LESSONS LEARNED
Mastering Outdoor Fire Features
‘Through the past decade or so,’ Scott Cohen observes, ‘the popularity of all forms of outdoor fire has increased dramatically.’ Here, Cohen covers several issues related to outdoor fire features: building materials, smoke direction, heat transmission and positioning for proper oxygen draw. [more]
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MY PERSPECTIVE
Watershapers Must Grow or Go!
In the second installment of this two-part opinion piece, Mark Holden offers his prescription for improving watershapers’ performance and bottom line. It includes: move toward artisan-based design, take a different approach to leads, don’t dumb-down projects, focus on what you want and expand your skills. [more]
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WATERSHAPES WORLD
Brighter Future or Wishful Thinking?
‘After nearly three years of hardship, it seemed earlier in 2011 that things were finally bouncing back — but now seem to be slipping away again,’ Jim McCloskey writes. Still, he remains fairly optimistic: ‘I can only think that our dedication to craft, to fine design and to the many benefits watershapes bring to those who own them give us reasonable assurance that eventually our perseverence will pay off and that good outcomes aren’t out of reach forever.’ Or is that just wishful thinking? [more]
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Movie Legend Marilyn Monroe:
Nude Swimming Outtakes from the Ill-Fated ‘Something’s Got to Give’ [more] |
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WATERSHAPES CLASSIC
Why Proper Supervision Is Essential
A decade ago in David Tisherman‘s ‘Details’ column, he argued forcefully for increasing on-site supervision of watershaping projects. In his article on the topic, entitled ‘Super Vision,’ he wrote, ‘Call it quality control, attention to detail or perfectionism: There’s no substitute for supervision. It has to be there, every time, all the time.’ [more]
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JOIN THE DIALOGUE
Your Assignment: Step Up to the Mike!
In the first part of his ‘Watershapers Must Grow or Go!’ opinion piece, Mark Holden basically ripped the watershaping industry a new one, as the saying goes. In this issue, he prescribes ways to chart a new course. What do you think? Click on the article’s ‘Join the Dialogue’ box and express yourself. Also, help Jim McCloskey answer the question he poses in the WaterShapes World Blog: ‘Brighter Future or Wishful Thinking?’ Read the articles above and leave your comments at the end.
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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
What Celebrated Swimmer Keeps Trying to Swim the Florida Straits?
Many water-related stories have been in the news in the past several weeks — including items connected to the four questions below. Do you know the answers?
1. Earlier this month, 61-year-old Diana Nyad was in the news for her unsuccessful attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida. What this the athlete’s first, second or third try at crossing the Florida Strait?
2. Why was a veteran New York lifeguard fired from his job in 2007? (His case recently made headlines again when an appeals court reinstated his discrimination lawsuit.) Here’s a hint: The reason he was fired had to do with swimwear.
3. Why are health experts now advising people not to jump or dive into natural bodies of water — such as rivers and lakes — or if they do, to use a nose clip or pinch their nostrils shut with their thumb and forefinger?
4. ‘Octomom’ Nadya Suleman was back in the news recently — this time because of her backyard aboveground pool. What was the problem?
To find out how you did, click here.
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