London, United Kingdom, August 26, 2015 --(PR.com
)-- “The gentle reader will never, never know what a consummate ass he can become, until he goes abroad.” – Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad 1869
Secret Compass today launches the first ever horseback expedition to Israel to retrace Mark Twain’s 1867 route across the Holy Land as described in his 1869 book ‘The Innocents Abroad’.
“In April 2016, a team of 12 will set off on this two-week horseback adventure, visiting key sites of literary and historical significance within Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” said Kerry O’Neill, marketing director with Secret Compass.
“Comparing sketches from Twain’s book it will be fascinating to see first-hand how the Sea of Galilee, Mount Tabor and the approach to Jerusalem have changed since the 1860s, both visually and culturally. Meeting the different communities in the region will be fascinating for the team.”
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” – Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad 1869
Highlights of The Innocents Abroad expedition
- Be part of a unique literary adventure (eight days on horseback
- Explore Galilee, the Dead Sea, the Judaean desert, Jericho, Jerusalem and more
- Visit Israeli, Jewish settler, Druze, Muslim and Bedouin communities
- Wild camp and visit kibbutzes (communal farms) and moshavs (smallholders’ co-ops)
- Witness first-hand the changes in the region since the 1860s
- Facts: 2 – 26 April 2016, 14 nights, £2,999 all inclusive except international flights
“For this expedition we partner with experienced Israeli horseman, Yair Sharet, for whom bringing Twain’s Holy Land experiences to a new audience is a long-held ambition,” said Tom Bodkin, founder of Secret Compass.
“Mixing literature and an adventurous horseback expedition with a real insight into modern-day Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories makes for a very appealing, multi-faceted adventure,” concluded Bodkin.
With its military background, expedition company Secret Compass is renowned for offering expeditions and adventure travel to countries eschewed by most operators due to their remoteness, post-conflict reputations or inaccessibility.
In 2015 – 2016 Secret Compass expedition and adventure travel destinations include Afghanistan, Armenia, Burma, Ethiopia, Iran, Kurdistan, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Panama, Siberia and Sinai. Activities range from mixed-terrain trekking to minimalist desert traverses and mountain-biking and horseback expeditions.
Notes To Editors:
Secret Compass Expeditions
Secret Compass is a pioneering expedition company creating world-first experiences for teams of like-minded adventurers. Through group and bespoke adventures, Secret Compass helps each team member achieve the extraordinary in the world’s wildest places. Founded by ex-British Army Parachute Regiment officers, its expeditions reach the planet’s most remote regions in the spirit of exploration’s earliest pioneers. Visit secretcompass.com or call 0207 096 8428.
Secret Compass TV and Film
Secret Compass provides expert pre-production and in-country location management services to the TV and film industries. Clients to date include the BBC, National Geographic, Animal Planet and Channel 4, in countries from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan, South Sudan to Siberia. Visit secretcompasstv.com


[wdmmg-discuss] CRA 2010 ready for loading into data store
lisa.evans at okfn.org
Thu Aug 5 10:27:24 BST 2010
I've added the Country Regional Analysis(CRA) for 2010 to CKAN
Unlike the previous CRA database dumps, the 2010 one comes in 2 parts
called table 10 and table 9.
I'm copying in the mailing list as it has taken me some time to establish
the definitive 2010 CRA data and I've also improved the description of
this data on CKAN.
More information about the openspending-discuss


Lancashire Council pledge 'up to £1.5m' for Lune bridge repairs
Lancashire County Council has pledged "up to £1.5m to fully restore" a listed bridge across the River Lune.
The pedestrian East Bridge, which links Caton with the River Lune Millennium Park near Lancaster, was closed in March 2011 after safety concerns.
It reopened with a temporary deck covering the original timber walkway, but work will now begin on a full restoration in the spring.
Council leader Geoff Driver said restoring the bridge was "vital".
The Grade II listed bridge is one of three that cross the river at the Crook O'Lune and formerly supported a railway line.
The restoration will see its timber deck replaced, ironwork repainted and masonry repointed.
Mr Driver said it was "vital that we continue to protect this listed structure and carry out the repairs needed to make sure it lasts for future generations".
"The Crook O' Lune is a beautiful and historic part of Lancashire and the bridge is an important part of the site, which attracts around 250,000 visitors a year," he said.
"Even in these difficult financial times, it is vital to preserve our heritage and I am delighted that we are able to invest what we estimate may cost up to £1.5m to fully restore this bridge."
A temporary walkway will be added to the nearby Caton Lune Bridge to allow pedestrians to cross alongside traffic while the work on the East Bridge takes place.


A visit to one of Earth's great canyons
People wait years for permits to raft the Grand Canyon. Michelle Ridgway just visited a much larger canyon in Alaska, one that most people will never hear about.
Zhemchug Canyon, 20 percent longer and deeper than Grand Canyon, is a T-shaped cut in the sea floor beneath the gray waters of the Bering Sea. On a recent Greenpeace-sponsored expedition, Ridgway, a marine ecologist and consultant from Juneau, descended into the canyon alone in a tiny submarine.
“I’d been through the Grand Canyon the year before and was expecting a real similar experience,” Ridgway said. “But I was humbled. (Zhemchug Canyon is) enormous.”
The ancient Yukon River may have contributed to the vastness of Zhemchug Canyon, according to a theory first presented by David Scholl and the late David Hopkins. During the last Ice Age, when more of the world’s oceans were locked up in glacier ice, the Yukon flowed a few hundred miles farther southwest, carving at its mouth the vast gorge that is now Zhemchug Canyon, which lies about 170 miles northwest of St. Paul Island.
Named after a Soviet research ship and a word meaning “pearl,” Zhemchug Canyon cuts into the ocean floor at the western edge of the Continental Shelf, “one of the flattest and smoothest places on the planet,” Dan O’Neill wrote in his book, The Last Giant of Beringia. “Its slope, at no more than three or four inches per mile, is almost unmeasurable.”
From that undersea plain, Zhemchug Canyon plunges more than 8,500 feet into the Aleutian Basin. Michelle Ridgway piloted an eight-foot long submarine into that abyss.
As she descended and daylight began to fade, Ridgway noticed Dall’s porpoises darting by her tiny craft, which featured a titanium body and pressure-resistant acrylic dome. When she reached 300 feet, the porpoises shot down to her for a final glance before they headed back to the surface, and then she was the only mammal she knew of. She kept dropping until she reached a bench at 1,757 feet. There, she entered a world of tangerine-colored life forms, including fish, corals, crabs and sponges illuminated by the submarine’s blazing halide beams.
“They ranged from pale gold to a brick red,” she said of the creatures in the dark world of the canyon. “It was very widespread.”
That peculiar color scheme intrigues Ridgway, as does the variety of life in Zhemchug Canyon.
“We didn’t expect such a diversity of sponges and corals,” she said. “And a huge surprise to me is what might be a correction to what we assumed about zooplankton distribution in the water column. The entire water column was teeming with a very dense aggregation of zooplankton.”
A common theory is that the tiny creatures that make up the plankton kingdom hang out nearer to the surface, and the bottom-feeding fish, sponges, and other life forms survive on the leavings of organisms higher up. That might not be true, at least in Zhemchug Canyon.
“It’s rich and living at every depth we examined,” Ridgway said.
Having descended only one-fifth of the canyon’s 8,500 feet, Ridgway wants to probe deeper into the great gorge beneath the Bering Sea.
“Next year, I hope to get in a submarine rated to 1,300 meters (about 4,200 feet),” she said. “And we hope to have an ROV (remotely operated vehicle) that can go to the bottom next time.”
An adventurous soul, Ridgway also hopes she can someday launch an expedition in a submarine equipped to get to the bottom of one of the deepest canyons on the planet. Who knows what unique forms of life await her visit?“I’d love to go,” she said.


CENTRAL PARK HAS 7 WATERFALLS.
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Located near the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan, the Medeu Skating Rink offers visitors the unique opportunity to experience Olympic-level skating in a breathtakingly beautiful setting. Situated at an elevation of 1,691 meters above sea level in the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains, this world-renowned skating rink is a must-visit destination for both professional athletes and casual skaters alike.
Originally built in the late 1940s, the Medeu Skating Rink has since undergone several renovations and upgrades to become one of the most impressive outdoor ice rinks in the world. With its smooth, well-maintained ice surface and stunning mountain backdrop, the rink offers an unparalleled skating experience that is sure to leave visitors in awe.
One of the highlights of visiting the Medeu Skating Rink is the chance to skate on the same ice that has hosted numerous international competitions, including the Winter Universiade and the Asian Winter Games. Athletes from around the world come to train and compete at this prestigious venue, making it a truly unique and exciting place to skate.
In addition to its world-class facilities, the Medeu Skating Rink also offers a range of amenities for visitors to enjoy. The rink’s on-site cafe serves up delicious snacks and hot drinks to warm up after a day of skating, while the nearby shops offer a selection of souvenirs and skating gear for purchase.
For those looking to improve their skills on the ice, the Medeu Skating Rink also offers skating lessons for all ages and abilities. Experienced instructors are on hand to provide personalized instruction and guidance, helping visitors to hone their skills and reach their full potential on the ice.
Whether you’re a seasoned skater looking for a new challenge or a beginner wanting to try your hand at Olympic-level skating, the Medeu Skating Rink is the perfect destination. With its stunning mountain views, top-notch facilities, and world-class coaching, this renowned skating rink offers an unforgettable experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Almaty, be sure to include a visit to the Medeu Skating Rink on your itinerary. Whether you’re a skating enthusiast or just looking for a fun and unique winter activity, this iconic rink is a must-see destination that will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.


Just from the name, this particular destination where we choose to take you to is Uganda’s largest national park with a splendid waterfall which forces its way 45 meter into a gorge through a 7 meter canyon. It is well endowed with a variety of flora and fauna species there are a variety of activities you can indulge in for instance; a game drive, bird watching and sightseeing across the open savannah dotted woodland and riverine vegetation along the Nile and Albert delta. Here expect to meet elephants, giraffes, buffalos, lions, leopards, waterbuck and a countless population birds, and for a three hour boat trip along the Nile gives you assured chance to see the falls from the bottom angle. Hippos, crocodiles, antelopes, and aquatic birds can be seen along the shores of the River. You can proceed southwards towards to Budongo forest where you will be thrilled with the primates and butterflies in this dense forest.
Day 1: Kampala -Murchison Falls
Today set off heading north-west of Kampala through the famous Luwero Triangle and Masindi Town. A visit to Kaniyo Pabidi for chimpanzee trekking and having packed lunch. Continue to the spectacular site at the top of the fall where you can see the Nile’s beauty perfected, compressing from up to 1 km squeeze through a 7 meter canyon dropping 45 meters with a thunderous roar creating a beautiful rainbow, a plume of spray and the best thing that happened to the Nile. Enjoy the sunset as you return to the lodge or campsite. Enjoy the superb comfort that you will earn from the lodge.
Day 2: Murchison Falls
Begin your day with a cup of African coffee ready for a game drive, bird watching and sightseeing across the open savannah dotted woodland and riverine vegetation along the Nile and Albert delta. Here expect to meet herds of elephants, Rothschild giraffes, cape buffalos, lions, leopards (if you are lucky), waterbuck and a countless population birds, return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch. After lunch, a three hour boat trip along the Nile gives you assured chance to see the falls from the bottom angle. Hippos, crocodiles, antelopes, and aquatic birds can be seen along the shores of the River and a glance of the colorful setting sun against the sparkly water. Dinner and overnight at the preferred lodge or campsite. (Luxury, mid-range or Budget facility). Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 3: Murchison Falls- Entebbe out
Wake up at 6:00am prepared to take a photograph of the African rising sun in the morning and enjoy African breakfast. Before you drive back you can have an option of half day fishing or a half day cruise to the Nile delta. Thereafter drive back to Kampala via Masindi to Entebbe Airport for your flight to your next destination or back home. Meal plan B/L
The safari package includes
- Airport transfers
- Transportation (depending on the means chosen).
- Full board accommodation as per the itinerary
- Three hour boat trip along River Nile.
- Park fees
- Game drive
- Ferry crossing
- Driver/guide subsistence allowance.
- Enroute lunches
- Ranger guide fees
- Boat ride to the delta or half day fishing
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like: drinks, laundry, tips, telephone, cigars, etc.


Arizona Unit Hunting Map with all the game management unit numbers.
Vendor: HuntData LLC
Primary Category: Tourist
Secondary Categorization: Special Interest
Size: 45.5 MB
Maps purchased here can only be viewed in the Avenza Maps app on iOS and Android.
Get the app. Get the map. ®


Welcome to the official website of the Dorset Geologists’ Association Group (DGAG).
Upcoming events of general geological interest in Dorset, and the surrounding region, are listed below.
Get involved! For geoconservation work parties, see the Dorset’s Important Geological Sites (DIGS) events list.
- This event has passed.
DIGS AGM and general meeting
24th September 2019 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
7:00 pm Tuesday 24 September (moved from 10 September)


Introduction to Sylacauga, Alabama
The Creek Indians were the first settlers in Coosa River Valley. The name of the city, Sylacauga, first appeared in Hernando DeSoto's records in 1540. One theory is that the name comes from the combination of two Indian words, Chalaka - ge, which means the place of the Chalaka Tribe. This city is also referred to as "The Marble City" because it is built on a solid deposit of the whitest and hardest marble in the world. The city was first incorporated in the year 1838 as Syllacoga, and then again in 1887 as Sylacauga.
Sylacauga and nearby Attractions
- Marble City Plaza Shopping Center
- Sylacauga Church of Christ
- Comer Museum & Arts Center
- Emauhee Creek
- Sylacauga City Hall
Things To Do In Sylacauga
The Sylacauga City Hall is a renowned destination of the city. One can shop at Marble City Plaza Shopping Center and Sylacauga Shopping Center. The Comer Museum & Arts Center is another big tourist attraction in Sylacauga. There are several churches you can visit including the Sylavon Baptist Church, Saint Andrews Episcopal Church, and the Sylacauga Church of Christ. One can also enjoy an evening by the Emauhee Creek.
Talladega Municipal Airport is the closest airport to the city of Sylacauga.
Sylacauga Higher Education
The higher education institutes that residents of Sylacauga can attend include Samford University, Jefferson State Community College, University of Montevallo, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.


Paunescu C, Paunescu V
The cadastre in Romania has a long history, but since 2010, the Government has decided that it is time to carry out this type of work through a financing program, so that citizens can benefit free of charge from the tabulation of the immobile. Unfortunately, over time, there has been a lot of land allotment and nationalization, so it is difficult to determine the real owners of the land. In particular, the cooperation, which began in 1952 and ended in 1962, forced the peasants to cede land for the establishment of Agricultural Production Cooperatives (APCs). Since 1991, Law 18/1991 on the restitution of lands taken over by APC has been applied. This process did not end even today, so the cadastre program is facing great difficulties.
Published Date: 2020-12-22; Received Date: 2020-12-01


2004 - 2005 Texas Influenza Surveillance Information
The weekly flu activity level for CDC week 11 ending 3/19/05 remains regional.
Reports were received for all eleven regions.
Flu activity has continued to decline again this week.
The region representing South Central Texas (HSR 8) reported increased activity over last week, although this may be due to the return of students from Spring Break and a lull in reporting last week. The two regions representing East Texas (HSRs 4, 5N) reported about the same (high) level of flu activity as last week. The regions representing the panhandle (HSR 1) and the Houston/Galveston area (HSR 5S/6) reported about the same (decreased) level of flu activity as last week. The six regions representing Northeast Texas (HSRs 2/3), Central Texas (HSR 7), West Texas (HSRs 9/10), and South Texas (HSR 11) reported decreasing flu activity.
(A map of Health Service Regions)
Data from the Sentinel Provider Surveillance Network (SPSN) indicates yet another week of declining ILI activity, although levels are still somewhat high at more than twice the baseline level. This is the fourth week of ILI decreases.
School absentee levels due to ILI are down markedly, with another week of no reports of school closures.
Culture confirmed flu has been identified in all regions of the state, with declining specimen levels at the DSHS lab this week.
Counties with culture confirmed flu include Dallas, Tarrant, Harris, Bexar, Bell, Travis, Webb, Kerr, Potter, Wichita, and Williamson.
The majority of culture confirmed flu remains A.
For more information on this new strain of flu, please see the following link: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/.


Year of inscription on the World Heritage List 1979
Year(s) of inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger N/A
Previous Committee Decisions see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/80/documents/
Requests approved: 0
Total amount approved: USD 0
For details, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/80/assistance/
UNESCO Extra-budgetary Funds
Previous monitoring missions
Factors affecting the property identified in previous reports
Illustrative material see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/80/
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1990
The Bureau's concerns were brought to the attention of the French authorities by letter dated 25 July 1990. Also, the Secretary for the natural part of the Convention, at the invitation of the French authorities, participated in the first meeting of the Conseil de la Baie (Bay Council), which brought together all the partners concerned by the protection and development of the site. The meeting took note of the Bureau's recommendations concerning the siltation of the Bay and the re-definion of the limits of the inscribed area, in order to avoid projects such as the construction of pig farms and large-scale amusement parks.
The French authorities have not yet officially replied to the Secretariat's letter but have indicated that an oral report on all of these problems will be presented to the Committee at Banff.
Analysis and Conclusions of the World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS and ICCROM
Decision Adopted: 14 BUR IV.A.19-21
19. The IUCN Regional Councilor for Europe informed the Bureau that the series of measures to prevent the increasing siltation of the Bay, as announced by President Mitterrand in 1983, had not yet been taken. The salt marshes were currently encroaching upon the Bay at a rate of 30 ha per year which, according to previous studies, could mean that Mont Saint Michel would no longer be an island by the end of 1991, thereby degrading the natural setting of the cultural monuments of Mont Saint Michel. In addition, the authorities responsible for the development of the region, namely the two departments and the townships on the coastline, which were not all included in the area included in the List, did not always perceive the natural and cultural values of this site. In consequence, there were increasing threats of activities which were incompatible with the maintenance of its integrity such as the construction of pig farms and large-scale amusement parks.
20. The Bureau accordingly requested the Secretariat to contact the French authorities in order to remind them of their national obligation under the Convention to ensure the protection of the natural and cultural values of the site, which included not only the Mount but also the Bay.
21. In particular, the Bureau expressed the wish that the necessary technical measures to halt siltation be taken to maintain the insularity of the site and furthermore recommended that the boundaries of the inscribed area be re-examined to include the townships along the coastline in order to create a peripheral area where only activities compatible with the world heritage state of the site would be permitted. Finally, the Bureau noted with satisfaction the invitation extended to Unesco, ICOMOS and IUCN by the observer from France to participate in a round-table meeting on 26 June 1990 at which all the partners concerned with the conservation of Mont Saint Michel and its Bay would be present to study the various technical operations required to safeguard the site. The Bureau expressed the wish that this complex matter be also studied by international experts and requested the French authorities to report back to the Committee on the results of that meeting and on all the measures that had been planned to meet its concerns.
Decision Adopted: 14 COM IX
26. As the Bureau requested during its last session, the French representative reported on the siltation problems at Mont St. Michel and its Bay. The Committee noted with satisfaction the planned siltation control works, including the demolition of the dike providing access to Mont St. Michel and its present parking facilities and the replacement of this dike with a bridge that will reestablish water circulation. The Committee wished to encourage the French authorities to implement these projects as soon as possible.


Is California’s Water Supply Resilient and Sustainable?
California’s most recent drought has reinforced the volatility that surrounds its water supply outlook from year to year. It also highlights what sustainability and resiliency mean to a state with a growing population and water needs that stretch from bustling cities in the north and south to the rich agricultural fields of the Central, Imperial and Coachella valleys and Central Coast.
Sustainability and resiliency may seem like abstract, academic-themed notions. But they have existed as long as water development began on a large scale for people and crops. More recently, they’ve become the latest buzzwords in planning documents and even legislation as water purveyors, government officials, planners and others try to develop a vision for the future of water in California.
Sustainability is “a somewhat flexible term,” said Felicia Marcus, chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board). To Marcus, the key to evaluating it in California “is looking at what’s coming at us” in the coming decades in order to become resilient.
“People don’t realize what a precious resource they have,” she said.
Preparing for the future means understanding that the Sierra snowpack that California depends on for so much of its water supply may not be as robust and that adapting to that predicted future of more rain and less snow is crucial.
“Even if you take the current population and the current storage levels/capacity in the state, if you didn’t add a single person, we would be in a world of hurt with that loss of snowpack,” Marcus said. “We would have flooding in the winter and springtime and we would have more water shortages in summer and fall because we won’t have that natural storage that we rely on now to hold that moisture until halfway into the year when it’s most used.”
Today, sustainability and resiliency are associated with a landscape characterized by a breadth of challenges, including climate change.
“It does get talked about a lot and I think while everyone has a general concept of what sustainability means, when it gets down to putting it into practice it’s going to be different for the individuals and entities that have to manage water resources,” said Anthony Saracino, a hydrogeologist and member of the California Water Commission.
Water sustainability means having an accurate water budget – knowing all inputs and outputs to the region being managed – “ideally at a watershed scale,” and “clearly defined objectives and targets” for all components of the system, including groundwater levels, instream flows and ecosystem needs, Saracino said.
Sustainability is vital to California’s agricultural industry, which manages water for farming, wildlife refuges and managed wetlands, the enhancement of salmon habitat, recreation and cities and rural communities.
“These are all important to sustainability in the Sacramento Valley, which is why we devote so much energy to preserving and managing the water within the region, as well as exploring opportunities, such as Sites Reservoir, to change the timing of water availability to benefit all of these beneficial purposes,” said David Guy, president of the Northern California Water Association.
For decades, water agency resource planners in the urban and agricultural sectors have confronted supply reliability and the shortfalls in their system. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act taking shape in 2015 presents a challenge for many basins that for the first time will have to bring supply and demand into balance.
Prior to the law, “very few” basins had a budget that understood the amount of water coming in and leaving the system as well as “responsible oversight,” said Lester Snow, executive director of the California Water Foundation (CWF). CWF was a major proponent of the new law.
Saracino is among those who have long advocated for California to better manage its groundwater. “For the longest time there was not enough thought given to the fact that groundwater levels are going to drop,” he said. “There was probably the expectation they will recover or maybe in some cases [users] would take advantage of the ability to mine groundwater for the next couple decades and when they can no longer do that pack up and move elsewhere.”
Managing California’s water is a complex process because so many things have to be accounted for, said Jonas Minton, water policy advisor for the Planning and Conservation League and a former high-ranking official at the Department of Water Resources (DWR). Salinity controls, instream flow requirements, requirements to maintain the cold water pool at Lake Shasta for migrating salmon, water rights obligations and navigation needs are among the factors that confront water managers.
“There are so many needs, literally thousands, and they are all surrogates for some value society has expressed and the beneficiaries expect it to be maintained,” Minton said.
Sustainability “is about meeting today’s needs while still maintaining the values for use in the future,” he added, noting that “that is not to say we will manage water the same ways in the future.”
“In California, we try to freeze things based on our imprecise recollections of how we thought things used to be,” Minton said.
Improved water use efficiency and the realization of the fragility of supplies have spurred impressive innovation in stretching water supplies beyond what could have been realized 30 years ago. Water users dependent on imported supplies have aggressively diversified their portfolios to remain sustainable and resilient.
In Los Angeles, where water use has stayed flat for more than 20 years while the population has grown, the city is looking to curb water use even further through such measures as greater financial incentives for turf removal.
“We are trying to respond to the drought but also understand this might be our new normal,” said Nancy Sutley, chief sustainability and economic development officer with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). She previously headed the White House Council on Environmental Quality during the Obama administration. “The other thing is we are really looking to reduce our dependence on purchased water. Mayor Garcetti has set a goal for us to reduce our purchased water by 50 percent by 2025.”
LADWP’s Stormwater Capture Master Plan says reaping the reward of local rainfall “is an important element of [the] overall plan to enhance our local water supply.”
“Today, on average, more than 27,000 acre-feet (more than 8.8 billion gallons) of stormwater is captured each year at centralized spreading grounds where it recharges groundwater,” the plan says. “Stormwater runoff that cannot be contained at these facilities is discharged to the Pacific Ocean via the city’s rivers and tributaries. We can certainly do more to capture and fully utilize this precious resource. Large scale stormwater capture projects like new and enhanced centralized spreading grounds and smaller ones like rain gardens, rain barrels and permeable pavers can help capture more stormwater for groundwater recharge or direct use.”
Plans are also underway to clean up contaminated groundwater in the San Fernando Valley and return it to use.
“It’s a Superfund site,” Sutley said. “The last 25 years there’s been some amount of cleanup, but not the level we need to fully use that storage for indirect potable reuse as well as to just fully utilize our pumping rights.”
The emphasis of Los Angeles’ water conservation is shifting to reduced outdoor irrigation, with the city in the second phase of a mandatory water conservation ordinance that includes bans on watering more than three days a week, with no watering on Saturdays, watering between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., hosing off sidewalks and driveways and washing vehicles without a shut-off nozzle.
Environmentalists say Los Angeles’ efforts demonstrate the degree to which urban water use can be sustainable.
“LADWP is a good example of how a water agency has embraced, by necessity, the three legs of water supply sustainability – economic, ecological and quality of life,” said Peter Vorster, hydrogeographer with The Bay Institute. “What was once considered a highly reliable supply from the LA Aqueduct, providing 80 percent of its supply, became very unreliable providing half that amount because of the legal requirements to restore fishery flows and Mono Lake levels and mitigate air quality impacts from the dried up Owens Lake.”
There is a bigger picture in terms of stressors affecting water supply sustainability and that is the “lack of understanding and the lack of collective intent to make a decision about the gap in demand and supply of water,” said Abdul Khan, supervising engineer with DWR.
“There has been an evolution in the thought process by water managers and people understand that you cannot manage the thing you do not know about,” he said. “Sustainability, this word, we did not use it before 2005 because that was an anathema to a lot of stakeholders.”
This issue of Western Water looks at sustainability and resiliency and what the terms mean for California’s water.
By Gary Pitzer
When Sue McClurg, deputy executive director at the Water Education Foundation, first pitched an issue of Western Water magazine on sustainability, I was intrigued. The catch phrase is used everywhere, from sustainably grown produce available at the supermarket to sustainably built communities that have less of an impact on the environment. In the water world, sustainability has become a more frequent term and goal in recent years when applied to water management. Agencies and districts even have jobs with titles such as “sustainability officers.”
The term really took center stage as the thrust behind last year’s groundwater legislation and took on a larger meaning with the name of the new law: The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
As we mulled over the idea of building an entire issue around this term, Gary Pitzer, our writer, chimed in with “resiliency,” which is also being used more frequently. It was a theme we used and heard a lot during the Santa Ana Watershed Conference last October in Riverside.
As former newspaper reporters, all three of us were intrigued by the idea of exploring the meaning of these two terms as they relate to water. But would everyone else be as interested? Well, we hope so. This issue of Western Water delves deep into sustainability and resiliency, and as Gary went about his reporting he discovered that Lester Snow’s group at the California Water Foundation is devising a sort of water sustainability report card for use by water agencies and others.
It seems a good idea to be focused on these terms and their meanings as the state is facing a fourth consecutive year of drought. Operating sustainability means being responsible with a precious resource that sustains us all, grows our food and nourishes our environment.
We hope we are doing our part by educating the public through our magazine and other publications, tours and events that explore key water policy questions. And, we hope that we are helping to educate future leaders in the water world with our annual Water Leaders class. The one-year program, designed to educate up-and-coming community leaders from diverse backgrounds and stakeholder groups about water issues, began this January. The theme this year is Managing Drought for the Economy and the Environment, meaning they will focus their efforts on crafting policy recommendations for this ever-challenging balance of water supply and use. The program also strives to enhance individual leadership skills and prepares participants to take an active, collaborative approach to decision-making about water resource issues. Collaboration, if nothing else, is key to our future sustainability.
By Jenn Bowles
To read the entire January/February Western Water digital edition, Is California’s Water Supply Resilient and Sustainable?, click here.


An apartment project with a price tag north of $100 million plans to kick off construction this summer on one of the few remaining undeveloped lots in downtown Durham.
Charlotte-based Lennar Multifamily Communities (LMC) — the apartment building arm of the Miami-based home builder Lennar Corp. — will build 356 apartments on a four-acre parcel of land at 425 S. Roxboro St. The six-story building will also have nearly 7,000 square feet for either retail or restaurant space.
That parcel of land is sandwiched between two large-scale developments that are already underway or completed near the Durham Bulls Athletic Park: the Bullhouse Apartments at 504 E. Pettigrew St., and the Van Alen apartments at 511 S. Mangum St., a Northwood Ravin project that will add around 400 apartment units.
Jeff Harris, divisional president for the Carolinas at LMC, said he expects to have the site plans approved sometime in the spring with construction starting soon after. He added that the company’s investment in the project will be significantly more than $100 million.
“It is a big investment,” he said.
Originally, after buying the downtown property for $13.5 million in 2017, LMC wanted to include an office tower along with the apartments on the project. But talks with a potential office developer fell apart last year, Harris said.
“We had extensive conversations with an office developer and then they bought the Venable Center,” Harris said. “When that fell through, we went back to the original plan (of only apartments).”
In July, a group of developers made up of Wheelock Street Capital, SLI Capital and Trinity Capital Advisors, bought the Venable center for $27.3 million, The News & Observer previously reported. That group plans to expand the Venable Center by building more office space on top of one of the center’s surface parking lots.
As a result, Harris said, LMC will add another 100 apartment units on the part of the property that was meant to be an office building. Those apartments will be added during a second phase, Harris said.
In the past two years, the southern section of downtown around the Durham Performing Arts Center, the courthouse and the Bulls stadium, has seen a flurry of investment from apartment builders, bringing with it more than a thousand apartment units. The projects have ranged from luxury high rises to an affordable housing project spearheaded by the city.
Harris said he isn’t worried that developers are adding too many apartments to the downtown core at one time.
“We feel very good about Durham and the broader Triangle,” Harris said. “The job growth in the Triangle is quite robust, and if this office building goes forward on the Venable site and some other things that are programmed, we think downtown Durham is going to be the most exciting place to live in the Triangle.”
With the apartments not likely to hit the market until the end of 2020, it is too early to say how much the units will rent for. But the adjacent Van Alen apartment projects is currently listing units ranging from around $1,300 for a one-bedroom unit to three-bedroom units going for more than $4,000 a month.
The apartment project will represent LMC’s first foray into the Triangle market. The national apartment builder’s other work in the state has focused on Charlotte.
But that isn’t for a lack of trying. Harris said the company has put out two other bids on properties — one in southern Durham and the other in Raleigh — but lost out because of heavy competition for the land.
“There are a number of new participants looking to put a flag in the Triangle,” he said. “The Triangle has been discovered and there is more competition.”


SROM operates and provides premier wilderness ministry and outdoor education experiences in our nation’s most pristine and wild places. In order to ensure continued access to these places, SROM owns and actively pursues public land use permits from the regulatory government agencies of these lands.
SROM obtains permits from several public land agencies: the United States Forest Service (USFS), the National Park Service (NPS), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In order to operate in these lands, organizations providing services for a fee must possess permits. Many land agencies offer permits based on a “user day” system. “User days” are measured by multiplying the group size by the number of days you will spend in the public lands. The land agency requires an itinerary and fee for every user day spent on the public lands. These permits are often difficult to obtain as there is a limited quota. Many times the only way to obtain additional permits is to purchase them from a current permit holder.
The Wind River Range is a primary operating area for SROM. The Wind River Range is administered by the United States Forest Service and considered one of the most beautiful and pristine wilderness areas in the lower 48 states. Many forest services and wilderness areas across the country have placed a moratorium on issuing new permits because the areas are at or over capacity for use. The Wind River Range is no exception. As a result user permits and user days are impossible to acquire unless they are purchased from an existing permit holder. Help us expand our programming and user permits in the Wind River Range.
SROM currently holds two priority permits to operate in the Wind River Range. These permits grant access for 1,100 guaranteed user days. This would allow SROM to lead 42 students on 40/40 courses each summer. However, as SROM expands and grows there is a need to acquire additional permits. A business is on the market that would allow SROM access to thousands of user days in the Winds. This business and permit is currently being sold for 1.25 million dollars. SROM is actively pursuing donors and foundations to acquire the necessary capital to acquire this business.
This is a large capital investment for SROM, yet crucial for our continued operation and future expansion. SROM is praying and asking God to provide the finances. We are asking you to pray and discern if the Lord would have you contribute financially to the purchase of this opportunity. Please consider how you can be a part of this historic capacity-building investment that will be important for the transformation of lives and development of leaders through SROM.
The vast Teton Wilderness is located below the southeast corner of Yellowstone National Park and east of Grand Teton National Park. The Teton Wilderness is one of the premier wilderness areas in the lower 48 states. Among many other features, the Teton Wilderness is notable for having the most remote location (farthest from any road) of any place in the lower 48 states. It is unmatched in terms of beauty, low use and visitor traffic and alpine plateaus that offer panoramic views in all directions. It is a remarkable environment for SROM programming of deep wilderness expeditions.
In the spring of 2014, SROM purchased an existing outfitter in the Teton Wilderness with 600 priority use permit days. SROM arranged to purchase the business and permits for $60,000 with the following terms; $30,000 down, $30,000 over two years payable on the anniversary of the sale, with no interest. SROM is looking for people interested in donating to the remaining balance on this purchase to enables us to expand our deep wilderness programming to this remarkable location.
Additionally, SROM is expanding programming to the Southwest United States to extend our operating season into the spring and fall seasons. Over the next five years SROM will increase programming options and opportunities in the wilderness places of the Southwest. It will require finances and resources to obtain permits and/or user days. It will also require much research to explore and develop these areas. SROM anticipates that it will cost $10,000 per year over the next five years or $50,000 to expand programming in the Southwest. This includes the development of a small southwest base and branch.
|Purchase available business that provides thousands of user days in the Wind River Range, Wyoming||$1,250,000|
|Payoff permit acquisition in the Teton Wilderness||$30,000|
|Research and development of spring and fall program areas in the southwestern United States||$50,000|
|Estimated cost of Wilderness Expansion Fund||$1,330,000|


“If your Christmas feels like a three-ring circus inside a small tent, consider taking your show on the road to Ruidoso. In the heart of southern New Mexico’s Sierra Blanca Mountains, the town bursts with outdoor recreation, cozy cabins, and made-to-order holiday cheer.” — New Mexico Magazine (Dec. 2018)
What's the weather in Ruidoso? Check out the official Village of Ruidoso Tourism Webcam from its strategic point overlooking Midtown in the heart of Ruidoso’s shopping and restaurant district with Sierra Blanca towering in the distance.
Whether you’re looking to ring in the New Year with a romantic evening, a night out with friends, or a celebration the whole family can enjoy, Ruidoso has you covered. Celebrate the arrival of 2019 in Ruidoso with these New Year's Eve events.
Snuggle in front of a fire. Build a snowman. Take a walk in the forest. Stargaze. Ruidoso embraces winter weather with plenty of no-cost activities to keep your vacation on budget.
During the winter holiday season, there are sleigh rides through the historic upper canyon with Grindstone Stables.
A Ruidoso vacation cabin can be a fairy-tale escape — a place to curl up with a good book in front of the fireplace or conquer the nearby ski hills. Ready to cozy up to your own slice of cabin bliss? Here are a few visitor favorites to help get you started.


The Ansan Botanical Garden (안산식물원) has three pavilions: The first pavilion (382.81㎡) is a tropical garden, while the second pavilion in the middle (846㎡) and the third to the south (846㎡), feature marsh plants. Outside are four rose gardens, a fruit tree garden, a wild plant garden, a plant succession garden, and a pond (featuring a total of 46 plants including red momo botan lotus). The botanical park has a pyramid-shaped, modern greenhouse that is a source of pride for Ansan City. The park is also connected to Seongho Park.
113, Seongho-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do[Google Map]
the day of Seollal (Lunar New Year's Day) & Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day)
plant.iansan.net (Korean only)
-From Handaeap station (Seoul
Subway Line 4), take bus 11, 11-2, 76, 99-1, 99-2 or 125.
Suwon station (Seoul Subway Line 1), Exit 4, take bus 11 or 11-2.
* Pavilion 1 (Tropical plant garden) – 2,300 plants including palm trees are on display.
This is a pyramid-shaped greenhouse accommodating tropical plants. The regulation of temperature and irrigation along with the windows are automated. Some 2,300 plants that can only thrive in tropical a climate are on display such as palm trees, flowering plants, and cactuses.
* Pavilion 2 (Central garden) – 12,000 plants including irises are on display.
Some 12,000 wild flowers and trees native to Korea are on display such as fragrant daphne, Orostachys Japonicas, beautiful Siberian chrysanthemum, Microporus vernicipes Kuntze, and Taxus cuspidate, a rare plant from Korea’s Mount Seorak.
* Pavilion 3 (South garden) – 16,000 plants including wetland plants are on display.
16,000 rare plants and trees that grow in the southern part of Korea, sas well as a pond, lotuses, and fragrant trees provide for a sentimental environment.
Reservation Info. for Natives:
* For group exhibition, please book a week advance/a month in advance for high season.
accomcount: 1,000 people
infocenter: • 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330
(Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
• For more info: +82-31-481-3168
useseason: Open all year around
usetime: Winter season 10:00 - 17:00 / Summer season 10:00 - 19:00


World Magnetic Model Out-of-Cycle Release
Earth’s northern magnetic pole is moving quickly away from the Canadian Arctic toward Siberia. This movement has forced NCEI’s scientists to update the World Magnetic Model (WMM) mid-cycle.
Typically, a new and updated version of the WMM is released every five years. With the last release in 2015, the next version is scheduled for release at the end of 2019. Due to unplanned variations in the Arctic region, scientists have released a new model to more accurately represent the change of the magnetic field between 2015 and now.
This out-of-cycle update before next year’s official release of WMM2020 will ensure safe navigation for military applications, commercial airlines, search and rescue operations, and others operating around the North Pole.
CIRES scientists in NCEI track changes in Earth's magnetic field and update the World Magnetic Model.
Read the full story on the NOAA NCEI page.
CIRES-NOAA Teams Receive 2015 Governor’s Award for High-Impact Research
CIRES is a partnership of NOAA and CU Boulder.
Area of Research


Scaremongering is mother’s milk to global warming campaigners.
Their problem is that their predictions never come true.
Sea level rise is a top scare topic. If all the world’s ice melts they tell us, seas will rise and devastate coastal cities. Remember Kevin Costner’s Waterworld?
The trouble for team warming is Antarctica, home to most of the world’s ice, remains devastatingly cold. Its ice is stable and expanding.
World sea level has been rising very slowly for centuries – from one to three millimeters per year. That’s about the width of a paper clip and no reason to sell your beach house.
Yet some places have seen rising water locally. When they learned that Millennial and Green voters were largely indifferent to Hillary Clinton, Clinton traveled to Miami with Al Gore to scare out their vote. That the rest of the Florida coast has not seen water in the street like Miami didn’t enter into it.
CFACT senior policy advisor Paul Driessen posted some excellent information on the sea level scare at CFACT.org:
“As a new report by Dr. Roger Bezdek explains, reality is much different. (His report awaits publication in a scientific journal.) At least for the Chesapeake region, Houston-Galveston, Texas, area, Santa Clara Valley, California, and other places around the globe, the primary cause of seawater intrusions is not rising oceans ‚Äì but land subsidence due to groundwater withdrawal from subsurface shale and sandstone formations, and to ‘glacial isostatic adjustments’ that have been ongoing since the last glaciers melted.”
“The solution therefore is not to continue trying to control Earth’s climate ‚Äì an impossible, economy-busting task that would further impede fossil fuel use, economic development, job creation, and human health and welfare. The solution requires reducing groundwater removal in these coastal areas.”
Ground water removal? Plate tectonics? Super moon tides? Anyone who conflates CO2 emissions with these factors is selling something.
We’re not buying it.


Our nearest neighbor Moon has a lot of secrets and mysteries lying on its surface that have been puzzling the scientific community for decades. One of such mysteries is the unusual warming up of the surface of the Moon exactly where the astronauts walked during Apollo Mission. The fact that only a certain specific region is getting warmed up while the surrounding areas are perfectly normal, it has been a mystery ever since NASA’s Apollo Moon Missions in the 1970s. But finally, the scientists have some concrete answer to debunk it.
What Exactly Happened On The Moon’s Surface?
Back in 1971 and 1972, the astronauts of Apollo 15 and Apollo 17 deployed the probes to determine the amount of heat flowing from the interior to the lunar surface in order to determine the composition and structure of the Moon. A few years later when the data collected during the first round of recording were matched with the subsequent rounds of recording, the scientists were completely puzzled to find a slight uptick in the temperature near the lunar surface. NASA set up a team to investigate the matter and come up with the scientific conclusion.
Nagihara and his team set out to probe into this mysterious occurrence, and the first problem they encounter was the missing records. Back in the 1970s, the data were not efficiently stored, and some of the tapes are lost in the process. The team first concentrated on finding the lost tapes as they are widely distributed in several National Records Center. On analyzing the tapes contains all the data recordings during the 1970s Apollo Moon Missions, the scientists revealed the reason behind this mysterious warming.
The Truth Behind The Mystery –
The research team revealed that that the rise in the temperature was more towards the surface rather than the interior. Therefore, they concluded that the heating started up top and then started to make its way down. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter’s photos reveal that the heating localized only in the region where the astronauts walked around or drove their moon rover. This is due to the fact that the activities of the astronauts displaced the surface soil and exposing the darker dirt. As we all know that dark materials absorb heat faster, therefore, the darker dirt material absorbed sunlight and their temperature went up pretty quickly. The rise of the temperature is quite significant from 1.6 to 3.5 Celsius. This just shows that sometimes we create a small mess unknowingly that takes us years to solve.


Free article: my different travels (6)
In my last article about the presentation of my travels, I will speak about London. This city was one of my best journey I have spent in England! It was simply amazing!
I have been to London during three days. I had an excellent journey there and the visit agenda was very full! I went there with my friends and we had no time out! Indeed we wanted to visit, as much as possible, all the most important things in the city. Because I did too many things there, I let you with some pictures to explain you more what I have visited.
Thanks for reading, I was happy to share my different experiences with you!
See you for my last article where I will say goodbye to Lancaster and to an amazing semester abroad!
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By Andrew Kolasinski
Our boat had motored out two kilometers from the dock. Now, in the intense mid-day sun we drifted through a cluster of grassy sand islands mid-stream in the Mekong.
The day began in Kratie, on the east bank of the Mekong, 350 kilometers from Phnom Penh. The previous day I rode the bus ride for almost seven hours through pepper farms and rubber plantations.
Kratie, a city of 13,000 has dozens of hotels and guesthouses, all offering tours to see the dolphins.
Kampi, fifteen kilometers north of Kratie, is the port for the dolphin viewing fleet. This riverside village is near the dolphin's feeding grounds. A dozen twenty-foot wooden, double enders are powered by long-shaft engines. Luckily they have awnings to protect against the doubly bright, river glaring sun.
Our young Khmer skipper said there are 20 dolphins, but the pod is healthy and they are now protected by law. They are found in other parts of the Mekong River with a neighboring pod of 35-50 dolphins living among the 4,000 Islands of southern Laos.
© Andrew Kolasinski


- Costa Rica,
- Ojochal de Osa,
Our Jungle Sanctuary is home to a menagerie of furry/feathered/scaly friends and misfits.
- Ban Talad Khilek, Chiang Mai,
An artsy home in the jungle
- Saint Dizier la Tour,
Charming and rustic in the countryside
Rescued farm animal sanctuary in beautiful Yarra Valley
- Near Maun,
A real ‘Out of Africa’ experience for an adventurous nature loving couple.
A post war cottage in the beautiful bayside suburb of Sandgate!
Light and cozy colourful home sitting on a quartz reef in gold country.


Established in 1881 as a Moravian Mission with a fascinating slaving history. Try the Peerboom (Pear Tree) hiking rail or picnic on the outskirts of the town.
Goedverwacht (high expectations) is located near Piketberg established in 1888 as a Moravian mission.
The town lies in a fertile valley with produce from organic farming practiced occasionally sold at the mission station. The Goedverwacht Snoek & Patatfees is an annual event held in celebration of the survivors of Goedverwacht.
Wittewater was established in 1857 by German Moravian missionaries. The town’s characteristic thatched houses were built for missionaries who were unable to stay in Goedverwacht.


Trip Start Oct 20, 2008
93Trip End Jan 31, 2009
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Today was the independence day for Lebanon. I had caught glimpse of it on TV. However, the celebrations were over by the time Diana and I got to Downtown. There were still soldiers around the area. In fact, I had not seen so many soldiers in my life. A couple of them wanted to check my bag.
The Downtown is a true downtown in the New York meaning of the word. Tall modern skyscrapers that mix Eastern and Western influences and wide, well-planned roads flowing between them...
Was this city more developed then Istanbul? Although it may as well be, it's a difficult comparison. Istanbul is so vast both in area and population. 1,250,000 Beirutis compared to 15,000,000 Istanbulites...
I had never seen so many churches and mosques clustered in the city center, side by side. This arrangement symbolized an idea that excited me a great deal. Only if Lebanon could put this idea into practice by minimizing the friction between the Muslim and the Christian leaders...
Visited late PM Rafiq Hariri's tomb. Most believe that he was assassinated by the Syrians, because he was planning to break ties with the Syrian army that had been in Lebanon for nearly 3 decades. I could not understand why the Lebanese had not made a proper mausoleum for such a popular leader. His tomb was covered by a large, dirty tent.
When I was walking toward the entrance of the Mohammad al-Amin Mosque, apparantely an undercover policeman got stressed out; walked towards me and put his hand on his gun. Diana observed all this; I had no idea. It must be intimidating to live with so many soldiers and policemen around.
Although the Lebanese are very fast with reconstructing, there are still many buildings that have been ruined by bomb blasts.
Went to the Tribeca Cafe. Coffee was good and the ambiance nice. 4,500 pounds.
Under pouring rain, Diana left for Amman. I will miss her, but I won't be too lonely for the next few days since the volleyball team is still here.
Came to al-Kahwa right across from the American University of Beirut (AUB). I don't understand why LP thinks so highly of this place. The food is nothing special and there is nothing authentic about the atmosphere.
AUB has a large campus in Northern Hamra. As I was touring the campus, I noticed how similar this school was to Robert College and Bosphorus University in Istanbul. Large, American-style campus, situated on a hillside that extends all the way to the see. AUB is one of the best universities of the Middle East, along with Cairo University.
Diana was attending a language program at AUB, during the summer of 2007. When the Israeli army marched into Lebanon due to their fears over increasing Hizbollah power, she had to be evacuated by her embassy. Even though the Israelis were targeting the Hizbollah strongholds, they also bombed civilian spots, such as the airport and the main highways. It was very brave of her to come back after having fled such horrifying scenes. She thinks that the Israeli invasion garnered more support for the Hizbollah, while its main objective was to destroy all support.
Went to the Pass par Tout internet cafe to catch up on my blog. Slow computers and smoking is allowed.
Had shwarma and coke at Bliss House, for dinner. Nothing spectacular.
The volleyball team was making plans to head to a club. Unfortunately, they could not coordinate and the plan was called off. So, I went to bed at midnight.


Hexagon brought smart digital realities to life at INTERGEO 2018. By combining sensors, data and software, these solutions show how you can build your reality, your way.
Insights from Planetek Italia and Paramount Advanced Technologies about how the right location intelligence solutions can help aid national food security, infrastructure efforts, as well as marine and wildfire monitoring.
Smart digital reality supports the rapid fusion of the real and digital worlds, and delivers dynamic analytics on top of it.
Statistics South Africa is using HxGN Smart Census as part of the organisation’s modernization strategy to move from paper-based to digital data collection.
Smart Census is a client-server software platform providing a total solution for each stage of the census cycle, from pre-enumeration mapping to digital enumeration to post-enumeration dynamic mapping.


Vladivostok – the furthest eastern city in the territory of Accor’s far-flung northern-Europe boss Duncan O’Rourke (who starts his travels west, in Ireland, but that is a story for another time) – will finally have a brand hotel. No, it is neither Accor nor Hyatt, which did announce something eight years ago but that was aborted. The 221-room Hotel Okura Vladivostok will be near this Russian city’s Golden Bridge over Zolotoy Rog, a sheltered horn-shaped bay on the Sea of Japan. Toshihiro Ogita, President of Okura Nikko Hotels, says he is delighted to have a project in Vladivostok, which is, by the way, starting point of the Trans-Siberian Railway. President Putin, meanwhile, has made Russian Far East a key element of the country’s overall development, and various business initiatives are underway in both Japan and Russia.
Far away in California, Four Seasons Napa Valley opens in Calistoga CA this year. The 85-room hotel has 20 residences and six acres significant vineyards. The hotel, led by GM Mehdi Eftekari, is partnering with an unusual winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown, who, after majoring in Economics and Literature at UVA in Charlottesville VA, travelled west without any viticulture knowledge. 15 years later, he has achieved two 100/100 ratings from Robert Parker and, as a ‘flying winemaker’, he has 45 clients, including Four Seasons Napa Valley, and Robert Mondavi, and apparently some pay him up to $700,000 a year.
Girlahead predicts that winery travel, which allows exploring vineyards and perhaps even helping in them, will soar. Interestingly the excellent daily Monocle online briefing said yesterday that as there is a need for meaning and a grander purpose in travel, speciality tour providers are taking note. Black Tomato, for instance, offers swimming with whales in Iceland as well as riding a slow riverboat down the Nile: London-based Black Tomato is led by CEO Tom Marchant, who always takes an old-fashioned notebook with him on his own travels.
And for grander purpose in travel, do not forget Six Senses’ Israel resort, Six Senses Shaharut, opening this June (58 rooms, GM Manish Puri). It has a camel stable. Listen, perhaps again, to Six Senses’ CEO Neil Jacobs, below.


Hikers on the Tongariro Northern Circuit hike for about 35 kilometers through non-stop compelling volcanic and desert environs that will make you feel like you are trekking on the surface of another planet—all while giving you high mountain peaks as a backdrop, diversely striking vistas wide variety of different scenery.
The Everest Base Camp trek on the south side is one of the most popular trekking routes in the Himalayas and is visited by thousands of trekkers each year. Trekkers usually fly from Kathmandu to Lukla to save time and energy before beginning the morning trek to this base camp. However, trekking to Lukla is possible.
The Bernese Oberland (Bernese Highlands) is the higher part of the canton of Bern, Switzerland, in the southern end of the canton: The area around Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and the valleys of the Bernese Alps (thus, the inhabitable parts from approximately the level of Lake Thun at 558 m [1,831 ft]).
Carros de Foc is a high-mountain route with a circular itinerary connecting the 9 mountain refuges inside the boundaries of the Aigüestortes i Llac de Sant Maurici National Park.
To complete the Carros de Foc basic itinerary we will need between 5 and 7 days, starting at any of the refuges and taking the direction you prefer.
Total elevation gain: 9200 mts - Distance: 55kms - Average height: 2400 mts - Highest point: Coll de Contraix, 2745mts - Refuge range height: From 1900 mts a 2400mts
+ info: carrosdefoc.com [en] / entremontanas.com [es]


Ponderosa Zoo - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting
Things to know
About Ponderosa Zoo
Ponderosa Zoo is a beautiful zoo that was created in 1991 by Maureen Cook with the aim to bridge the gap' between disabled and able-bodied people through the care of animals as a form of therapy. This beautiful Zoo is now home to over 120 animals from lemurs to reindeer. There is also so many other activities in and around this zoo.
Attractions Near Ponderosa Zoo
Bagshaw Museum and Wilton Park
4.09km from Ponderosa Zoo
Bagshaw Museum was the house of a former Victorian mill owner, first opened as a museum in 1911 and named after its first curator, Walter Bagshaw. The museum contains two local history galleries, a South Asia gallery, a temporary exhibition space, and, unusually for a local museum, an Egyptological gallery. The museum also holds a substantial collection of Asian textiles, including Japanese and Chinese pieces from the Hilditch collection, subsequent donations from private individuals.
5.1km from Ponderosa Zoo
Oakwell Hall is a country house in the village of Birstall in the English administrative unit of West Yorkshire. The Elizabethan-style house is listed by English Heritage as a Grade I Historic Building. It is set in contemporary gardens surrounded by 45 hectares of landscaped grounds. The builder was John Batt.
National Coal Mining Museum for England
6.57km from Ponderosa Zoo
The National Coal Mining Museum for England. Visit for a unique all weather adventure. Underground tours, exhibitions, the great outdoors & original events. The museum offers guided underground tours where visitors can experience the conditions miners worked in and see the tools and machines they used as the industry and the mine developed through the years. The Yorkshire Mining Museum opened in 1988 and the museum became the National Coal Mining Museum in 1995.
8.16km from Ponderosa Zoo
One of the majestic pieces of architectural skill that was towering over the town from high up on Emley Moor. This transmitting station stands 1,084 feet tall. Its base is 1,949 feet above sea level, imposing over the beautiful rolling moorland. The structure consists of a tapered cylindrical pillar of reinforced concrete, topped by a steel lattice mast carrying 55 m tall antennas. It was the seventh-tallest freestanding structure and the fourth tallest tower in the European Union.
9.81km from Ponderosa Zoo
The Greenhead Park is the perfect place to unwind, relax and enjoy the wonderful environment and landscape. It's a fantastic place to spend time with friends, enjoy the changing of the seasons, play on the swings, or grab a cuppa in the café by the tennis courts. The park has always been popular with local people, both young and old and the features and events within the park have attracted people from miles around.
10.44km from Ponderosa Zoo
The site was developed as an iron age hill fort, surrounded by defensive ditches and ramparts. In the Middle Ages there was a castle on the hill, of which the well remains. The present tower was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee of 1897 No camping, barbeques or fires are allowed due to the damage that has been sustained to the ancient monument and vegetation.
Discover More Attractions in West Yorkshire, Home of Ponderosa Zoo
Location of Ponderosa Zoo
For more information about Ponderosa Zoo, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponderosa_Zoo


Both of our siblings toil at a ski resort in Denver, Colorado, then my siblings invited our girlfriend and I to come to the resort last year for christmas. They had a swanky beach house rented for us that was just a few miles away from the resort. My girlfriend was pretty gleeful about the occasion to go skiing in Denver, but she was still a beginner, although she was absolutely getting the hang of skiing quite easily. The people I was with and I had already been to a couple of locations close by; I knew skiing the mountainous region of Denver was going to be a thrill and a rush, but when the two of us arrived in Denver, the two of us stopped at a grocery store and picked up some supplies. The people I was with and I got bread, milk, granola bars, and a couple of peculiar types of wine and beer. I suggested the two of us go to a Denver marijuana dispensary before the two of us started driving out to the mountains. I didn’t guess the two of us would pass by any other dispensaries and I doubted whether or not any marijuana delivery services in Denver would come all the way out to the mountainous area. It turns out that stopping at the Denver marijuana dispensary was the right thing to do; Once the two of us got off the interstate, the two of us didn’t pass much of anything. I didn’t even see a gas station until the two of us had driven 17 miles outside of the city. The beach house was absolutely cozy and hot and rustic, however I guess I would have preferred to stay in the town where the two of us would have been closer to restaurants and the nightlife.


You’ll get a lot of natural vitamin D in Glendale. The city ranks third on the list of cities with the most days clear of clouds and fourth in cities with the highest average sunshine. Historic Downtown Glendale is made up of three neighborhoods that make up ten easily walkable blocks. There is Historic Catlin Court with its white picket fences and tree-lined streets that shade the many specialty shops. Old Towne is paved with the city’s many famous antique stores. And nestled in the center of it all is the Promenade at Palmaire which features the Glendale Visitor Center. Glendale falls 11.7 percent below the national average for cost of living and the median home cost is just over $110,000. With a steady job market just a short 20 minute commute away in Phoenix, living in Glendale is a great way to save a few extra bucks in the bank.
Glendale, Arizona is an awesome sun drenched suburb of Phoenix. With a variety of things to do in Glendale, AZ such as hiking, shopping, and sporting events, it's a great place to call home. There are over 4,000 Realtors® serving the market - make sure that you hire the right one! Over the last five years, home value in Glendale has risen by 158%. When you're ready to sell your home, you want to find the best real estate agent in Glendale based on actual home sales data. Don't just guess, utilize our unbiased research to connect with a capable agent that can sell your home quicker and for more money. Our Top Agents sell homes for 5.7% more than your average agent and they sell Glendale homes in just 41 days.
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Consistent with the interest that Palash Bhattacharjee’s practice maintains in personal encounters with political and cultural history, in Link Road, the artist explores his spoken dialect, formed at the confluence of various flows of history and geography, on the river Karnaphuli, which flows through Chattogram. Within the limits of the language and river unfold efforts to envision existences that are near, remote, marginal, and unknown, relying on remembered fragments and detached assertions of the artist’s perspectives as a child. The work is informed by familial relationships and friendships articulated via personal and spiritual attachments with the river and language dominant in the marginal and coastal life in the border-region with India and Myanmar. The meanderings of language and identity are juxtaposed with a boat adrift on the river, and sporadic recollections of coming to terms with “otherness” as what lies within the self, and not without.
Palash Bhattacharjee is based in Chattogram (Chittagong), Bangladesh. His experimental practice traverses between his personal experiences in relation to different human sensitivities and larger socio-political processes. His video installations are often developed from his performative work, including repetitive actions, gestures or footage that evoke a sense of absurdity. Such repetition upon subject matter that relates to his political and cultural context recalls the errors of larger historical processes. Palash completed his BA and MA from the Department of Fine Arts, University of Chittagong. He was awarded the Asia Pacific Fellowship from the National Museum of Contemporary Art in 2011 and received a grant from Seoksu Art Project of Stone & Water, South Korea, 2010. His works have been widely exhibited in Bangladesh, FIVA Festival Internacional de Videoarte in Buenos Aires, Chengdu Blueroof Art Festival in China, Studio 21 India, and in festivals across South Korea including Dukwon Gallery, Pusan World Open Art Festival, Gwangju Museum of Art, and many more.


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Lake city is the county seat of columbia county, florida, united states as of the 2010 census, in 1928 a memorial for the battle of olustee was established in downtown lake city railroad employees at lake city in males have a median income of $31,261 versus $27,656 for females the per capita income for the city. Even after he was killed at the battle of olustee in florida, she continued her work on behalf of williamsport girls: the poor, abandoned and delinquent. Jh girls basketball vs grandfield by: kyla everhart monday january 29, 2018 the olustee-eldorado lady diamondbacks took on the grandfield lady bearcats .
Some of the many hauntings that take place here include a girl who walked into the girls' bathroom and saw another girl olustee battle field sanderson, fl. Track (girls) volleyball wrestling wrestling (tournament) district standings baseball (6a-4a) fast pitch (6a-2a) football soccer (boys) soccer (girls.
Florida memory - funston mann farm privy - baker county, florida general note the only example found of the privys which were built in the as a result of a. Contestants are currently being sought for the 2018 olustee festival pageant girls will compete in party dress or gown and will be judged on beauty, poise, and. The battle of olustee festival is the second largest reenactment in the united states during this time cowboys and girls from all over descend on lake city to. War period, now on display in the museum at olustee battlefield state park the girl, who was described as untirely unfitted to encounter any fatigue or. Are you planning to attend the next reenactment of the battle of olustee if you have never been from a virginia girl in the civil war, 1861-1865 myrta lockett.
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A girl can't have enough shoes, clothes and handbags all the clothing stores seem to cater to young girls and older women this mall olustee, florida 3. Driven bent of the new south, as did southern female activists of all types, but the the enoch banks controversy and the completion of the olustee monument.
- Here, near the former settlement of olustee, 150 years ago, was the largest, wears the long dress and bonnet of a brave female field nurse.
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- A history of the battle of olustee, also known as the battle of ocean pond.
Olustee: america's unfinished civil war battle [greg ahlgren] on amazoncom free shipping on qualifying offers when tampa area journalist jason. Following the end of the civil war, the olustee battlefield site was virtually about rolling the old cannon balls around in the yard while playing as a young girl. Of igor stravinsky's “firebird suite” at halftime of the altus bulldogs' home opener against vernon, texas the band created the story of a girl named  news.


The Afghan hound’s long, silky, flowing coat is one of the breed’s hallmark characteristics. The thick coat protects the dogs from the cold climate in Afghanistan's eastern mountains.
Another breed that has remained in the top most popular breeds for decades, Golden retrievers generally exude friendliness as they engage with people and other animals.
The bearded collie features not just a profuse beard, but also a long shaggy coat. The bearded collie originated hundreds of years ago in Scotland, where it was valued as a sheepherder and cattle drover.
The Bolognese’s crowning glory is a long, fluffy white coat that envelops its body like a soft cloud. Named for its birthplace of Bologna, Italy, it was a favorite of the ruling royals for many centuries.
With its long, flowing coat and strong, muscular body, the wise and spirited Briard is simply magnificent to behold. Hailing from the Brie region of France (also the birthplace of the cheese),
Known as the royal dog of Madagascar thanks to nobility’s affection for the breed, the charming and friendly coton de Tulear (pronounced KO-tone Dih TOO-lay-ARE) is covered in a long, profuse, supple, dense coat with a white, cotton-like texture.
The only dog breed native to Cuba and named for the island nation’s capital city of Havana, the Havanese is covered in a luxurious, long, silky coat.
The Lhasa apso is an ancient breed that comes from the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet. The little dogs acted as interior watchdogs in palaces and Buddhist monasteries,
The Pekingese is the ultimate lapdog. The Peke was treasured for centuries by Chinese royalty who loved to hold the small dogs and stroke their luxurious fur. Legend has it that the punishment for stealing one of the little dogs was torture or even death.


Area: 2380 sq km.Location: The name "Telkwa Range" is sprawled across two distinct clusters of peaks on the 1:250,000 map. They lie east of the Howson Range and south of the Telkwa River. The two clusters are referred to as the "Eastern Telkwa range" including Eagle Peak and the "Western Telkwa Range", the larger alpine area around Mount Forster (the "Forster" Range). Separating them is the heavily wooded Howson Creek flowing north to the Telkwa river, and Thautil River flowing south to the Morice River.
Terrain: These ranges have few glaciers, nowhere near as glaciated as the Howson Range to the west.


7Days Tanzania Lodge Safari Lake manyara/Serengeti/Ngorongoro/
This Memorable Tanzania Safari begins and Ends in Arusha, it’s a wildlife safari tour that takes to the main four tourist attractions of Tanzania. These include Ngorongoro conservation Area and the Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara, Tarangire as well as Serengeti National parks. All these parks will offer you a safari experience of the northern Tanzanian circuit. Accommodation in Luxury Lodges on full Board. The tour will take you to Lake Manyara which is famous for the tree climbing lions. The tour will also take you to Serengeti national Park with the massive wilderness of over 14500 sqkm . The same safari will take you to Ngorongoro crater well known for highest concentration of game as well as a large population of carnivores and predators in Africa. This Tanzania tour will finally take you to Tarangire national park which has the greatest concentration of the game in Tanzania.
|Please arrive at least 1 hour before the trip.|
game drive with Land Cruiser
Accommodations in Lodge
All park entrance fees
| Maasai villages
DAY 1: ARUSHA – MANYARA
The driver guide will come to pick you at your Arusha Hotel 8:30AM, proceed to Lake Manyara National Park for afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at lodge.
DAY 2: MANYARA – SERENGETI
After breakfast depart for Serengeti passing through Olduvai Gorge the archeological site of Leakey’s family. Serengeti offers arguably the most scintillating game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle. The spectacle of predator versus prey dominates Tanzania’s greatest park. Golden-maned lion prides feast on the abundance of plain grazers. Solitary leopards haunt the acacia trees lining the Seronera River, while a high density of cheetahs prowls the southeastern plains. Almost uniquely, all three African jackal species occur here, alongside the spotted hyena and a host of more elusive small predators, ranging from the insectivorous aardwolf to the beautiful several cat. Meals and overnight at lodge.
DAY 3: SERENGETI-SERENGETI
full day with morning and afternoon game drives to explore the plains. The Serengeti region encompasses the Serengeti National Park itself, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Maswa Game Reserve, the Loliondo, Grumeti and Ikorongo Controlled Areas and the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Over 90,000 tourists visit the Park each year. Dinner and overnight at lodge.
DAY 4: SERENGETI – NGORONGORO
After breakfast depart for Ngorongoro, one of the natural wonders of the world. The jewel in Ngorongoro’s crown is a deep, volcanic crater, the largest un flooded and unbroken caldera in the world. About 20kms across, 600 meters deep and 300 sq kms in area, the Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking natural wonder. Meals and overnight at lodge.
DAY 05: NGORONGORO-NGORONGORO
After early morning breakfast, leave with picnic lunch for a full day crater tour, you will be taken 2000ft down the crater by a 4wheel drive vehicle. Explore the crater before ascending back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
DAY 06: NGORONGORO – TARANGIRE
After breakfast in Serengeti drive to Tarangire. Afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
DAY 07: TARANGIRE – ARUSHA
Morning game viewing game drive in Tarangire National Park and after drive back to Arusha arriving late evening and drop to your hotel where the tour end.


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GLENFIELD 60S BANDS
Interested in booking a 60s Band to “play that funky music” at your next event? From birthday parties to class reunions, 60s Bands can make for some lively entertainment at any gathering. Choose from the best in the Glenfield, NY area on GigMasters.
Please note these 60s Bands will also travel to Greig, Brantingham, Lyons Falls, Turin, Port Leyden, Martinsburg, Lowville, Beaver Falls, Croghan, Castorland, Constableville, Woodgate, Old Forge, Boonville, Thendara, Denmark, Forestport, West Leyden, Deer River, Alder Creek, Eagle Bay, Copenhagen, Carthage, Westernville, Remsen, Redfield, Lorraine, Taberg, Deferiet, Inlet


Senakaku or Diaoyu Islands
16 x 23.5 in (40.64 x 59.69 cm)
1 : 20000
This is an extremely rare 1934 or Showa 9 Japanese map of the Senkaku or Diaoyutai, Diaoyu, Tiaoyutai or Pinnacle Islands. Currently the islands, located in the East China Sea, are a source of international tensions between Japan, China, and Taiwan, who each claim sovereignty. The islands have long been uninhabited and historically have been of little interest. The Japanese laid claim to the islands, along with numerous others, in 1895 and retained control until the end of World War II (1945). Following the war, the United States briefly administered them until, in accordance with the 1972 Okinawa Reversion Treaty, administration returned to the Japanese. Potential oil and gas reserves near the islands were identified in 1969. After the withdrawal of the United States, disputes arose between Japan, China, and Taiwan, all of whom claimed ownership of the islands. Since the islands had no significant value until the recent oil discoveries, and were for the most part uninhabited for centuries, most claims are semantic at best and tied to conflicting ancient geographies and travelogues, which are themselves dubious. The islands were briefly inhabited in 1970's when a Japanese businessman established a bonito (fish) processing plant on the island which eventually failed. China claims that it discovered and controlled the islands from as early as the 16th century. Taiwan's logic in claiming the islands follows China's.
Due to their size, remoteness and lack of resources, and the fact that the islands are uninhabited, no maps of the region were printed by either China or Taiwan until very recently. The Map Publication Co. of China released limited copies (3000) of the first edition map of the Diaoyutai Islands in October 2012, all of which sold out immediately. This early edition by the Japanese, who were years ahead in map publication, was issued in 1934 and is believed to be the most detailed map of the region before WWII and is the only copy available for sale. The map features a 'confidential' mark in the top right quadrant and another mark in the bottom left reads 'General Staff.' This is one of the maps in the set of 10 maps of the Okinawa Islands printed by the Japanese in 1934.
Very good. Original fold lines.


We follow the cold, rich waters of the continent, from their genesis in the stormy southern oceans via the mighty Humboldt Current all the way to the Equator. In their journey, they transform one of the most inhospitable habitats on Earth into one of the richest marine eco-systems known, with the highest densities of seabirds ever seen. Sharing in the current's riches are penguins, killer whales, sea lions, fur seals, albatrosses, cormorants, pelicans, boobies and the world's only marine lizard â€“ a series of wildlife spectacles that only South America can boast.moreless
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This tiny but economically mighty city-state in Southeast Asia boasts a pretty impressive success story. Part of the original group of territories that threw off the shackles of British colonialism to form the country of Malaysia in the early 1960s, Singapore went a step further two years later and, dancing to the beat of its own drummer, declared its own independence. The country has been open for business ever since. Thanks to its commitment to international commerce, gambling, shipping and oil refining, Singapore was recently declared by the World Bank to be the easiest place in the world to do business and the country's coffers are all the more full because of it. It's GDP of nearly $60,000 is one of the highest in the world, meaning most of its five million inhabitants live a very cushy life, indeed. This life doesn't come without a price, however; Singapore is famous the world over for its strict rules and even stricter punishment. Caning is a favourite, and is handed down as punishment for at least 30 crimes, not all of which have to be what most people would call "serious"; crimes as small as vandalism can earn even a few strokes on the backside. Visitors should be aware that, as with anywhere, they are not above the law; foreigners can and have been caned in Singapore and those who overstay their visas by more than three months are sure to fall into that category. That said, there are draws in the country that most law-abiding visitors would enjoy, including a culture structured on those of the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Arab communities it hosts, a well kept zoo, a famed bird park, the island of Sentosa which is a veritable open-air museum, and shopping to die for. With all of this and a good quality of life, all wrapped up in a tidy little package, visitors to Singapore are sure to leave with a camera full of memories and an appreciation for the finer things in life. ~ WBB Staff Writer
Singapore and Malaysia, side by side and once together, can be seen as very far apart. On a recent journey that took me to both, I spoke with a Sri Lankan/Malaysian lady on the train and with a taxi driver from Singapore, respectively, and through the story of each it was clear that there was no love lost between the two, though perhaps more so on the part of Malaysia. The tension and bitterness here stems in part from a 90-year contract that sees Malaysia selling unfiltered water to Singapore, only for the latter to filter it and sell it back - at three time the cost, of course. Arguments over water and airspace - as Malaysia often refuses to let Singapore use its space to train the military - often predominate the relationship between the two. While travellers may want to keep their ear to the ground to see if the latest newsflash from the region will impact their travel plans, there's little need to cancel any excursions, for even short ones can offer up plenty for everyone to enjoy, from the intrepid traveller to the plucky tourist.
Singapore is like China's Miami, with four official languages, an incredible Chinatown and an awesome, authentic 'Little India'. It has the similar climate, vegetation, skyscrapers and malls, as it's American 'cousin', and it, too, is a city that doesn't sleep. It can't sleep; it's too busy eating! This tiny but mighty city state has an unequivocal amount of restaurants to choose from, offering up mostly Chinese, Indian and Malay food. I was fortunate enough to partake in a number of dishes during my stay here, particularly its Chinese and Indian cuisine. The Chinese venues near my hotel served fried food at room temperature, and while I'd much rather be served the tasty, greasy dishes right from the pan, it was still worth a mention. In Little India, however, I had the best, fresh samosas ever...just fried! It took a while to get them but they were well worth the wait. I also had a delicious yoghurt lassi at another venue in the area, and while the lassis I had in India are still the best, these ran a very close second.


Shibu Onsen is a trip back in time. Filled with historic buildings and a traditional atmosphere, this old hot spring town is just a quick hop from Yudanaka Onsen.
Shibu Onsen is located just next door to Yudanaka Onsen, the last stop on the Nagaden Nagano Line.
To access the area from Nagano or any of the other major cities, catch the Nagano Dentetsu-Nagano Line to Yudanaka Onsen. From there, it is about a half-hour walk or short taxi ride from Yudanaka Station.
Shibu Onsen's history is said to go back over 1,000 years. It's long been a rest stop for pilgrims making their way to Zenkoji Temple in Nagano City. The cobblestone streets lined with traditional wooden Japanese inns and dotted with shrines offer you the atmosphere of another era.
Shibu Onsen has nine public baths, known as Sotoyu and managed in common by the village inns. Being a guest at one of them entitles you free use of all of the baths. All of the different baths are meant to heal or protect from different ailments.
To add to the fun of onsen-hopping in Shibu, the baths give out commemorative stamps. Get one of Shibu's special junyoku stamp towels and collect them all. If you're not staying over, you can still use the largest Oyu bath for a small fee, payable at the information center.
In the evening, do like the Japanese and stroll the narrow lanes in your yukata robe and geta wooden sandals, going from bath to bath or bar to bar. Try some of the local sake at Tamamura, Shibu's brewery.
Shiba Onsen's only a 10-minute bus ride from the trailhead leading into the famed Snow Monkey Park, and 30 minutes from Shiga Kogen Ski Resort. For a change of pace or more restaurant options, Yudanaka Onsen is a little busier and located just down the road.


big, beautiful world
The big and the small.
Hello there! I'm Dawn and I truly have been blessed with an unusual life. It's probably my own doing for continually taking the path less trodden, both figuratively and literally. I love to really live in a place and grow some roots there. I also love a good wander and the freedom to explore. Canada is my homeland but my heart and soul are scattered across the globe. I enjoy the uniqueness of each place I visit but what I love even more are the connections that prove our undeniable unity. I've journeyed through over 30 countries and still have an ever-growing bucket list of new places to experience. I hope you enjoy hearing about my adventures and misadventures. There is still much more to come.


Boon Michigan US Topo Map
2019 topographic map quadrangle Boon in the state of Michigan. Scale: 1:24000. Based on the newly updated USGS 7.5' US Topo map series, this map is in the following counties: Wexford. The map contains contour data, water features, and other items you are used to seeing on USGS maps, but also has updated roads and other features. This is the next generation of topographic maps. Printed on high-quality waterproof paper with UV fade-resistant inks.
Contains the following named places: Altman Lake, Boon, Boon Baptist Church, Boon Census Designated Place, Boon Post Office, Boon Township Fire Department, Boyd School, Brandy Brook Waterfowl Area, Brandy Creek, Bunker Hill Golf Course, Bunyea Post Office, Clofax Township Park, Dayhuff Meauwataka Cemetery, East Cemetery, Foursquare Lighthouse Church, McNett School, Meauwataka, Meauwataka Free Methodist Church, Meauwataka Lake, Meauwataka Post Office, Millersville, Millersville Post Office, Millersville Station, Pilgrim Holiness Church, Selma Cemetery, Selma Center School, Township of Selma, West Cemetery, Wexford County, Woodward Lake, ZIP Code: 49618


What is causing the current low temperatures in the UK and how long will the Arctic chill persist?
As the coldest temperatures in 14 years are predicted to hit the UK overnight, with parts of Scotland potentially plunging to -15C, freezing conditions are expected to remain across the country for the next few days.
The most recent occurrence of such low temperatures in Britain was in January 2010, known as the “big freeze,” when Altnaharra, Scotland recorded a temperature of -22.3C.
The frigid air from the Arctic moving towards the southern parts of the UK is creating chaos and distress, prompting many to wonder about its duration.
What is the reason for the low temperature?
The UK is currently experiencing a blast of cold air from the Arctic due to the shifting polar jet stream. This high altitude air flow has a hot and cold side, and the country happens to be situated on the colder northern side.
The prolonged duration of the cold weather is not aiding the situation; the accumulation of snow over numerous days is resulting in increasingly lower temperatures.
The problem is compounded by the presence of an El Niño year, which happens every three to four years. This phenomenon causes a change in the jet stream, leading to higher sea surface temperatures and atmospheric waves. As a result, there are significant shifts in winter weather patterns in Europe. In El Niño years, the northern region tends to be colder and drier while the southern region experiences more precipitation. In the UK, summers during El Niño years can be hotter and drier.
Who is facing more challenges – and who is more fortunate?
If it provides any solace to British citizens, other nations are facing even harsher conditions. While the UK is experiencing temperatures 5-6 degrees Celsius lower than average for this time of year, northern Scandinavia is dealing with a drop of 20 degrees Celsius from their usual temperatures. Despite this, they seem to be handling it well, as social media is filled with posts of parents putting their infants outside to sleep in the crisp air and participating in the Norwegian tradition of friluftsliv, or “outdoor living.”
For those who prefer a warmer outdoor atmosphere, the hot side of the jet stream is currently located south of France. Anyone in that area is experiencing unusually warm temperatures.
Why are we taken aback?
Dr. Matt Patterson, an atmospheric physics postdoctoral research assistant at the University of Oxford, found the following to be a thought-provoking question. He expressed, “I am intrigued by the widespread concern over the current cold temperatures. These conditions were much more frequent 20 to 30 years ago.”
According to Patterson, we have adapted to the new normal, which is a general increase in temperature. He refers to this as the “shifting baseline syndrome.” Due to climate change, we are no longer accustomed to extremely cold days like we used to be, and have forgotten what it was like before the warming trend.
In reality, although there may be a recent drop in temperature, overall warm days are becoming even warmer and cold days are also becoming warmer. In simpler terms, we are experiencing fewer extremely cold days, which are simply part of the natural and expected changes in weather patterns.
What is the duration?
The upcoming weekend will be less severe, but there will be a significant change in the weather as the cold front moves away. Strong low pressure systems are predicted to move in, bringing potentially disruptive storms during the weekend.