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જીવનમાં
સુખ-દુ:ખ આવ્યા કરે છે, જે કાંઈ બનવાનું છે તેને આપણે ટાળી શકતા નથી.
કેટલાક દુ:ખો સંજોગો અનુસાર સર્જાય છે. તો કેટલાક દુ:ખો આપણી પોતાની સર્જત
છે. કોઈ માણસ એવો નહીં હોય જેને દુ:ખનો કદી અનુભવ ન થયો હોય. આ જીવનની
ઘટમાળ છે. શારીરિક અને માનસિક યાતના આવ્યા કરે છે. માણસ ઈચ્છે કે ન ઈચ્છે
પણ આ બધું આવવાનું છે. જીવનમાં દુ:ખ ન હોત તો સુખ શું છે તે કદી સમજાયું
નહોત. સુખ અને દુ:ખ બધાના માટે સરખા હોતા નથી. એકનું સુખ બીજાનું દુ:ખ પણ
બની શકે છે. બીજાને જાણતા-અજાણતા દુ:ખ ન પહોંચાડવું અને બીજાને સુખી રાખીને
સુખી બનવું એ ધર્મ છે.
જીવનમાં સુખનો સમય ટૂંકો પડે છે અને દુ:ખનો સમય લાંબો લાગે છે. દુ:ખને દૂર કરવાનો માત્ર એક ઉપાય છે તેનો સહર્ષ સ્વીકાર. સુખને આપણે ચીટકીને બેસી જઈએ છીએ એટલે દૂર ભાગે છે અને દુ:ખ દૂર કરવાનો પ્રયાસ કરતા રહીએ છીએ એટલે એ છાતીએ વળગીને બેસી જાય છે. સુખ અને દુ:ખ બંનેને સમાન ભાવે સ્વીકારીએ તો પછી દુ:ખ રહેતું નથી. સુખ અને દુ:ખ સમય પૂરો થયા પછી રહેતા નથી. સુખ અને દુ:ખને પ્રભુની પ્રસાદી સમજીને હસતે મોઢે સ્વીકારી લેવું જોઈએ. સુખ આવે ત્યારે છલકાવું નહીં અને દુ:ખ આવે ત્યારે ગભરાવું નહીં. બંને પરિસ્થિતિમાં સમતા અને સ્થિરતા ધારણ કરવી. સુખ અને દુ:ખ બંને ઉત્તેજક છે. માણસને અંદરથી તોડી નાખે છે. કશુ કાયમના માટે રહેતું નથી. જીવનમાં પરિવર્તન આવ્યા કરે છે. આજે દુ:ખ છે કાલે સુખ આવી શકે છે. માત્ર સમય કારણભૂત છે. સમય અને સંજોગો પ્રમાણે બધું બદલાય છે. માણસે સમય પ્રમાણે ચાલવું પડે છે અને સમય પ્રમાણે બદલાવું પડે છે. સુખની જેમ દુ:ખને પણ હસતે મોઢે સ્વીકારી લેવાનું હોય છે તેનો પ્રતિકાર કરવાથી કોઈ ફાયદો નથી. દુ:ખ કરતાંય તેની સંભવિત કલ્પનાઓ માણસને વધુ પરેશાન કરે છે. આપણે વર્તમાન કરતા ભવિષ્ય પર નજર રાખીને બેઠા છીએ. આજ કરતા કાલે શું બનવાનું છે તેની વધુ ચિંતા છે. ભવિષ્યનો ભરોસો નથી અને આજનું સુખ હાથમાંથી છીનવાય જાય છે. સંભવિત દુ:ખોને આપણે ટાળવા પ્રયાસો કરીએ છીએ એ દુ:ખ આવશે ત્યારે પરિસ્થિતિ જુદી હશે. ગમે તેવો શક્તિશાળી, બુદ્ધિશાળી અને સંપત્તિવાન માણસ પણ દુ:ખના પરિતાપમાંથી છટકી શકતો નથી. સૌના દુ:ખ જુદા છે. દરેકની સહન કરવાની શક્તિ પણ એક સરખી હોતી નથી. મહેનત અને પરિશ્રમ વગરનું ધન જેમ સાચું સુખ આપી શકતું નથી તેમ આ પ્રકારના પરિતાપમાંથી પસાર થયા વગર સુખ શું છે એ પણ સમજાતું નથી અને તેનો અહેસાસ અનુભવી શકાતો નથી. સુખ અને દુ:ખને આપણે મન પર કેવી રીતે લઈએ છીએ તેના પર આનો આધાર છે. કેટલાક લોકો ગમે તેવી મુશ્કેલીમાં પણ હસતે મોઢે બધું સહન કરતા હોય છે. તો કેટલાક માણસો જરાક એવું દુ:ખ આવે ત્યાં હલીબલી ઊઠે છે. દુ:ખના રોદણાં રોવા બેસી જાય છે. એને એમ થાય છે કે મુસીબતનો પહાડ તૂટી પડ્યો. આવા લોકો પોતે ઊભા કરેલા પહાડ નીચે દબાઈ જાય છે. સારો સમય હોય ત્યારે નજીવા દુ:ખો એટલા આકરા લાગતા નથી, પણ ખરાબ સમય હોય ત્યારે સહેજ અમસ્તો ઘાવ પણ દુષ્કર લાગે છે. આપણે કહીએ છીએ મુસીબત આવે છે ત્યારે ચોમેરથી આવે છે. હકીકતમાં તો આવી પરિસ્થિતિમાં નાના દુ:ખો મોટા થઈ જાય છે. દુ:ખમાં બધું ખરાબ લાગે છે. સુખ અને દુ:ખ બંનેમાં સમભાવ કેળવવો અને જે કાંઈ બને છે તે સારાને માટે બને છે એવો ભાવ રાખવો. દુ:ખમાં આપણી અને આપણી આસપાસના માણસોની સાચી કસોટી થાય છે. જીવનમાં બનનારી કોઈ પણ ઘટના સારાને માટે છે કે ખરાબના માટે તેની આપણને કોઈ ખબર નથી. આજે આપણને જે સારું લાગે છે તે કાલે ખરાબ પણ લાગે અને આજે જે ખરાબ છે તે કાલે સારામાં પણ પરિણમે. ધર્મ કહે છે કે સારું થશે એમ માનીને ચાલવું અને આશાવાદી બનવું પણ ખ્વાબોમાં રાચવું નહીં. વિધાયક દૃષ્ટિ રાખવી અને સારું જોતા શીખવું. આ પ્રકારનો અભિગમ હશે તેમને દુ:ખ કે મુશ્કેલી કદી પરેશાન કરી શકશે નહીં. જૈન ધર્મ અને અન્ય ભારતીય ધર્મોએ કર્મની વાત કરી છે. માણસ પોતાના કર્મો અનુસાર સુખ-દુ:ખ અનુભવ્યા કરે છે. સારા કે ખરાબ કર્મો દરેકને ભોગવવા પડે છે. કર્મો કોઈને છોડતા નથી, જે કાંઈ બને છે તે કર્મો અનુસાર બને છે. જીવનમાં જે કાંઈ બને એ પ્રભુની મરજી એમ માનીને ચાલવું. કદાચ આપણા સારાને માટે પણ હોય એવો અભિગમ રાખવો. આ અંગે પવનકુમાર જૈને ટાંકેલી એક ચીની કથા પ્રેરક અને બોધરૂપ છે. જૂના જમાનાની આ વાત છે, જ્યારે માણસની ધન સંપત્તિ ઢોરઢાંખરમાં અંકાતી હતી. પશુધન મોટું ધન ગણાતું હતું. આવા સમયે ગામના એક માલદાર વૃદ્ધ પાસે પાણીદાર ઘોડો હતો. આવા કિંમતી ઘોડા માટે લોકો તેની ઈર્ષા કરતા હતા. આ ઘોડો એક દિવસ ગુમ થઈ ગયો. જંગલમાં ચાલી ગયો. ઘણી શોખખોળ પછી પણ ઘોડો હાથ લાગ્યો નહીં. ગામના લોકો તેને દિલાસો આપવા આવ્યા ત્યારે ડોશાએ તેમને કહ્યું તમારે કોઈએ નાહકના દુ:ખી થવાની જરૂર નથી. પ્રભુની કૃપા હશે તો ઘોડો પાછો આવી જશે અને ન આવે તો પણ શું? જેવા આપણા નસીબ. થોડા મહિના પછી ડોશાનો ઘોડો પાછો આવી ગયો અને સાથે બીજા એક પાણીદાર ઘોડાને સાથે લેતો આવ્યો તેના નસીબ ઊઘડી ગયા. ફરી લોકો ભેગા થયા અને વૃદ્ધની પાસે જઈને ખુશાલી વ્યક્ત કરી કે તમે તો ખૂબ નસીબદાર. તમારો ઘોડો તો પાછો આવી ગયો અને તમને વધુ એક ઘોડો મળ્યો. વૃદ્ધે કહ્યું: આમાં હરખાવા જેવું કશું નથી. ભાગ્યમાં હતું તે થયું અને સારાને માટે થયું કે ખરાબના માટે કોને ખબર છે? લોકોને એમ થયું કે આ માણસને વતાવવા જેવો નથી. આપણે તેના સારા માટે જઈએ છીએ અને તે આપણને આવી બધી વાત કરીને તગેડી મૂકે છે. અને થયું પણ એવું કે ડોશાના દીકરાને ઘોડેસવારીનો શોખ હતો અને નવા ઘોડા પર સવારી કરવા જતા ઘોડો ભડક્યો અને તે નીચે પડી ગયો અને તેનો પગ ભાંગી ગયો. વળી પાછા લોકો તેને દિલાસો આપવા આવ્યા કે બહુ ખોટું થયું. જુવાનજોધ દીકરાનો પગ ભાંગી ગયો. આ ઘોડાને હવે બાંધી રાખવો સારો. ડોશાએ કહ્યું આમાં ચિંતા કરવા જેવું નથી. બનવાકાળ બની ગયું. પ્રભુની કૃપા હશે તો આ દુ:ખ પણ ભુલાઈ જશે અને સારાવાના થઈ રહેશે. થોડા વખતમાં રાજાનો હુકમ આવ્યો કે દુશ્મનોએ ચડાઈ કરી હોવાથી બધા જુવાનોએ લશ્કરમાં જોડાવાનું છે. રાજાના માણસો ગામના બધા યુવાનોને ઉપાડી ગયા. ડોશાના દીકરાનો પગ ભાંગી ગયો હતો એટલે તેને આમાંથી મુક્તિ મળી. યુદ્ધમાં ગામના કેટલાય યુવાનો હોમાઈ ગયા. ડોશાનો દીકરો બચી ગયો. ડોશાએ ગામના લોકોને કહ્યું: જીવનમાં જે કાંઈ બને છે તે સારાને માટે બને છે એમ માની ચાલવું. કોને ખબર છે કાલે શું થશે. નાહકના દુ:ખી થવાથી શો ફાયદો? આ કથાનો સાર એ છે કે પરિસ્થિતિ જેવી આવે તેવી સ્વીકારી લેવી ભાવિના ગર્ભમાં શું રહેલું છે તેની આપણને કશી ખબર નથી. ખોટો કચવાટ કરવાથી કે દુ:ખ અનુભવવાથી આપણને જ નુકસાન થાય છે, જે માણસ બીજાનું બૂરું ઈચ્છતો નથી અને પ્રભુના પરમતત્ત્વમાં જેને વિશ્ર્વાસ છે. તેના જીવનમાં ભલે ગમે તેટલી કપરી પરિસ્થિતિ આવે તે ડગમગશે નહીં. મુસીબતો સામે પહાડની જેમ ઊભો રહેશે. મુશ્કેલીને પહોંચી વળવાનો મક્કમ ઈરાદો જેમની પાસે હોય તેને આવા ક્ષણિક દુ:ખો પરેશાન કરી શકતા નથી. કાંટાની સાથે પુષ્પો હોય છે. રણ હશે તો ક્યાંક હરિયાળી પણ હશે, પરંતુ આ માટે અપ્રતિમ ધૈર્ય પ્રભુ-પરમાત્મા પ્રત્યે વિશ્ર્વાસ હોવો જરૂરી છે. પ્રભુની કૃપા અપરંપાર છે, પણ તેને ઝીલતા આવડવું જોઈએ. જીવનમાં સરળ અને સહજ રહેવું, ખોટું અભિમાન કરવું નહીં. કબીરે જેમ કહ્યું છે તેમ... કબીર ગર્વ ન કીજીએ રંક ન હસીએ કોઈ હજુ નાવ સમુદ્રમેં કયા જાને કયા હોય |
Sunday, January 24, 2016
દુ:ખને દૂર કરવાનો ઉપાય તેનો સહર્ષ સ્વીકાર- મહેન્દ્ર પુનાતર
What has Sonia Gandhi done for India?-Gurjot Grewal
The real question is not what Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has done for India, the question is what India has done for Mrs. Gandhi.
Gandhis
believe that we owe our independence and existence to the Gandhi-Nehru
family, so it's our duty to allow them to rule us till the end of time.
Funnily enough, till the last term, we have shown them, time and again,
that they are right in thinking this way.
Coming to Mrs Gandhi! Her story is almost like a typical hindi serial bahu-rani
(because calling her just bahu is not good enough). She managed to keep
her Goody two shoes image, despite the fact that she is the head honcho of the pirates of Congress.
What she has given to India
1. Youth Icon Rahul Gandhi Even
bollywood failed to provide India with a wholesome entertainer such as
him. He is to Politics, what Abhishek Bachchan is to Bollywood. He never
fails to make us laugh. Since Comedy nights with Kapil is coming to an
end after repeating the same jokes for around 200 episodes, it's time to
give a chance to this natural stand-up comedian to have his own show.
2. Guided Dr. Manmohan Singh She
helped Dr. Manmohan Singh in doing his job as the Prime Minister of
India. Seriously, this Cambridge-Oxford educated economist would not
have been able to lead the country if he didn't have the blessings of a
superwoman called Sonia Gandhi. I mean, bringing the country's economy
back on track from the brink of insolvency is one thing but leading the
country is a wholly different thing. She lead by example and showed the
whole world that a Robot can actually lead a nation.
3. Hope for the youth
She gave hope to the youth of the country that even if you can't score a
job, you'll still be able to prosper if you manage to score a rich
wife. Seriously Mr. Modi is wasting time on schemes like Start-up India,
Make-in-India. This lady has really shown the way, the right way is
Marry-in-India.
4. Self-remuneration She didn't even ask for remuneration for her contribution to the nation building. She simply took it eg. national herald case.
National Herald case: Here's how much Associated Journals' seven properties worth - The Economic Time
Since
she has given so much to India, I think we should all request her to
stop. We are already burdened with her earlier contributions. But such a
request is futile since she has taken it upon herself to lead the
country to a well, i mean, to wellness.
So,
it's really upto the people of this country to recognise her
contribution, never elect any of them again and give them the much
needed break, for a lifetime.
Jonas :'The storm of a generation'
'The storm of a generation': Jonas leaves 18 dead; 12,000 flights axed; cars stranded for 24 hours; more than THREE FEET in Virginia and 25 inches in New York; 85million are told 'stay inside!'
- January 23rd, 2016
The East Coast is battling
'life-threatening blizzard conditions' today as a 'once in a
generation' storm continues to dump feet of snow across states from
northern Georgia to New Jersey.
The National Weather
Service warned that the worst is still to come for many areas as one in
seven Americans could get at least half a foot of snow by Sunday, and
Washington could see snowdrifts more than four feet high.
Ten states have now
declared emergencies, more than 8,000 flights were canceled across the
country, coastal flooding has been reported in New Jersey and motorists
in Kentucky were stranded in a 35-mile jam for 24 hours overnight with
National Guard distributing food, water and fuel.
Officials say three people
have died while shoveling snow during the blizzard in New York City and
two more died of hypothermia in Virginia, bringing weather-related
deaths to at least 18.
The New York Police
Department's Chief of Department Jim O'Neill told reporters Saturday one
person on Staten Island and two people in Queens died. He released no
further details on the deaths. A police spokesman said the medical
examiner's office will determine exactly how they died.
Spokeswoman Corinne Geller
says the Office of the Virginia Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed
that two deaths are the result of hypothermia. Those deaths occurred in
Hampton and Wise County, in southwest Virginia.
State police did not release the names of the hypothermia victims or the time or circumstances of their deaths.
Meanwhile forecaster Ryan
Maue said he was out of words to describe how bad the storm was, adding:
'This is going to be one of those generational events, where your
parents talk about how bad it was.'
Scroll down for video
The
East Coast has been blanketed by snow today as winter storm Jonas has
brought up to two feet of snow to major cities while ten states have
declared emergencies Photo by: pictured, Washington D.C. this morning
New York City banned all road travel, canceled all bus services, and shut overground parts of the subway on Saturday afternoon 
The
travel ban left man walking through the un-shoveled sidewalks and the
rarely empty streets of New York City on Saturday evening 
The streets in Washington, DC, seemed just as desolate on Saturday, as pedestrians walked car-free streets 
Ten inches of snow fell in Manhattan this morning with more expected to come as winter storm Jonas advanced up the East Coast 
Workers struggle to keep the streets open in New York where all driving has been banned as a precautionary measure today 
A
man uses skis to make his way around Manhattan in near white-out
conditions today as winter storm Jonas blankets the city in snow 
New
York has cancelled bus services, announced a ban on driving, and shut
down above-ground subway services as winter storm Jonas has blanketed
the city with snow 
Astronaut
Scott Kelly captured this image of the storm from the International
Space Station showing storm Jonas moving up the coast 
Meanwhile in Virginia people took pictures next to a massive pile of snow that was cleared from the roads earlier today 
A woman strolls through New York City streets after the roads were closed to vehicles on Saturday afternoon during Storm Jonas 
Bethany Wallace loads her car with groceries outside the Stop and Shop in Marstons Mills, Massachusetts, on Saturday 
Workers with hand plows have been working all day in order to try and keep the streets clear of snow Photo by: pictured, Times Square
A
worker in Times Square tires to keep sidewalks open today as a deadly
blizzard with bone-chilling winds and potentially record-breaking
snowfall slammed the East Coast 
Times
Square Alliance workers shovel snow off the viewing steps as New York
hunkers down under storm Jonas which hit this morning 
While everyone else was bundled up, the Naked Cowboy in Times Square in New York City still bared it all to pose for pictures 
A small snowman was built in the heart of Times Square on Saturday during storm Jonas 
Times Square is seen while snow falls in New York City on Saturday. The city saw more than 19 inches as storm Jonas hit 
Women make their way through Times Square in New York as storm Jonas dumps up to 24 inches of snow on to the streets 
New
York has closed parts of the subway, banned all car travel and canceled
bus services as Mayor Bill de Blasio called the storm one of the five
worst to hit the city 
A
pedestrian carrying several bags crosses a street through blowing snow
in front of Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Saturday 
Pedestrians struggle through the New York snow in Manhattan today after the city virtually shut down in the face of storm Jonas 
Workers
have been battling all day in attempts to keep tourist attractions such
as Times Square free of snow amid blizzard conditions 
A
man waits for a D train at the snow-covered 25th Avenue stop in the
Brooklyn borough of New York on Saturday. Above-ground trains stopped
running at 4pm in the city
Several seaside resort
towns in New Jersey were temporarily isolated by flood waters when the
tide rushed in on Saturday, and firefighters were hampered by
floodwaters and the weather as they battled a blaze at a restaurant.
More than 50,000 homes and businesses lost power.
The winter storm created
near-record high tides along the Jersey Shore, surpassing the tide of
Hurricane Sandy according to North Wildwood city officials.
'When the water just
started rushing down, it was as impressive as some of the videos you saw
of Japan during the tsunamis,' said Jason Pellegrini, owner of Steak
Out restaurant in Sea Isle City, who was trapped inside by floodwaters.
'It came in that fast,' he said.
Another restaurant, The Lobster House, was partly submerged by the rising tide more than 20 miles away in Cape May.
'It touched everywhere,'
said Keith Laudeman, the third-generation owner of the nearly century
old establishment on Cape May Harbor. 'It even got to the equipment we
moved and never thought would get touched.'
The water quickly receded.
And Laudeman said he has a whole crew of people preparing to clean the
place so they can reopen in the coming days.
'I had more water than I
had when Sandy came through,' he said. 'We had a lot of wind.
Fortunately, none of the boats broke loose.'
In New York Mayor Bill de
Blasio has closed all bus services, shut overground subway lines and
announced a ban on all road traffic effective at 2.30pm after state
governor Andrew Cuomo had earlier urged people to stay in their homes.New York's above-ground subway service has been shut down as snow continues to fall throughout the city.
A man clears snow from the steps of the US Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., on saturday 
A
stuck snow plow blocks an intersection on New Jersey Ave in Washington,
D.C., on Saturday after the city faced at least two feet of snow 
A group of bundled-up joggers, who faced the storm to go on a run, pass The White House in Washington, D.C. on Saturday 
William
Winston of Richmond digs his jeep out of a snow bank in Richmond,
Virginia, on Saturday. Portions of the city are under blizzard warning 
A resident skies through a park during a snow storm in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, on Saturday 
Cars were nearly buried under huge snow drifts in Washington D.C. today as record breaking snowfall came to the eastern U.S. 
Several pedestrians gave up walking and took to using skis instead during very heavy snowfall in Washington this afternoon 
Pedestrians cope with snow covering sidewalks and streets in Time Square as the city filled with snow from storm Jonas tonight 
A man makes his way during a storm in New York while across the East Coast ten people were reported dead from the storm 
Cars covered in snow are seen parked along a street in Prince William County, Virginia, this afternoon in heavy snow 
People trudge though the snow as they cross 42nd St during a snowstorm Manhattan borough of New York 
Some people made the most of the snowy weather in Central Park today, sledding down hills and throwing snowballs at each other 
A
snowman stands on the lawn in front of the White House after Washington
DC was covered with a blanket of snow during storm Jonas
There were three shoveling-related deaths in the city, officials told NBC News. Police have responded to at least 312 car accidents and 343 disabled vehicles across the city, officials said.
More than 25 inches of snow have fallen in New York City during a blizzard that has blanketed the East Coast.
New York's governor Andrew
Cuomo said a travel ban he instituted during a massive snowstorm will
likely be lifted by Sunday morning and that he he expects to lift the
ban that barred non-emergency motorists from being on the roads by 7am
Sunday.
Officials had warned that
police would enforce the ban so that workers could clear the roads.
Cuomo says he's unaware of any arrests. The governor declared a state of
emergency Saturday throughout New York City and its suburbs during the
storm.
Transit officials have
shut down the above-ground portions of the Metro-North, Long Island Rail
Road and city subway systems. Public buses stopped running at noon in
New York City.
Cuomo said officials will advise by 6 a.m. Sunday whether above-ground subway service will resume.
The Metropolitan
Transportation Authority revealed a revised subway map after limiting
service Saturday afternoon. Much service on the 4 and 5 lines in the
Bronx, the A line to the Rockaways and the B, D, F and Q lines in
Brooklyn is suspended. Bus service was shut down hours earlier.
The MTA says above-ground
Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad service also has been
stopped.All Broadway shows have been canceled for the evening as actors
and audiences were unable to make the journey to the performances.
The last time Broadway
took a big weather hit was Superstorm Sandy in 2012. It darkened
Broadway for four days and cost more than $8.5million in lost revenue.
Charlotte St Martin -
president of The Broadway League, which represents producers - says: 'We
expect normal operations to resume for tomorrow's Sunday matinees.'
Democratic Gov Andrew Cuomo has declared a state of emergency in New York City and its suburbs.
Forecaster Gregory Gallina
of the National Weather Service says the weekend's blizzard is
transitioning away from the Washington-Baltimore area, moving further
north, but in doing so its 'end throws' are fierce.
A
NYC transit worker shovels snow from an above-ground subway platform in
New York City before the above-ground trains were closed on Saturday 
Snow is seen on a bench and on the platform at Canal Street Station in Lower Manhattan in New York City on Saturday 
A woman carefully enters Columbia Circle subway stop, where the stairs were covered in packed snow, on Saturday 
People are seen here walking on Canal Street in Chinatown in Lower Manhattan in New York City on Saturday 
People walked down Canal Street in New York City after cars were banned from travel on Saturday
That means strong winds of
about an inch-and-a-half snow per hour and gusty nearly horizontal
winds, although not the hurricane force winds seen on the coast earlier
today.
Gallina says the
Washington-Baltimore-Philadelphia region should get another two to six
inches of snow before the storm ends around midnight.
Seven locations near
Washington have unofficially passed the 30 inches of snow mark, as of 1
p.m. Saturday. That's according to the National Weather Service's
running totals. And 36 places recorded at least two feet of snow.
But in New York, the
blizzard is just strong, not ending. Gallina says New York City was
seeing snow fall at a rate of two to three inches per hour.
Snow, ice and gusting winds are being blamed for the collapse of a roof at a historic Virginia theater near the Chesapeake Bay.
The Donk's Theater roof
gave in Friday as the massive winter storm gripping the East Coast swept
into Mathews County, about 75 miles east of Richmond. No one was
injured.
The county's chief
building official, Jamie Wilks, said the theater was a total loss,
according to the Daily Press of Newport News. He said the building is on
the National Register of Historic Places.
The theater opened in 1947
as a movie house. It closed in the 70s but was resurrected as a country
music venue, ultimately earning the title as 'Home of Virginia's Lil'
Ole Opry.'
Dolly Parton was among the country entertainers who performed at Donk's.
The powerful winter storm pummeling much of the U.S. also stymied the U.S. military on Saturday.
Snow
is continuing to fall across New York today and is due to continue
overnight, bringing as much as 42 inches in the next 24 hours 
Winds of up to 50mph and heavy snow in Manhattan today caused near white-out conditions as storm Jonas arrived 
Central
park was also covered with snow today, where six inches fell in the
first few hours of the morning and kept building at a rate of three
inches every hour 
A young woman tries to make her way out of a store in lower Manhattan earlier today before getting caught in snow 
A parent and their child dragging sleds cross the road in Manhattan as a snow plow makes its way past earlier today 
Pedestrians appear nearly buried in snow in New York as storm Jonas dumped up to 24 inches of snow across the city 
A
delivery man on a bike navigates his way through Manhattan earlier
today as snow continues to fall an is due to continue overnight 
A
man with ice and snow frozen to his face makes his way through New York
amid heavy snow across the whole of the East Coast today 
A masked man walks on King Street as snow falls in Alexandria, Virginia, today amid record snowfall across the East Coast 
A snow plow clears Route 206 during a winter storm near Trenton, New Jersey, where flood were also reported earlier today 
Visitors brave the driving winds and heavy snowfall to take a stroll through Central Park this afternoon today 
A couple of volunteers help a driver push is car out of the snow in New York City on Saturday 
Tourists pose with the Wall Street Bull in New York City, despite the treatorous weather
Defense Secretary Ash
Carter was heading home from a five-day trip to Paris and the World
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. But his high-tech aircraft - known
as the Doomsday Plane - wasn't able to land at Andrews Air Force Base
in Maryland as originally planned.
Instead, the plane took a
left turn and headed south. Carter was rerouted to Tampa, Florida, where
he will wait until he is able to fly into the nation's capital.
In Virginia police said
they responded to 1,000 crash reports overnight, with another 900 people
reporting breakdowns, and across the country 170,000 people are now
reported to be without power, with the vast majority in North and South
Carolina.
A trooper in Virginia was
injured Friday night while assisting a disabled vehicle on Interstate 64
in New Kent County. Geller said Trooper MD Jester is being treated for
minor injuries in a Richmond hospital.
All bus services have been
suspended in New York starting at midday today due to poor visibility,
while subway services are under review.
Thundersnow, a rare
phenomenon in which lightning and thunder occurs during a snowstorm, was
also reported in Maryland where up to 20 inch of snow was on the ground
this morning.
Speaking to CNN this
morning, New Jersey governor Chris Christie said: 'We are ready to get
the National Guard out for evacuations if necessary and we have shelters
in every county in the state.
'People should stay
inside, not only is the weather incredibly nasty but it is helping us
keep roads passable. We have two to three inches falling an hour. Please
stay inside, please don't drive today.'
Times
Square, which is usually filled with tourists at all hours, was
virtually deserted today as workers tried to clear the snow away 
City staff struggled to keep sidewalks open as snow fell at rates of up to three inches per hour throughout most of today 
All non-underground subway stations have been closed today after snowfall in New York made them unsafe Photo by: pictured, Colombia Circle
Michelle Fox plays with her dogs Peaches, jumping, and Annie as snow continues to pile up in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 
A worker cleans snow off the platform at the Metro North Train station in Greenwich, Connecticut, where heavy snow fell today 
Bryan
Gold skis down 13th Street in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of
Washington earlier today as it looked almost certain that the state will
break its all-time snow record with two feet having already fallen in
some places 
A
man walks in Greenwich, Connecticut, amid heavy snowfall across the
East Coast that is expected to last for the rest of the weekend 
A
face on the memorial to Judge John Handley, Handley High School
benefactor, peers out through the more than 16 inches of blowing snow
that has fallen in Winchester, Virginia, today 
Millions
of Americans are battling with the elements today as Jonas brought
hurricane-force winds and feet of snow to ten states 
A homeless man walks on snow covered 14th street North West in Washington earlier today as the area was battered by snow 
More
than 85million Americans affected by the storm have been advised to
keep their homes accessible during the storm in case emergency crews
need to enter Photo by: pictured, a woman attempts to dig her car out of the snow in Washington
Uniform
secret service officers push a police car that is stuck in front of the
Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington D.C. 
In
Washington D.C. there is more than a foot of snow on the ground today
while two feet is possible before Sunday, making it the worst snowfall
the city has ever received 
Workers
in Washington D.C. have been working frantically today to try and keep
roads and sidewalks open as snow continues to fall for the second day,
and will not stop until Sunday 
People
walk and bike down Broad Street in Philadelphia, just one of the major
East Coast cities covered with a blanket of snow today 
A
woman uses snowshoes to walk in front of the eisenhower executive
office building during the snow storm on in Washington today 
Ten-year-old local Hayes Reger sleds around on the West Front Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building earlier today 
Dan
Rafalin, left, lifts his daughter, Delila Rafalin, 5, while playing in
heavy snowfall with their family on Independence Mall in Philadelphia 
A
soldier with the 275th Military Police company in a Humvee stops on
I-395 as they assist a stranded motorist in the snow in Washington
Hundreds of drivers were
stranded overnight in Kentucky on a long stretch of Interstate 75 south
of Lexington because of a string of crashes and blowing snow. Crews
passed out snacks, fuel and water and tried to move cars one by one.
Police said Saturday
afternoon that all lanes are open on Interstate 75 in south-central
Kentucky after hundreds of drivers were stranded overnight. Kentucky
State Police and emergency officials gave the update on Saturday.
Trooper Lloyd Cochran has
said he doesn't have a figure for number of cars or people affected by
the standstill but noted that no injuries were reported.
He said local hotels were
booked. Shelters also were opened, but Cochran says he doesn't know how
many people went there. Cochran says salt trucks are out, but he and
other officials say traffic is moving slowly and will continue to do so
for some time.
The National Weather
Service says that in nearly two dozen places, the amount of snow has
already passed the 20-inch mark, with a full day of more snow to come.
The accumulation totals come Saturday morning as a storm treks across the country.
Not all the totals are
official weather stations, but forty inches of snow fell in a rural area
of West Virginia, not far from Harper's Ferry, according to unofficial
statistics at the National Weather Service.
Glengary, West Virginia,
topped the charts for the East Coast blizzard with 40 inches, but 67
locations - mostly in West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland - reported at
least two feet of snow. Dulles International Airport outside of
Washington was just behind at 23.5 inches of snow, which puts it third
all time for that location with another eight hours or so of snow
forecast.
Snow is expected to keep
falling until late Saturday or early Sunday morning. High winds -
sometimes seeming to blow sideways - are making it hard to get accurate
measurements of snowfall except in official locations, meteorologists
said.
The weather service's
storm tracking page reported that on the Eastern Shore, Dewey Beach,
Delaware, and Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, recorded hurricane-force
75 mph winds.
Defense Secretary Ash
Carter was heading home from a five-day trip to Paris and the World
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. But his high-tech aircraft - known
as the Doomsday Plane - wasn't able to land at Andrews Air Force Base
in Maryland as originally planned.
Instead, the plane took a
left turn and headed south. Carter was rerouted to Tampa, Florida, where
he will wait until he is able to fly into the nation's capital.
Baltimore is banning
nonemergency vehicles from its streets overnight to speed the cleanup
from the massive East Coast snowstorm.
Mayor Stephanie
Rawlings-Blake is announcing that the ban will be in effect from 6.30pm
on Saturday to 6am on Sunday. It could be extended, if conditions
warrant.
The mayor says only police
cruisers, fire trucks, ambulances, snow plows and BGE utility repair
trucks should be on the roads during that time. City hospitals are being
asked to keep the workers they need onsite, as well.
City officials say the ban
is necessary because crews are rescuing too many stranded drivers and
need to focus on responding to emergencies and digging out the city. The
mayor says the ban will help everyone get back to normal.
A couple lays in over nine inches of snow with their dogs in Lafayette Park in Washington, DC on Saturday 
Natalie Day, of Surrey, England, take a photograph of herself in front of The White House in Washington, DC on Saturday 
Traffic has been at a standstill for hours now on the Pennsylvania Turnpike stranding hundreds of motorists in the snow 
National Guard have been on hand to distribute water, food and fuel to the stranded drivers as the snow continues to fall 
A woman takes pictures of snow covered cars in Washington D.C. today which has seen more than two feet of snow fall in parts 
Storm
Jonas had left the East Coast covered with a think blanket of snow
today as it hovers over the East Coast of the United States 
A girl tries to cross snow covered 15th street North West in Downtown Washington which has been covered in feet of snow today 
Gary
Utley, 27, of Alexandria, snowboards behind a Jeep driven by his
friend, as snow falls, in Alexandria, Virginia, on Saturday
District of Columbia Mayor
Muriel Bowser said Saturday in a news conference that people should not
be driving or walking in the streets.
Bowser told residents: 'We need you to stay home.'
Bowser says the visibility
is poor and people walking in the streets are not easily seen.
Officials say there are no reported fatalities so far. Officials say
they expect another possible ten inches of snow as well as high winds.
Police Chief Cathy Lanier
says even people with four wheel drive vehicles are getting stuck.
Bowser again emphasized: 'Please stay home.'
About 150,000 North Carolina homes and businesses are shuddering in the cold after ice and strong winds caused power outages.
The State Highway Patrol
warned motorists on Saturday to stay off roads that were coated with
invisible sheets of ice. Troopers had responded to more than 2,000
crashes since icy conditions moved in on Wednesday. At least five
storm-related deaths are reported in the state.
The heaviest power outages
were south of Raleigh. Officials warned statewide that sustained winds
of 20 miles an hour Saturday threatened to rip down ice-coated power
lines.
Most flights in and out of
Raleigh-Durham's airport were canceled, but American Airlines'
second-busiest hub in Charlotte was open.
Gov Pat McCrory urged fans
to stay home rather than attend Saturday's rivalry game between Duke
University and North Carolina State University in Raleigh.
Authorities in Maryland
say a man shoveling snow has died after an apparent heart attack as a
blizzard dumps snow across much of the United States, bringing the total
number of deaths from the storm to at least ten nationwide.
A couple walks in blowing snow in Alexandria, Virginia, this afternoon as storm Jonas continues to batter the East Coast 
A plow clears the parking lot at the Rutters Farm Store along the Susquehanna Trail in York, Pennsylvania, today 
Chase
Coble works a snow shovel on West Washington Street as city crews
worked to clear downtown streets and sidewalks in the aftermath of the
winter storm today 
Issabella
Rickman slides down a hill on a sled during a blizzard in Arlington,
Virginia on January 23, 2016. A deadly blizzard with bone-chilling winds
and potentially record-breaking snowfall slammed the eastern US on
Saturday
Prince George's County
Fire/EMS Department spokesman Mark Brady says paramedics were called to
the Fort Washington area around 10am Saturday for a report of a
60-year-old man who was shoveling and appeared to have a heart attack.
Brady says medics were not able to revive the man and he died. His name
wasn't released.
Brady had just sent out an
advisory warning of the potential for heart attacks while shoveling. He
urged people older than 50 and those with heart conditions to get
someone else to do the job, noting that the amount of snowfall
associated with this storm will be particularly challenging to shovel.
New York City's expected
total was upped Friday to 18 to 24 inches. But Sullivan said 'the winds
are going to be the real problem; that's when we'll see possible power
outages.'
Snow was forecast to start
falling in New York at around 4am today, but the first flakes actually
fell at around 10pm yesterday, with a steady snowfall across Manhattan
by 11pm.
The result could create snowdrifts four to five feet high, so even measuring it for records could be difficult, he said.
By evening, wet, heavy
snow was falling in the capital, making downed power lines more likely,
and yet many people remained on the roads, Washington Mayor Muriel
Bowser said. 'Find a safe place and stay there,' she beseeched.
Anyone trying to travel in this mess risks getting stuck for hours, marooned in odd places, or killed, authorities warned.
At least 10 people died in
storm-related crashes before the worst of the storm, including Stacy
Sherrill, whose car plummeted off an icy road in Tennessee. Her husband
survived after climbing for hours up a 300-foot embankment.
'They're slipping and
sliding all over the place,' said Kentucky State Police Trooper Lloyd
Cochran — as soon as one wreck was cleared, other cars slammed into each
other, causing gridlock for hours on interstate highways.
Skip
Hampton pulls his 22 month old son Purcell along West Market Street,
with his wife Sarah, after a morning of sledding on a nearby hill in
North Carolina, while Refugio Cortes fills up on kerosene, which he and
his wife use to heat their home 
Skip
Hampton pulls his 22 month old son Purcell along West Market Street,
with his wife Sarah, after a morning of sledding on a nearby hill in
North Carolina, while Refugio Cortes fills up on kerosene, which he and
his wife use to heat their home 
Reece
Davis, left, helps Scott Bailey dig out after getting stuck at
SecurCare Self Storage on West Wendover Avenue in North Carolina 
A man makes his way through the snow, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 in the Georgetown area of Washington 
A
man uses cross country skies as he goes down M Street NW in the snow,
Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 in the Georgetown area of Washington 
A pedestrian waits to cross the street as a truck carrying a load of snow passes in front on the National Mall in Washington
A man died in southeastern
Kentucky when his car collided with a salt truck Thursday, state police
said. Billy R. Stevens, 59, of Williamsburg was pronounced dead at the
scene on state Route 92 in Whitley County. Two passengers were being
treated at a hospital.
In addition, a
four-year-old boy in North Carolina died Friday afternoon after the
pickup truck carrying his family on Interstate 77 near Troutman spun out
of control and crashed, said State Highway Patrol Sgt. Michael Baker.
The Ford pickup carrying
two adults and their three children all under eight years old slammed
into a tow truck working to haul out a vehicle that had run off the
highway earlier, Baker said. Troopers say the boy was restrained in a
child seat and died as a result of the impact.
Motorists also were
reported stranded along pockets of the Pennsylvania Turnpike near the
Allegheny Mountain Tunnel in Somerset County. The National Guard was
called to help, said Pennsylvania Turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo.
In the Washington metro
area, nearly 2 feet of snow was on the ground by Saturday morning. The
federal government closed its offices at noon Friday, and all mass
transit was to be shut down through Sunday. President Barack Obama was
one of many who stayed home.
In Silver Spring, Maryland, about 20 inches of snow had fallen by daybreak.
Lightning flashed and
thunder rumbled. Plows cleared a heavily traveled road for ambulances
and trucks, but few other vehicles were moving. A couple of intrepid
people walked along the cleared portion of the road, ducking into the
deeper snow when vehicles approached.
A
snowman wearing the jacket of a local bakery stands on the street in
Washington DC which has seen feet of snow fall in 24 hours 
People
carrying umbrellas walk in the snow past the White House where at least
ten inches of snow has fallen in the last few hours 
Dumper trucks were brought to the streets in Washington to help deal with the feet of snow that has fallen since yesterday 
Two people use cross country skis to get around the snow in front of the U.S. Capitol earlier today 
Jared Meyer of Chattanooga, Tenn., digs out his car from the snow, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 in Arlington, Virginia
Other states that got more
than 6 inches included Delaware, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. Parts
of Georgia and Alabama received 1 to 3.5 inches.
In North Carolina a Good
Samaritan was allegedly shot and killed by the very man he tried to help
after he saw a car spin out on an icy road on Friday afternoon.
Marvin Jacob Lee, 27, has
been charged with the murder of Jefferson Heavner. Police said he struck
Lee once and then stood over his body and shot him 'numerous times'.
Heavner, 26, was among a
group of people, including neighbors and a passing truck, who went to
help when they saw a car spin out and become stuck on a Catawba County
road around 5.20pm.
The group then decided to call police for assistance when Lee became belligerent, according to Sheriff Coy Reid.
'They thought he was drunk
or on dope and said 'Let's just call the law and let them deal with
it'', Reid told The Charlotte Observer.
When Lee heard them
calling the police he took out an automatic pistol and began shooting at
the group, who tried to run away, authorities said.
Police said Lee returned to his car, which was still stuck, after he struck Lee once and then shot him again multiple times.
Officers arrived on the
scene and demanded Lee to get out of the car. When he did not a SWAT
team arrived and found that he was passed out, according to Reid.
Lee woke up as he was being physically pulled out of the car by SWAT members and tried to resist, Reid said.
He has since been charged with murder. The shooting remains under investigation, according to WSOC.
Water
floods hit Tenth Avenue in North Wildwood, New Jersey, on Saturday. A
winter storm created near record high tides along the Jersey Shore 
High tides in North Wildwood, New Jersey, surpassed the tide of Hurricane Sandy according to North Wildwood city officials 
A car attempts to drive through the flooded streets of North Wildwood, New Jersey, on Saturday 
Ice and water floods overtook several homes and businesses across North Wildwood, New Jersey, on Saturday 
A
North Wildwood firefighter helps local resident Joe Tolomeo from his
flooded home on 12th Avenue in North Wildwood, New Jersey, on Saturday 
A statue of Andrew Jackson is covered in snow near the White House where up to ten inches of snow fell today 
Icicles
hang from the awning out the front of a store front in Georgetown,
Washington, where up to three feet of snow was reported today 
A
digger loads snow into a dumper truck in Alexandria, Virginia, today
amid heavy snowfall which caused traffic accidents across the state 
A
motorist shovels snow to free up a vehicle on the New Jersey Turnpike
during a snowstorm after motorists were told to stay indoors 
A trio of snowplows attempts to clear snow from Broadway on the Upper West Side in New York today as snow continues overnight 
A deadly blizzard with bone-chilling winds and potentially record-breaking snowfall slammed the eastern US on Saturday
Even before the snow began
to fall Friday afternoon, states of emergency were declared. Lawmakers
went home, and schools, government offices and transit systems closed
early from Georgia to New York.
The ice and snow made
travel treacherous, with thousands of accidents and at least nine deaths
reported along the region's roadways. By late Friday, Virginia State
Police had reported 989 crashes statewide and had assisted nearly 800
disabled vehicles, police spokesman Ken Schrad said.
The NHL postponed
Sunday's game between the Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins because of
the severe snowstorm in the Washington area.
The league on Saturday did not announce a makeup date.
This is the third game
postponed in Washington because of the storm, following the Capitals'
game against the Anaheim Ducks and the NBA game between the Wizards and
Utah Jazz.
The Penguins next play against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday and the Capitals against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.
Duquesne University's
men's basketball team was stuck overnight on the snow-closed
Pennsylvania Turnpike as traffic stoppages stretched back miles in a
massive snowstorm climbing up the East Coast.
Coach Jim Ferry said the team bus got stuck around 9:15 p.m. on Friday and hadn't moved since.
'We haven't moved one inch in 12 hours,' he said on Saturday morning.
Ferry said his players
are running out of the leftover pizza they bought on the way home from
an 86-75 win over George Mason on Friday.
'We're getting pretty hungry,' he said. 'We hope it starts moving pretty soon.'
The basketball team's
Twitter account, Duquesne Basketball, tweeted Saturday: 'Update: a fire
department has arrived with cases of water for all stranded vehicles,
including our bus.'
However, for the
passengers on a cruise ship heading back to snowy Baltimore from the
Bahamas, one more day at sea doesn't seem such a bad idea.
The Maryland Department
of Transportation said Friday that a blizzard means the port won't be
ready for the Royal Caribbean International's Grandeur of the Seas until
Monday.
The ship was to return
Sunday from an eight-day trip to the Bahamas, said Cynthia Martinez, a
Royal Caribbean spokeswoman. But plans changed after forecasters said
the storm could dump more than 2 feet of snow.
Meg Ryan of Hamilton, New
Jersey, one of the cruise ship's passengers, said she learned about 1
p.m. Friday of the postponement from the cruise line's website.
'I was not totally
surprised and, frankly, happy to be delayed,' Ryan wrote in an email to
The Associated Press. 'First, it is an extra day of vacation, but more
importantly, safety comes first and travel Sunday would be difficult, if
not impossible.'
Ryan, 51, is an assistant
manager of a luggage store in New Jersey. She is also a Master Cruise
Counsellor, a certification from the trade organization Cruise Lines
International Association. She works with a company called eCruisenet,
which provides consulting services to passengers planning trips. Ryan
said she was traveling with a group of eCruisenet clients.
Ryan said she expected
the cruise line will have activities to entertain passengers, and the
shops and casino will be open, 'ready to separate guests from their
money.'
On the downside, Ryan
said passengers were trying to rebook transportation from Baltimore to
their homes. Also, the Grandeur of the Seas was to begin another cruise
Sunday to the western Caribbean, so a fresh set of passengers will
grapple with a delay. Ryan said the cruise line was helping passengers
returning to Baltimore with free calls and Internet access; she took a
photo of a line of people waiting to make calls.
Still, an on-board indoor solarium and pool presented an idyllic contrast to what awaited Ryan at home.
'I will return to
Hamilton (near Trenton), N.J., to 2 feet of snow, and probably an irate
cat, who I am sure will not be happy that I am delayed,' she wrote.
A
blizzard with hurricane-force winds brought much of the East Coast to a
standstill Saturday, dumping as much as 3 feet of snow, stranding tens
of thousands of travelers and shutting down the nation's capital 
People walk in the snow toward Chinatown's Friendship Archway in Washington after record amounts of snowfall on the East Coast 
A worker uses a snowblower to clear snow from Times Square in Manhattan earlier today as tourists watch 
Workers
take a break in order to take selfies in Times Square as snow fell at a
rate of up to 3 inches per hour, covering New York 
Wrapped up warm against the cold, Times Square workers try desperately to clear snow from the streets of Times Square