Smart Homeowners Earthquake Proof Their Homes

If you're living anywhere along the Pacific Ring of Fire, you are already aware of the dangers of earthquakes. You might even know that a full 90 percent of the world's earthquakes occur there, and 80 percent of the "whoppers" lie somewhere along that Ring.


Obviously, being prepared for an earthquake is the best way to survive one. But what about your home? Can the windows, walls, foundation, and roof survive the shake, rattle, and roll that comes from a wild tremble?


An earthquake proof house might be the answer. Engineers have designed windows that have a bit of "give" to them around the frame, meaning that they move rather than crack in the event of an earthquake. The walls are much the same way, with a bit of space that allows movement between the window frame and the wall itself. This eliminates stress points and results in a sturdier house during the big shake.


It is all tested on a "shake table," or a structure that mimics the power and intensity of an earthquake in a laboratory setting. Entire houses can be constructed on this shake table and then exposed to the pounding of an earth moving event. Shake tables are used extensively in Japan, where earthquakes of incredible magnitude are a common occurrence.


Structures in Japan, from the most modest houses to the largest skyscrapers, must be able to withstand the shaking and swaying of an earthquake. Older, wooden buildings can easily collapse when the shaking tears them apart, or when they waves of energy in the ground liquefy the hard soil beneath the structure. Knowing these dangers, Japanese engineers have worked steadily for decades to create new building techniques for construction, including methods of creating a foundation, erecting walls, and installing new roofing.


If you are looking into purchasing a home in Japan or want to remodel your old one, keep the earthquake building codes in mind. Don't make the mistake of assuming your home is sturdy enough to withstand an earthquake! The constant shaking from underneath your foundation can cause even the sturdiest home to collapse. Remember, the key to staying upright is in the amount of "give" a home has.


So the next time you feel that trembling beneath your feet, you can rest assured that your modern home has the ability to roll with the punches!


Shannon Dauphin is a journalist with almost twenty years of experience behind her pen. An avid researcher and occasional novelist, she works and plays on the Georgia coast.


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Expat Life in the Canary Islands - Cars from Bananas

I like eating bananas and, since coming to live in Gran Canaria, I am now a passionate advocate for this humble fruit, which, incidentally, is also called “the fruit of the wise”. From a health point of view, it really is a wonderful addition to the weekly shopping list, as it contains vitamins and minerals essential for the human body. Bananas contain Vitamin C, potassium and dietary fibre, but do not contain sodium, fat or cholesterol. Bananas also contain three natural sugars, sucrose, fructose and glucose and gives an instant and substantial boost of energy. They also contain Vitamin B6, which helps protect the immune system and the functioning of the central nervous system. Pretty good stuff, eh?

Yes, I like bananas. Not those perfectly shaped and tasteless Caribbean Eurobanana varieties that grace the shelves of the UK supermarkets, but that gem of all bananas - the Canarian banana. Small and sometimes misshapen they may be, but the creamy yellow flesh and sweet taste makes them very special.

Maybe I am just a little biased, because after all, I am surrounded by them. However, 18% of all the bananas eaten in Europe are produced in the Canary Islands, and very important to the islands’ economy they are too.  Amazingly, around 10 million banana plants are grown in Gran Canaria each year - that is a lot of bananas for one small island, and this produces an awful lot of waste.

In the past, banana plant waste was used as a support for growing the equally popular tomato plants, and in crafts such as basket making and artificial flowers. The plant waste was also used as fodder for cattle and goats, but factory farming has replaced this with concentrated feeds. Today, this vegetable waste is deposited in ravines on the islands where they naturally decompose. An estimated 25,000 tonnes each year of natural fibre is found in this waste. Indeed, what a waste!

Not any more, it seems. The European Union is currently funding something called the ‘Badana Project’. This imaginative scheme is focused upon developing a process that will convert this natural organic waste into plastics that will be suitable for making cars, washing machines and kayaks, to name just a few of the intended uses.

It appears that there is money in banana waste too. Judging from the list of organisations sponsoring the project with the European Union, along with universities in the Canary Islands, Spain and Belfast, and companies from the Canary Islands, Spain, the Netherlands, Hungary, Bulgaria and the UK. The old truism, “Where there’s muck there’s money”, springs to mind. Maybe it should now read, “Where there’s bananas there’s plastic.”

Just a few more facts about the humble banana. The word banana is derived from the Arab word "banan," which means finger and, unlike most other fruits that grow on trees, bananas grow on plants.

Incidentally, the word ‘badana’ from the ‘Badana Project’ really is the fibre obtained from layers of the banana stem and not just ‘banana’ spluttered by a European Union official with a bad head cold!

If you enjoyed this article, take a look at Barrie’s websites: www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com or read his latest novel, ‘Journeys and Jigsaws’ (ISBN: 9781843865384).

© Barrie Mahoney

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How to Deal with Expat "Haters"

Do your closest friends and family really lay into you when you mention your desire to move abroad?

Ever hear things from them like...Are you crazy?  How will you make a living (if you have no pension)?  But, foreigners all want to come here, why would you go there?  I don't think it's safe, haven't you seen the news? 

...and more...

I heard these questions before I moved abroad right after I graduated college from my dad, grandmother and host of others...

Now, some of my friends reacted differently, saying I was so lucky and they wished they could move abroad too but they just had too much debt.

Well, I smirked when they told me this cause I also had 5 figure debt after college when I moved abroad.  But I went anyway, and I have since paid it off with money I made in Latin America (probably faster than I would have staying to work in the US).

I think when you deal with these people the best thing to do is remember that they mean well, but they just don't get it.  They aren't you.  And often, are projecting their own insecurities onto you. 

In fact, they probably haven't even been to the country you wish to move to, and have already passed judgment.

The fastest way to regret is to not be true to you.  Be true to yourself and your dreams.  Don't let anyone or anything stand in your way. 

Hear them out.  Don't try to reason with them.  Say comforting things like, "I'll come back if it doesn't work out" or "We'll be in touch everyday"... then just go.

Now, even though you just mentioned you'd be open to coming back, I don't recommend having a plan B.  It is like setting yourself up to fail.  All or nothing, man, live like a Texan!

And unlike you may hear from other expat experts, I don't recommend traveling around for a while in your chosen region before picking a place to stay. 

I've done it.  It is just too damn stressful.  Too many options.  It's better to just go, see a couple places in your region of interest, pick one and make it work.

Besides, it's not the place you're after, it's probably the "change".  And remember, being in a specific place won't make you happy, it's the people in the place and how you feel on the inside that are more important.  So remember upon arrival, don't camp out behind a computer, get out, meet people, learn the local language and get involved, you'll be happy you did.

So stop reading this and go over to Expedia and book that flight already...I mean now!

Cheers, hope to see you down here, Dom

By guest blogger By Domenick Buonamici, lead reporter for EcuadorRealEstate.org

If you are thinking about Living in Ecuador   you might want to check out the resource page for the country on EscapeArtist.com

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This Week on the Global Freedom Report

Mon. Oct. 25    John Kupiec, Michigan congressional candidate

Tue.  Oct. 26    Joel Skousen, investigative journalist

Wed. Oct. 27   Larry Pratt, Gun Owner’s of America and Michael Murphy, chemtrail filmmaker

Thu.  Oct. 28    Alasdair Phillips, what cell phone companies don’t tell you could cost you your life!

Fri.   Oct. 29    OPEN LINES: you set the show topics!

Plus!

 

                   Lessons in Liberty                          Propaganda 101

                   Rants and Raves                             Freedom Follies

                   International Viewpoint                  A Look at the Declaration

Tune in to the exciting new freedom variety show!

The Global Freedom Report

 starring Brent Johnson

Monday-Friday 5:00-7:00 pm Eastern Time

9:00-11:00 pm GMT

The call-in number to be on the air with Brent is

888-747-1968 that’s 888-747-1968

International listeners call 011-208-935-0094

Listen to the show on your cell phone!

Dial 704-631-4060 

Press 1 for mobile radio

Then press 9 to enter 4-digit code

Code: 3023

 

Go to www.globalfreedomreport.com for a complete list of affiliates, access to the chat room, and to listen to the live show stream.

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Self Catering arrives on Estancia La Margarita, Argentina

When I purchased Estancia La Margarita nearly six years ago I set to work to get it into shape.   I wanted to make it a location perfect for guests to enjoy a true gaucho experience in the middle of the famous Argentine pampas.  It had all the raw materials. It was built   in 1870 so it had tradition. 

It was in the middle of la pampas so it had peace and quiet. It was also in an area famous for its gaucho traditions. I remember sitting in the gardens before I purchased it closing my eyes and listening – I heard nothing but the sound of the campo – perfect. Over the years the team I have working for me have made La Margarita a delightful and beautiful place to stay and experience. Guests have written lovely comments about us on Trip Advisor and in our comments book on the estancia.

Last year my young son came on a back packing trip to South America eventually coming to stay on La Margarita. He loved it. As we talked one night over a glass of Malbec  he mentioned that on his travels he had met  quite a few travelers who had wanted to stay on an estancia but all were  out of their budget since  they were travelling for many months  and had to  watch the pennies . He also mentioned that there were others he met who wanted to cook their own meals but couldn’t find any estancias who offered self catering options.

 I gave his words some thought to see where we could accommodate guests who wanted a self catering option. La Margarita consists of a main house built in 1870 in which guests stay who are on our full catering tariff. Near the main house is the original foreman’s house built in 1868, it was in this building that we decided to put four self catering units. 

All rooms have a private bathroom, small kitchen with fridge and are fully equipped for cooking. Outside there is an area to cook a famous Argentine asado. All guests who stay in these units get to enjoy all the facilities of La Margarita included in the price, such as horse riding. We also offer a basket of food which guest can buy which consists of such items as pasta, hamburgers, milk tea, biscuits, fruit juice and sardines etc. The price we charge per person per night is 60US$ for a 24 hour stay and the optional food basket is 25$US. Those that have stayed in the these rooms have been delighted with them and we have had guests stay from all over the world.

Of course we will always continue to offer our popular full catering alternative but I am also pleased to say that we now have the self catering units (and I am pretty sure we are the only estancia in the province of Buenos Aires who offers this facility) - so no matter what budget you are on you can enjoy a wonderful stay on a original estancia and enjoy a great gaucho experience on La Margarita

www.estancialamargartita.com

If you are thinking about Living in Argentina you might want to check out the resource page for the country EscapeArtist.com

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Living in Mexico - Winter in Playa del Carmen

When winter rolls around in Playa del Carmen, you'll see the locals putting on their winter hats and wool sweaters, and sometimes even winter jackets, walking around with their hands in their pockets and shivering with cold.

This is their reaction to the freezing-cold winter temperatures of ... 70 degrees!

You're probably thinking, "What, that's not cold! I hardly turn the temperature above 65 in January!"

Of course, you can pick out the tourists, snowbirds and new expats, who are all walking around wearing shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops.  When you first make the move and decide to live in Mexico, you will be one of these.  I sure was.

I was shocked the first "winter" I spent in Mexico to see parents bundle up their kids in 3 layers of clothes and put a stack of blankets on their babies that almost reach up their nose when they're carrying the child.  They were shocked that I was dressed for the summer!

When you begin living in Mexico full time, or just staying for the winters, Mexicans' freezing-cold weather will feel like a warm tropical paradise.

With time living on the beach, you will adapt to the weather, and you will begin to feel that the time between November and April is refreshingly cool – you may put long pants and some shoes.  One or two evenings, you'll probably even get that one sweater you keep on hand just in case ...

The days are warm and sunny, and the nights are simply a refreshing balance.  One of my favorite memories in Playa del Carmen is sitting in a quiet outdoor bar on the sand of the beach on a November evening, feeling the cool breeze from the ocean, while enjoying a cold beer (yes, I still felt warm enough from the sunny day to enjoy a good cold beer!)

The Riviera Maya Jazz Festival actually takes place right on the beach for a few evenings in November.  Again, you can easily distinguish the locals from the visitors.

If you choose to buy Playa del Carmen real estate on the beachfront, you will enjoy this same ocean breeze right on your balcony or patio.  While you enjoy an outdoor barbeque or drink in the evening, just like a comfortable August back home, you may see locals walking down the street in sweaters.

(By the way, those winter jackets you might see people wearing aren't real!  They look just like the ones back home, but whatever they put inside does no more, and possibly even less, than a good sweater.  The good news is and you'll never need a winter jacket, not even a fake one.)

TOPMexicoRealEstate.com; Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

There are more articles and resources to help you if you are considering living in Mexico on the EscapeArtist website.


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Ecuador vs The Caribbean: Which is Right for You?

In 2009 I lived in the Dominican Republic, a small nation in the Caribbean, for 6 months. But since 2005 I have been living on and off in Ecuador.


I love both places, but even though they may seem similar on the surface, they are very different. Both with their pros and cons, you just have to pick your poison, like picking between a blond and brunette.


Here is how they compare:


Costs: Ecuador wins. Ecuador food, housing, public transport, healthcare and real estate are all cheaper. The only thing that is cheaper in the Dominican are the flights from the US.


Food: Ecuador wins. Dominican food tends to be greasy, fatty and lacks much variety. Ecuador food is a delicious mix of seafoods, local fruits and veggies, soups and more. All natural.


Weather: The Dominican wins. In the Dominican Republic, the weather is hotter, but not so humid, 82-90 F year round. On the Ecuador coast it is a little cooler (72-82 F) and more cloudy. If you want year round skin torching sun, the Dominican is for you.


Beaches: The Dominican wins. The Dominican has some picture perfect, turquoise water, snow-white sand beaches typical to any Caribbean postcard you may have seen. Ecuador has more California style beaches with cliffs, golden sand and darker, murkier water.


People: Ecuador wins. Ecuadorian people love foreigners (especially ones from Europe, Australia and the USA) and treat them very well. In the Dominican, sadly due to the rampit sex industry, many western men have the reputation of being sex predators. Which can make it difficult for the local gals to take you seriously sometimes.


Attractiveness of the Women (and men): The Dominican wins. Both the men and women of the Dominican are hot. But Ecuador women are under-rated; many who come are pleasantly surprised. And they are more laid back and easy going than from many other Latin countries.


Real Estate: Ecuador wins. Dominican real estate is already discovered and bubbled as the US property boomed from 2003-2006. Ecuador just recently is starting to get discovered, but is still much cheaper and still high quality.


Residency options: The Dominican wins. It is EASY to get residency, or even a second citizenship in the Dominican. If you overstay your tourist visa, leave when you want and pay a mere $35 fine. In Ecuador, you pay a $200 fine and are not allowed to re-enter for 9 months. You can get residency in Ecuador as well relatively easy, but not nearly as easy as the Dominican.


Business Opportunities: Ecuador wins. I can only speak from my own personal experiences, and Ecuador has treated me much better economically than the Dominican did.


Healthcare: Ecuador wins. The hospitals and facilities in the Dominican are downright, um, lousy unless you are willing to pay top dollar for the elite places. In Ecuador there are many high-quality, reasonably priced options.


Public Transport: Ecuador wins. In Ecuador buses cost $.25 cents, and they are EVERYWHERE. Taxi fares start at $1. While in the Dominican, you have to CRAM, I mean CRAM into shared taxis for about 50 cents with 6 other people at once, which is simply not possible for many older folk. Not to mention, the taxis in the Dominican are more costly, and the routes of the shared taxis are tough to figure out.


Expat Community: The Dominican wins. There are simply many more expats already in the Dominican than in Ecuador. Ecuador is more of an up-and-coming destination.


Safety: Ecuador wins. In the Dominican, most males over the age of 18 carry a handgun tucked under their shirt or in their glove compartment (I am NOT exaggerating!) In Ecuador, the people are smaller and much more docile than the Dominican. Guns are a rare sight. The most common crimes are petty theft, if a robbery does occur, it is often with a knife not a gun. In both places you should exercise caution when walking in the cities at night, but there were places in the Dominican where I didn’t even feel safe walking during the daytime. 


By Domenick Buonamici, lead reporter of EcuadorRealEstate.org, the leading site for Ecuador investment info on the net.


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Contractors Gone Wild: Creating the Floating City of Venice

If you have ever been drawn to the charm and rich history of Italy, you certainly have raised an eyebrow at the lovely construction of Venice. Those who created the city many centuries ago pulled off a feat that even today's most modern techniques could find tough to duplicate. If those ancient contractors could build majestic homes on top of the water, they could surely handle today's kitchen remodel!


What's Going Down in Venice?
If you were to venture into Venice in the 9th century or so, you would have seen modest homes of no more than two stories, built on the shores of a massive lagoon. The waters continually rose against these homes, leading to the loss of many of them through the simple motion of the tides. As the population grew, the construction already completed over the lagoon could not support everyone, both in terms of size and in terms of sheer footing. The ground was simply not firm enough to handle the pressure of a growing community.


But as it became clear that the fledgling city was going to sink into the water for good, ancient builders came up with a plan. They drained and strengthened what areas they could, and from that foundation they set the groundwork for what would become the city we see today. Thousands of wooden pilings were driven deep into the mud, so close that they butted up against each other. Then the tops were sawed away to create a flat surface.


This is Not Your Typical Remodel
How did these pilings survive all these years? Since they are covered with water, oxygen cannot get to the wood. That means the wood has not decayed, but has become petrified, turning to something more like stone than wood. Work on the pilings must be done very carefully, and care must be taken to keep them covered with water through all phases of construction or repair.


So the next time you wonder why your kitchen remodeling is taking so long, remember the ancient contractors of Venice. It took them thousands of years to perfect the masterpiece you see today. Doesn't your contractor deserve a few weeks?


Author:  Shannon Dauphin is a journalist and occasional novelist with a serious weakness for real estate. Her current home was built in 1901, so home repair and renovation have become her necessary hobbies.


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Greenwich Mean Time and the Canary Islands

Maybe the real reason why time traveller, Doctor Who, has a continuing pre-occupation with sorting out problems with aliens in the City of London is not really to do with ever shrinking location budgets at the BBC, but more to do with the fact that Greenwich is the centre of time. A recent news item celebrating the 125th anniversary of the decision to make the Greenwich Meridian the centre of time, reminded me of a history lesson that I still remember from my school days. Co-incidentally, it also has an interesting link with the Canary Islands. Maybe this was the true beginning of my journey to these wonderful islands.

The Greenwich Meridian is an imaginary and arbitrary line that cuts through Spain, UK, France, Algeria and Ghana. It divides the Earth into east and west in much the same way as the Equator divides it into north and south. It enables us to navigate the globe, as well as synchronising the world’s clocks. However, this has not always been the case.

Before the all important decision 125 years ago to make Greenwich the centre of world time, many countries and, indeed, large towns kept their own local time. This was based upon the hours of daylight and there were no international rules as to when the day would start or finish. With the growth of railways crossing international borders and marine activity, it became essential to set a global time. Before an important meeting in Washington took place in 1884 there were, in Europe alone, some 20 different meridians - you can imagine the confusion!

The Washington meeting, naturally, brought with it many different views, no doubt based upon national self-interest. The final conclusion was to make Greenwich the standard for setting time with a vote of 22 to one, with only San Domingo voting against and Brazil and, predictably, France, abstaining. France suggested that the new agreed meridian should run through the Canary Islands, and this suggestion was not just French awkwardness - it had some foundation.

Back in AD 127, the Greek astronomer, Ptolemy, made astronomical observations from Alexandria in Egypt.  Ptolemy selected the Fortunate Islands (the Canaries) as the physical location of the prime meridian when he created an accurate grid system upon which the location of individual cities from the farthest known land west to the farthest known land east could be accurately placed. From that time onwards, early Mediterranean navigators used the meridian through the Canaries, as their first, or prime, meridian as they were then thought to be the most western part of the habitable globe. During the 15th and 16th centuries, when the peoples of Western Europe emerged as sea traders, almost every maritime nation used as a prime meridian, a meridian passing through its own territory. The French, for example, used the meridian of Paris; the Dutch, that through Amsterdam; and the English the meridian through London.  You can only imagine the chaos and confusion and inconvenience caused to mariners by the existence of a multitude of prime meridians!

So you see the Canary Islands have a strong place in history in setting the centre of world time. Imagine the prestige (and confusion) if the world’s clocks were set to Canaries Mañana Time and not Greenwich Mean Time!

About the Author: Barrie Mahoney was a teacher, head teacher and school inspector in the UK, as well as a reporter in Spain, before moving to the Canary Islands as a newspaper editor. He is still enjoying life in the sun as a writer and author.

If you enjoyed this article, take a look at Barrie’s websites: www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com or read his latest novel, ‘Journeys and Jigsaws’ (ISBN: 9781843865384).

© Barrie Mahoney

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This Week on the Global Freedom Report

Guests

Mon. Oct. 18: Jim Jacobson, Christian persecution around the world; is Islam a threat to Christianity?


Tue.  Oct. 19: Jacob Hornberger, Future of Freedom Fdtn. ramifications of not extending the Bush tax cuts


Wed. Oct. 20: Bob Chapman, former CIA operative discusses U.S. midterm elections and the economic crisis John McNaughton, The Forgotten Man


Thu.  Oct. 21: Alasdair Phillips, what cell phone companies don’t tell you could cost you your life!


Fri.   Oct. 22:  OPEN LINES: you set the show topics!

Plus!

 

                   Lessons in Liberty                          Propaganda 101

                   Rants and Raves                             Freedom Follies

                   International Viewpoint                  A Look at the Declaration

Tune in to the exciting new freedom variety show!

The Global Freedom Report

 starring Brent Johnson

Monday-Friday 5:00-7:00 pm Eastern Time

9:00-11:00 pm GMT

The call-in number to be on the air with Brent is

888-747-1968 that’s 888-747-1968

International listeners call 011-208-935-0094

Listen to the show on your cell phone!

Dial 704-631-4060 

Press 1 for mobile radio

Then press 9 to enter 4-digit code

Code: 3023

 

Go to www.globalfreedomreport.com for a complete list of affiliates, access to the chat room, and to listen to the live show stream.

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Tell us the Truth about Expat Life

Since the 1950s great currents of mobilisation and globalisation have pulsed over oceans and across continents. For the first time in mass numbers, businessmen, diplomats, missionaries and hydrocarbon henchmen left the nations of their birth and became expats in often enigmatic and mysterious lays of land.

It wasn't long before rumours of lucrative salaries, exhilarating adventures and life-enriching experiences filtered back to the home bound populations and started to tantalize those teetotalling between travel and rootedness abroad.

Now there exists a fluid constituency of global nomads all around us, from one end of the earth to the other and back around. Still though, in this impressive age of information technology expats often find there exists a black hole in content when it comes to learning more about their future location.

That's why resources like Escape Artist and Expat Arrivals.com have devoted themselves to filling in the blank spots. But in order to best bring you the information that can make your move abroad and your time spent living and working overseas a success we need your input.

Add your voice to the conversation and help us figure out what's fact and what's fiction about life in your expat destination. Take this quick and easy survey and share your valuable insight.

Click here and tell us the truth about expat life!

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Dome Home on Exotic Beaches: Good Idea or Eyesore?

One of the thrills of traveling the world is enjoying the beaches. Each country seems to have a unique kind of charm when it comes to their beaches, and when you find "your" beach, you know. The certain look of the waves, the pristine sand, and even the shape of the driftwood seems perfect.


A few months or years later and you're thinking about putting your name on a piece of exotic beachfront property. But it never fails that as soon as you make the move across the ocean, you wind up facing the epic battle that every beachfront homeowner dreads.


It's typhoon time!


Suddenly your rapturous joy over the beaches turns into barely-controlled panic. Will the roof hold through the storm? Will the storm surge knock out the bottom level of your building or sweep the whole thing into the ocean? Was metal roofing a good idea, or would shingle roofing have stood a better chance against the winds and rains of Mother Nature?


If you had a dome home, there would be no issues with the roof ripping off like the top of a sardine can. Dome homes are created much like swimming pools are, with layers of serious structural support and a finished with concrete. The dome shape makes it tough for the wind to catch and hold any part of the building, while the concrete is heavy enough to stand up to Mother Nature's most vicious onslaught.


Besides the ability to withstand the elements, dome homes offer the utmost in energy efficiency. Some homeowners have found that living in a concrete house reduces their energy bills by 60 percent. The final cost of the concrete house tends to be the same or less than that of a traditional frame house.


It definitely looks odd, though. You don't have any traditional roofing materials on the house, but the doors and windows are of typical shape and design. A dome home might last forever but it might also mar the look of the beachfront you loved so much in the first place. And there lies the rub: Do you opt for a safe home that can withstand typhoons and cyclones, or do you live with the danger of losing your home in exchange for the more natural beauty of the typical beachfront abode?


Decisions, decisions...


Author bio: Shannon Dauphin is a journalist with almost twenty years of experience behind her pen. An avid researcher and occasional novelist, she works and plays on the Georgia coast.


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