Just a warning to those who skate on ponds or (especially) know children who do--

I heard in the news tonight that there have been several deaths and accidents recently in my area in the cold weather out on frozen ponds. The reporter said that not only is it impossible to tell how thick the ice is, but in these cold temperatures, the ice is more likely to be brittle and crack (something I didn't know, especially because we have milder winters in Maryland than in the northern and midwestern states).