text:
No. 16/1999
Submitted by: Kashif Ahmad (represented by legal counsel)
victim: The author
State party
concerned: Denmark
Date of
communication: 28 May 1999 (initial submission)
The Committee
on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, established under article
8 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination,
on 13 March 2000,
Having concluded
its consideration of communication No. 16/1999, submitted to the
Committee under article 14 of the International Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,
Having taken
into consideration all written information made available to it
by the author and the State party,
in mind rule 95 of its rules of procedure requiring it to formulate
its opinion on the communication before it,
the following:
1.2 In conformity
with article 14, paragraph 6 (a), of the Convention, the Committee transmitted
the communication to the State party on 27 August 1999.
The facts as submitted by the author
2.1 On 16 June
1998 family members and friends had come to meet pupils after the exams
at the Avedore Gymnasium, Hvidovre, as is the usual practice in Danish
high schools. The author and his brother were waiting with a video camera
outside an examination room, where a friend of theirs was taking an
exam. While they were waiting, a teacher, Mr. K.P., asked them to leave.
Since they refused the teacher informed the headmaster, Mr. O.T., who
immediately called the police. Mr. O.T. publicly referred to the author
and his brother as "a bunch of monkeys". When the author told
Mr. O.T. that he was going to complain about the manner in which he
had been treated, Mr. K.P. expressed doubts about the effectiveness
of such a complaint and said that the author and his brother were "a
bunch of monkeys" who could not express themselves correctly. When
the police arrived the author and his friends discussed the matter with
them. The police promised to have a discussion with Mr. O.T.
2.2 The same
day the author received a letter in which Mr. O.T. informed him that
he did not want him to be present at the official celebration to be
held at the school on 19 June 1998 in the course of which he was going
to receive his diploma. On 17 June 1998 the author's father went to
Avedore Gymnasium in order to discuss the matter with Mr. O.T. Mr. O.T.
first refused to receive him and when he finally accepted, told him
that the matter had been settled and asked him to leave. Subsequently,
the author learned from one of the employees at the school that Mr.
O.T. had given instructions to the door guards not to let him in.
2.3 By letter
dated 25 June 1998, counsel informed Mr. O.T. that the matter was a
serious one and that the expressions he had used against the author
amounted to a violation of section 266b of the Danish Penal Code. Counsel
also requested an explanation and an apology for his client. Mr. O.T.
replied that the author and his brother had been noisy outside the examination
rooms but he did not deny having used the racist expressions referred
to above.
2.4 Counsel
filed a complaint with the police of Hvidovre on 7 July 1998. By letter
dated 23 September 1998 the police informed him that they had interviewed
Mr. O.T. and Mr. K.P. and concluded that the expressions used were outside
the scope of section 266b of the Penal Code and that the case would
be discontinued in accordance with section 749, subparagraph 2, of the
Danish Administration of Justice Act. The letter also said that the
expressions used had to be seen in connection with a tense incident.
In the opinion of the police, they should not be understood as insulting
or degrading in terms of race, colour, national or ethnic origin, since
they could also be used towards persons of Danish origin who behaved
as the author had.
2.5 By letter
dated 1 October 1998 counsel requested the police to have the case brought
before the State Attorney. On 30 November 1998 the State Attorney upheld
the decision of the police.
2.6 Counsel
claims that, in accordance with section 101 of the Administration of
Justice Act, a decision by the State Attorney relating to an investigation
by the police departments cannot be appealed to other authorities. As
questions relating to the pursuance by the police of charges against
individuals are entirely up to the discretion of the police, there is
no possibility of bringing the case before a court. Furthermore, legal
action by the author against Mr. O.T. and Mr. K.P. would not be effective,
taking into account that the police of Hvidovre and the State Attorney
had rejected the author's complaints.
2.7 Counsel
further contends that the High Court of the Eastern Circuit, in a decision
of 5 February 1999, held the view that an incident of racial discrimination
did not in itself imply a violation of the honour and reputation of
a person under section 26 of the Danish Act on Tort. According to counsel
the position of the High Court, as a result of that decision, is that
racial discrimination carried out politely would not in itself constitute
a basis for a claim for compensation.
The complaint
3.1 It is submitted
that the case was not examined properly by the national authorities
and that the author never obtained an apology or sufficient satisfaction
or reparation. As a result the State party has violated its obligations
under article 2, subparagraph 1 (d) and article 6 of the Convention.
3.2 Counsel
claims that neither the police department of Hvidovre nor the State
Attorney examined, in particular, the following issues: (a) had Mr.
O.T. and Mr. K.P. said that the author and his brother were "a
bunch of monkeys" and that they could not express themselves correctly;
(b) had that been used with reference to the Pakistani origin of the
author and his brother; (c) had that expression amounted to a discriminatory
opinion about the author and his brother. According to counsel, the
police limited themselves to interviewing Mr. O.T. and Mr. K.P; they
did not even consider interviewing the author and his brother, or the
six witnesses whose names and addresses were known to them.
party's submission on admissibility and merits
4.1 In a submission
dated 29 November 1999 the State party contends that the author has
failed to establish a prima facie case for the purpose of admissibility
and, accordingly, the communication should be declared inadmissible.
The State party does not dispute that the other conditions for admissibility
set out in article 14 of the Convention and rule 91 of the Committee's
rules of procedure are satisfied. Should the Committee not declare the
communication inadmissible on the above ground, the State party submits
that there has been no violation of the Convention and that the communication
is manifestly ill-founded.
4.2 The State
party quotes excerpts from the complaint lodged by counsel with the
Chief Constable of Hvidovre on 7 July 1998, the letter addressed by
counsel to Avedore High School on 22 June 1998 requesting an explanation
of the incident and an apology, and the response from the headmaster.
It states that as a result of counsel's complaint the police interviewed
Mr. K.P. on 9 September 1998.
4.3 Mr. K.P.
explained to the police that the author had previously been a student
of his and that there had been disagreements between them, including
about the author's grades. On the examination day in question he had
been corridor attendant responsible, inter alia, for peace and
order. At one point he noticed two individuals in the basement at the
door to the sports field and that a cup was jammed into the door to
keep it open. He asked the two persons, one of whom was the author's
brother, what they were doing there. They answered that they were waiting
for the author, who was returning books. Mr. K.P. said that it was a
strange place to be standing and that there had previously been three
cases of theft at the school where that particular door had been used.
The two young people started getting excited and shouted at Mr. K.P.
The author, who was standing at the book return desk, turned round and
insulted Mr. K.P.
4.4 Later, Mr. K.P. noticed four to six persons of foreign origin, including
the author and his brother, waiting outside an examination room. There
was much noise in the corridor and several times the teachers had come
out of the examination rooms and requested quiet. Mr. K.P. then decided
to empty the corridors. Everybody left except the group containing the
author and his brother. The brother shouted that they were not going
to leave. Mr. K.P. asked them four times, quietly and peacefully, to
leave the corridor but they still refused to do so. Both the author
and his brother had threatening, piercing eyes, pointed with their fingers
at Mr. K.P. and shouted and screamed. Mr. K.P. pressed the intercommunication
system on the wall and shortly afterwards the headmaster arrived. The
headmaster tried for about five minutes to talk to the group but they
still refused to leave. The group, mainly led by the brother and, to
some extent, the author, hurled insults and became more and more threatening,
even in the presence of other teachers. As a result, the police were
summoned. Mr. K.P. could not remember whether the group left by themselves
after realizing that the police had been called or whether the police
removed them. In any case, he noted subsequently that police were standing
outside the school talking with the group. Mr. K.P. was asked whether
the headmaster had said anything about "monkeys" to the group.
He replied that he had heard nothing of the sort. He was asked whether
he had said anything similar. He answered that he did not think so but
was not able to reply definitively. If he had said something about "monkeys",
it had nothing to do with race, religion, ethnic origin, etc. of the
group, but had merely been used as an ordinary slang word for a "bunch"
that behaved abnormally. He and Mr. O.T. had not wanted to lodge a complaint
with the police about the threats received, as they were used to cultural
differences and different conduct.
4.5 On 18 September
1998 the police interviewed Mr. O.T., the headmaster. He explained,
inter alia, that Mr. K.P. had come to him and said that he was
unable to control events on the second floor as a group of foreigners
would not comply with his instructions. Upon arriving on the scene he
noticed that a group of foreigners consisting of 8 to 10 persons, including
the author and some of his classmates, were making a lot of noise. When
he asked them to leave the author's brother started to shout, insulted
him and made threatening gestures. While all this was happening the
author was standing with a video camera. Mr. O.T. believes that he was
recording. A group of parents who had been sitting at the end of the
corridor had been very shocked. During the entire episode several adults
had come to the corridor and watched the whole scene with astonishment.
When asked why he did not file a complaint, Mr. O.T. explained that
they were used to many different nationalities at the school and consequently
they probably had a higher tolerance threshold. As for the use of the
expression "bunch of monkeys", he said that he could not deny
having said something like that. If so, the word "monkey"
was merely used in the light of the conduct of the group and had no
relation to the religious affiliation, colour, ethnic origin, etc. of
the group. He could equally have used the word about a group of ethnic
Danes behaving similarly. He could not remember Mr. K.P. referring to
the group as "a bunch of monkeys who could not express themselves
grammatically correctly".
4.6 By letter
dated 23 September 1998 the Chief Constable of Hvidovre informed counsel,
inter alia, of the following:
"I have
had some investigation made in the case, inter alia, by interviewing
Mr. O.T. and Mr. K.P.
I am of the opinion that the statements and the circumstances under
which they may have been made fall outside the provisions of section
266b of the Criminal Code.
"I have
therefore decided, pursuant to section 749(2) of the Administration
of Justice Act, to discontinue the investigation and shelve the case.
my assessment I have attached importance to the following:
O.T. does not entirely deny that he may have said something like the
quoted statement.
the statements must be seen in connection with a tense episode in
the corridors of the High School, during which both Mr. K.P., the
teacher, and especially Mr. O.T., the headmaster, have borne various
expressions of disapproval and even had to summon the police to get
peace at the examinations rooms.
in my opinion, the alleged statements cannot especially be perceived
as insulting or degrading in relation to race, colour, national extraction
or ethnic origin, as such statements could be made with the same meaning
about others - also of Danish ethnic origin, that exhibit a similar
conduct. The statements refer to the nature of the conduct and not
to the person.
claim for damages is referred to a civil action."
4.8 On 6 October
1998 the Chief Constable forwarded the case to the District Public Prosecutor
and explained that in view of the context in which the statements in
question had been made he had not found it necessary to interview the
author. Although he had not seen the video he did not consider it relevant,
as it did not concern the episode itself. On 30 November 1998 the District
Public Prosecutor informed counsel that he concurred entirely in the
assessment made by the Chief Constable and found no basis for reversing
his decision.
4.9 The State
party submits that the central point in the present communication is
the statements allegedly made by Mr. K.P. and Mr. O.T. Those statements,
if made, are not an expression of a difference of treatment that constitutes
discrimination in violation of article 2 (1) and article 5 (e) (v) of
the Convention. It is more relevant to assess the statements in question
in relation to article 4 (a) of the Convention, which requires States
parties to penalize certain categories of misconduct. To enable Denmark
to ratify the Convention, section 266b and other sections of the Danish
Criminal Code were amended. Pursuant to section 266b, any person who,
publicly or with the intent of dissemination to a wider circle, makes
statements or any other communication by which a group of persons is
threatened, insulted or exposed to indignities on the grounds of race,
colour, national extraction or ethnic origin, shall be liable to punishment.
4.10 It is
a condition that the statement in question be directed at a group on
the basis of its race, etc. Statements aimed at a single person must,
if they cannot be seen as an expression of insult or persecution of
the group to which the person belongs, be assessed pursuant to the general
rules of the Criminal Code on invasion of privacy and defamation of
character. When assessing whether some statements must be deemed to
be in violation of section 266b it is necessary to make a concrete assessment
of the substance of the statements, including the context in which they
were made. This was done by the Chief Constable and the District Public
Prosecutors in deciding to discontinue the investigation. The Government
concurs entirely in those assessments and considers that the author
has not substantiated or rendered probable that he was the victim of
racist statements in violation of the Convention, as they were not aimed
at a group because of its race or ethnic origin. Thus, the author has
failed to establish a prima facie case for the purpose of admissibility
of his communication.
4.11 The State
party is aware that the Convention makes certain requirements of the
treatment accorded by the authorities to information from private individuals
concerning alleged racial discrimination contrary to the Convention
(1). However, the investigation performed by the police fully satisfied
the requirements that can be inferred from the Convention as interpreted
in the Committee's practice. The police had details on the substance
of the alleged statements both from the author and his counsel and from
the teacher and the headmaster. The author has specifically pointed
out that the police should have assessed whether the statements that
gave rise to the complaint had in fact been made. The State party argues
that both the police and the Public Prosecutor assessed that it was
not necessary to decide definitively whether the statements were in
fact made as, even if they had been made, they were not criminal pursuant
to section 266b.
4.12 The task
of the police in its treatment of a complaint differs from the way a
criminal case is treated by the courts. The task of the police is not
to establish in a binding manner what actually happened, but to assess
"whether the conditions of imposing criminal liability ... are
satisfied ..." (section 743 of the Administration of Justice Act).
The police have determined that, to be able to make this assessment,
it was not necessary to decide whether the alleged statements had in
fact been made, as whether they had been made or not, they were not
4.13 Moreover,
the author has pointed out that the police should have determined whether
the expressions used were intended to disparage the national origin
of the author and whether they were racially discriminatory. According
to the State party, such a determination was indeed made, as reflected
in the decisions of the Chief Constable and the District Public Prosecutor.
4.14 The author
has further pointed out that he, his brother and six named witnesses
were not interviewed by the police. The State party argues that the
statements, if they had been made, could not be considered as falling
within section 266b of the Criminal Code. This made it unnecessary to
interview the applicant, who had given an account of his understanding
of the incident in his written information. Against this background,
the State party considers that it was equally unnecessary to interview
the applicant's brother and the six witnesses.
4.15 The State
party finds that the police did initiate a proper investigation. Thus,
article 2 (1) (d), article 5 (e) (v) and article 6 of the Convention
have not been violated, nor has article 4 (a).
5. In a submission
dated 10 January 2000 counsel argues that the State party recognizes
in its response some of the essential elements which gave rise to the
report by the author to the police. In previous cases the Committee
has stressed the need for a thorough investigation of reported cases
of racial discrimination. As explained in the initial submission, the
police declined to examine the case after having interviewed only
the two representatives of the high school. In order to fulfil the requirements
of a thorough investigation, and in order to verify whether the questions
relating to the expressions used and their status under Danish law,
the police should at least have interviewed the author and/or the witnesses.
and proceedings before the Committee
6.1. The State
party submits that Mr. K.P. did not deny having called the author and
his group "monkeys". It also submits that Mr. O.T. did not
deny having said something similar. It is also established that these
utterances were made in the course of a tense episode in a school corridor
and in the presence of several witnesses. Thus, the Committee is of
the opinion that the author was insulted in public, at least by Mr.
6.2. The District
Public Prosecutor did not establish whether the author had been insulted
on the grounds of his national or ethnic origin, in violation of the
provisions of article 2, paragraph 1 (d), of the Convention. It is the
opinion of the Committee that if the police involved in the case had
not discontinued their investigations, it might have been established
whether the author had indeed been insulted on racial grounds.
6.3. From information
submitted by the State party in its fourteenth periodic report (CERD/C/362/Add.1),
the Committee gathers that on several occasions persons have been convicted
by Danish courts for breaches of section 266b of the Criminal Code for
insulting or degrading statements similar to the ones uttered in the
present case. Therefore, the Committee does not share the opinion of
the State party that the statements in question do not fall within section
266b of the Criminal Code.
6.4. Owing
to the failure of the police to continue their investigations, and the
final decision of the Public Prosecutor against which there was no right
of appeal, the author was denied any opportunity to establish whether
his rights under the Convention had been violated. From this it follows
that the author has been denied effective protection against racial
discrimination and remedies attendant thereupon by the State party.
7. The Committee
considers that the author has established a prima facie case for the
purpose of admissibility. It also considers that the conditions for
admissibility have been satisfied. It therefore decides, under rule
91 of its rules of procedure, that the communication is admissible.
8. As for the
merits, the Committee considers that, in the light of the above findings,
the facts as presented constitute a violation of article 6 of the Convention.
9. The Committee
recommends to the State party to ensure that the police and the public
prosecutors properly investigate accusations and complaints related
to acts of racial discrimination which should be punishable by law according
to article 4 of the Convention.


text:
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wordless Wednesday
Labels: Chapel Hill, Photos
2 comments:
So glad to see you back blogging. Me thinks I am gonna build you a little log house near this church cause ya sore love taking pictures of this beautiful country setting. When did they put in a swing. Recond it would hold me. Me want to swing. Love you bunch Merry Merry
- Thursday, September 23, 2010
- Genevieve said...
Great photo, Lesa!
- Thursday, November 18, 2010
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Phuket - Phi Phi - Lanta - Ngai - Kradan - Mook - Hat Yao Pier - Lipe - Langkawi
Terms and Conditions
1. Online Price and Promotion Price, fare conditions:
- Tigerline Ferry reserves the right to refuse a refund on all conditions. In the unlikely event that Tigerline Ferry is forced to cancel your trip, you will be re-accommodated on one of our other vessel to the same destination.
- Changes of traveling date or passenger name can be made through the Booking Center via email only, Email: email@example.com. The traveling date or passenger name changes may be made at least 1 day before the departure date. Please note that change fees may apply.
- All fares are exclusive of a long tail boat transfer between ferries and small islands. N.B. There is no pier on the small islands in the Andaman Sea the long tail boats are run by local fishermen which are not part of the ferry company.
- The fare applies to a limited number of seats on certain trips only.
2. Passenger with reservations must arrive 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure.
3. All passengers, vehicles and baggage are subject to search for security purposes.
4. All passengers, photo identification are required to check-in (e.g. Passport, ID card or Driver License).
5. Tigerline Ferry shall not be responsible for and shall be exempt from all liabilities in respect of loss, damage, injury, accident, delay or any inconvenience to any person or his/her baggage or any personal property, whether in respect of the ferry to and from the Island or in respect of any occurrence results from the negligence of Tigerline Ferry or any other person directly or indirectly in the employment or service of Tigerline Ferry or otherwise, under any circumstances whatsoever.
Note: We highly recommended taking this into consideration when you plan to book any connected flight/schedule with any Transportation.
If you have any questions or would like to change your reservation, please call: +66980 168 181 (09:00-21:00), Email: firstname.lastname@example.com, and refer to Your Ticket Number.


text:
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• Reduce the severity and duration of colds.
• Reduce the severity of upper respiratory tract infections.
• Assist the healthy development of motor and attention skills in children with zinc deficiencies.
Additional Information
Additional Information
|Ethical Nutrients
|Package Size
|95 g Oral Powder (50 days)
Adults and children over 12 years: Take ½ metric teaspoon (1.9 g) in 200 mL of water once daily,
Always read the label. Use only as directed. If symptoms persist consult your healthcare professional.
Store below 30°C.
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text:
So Tinie Tempah say's he's never been to Scunthorpe eh? Well more fool him! Check out these "sick" rappers from Brumby Juniors in the town centre. Filmed and produced by Pete.
Rappers from Brumby Juniors (click here to listen)
Hi! I'm a performance poet and journalist living in a wonky house with my hubby, two kids and pet dog. This blog's my platform for sharing my poetry, travel adventures, family life, and photography. Scunthorpe's had a bad press recently thanks to TV show "Skint". I hope to reveal the real life in all it's beauty and comedy. By day I work with children in care. I also have a Mum wih Bipolar so mental health's close to my heart. Ever feel like you don't fit in? Then this blog's for you!
Saturday, 28 September 2013
Max Likes To Relax....
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text:
Long-Time Seller Jack Sheng Nears Another eBay Milestone – 2 Million Feedback Ratings
By: eBay Inc. Staff
No eBay seller in history has generated more feedback ratings than Jack
How does it feel to have millions of people give you a virtual backslap for doing a great job? Jack Sheng, Founder and CEO of eForCity Inc., knows the answer to that question. Back in 2008, eBay recognized Sheng as the first seller in the company's history to reach the milestone of a million feedback ratings, and even named a company conference room after him. In an interview this week, Sheng discussed several of his company's most recent milestones, including the fact that he is approaching the eye-popping milestone of two million feedback ratings, which he expects to hit this summer.
Sheng's involvement with eBay began 10 years ago. Starting with $500 in purchases, he and two friends began selling technology gadgets and accessories, via eBay, out of a garage. In 2006, Inc. magazine named Sheng's eForCity, the 90th fastest-growing company in the U.S. on its Inc. 500 list, and it remains a top online retailer.
The enduring success of eForCity is evidence that the eBay marketplace continues to create substantial opportunities. Here are some of Sheng's thoughts on selling through eBay, recent marketplace improvements, and more.
When we spoke with you at the end of last year, you were moving your selling format over from mainly auctions to fixed-price format. Is that continuing?
Yes, we are currently at 85 percent fixed-price format, and 15 percent auctions. A fixed price really provides a better value, and the auctions complement the fixed price sales. We're very pleased with the outcome of this move, because the fixed price provides a better competitive landscape where we can price products more correctly than our competition.
How is eForCity faring relative to other online retailers?
We're ranked number 255 on the Internet Retailer 500 list, and number 27 in our business category. We'll hit two million feedback ratings in a couple of months—another first among eBay sellers. It took us about eight years to reach a million feedback ratings, and only two years after that to reach the two million mark. We continue to provide good value, and regularly change our business model to cater to the needs of customers.
Have changes that eBay has made in recent years helped your business?
The policy of holding sellers more responsible has helped boost the confidence of buyers. It has helped the overall perception of the eBay brand. This helps sellers because we get fewer inquiries from buyers, fewer questions about whether we are or are not a legitimate business.
Have eBay's mobile applications, including apps for the iPhone and iPad, had an impact on your business, and are you looking for additions in these apps?
We are in the mobile business, and we sell mobile accessories, so we are big fans of these mobile initiatives. I think the mobile apps are helping buyers to interact with listings more frequently than they otherwise would. In terms of things sellers are looking for, we want analytics, and it would be great to see more analysis tools arrive for knowing how transactions are being generated. We'd like to get a handle on not just how many customers purchase through mobile apps, but how many browse through them.


text:
Sam Simon, a headline grabber of late, is out as Director of Public Safety for the city of St. Louis, and mayoral aide Charles Bryson is taking his place, effective today.
Bryson says that demand stands: "I will try my best to talk to [George] today. I hope he'll make the appointments by Friday at 5 p.m. If not, then there will be disciplinary action taken."
Bryson, who has worked in Mayor Francis Slay's office for just shy of seven years and has a background in social work, brings an additional new perspective to the director's office –- that of an African-American. "One of the reasons the mayor chose me is so that we can work on race relations," says Bryson.
Race has long been said to be a factor in the tenuous relationship between George and city hall. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bill McClellan offers his take on that today.) "If you talk to clergymen on the north side," points out Bryson, "they will suggest that part of the problem in the past between the public-safety director and the fire chief may have been race."
Bryson says he and George already have "a good working relationship" from having made the rounds at various public boards and commissions over the past few years.
As the new public-safety director puts it: "My race will not be an ace in my pocket. It will be a different way of looking at things."
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text:
The city of New Orleans is set to remove its fourth and final Confederate-era monument. Unlike the first three statues, the monument to Gen. Robert E. Lee is coming down during the day. Streets near the city's Lee Circle — where the monument stands — were blocked off by early Friday in preparation for the dismantling that's scheduled to begin after 9 a.m. CT. The
city started removing the landmarks in late April after the New Orleans City Council voted in 2015 to remove the four Confederate markers. Recent court rulings cleared the way for the monuments to be removed and relocated following heated public debate and legal fights. The effort to remove New Orleans' monuments is part of a nationwide debate over Confederate symbols, which some argue represent slavery and injustice and others say represent history and heritage. READ MORE


text:
"A good company must 'impute' – it must convey its values and importance in everything it does, from packaging to marketing." Mike Markkula
Everything we do.
Everything we are.
Consistency makes it happen.
I teach it in sales by saying that each day you have to prospect.
Not 10 hours of prospecting today and then nothing for weeks.
Not once in a while when you have time.
Daily – every day. Consistently.
Those who do great things accomplish them because they have a consistent routine that takes them there.
My mom was a widow since I was 2 years old – but she accomplished so much. Because as she always said, "I have a system and that makes me do it consistently."
Use to drive me crazy, but it produced continuous results.
How about you?
Wondering why things are not happening the way you want them to?
Take a look at how consistent you are in doing the work that is going to make it happen for you.
Today I share on acrostic on the word, "consistent."
C - Commit.
Commit to do this.
Accept nothing less.
Commit means you tell yourself and everyone else that will listen that you are going to do this.
Say to all, "I will make one hour of calls every day, period."
O - Outline.
Build an outline of your process.
What do you have to do?
How much?
Each day you have to make cold calls.
I do this at 10AM.
For one hour.
I have a list, a phone and a note pad.
N - Never.
Never let excuses get in the way.
People say stuff like; well I was just too busy to prospect yesterday.
That is an excuse.
Dump the excuse and figure out how to do it instead.
Just picture the bunny with its ears covered, it cannot hear you, so stop talking and just do it. Take some action.
S - Stretch
As much as you can and then even more.
To be consistent you have to forget the excuses.
Do what you have to do in order to make it happen.
Leave something that you did not commit to behind.
(This is why it is important to watch what you commit to)
Push yourself, a bit more.
I - Ignore.
Ignore what everyone else is doing.
Especially ignore what those are doing who are not where you want to be.
Don't get sucked into, "that's to hard."
Or, "that don't work."
You cannot get sucks into stuff that takes you off plan.
You cannot even look over there.
The best way to ignore distractions is to stay focused on your commitment.
S - Stand
Stand hard on your principles
It is what makes you different.
I committed to do this, and you just have to accept that.
When you consistently do what you said you would when you said you would, how you said you would – people take notice.
T - Take.
Take the hard stuff in stride.
Yes, you are going to hit the wall sometimes.
You look up and it is 9PM and you are still going.
Well, remember what I said, be careful what you commit to, but once you commit, you have to do it.
You can do it.
E - Enjoy.
Enjoy the journey.
You know it will produce the results you want.
Remember what someone once said, "A trip of 1000 miles starts with a single step." In consistency, each day is a step on the journey.
N - Not.
Not doing it is unacceptable.
Doing it or not doing it is a mindset.
You know there are things in your life that you just don't accept.
Not being consistent at what you commit to has to become one of them.
T - Train others.
Once you can do it, you need to help others to do it.
Consistency creates success.
Share your hard roads and what helped you get down them.
Show others they too can make it happen.
Hope this helps you in your journey to be more consistent.
Please watch this video to learn more about taking your life to the next level.


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Paradise Island is a new simulation game that lets you build your own little island empire from the ground up. You'll need to get people to come to your island, and keep them happy while they are there. This Android simulation game has a whole lot of depth. You won't beat it in a day or two; it's going to take some time. If you do get tired of playing, life on the island will just keep on going.
Gameplay & Features
If you've played a building/tycoon type sim you'll be familiar with the gameplay. You need to get people to your island, and build all the amenities that will make them spend their money. You'll take their cash, and use it to buy and upgrade more buildings. You will also gain XP points that will help you level up. As your levels rise, you'll be able to unlock a wide variety of buildings. Paradise Island is one of the most in-depth sims I've played on the Android platform. Building and making money are the key aspects of the game, and you'll have to do lots of both as the game progresses.
There really are a lot of buildings available, well over 100 in all. People will need places to stay, and things to keep them busy. You'll be in charge of building cabanas, and Magnate Hotels, as well as Disco Clubs and Waterslides. If that's not enough, your buildings will need power so you will need to take care of that too. Your structures can be upgraded as well, so you can keep raking the cash in. There is an awards/achievement system too with over 120 awards up for grabs. The game uses a leveling system of sorts, which was a nice touch. You get XP from completing tasks, and receiving awards. If you are in need of more money or "piastres" you can buy some via Paypal from within the game.
Overall, Paradise Island is a pretty cool game. The graphics are great, and the gameplay is smooth. The touch controls worked well on my phone; I didn't have a problem placing buildings or demolishing roads. If you are looking for a great casual simulation game you'll probably like this one. It's free and available for download in the Android Market.


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Fork Bomb, Pretty much clear by name, anything which uses the "fork" operation and explodes like a bomb is known as Fork Bomb. It's a form of DOS (Denial Of Service) attack, using fork operation, in which a running process can create another running process. Fork bomb is sometimes referred as wabbit. In other words, Fork Bomb is a particular species of wabbit that can be written in one line of code.
Linus torvalds has finally released Kernel 3.4.
"Sure, I always wish for the -rc's to calm down more quickly than they ever seem to do, but I think on the whole we didn't have any big disruptive events, which is just how I like it. Let's hope the 3.5 merge window is a calm one too," he wrote in his announcement.
The new Kernel includes substantial updates to the BTRFS file system and new support for graphics hardware from Nvidia, Intel and AMD, including AMD's Trinity and Radeon HD 7000-series, NVIDIA's Kepler stack. The release also includes the Yama security module, support for the x32 ABI, asymmetric multiprocessing support, the dm-verity device mapper target, and more.
It's a pretty much common question asked in most of the interviews related to Linux, and most of the time people got it confused with Orphan Process. But these two are totally different from each other. A Zombie Process is nearly the same thing which we see in lot of horror movies. Like the dead people which don't have any life force left, Zombie processes are the dead processes sitting in the process table and doing nothing.
To explain this in much better way, "Zombie process or defunct process is a process that have completed the execution, have released all the resources (CPU, memory) but still had an entry in the process table."
It's a pretty much common question asked in most of the interviews related to Linux, and most of the time people got it confused with Zombie Process. But these two are totally different from each other. An Orphan Process is nearly the same thing which we see in real world. Orphan means someone whose parents are dead. The same way Orphan process is a process, whose parents are dead, that means parents are either terminated, killed or exited but the child process is still alive.
Upgrading the system is one of the very common tasks a Linux Administrator usually do. One can easily update the system with Yum or apt-get commands but the main problem which everyone faces is to reboot the system after a kernel upgrade. This comes out to be a big problem for small organizations, where one don't have High Availability setup and can't afford to reboot the system because of the upgrade.
Since reboots are disruptive, many system administrators delay the update of there patches and makes their system vulnerable to attacks. Below given is the frequency of reboots needed in the last year for respective flavors of linux.


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Probably, the month May must be your favorite because it's vacation time and family fun time. Few countries shiver with winter season while some other sleep in balmy nights as the summer season gets on. So, people intend to escape their unstable weather conditions and enjoy somewhere where the weather is pleasant and they get quality time to spend with family. So, this May go to your favorite place and bring out the hidden wanderlust in you.
Now, you must be puzzled with a question 'Where to go?' There's a bucket list of travel destinations to spend your time during May. Just pick a place, pack your bags and fly. However, there are few places which deserve a special mention. Here's listing out the top vacation spots for May holidays.
Bali, Indonesia
The Indonesian island, Bali is one of my most favorite holiday destinations. Adventure lovers and nature lovers will surely fall in love with its white and clear beaches which are ideal for water activities and outdoor adventures. So, it's time to wear your favorite shorts, tank tops, and bathing suits. Lastly, get rejuvenated at one of Bali's many luxury spas.
London, United Kingdom
You may have visited London several times but, there's always some more to this beautiful city. You can find many things to do and see. London is such an overwhelming destination. One must include major sights like Tower of London, London Eye, and Buckingham Palace in their itinerary. Find the best of London on your own and have lifetime lovely experiences.
Lille, France
Lille is a historical and architectural feast to the history lovers. Lille has transformed into a cultural and commercial hub lately. It is famous for its old town feature with Flemish accent, art museums, shopping, dining, and student-driven nightlife.
Malta is a European island — a home for the medieval town, pristine beaches, classical temples, and Maltese vineyards. Beat the crowds in May to get refreshed at the beach shores. Don't miss Gozo private tour and hear stories of Homer's.
West Bengal and Sikkim, India
Beat the summer in India's own Switzerland; travel to Sikkim. Sikkim is a fabulous destination in the month of May. Visit Lake Tsomgo, Yumthang Valley, Nathu La, glaciers near the Himalayas and experience splendid time with the breathtaking views of the Himalayas.
Now you know where to go for a memorable fun-filled family vacation. We may travel for distraction but we all come back with priceless memories. Nothing can substitute memories. Keep travelling this May!
Happy Traveling!
Hurry up and book your flights at Rehlat!!!


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The allotment has been recognised as an important and inspirational regional and international allotment site. It attracts visitors and allotment holders who wish to learn about community allotments and community food schemes. Activities at the Allotment have included:
- Community Payback schemes to clear up "grot-spots" and provide opportunities further training and qualifications
- Brightening up the neighbourhood schemes – growing flowers, shrubs and herbs for planters and hanging baskets
- Growing food for the luncheon club
- Children's gardening club and Children's Environmental fun days
- Grow, cook and taste sessions
- Fundraising and community events – bringing the community together to raise its own funds for community action and improvement.


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These come in the standard MAC packaging. I probably ought to buy a palette and just buy the refills as my storage box is getting a little full. I really like MAC packaging because it's pretty sturdy, and it's easy to identify shadows in the morning.
I was pretty excited when these first arrived! The colour in the pan is gorgeous for both of these shadows. Cranberry is a berry red and Amber Lights is a golden orange (not quite the way to describe it, but you'll see in my swatch). They both have a frost finish. My camera couldn't quite pick up the red in Cranberry so it looks more coppery on my swatch, it's such a shame because it's a beautiful colour.
These both apply really well. They are soft, smooth and I haven't had any issues with creasing. I did get a teeny bit of fall out with Amber Lights, but nothing too bothersome. The pigmentation is really good with both of these. Over primer I've not had any issues with staying power, but they do begin to fade a little bit when I skip primer (I have extremely oily eyelids). With primer they last all day on me.
Overall, I love both of these shadows! They're both a really nice addition to my collection because I don't own anything like them. I can see me getting a lot of use out of them (particularly Cranberry, as it works well with so many other colours). They're definitely festive shadows!
Do you own either of these shadows?
Disclosure: I bought this product myself.


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Evening Standard)
Sadiq Khan hints car-free days could come to London
MARK CHANDLERFriday 23 September 2016
Sadiq Khan has hinted car-free days could be on their way to London in a bid to get people walking and cut air pollution.
Mr Khan's office mooted the move as Paris prepared to ban cars from 400 miles of its streets this Sunday.
The French capital is one of a host around the globe marking World Car-Free Day.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has already backed the idea of a slimmed-down on the first Sunday of each month for streets around the Champs Elysees.
And today, the Mayor of London's office said Mr Khan was "supportive" of the idea hitting London in the near future.
"He is overseeing hard-hitting new measures to tackle London's polluted air and is supportive of events like car-free days that both lower toxic car fumes and encourage pedestrians to get out and enjoy their streets more."
Last October, a poll by YouGov showed overwhelming support for a car-free day similar to the one in Paris.
In all, 63 per cent of respondents backed motor vehicles being banned from the central third of the city for one day.
And 58 per cent of people were supportive of having one every month.


text: The Hematopathology Laboratory maintains a long tradition of excellence in the diagnosis of hematopoietic abnormalities. Our faculty and staff are experienced in the evaluation of common and uncommon hematologic neoplasms and related disorders. Comprehensive reports provide detailed morphologic descriptions integrated with flow cytometry, cytogenetics, and molecular diagnostic determinations. Participation with internationally recognized protocol groups Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) and Children's Oncology Group (COG) sets the high standards utilized in maintaining patient care in this area.


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Reese Witherspoon & Baby Tennessee: Los Angeles Outing!
Reese Witherspoon carries her newborn baby boy Tennessee out of her car on Tuesday (November 20) in Los Angeles.
The 36-year-old actress gave birth to the cutie back in September. This is Tennessee's first Thanksgiving with the family – we wonder if they have anything special planned!!!
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Reese Witherspoon
Reese first showed off baby Tennessee back in early November.
Along with the new little guy, Reese also has two kids from her previous marriage to Ryan Phillippe, a daughter Ava and a son Deacon.
FYI: Reese is carrying a Clare Vivier bag.


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15-minute call propels GEICO to 15-million policyholder milestone
MACON, Ga., March 18, 2017 – A Covington, Ga., couple called GEICO recently looking to purchase a new auto insurance policy. Little did they know that their 15-minute phone conversation with GEICO sales counselor Jon Hollingshed of Macon, Ga., would propel GEICO to a record-breaking 15-millionth policy.
"We are extremely excited that the 15-millionth policy was purchased here in Georgia," said GEICO regional vice president Rhett Rayburn. "For the second time in 12 months, we've been a part of a significant policyholder milestone. This is a true testament to the tireless effort and hard work of our GEICO team here in Macon."
Speaking with the couple over the phone, Hollingshed mentioned that they did their homework by asking the right questions, looking at coverage options, comparing quotes and reading customer reviews. "They reviewed different auto insurance companies but chose to go with GEICO because of our easy sales process, price discounts and mainly positive customer comments," said Hollingshed.
As for being a part of GEICO's historic milestone, Hollingshed had no idea that he had just sold GEICO's 15-millionth policy. "When they told me the good news, I couldn't believe it," said Hollingshed. "My initial impression: what are the chances of that happening?"
GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and is the second-largest private passenger car insurance company in the United States. GEICO, which was founded in 1936, provides millions of car insurance quotes to U.S. drivers annually. The company is pleased to serve more than 16 million private passenger customers, insuring more than 27 million vehicles (car & cycle).
GEICO policyholders can make policy changes, report claims, print insurance ID cards, and purchase additional products by logging into their car insurance policy. Policyholders can also connect to GEICO through GEICO Mobile, reach a representative over the phone or visit a GEICO local agent.
GEICO also provides insurance quotes on motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), boats, travel trailers and motorhomes (RVs). Coverage for life, homes and apartments is written by non-affiliated insurance companies and is secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Commercial car insurance and personal umbrella protection are also available.
For more information, go to www.geico.com.
Contact Us
Contact us 24/7 through our Mobile app, online, or by phone.


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ROCKLAND COUNTY, N.Y. -- Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann gets a bigger paycheck than any other elected official in Rockland County and also makes more than the top-earner in Westchester, according to an analysis by Journal News/lohud.com.
The Journal News/lohud.com study compaired Hoehmann's $170,309 annual salary to that of Mike Spano's, who makes $156,100 as mayor of Yonkers, a city that, the media outlet pointed out, has a population more than twice the size of Clarkstown's.
Following Hoehmann, the Journal News/lohud.com study found, were: Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence ($145,574); Haverstraw town Supervisor Howard T. Phillips ($115,790); Spring Valley Mayor Demeza Delhomme ($115,000) and Orangetown Supervisor Andy Stewart ($104,503).
A good chunk of elected officials in Rockland County have not been shy about giving themselves raises, but the size of the salary bumps don't seem to follow one set pattern, the Journal News/lohud.com story said.
Journal News/lohud.com pointed out that New Square's mayor, Israel Spitzer, had gotten a $75,000 hike because of a change in the government's set-up, while Haverstraw's village mayor, Michael Kohut, got a 50 percent, or $21,000, increase because his position had changed into a full-time one.
The analysis, which compared Rockland salaries and raises to those of elected officials in Westchester, did not address pay for other positions such as comptrollers and clerks, because, Journal News/lohud.com said, some of those could be appointed instead of elected.
To read the Journal News/lohud.com report, click here.
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


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National Bank Probationary Officer Written Schedule, Eligible list. Click Here
National Bank Limited, a leading first generation innovative and vision driven private sector Commercial Bank having 160 Branches all over the country with excellent working environment and corporate culture, invites application from dynamic, proactive, self-motivated and talented young individuals for the post of "Probationary Officer".
Important information
- Finally selected candidates have to agree with a Service Bond for 6(six) years from the date of joining.
- Job location: Anywhere in Bangladesh.
- Only published academic results are acceptable.
- Last date of Submission: December 30, 2012.
- Any persuasion will be treated as disqualified.
- The Management reserves the right to reject or accept any application.
Eligibility for Application:
Candidates must be from a well reputed university (see below for the list of eligible universities) having three first divisions/classes, GPA 3.25 out of 5.00 and CGPA 3.00 out of 4.00 where applicable in any of the following discipline:
- MBM/MBA/BBA in Accounting, Finance, Banking, Marketing, International Business, MIS, AlS, HRM or Management.
- Masters with Honours in Economics, English, Statistics, Mathematics, History, Geography and Physics.
- Only in case of English, two first divisions/classes are accepted. • No third division/class is acceptable in any case.
- Age should not exceed 30 years as on 31.12.2012.
- Having sound computer literacy, strong communication & interpersonal skill.
Take a look
- The candidates fulfilling the required criteria will have to sit for written test & Viva-Voce.
- Successful candidates will be selected on the basis of merit.
- All Officers shall remain on probation for a period of 01 (one) year.
- The consolidated pay during probation period will be Tk.30,000/-(Taka thirty thousand) only per month.
- After successful completion of probation period they will be absorbed in the rank of Executive Officer.
Application procedure
If you think you are the right person, having passion for success, want to be a part of NBL family for building up your career, please submit your resume with your recent photograph through on-line at www.nblbd.com and after getting the tracking number, a printout of the same should be sent to "The Head of Human Resources Division, National Bank Limited, Head Office, 18 Dilkusha C/A, Dhaka-1000" along with the followings:
- 2 (two) copies of photographs
- A Demand DrafVPay Order of EDT 300.00 (non-refundable) in favor of National Bank Limited
List of Eligible Universities:
- University of Dhaka
- IBA, University of Dhaka
- Rajshahi University
- Chittagong university
- Jahangirnagar University
- Shahjalal university of Science & Technology, Sylhet
- Khulna University
- Islamic University, Kushtia
- Jagannath University
- National University
- North South University
- East West University
- American International University, Bangladesh
- BRAC University
- Independent University, Bangladesh
- Stamford University
- ASA University
- Foreign Reputed University (Foreign Campus)
Eligible Subject List for application for NBL JOBS:
- BBA (Four years course)
- Masters with honours in Economics, English, Statistics, Mathematics, History, Geography and Physics
- Masters with honours in Accounting, Finance, Banking, Marketing, International Business, MIS, AIS, HRM and Management


text: Select an international website Zoover.at Zoover.be Zoover.ch Zoover.com Zoover.com.tr Zoover.com.ua Zoover.cz Zoover.de Zoover.dk Zoover.es Zoover.fr Zoover.gr Zoover.hu Zoover.it Zoover.lt Zoover.nl Zoover.no Zoover.pl Zoover.pt Zoover.ro Zoover.ru Zoover.se Home Destinations Accommodations Add review Add review Add photos Add videos Add new accommodation Add attraction Home Add review New Zealand Northern Island Tongariro reviews Tongariro Reviews (3) Photos & videos (22) Accommodations (8) Weather forecast Map Tips (0) Question and Answer (0) 9.5 6 reviews See all reviews See all reviews Find Hotel Deals From NZD 125 Find the best deal View all photos Would you like to know what other people thought of their holiday in Tongariro? Then take look on this page at the reviews written by other travellers. Did you spend your holiday in Tongariro? Then you can add your review here. Tongariro scores a 9.5 out of 10, based on 6 reviews read more Would you like to know what other people thought of their holiday in Tongariro? Take a look at the reviews of other travellers about Tongariro. Have you been on a holiday in Tongariro yourself? Add your review here. - - - - Less text 3 English reviews about Tongariro 8.7 3 Reviews Appreciation 8.7 Nightlife - Culture 8 Surroundings 9.7 Atmosphere - Care for nature - Language: English (3) All (6) ------------ Dutch (6) German (1) Party types: All (3) ------------ With partner (1) Sort by: Date of visit Contribution date _._ 9 Jacqueline Wiersma, 13 May 2007 Nightlife - Culture 8 Surroundings 10 Atmosphere - Care for nature - The Tongariro crossing isn't known as the nicest daytrip on foot for nothing. If you've got strong legs (and good walking shoes) and feel like walking for 7 to 8 hours then this is the place to come. _._ 8 Leo Jacobsen, 03 May 2006 Nightlife - Culture - Surroundings 10 Atmosphere - Care for nature - Tongariro NP should be part of every itinerary touring New Zealand. Even if all you want to see is Mt. Doom and Mordor from Lord of the Rings. This is an amazing area which is suitable for nice walks and sunset here is just amazing. _._ 9 Kees, 18 June 2004 Nightlife - Culture - Surroundings 9 Atmosphere - Care for nature - I can really recommend the Tongariro-crossing! It's an amazing walk through what could be New Zealand's most amazing national park. Actions for Tongariro Add review Add photos Add videos Add new accommodation Add attraction Print reviews Information about Tongariro Weather Tongariro Map Tongariro Photos Tongariro Videos Tongariro Question and Answer Tongariro Destinations nearby Taupo Palmerston North Ohakune Te Kuiti Mangaweka Cambridge Waitomo Caves Zoover link on your website Click here for all Zoover widget options


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Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises.
St. Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. He was born in the fourth century and is famous for bringing Christianity into Ireland. St. Patrick's Day is a very well known Irish national holiday, which is celebrated not only in Ireland but all around the world. It falls on the 17th of March.
History of St. Patrick
St. Patrick was born to wealthy parents in the late fourth century. Until the age of 16, he thought of himself as a pagan. He was kidnapped and sold as a slave at this age by Irish marauders. It was during this capture that he turned to God.
He managed to escape after being a slave for six years and then studied in a monastery in Gaul for 12 years. This was when he knew that his 'calling' was to try and convert all the pagans in Ireland to Christianity.
St. Patrick went around Ireland founding monasteries and successfully converting people to Christianity. The Celtic Druids were very unhappy with him and tried to arrest him several times but he always managed to escape.
After 30 years of being a missionary in Ireland, he finally settled down in a place called County Down. He died on the 17th of March, AD 461.
Legend and Folklore
Shamrocks, leprechauns and the blarney stone are associated with St. Patrick's Day. Shamrocks are three-leaved clovers found growing in patches on grass. You are thought to be lucky if you find a four-leaved clover, so do keep it if you ever come across one!
Leprechauns are little Irish fairies, and they are thought to work as shoe-makers for other fairies. The Irish say that if a leprechaun is caught by a human, he will reveal where he hides his pot of gold. On this day, pictures of shamrocks and leprechauns are hung everywhere. Some people even dress up as leprechauns complete with their big green hats!
The village of Blarney is situated northwest of the Irish city of Cork. Blarney comes from the Irish word 'An blarna', meaning the plain. Blarney Castle is a very famous castle in this village and is 90 feet tall. The world famous Blarney Stone is on the top story. It is said that if one kisses this stone, one will be given the gift of eloquence, meaning to have beautiful speaking abilities. Nowadays, the word blarney means the ability to influence and coax with fair words and soft speech without offending.
Legend also says that St. Patrick could raise people from the dead. He is well-known for driving the snakes out of Ireland, although many people dispute how true this is! Another great story was how he used the shamrock, with its three leaves, to explain the Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost) to his followers.
What Do People Do on St. Patrick's Day?
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated world-wide with people dancing and singing in Irish pubs, watching the St. Patrick's Day parade, drinking 'green' beer, wearing green clothes and just generally having a good time. Children in Ireland have a tradition of pinching their friends who don't wear green on this day!
Traditional Food and Drink on St. Patrick's Day
Bacon and cabbage is what most people have on this day. Another popular dish is Irish soda bread and potato pancakes. Irish pub owners go crazy on this day, putting green food colouring into their beers and traditional Irish Guinness Stout is a sell out in all Irish pubs! People also drink lots of Irish coffee, which is made with warm whiskey, sugar, coffee and topped off with cream. Sounds delicious? It is!
Irish Proverbs
The Irish have many proverbs but here are some favourites.
- Better the coldness of a friend than the sweetness of an enemy.
- Be nice to them on the way up. You might meet them all on the way down.
- Let your anger set with the sun and not rise again with it.
Irish Humour
The Irish are famous for their jokes and good nature. Here's an example:
Definition of an Irish husband:
He hasn't kissed his wife in 20 years but he will kill any man who does!
Now that you know almost everything about St. Patrick's Day, go out on March the 17th and enjoy yourselves! Why not try and spot a leprechaun or two to find your pot of gold…?
Whatever it may be, don't forget to wear green on this special day!
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Gabriela Leal replied on Colombia Permalink
Hi, I know about the St Patrick's day but I don't have idea about Branley stone and the incredible ability that will given who kiseed.
Karzan replied on Spain Permalink
It was a very insightfull and well-written article about the history of st patricks' day
ZulmaRugeles replied on Colombia Permalink
The article is very interesting. I loved the history and specially to middle age is so fantastic. In my country doesn't exist a party in particular but if we have many parties and carnavals around the year. For instance, we have the Carnaval of Barranquilla, this folklorike party with comparses where people use disguises with colours and flowers and the music is the most important performance, principally people plays percussion instruments. On the other hand the end of carnaval is celebrated with the Joselito's died, Joselito is a principal person into carnaval. A legend said that He was a citizen in Barranquilla that he loved drinking and dancing, and unexpected day he drunk so much, he was found in the street, he was just died and the family did her funeral, but for their surprise, Joselito woke up and he said "I was not died, i was in a party time", for this reason He means the death of carnaval, but also He means the opening every year.
Svetlana79 replied on Italy Permalink
Hello! It is a very cool story, about tradition St.Patrik.
Tatyana18 replied on Russia Permalink
Strange people are living in Ireland - kissing stones, celebrating St.Patrick's day in pubs, drinking beer, why not in churches, if St.Patrick brought Christianity into Ireland? How do You think, is St. Patrick fond of?
Hicho char replied on Algeria Permalink
Thank you I like this lesson
mfcotrim replied on Brazil Permalink
Very informative, I didn't know the story of Saint Patrick.
Sophievdv replied on Ireland Permalink
Really good article for English learners however the tradition of pinching people for not wearing green is American not Irish.
darioloayza replied on Peru Permalink
Respect for the Irish.
hope this event will go on for generations...
jessica souza replied on Brazil Permalink


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Keep up with all of the area's road closures
8:06 p.m. Times-Union news partner First Coast News reports a boat sank at St. Augustine's City Yacht Pier Wednesday morning.
Two people on board the 38-foot cabin cruiser were rescued, and the American Red Cross offered assistance, according to the news report.
7:20 p.m. Door-to-door damage assessment efforts will begin Thursday at 8 a.m. when teams take to the streets in areas where flood waters have subsided. Assessment efforts will be concentrated in the:Knightboxx Road areaTanglewood and Greenwood subdivisions, Southern Orange ParkAquarius Concourse and Arora Blvd., off Blanding Blvd in Northern Orange ParkBellair area, North of Kingsley Ave.
Continued assessment efforts will be conducted in other areas as water recedes.
Many roadways remain closed or impassable. The Clay County Sheriff's Department personnel will continue to provide assistance for residents in stricken areas.CR 218W at Jacaranda Avenue is openCR218W at Country Estates remains impassableCounty Public Works personnel are working to improve additional roadways, and these will be opened as conditions warrant
The Clay County Sheriff's Office, Jacksonville Fire Rescue Urban Search and Rescue teams, and Fish and Wildlife Commission continue to maintain personnel and watercraft available to assist residents. Approximately 90 people and several animals have been assisted from flooding homes.
Damage reports are being received from all areas of the county. Nearly 200 damage reports have been received so far. More than 300 homes are believed to have sustained some type of damage, which may not have been yet reported. All damage should be reported to the Clay County hotline @ (904)284-7703. As this is a declared emergency, it is imperative that all reports of damage are recorded through the EOC.Storm-related debris (structural and vegetative), should be placed curbside for collection. Debris pieces should be no longer than 4' long, and weigh no more than 50 lbs per piece.Regular household garbage and weekly yard debris pickups will be conducted on existing pickup schedules.
6:05 p.m. An updated list of open Red Cross shelters:
Evangel Temple
5755 Ramona Blvd.
Hilliard Middle-Senior High School
1 Flashes Ave
Macclenny Elementary School
1 Wildkitten Drive
Starke Elementary School
1000 W. Weldon St.
6 p.m. Although Debby is done, the city's Emergency Operation Center will stay open at least through tonight as workers continue to inspect the area for damage.
About 1,000 city workers have been deployed as a result of the storm, including firefighters and police officers as well as public works and utility employees. City trucks will be out spraying for mosquitos in coming days.
As of mid-afternoon Wednesday, about 1/3 of the city had been examined, said Mayor Alvin Brown, who said he personally toured several areas. "It's very important we know exactly what damage has been caused," Brown said.
The city does not yet have an estimate as to how much Debby will cost the city, either in terms of repairs or in overtime and other employee-related costs.
The city is continuing to urge residents to avoid standing water and to call 630-CITY to report damage or other issues.
5:50 p.m. U-Haul is offering 30 days of free storage to those whose homes or businesses were flooded by recent rains and rising water.The offer is good at company-owned facilities, and a spokeswoman said interested people should call the regional office at 5481 Normandy Blvd, (904) 781-7044 to find those facilities. She said no proof is required of flooding. The company is offering two options:
-- Storage units at the facilities, sizes depending on what's needed and available.
-- U-Boxes are portable boxes measuring 8-by-5-feet on the ground by 7 1/2 feet tall. Rental is free for 30 days, but delivery and pickup costs $150. A customer can tow the U-Box home on a trailer, which rents for $14.95.
Roger Bull
4:50 p.m. Buddy Nix, 49, used to swim in Ortega Creek on the Westside when he was a boy. Back then and his friends knew it by the more prosaic name of 103rd Street Creek. On Wednesday afternoon traffic was still slow on 103rd Street at Shindler(cq) Drive, even though most of the water from the overflowing creek had receded from the roadway.
But a low-lying house on 103rd, a place that often floods, was still an island, with several feet of water around it. "This is as high as I've seen it here," said Nix, who sipped an RC Cola as he rode his bicycle past the flooding.
The woods on either side of the creek south of 103rd had been turned into swamp as the creek jumped its banks. Nix said he was worried for a man who has lived in the woods for years. "He had a tent back there," he said. "I don't think he's got one now."
Nix, who's seen a lot of flooding there over the years, said he watched the waters rise, figuring no one really knew what the storm was going to do. "I've known a couple of Debbys," he said. "They're not predictable."
Matt Soergel
3:11 p.m. The preliminary numbers are in on the impact of Tropical Storm Debby on Clay County's Black Creek area and the rest of the county.
At a 2 p.m. press conference close to the washed-out section of County Road 218, Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler was joined by other county administrators to discuss what happened there in the past few days.
By the numbers:
- 16 inches of rain.
- One man injured by a collapsing ceiling in Orange Park.
- Five hundred homes damaged by flooding.
- Only a few inches from breaking the 1919 record for flooding on Black Creek.
- Three to four days for Clack Creek's flooding to recede.
- Ninety people rescued from Black Creek flooding, 60 of them from a Girl Scouts' camp.
If you're trapped in a home along Black Creek and want to be rescued, the Sheriff's Office can help.
"If you are stranded and a home, now is the time to call and ask us to come and remove you," Beseler said. "We cannot do that after dark. There are swift water dangers after dark."
If you want to be rescued, make sure you bring three to four days of clothes, medicines and necessities, the sheriff said.
The Sheriff's Office is still prohibiting power boats on Black Creek, due to the damage their wakes will cause to submerged homes and the submerged shoreline.
As to the County Road 218 washouts that occured Tuesday, which stranded hundreds of Clay Hill residences, county engineers have it shored up the western wash out near Noland Road. Work should begin on the eastern washout near Melanie Lane, were a huge piece of the county road collapsed when Big Branch Creek flooded over it.
That caused a culvert pipe to collapse as well, said county public works director Jeff Beck.
"It's going to take a complete rebuild of this crossing and we are soliciting quotes from contractors," Beck said. "Be patient with us. We will have contractors working out here as soon as we can."
The caddy hopes to have traffic back on the road in two weeks, Beck said.
And the county's road problems may not be done yet, Mock said. The heavy rains may have damaged other roads, especially the dirt roads.
County health officials also warned residence that mosquitoes will be a major problem as they hatch in standing water.
2:32 p.m. Interstate 10 westbound between Interstate 75 and US 441 has reopened.
1:51 p.m. Jeff Beck, director of engineering and public works for Clay County, said the roadway at County Road 218 West at Country Estates near Jacaranda Avenue collapsed and will require extensive repairs. However, he said the Jacaranda collapse may be temporarily repairable to allow people to leave the area.
Clay County Sheriff's Office, Jacksonville Fire Rescue Urban Search and Rescue teams and Fish and Wildlife Commission have launched watercraft to help residents stuck by the flooding, and will continue to do so throughout the day. The county has received nearly 200 damage reports, and more than 300 homes are believed to have sustained some damage.
Slideshow: See Debby's impact around the First Coast
Slideshow: Living 'the creek' life isn't always easy in Clay County
Only a handful of homes remain without power, and the county's utility authority is asking residents to not use the large manholes in the area to drain water off of their property to avoid a backflow of raw sewage to flow into homes.
Old Ferry and Main Street boat ramps remain closed, as does the Health Department Bear Run clinic. The Safe Animal Shelter on County Road 220 was evacuated. Middleburg High School, 3750 County Road 220, remains open as a shelter.
Sandbags are available at Fire Station 14, 4003 Everett Ave., Fire Station 20, S. Oakridge Avenue, and Fire Station 22, 5995 Pine Ave.
Residents should report damages to (904) 284-7703.
Tracy Jones
12:53 p.m. In San Marco, which was awash Tuesday, Wednesday dawned dry and just slightly muddy.
"It was like I walked out this morning and it was a different world," said Dianne Muse, who lives in a riverview apartment in the 1700 block of River Road.
There was some flooding in her basement, and River Road was flooded. A truck stalled out Tuesday and several young men passed in two canoes, as a young woman wearing a life jacket sat regally in one of them.
"Like a queen," said Muse.
Luckily the wind wasn't blowing out of the west. When it does that, waves can come crashing over the seawall, adding to the rain-fueled flooding.
Muse and her husband, Arnold, had their fishing lines in the water, along with neighbor Mike Kelley. They had pulled in several croakers already; Arnold Muse said that something about a big storm brings the fish right to that popular fishing spot.
Matt Soergel
12:47 p.m. Jackie Strickland lives off of County Road 218 in Clay Hill, between the two sections of road that washed out due to the tropical storm.
Stuck in an "island" of Clay Hill until county engineers filled in a washed out bank on the Nolan Road side of the county road, Strickland said she wasn't too concerned.
"We knew we were on an island last night. It's just nice to see a lot of the water has receded already from our yard," Strickland said. "My husband got milk and bread last night [at one of two convenient stores in the closed-off area] in case a lot of people tried to get things. We didn't want to be with out because we didn't know how long the roads will be closed."
The employees at the convenient stores had to stay on duty all night because no one could get to them to begin a new shift.
As for Strickland, she said she isn't concerned that rain could cause a wash out again.
"I have friends who live there for 20 years, and they have never seen it's like that."
Dan Scanlan
12:47 p.m. Georgia Department of Natural Resources rangers will go to flooded houses in the Georgia Bend along the St. Marys River to make sure everyone gets out safely, said Bruce Young, Charlton County Emergency Management Director.
"We've got a few houses down there with water in them with no power and no telephone,'' Young said.
A few residents left on their own before the St. Marys River began flooding but some may have stayed and that he and other county officials will go in with the DNR.
"We're going down there and make sure everybody got out,'' he said.
The St. Marys was forecast to crest about noon at just under 24 feet at the Georgia 121 bridge, which the National Weather Service said would be record severity. Twelve feet is considered a flood.
All of Charlton County's trouble is not along the St. Marys. Tropical Storm Debby's rains left 46 roads impassable or barely passable, Young said.
Terry Dickson
12:27 p.m. Valveta Turner's mother used to keep concrete blocks at her house on Morgan Street. And when the flooding came - and it came often - she pulled out the blocks and put all the furniture, including a piano, on top of them. Turner, 65, now lives around the corner from the house in which she grew up. On Tuesday night she took in some neighbors who'd been driven from their home in the latest flood to hit the low-lying area north of Beaver Street, just west of downtown.
She and other neighbors blame inadequate, clogged storm drains for the troubles in their neighborhood. With that flooding in mind, Turner's even twice run for the District 9 seat on City Council.
"I've had to wade through water several times," she said Wednesday morning. "In fact, in junior high, I came home from school in a boat. I'm 65 and that was in junior high, so you know how long ago that was."
At the worst of the flooding from Tropical Storm Debby, water rose over a fire hydrant, more than waist-deep, at the corner of Rushing and Morgan streets. Firefighters came in canoes through the neighborhood Tuesday, asking residents if they were OK or if they needed to be evacuated.
"They were rowing down the street," said Yolanda Bright. "I said, 'Now I've seen everything.' "
Her house on Morgan Street had several inches of water in it, but she stayed there Tuesday night, sleeping on a living room sofa, scared, she said, to slog through the water to go to the bathroom.
Next door, Michael G. Simpson swept ankle-deep milky-colored water out the front door of his mother Peggy's house.
The flooding happens all the time, he said: Simpson's late father, Roscoe, was even featured in a photograph in the Times-Union in 1998, standing in water that reached to his upper thighs.
"Here we go again," Simpson said.
Matt Soergel
12:14 p.m. Wisteria Lane runs along Middleburg's Black Creek, lined with homes and horse pastures.
Now much of it is under water, as is a Ford pickup truck and a car. The pickup truck's headlights flash feebly as floodwaters short out its circuits.
Kaci Decrosta, who lives nearby, walked up to survey the soaked scene around noon Wednesday.
"We have never seen it come up on Scenic Drive, and I lived here for 23 years," she said. "Down at the boat ramp, the water is moving so fast, and it is over the docks. Everybody's stuff gets washed away."
As she talks, another Clay County deputy comes down to shoo away sightseers who don't live here.
She says she is afraid to hear about people driving through the waters and not coming back.
"It is a very scary thought," Decrosta said.
11:29 a.m. Scenic Drive in Middleburg now ends just past Tacoma Drive as the rapidly flowing flood waters of Black Creek roar past and under homes and over the road.
Jay Dowling used to live on this road and can't believe what he saw at 10 am.
"It's a disaster. And I hope the commissioners of Clay County declare this as a disaster because FEMA has to get out here," he said. "I have never seen it this high ever. I've been here 14 years."
Jerry Brown paddled out to see Dowling from his home on scenic drive. As he paddled and pushed a Times-Union reporter back to his house, he passed his mailbox and his ground floor storage area, all under water. He has lived here three years.
"This is devastating, totally devastating," Brown said. "FEMA needs to come out here and do something. We have nowhere to sleep. We have no power since electric has been cut off. We are making the best of it. ... I am about 3 feet from going under."
Dan Scanlan
11:23 a.m. Rains from Tropical Storm Debby pushed water levels in the Okefenokee Swamp about a foot above what is normal for the time of year, said Arthur Webster, supervisory ranger for the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
"It's the highest I've seen it in the two years I've been here,'' he said.
The water level at refuge headquarters south of Folkston was at 120.9 feet above sea level, he said. Saturday, the water level was at 119.4 feet, more than six inches below the 120 feet that is normal for late June, Webster said.
On the western side of the swamp at Stephen C. Foster State Park, today's level is 115 feet above sea level, more than a foot higher than the normal 114 feet and Saturday's 113.5 feet, Webster said.
"We had a nice increase,'' he said.
The water from the eastern side of the swamp drains into the St. Marys River and that on the west goes into the Suwannee River.
As the storm crept along for three days, it dumped 12.8 inches of rain at a gauge near refuge headquarters and 13.3 inches at one near Stephen Foster, he said.
The heaviest rainfall was at Eddy Tower, a point on Florida 2 south of the swamp, where a total of 27.8 inches fell, Webster said.
"They had 16.38 inches on Tuesday,'' he said.
At the opposite extreme, a gauge just south of Waycross recorded about 3.6 inches of rain.
"It just never crept that far north,'' Webster said of the storm.
The water did cause one minor problem Tuesday as it covered Swamp Island Drive, the access to the Chesser Island Homestead at the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area. The road is reopen this morning, he said.
The higher water level should allow the reopening of a lot of trails and be deep up enough for swamp maintenance crews to use a trail cutter to clear vegetation that has clogged some, Webster said.
Terry Dickson
11:18 a.m. The Duval County Health Department is advising private well owners to take precautions against disease-causing organisms due to Tropical Depression Debby.
The DCHD said it may make water unsafe to drink, and recommends boiling water (at a rolling boil for at least one minute), disinfecting water with bleach or using bottled water, especially for mixing baby formula.
For more information, visit www.doh.state.fl.us.
Yesterday, Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services reported several rescues and surrenders of dogs and are in desperate need of foster and adoptable homes, said Dianne Wiles, development director at First Coast No More Homeless Pets.
Because its facilities are now over capacity, adoption fees on dogs and puppies are waived at Animal Care and Protective Services on Forrest Street and the adoption center in Mandarin on 10503 San Jose Blvd. The only applicable fee is a $20 city license fee. For more information, call (904) 425-0005.
10:16 a.m. The University of North Florida will be closed until noon because of the storm.
Classes are expected to resume and employees should return to campus at noon.
The summer camps, such as Youth Sports and Fitness Camp, Eco Camp and Basketball camp, will also open at noon, and the Art Camp at MOCA will continue as scheduled.
Tracy Jones
10:09 a.m. With Black Creek rising through Wednesday morning, Donna Larson's back yard is now all under flowing water.
She says she's lost fencing, maybe a boat trailer, and her chickens and goats have sought higher ground on the front lawn.
"I grew up here in this very spot, and this is the worst I've ever seen in 20 years," she said as the creek lapped at the base of her back porch. "There are no words. We just watch and say wow, and that's all we can do. We can't stop it."
Dan Scanlan
10:03 a.m. The John Williams Bridge is closed, according to the Baker County Sheriff's Office.
9:52 a.m. The Baker County Sheriff's Office said there is a mandatory evacuation for Steel Bridge Road; it is closed.
9:43 a.m. The total rainfall from Tropical Storm Debby over the past three days in some areas of the city has now reached more than 20 inches, according to a release sent out by the City of Jacksonville. Last night, more than 7 inches of rain fell.
The city is asking for residents to report damages caused by the storm.
"It's important that we document all damages so that we can best help people and get our neighborhoods back to normal," said Mayor Alvin Brown in the release. "Safety is the No. 1 concern."
Residents are urged to take caution around pooled storm water due to mosquitos and contamination.
The city has shut down its special needs shelter at the Legends Center as Debby passes the area.
To report any Jacksonville-area damages or flooding, call (904) 630-2489 or visit 630city.coj.net.
Tracy Jones
9:41 a.m. Georgia 121 is closed as the National Weather Service issued a 'record severity' flood warning for the St. Marys River.
9:40 a.m. The last round of Tropical Storm Debby was the worst for the Beaches.
The rain was so heavy Tuesday night that Third Street running through the center of Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach was literally under water for hours. Police in both cities had patrol units on the scene trying to keep motorists from going through inundated thoroughfare, but most drivers tried to brave the high water.
The water level came up to the doors on many vehicles and the water also eclipsed the sidewalks along Third Street, particularly in North Jacksonville Beach near the Neptune Beach city limit. There were several cars that stalled on the washed out roadway throughout the night.
Side streets east of Third Street were equally challenging for motorists as the residential areas close to the ocean were under water for much of the night.
Some waterfront businesses also sustained water damage. The Hampton Inn on First Street North had water seeping through windows in a conference room that had to be vacuumed in order to get storm water out of the building.
Drew Dixon
9:14 a.m. Nassau County residents can pick up sandbags at 54377 Mickler St., Callahan, and 3613 Bailey Road, Fernandina Beach, according to Danny Hinson, Emergency Management.
9:03 a.m. Hard running waters of a creek under County Road 218 in Clay Hill were too much for this section of road way.
Early Wednesday morning, the road washed out to the creek bed, taking a guardrail and most of the concrete culvert under it. As county engineers survey the damage and try to come up with a solution, neighbor Rodin Bolena surveyed the damage with his wife and daughter.
"It's an awfully big hole and they are supposed to be two of them," he said. "It prevented me from going to work. All my work is down that way."
The Clay County Sheriff's Office says it could take weeks for the road to be permanently repaired. There are two more washouts at Nolan and Mallard roads.
Dan Scanlan
8:45 a.m. The bridge that carries U.S. 301 near Otis Road in Bryceville has been washed out.
The Nassau County Sheriff's Office, Jacksonville police and Florida Highway Patrol are at the scene and establishing detour signs, said Danny Hinson, director of the county's Department of Emergency Management.
The county will release specific detour plans after a 10 a.m. meeting.
Hinson said he does not know when the waters will recede, and he emphasized the county is just now seeing a rise in the St. Marys River and tributaries.
"Our flooding is going to worsen throughout the day."
The Thomas Creek watershed was a major problem Tuesday, and more than 500 sandbags were used.
Hinson said he is very concerned about creeks, tributaries, the St. Marys River, the Lake Hampton dam and many other bodies of water in the county as runoff and today's high tide will cause more problems. Retention ponds can also flood.
Residents near water should monitor the situation and consider moving to a shelter. Hilliard Middle-Senior High School at 1 Flashes Ave., Hilliard, is open right now with cots and hot meals.
"We just don't know what's going to happen," Hinson said.
Hinson said residents should call his department at (904) 548-4980 for more information or to answer questions and call 911 for emergency situations.
Nicole Hernandez
8:26 a.m. The road to the Clay County Tax Collectors Office on Bear Run Boulevard is under water Wednesday morning.
And it looks like at least one person who tried to get through got stuck. Bear Run neighbor Phil Carlucci said he started going through it in the car this morning but gave up.
"If I want to do a flooded car I'd go through it," he said. "I went and got my toy, my truck, and drove through it without a problem."
Carlucci said he's never seen flooding this bad on the road. But he guesses there's at least a foot of water there now.
Dan Scanlan
8:13 a.m. A tree has fallen on River Road in San Marco, and Bear Run Boulevard in Clay County is flooded, according to reporters in the field.
7:48 a.m. The following is a list of traffic problems as reported by the Florida Department of Transportation, mostly due to flooding.
- Outside eastbound lane of Interstate 10 is closed due to a sinkhole at mile marker 263.
- Florida 47 is closed between County Road 240 and Waltson Road in Columbia County.
- U.S. 441 southbound between Florida 20 and 222nd Street in High Springs is closed.
- U.S. 301 at Florida 16 in Starke is completely closed.
- U.S. 41 at Northwest Falling Creek Road and County Road 25A in Lake City is closed.
- U.S. 301 at Otis Road in Jacksonville is closed in both directions.
- Interstate 10 is closed in both directions from Interstate 75 to U.S. 90.
- U.S. 90 between Wayne Frier and Lee roads in Live Oak is closed.
- Florida 247 is closed from U.S. 90 to Bascom Norris Road.
- County Road 218 is closed in both directions, about 5 miles west of Blanding Boulevard.
A Times-Union reporter is on the way to County Road 218 to check reports of washouts and sinkholes.
7:46 a.m. U.S. 301 between Summerfield Lane and Otis Road in Nassau County is closed in both directions due to flooding, according to the state Department of Transportation. The bridge has been washed out.
6:53 a.m. The chance for rain today is 20 percent, according to Times-Union news partner First Coast News.
6:49 a.m. UNF canceled classes until noon today due to flooding. The school will post updates on its website.
6:34 a.m. A water rescue team from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department was sent last night to help Clay County, particularly with flooding from Black Creek, according to an update from Duval County Emergency Management.
The team consists of two boats, a jet ski, swift water rescue trailer and six personnel.
6 a.m. Twenty-two JEA customers are without power right now, according to the utility's outage map. Eleven Clay Electric customers in Clay County and 37 in Columbia County are also waking up without power. Florida Power & Light reports 19 customers in Baker County, two in St. Johns and two in Putnam are also without power.
5 a.m. Debby has now moved off-shore. As of 5 a.m. the center of the storm was about 25 miles southeast of St. Augustine, becoming more disorganized as it made its way across the state.
It is moving east northeast at a speedier 10 mph, according to the latest updates from the National Weather Service.
The sustained winds are still at 35 mph. The storm's direction of travel and strength are forecasted to remain steady for the next 48 hours.
Rainfall is expected to be minimal for the rest of the day with one inch possible in some areas due to lingering bands, mostly south of the First Coast.
2 a.m. Entering day three of Debby, the First Coast is now in a tropical depression.
Though the storm continues to weaken with sustained winds now at 35 mph, the rain continued Tuesday -- and many areas of North Florida simply can't hold anymore.
Two to three more inches of rainfall are expected across North Florida today with some isolated areas receiving five, according to the latest report from the National Weather Service.
The center of the storm is less than 110 miles due west of Daytona and will be crossing the state throughout Wednesday morning.
On the bright side, Debby's speed has increased to seven mph. At that rate, the storm will leave Florida behind for the Atlantic Ocean sometime Wednesday afternoon, according to the report.


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Music Media: From 8-Tracks to MP3
A Brief History about Music Media
That's right ladies and gents!! Get ready to go back in time when you would pop that "; Beatles "; Stereo 8 or 8 Track Cartridge ooooorrr 8 Track Tape or simply 8 Track into your player and jam out with your friends or by yourself. I will also take you to the present time with all the media we have at our fingertips today. Now if you would ask me.....I would say my favorite type of sound carrier would be the vinyl record. Oh yes, that shiny, glossy black disc that came large or small or at different speeds like 78, 45 or 33 RPM ( rotations per minute ). I still collect vinyl records and plan to do so until i die. But enough about me, lets go into a little history.....shall we?
Vinyl Records: 1948- Present
Introduced in 1948, vinyl records were the primary release format until the compact disc ( CD ) displaced them in the late 1980s. Vinyl records come in many shapes and sizes. I have seen clear records, pink records, purple records and records with full blown artwork imprinted on one side with music on the other. There are 3 speeds and they are 78, 45 and 33 RPM. Most records come in 3 sizes, 12 inch, 10 inch and 7 inch. They are pretty easy to damage and scratch up so extra care must be taken when collecting vinyl records. I use a diamond tip stylus to play my records with and that pretty much guarantees that the record will not be scratched up. So you might want to invest in a high quality stylus ( needle ). Always keep your records at room temperature because of course they are basically plastic and they will melt in higher temps and warp and crack in cold temps. I don't know about you but I love the pop and hiss of old records, just feels so nostalgic eh?
Stereo 8: 1964-1988 ( RIP )
The infamous 8 track tape....oh yes. Seems almost comical now but they were the wave of the future back in sixties man!! The 8 tracks were created in 1964 by a consortium led by Bill Lear ( Lear Jet Corp ) along with Ampex, Ford, Motorola and RCA Victor Records. Multi track tape had been around awhile but technology finally allowed for mass production of multi-layered stereo tapes. 8 tracks grew in popularity because of the automobile boom of the sixties and soon everyone was jamming to the 8 track beat. But like all good things, the 8 track had to come to an end. With the invention of the compact cassette with its smaller size and rewind capability and then the dawn of the compact disc ( CD ) which is the main format for music today, it was inevitable that the 8 track would come to an end. Don't forget that the 8 track was the 1st portable music format. People could take the tape to their cars or to the beach with a player. Stores stopped selling 8 tracks around 1982 but music record clubs still sold them until 1988 and even today there are underground cults dedicated to collecting and preserving Stereo 8 tapes. My kind of people.
Compact Tapes: 1963 - Present ( but for how long? )
Invented in 1963 by Philips in Europe and later in the USA in 1964, it was originally intended for audio dictation and then audio storage. I personally still have my compact tape collection and I intend to keep it as long as I can. I still have compact tape players around the house and I still play those tapes whenever I feel like going back in time. I still see them for sale but its very rare that I do but it is still pretty funny to me. People just can't let go, can they? Compact tapes peaked in the late 1980s but with the age of the compact disc and new coming digital media, the tapes decline was a no brain-er. Compact tapes opened up a whole new World for people back then. Compact tapes could be protected and "; dubbed "; at home with blank tapes. a person could record their favorite radio mix for the 1st time in mass!! They were small and portable which made them very convenient. The compact tape later on evolved into a "; mini "; tape but that was never popular with music, just used mostly in dictation. The tape eventually went "; digital "; with the creation of the DAT ( digital audiotape ) tape in the early 1990sbut even that media would hardly be used except in a music studio for master recordings and such. But hey, the tape is still around and i don't think it will be going away any time soon. Do you?
Compact Disc: 1979 - Present ( still going strong )
A Compact Disc (or CD) was used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio. The CD, available on the market since late 1982, remains the standard playback format for commercial audio recordings to the present day. Standard CDs have a diameter of 120 mm and can hold up to 80 minutes of audio. There is also the Mini CD, with diameters ranging from 60 to 80 mm; they are sometimes used for CD singles, storing up to 24 minutes of audio. The technology was later adapted and expanded to include data storage (CD-ROM), write-once audio and data storage (CD-R) and rewritable media (CD-RW). CD-ROMs and CD-Rs remain widely used technologies in the computer industry. The CD has been very successful, in 2004, worldwide sales of CD audio, CD-ROM, and CD-R reached about 30 billion discs. By 2007, 200 billion CDs had been sold worldwide. Of course with the compact disc, the DVD was sure to follow and now we have an incredible medium for video as well. I don't use compact discs as much as I used to with all the digital technology we have available now but they are the basic groundwork for all my music recordings and the final master recording and music back-up. So I still love my CD's!! And so should you. They are really amazing if you think about it......laser technology......wow!!
Audio File Formats: ( MP3 and WAV.....wave of the future baby!! )
Source: Wikipedia (audio file format )
An audio file format is a container format for storing audio data on a computer system. The general approach towards storing digital audio is to sample the audio voltage which, on playback, would correspond to a certain position of the membrane in a speaker of the individual channels with a certain resolution - the number of bits per sample - in regular intervals (forming the sample rate). This data can then be stored uncompressed or compressed to reduce the file size.
I personally deal with WAV and MP3 audio files the most when creating music or just listening to music. The WAV audio file is the standard audio file container used mainly with a Windows PC. It is of CD quality and quite large ( around 10 MB's per minute ). An MP3 audio file is the most popular format for downloading and storing music on a computer or hand held device. An MP3 file is highly compressed to 1/10th the size of a regular PCM file. So for all you people out there with a I-Pod or a small MP3 player, you are already up to date with technology but stop........there is something.....else......coming. The near future of audio is K2 High Definition(K2 HD). A mastering technique developed by JVC Music. K2 HD encodes the music in 24 bit and 100kHz resolution while in the mastering stage, even though the end product is a standard red book CD (16 bit, 44.1kHz) and does not require special hardware for playback. It seems like there is always something new coming out these days right? Hard to keep up but don't worry, you enjoy those 8 track tapes my hippie friend. You enjoy those compact tapes my mullet friend. And you enjoy those laser discs my good nerd. For I am the biggest geek ever with my loads and loads of vinyl records. I will post some cool videos for you to watch so please enjoy and thanks for taking the time to read my dribble!!
Old Sears Vinyl Record Commercial from the 80's
The things they can do with CD's these days!!
A little education about Audio File Formats
Old 80's toy commercial with " Casey " the tape player
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