Beach campsites closed for Christmas

Beach campsites closed for Christmas

Beach campsites closed for Christmas

The sand dunes on Newcastle’s Stockton Beach will remain off limits for camping this Christmas and New Year period, as the area continues to recover from storm damage.

The Worimi Conservation Lands area suffered severe erosion during a storm in June this year, forcing the closure of all camping areas.

National Parks and Wildlife Service region manager, Robert Quirk, says while people are still able to visit the beach, the damage to the frontal dunes means it is too dangerous for camping.

“They’re recovering and they’re recovering well, but they haven’t recovered sufficiently to put campers back on them,” he said.

“Both the pressures of vehicles and people, and also the risk from another storm event.

“(In) August the sea broke through again and I think a large storm event could still break through.

“So many of the places where people used to camp are now still prone to flooding under large storm events.”

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-11/beach-campsites-closed-for-christmas/4420148

 

7.2 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia, no immediate tsunami warning

7.2 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia, no immediate tsunami warning

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake has been reported off the coast of Indonesia.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake struck offshore, 129 miles (208 kilometers) northwest of the city of Saumlaki. The quake was reported at a depth of 96 miles (155 kilometers).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has no immediate tsunami warning.The quake hit shortly before 1700 GMT.

Indonesia is located in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common.

Iced Berry Pudding

Iced berry pudding

Iced Berry Pudding

Method

    Whip the cream in a big bowl so it is softly whipped, then stir in the custard. Put this in the freezer for about an hour and a half, until it is starting to freeze around the edges.
    Meanwhile, put the sugar in a pan with 100ml/31⁄2fl oz rum. Heat slowly until the sugar has dissolved, tip in the fruits, and simmer gently for one minute to plump up the fruit. Pour everything into a wide bowl (so it cools as quickly as possible), and leave until cold (about an hour). Add the extra tablespoon of rum for a bit more kick.
    Stir the cream and custard with a balloon whisk to break it all up, then stir in the cooled fruit. Pour the mixture into a 1.2 litre/ 2 pint pudding basin, cover and freeze overnight until firm (or for up to 1 month).
    To serve, dip the basin quickly into boiling water to loosen the pudding, go round the sides with a round-bladed knife, then turn the pudding out onto a serving plate. Decorate with clusters of frosted bay leaves and grapes (see ‘how to make the decorations’) around the base.

To make the decorations:  

    Lay the grapes and bay leaves on kitchen paper on a small tray. Lightly beat 1 egg white, then brush all over the grapes and leaves. Roll or sprinkle with caster sugar to cover, then leave to dry. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Recipe Source: BBC Good Food

For More Yummy Recipes visit Our Website

Garlic Marinated Pork Roast

Garlic Marinated Pork Roast

Garlic Marinated Pork Roast

Ingredients

Serves: 8

1/4 cup chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 dash soy sauce
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 tablespoons apple juice
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon molasses
1/4 cup wine
1/4 cup Italian-style salad dressing
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
4kg pork roast

Preparation method
Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 3 hours | Extra time: 4 hours, marinating

In a large bowl mix garlic, onion, soy sauce, golden syrup, apple juice, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, wine, Italian-style salad dressing, distilled white vinegar, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, Cajun seasoning, chilli flakes, seasoning salt and brown sugar.
Score pork shoulder 5mm deep.
Place in the bowl with the marinade mixture.
Marinate at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Preheat the barbecue for medium high heat and lightly oil grate.
Cook marinated pork shoulder on the barbecue 3 hours.
Marinate frequently with the mixture while grilling.

3 Ways to Admire the Smoky Mountains in Pigeon Forge

3 Ways to Admire the Smoky Mountains in Pigeon Forge

Visitors often ask where to find the best views of the Great Smoky Mountains scenery that frames Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

There are three new vantage points directly in Pigeon Forge affording awesome views of the Smoky Mountains. They involve a wild ride, a giant balloon and the top of a very odd building.

The Wild Ride
The wild ride is Wild Eagle, an innovative roller coaster at Dollywood that was the first of its design in the U.S.

It rises 21 stories into the sky atop Dollywood’s highest ridge, meaning you get a spectacular view just before you begin your 3,127-foot race back down.

Wild Eagle is a wing coaster, meaning its seats stick off the coaster’s track like wings on a giant raptor — there’s nothing overhead and nothing beneath your feet as you fly through the mountain scenery.

The Giant Balloon
Decidedly gentler is Wonders of Flight at the WonderWorks attraction.

Wonders of Flight is a blue and green French-built helium balloon 72 feet in diameter. It’s big enough to lift a gondola carrying you and 29 others 400 feet up.

There’s no chance you’ll fly away, because a steel cable tethers you to earth. It’s as quiet as an elevator except for passengers’ “ooohs” and “aaahs” as they inspect the 360-degree view. In one direction are the Smokies, and far, far on another horizon are the Cumberland Mountains and the famed Cumberland Gap, where Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia link up.

Atop a Tall Building
Most visit the Hollywood Wax Museum to pose with figures that look just like Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, George Clooney and Bradley Cooper.

However, there’s a surprise if you visit an exterior observation level. The building is strategically located to offer a stunning view of Mt. LeConte, altitude 6,593 feet, inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Look another direction, and the mountains are framed by the gaping mouth of the Great Ape of Pigeon Forge, a figure clinging to the building like another famous ape that visited New York City.

Pigeon Forge information sources: MyPigeonForge.com and 800-251-9100.

NewsUSA

Add More Storage To Your Bedroom Without Remodeling

By: Lee Dobbins

Everyone can use more storage and one of the best places to add storage to is the bedroom.
What with all your clothes and personal items cluttering up the closet and bureau, the bedroom can sometimes seem like a messy catch all for all your household clutter.
Here’s some ways you can clean up the bedroom and get some extra storage space too boot!

One way to gain a ton of space is to install a closet organizer.

It doesn’t have to be a fancy expensive one (although feel free if you want one).
You won’t believe how much extra space you can get from when you use one of these systems.

The metal rails systems for closets are great.
You can get acrylic shelves, chrome baskets and special slotted pieces for shoes and hats.
The slotted systems are good as they provide ventilation which helps your clothes to breathe and are easy to maintin.
These adjustable components come with a non-chip and non stick coating.

When choosing a closet organizer, make sure you pick a system that allows you to double up your rack space.
This way you can hang shorter clothes like shirts and skirts on top of each other and literally double your closet space!

You might already have some storage space in your bedroom that you don’t even realize you have!

Do you have space under the bed?
Are you using it to it’s fullest?
Clean out all the dust bunnies and throw away the socks and junk that has accumulated under there and use this for long term storage.
You can put off season clothing, camping gear, toys or whatever under there when it is not in use.
Store the items in Tupperware containers (you can buy the low ones on wheels for easy retrieval) or space bags to protect the items and create a neat storage space.

Another overlooked storage area is a room divider.
If you have one sitting in the corner as a decorative item, you might want to look at the space behind it.
This can be used to store items that you don’t need to get at every day like craft supplies or maybe even cleaning supplies.

Storage baskets are a great place to store various objects and can also add decorative touches to your bedroom.

You can use them for small stuff like keys, holding bills or correspondence, toiletries, towels, jewelry and just about anything else that will fit in the basket.
You can buy large baskets for your laundry and smaller ones to use as catch alls.

When buying baskets to use as storage in the bedroom, make sure you pick ones that match your bedroom décor.
There are many types of storage baskets available in the market in many different sizes and shapes and colors, and in different materials.
Some are utility oriented, while some are meant as decorative items.
You can choose from willow, woven ash, rope, wrought iron, woven sea grass, bamboo, woodchip and a variety of other types with all different kinds of embellishments so you should be able to find a basket that matches any bedroom décor.

Adding more storage to your bedroom can help you get better organized and even help you remove some of the clutter from other rooms in the house.
Now you just need to remember to put that stuff away in the right place!

Author Bio
Lee Dobbins writes for Bedroom Designs And DecorationsBedroom Designs And Decorations where you can find more tips on decorating your bedroom.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com – Free Website Content

Add Warmth To Your Bedroom With An Oriental Rug

By: Lee Dobbins

When it comes to the bedroom we all know that bedding and accents are important, but a key area of bedroom design that is often overlooked is the flooring.
Many people have wall to wall carpet in their bedroom and, therefore think that they are “stuck” with that color or design.
The truth is that you can jazz up your flooring by simply laying a carpet on top of your wall to wall carpet.

Beautiful and durable, oriental rugs can add warmth and charm to almost any bedroom.
This type of rug goes with many bedroom design styles, romantic, Victorian, shabby chic, Tuscan, Morrocan, oriental and many more.

Oriental rugs come in many different designs and colors so you should be able to find one that suits your bedroom décor.
You can buy them in different sizes so you can add a splash of color and elegance to any part of the bedroom.
You can buy them in a variety of price ranges as well, but as with anything else, the more you spend the better quality your rug will be.

A real oriental rug is hand tied – that’s right each piece of wool is tied onto the backing by hand.
These rugs are really works of art, and you might think they are fragile but they are actually quite durable.
I have been to many antique auctions where rugs that were over 100 years old have survived to look almost as good as they day they were made.

When selecting an oriental carpet for your bedroom, you should only look at carpets that are 100% wool as these will be the best quality.
To determine if the carpet you are looking at is hand or machine made there are a few things to take into consideration.
First off it’s good to be able to compare two rugs – one you know is machine made and one you know is hand made.
Look at the backs – the hand made rug will be much more colorful than the machine made.
The machine made rug will have an overall stitch pattern across the back and you won’t see any knots since only hand made rugs are knotted.
Another thing to look at is the fringe.
On a handmade rug, the fringe is made up of the wrap strings from the end of the rug, on a machine made it is simply sewn on.

When selecting your oriental rug, make sure to choose colors that go with the colors in your bedroom.
If you are placing the rug over wall to wall carpeting, it is best to choose smaller throw rugs that you can use as splashes of color around the room and avoid putting furniture on them unless you buy a large rug that covers almost the entire room.

Love the look of oriental rugs but don’t want to put them on the floor?
Why not try using one as a wall hanging?
You can use it to jazz up a large boring wall or hang it behind the bed in lieu of a headboard.

No matter how you use them, oriental rugs add warmth and character to your bedroom or any room in the house!

Author Bio
Lee Dobbins writes for Bedroom Designs And Decorations where you can find more tips on decorating your bedroom.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com – Free Website Content

Advice for Men Struggling With Infertility

Advice for Men Struggling With Infertility

While women are often the first to undergo a battery of tests when conception is slow to happen, almost half of all infertility problems are directly attributed to the male. Low sperm count is the most common culprit, so analyzing sperm count is considered a key first step by infertility specialists. However, a new survey conducted for SpermCheck Fertility, the only FDA-approved at-home sperm count screening test, finds that only 17 percent of men ever get tested.

While a majority of men are not getting tested, according to Pamela Madsen, fertility advocate and founder of The American Fertility Association, they are also doing little to prepare for conception. She says there are several things men can do to help boost fertility naturally:

1. Feed fertility. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seafood, nuts and low-fat proteins will help boost zinc and selenium levels. Selenium has been found to contribute to healthy sperm, while a zinc deficiency may contribute to reduced fertility.

2. Trade happy hour for power hour. Heavy drinking, even caffeine, can be a fertility wrecker for men. Madsen advises capping caffeine to one cup of coffee per day, avoiding energy drinks and limiting alcohol intake before and while trying to conceive. Get into a moderate workout routine. Exercise can help keep hormones happy, manage weight and lower stress, all of which boost fertility.

3. Limit exposure. The work environment may contribute to fertility problems, ranging from chemical exposure to excessive heat. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health reports that continued exposure to things like pesticides, chemical fertilizers and radiation can lower sperm count. Using a laptop computer on the lap, versus a desk, can reduce fertility due to heat exposure.

4. Check the boys. The SpermCheck survey found that 83 percent of men who are planning or trying to conceive assume they are fertile. “Most men make this assumption, but around half actually may have issues,” says Madsen. “Now they can find out in the privacy of their homes in just 10 minutes.” New SpermCheck Fertility (www.spermcheck.com), available in stores and online, indicates if sperm count is within “normal” range, costs less than a visit to the doctor and is convenient. “SpermCheck is 98 percent accurate, so it is a great first step in male fertility testing, helping to determine if a more comprehensive evaluation is needed,” adds Madsen.

For more information and tips, visit www.spermcheck.com.

NewsUSA

All That Glitters: Why You Can’t Go Wrong Giving Gold Jewelry

All That Glitters: Why You Can't Go Wrong Giving Gold Jewelry

All That Glitters: Why You Can’t Go Wrong Giving Gold Jewelry

 

Gold has been an integral part of holiday traditions for centuries. The Magi carried gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh; golden gelt has been part of Hanukkah since the seventeenth century; and today “five golden rings” is more than a mere song lyric, they have come to symbolize all that we share with one another during this season.

Gold jewelry truly is the ultimate holiday gift,” says Sally Morrison, Head of Jewelry PR at the World Gold Council.

“It embodies the tradition of celebration that is the very essence of the season.”

In today’s economy, more individuals are seeking holiday gifts that convey sentimental meaning, but will also represent enduring value for years to come. As you prepare your holiday gift list, gold may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but it should be. Here are a few reasons to give gold this holiday season:

* Value: The value of gold has grown consistently year after year for the past decade. Unlike other gifts, such as electronics, which depreciate immediately after the box is opened, gold will continue to be a store of value over time. If you’re looking for a gift that will last a lifetime, go with the classics: simple gold pendant necklaces, cufflinks or bracelets. Elsa Peretti’s Bone cuff in 18k for Tiffany & Co. is a contemporary classic that will always be in style.

* Symbolism: Gold jewelry is ideal for sharing a symbolic message, whether it’s a statement of faith made by wearing a religious symbol on a necklace, a golden charm to celebrate a milestone achievement, or a simple gold band that represents commitment between two individuals. Top picks for the holiday season? Me&Ro’s gold amulets, or Temple St. Clair’s angel pendants.

* Heirlooms: Very few gifts are passed down from generation to generation, but gold jewelry is almost ensured to be. After all, who doesn’t treasure their grandfather’s gold watch or their aunt’s favorite locket? This holiday, give the gift that will live on for years to come; Monica Rich Kosann gold lockets are timeless treasures.

* Tradition: Through ages around the world, gold has traditionally been used to commemorate significant moments — from wedding bands to Olympic medals — but gold is also woven into many holiday traditions. According to legend, gold coins were the gift of choice for Saint Nicholas as far back as the fourth century.

* Personalization: How can you improve upon the perfect gift? Personalize it. Whether it’s engraving a special message or selecting a single monogram gold charm, personalization turns a gift into a treasure. Jennifer Fisher has a gold charm for everyone on your list!

For more information, visit: www.goldinspirations.com.

NewsUSA

Are Loft Beds – Bunk Beds Safe?

By: John Marcus

If you are trying to maximize the space in your room, consider purchasing a loft bed or bunk bed to elevate your sleeping area.
With loft beds, the bed is elevated on a platform with space left underneath for living, working, or playing.
Bunk beds work on the same principal, but with another bed underneath the top bunk.
Both are popular with children and teens, who often have limited space in their rooms; however, many parents worry about their safety.

Each year, thousands of children are rushed to emergency rooms after falling from the top bunk of their bunk beds or loft beds, while many more receive less serious injuries that are not seen by a medical professional.
Typically, the main reason of injury involving bunk beds or lofts beds is horseplay and not from improperly installed beds.
Before you purchase bunk beds or loft beds for your child, consider the age of the child and plan to make rules regarding the use of the bed.
Although younger children are thought to experience more injuries, the most problems occur with older children who are more apt to disregard rules and exhibit unsafe or risky behavior.

For the most part, bunk beds and loft beds are just as safe as conventional beds.
For smaller children, consider designating the lower bunk as their bed instead of allowing them to regularly climb to the top bunk.
Also, ensure the bed is properly maintained and meets all current safety regulations and standards.
Additionally, approximately eight percent (in US) of bunk bed related falls and injuries that must seek medical attention are related directly to the ladder.
In addition to ensuring the ladder is properly installed, instruct your child on the correct method of ascending and descending the ladder.

When you begin searching for an appropriate bunk bed or loft bed for your child, choose a bed that appeals to all the safety standards.
A bunk bed should have guard rails that have no more than three and one-half inches of space between the rail and the mattress. This will prevent children from falling through the space and potentially injuring themselves.
If necessary, you may need to install extra boards if the space between the guard rail and the mattress larger than this.
Furthermore, the guard rail needs to extend no less than five inches above mattress so that your child will be unable to roll off the top bunk.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the bunk bed or loft bed your purchase has guard rails on both sides.
Even though one side of the bed will be placed next to a wall, a guard rail is essential due to a child potentially falling next to the wall and becoming trapped between the wall and the bed frame.
Again, the guard rail should be no greater than three and one-half inches above the bed frame.
Also, you should ensure that the mattress purchased to fit the bunk bed or loft bed properly fits the frame.
Many parents choose to use a preexisting mattress used on a child-sized bed that is smaller than a traditional twin bed frame.
Children can potentially fall between the mattress and the frame in this situation, so you should ensure the mattress is of the proper size.

In addition to ensuring the mattress is of proper size, you should also check that the mattress foundation is properly suspended above the bottom bunk or the space below.
If the bed sits on a wooden platform, consider reinforcing the mattress with wooden slats or metal straps.
This will prevent the top bunk from collapsing, especially if the lower occupant is kicking or pushing the above mattress.

By purchasing a quality, well constructed bunk bed or loft bed that meets all safety guidelines, you can make certain that your child will be safe and free from injury from the bed.

Author Bio

John Marcus specializes in Beds www.1-loft-beds.com

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com – Free Website Content