Blog

A new ‘super strain’ of gonorrhoea which is spreading widely across England has led to doctors expressing fears it could soon become untreatable.

Image Credit

What is gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea is caused by a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which is easily passed between people through unprotected sex. Typical symptoms include a thick yellow or green discharge from the penis or vagina, pain when urinating and bleeding in between periods in women.

According to Bexley Sexual Health, gonorrhoea is the second most common sexually transmitted infection (STI), with about one in 100 of those under 25 who are tested proving positive for it.

Many of those who are infected, however, don’t experience any symptoms and are therefore unaware they have it. If left untreated, the STI can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease and can be passed on to a baby during pregnancy.

Avoiding the spread

Public health experts are reiterating advice to practise safe sex in order to avoid STIs, and are working with those who have the infection to locate previous sexual partners.

Getting regularly tested for STIs is also recommended to help with early diagnosis.

While there used to be stigma about attending an STI clinic for testing, this is no longer the case, and there are even home testing kits available for those who are still concerned.
London STI testing kits are available to order online at https://www.checkurself.org.uk, for those who are aged 18 and above. Testing packs are sent out by post, and these can then be sent back free of charge and processed, with the results sent by text or by phone.

New threat

The new so-called ‘super-gonorrhoea’ is the name used to describe strains which have developed resistance to azithromycin, the antibiotic normally used to treat the infection.
Although there is another antibiotic called ceftriaxone, doctors are concerned that strains could develop resistance to this too.

Public Health England issued a warning earlier this year about the rise of the strain which has developed resistance to an antibiotic which is widely used.

It said that measures to contain the outbreak, which began in heterosexual couples but is now being seen in gay men, have only had limited success.

Although lab tests have only confirmed 34 cases, experts say this is probably the tip of the iceberg, because the infection is often without symptoms.

The term ‘tiny house’ currently refers to a trend for designing, and living in, extra small houses. Many can be bought in kit form for just a few thousand pounds, while others will set you back £40,000 – still very little compared with current property prices and comparable to the cash deposits now required to qualify for a mortgage in the first place.

Image Credit

The movement answers demand from two very different directions. The first group is the idealists, who deliberately crave the simplicity and frugality of a minimalist lifestyle. They reject the sacrifice of freedom that comes with large mortgages or are happy to sacrifice some indoor space to enjoy more outdoors. In the spirit of Thoreau, they will try to locate their tiny home somewhere wild and scenic.

The other group, targeted by recent enterprises in Edinburgh and Worcestershire, is the homeless.

You might say the idealists are downsizing to escape the rat race and the property ladder, while the homeless are upsizing – from tent city or a cardboard box – to get a foot back on it.

Getting one made

Most builds are timber framed; therefore, if you are interested in having one built for you, a good place to enquire would be a prefabricated timber frame specialist such as the Northern Ireland timber frame construction company http://www.qtfhomes.co.uk/.

Parts can be delivered in prefabricated sections for fairly straightforward and rapid assembly on site or they can be fully built offsite and craned into their permanent position. Some require foundations, while others are built onto trailers. In either case, your main obstacle may be finding somewhere for them to be parked or sited. Building regulations for permanent dwellings are much stricter than for buildings with other purposes, with such dwellings usually unacceptable on caravan sites due to licensing rules.

Winning acceptance

In response to the housing pressures in London, for example, the YMCA in Mitcham has just opened Y:Cube – a 36-module apartment block of tiny self-contained homes. Tiny houses were used as emergency rehousing after Hurricane Katrina and the fashion gathered momentum after the crisis of 2008 began a wave of house repossessions. The UK government is believed to be exploring their use to deal with refugee problems such as the Calais jungle.

There are some lovely places to visit in Woking when the sun is out, which might not be feel for a while as we approach Christmas. A beautiful, bright, crisp Winter’s day would do the trick too so let’s take a look at some of the best places to go to when you need a breath of fresh air. To stay warm this winter, make sure you look after your boiler. For Woking Boiler installations, visit http://www.rjplumbingandheating.co.uk/

RHS Wisley is a stunning garden and the perfect place to go for a walk and enjoy the seasonal flowers and plants. There are various events throughout the year including flower shows. Blow the cobwebs away and enjoy the beautiful outdoors.

The Basingstoke Canal is another good walking destination. Just a short distance from the town centre, the canal has some of the best wildlife found by a waterway in the whole country. A completely free activity and a wonderful chance to explore and see what wildlife you can spot.

Fancy a kick about with the kids? Goldsworth Park and Lake is a large spot for a walk and some great exercise and with shops nearby, you can even have an impromptu picnic. If the weather is not on your side then there are still plenty of things to see and do in Woking. Head to The Lightbox and uncover the story of Woking in an interactive museum for all ages. The galleries offer new exhibitions monthly and also feature contemporary art and some fascinating loans from other national and international museums and galleries.

Head to the Big Apple Bowling Centre if the heaven’s open for some good old-fashioned competitive family fun. Also available is Laser Quest and an indoor soft play area for your smaller ones. Pirate Island Adventure Golf sounds like a lot of fun with a course set around a giant pirate ship with streams, rafts and even crocodiles! Fancy a dip? Pool in the Park has a lazy river, flumes and rapids. Sounds like paradise for keeping the children amused for hours!

If a little retail therapy is in order then you won’t disappointed with what Woking has to offer. The town has 170 individual shops set in a vast retail, leisure and restaurant complex in the centre. All the big high street names are there and so are great restaurant names like Las Iguanas, Ed’s Diner and Bill’s. There are two shopping centres, the Peacocks Centre and Wolsey Place and these are linked by a Market Square.

Woking celebrated the Queen’s 60 year reign by designing a new public space called Jubilee Square which offers an attractive outdoor seating area, great eateries and fresh landscaping. The New Victoria Theatre also boasts the latest shows from the West End and can be found close by. Heritage is strong here too and you can visit the ruins of Woking Palace, King Henry VIII’s former country retreat, Brookwood Cemetery and even the UK’s first purpose built mosque, the Shah Jahan.

Has the most visible response to recent shootings by police officers been any use, and has it actually changed the relationship between the police and the public for the better – or worse? (more…)

There is a common practice in most of the western countries to enter into a rental agreement while renting a home or an apartment. In the recent times, people from all over the world have understood the importance of rental agreements. In the golden old days, the verbal agreement was widely used and stood as the witness of everything. (more…)

Locksmiths are an essential part of living, even though most folks don’t know how they would find one when necessary. It’s never a good idea to wait until the emergency happens. This article will give you some advice on how to select a reputable locksmith that you can depend on in times of need. (more…)

More and more people are choosing to eat out this Christmas and I can’t say I blame them. For those of us who cook all year round for our families, the thought of spending the festive period stuck in the kitchen is pretty undesirable. It would be lovely to relax, enjoy the day and let others take care of the catering. It is hard to get the timing right for all the different dishes on the go at Christmas and everybody has different tastes. It’s hard to please everyone and remember who likes what and who is allergic to such and such. Who can’t stand sprouts and did someone become a veggie this year? It gives me a headache just thinking about it.

The cost of Christmas food for a family gathering is also staggering. Then you’ve got to store it, prepare it, probably waste half of it and then do all the washing up. It’s no wonder then that many families are booking a restaurant to celebrate their festive feasting. Reservations are up by 45% from the same time last year which shows that this is a very popular choice indeed.

Of the growing number of families choosing to dine out over the Christmas period 25% went for the traditional roast with all the trimmings, 15% chose an Indian or Asian restaurant, 11% opting for Italian with the remainder going for French or Modern European. Christmas dining doesn’t have to be traditional at all and if you’re a big fan of Italian then why not spend your money on eating food that you know you will enjoy. So why not say ‘Buon Natale’ this Christmas at a Dublin Italian Restaurant?

Dublins Italian Restaurant scene is pretty large but then the food scene in the city as a whole is quite impressive. There are top riverside pubs, Michelin-starred restaurants and atmospheric cafes. New eateries have been popping up all over the place and so you’ll definitely be spoilt for choice.

Letting someone else take the strain of cooking is very tempting indeed. There is no need for the stress and recriminations and feelings of abject failure when your dinner doesn’t look like the one in the glossy magazines. There is also less temptation to keep picking at the leftovers as there won’t be any. We all eat too much at this time of year and the most exercise many of us will get is a trip from the sofa to the fridge to pick at something else, just because we don’t want it going to waste. Save your waistline and eat out this year.

Eating out also gives you a sense of community and sociability that sitting at home just can’t achieve. Christmas is a time of cheer and many people do start talking to people at the next table in a way that they just wouldn’t at any other time of the year. It’s fun and hopeful and really brings out the best in folk.

With Christmas just a matter of weeks away now, many of us will be thinking about getting the decorations up, if we haven’t already.

Image Credit

A report in PaydayUK suggests that the Christmas tree and decorations are one of the top five costs of Christmas. With modern and contemporary décor rivalling traditional trimmings in terms of popularity, here are just a few simple ways to decorate your home in a stylish and contemporary way that won’t break the bank.

Simple Displays

Bring windowsills, mantels and tables to life by creating simple yet stunning displays based on your own tastes and themes. Fill glass vases and jars up with brightly coloured assorted baubles, or take a more natural approach and use frosted pine cones or even winter berries to really bring an area to life. Surround your displays with some fresh winter foliage to complete the look.

The Tree

Think outside of the box when it comes to dressing your tree. Mix retro colours with contemporary themes, and don’t forget to add texture. Some interior design experts even recommend using things such as feathers in place of tinsel and garlands to add a contemporary twist. The modern white Christmas tree is steadily gaining in popularity over its traditional counterpart, and it’s not hard to see why. Teamed with crystals, glass and silver decorations, this is a sleek and stylish option that exudes class.

Natural Features

Beautiful houses are attractive no matter the time of year, according to http://reliable-remodeler.com/rooms/, so use your Christmas decor to complement the existing features of your home, whether that includes some simple stockings on the marble mantle or a tree display in the bay window. If you are lucky enough to have a generous entry area, then you could even create your own nativity scene using a small table and an old table cloth. You can even enlist the children into making home-made figurines.

Advent Attractions

Advent calendars have come a long way in recent years, and creating a life-size Advent attraction in your home will enchant the whole family as well as make an attractive focal point. Use numbered bags to hold small gifts for the family using decorative ribbons and festive plants to add to the look.

However you decorate this year, have a fabulous Christmas.

Christmas is the perfect opportunity to take loads of great selfies. Every festive moment with you on your own getting ready for the big day or out with your mates is a great chance to put on your pout and grab your phone. If you want a sack full of likes this Christmas then here are some useful tips to get the most out of your selfie taking. (more…)

You’re still undecided on which major you want to focus on in school but you know that the tech sector has proven consistent, even during the recent economic downturn. Recent studies have shown that certain tech degrees are more beneficial than others. Job positions in many areas of technology and related fields are becoming some of the most competitive in the marketplace. Therefore, it’s important to be fully prepared to enter this stratum of the workforce by deciding on the right major while you’re in college. These five majors will certainly give you a leg up on finding the highest paying gig once you graduate with that all-important degree. (more…)