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Valentine’s Day Moods and Traditions

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Restaurants will surely be filled, florists will have a huge profit margin and courier and delivery services are sure to have a busy day this February 14. While most people have already booked their itinerary and flower sending, the day of the hearts is something that will surely be a busy day for couples all over the world.

Valentines Day Celebration

There are people who will be booking themselves at hotels for sure. Some would even find themselves enjoying a musical show in celebration of the occasion being serenaded by ballads coming from well-known musical celebrities with various love songs and entertainment. Clubs are expected to be filled as well, mostly lasting until the wee hours of the mornings.

The mood is definitely under a romantic one. For sure, regular traditions shall be held. But the important thing is really celebrating with the person whom people would consider as special to their lives. That is what the day of the hearts is really all about.

Law Against Crossing The Street Using An iPod

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A proposed law has the bloggers and iPod users agitated. Senator Carl Kruger’s bill proposes that anyone using an iPod or similar music player, Blackberry or mobile phones, portable game players or any electronic gadget of the like at crosswalks should be fined $100. The senator says that this bill was triggered by the death of three pedestrians after they stepped off the curb without checking the street since they were distracted by their portable entertainment gadget.

While everyone agrees that the senator has good intentions, many feel that his bill should not become law. Can you imagine the police trying to stop every person who uses one of the mentioned devices? It is a law that punishes the many because a few do not use common sense.

Rather than make this a law, Michael Rose of New York, who blogs at Tuaw.com, the Unofficial Apple Blog, suggests that they put together a targeted PR campaign to remind users of these gadgets to “‘Turn down & tune in’ while navigating the mean streets”. Other bloggers point out that pedestrians have right of way no matter what, whether they are using any of the types of gadgets listed above or not.

Ushering In The New Year

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The year is almost over and everywhere people are getting ready to countdown to a brand new year. 2006 has been quite an eventual year indeed for many.

There are parties going on everywhere. All the major cities have plans for fantastic fireworks displays and celebrations. Whether you go to London, New York, Paris or down under to Syndey, the new year will be welcomed in with a bang. In New York’s Times Square, plans for 19 stellar performances from some of the Grammy award winners are lined up including Christina Aguilera, the Rascal Flatts and more.

For those who will be joining the London celebration, good news. You need not worry if you don’t have a car since the public transportation system will be running later than usual. In fact, NatWest is sponsoring transportation on the 31st via the London Underground, London Buses, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and via the tram. Just don’t wait til the last minute since there is bound to be quite a crowd.

You’re sure to be partying hard on this last night of the year but do keep yourself safe. This can easily be done by following a few simple safety tips:

  • Stay with your friends. There is always safety in numbers.
  • Keep your valuables safely at home or very carefully guarded. There are often pickpockets at crowded events such as these.
  • Drink responsibly. No point in getting so drunk you miss out on all the fun. That’s no way to start a new year.
  • Wear shoes that you’ll be comfortable in. You’ll have a long night ahead of you. There is no reason not to be both stylish and comfortable.
  • Dress warmly. No point in catching a cold when a little common sense will keep you from this annoying bug.

Tracking Santa On Christmas Eve

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Every December many children (and a few adults) are hopeful that they will get a visit from Santa. They are each hoping that they made it on the good list and not on the naughty one. Some do not believe that he exists at all.

Well, for those who do believe and hope that they will see him when he comes calling, there is a way to find out where the guy in the bright red suit is. North American Aerospace Defense Command is ready and waiting to help track Santa. Operation NORAD Tracks Santa will begin at 2am MST on December 24, Christmas Eve.

NORAD, and its predecessor CONAD, have been doing this for 50 years. They track Santa using the radar called the North Warning System. It has 47 installations along the North American border. The moment that Santa has been detected taking off from the north pole, the satellite network will now be used to track Santa’s flight. It works using infared sensors which can detect Rudolph’s red nose easily by its infared signature.

There are also Santa cams deployed this year. These high speed digital cameras are scattered around the world. Note that they are only used once a year – on Christmas Eve.

Lastly, there are NORAD (Canadaian and American) fighter pilots assigned to intercept Santa and welcome him at various points. They will fly will fly with Santa and his reindeers part way, taking turns.
Children can call or email to ask about Santa’s location. There will be over 800 volunteers taking turns to answer the lines and respond to the emails. They can also visit the website for updates.

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