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The Shamrock Dublin Gazette - Issue #05
Kennedy High School, La Palma, California 90623
December 19, 2003
Countdown to Departure: 83 Days
Current Email Subscribers: 101
Current Temperatures
Dublin: 46 Degrees - Partly Cloudy
Limerick: 48 Degrees - Cloudy
London: 43 Degrees - Mostly Cloudy
Henri Soucy, Editor
http://www.kennedyband.org
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IN THIS ISSUE
(1) A Word from Henri
(2) Paragon Hotel in London
(3) Virgin Atlantic Goodies
(4) More Irish Slang
(5) Prepare to meet the Tower of London
(6) One Stop Passport Processing
(7) Fund-Raising Review
(8) Frequently Asked Questions
(9) Show me the Money
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A WORD FROM HENRI:
The alignment of chaperones to students and the
distribution of all passengers on the British Midlines or
the Aer Lingus flights will be completed prior to year-end.
It's taking longer due to the fact that the hotel
configurations in the Ireland Hotels are so much different
than in London. For Ireland we've aligned to 4-Singles,
16-Doubles and 42-Triples. For the Paragon Hotel in London
we've been given 4-Singles, 62-Double and 11-Triples. So
the students have been asked this week to sign up assuming
everybody is in a double. Then I will take and select the
11 Triples for London and then distribute to the 62
Doubles. So I anticipate when the students come back from
the holidays, hard copies will be ready in the Band Room
showing all chaperones assigned to the students plus the
specific flight information.
The next issue will be distributed on Friday, January 9th.
I will be on vacation for the holidays. But get ready for
some power packed issues leading up to the trip.
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THE PARAGON HOTEL IN LONDON:
I got word that we will be staying in the 3-Star Deluxe
Paragon Hotel in London. Pertinent facts are below:
Paragon Hotel, Earls Court, London
47 Lillie Road, London, England SW6 1UD
Station: West Brompton
Tele: 011-44-20-7610 0880
Fax: 020 7381 0215
Email: sales@paragonhotel.net <mailto:sales@paragonhotel.net>
Each of the bedrooms comes equipped with the following:
Remote controlled colour TV with satellite video cameras
Tea and coffee making facilities
Automated wake-up system
International direct dial telephones
Double-glazing for noise insulation
Trouser press
High speed modem point
Telephone and speaker in bathroom (I Love It -Sorry for the
editorial comment)
The Concierge can provide direction to desired
destinations, ordering of newspapers, booking theatre and
site seeing tickets and give advice on enjoying London to
name a few things.
Banking: Foreign currency and Travelers cheques can be
changed at the Cashier's Desk
Electrical: 240 Volts, 50 cycles AC
The eating facilities in the hotel include the Lobby Bar,
West View Restaurant and Café Bar Lucente.
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VIRGIN ATLANTIC GOODIES:
When you get seated on the plane the stewardesses provide
your free amenity kit that includes postcards, eyeshades,
earplugs, socks and Virgin Vie lip balm. Plus I remember a
glass of orange juice really soon into the flight.
Each of us will have an individual seatback TV. It
normally includes at least eight of the very latest movie
releases. All controlled via your personal remote control.
If you just want to rest your eyes, let your ears take in
one of up to fourteen radio channels. For those who like
their entertainment a little more interactive, they've got
a treat in store with up to 35 Nintendo games on most
planes. Finally if you're one of those people that like's
to keep your finger on the pulse no matter where you are,
check out the animated Skymap to find out exactly what
country you're flying over at any time during the flight.
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MORE IRISH SLANG:
Bap: Bread Bun
Baths: Public Swimming Pool
Battle Cruiser: The Pub
Be Wide: Be Careful
Chips: French Fries
Crisps: Potato Chips
Flying Low: You zip is undone
Hard Neck: Cheek
Has She Calfed yet? Giving birth
I've a Throat on Me: I'm thirsty
Pull Your Socks Up: Get to Work/Get Busy
Red Neck: Anyone who isn't from Dublin
Rubber Dollies: Running Shoes
Sambos: Sandwiches
Snaps: Photographs
Snot Rag: Handkerchief
Up the Yard: Be off with Ya
I will have cheat sheets for everybody prior to the trip.
We all want to blend in like a local so we can talk the
jargon.
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PREPARE TO MEET THE TOWER OF LONDON:
If asked what's the one thing I'd see in London, it would
be the Tower of London. Over the next few issues I plan to
bring you the history, traditions, prisoners, ghost
stories, crown jewels, tower tales and the Ravens.
This issue I will highlight the "Ceremony of the Keys".
This is the traditional locking up of the Tower of London
each night. It is one of the oldest and most colourful
surviving ceremonies of it's kind, having been enacted
every night without fail for approximately seven hundred
years.
The surrounding populace were not always in sympathy with
activities inside the Tower, and as enemies of the King
might attempt to rescue prisoners or to steal the Crown
Jewels. The need for security was very great.
Accordingly, every night at exactly 7 minutes to ten, the
Chief Warder emerges form the Byward Tower, carrying the
traditional lantern - still lighted with a piece of candle
- and in the other the Queen's keys. He proceeds at a
dignified pace to the Bloody Tower, where an escort
consisting of two sentries - a Sergeant and a
representative drummer are marched to the outer gate. En
route, all guards and sentries present arms as the Queen's
Keys pass.
As the Chief Warder shuts and locks the great oak doors of
first the Middle Tower and then the Byward Tower, the
escort halt and present arms. They now return along the
Water Lane towards the Wakefield Tower, where in the deep
shadows of the Bloody Tower Archway a sentry waits and
watches. As the Chief Warder and escort approach, the
sentry's challenge rings out.
"Halt!" the escort is halted. - "Who comes there?" - "The
Keys" replies the Chief Warder - "Who's Keys?" - "Queen's
Elizabeth's Key's" is the answer - "Pass Queen Elizabeth's
Keys - All's well".
Whereupon the Chief Warder and escort proceed towards the
13th century wall, where the Guard for the night is drawn up
under an officer with drawn sword. The Officer give the
command, "Guard and Escort - present arms". The Chief
Warder calls out "God preserve Queen Elizabeth". The Whole
Guard reply "Amen", and as the parade ground clock chimes
ten, the drummer (bugler) sounds the Last Post. The Chief
Warder take the keys to the house of the Resident Governor,
and the Guard is dismissed.
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ONE STOP PASSPORT PROCESSING:
I have nine people that have signed up for the passport
processing by the Buena Park Post Office. The
representative will be coming to the Band Room on Saturday,
January 10th. If you would like to be added to the list,
please let me know. On that Saturday all people must bring
their completed passport applications, 2 passport color
sized photos and a valid birth certificate.
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FUND-RAISING REVIEW:
Scrip: I would again recommend you purchase as much scrip
as possible between now and February. If you have any
questions please contact Tammy Deptula. She can be reached
at (714) 994-1263.
We will be rolling out specific fundraisers in January for
all of the parents that signed up at the "All Hands"
Meeting. The goal of these fundraisers will be to help
those parents that the difference of the fundraiser could
very well determine whether or not your son or daughter
goes on the trip.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
No questions submitted this week.
Normally questions will be answered in the weekly
newsletter. If the questions require an immediate response,
I'll send out a special email.
mailto:henri.soucy@ngc.com?subject=questions
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SHOW ME THE MONEY:
$100 US Dollars = $57 Pound Sterling (Great Britain)
$100 US Dollars = $81 Euro (Ireland)
Rate valid as of: 12/19/2003
Currency conversions are based on Yahoo Currency
conversion.
Besides low interest rates in the U.S. causing this weaker
dollar against the Euro and Pound Sterling, the other
reason is a recovering U.S. economy can push imports up via
a higher domestic demand. So a cheaper dollar reduces the
widening trade deficit. Boy is that a mouthful. Let's hope
that the "powers that be" will see fit to turn it around
next year.
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Thank You For Your Readership!
Henri Soucy, Editor
12903 Belcher Street
Norwalk, CA 90650-3329
Telephone: 310-332-3239
Pager: 310-232-4458
http://www.kennedyband.org
Email Address: henri.soucy@ngc.com
Bob Anthony, Kennedy Band Director
Telephone: 714-220-4119
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