Former Salt Lake Magazine Associate Editor Jen Hill is a SLC transplant from Bloomington, Ind. As a blogger and feature writer, Jen follows the pulse of the community with interests in urban agriculture, business, fitness & beauty and anything that allows her to get out of the office and into the mountains.
While a TV reality show can set up winter condition survival scenarios and a web site can instruct you on how to build up the ultimate winter survival bug-out kit—let’s be clear—while apocalyptic White Walkers might not get you, being out and exposed to sub-freezing temperatures for too long without suitable protection and provisions will.
Tip 1 – Remember ‘the Rule of 3s’
The Rule of 3s reminds us that we can survive…
3 minutes without breathable air or in icy water.
3 hours in a harsh environment without shelter.
3 days without drinkable water.
3 weeks without food (but, that would suck).
And, while we can’t make promises, our belief is that knowledge (and common sense) is a powerful tool in any tribulation. Like someone venturing north of the wall in Game of Thrones, think of your body as a fortress, and the cold as the enemy which can enter and conquer in a myriad of ways. Do you build a moat? The answer, in this case, is no. However staying dry, seeking shelter and dressing in layers is strongly advisable.
Tip 2 – Layer, Layer (and Layer)
Leave your cotton hoodie or jeans at home. Freezing temps demand more insulating layers. For ventilation and warmth retention, fabrics made of wool, silk, or polypropylene inner layers hold body heat better than cotton. Below our cold survival expert, Christian Schauf, owner of Uncharted Supply Co., demonstrates how to layer for optimum insulation.
A good layering system consists of
1. The Base Layer – Always wear a light, long sleeve base layer made of Merino wool or a fabric blend that keeps you warm and dry by wicking away moisture. Tuck things in, gaps between the waist and pants allow valuable heat to escape.
2. The Mid-layer – Next is a thin mid-layer—either wool, polyester or a blend.
3. The Puffy – This zippered jacket with a hood traps in the heat, and you’ll be glad you have it.
4. The Outer Shell Layer – This should also be hooded and large enough to allow additional layers, the outer shell should be both water and wind-resistant and have adjustable openings for ventilation or to shut tight if needed.
Tip 3 – Stay Dry
If you are wet, try to get out of those wet clothes as soon as possible, an extra pair of clothing, puffy coat, hat, socks in a car could be very valuable. To stay dry, waterproof shoes/boots, wear gators, use tarps or plastic garbage bags. Sweating counts as getting wet, so while heat from excursion is good, sweating is not good as far as the keeping warm game is concerned.
Tip 4 – Cover your head
Did you ever hear that like a chimney, heat escapes out of your head more rapidly than anything else? It kinda makes sense, a hat keeps heats from escaping and there isn’t a pad of fat insulating the skull either.
Jack Egan from Stio.com shares, “a fleece hat can make all the difference. Fleece retains most of its heat when it’s wet, it’s super lightweight, quick-drying, and highly breathable.”
Stay warm SLC, and to read all our “In the Magazine” articles, go here.
Utah has the Greatest Snow on Earth. So great we capitalize it and proclaim it on our license plates with an exclamation mark. Our great snow is not a myth. But why is Utah snow so great? And, considering how fast the natural world is changing, will it always be the greatest?
On Dec. 4, 1960, the Home Magazine of the Salt Lake Tribune coined the phrase “The Greatest Snow on Earth,” riffing on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus tagline. We all know that PT Barnum was the king of Blarney, but this Utah claim was actually true.
Before atmospheric science was a thing and shortly after the 1932 Winter Games in Lake Placid, NY, meteorologist and avid skier S. D. Green told a Salt Lake Tribune reporter that Utah’s snow and skiing were superior to Lake Placid attributing his claim to the “natural advantages” found here. Planting, possibly, seeds for the Utah Olympic movement.
But it wasn’t until weather forecasting technology advanced that scientists were able to really prove that, yes, Utah truly has the Greatest Snow on Earth. And, if you ski, you know the thrill of a Utah powder day, even more so if you’ve experienced East Coast ice sheets or West Coast “Sierra Cement.” Our great snow is not a myth—it’s a reality we experience every winter.
Professor Jim Steenburgh makes snow science approachable to non-scientific types and helps us understand the truth behind Utah’s snow and how climate issues will most likely affect it. Photo by Adam Finkle / Salt Lake Magazine
The Flakes
Snow is made up of millions of tiny flakes. To understand snow, you have to understand the flake, and we don’t mean ski bums in the bars. Most average American kids spend some classroom time folding and cutting out paper snowflakes. And any average American teacher probably mentioned that no two snowflakes are alike. Of course, it’s more complicated than that—Jim Steenburgh, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Utah, has devoted an entire book to the subject, Secrets of the Greatest Snow on Earth, making snow science approachable.
Snowflakes, Steenburgh says, aren’t (like you might think) frozen rain and they’re not usually individual snow crystals—the big, puffy flakes that fall when it’s just below freezing are actually bunches of crystals glommed together.
In cold weather, water droplets crystallize into symmetrical shapes around tiny pieces of dust as they fall. Charmingly, an individual snowflake’s shape is called a “habit,” a hexagonal prism, and scientists, predictably, have the varieties divided up into tidy categories. Six side facets form along the side and two side facets form at the top and the bottom. As it gets colder, the crystals change shape or habits; the more humid it is, the bigger the flake. Utah snow is a mad mix of these habits, growing at different altitudes and temperatures. They’re highly irregular.
Most Utah snowflakes are “defective, poorly formed, broken when colliding into other snowflakes, rimed or aggregated,” Steenburgh says. Utah snow is nothing like the elegant crystals in pretty habit diagrams that Steenburgh and his fellows draw and there’s no way you could ever cut a Utah snowflake out of paper. Utah snow is weird, a kind of Frankenstein’s snow (Frankensnow?) and, while no two snowflakes are alike, no snowflakes are like Utah’s.
The Great Lake Effect
Urban myths and half-truths swirl around like flakes when it comes to explaining just why Utah’s snow is so great—the lightest, the driest, the most powdery. You may have heard it’s because of our mountains’ proximity to the Great Salt Lake—the famous lake effect. If you’re really a snow nerd, you might have heard this described as “a unique orographic enhancement.”
The lake effect only accounts for about five percent of the annual snow in the Cottonwood Canyons. It occurs when the difference between the temperature of the relatively warm lake’s surface and the cold air above the lake is sufficiently large. When this difference in temperature is large enough, moisture and heat from the lake’s surface rise into the lower levels of the atmosphere and generate snowfall. Cool note: An extreme lake effect can cause thundersnow—snow showers with lightning and thunder.
How The Snow Falls
Besides the vaunted lake effect, Utah snow is great because of its water content—not a lot—and the pattern of its fall. Denser snow (with more water) is heavier and falls faster; lighter snow falls more slowly and has time to get more complex. Snow that’s less than seven percent water is considered light, and heavy is over 11 percent. Man-made snow is really dense, with an average of 24-28 percent. Dense snow creates an excellent base layer for skiing, sure, but you want the light stuff, powder, on the top. Snow in California’s and Nevada’s Sierra Nevada range is well over 11 percent water—hence the term “Sierra Cement.”
Utah snow, however, has an average density of 8.4 percent. The key to our amazing snow is a quick-change temperature fluctuation common to Utah snowstorms. Often a storm starts when it’s warmer, which creates a water-dense base layer, and as the temperatures drop, lighter snow follows. This is called “right-side up” snowfall (vs. upside-down). The fluffy stuff stays on top and skiers and boarders feel like they’re floating down Utah slopes.
Hopefully, right-side up.
Young man having fun while snowshoeing outdoors on a lovely snowy winter day
From Greatest to not-so-great?
Global warming is being noticed most significantly in the Arctic, but Utah temperatures are warmer now than recorded just a few years ago. A cold winter in the early 21st century would have been an average winter in the mid-20th. Going even further into the past, looking at ice cores and tree rings, paleoclimatologists can figure out what the weather was like before humans were keeping records and even map out future climate scenarios based on the projected levels of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane.
“The role of dust is one that most don’t think about when it comes to the snowpack,” explains Steenburgh. Dense dust in the atmosphere creates something called “snirt,” brown and dirty snow. Like wearing a dark-colored knitted sweater, the sun’s light is absorbed by the darker snow rather than bouncing off a clean, white snowpack. One study found that snirty snow accelerates melting by 25 percent.
“Globally, snow is in decline and it’s not just from a warming climate—it’s more complicated than that. Snow is also getting darker,” says McKenzie Skiles, assistant professor of geography at the University of Utah.
As the temperatures rise, it doesn’t take a scientist to figure that more weather events will start as rain instead of snow, so we’ll have denser water-packed snow and our jokes about Sierra Cement suddenly won’t be funny anymore. The future isn’t rosy for snow sports.
And it’s also gloomy for those who don’t use the snow as a playground, but simply marvel at its quiet loveliness. As Steenburgh says, “The beauty of the snow is in the eye of the beholder and no science can prove that.”
The recipe for the Ultimate powder
The combination of these conditions creates the ultimate powder climate. Topography (big mountains) + Storm Temperature (warm to cold storms, right side up or hero snow) + Depth (at least 10-plus inches, enhanced by orographic flow and lake effect) + Frequency (Goldilocks Snow averaging every 10 days) = The Greatest Snow on Earth
10-plus inches of new snow allows flotation, so skis and boards do not ride on the underlying surface. With lesser amounts of new snow, we get “dust on crust.” The skiing looks great, but skis and boards sink and scrape into the underlying, crusty old snowpack. Utah’s climate supports more right-side-up snowfalls when storm temperatures start warmer (resulting in denser snow) and get progressively colder (less dense) lighter snow.
With even the smallest temperature increase, we can expect more rain and less snow, changes to our current storms and reduced snowpack. Add to that our famously dirty air and we have a problem.
Sounding Scientific: The Orographic Flow
Climatology meeting topography creates a snow-building phenomenon called “orographic flow.” That’s the rapid cooling effect that occurs as the wind pulls clouds upward rapidly over a mountain. The wet air rises quickly and drops its moisture, which produces most of the snow that falls in our big mountains.
The anatomy of a snowflake
Tim Garrett, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Utah, captures three-dimensional pictures of falling snow with a multi-angle snowflake imaging system. The system gathers 3D images from three cameras with a common focal point placed toward each other from different angles. Extremely sensitive motion sensors detect a falling flake and snap a shot with a freaky fast 1⁄25K second shutter speed. With a matching set of cameras vertically placed above, like a traffic speed trap, the snowflake’s rate of speed can be determined.
Photo by Adam Finkle / Salt Lake Magazine
The economy of snow. There’s gold in them thar flakes.
Either the first or second question someone who isn’t from Utah will ask you after learning you live here is: “Do you ski?” (The next, or first, query is always “Are you Mormon?”) The visibility of skiing in Utah is, in a large part the result of major marketing efforts from the Utah Department of Economic Development and Ski Utah, the marketing organization collectively owned by Utah’s 15 resorts. According to Ski Utah’s annual report, last season was the state’s second-best resulting in $1.32 billion in total visitor spending. Out-of-state skier and snowboarder spending ($1.068 billion) resulted in the creation of more than 21,000 total jobs and $226.4 million in state and local tax revenue. So skiing isn’t just a fun way to play on the snow, in Utah, it’s big business.
So what happens if the snow goes away? Resorts are responding with green initiatives from the token elimination of using straws and plastic to big deals like Alta’s planting 1,500 trees. In 2015, Ski Utah signed on with Protect Our Winters, a national organization that lobbies the governments at the state and local levels to address climate change (and melting snow) through clean energy and emission reduction policy.
The many words for snow
Cascade concrete or Sierra cement: Snow with the heaviest density (highest water content) occurs in Pacific states with mild temperatures and heavy snow depth.
Wild snow or cold smoke, champagne powder or blower pow: Water content is less than four percent, temperatures are between -12 and -18 degrees Celsius and the spokes of the flakes are filled with air rather than ice.
Goldilocks snow: Neither the densest nor the lightest, Utah snow’s water content averages the primo standard of about 8.4 percent. Not too wet, not too dry. Just right.
Corn snow: Rough, granular surface snow occurs after alternate thawing and freezing.
Riming: Water particles attach to snowflakes by filling in cavities between branches and arms, adding to the snow’s density.
Graupel: Snowflakes completely coated by riming are graupel pellets, styrofoam-like snow that bounces off the ground.
Man-made snow: Very dense, comprised of frozen water droplets, it can be a necessary evil.
Diamond dust: Tiny, super-chilled snowflakes that glitter on sunny days.
Four reasons to ski here now
There are lots of ways to play in the Greatest Snow on Earth. Still, skiing and snowboarding are the main way we do it here in the Beehive. 11 world-famous resorts are less than a two-hour drive from Salt Lake International Airport, and four more through the state, brought 5 million visitors here last season. Maybe you should give it a try. Here are four reasons why it’s easier than it used to be and more affordable too.
No. 1: Easier Snow
In the old days, the rest of the mountain was left as nature intended i.e. difficult to ski. But now we have grooming. From the immaculate slopes of Deer Valley to the mainline runs at old-school Alta, (which recently bought the world’s first hybrid electric-gas snowcat for grooming) modern skiing isn’t trying to be difficult. “We know people are choosing where to ski because of the quality of grooming and the number of groomed runs,” says Park City General Manager Bill Rock.
No. 2: Better Gear
Think comfortable ski boots that feature a walk mode and, inversely, less-comfortable snowboard boots that bring some of the stiffness of ski boots to snowboarding to make it easier than ever to carve. Plus, the newest skis and snowboards use sidecut and rocker technology (think of the contour of a rocking chair rocker) that make turning—the key to going downhill on waxed sleds strapped to your feet—way easier.
No. 3: Better Lessons
“Beginners,” says veteran Alta ski instructor Scott Mathers, make two classic mistakes. One: “They let their friends teach them.” And two: “They don’t give it enough time. It takes more than one day to enjoy fully.” The concept of “terrain-based” learning is becoming the norm, it’s the primary focus of Woodward Park City, which opens this season. The method puts you on a deliberately designed course that features small doses of different mountain terrain. And lessons aren’t just for beginners anymore. Resorts offer clinics, tune-ups and refreshers for all ages and levels. At Mathers’ Alta, for example, women’s clinics turn into full-scale wellness retreats with yoga and spa time factored in. And for the kids, ski school now is also about teaching the parents to teach.
No. 4: More Terrain
Utah is home to the largest resort in the United States, Park City, but the real game-changer is the advent of multi-resort passes that have lowered prices for season passes across the board and offer more resorts to sample and find your groove.
Other ways to experience greatness on snow
Fat Bikes:A new trend from people who can’t ever sit still, these fat-tire bikes can travel across packed snow. Swap the beach cruiser for a snow cruiser.
Snowshoe: Explore the Night Owling Snowshoe Tour at Sundance Mountain Resort or Utah Avalanche Center tours in the backcountry.
Winter hiking:With all the traffic on local trails even in winter and especially Millcreek Canyon, snow gets packed down fast in the Wasatch making snowshoes unnecessary. Just strap on some YakTrax or other traction aids and walk on the packed snow. Bonus tip: Trekking poles or that spare set of ski poles you have lying around in the garage will help you keep your feet.
On October 22, 2018 at 9:55 p.m., 21-year old Lauren McCluskey was found dead inside the back of a car in the parking lot next to her University of Utah campus dormitory. She had been shot seven times.
That afternoon, Lauren’s ex-boyfriend Melvin Rowland had waited for Lauren in her resident hall for several hours. She was on the phone with her mother at 8:20 p.m. when Rowland confronted McCluskey, violently dragged her across the parking lot in front of her dorm, causing her to drop her phone and belongings. At 8:23 p.m. Matt McCluskey, Lauren’s father, alerted campus security that his daughter was in danger. It was too late.
It’s too late now, too: Rowland killed himself hours after McCluskey’s death and the man who loaned Rowland the gun he used was sentenced to three years in prison. But in the two years since McCluskey’s tragic death, details have emerged about McCluskey’s attempts to get protection from University police as she grew increasingly afraid of her stalker ex-boyfriend. Her pleas for help were ignored. McCluskey’s family sued the university in federal court and in June 2020 filed a second lawsuit, contending that, just weeks before she was murdered, a police officer in whom Lauren McCluskey had confided she feared for her life shared nude photographs she had given him with officers not involved in the matter.
When Lauren McCluskey decided to attend the University of Utah, she was recruited to become a member of the Women’s Track & Field Team. She was a Washington State Champion in the high jump and ranked 10th in the heptathlon at the USATF Outdoor Junior Championships—she had several other colleges and scholarships to choose from. “Lauren was a star athlete from when she was a youth, climbing trees at the age of two,” says her mother, Jill McCluskey who, along with her husband Matt, is a member of the faculty at the University of Washington.
McCluskey’s teachers, coaches and teammates had a high respect and regard for her as a multi-event athlete, for maintaining a high GPA and as a person, “She was someone who really cared about other people and her friendships. Somewhat an introvert, if you got to know her you quickly found out that she was full of things to say, and genuinely cared about other people,” says her mother. Beyond athletics, she enjoyed karaoke singing and dancing with her closest friends. While attending the U, Lauren belonged to the Capital Church in downtown SLC, and would invite others to come along, encouraging them to sing.
She had lived in Salt Lake City a few years when she met Melvin Rowland at a popular downtown bar where Rowland was working as a bouncer. He told her that he was in the military and trained as a security officer, and afterwards they met up a few times. It wasn’t long before she discovered the truth: Rowland was on parole and on the sexual offender list. She confronted Rowland face to face in her dorm room, he owned up, and McCluskey formally ended their relationship.
But she continued to receive messages and threats from Rowland. His friends posted about his suicide—which was fake—on social media and blamed McCluskey as the cause. Rowland made frequent attempts (sometimes successful) to visit her at her university dorm. At one point, he demanded $1,000 from her to prevent him from posting explicit photos of the two of them. As Rowland’s actions escalated, McCluskey began voicing concerns to her immediate family and closest friends. Because Rowland was a con and highly manipulative, things were difficult to discern—she didn’t always believe he was a threat, or that her life was in danger, and she wished to take care of the situation by herself. But as friends can attest, she was growing more and more concerned and even frightened by his actions toward her.
Officer Miguel Deras presented her case to campus police on Oct. 12, 2018, to report she was being harassed. On Oct. 13, 2018, she reported extortion. The police, including Officer Deras, never investigated her claims. At some point, Deras called her with a strange request. He asked her to hand over some questionable and explicit photos mentioned in the case. As we now know, Deras downloaded those pictures onto his personal phone and was overheard boasting to colleagues, remarking about her looks and being cute.
Looking back, it’s easy to see many points where McCluskey’s murder could have been prevented. Her mother Jill McCluskey says, “The officers never checked Lauren’s killer’s offender status. After the police took her statement, they could have easily found out that Rowland was on parole and put him in jail right then. I just wish a responsible adult would have listened and believed. Rowland was on parole and could have been taken into custody.” On Oct. 19, 2018, McCluskey emailed detective Kayla Dallof with Rowland’s offender information. Dallof did not read the email until after Lauren was killed. According to Lauren’s friend Shelby Gonzalez, “On Thursday before we lost Lauren she asked me to come to the library to meet her because she needed help. She said the police didn’t believe her about her scary ex and she didn’t know what to do.”
It turns out that McCluskey was victimized not just by her killer. Lax dormitory security and a macho culture of minimizing coeds’ complaints also contributed to her death. McCluskey says, “The U has never admitted that Lauren’s death could have been prevented, or apologized or taken responsibility for their failures. It’s hard for them to change if they don’t acknowledge their failures, and that has to happen going forward.”
Too late for McCluskey, changes are coming about, somewhat ironically in a year when campus population and social interactions will drastically decrease due to the coronavirus.
Following McCluskey’s murder, teammate and friend Brooke Martin was in shock. But as time went by, she noticed that little or nothing was changing in campus safety or policy. Martin created a mural in McCluskey’s honor, and helped build a student-led coalition called “UnsafeU.” Since their first public protest on the first anniversary of McCluskey’s death, UnsafeU has been gathering and sharing stories of other mishandled cases. Martin says, “Students are demonstrating with their voices and standing up for what’s right and not forgetting, and not accepting the empty words or quick Bandaids from a system that’s completely broken,” says Martin.
Utah State Senator Jani Iwamoto has a long-standing interest in dealing with public safety issues and sexual assault. Since McCluskey’s murder many college students have contacted her wanting to talk about campus safety and problems like assault, domestic and dating violence and stalking. She says, “I am inspired by their activism, as many students have continued to express that they don’t feel safe and demand real change in their places of higher learning. We need safeguards in place to help our students.” Senator Iwamoto was the Chief Sponsor of S.B. 134, signed by Governor Herbert on May 19, 2019, a bill which outlines requirements and responsibilities for campus safety and requires institutions to share this information with the Legislature every year, to assess and find out what’s working and what’s not.
Senator Iwamoto says,“Lauren’s death, her pleas for help, of course, her tragic death does not go away, and nothing is going to work unless we have some real change with the police and policy, and that the students believe in it, because now there isn’t trust at all in them. Seamless communication is also important for the victims, because it’s hard enough to navigate where to go and what to do when they are going through an experience.” Senator Iwamoto also sponsored this year’s S.B. Bill 80 which focuses more specifically on communication between law enforcement, students, campus police dispatch and departments.
As a Communications major, Lauren was enrolled at the U in Professor Dan Clark’s Advanced Public Speaking class. Her final exam was a student presentation called the “Last Lecture—If you had only one hour left to live, what would you say?” Lauren was the first to volunteer. “While soft spoken, she delivered her speech in a profound way,” Clark says. “She shared her stories about being on the track team, the thrill of victory as well as her injuries and enduring disappointment and physical pain. Her message was one of keeping hope alive, that overcoming obstacles is part of life, and that practicing self-love is the way for you to fully love others.”
Over two years have passed since Lauren was found dead in the back of a car outside her campus dorm. There is still so much to be done, her friend Brooke Martin says. “Justice needs to be served and our demands need to be met—no student should ever be worried about being killed on campus.”
And Lauren’s story continues and gains momentum. On the first anniversary of her murder, led by a student organization called UnsafeU, 100 students walked out of their classes to protest how the university handled the Lauren McCluskey case, the misconduct of university police and other concerns reported by women.
And Sept. 3rd of the 2020-21 academic year started with another large on-campus rally from UnsafeU demanding the resignation of President Ruth Watkins for withholding evidence in this and other cases and calling for the abolition of the UUPD.
The Ongoing Battle for Campus Safety
The tragic case of Lauren McCluskey has become a pivotal moment in the ongoing struggle for campus safety across universities. The incident not only highlighted severe flaws in campus policing and safety measures but also sparked crucial conversations about necessary reforms. Since McCluskey’s murder in October 2018, there has been a noticeable push towards enhancing public safety and fostering a culture of trust within university settings.
In response to the tragedy, institutions like the University of Utah have taken significant steps to address their safety protocols. Under the guidance of Chief Safety Officer Keith Squires, the University implemented a series of 30 recommendations designed to restructure and improve the Department of Public Safety (DPS). These improvements focused on university security policies, including a stronger emphasis on community engagement and means to prevent police brutality, such as the introduction of independent review committees and body cameras.
Despite these efforts, challenges persist, underscoring the vital need for continuous feedback from the campus community to adapt and enhance safety measures effectively. The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT), a crucial aspect of these reforms, plays a significant role in improving communication and assessment of threats, proving essential for violence prevention and better reporting procedures.
The role of organizations like the Lauren McCluskey Foundation has been instrumental in driving these changes, advocating for improved safety through education and accountability. Their initiatives focus on increasing awareness, implementing best practices, and promoting a Campus Safety Score to hold campuses accountable. They also push for stronger laws against dating violence and stalking, recognizing the importance of Title IX in protecting students.
There is a growing recognition of the need for cultural shifts within campus policing, emphasizing trust and engagement with the student body. This includes comprehensive faculty training in violence prevention and threat assessment, aiming to create a safer, more inclusive environment for all students. Efforts to overhaul existing firearms policies and integrate ongoing training programs reflect a broader commitment to transform university security policies and ensure that tragic incidents like that of Lauren McCluskey are never repeated.
From Tragedy to Action: A Transition to Secure Gaming
The tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Lauren McCluskey have prompted a significant shift in the approach to security, particularly within higher education institutions. This tragedy underscored the urgent need for enhanced vigilance and tightened security measures across campuses. Universities and organizations have since prioritized the implementation of comprehensive cybersecurity measures to prevent similar incidents. Key practices include verifying email authenticity, securing passwords, protecting devices, and reporting suspicious activities. The emphasis on robust cybersecurity policies highlights the broader impact of offline tragedies on creating safer digital environments.
The rise in cyber-attacks on universities has spurred an evolution in access control systems, with flexible solutions becoming a must for ensuring campus safety. Video surveillance has similarly evolved, playing a crucial role in monitoring and protecting personal and sensitive data from breaches. Institutions are now leveraging digital video recorders and other technologies to enhance their security protocols.
The focus on security transitions smoothly into the digital sphere, where online platforms like Live Casino Stake.us are emphasizing similar principles of vigilance and safety. In the world of online gaming, ensuring the safety of users is paramount, given the multitude of cyber threats circulating in the digital landscape.
One critical area that reflects this heightened awareness is the domain of cyber safety in education, particularly highlighted by recent studies conducted in private schools across Dubai. The shift towards distance learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic has further emphasized the need for comprehensive cyber-safety policies. These policies should extend beyond school boundaries, integrating essential cybersecurity education and fostering collaboration among stakeholders to develop robust frameworks for online security.
Despite the focus on immediate threats, there remains an identified gap in existing policies, which often overlook broader cyber safety risks in favor of issues such as cyberbullying. Enhancements in policy should include better definitions, preventive measures, and reporting procedures. Similarly, the online gaming industry is addressing vulnerabilities through innovations such as multi-factor authentication and secure file storage, all contributing to a safer digital experience for users.
Creating Trust in Both Education and Gaming
Analyzing the importance of trust and security in both educational institutions and online casinos reveals a shared imperative: fostering environments of safety and trust. The lessons learned from one sector can enhance the other’s methodologies, ensuring robustness in all areas.
In the realm of online gambling, system integrity is maintained through rigorous security practices. For instance, casinos undergo SOC 2 audits to ensure operational integrity, access controls, and network security. These audits identify vulnerabilities and enhance compliance with regulations, ultimately fostering transparency and building customer trust.
Key security measures in online gambling include:
Encryption technologies like SSL/TLS to protect player data.
Random Number Generators (RNGs) that ensure fairness in games.
Licensing and regulation for compliance purposes.
Anti-fraud measures such as Know Your Customer (KYC) checks.
Secure payment methods, including e-wallets and cryptocurrencies.
The industry also faces significant risks, including data breaches, DDoS attacks, and fraudulent activities. As such, cybersecurity becomes both a necessity and a competitive advantage. Advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and blockchain offer enhanced security solutions, while third-party vendors provide innovative security services.
Entities like Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) and regulatory bodies such as the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority set benchmarks for maintaining these standards. These organizations, alongside strategies to counter evolving threats, are critical in educating users on best practices for security and trust. As emphasized in high-profile incidents, the role of robust strategies cannot be understated.
For further insights on fortifying security and operational transparency in gaming, explore our detailed coverage on Live Casino Stake.us, where cutting-edge measures are piloted and refined.
The Influence of Safety Legislation in Various Sectors
Safety legislation, such as S.B. 134 and the Clery Act, has significantly shaped safety protocols across multiple sectors. Initially focused on addressing campus-related issues, these laws have transcended educational boundaries to impact areas like online entertainment, gaming, healthcare, and construction.
The Clery Act, for example, compels universities to transparently report campus crime statistics, which influences enrollment decisions and parental evaluations. This transparency fosters a proactive safety culture that enhances institutional reputation and creates trust with stakeholders, such as parents and international students. The broad adoption of such safety measures often leads to a cycle of continuous improvement in safety standards.
In the education sector, the repercussions of school shootings and their subsequent safety legislations, like reactive security systems and violence prevention protocols, underscore the complexity of safeguarding educational environments. While certain measures are developed specifically for schools, their influence extends into sectors with comparable safety concerns.
Healthcare facilities and construction sites are now integrated into a broader move towards adopting strict safety standards to comply with public safety regulations. By employing effective safety measures and prioritizing the prevention of violence, these sectors benefit from enhanced security culture and improved compliance with safety standards.
Beyond operational changes, the implementation of safety legislation influences public trust. The enhanced safety culture improves not only the institutions’ reputations but also their capacity to attract and retain skilled professionals, ultimately contributing to stable enrollment patterns and donor confidence.
Workplace Safety Standards: Broader adoption of safety protocols inspired by campus measures.
Security Culture: Development of proactive safety measures influencing public safety and institutional standing.
Therefore, the ripple effects of safety legislation extend beyond the initial scope of preventing campus violence—fostering an enhanced security framework in diverse sectors and shaping public safety norms globally.
Lauren McCluskey’s story is still being investigated by journalist groups, and her family members are seeking answers. Stay up to date with the latest by subscribing to our City Life newsletter, The Hive.
Aspiring first timers or fully-certified master gardeners, we’re not urban agriculture snobs here. Let’s list some quick-n-dirty vegetable and herb varieties that you can get into the ground (or a patio garden box) just in time for spring gardening season.
Radishes, love ’em or hate ’em, are the easiest and most forgiving to grow. A radish seed is large enough to manually handle and can be planted in small boxes or directly in a garden row. They enjoy coolish temps. If you notice anything munching on them, add some netting (for birds) or sprinkle with Diatomaceous Earth (for bugs). Don’t forget to eat the greens and pick a sunny spot.
Favorite varieties: cherry belle, English breakfast, Easter egg
Lettuces are also incredibly straightforward and easy to start—just add rich, loamy soil. The seeds are light and almost impossible to pick up individually, so we recommend using a wet pencil tip to collect seeds (a clever hack). Lettuces enjoy being watered and will get destroyed and inedible if frozen. So by all means, cover if temps dip under 40 degrees, weed through regularly and voila.
Kale, once established in a garden bed, is simple to grow—you’ll probably discover volunteer kale next year. Very cold-weather hardy, a small patch of kale is an easy way to feel like a successful gardener.
Favorite varieties: White or Red Russian, Thousand, Dinosaur or Lacinato.
Cilantro grows quick and bolts (or goes to seed) when hot, making it ideal for fast but temporary harvesting before the June heat sets in. Tenting over plants with a shading cloth or planting in areas that aren’t in full sun is something to consider.
In a world of texts, tapping a quick “like” or the placement of an emoji on a social media platform, the handwritten word on paper is in diminishing supply. Even rarer, the time-honored skill of penmanship, a licked envelope— when’s the last time you purchased a stamp?
Kamea Johnson, owner, and designer at the Chosen Creative believes that going back to the desk and writing something out on paper can make a lasting impact that far exceeds the timeline on Instagram. Why? Because of its beauty, the time and thoughtfulness it took to create it, its lasting value, and yes, for its actual content.
We’ve got the time to write—we’re at home more, seeing fewer people in person. Yes, there’s Zoom, etc., but the thing about writing is that it forces you to think before you “speak.” It allows you to express things you might be embarrassed to say in person. Chosen Creative’s thoughtful, whimsical and artistic stationery and cards encourage you to choose some words to send someone you love but seldom see.
Johnson’s background in design led her to create an old school business that has branched and continues to develop in these most challenging times. And she’s taken it beyond the pen and paper: As a way to open up communication and inclusion, Johnson started the Utah Letter Writing Club and invited anybody who wanted to join. Remember the term “snail mail?” This group gets together, and after selecting the stationery and pens, sets off on the marvelous journey of writing a good old fashioned letter—envelope, address and stamp included.
Is it dance, acrobatics or self-defense? Chances are you’ve noticed a group practicing capoeira at Liberty or Sugar House park—a group of people wearing white pants, colorful cords as belts and singing in a drum circle. Spotting the Brazilian flag, you can assess they aren’t singing in Spanish, but in Portuguese, which is considered a pluricentric language, meaning it has evolved with several interacting countries and cultures—with a compelling, powerful history. The same goes for what they’re doing: capoeira.
Meet Mestre Jamaika
At the age of 15 and before being given the title Mestre, Jamaika was traveling throughout Brazil to train; later he won three consecutive titles in the Brazilian Capoeira Confederation Championships. Now he’s been teaching for more than 25 years—you may recognize him from films, music videos, or as Shockwave’s Capoeira Fighter 3 video game character “Jamaika.” Living in Salt Lake City with his wife, Amanda, Mestre Jamaika hopes to share Afro-Brazilian culture and strengthen the community through capoeira. Salt Lake Capoeira—Volta Miúda saltlakecapoeira.com IG @mestrejamaika
“It hits the best of everything,” says Mestre Jamaika (Mauro Romualdo) founder, Capoeira Mestre of Volta Miuda capoeira, and born in Brazil, Jamaika started training at the age of seven. The history of capoeira extends to Africa and tribes from Angola, he says, “Slaves living on Brazilian plantations weren’t allowed to practice self-defense openly, and disguised their training by combining it with dance-like movements, singing, and the rhythms of drums and traditional instruments.” Like sparring without contact, capoeira resembles a “game” of fluid movements, spinning kicks, aerials and hip hop ground moves like the coffee grinder and head spins all while being encircled by the claps and singing of spectators. As Mestre Jamaika says, “Growing up, my involvement with capoeira saved my life. No matter where I travel in the world if I find a group that practices, I feel like I’m home.”
But what really is capoeira? Watching is delightful, but participating is kind of the point for those of any age, culture or gender, during the class. Mestre Jamaika shouts out to me, “I know you want to try this!” And while I haven’t attempted a cartwheel for a while, he says it never is too late to join; my heart skips a beat, “Meu Deus é bom!”
Face it: Your DNA may be keep- ing up with current beauty trends and those hairy lines above your eyes are no exception. Thick, bold and perfectly kept brows are hotter than ever—traditional cosmetic products such as brow pencils, gels and powders can help achieve that look temporarily. Eyebrow microblading, added to the beauty scene few years back, is a longer- lasting solution.
Don’t fret—let’s answer some questions and make it easy for you.
Microblading is a semi-permanent cosmetic procedure that creates or enhances eyebrows. It is great for someone looking to add symmetry to
their face, minimize the time they spend doing their makeup and give the illusion of full, even, healthy eyebrows. Lasting between six months to one year depending, hair-like strokes are made up of pigment matched to your natural hair color and administered into the first layers of skin with a handheld tool.
Before and after
We consulted a local expert, MaKaibree Jones, owner, and master microblader at The Beautiful Brows & Beyond in SLC. Microblading is her specialty. MaKaibree says, “Just like men who bald in their midsection, women, as they age, lose the fullness of their brows starting from the inner one-third.” Other causes of thinning could be medically related, as after chemotherapy or from alopecia. Microblading sessions generally last two hours. Most of the time is spent mapping or creating the outline for your brows and numbing the area—the actual procedure takes about 20 minutes. Unlike many esthetician studios, Beautiful Brows has a certified medical assistant on staff that can administer a medical-grade topical numbing cream. Trust us. The procedure is painful, so you’ll want this.
Aftercare is simple. Keep the brows completely dry for seven days, avoiding sun or sweat. You’ll need a second application appointment for a darker look and any touch-ups. Schedule your work to be done two months before a special event, like a wedding or a vacation to the beach, to allow for complete healing, and you will need at least two weeks between sessions.
MaKaibree Jones
363 S. 500 East Suite 112, SLC 435-669-9778 thebeautifulbrows.com
IG: @thebeautifulbrows
My hair mojo is wash and go, but then again, sometimes it’s nice to try a new look. It’s also very nice to get pampered. We’re still getting together for the holidays, albeit masked and distanced, and we want our hair to look amazing.
With COVID-19 still going strong, the following salons are taking safety measures, practicing safe distancing between clients and requiring the use of masks. And hey, even if your event got canceled—you can still show-off your hair on Zoom. Indulge!
1. The Drybar— Sugar House: Braiding one’s hair or taking on a radical updo is difficult
(if not nigh impossible) to do yourself, so if that’s the look you want, having it done is a bit of a luxury but the best way to go. ($45-90.) My stylist earned every penny because she had to power through my extremely thick hair, using styling products to protect from heat damage, and flat iron to fully straighten. It was far from my everyday look, but I did enjoy it. My hair felt so soft, shiny and smooth that my friends/daughters had to touch it in disbelief.
21133 E. Wilmington Ave., SLC, 385-429-5334, thedrybar.com
2. Blo Dry Bar: Once in awhile, isn’t it nice to let someone take over and
do the heavy hairstyle lifting? Take a load off your shoulders, arms, wrists and hands and let the folks at the Blo Dry Bar take on your next full blowout, classic up-do or create a fancy fishtail braid.
202 E. Wilmington Ave. Suite 150, SLC, 801-466-2090, blomedry.com
3. STYLD’ Blow Dry Bar: This studio space is inside Trolley Square and along with styling, you can add on getting your makeup done or weaving in hair extensions. Always wanted to go long or add in some volume? This season is the time to bring out your inner Cher.
It’s pumpkin pie time- or is it? In a recent conversation between Executive Editor, Mary Malouf and myself (Assistant Editor, Jen Hill), we shared our opinions. The outcome: Mary prefers cake, Jen adores pie. Our conversation went further, pontificating the finer points of both types of desserts, like, should it be included as a specified preference in a dating app question? Mary laments because cake lovers have to take a back seat to pie during a traditional Thanksgiving feast. She explains, “Who asks ‘What kind of Thanksgiving cake are you bringing to dinner?'”
What makes a superior pumpkin pie?
a flaky, light and buttery crust
its filling should be flavorful, with a smooth, custard-like consistency, and the perfect balance of spice, pumpkin and sweetness
Pie à la mode? You betcha. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, crème fraîche, whipped cream, or all of the above.
What’s better than pumpkin? A slice of blackberry, that’s what.
Warm from the oven, or chilled in the fridge, either is equally wonderful. Just like leftover pizza, next day pie is the ideal breakfast food.
My personal fave, the Honey Pie (Hearth & Hill, Park City) is subtle and sweet with a tart, lime twist.
Chances are, you’re not going to bake your own this Thanksgiving (we don’t judge). However, we wish to steer you in the right direction. To assist SLmag staff chose the most traditional of seasonal pies—the pumpkin—from four local bakeries and here we share our opinions. Once we got through the pie or cake discussion and past the simpler, “But I don’t like pumpkin,” everyone had a bite of our contesting pies. Turns out, we had a tie between the top two and the second tier.
Balanced and a bit rustic. A staff favorite—we liked the cookie too. Garnished with a turkey-shaped sugar cookie, iced in orange. “This is a more rustic kind of pie.” “Darker, with a nice crust and thicker filling.” “This is truly traditional.” “The pie filling has more texture.” “And more clove.”
Tulie’s pumpkin tartlets with creme fraise and pepitas
Two tarts, topped with an oval of cream and pepitas.
“This is the most beautiful entry.” “I love the crunch of pepitas on top.” The topping looks like whipped cream, but it’s thicker and tastes cultured. Is it sour cream?” “I want to eat the whole damn thing. Right now.” “This is a more sophisticated version.” “The crust is like pastry.” “This filling is milder with a more complex flavor—not just a bunch of spice dumped in.”
—our second-tier pies tied as well—
City Cakes: 1860 S. 300 West Ste D, SLC, 801-359-2239.
City Cakes pumpkin pie (vegan)
“I can tell it’s vegan by looking at the texture.” “This filling has way too much spice.” “The crust is dense, not flaky.” “I like the heavier texture.”
“Oddly, not enough pumpkin spice.” “Sort of an everyman pumpkin pie—it’s very mild.” “The texture is more like just pureed pumpkin.” “This would be good topped with marshmallows and run under the broiler for a minute.”
And if you truly are bent against a serving up pie this Thanksgiving, Mary shares her favorite pumpkin cake recipe and admits it is much like a carrot cake. Good stuff indeed.
Mary Malouf’s Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9” x 13” pan.
Cake
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
15 oz. pureed pumpkin
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
¾ cup chopped pecans
Mix dry ingredients. Beat eggs, add oil. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients till mixed, then stir in optional chopped pecans. Bake 30-35 minutes until it passes the toothpick test. Let cool completely.
Icing
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
½ cup butter (softened)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cups powdered sugar (approx)
Beat the butter and cheese together. Add powdered sugar, sifting it in a little at a time and beating till smooth. Spread on cake.
During the early morning of March 18, 2020, and prior to the earthquake, Britt Jursik was baking bread in her kitchen. When it hit the magnitude of 5.7 on the Richter scale, she ran towards her boyfriend and together, somewhat bewildered, they crouched under a doorway. Shortly following, and after a brief assessment with no real damage (other than drawers flying open and a hanging light fixture going wonky), she decided to follow through with the original day’s plan to bake and deliver fresh loaves of challah to her promised customers. It was on that very strange yet memorable day, Britt decided to go forward and step off her job in sales—invent a name, purchase the domain and obtain the necessary licenses—and Challah Back Dough was born.
Jursik has always loved to bake. For her baking business, she chose to focus on challah (traditional braided egg bread prepared for the Jewish Shabbat.) Britt explains, “I was attracted to the unique braids. Making challah is a fulfilling, natural and fun way to bake bread. I appreciate cuisine and craft beer and to me, this is a marriage of the two.”
Her variations on challah aren’t “traditional” but delicious and flavorful nonetheless: “OG” whole wheat with a salted crust; Albedo or white bread with honey and egg wash; Rye; the Beet-Ric (beet powder and turmeric added;) and Pretzel. She also makes gluten-free versions and chocolate babka. Preorders are necessary and Jursik makes all the deliveries herself. Britt “doughnates” 10 percent of her bread to charity and participates in local food co-ops.
Kamea Johnson, owner, and designer at the Chosen Creative believes that going back to the desk and writing something out on paper can make a lasting impact that far exceeds the timeline on Instagram. Why? Because of its beauty, the time and thoughtfulness it took to create it, its lasting value, and yes, for its actual content.
1. The Drybar— Sugar House: Braiding one’s hair or taking on a radical updo is difficult
Jursik has always loved to bake. For her baking business, she chose to focus on challah (traditional braided egg bread prepared for the Jewish Shabbat.) Britt explains, “I was attracted to the unique braids. Making challah is a fulfilling, natural and fun way to bake bread. I appreciate cuisine and craft beer and to me, this is a marriage of the two.”
