need a packed lunch as you are out for a fairly long time with few (any?) places to get a bite. The Station Inn serves food all day, but most other pubs seemed to only open after 5 or 6pm in winter.
Don't forget a camera for the incredible views!
Glamorak tips
I wouldn't recommend walking this on your own in winter. It gets properly fierce up there, so for safety, I'd go with others and at least someone who can read a map. You will need a reasonable level of fitness to get up the hills. For a girly weekend, it would be great, starting in Horton, staying in Ribblehead or Chapel le Dale, and returning to Horton the next day. Don't expect luxury accommodation. The pub rooms will be very basic and the food more filling than gastronomic. But you just need a place to lay your head, a hot shower, a warm meal to refuel and a glass of wine or beer after a big walk. And you'll certainly feel as though you've been away for a lot longer than a weekend.
If you want to meet other women to go on walks like this with, join the Glamoraks global online community.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


German car manufacturer Audi has had a long standing relationship with one of the world's best soccer clubs, Real Madrid, hailing from Spain. To commemorate its relationship with the soccer club, the automaker has unveiled a special R8 LMS Ultra race car. Called the Audi R8 LMS Ultra Real Madrid special edition, the car is swathed in white and blue livery and comes with the team's emblem!
Apart from the colors however, the car pretty much sticks to the original R8 LMS Ultra race car. That apart, the Real Madrid team has been known to favor Audi, with the couch José Mourinho driving an A8 and the team's brightest star, Cristiano Ronaldo, driving home an Audi R8!


Was hindered by racing inside last time over a track that was favoring outside paths.
Has back races that would make her very competitive here if she can get back to them.
Trainer Armando De La Cerda does well with horses adding blinkers.
The Pace Projector is predicting a situation favoring horses on or near the lead, and he should be in front early.
Ran deceptively well two back when he chased a fast pace that collapsed.
His most recent turf experiment confirms that he's in very good form right now.
Has been in excellent recent form since the trainer switch to Michelle Nevin.
Was flattered when last-out winner Stan the Man returned to run a respectable race in the Cigar Mile.
The Pace Projector is predicting a fast pace, and shows him among those that should be closing from farther back in the pack.


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'Shadowhunters': We Say Goodbye To Jocelyn
BooksFeaturesTVTV Special Features
By: Nicole C
SHADOWHUNTERS - "Day of Wrath" - No one is safe when the Shadowhunters come up against a new kind of demon in "Day of Wrath," an all new episode of "Shadowhunters," airing MONDAY, JANUARY 23 (8:00 – 9:00 PM EDT) on Freeform. (Freeform/ Ben Mark Holzberg) MAXIM ROY, ISAIAH MUSTAFA
In this week's episode of Shadowhunters, we say our goodbye to Jocelyn, a devoted mother, loyal friend, and kick-ass nephilim. Played by the talented Maxim Roy, she was made of strong stuff having left the shadow world and gone into hiding as a mundane. While she's made mistakes along the way, Jocelyn was always fiercely protective of those she loved and always fought for what was right.
Jocelyn Fray was born Jocelyn Fairchild and was the only daughter to Adele Nightshade and Granville Fairchild II. She had the fiery red hair that most Fairchild offspring had thank to their ancestor Henry Branwell (also Lydia's ancestor). Jocelyn grew up in Idris and had been childhood friends with Lucian Greymark, whom we know better as Luke Garroway.
On the show, she's had a tumultuous life from her younger days in Idris as a member of the Circle with Valentine, Hodge, Luke, Robert, and Maryse. Eventually she realized that her husband's views on downworld was too extreme and she prevented him from getting the Mortal Cup, going on the run and hiding the cup and her unborn daughter from him. After the Uprising, Valentine had murdered Michael Wayland and his son, and assumed his identity, raising Jace (his son with Jocelyn) to be a Wayland to hide his identity.
In season 1, Jocelyn had been in hiding for a long time and on Clary's 18th birthday she finally resolved to tell her daughter about the shadow world. But life decided to get crazy as two Circle members show up at her Brooklyn home after they followed Clary there from Pandemonium (they recognized her as Jocelyn). She has Dot create a portal that sends Clary to Luke's precinct while she dealt with the rogue Shadowhunters. She ends up taking a potion that puts her into a coma so that Valentine can't extract the location of the Mortal Cup from her. Her sleeping body is taken to a factory in Chernobyl were her husband has been hiding from the Clave.
Upon first meeting him, its obvious that Valentine still cares a great deal for his wife and so he's happy that she's returned. When one of the Circle members calls her a traitor, he sticks a needle into the Shadowhunter's neck, causing the other man to start having seizures and foam in the mouth. Clary and Jace were able to retrieve Jocelyn's body eventually through the crystal necklace that she had given to her daughter.
Clary also went to see the warlock Ragnor Fell, who had created the sleeping potion that put her in the comatose state. However, he was killed by a demon before he could reveal how to create the antidote to it. Their only clue was that the Book of the White was needed, which was in Camille's possession. Clary and Simon had to break the vampire out of the Hotel DuMort and bring her to Magnus' loft. She is only willing to give it up in exchange for her freedom.
They are able to retrieve the book at the cost of losing Jace to Valentine, but not all is lost as Magnus is able to brew the potion and Jocelyn is brought back. Things however haven't been easy for the mother and daughter because old secrets resurface now that the shadow world knows that Valentine is back. Jocelyn finds out that her son Jonathan Christopher is alive and that he is now Jace. Knowing that her husband had experimented on Jace while he was still in her womb, she initially tries to kill him. Infuriated, Clary confronts her mother and Jocelyn is forced to share a memory to show how Jonathan had black demon eyes as a baby and could kill make flowers decay at super speed.
Still, she tries to make some amends by helping Jace get away from Luke and Maia while he was being chased in the hospital. In her final hours, the Clave had ordered Jocelyn to relocate to Idris and she was going to follow because she was tired of running. She asks Clary to come with her but surely she knew that her daughter wasn't ready to leave Jace or Simon behind. Unfortunately that would be their last conversation because a demon infiltrates the Institute and it possesses Alec's body who then brutally kills her.
Clary is unable to accept her mother's death and tries to bring her back through warlock Iris Rouse. As the spell is being cast, she finally realizes that it was wrong to do this and she backs out. Iris however had other plans for her. Clary is able to vanquish the demon that was supposed to impregnate her.
The time finally comes where she must let go of her mom. Clary attends the funeral service at the Institute along with Jace, Alec, Isabelle, Aldertree, and the other Shadowhunters. During the last rites, she is unable to fully utter her mother's name so Jace does it for her, saying, "Jocelyn Fairchild."
Jocelyn's death is a big departure from the books and it's got to have a huge impact not only on Clary and Luke, but on Valentine and Jace as well. She was a very pivotal character in The Mortal Instruments series and it will be interesting to see how storylines will change given that Jocelyn was an important part of some very big plotlines. Shadowhunters though has certainly gone a darker route with Clary now being an orphan since Valentine isn't exactly the doting father she can count on. It's also going to be fascinating to see how her passing impacts the men in her life. Luke is obviously consumed with grief at the moment and because of it he has been shifting into werewolf. How will Valentine react since it was his plan to have the demon infiltrate the Institute as a distraction to begin with? One could easily see him blaming the Clave though for driving her away from him and it led to this.
She was a fierce character who deeply loved those she cared about and fought to protect mundanes. You will be sorely missed Jocelyn and I for one will cling to the knowledge that at least in the books, she got her happy ending and married Luke. And who knows, by some crazy magic she'll come back.
Catch Shadowhunters Mondays at 8 PM on Freeform.
For more on Shadowhunters click HERE.
Nicole Chttps://theworkprint.com
Nicole is the Features Editor for The Workprint. She may or may not be addicted to coffee, audiobooks, and sci-fi.
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The gas industry's activities relate to natural gas, coal seam gas and tight gas. Currently the NSW gas industry is largely focused on exploration and appraisal activities and there is one coal seam gas production activity.
The Division of Resources and Geoscience within the NSW Department of Planning and Environment is responsible for administering petroleum titles under the Petroleum (Onshore) Act 1991.
The Department of Planning and Environment (DP&E) is responsible for assessing development applications for major gas projects, delivering the Strategic Regional Land Use Policy, establishing gas exclusion zones and resourcing the Mining and Petroleum Gateway Panel.
The Department of Primary Industries – Water is responsible for the management of the State's surface water and groundwater resources, and assesses the potential impacts of a gas proposal on water resources, their dependent ecosystems, culturally significant sites and existing water users.
In addition, the NSW Government has established the position of Land and Water Commissioner. The Commissioner provides guidance to landholders, industry and the community about exploration activities on strategic agricultural land throughout the State.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is the lead regulator of gas activities.
The EPA is not a consent authority for gas activities in NSW and does not determine if gas activities will be approved. The EPA, Office of Environment and Heritage and other relevant NSW Government agencies provide expert advice to DP&E and OCSG on gas applications when advice is sought.
The DIGs website provides information on gas applications and submissions administered by the NSW Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development.
The Planning and Environment website provides information on major gas development proposals administered by the Department of Planning and Environment.


text:
Snap election chat riles Independent Cabinet ministers
Anxious: Minister Finian McGrath wants a date. Photo: Arthur Carron
Hugh O'Connell
Independent Cabinet ministers have piled pressure on the Taoiseach to set a date for the general election, as one labelled Fine Gael ministers and others "grossly irresponsible" for stoking election speculation.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/snap-election-chat-riles-independent-cabinet-ministers-38791459.html
https://www.independent.ie/incoming/c87df/38791132.ece/AUTOCROP/h342/14%20NEWS-9191018-Minister-Fi.jpg
Independent Alliance Minister Finian McGrath said Leo Varadkar needs to sit down with Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and set a date in April or May of next year.
Another Independent in Cabinet, Katherine Zappone, called for certainty on the date of the next general election.
It comes as the Irish Independent has established that Opposition parties are reluctant to try to force a Dáil vote to collapse the Government in late January.
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Solidarity and Sinn Féin, who each have private members' time in the Dáil next month, both said that as it stands they would not table motions of no confidence in the Government or ministers to try to collapse the Dáil early in the new year.
Meanwhile, Mr McGrath hit out over the uncertainty about the election date.
"I think that it is grossly irresponsible for many of the parties and TDs and ministers to be discussing an election when we have major issues to deal with over the next couple of weeks," he told this newspaper.
"It is incumbent on the two party leaders to set the date before the Christmas break. The best thing to do is set the date this week."
Children's Minister Ms Zappone said in relation to the date of the next election, that "certainty would be better".
She also revealed she would be interested in working with either Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil in the next government.
A Fianna Fáil source said there had "not yet" been a meeting organised between the two leaders for this week.
The Taoiseach's spokesman said Mr Varadkar would meet Mr Martin before or just after Christmas and would not be discussing the matter through the media.
Mr Martin wrote to Mr Varadkar last week calling on him to agree a date for the next election.
But allies of the Taoiseach note that he asked Mr Martin to agree a date as far back as August 2018.
The confidence-and-supply parties agree an election should take place in April or May 2020, but privately admit there could be a snap poll in February caused by a Dáil motion of no confidence.
But Solidarity TD Mick Barry, who has private members' time on January 21, said: "It is not currently our intention to put down a motion of no confidence in January. Our intention at the moment is to put forward a bill or motion on some key issue facing working-class people."
Sinn Féin is also privately ruling out - for now - a bid to force a snap election in the new year. It has private members' time on January 28, but a party source said: "There are no plans. We took the view after our last motion that unless Fianna Fáil is willing to support it, there was no point."
The Dáil breaks tomorrow until January 15.
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Konjac (Konyac) Beauty sponges are the newest Ancient Japanese beauty secret to make its way to Britain. The bamboo charcoal Konjac sponge is made with 100% vegetable fiber, packed with mineral rich carbon which helps to balance PH levels and deep clean the pores, helping to remove blackheads while absorbing excess oils. It is gentle to all skin types.
Rinse in warm water and allow the sponge to soak up water. Gently massage the face to clean the skin, no soap or cleanser is required but can be used if you are removing oil based makeup. After use gently squeeze out the water and hang up to dry. As this sponge is made with natural vegetable fibers you will need to replace every 2-3 months.
I go for regular exfoliating facials so didn't think I would notice much difference using this sponge. How wrong can you be? I used it with my facial wash. I have dry, sensitive skin and it didn't create any redness at all.


text:
Quebec's health network approaching critical lack of beds for COVID-19 patients
January 11, 2021, 12:30 p.m. ·5 min read
The majority of Quebec hospitals are so strapped for COVID-19 beds that soon administrators will start having to make difficult decisions, warned Dr. Lucie Opatrny in a news conference on Monday.
Opatrny, Quebec's top hospital official, said that with elective surgeries already being delayed, things like colonoscopies, kidney transplants and hip replacements might be the next things to fall by the wayside.
"The choice of activities to be dropped, which is made by expert groups, is more and more difficult to do," said Opatrny, the associate deputy health minister who drafted the province's plan for prioritizing hospital activities in situations where they are stretched beyond capacity.
While Quebec's health network isn't at the point of having to choose which patients will get intensive care and which won't, Opatrny said the protocol does exist and what was "considered to be only hypothetical a few months ago" could become a reality if the numbers keep spiking.
Joining Premier François Legault, Public Health Director Dr. Horacio Arruda and Health Minister Christian Dubé, Opatrny added her voice to the government's plea that people, especially those aged 65 and older, respect the rules in order to reduce transmission of the virus.
She said that the situation is "critical pretty much in the entire Greater Montreal network," and that sending patients or staff from one hospital to another is no longer helping, as all facilities are facing the same issues.
Opatrny added that staffing shortages due to health workers being sick or pulled to work in CHSLDs and COVID-19 testing centres have made the capacity issues that much worse.
In discussing the limitations on capacity, Opatrny explained that it's more a matter of personnel than actual space in hospital rooms.
"We don't mean physical beds, we don't mean physical ventilators, we mean staffed beds," she said.
In an effort to help add hands to the frontline, Dubé said that the province is extending its offer to nursing students, inviting them to start working before their studies are complete.
"Each extra nurse who can come and help us right now would be welcome," he said.
The Health Ministry says nearly 8,000 health workers are currently absent because of COVID-19 — either because they are infected or in isolation because of exposure.
That number climbed around five per cent in a week, but is still shy of the more than 11,000 who were out of action in May during the first wave.
Watch: understanding the government's latest rules and restrictions
As of Monday, slightly more than three-quarters of regular hospital beds are full, and 63.7 per cent of intensive care beds are occupied across the province, according to the Health Ministry.
In Montreal, regular bed occupancy climbed to 77 per cent from 73.2 per cent last week. Montreal's intensive care situation is more precarious than that of the province as a whole, with 68.5 per cent of beds in use, up from 66 per cent last week.
Opatrny said that in the Greater Montreal region, "the number of hospitalizations has almost doubled since December."
Recent days have seen patients being moved across regions and between hospitals to relieve pressure and some hospitals are adding restrictions to address their current situations.
Radio-Canada has learned that a lack of intensive care beds for severe cases of COVID-19 has resulted in patients being shuffled across the map: from western Montérégie to Sherbrooke; from Laval to the Laurentians and Lanaudière; and from Longueuil to Saint-Hyacinthe.
(The regional public health authority for western Montérégie, the CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest, noted that transfers can take place for reasons other than capacity issues.)
On Saturday, the Anna-Laberge hospital in Châteauguay and the Suroît hospital in Valleyfield, which are part of the CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest, announced a ban on visits until further notice, with some exceptions, mainly for end-of-life situations. The emergency room occupancy rate of these hospitals is 141 per cent.
Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
The ban is a result of several factors, the CISSS said in an email: the increase in COVID-19 cases within the population, sustained transmission in the community, outbreaks in some hospital units as well as high occupancy rates.
During the news conference on Monday, Legault urged Quebecers aged 65 and over to take extra care, reminding them that this age group accounts for 80 per cent of hospitalizations and 95 per cent of deaths.
He added that the province's new curfew measure are aimed at reaching this population, by cracking down on private gatherings.
"Most of these people, they don't work and they aren't in school. They are at home," said Legault.
Speaking directly to Quebecers, he begged them to buckle down now more than ever.
"We're in the last miles of our marathon, now is not the time to give up," he said.
Health institute warned of coming problems
On Jan. 7, Quebec's provincial health institute, known by its French acronym INESSS, warned of a potential increase in bed occupancy, and said the risk of exceeding dedicated capacity "within the next three weeks" was more than 50 per cent.
INESSS projections are based on data collected up to Jan. 3 and do not consider hospitalizations observed since that date.
In the Greater Montreal region, nearly three-quarters of regular beds and two-thirds of designated intensive care beds are already occupied. Elsewhere in Quebec, nearly 60 per cent of regular beds and 30 per cent of intensive care beds designated for COVID-19 patients are still occupied.
WASHINGTON — In a last-minute slap at President Donald Trump, a federal appeals court struck down one of his administration's most momentous climate rollbacks on Tuesday, saying officials acted illegally in issuing a new rule that eased federal regulation of air pollution from power plants. The Trump administration rule was based on a "mistaken reading of the Clean Air Act," the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled, adding that the Environmental Protection Agency "fundamentally has misconceived the law." The decision is likely to give the incoming Biden administration a freer hand to regulate emissions from power plants, one of the major sources of climate-damaging fossil fuel emissions. EPA spokeswoman Molly Block called the agency's handling of the rule change "well-supported." The court decision "risks injecting more uncertainty at a time when the nation needs regulatory stability," she said. Environmental groups celebrated the ruling by a three-member panel of the Court of Appeals. "Today's decision is the perfect Inauguration Day present for America,'' said Ben Levitan, a lawyer for the Environmental Defence Fund, one of the groups that had challenged the Trump rule in court. The ruling "confirms that the Trump administration's dubious attempt to get rid of common-sense limits on climate pollution from power plants was illegal,'' Levitan said. "Now we can turn to the critically important work of protecting Americans from climate change and creating new clean energy jobs." A coalition of environmental groups, some state governments and others had challenged the Trump administration's so-called Affordable Clean Energy, or ACE, rule for the power sector. The rule, which was made final in 2019, replaced the Clean Power Plan, the Obama administration's signature program to address climate change. The court decision came on the last full day in office for the Trump administration. Under Trump, the EPA rolled back dozens of public health and environmental protections as the administration sought to cut regulation overall, calling much of it unnecessary and a burden to business. Trump, who campaigned in 2016 on a pledge to bring back the struggling coal industry, repealed the Obama administration's plan to reduce emissions from coal-fired plants that power the nation's electric grid. The Clean Power Plan, one of President Barack Obama's legacy efforts to slow climate change, was blocked in court before its 2017 repeal. The Trump administration substituted the Affordable Clean Energy plan, which left most of the decision-making on regulating power plant emissions to states. Opponents said the rule imposed no meaningful limits on carbon pollution and would have increased pollution at nearly 20% of the nation's coal-fired power plants. Market forces have continued the U.S. coal industry's yearslong decline, however, despite those and other moves by Trump on the industry's behalf. Andrea McGimsey, senior director for Environment America's "global warming solutions" campaign, said Trump's "Dirty Power Plan" was "clearly a disastrous and misconceived regulation from the start. As the Trump administration leaves office, we hope this ruling will be reflective of a much brighter future'' for renewable energy such as solar and wind power. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate energy panel, denounced "activist judges" on the appeals court who "seem intent on clearing the decks for the incoming Biden administration to issue punishing new climate regulations'' that he said will shut down power plants and raise energy costs. But Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., chairwoman of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, called the ruling a timely rejection of Trump's effort to roll back the Obama-era Clean Power Plan. "It looks like we're kicking off a new era of clean energy progress a day early," Castor said. "It's almost poetic to see our courts vacate this short-sighted and harmful policy on Trump's last full day in office.'' —- Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City. Matthew Daly And Ellen Knickmeyer, The Associated Press


text:
Glendale Insurance announces merger with Strong Tower Insurance Group
By Strong Tower Insurance GroupDecember 2, 2022Independent Insurance, Insurance Brokerage, Merger
GILBERT, AZ DECEMBER 1, 2022 // Glendale Insurance LLC "Glendale Insurance" of Glendale, AZ has completed a transaction to merge operations with Strong Tower Insurance Group, Inc ( Strong Tower ) of Gilbert, AZ. The partnership allows for two very strong and experienced insurance brokerage providers in the Greater Phoenix Area to join forces to make both organizations even stronger.
Following in his father's footsteps, Marty Uhlhorn started in the insurance industry in 1993 and founded Strong Tower in 2013. Strong Tower is recognized as a "Best Practices" agency by Reagan Consulting on a national scale.
Glendale Insurance was founded in 1980 and has served Arizona under Jeff Dickerson's leadership since 1996. Headquarters for the combined company will be in Gilbert, AZ, with the existing Glendale Insurance team remain at their current location under the direction of Whitney Hoelzen. Glendale Insurance will operate under the name of Strong Tower.
Marty – "We are excited to join forces with a family and team that has a history of success similar to ours and are very grateful to continue to honor our father's legacy of starting in the insurance industry over 40 years ago."
Both companies being foundation of being family owned and locally operated have built their reputations by serving their communities with personalized insurance products and commitment to service excellence. Building on Glendale's growing presence in the Greater Phoenix West Valley, the merger offers a further expanding spectrum of insurance products available including proprietary offerings from Strong Tower and Intelligent Risk 365 along with specialized talent from over 65 highly rated carriers to better serve existing and new clients.
Whitney – "I am grateful for the merging of talent between our two agencies. It will create and foster an even stronger foundation of teamwork toward the future growth and success while broadening the business solutions and protection of our valued clients."
For questions, please contact Martin Uhlhorn, marty@strongtowerig.com


Breathtaking views and a perfect location for a home overlooking the tranquil Frederick and Carroll farm country! That is exactly what the current owners thought when they purchased their dream home 35 years ago! It's like dining with nature! Nature enthusiasts will love the peaceful setting and bird watching while dining in the screened in porch! Enjoy breakfast with a view of farm valley on the front balcony! You don't want to miss this one! Take in all that Thurmont offers including its many orchards, parks, playgrounds, waterfalls and even our very own Zoo!


text:
alter table course_demand modify critical number(10) default 0;
alter table course_demand modify critical_override number(10);
alter table advisor_crsreq modify critical number(10);

/*
 * Update database version
 */

update application_config set value='229' where name='tmtbl.db.version';

commit;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


At Woolcott Surveys, we've worked on successful projects of all sizes over the years, and our highly trained team is perfectly equipped to tackle all facets of surveying work. From asset mapping for government agencies, wind turbine construction set-out to completing forestry coupe boundary surveys, we have experience in all aspects of land surveying, town planning and Aerial Mapping.
Mapping of all Cradle Coast Water assets including valves, reservoirs, pipelines etc.
Consultation and support for Ben Lomond Water and Southern Water on water meter mapping projects.
Aboriginal Standing Camp detail survey and aerial mapping for the Aboriginal Land Council and the Parks and Wildlife Service.
ABOUT OUR PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYING SERVICES IN TASMANIA, OR FOR A FREE QUOTE!


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Q: Quarkus: dockerfile.jvm vs dockerfile.native can you explain to me what is the difference between a Dockerfile.jvm and Dockerfile.native image ?
I know that each one has its purpose based image, but I have not understood the utility of each and in what context I use them ?
Thank you :)

A: The name is self explicit: you can build a Quarkus application either as a standard Java application or as a native executable using GraalVM (and -Dnative).
If you do the former, then use Dockerfile.jvm, if you do the latter, use Dockerfile.native.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Families sue California governor over mandated distance learning
By Maureen Naylor and Lisa Fernandez
The press conference was held on Thursday, August 13, 2020.
SAN FRANCISCO - A conservative attorney in San Francisco and several parents sued the state of California on Tuesday arguing that the prohibition of in-person classes deprives children of equal access to a meaningful education.
The complaint contends that Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan for the coming school year was based on his political interest rather than educational priorities.
"In Defendants' rush to enact these new restrictions, they have placed politics ahead of the wellbeing of children, and children's important — indeed, fundamental — interest in receiving equal access to meaningful education," the 35-page suit states. "Defendants' arbitrary restrictions on in-person schooling effectively deprive Plaintiffs' children, and millions of other children across California, of the opportunity for meaningful education and the attendant hope for a brighter future."
Last week, Newsom mandated that any county on the state's coronavirus watchlist will not be able to return to school in person and must provide distance learning. A county must be off the watchlist for 14 days before they can return to real-live class, he ordered.
Harmeet Dhillon, the Center for American Liberty attorney who is also co-chair of "Women for Trump," is representing 10 plaintiffs from Central and Southern California. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Central District of California.
Families sue Newsom over mandated distance learning
Maureen Naylor reports.
Her suit asks for injunctive relief and is aimed at Newsom, state Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond, Attorney General Xavier Becerra and State Public Health Officer Sonja Angell.
A spokesman for the governor's office, Jesse Melgar, issued the following statement in response to the suit: "As the Governor has explained, science drives the state's decisions in this pandemic. We will defend this challenge to the Governor's exercise of emergency authority in this crisis as we have all others, and we note that every federal court to rule on such a challenge to date has ruled that the exercise of authority is lawful."
Newsom has repeatedly argued that schools will return in person when the data and science shows it is safe. His team is convinced that it is not yet safe to return to school, as the state is seeing a marked rise in coronavirus cases and a steady climb in deaths and positive cases.
But Dhillon and the families and students she represents don't see it that way.
Not only does she point to the U.S. Department of Education's urging of schools to stay open, Dhillon also lays out some personal anecdotes experienced by some of the families.
Matthew Brach, who is also a board member of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District and the father of two teens, said his 16-year-old needs "personal interaction" with teachers and his 13-year-old daughter is "suffering emotionally from being isolated from her learning community."
Jess Petrilla, who lives in Mission Viejo noticed that her son, who was in kindergarten last year, suffered a significant decline in school engagement and needed to be disciplined much more because of his restlessness.
Petrilla's wife was forced to take time off of work in order to oversee her son's education, the suit alleged, and the family is concerned about the negative effects that this prolonged absence from the social aspects of structured education will have on the future development of their son.
There are other parents and families, however, who are petrified about returning to school in person.
On Monday, parents in the Pleasanton Unified School District, who are not part of the lawsuit, held a demonstration to protest the fact that the superintendent is supposedly not providing full distance-learning option as an alternative.
KTVU's Maureen Naylor contributed to this report. Lisa Fernandez is a reporter for KTVU. Email Lisa at lisa.fernandez@foxtv.com or call her at (510) 874-0139. Or follow her on Twitter @ljfernandez.
Apple drops Parler from App Store over posted threats from users
California is desperate, but volunteer health corps dwindles
Squelched by Twitter, Trump seeks new online megaphone
San Mateo County deputies investigating robbery near Sawyer Camp Trail
Body parts, debris found after Indonesia plane crash


One of our major aims as Earth systems scientists is to predict how the Earth will behave in the future, particularly in the face of changes imposed upon it as a result of human activities. These predictions are made using models and concepts that are in part derived from observation of how the system has behaved in the past. However, these observations, which come from paleo-records, are also one important tool for validating the models. The imminent appearance of a new ice core data set presents a unique opportunity for a test of our understanding, particularly of the climate/carbon system. Members of the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) and others here present a challenge to the modeling communities and other interested parties. The Vostok ice core record has become an iconic data set. It presents the climate of the last 420 kyr, showing the rise and fall of Antarctic temperature through four complete glacial/interglacial cycles. The most striking finding is that CO2 and CH4, the two most significant greenhouse gases (after water vapor), also rise and fall, in a remarkably similar fashion. When Antarctic temperature is calculated including a correction for the climate of the water vapor source region, the correlation between CO2 and Antarctic temperature over the last 150 kyr has an r2 of 0.89!


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Q: Flex: getting the previous value of a combobox when it changes I need to know the value from which a combo box is changing, when it changes. I've been all through the documentation for the events, and none of them let you know what the value is before user interaction changes it. (currentStateChanging is a total red herring!) Handling the open event and saving the value isn't a solution, because there are other ways to change the value.
I'm using the Flex 3.5 SDK.

A: Something like this?
var currentVal : Object;

private function onChange(newVal) : void {
    // currentVal stores your previous value - do something with it
    currentVal = newVal;
}

<mx:ComboBox change="onChange(event.target.selectedItem)"/>

I just used the "changing" event on a Spark ComboBox to solve this very problem but it's not available on the mx version
Also - see this

A: I've come up w/a solution, but it's not perfectly reliable (since it makes assumptions about how it will work in other SDKs) and its elegance is wanting:
<mx:ComboBox    xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" valueCommit="OnChangeAnyway()" change="OnChange()">
<mx:Metadata>
    [Event(name='traceable_change', type="assets.LineComboChangeEvent")]
</mx:Metadata>

<mx:Script><![CDATA[
    public static const CHANGE:String = 'traceable_change';

    private var m_oOld:Object;
    private var m_oNew:Object;
    private var m_bCallLaterPending:Boolean = false;  //This is necessary, because I found OnChangeAnyway() could be called any number of times before OnChange() is

    private function OnChange():void {
        var oNewEvent:LineComboChangeEvent = new LineComboChangeEvent(CHANGE, m_oOld);   //there's nothing special in this class
        dispatchEvent(oNewEvent);
    }

    private function OnChangeAnyway():void {
        if (!m_bCallLaterPending) {
            m_bCallLaterPending = true;
            callLater(function ():void { m_bCallLaterPending = false;}, []);   //presumably, whatever is passed to callLater() will be executed after everything else currently queued
            m_oOld = m_oNew;
            m_oNew = value;
        }
    }
]]></mx:Script>

m_oNew is obviously redundant because that value will be available to whatever handles traceable_change, but it does explain why I have to barrel-shift these objects.
There are a couple of reasons why I don't consider this reliable:

*

*It assumes that the valueCommit handler will be called ahead of the change one. On my system, it always seems to, but I don't see that promise anywhere.

*It assumes that whatever callLater() calls will be called after change is. See concerns for 1.

A: I've come to the conclusion that there isn't an answer :( The best workaround is to override all possible ways there are to set the value of a combo box, plus handle any events that involve the user changing the value, back up that value and then you have a trail of previous values. Then, put a lot of comments saying

this is a 3.5-necessary kluge! If doing this on another SDK you might have to change it!

=======