To give you some indication of their need for your help, it costs £2,500 per mission to fly, regardless of whether or not the patient is airlifted. This figure takes into account the cost of the aircraft, its storage and fuel, paying the pilots and the paramedics, the medicine, and other equipment. Our crews respond to hundreds of call-outs a month and to satisfy this demand it takes about £4m a year in fundraising. To further emphasise the necessity of our support, the service does not receive any Government or National Lottery funding and therefore relies on the support of the public to continue its work.

If you have any used cartridges bring them into KCS shop and help us to continue to raise money to maintain this life saving service.

http://www.lowther.co.uk (new look and feel)
http://www.coledale-inn.co.uk
http://www.yewcraggsborrowdale.co.uk
http://www.jordanfurniture.co.uk
http://www.nookfarmborrowdale.co.uk
http://www.scotgatelakelandlodges.co.uk
http://www.lindisfarne-keswick.co.uk

We also have a host of other websites ready to launch very shortly, so be sure to pop back again soon to find out what else we’ve been working on.

With that said, our Christmas Opening Times over the festive period are as follows:

• Christmas Eve – 8.30 am – 4.00 pm
• Christmas Day – Closed
• Boxing Day – Closed
• 27th December – Closed
• 28th December – 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
• 29th December – 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
• 30th December – 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
• 31st December – 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
• 1st January 2011 – Closed
• 3rd January – 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
• 4th January onwards – As normal

Let me take this opportunity now to wish all of our customers a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for the coming New Year, from all of the Keswick Computers team.

The Register describes the Ransonware Trojan as:

A new variant of the GpCode ransomware encrypts user files on infected Windows PCs using theAES 256 and RSA 1024 encryption algorithms. The malware only encrypts the start of media or Office files, but that’s enough to make any data recovery process difficult if not impossible.

The latest version of the malware overwrites data in files instead of simply deleting files after encryption, the approach taken by previous versions of GpCode. The approach makes it far harder to use data-recovery software.

Read the full article at The Register.

Staying Safe Online

We at Keswick Computers always encourage safe internet browsing, including making sure your Anti-Virus is valid and fully up-to-date. You can also read our Malicious Software PDF for more information describing viruses, malware, trojans, etc. and on how to stay vigilant when surfing online.

If you have any concerns or wish to discuss installing and upgrading your Anti-Virus, please Contact Us on 017687 75526.

• http://ronniegilbertphotography.co.uk/
• http://gretakeswickselfcatering.co.uk/
• http://laserwarsuk.co.uk/
• http://www.broughamhall.co.uk/
• http://northumbria-helicopters.co.uk/
• http://badgers-wood.co.uk/
• http://ferndene-keswick.co.uk/

We also have a host of other websites ready to launch very shortly, so be sure to pop back again soon to find out what else we’ve been working on.

The folks in the Keswick Computers website department are always busy with exciting projects, and this month is no different. Keswick Computers were recently asked to re-design and re-develop the website for Northumbria Helicopters Ltd.

A Bit  About Northumbria Helicopters

Northumbria Helicopters Ltd. is a quality helicopter flight training school based in Newcastle and also Carlisle, offering training for both Private Pilot Licence (H) and Commercial Pilot Licence (H), as well as offer flight related services including Trial Lessons, Pleasure Flights and Charter Flights.

A Bit About The Website

Although a little bit out of our normal area of work geographically, this is not the first time Keswick Computers have developed a website for flying school – in the fairly recent past, we developed a site for Chris Jones Gyroplanes – so we were more than confident to take on this exciting project.

The main purpose of the re-developed website will be to promote the Flight Training services available from Northumbria Helicopters, as well as eventually acting as an online learning resource for students of the flying school. Secondary aims of the site are to promote the Charter and Pleasure Flight Services NHL can offer, such as flights to events, weddings, anniversary celebrations, tours, etc. And also to promote the Trial Flights available from the school.

Related Projects

There are several related projects that the client has asked us to work on, in relation to the website, including logo design, printed promotional material, and corporate stationary; as well as a second website which will sell flying gift vouchers for a range of flying experiences – more on this fantastic project later in the year!

The Sneak Preview

Although this project is very much in its infancy, you can check out a preview of how the finished website below.

Website visual for the re-design of Northumbria Helicopters

This week sees one of the biggest titles of the year being released in Final Fantasy XIII, available for the first time on a Microsoft console, the Final Fantasy games first became mainstream on Sony’s original Playstation console with first Final Fantasy 7 and then 8 both receiving universal acclaim, Final Fantasy XIII is sure to be a big hit.  Already 2010 has been a big year for games with so many huge titles being released since the start of the year, (Bioshock 2, Mass Effect 2, Bayonetta, Darksiders, MAG, Aliens Vs Predator, Heavy Rain to name but a few) and with massive AAA titles to come in 2010 (Just Cause 2, God of War 3, Metro 2033, Red Dead Redemption, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Super Street Fighter IV and that’s just until April!!!) it’s going to be a fun ride and I for one can’t wait, happy gaming.

Clive

Muliformat Charts – All titles available to order with next working day delivery

 1     BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY 2 – (PS3, 360 & PC)
 2     JUST DANCE UBISOFT – (Wii)
 3     ALIENS VS PREDATOR – (PS3, 360 & PC)
 4     HEAVY RAIN – (PS3) -
 5     SONIC & SEGA ALL-STARS RACING – (PS3, 360 & Wii)
 6     WII FIT PLUS – (Wii)
 7     CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2 – (PS3, 360 & PC)
 8     WII SPORTS RESORT – (Wii)
 9     FIFA 10 – (PS3, 360, Wii, DS, PSP & PC)
 10     NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. WII – (Wii)

Battlefield Bad Company 2 jumps straight into the number one spot on the back of being the fastest selling title of 2010 so far, knocking Heavy Rain off the no 1 slot after just 1 week.  Elsewhere Wii titles still keep selling well with 4 Wii exclusives in the official ChartTrack top 10.

New in Stock

Pre Owned Titles

RAINBOW SIX VEGAS – 360 – £6.00

Las Vegas is burning while the world watches. International terrorist Irena Morales has amassed an army of mercenaries to besiege America’s playground, but her true agenda remains a mystery. Hero Logan Keller and his team have one night to return order to the heart of chaos before Irena achieves her ultimate objective. What they discover will not only change Rainbow itself, but could also tip the balance of power firmly in favor of the terrorists.

ARMY OF TWO – PS3 – £12.00

Never go into battle alone! EA’s next-gen boutique development studio is changing the face of how people will play games. Delivering a groundbreaking strategic 3rd person co-op shooter unparalleled in the action genre, EA Montreal’s Army Of Two focuses on gameplay centered around two man missions, two man strategies, two man tactics and a two man advantage.

FIGHT NIGHT ROUND 4 – 360 – £15.00

EA returns to the ring with this fourth entry in the boxing franchise. Featuring a re-written gameplay engine, Fight Night Round 4 adds a variety of fighting styles and boxer differentiation to authentically emulate the greatest fighters of all time. Pressure your opponent with the brawling inside style of young Mike Tyson, bobbing and weaving to set up powerful hooks and uppercuts. Capitalize on Muhammad Ali’s reach, hand speed and fleetness of foot to bewilder your opponent with lightning fast jabs and straights from the outside. For the first time in history, Fight Night Round 4 gives you the opportunity to pit these legendary heavyweights against one another and name a true champ.

VIRTUA FIGHTER 5 – PS3 – £10.00

Virtua Fighter 5 will deliver fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping action as players head into battle, taking on a host of popular characters. The game will introduce two new dynamic characters, El Blaze and Eileen, complete with new fighting techniques and from completely different backgrounds. Play as one of the 17 default characters in the game or customize a character to become the top Virtua Fighter. Players will be able to modify their characters by selecting from four base costumes and then decorate them by attaching a wide range of unlockable and earnable items. Players will not only achieve victory by defeating highly-skilled opponents, but also by competing for prizes and earning in-game money allowing them to buy many items at an in-game shop. Further building upon the depth of the series, players will now be able to move around their opponent using an “Offensive Move” technique, adding a new strategic element to their battles.

NEW RELEASES

FINAL FANTASY XIII – 360 & PS3 – £44.99

Introducing unique worlds, memorable characters and extraordinary stories with every new instalment, the Final Fantasy series has continuously reinvented itself over the last two decades, shipping over 85 million copies worldwide in the process. The series is defined by constant evolution, with each release delivering nothing less than the finest creative vision, graphical quality and gameplay system of its generation. Needless to say, Final Fantasy XIII is no exception.
In Final Fantasy XIII, players will embark on an awe-inspiring journey through the floating cityworld of Cocoon and the savage lowerworld of Pulse, encountering a diverse band of would-be allies along the way. With seamless transitions between real-time gameplay and in-game cinematics, and an evolved Active Time Battle system offering a perfect harmony of spectacular action and strategy, this is an adventure unlike any other. Do you have the courage to face your destiny?

Well that’s it for the first Blog I hope you liked it any comments or suggestions are very welcome and I look forward to seeing you all next week.

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Notice as you run down the images, that you can see Spring start to creep in (perhaps a little too slowly for some). We decided to end this collection on a beautiful sunny day, to get you in the mood for Spring, which is really upon us now!

So check out some great images of Skiddaw over the last month below:

Evening time, way back at the end of January.

Only a few minutes later on the same day, but look at how much the sky has changed!

A large grey cloud looms over Skiddaw.

A much sunnier day in January, with snow-capped peaks.

The first of February, with a fantastically pastel sky!

It may be grey, but there is a fantastic light-quality.

Later the same day, and not a cloud in sight!

An amazing bank of cloud circles around Skiddaw!

A little later the same day, and the cloud is not quite as over-whelming, but has let the strong sun through.

Only a few wispy clouds on a sunny, hazy day.

Later the same day - which much better light-quality.

Later again, still very sunny, but with same large white fluffy clouds.

A very grey day for the end of February - notice the snow still on Skiddaw.

A beautiful day in March, a sign of things to come?

Don’t forget that you can view our webcam live at any time by visiting the Webcam Page.

We will add more webcam collections in the coming months, so don’t forget to come back again soon.

What did you think of this collection? Which was your favourite image? Do you know of any other webcams with great views of the Lake District? Why not share the links to them in the comments below?

You many remember a few weeks ago we told you about one of the sites we were working on, the new website for The Lakeland Pedlar? Well, as of the start of this week, the new website has been up and live for all the world to see!

About The Lakeland Pedlar

The Lakeland Pedlar is a local cafe in Keswick which sells homemade vegetarian food, including a delicious range of cakes and desserts, and a tasty range of coffees, teas and fruit juices. The Lakeland Pedlar is also Vegetarian Society Approved and strongly supports Organic and Fairtrade foods and products.

Inspiration Behind The Website

The cafe itself is quite a unique environment, and we wanted to express its bold character and decor within the website design. The Pedlar has obvious strong ties with the cycling community and we decided to ‘decorate’ the site with various cycling paraphernalia – just like you’d find inside the cafe itself. Other key elements within the design include the bold use of colour – the bold, striking personality of the cafe, and the use of texture – the rough-and-ready style of cooking using raw and unrefined ingredients.

Functionality

There are a few nice little features added to the site to give it the extra WOW factor and to make the site more user-friendly, both for the site-owners and for the site-visitor:

1. The first thing you should notice when arriving on the site, is the slideshow banner, displaying a range of delicious foods available at the Pedlar. This was achieved using a simple bit of Javascript.
2. Next, we have a drop-down menu, creating using CSS rather than Javascript, just to keep things clean and simple. Believe it or not, there’s also a tiny bit of PHP in there too, to show and hide certain pages such as seasonal menus. More of that later.
3. The last thing that is apparent from the home page, is the News & Events box. Yes, we’ve added Wordpress to the website to allow the client to easily add and update news items and inform customers about up-and-coming events that the Pedlar will be at.
4. As mentioned above, there are some seasonal menus, which the client can edit and update, plus show and hide depending on the time of year. This is done using PHP and Databases; and it also affects the items shown on the main drop-down menu.

Website Preview

All these ideas, design-work and development techniques have come together to create a product we at Keswick Computers are very proud of. And you can see a preview of the final website below. Don’t forget to visit the new site and leave your comments for Maggie to read – http://www.lakelandpedlar.co.uk/

Final Lakeland Pedlar - Website Preview

There’s nothing like a sunny day to make a place look beautiful, but we think you’ll agree that even on a grey, overcast day, the Skiddaw fell range can still look breath-taking.

Check-out the collection of images below:

A sunny lunch-time in Keswick. The clouds clinging to Skiddaw hid its true size.

A sunny Winter's afternoon. The sun's rays give Skiddaw a golden hue.

A bright morning with impressive clouds sweeping over Skiddaw.

Later the same day - it may be duller, but Skiddaw is no less beautiful with this pale blue, cloudy sky.

A clear evening, just as dusk settles over Skiddaw, we are given a view that is pure magic. Notice the little wispy clouds hugging the foot of Skiddaw.

It may be a dull morning but the sun-light breaking through the cloud is soft and beautiful.

Our webcam allows evening views of Keswick and Skiddaw in black and white; which has an interesting effect on the street-lights.

A little later in the same evening, you can just make out the dark mass of Skiddaw. However the view of the houses and Mining Museum becoming very interesting in the black and white.

The sky may be grey, but it is perfectly smooth and beautiful in its own right. You can see the last bits of snow which still give Skiddaw its white caps.

Don’t forget that you can view our webcam live at any time by visiting the Webcam Page.

More collections to follow in the coming months!

Do you know of any other webcams with great views of the Lake District? Why not share the links to them in the comments below?