The 1 Question: Can a child or someone who hasn't heard the Word go to Heaven?
Today I'm continuing a sermon series called the 1 Question. At Christmas Eve I asked everyone present to ask a question about which they would like to hear a sermon. Twenty-four questions were submitted. I chose four. So far we've looked at two questions—last week we looked at "what does it mean to be full of the Holy Spirit; two weeks ago we looked at can we be forgiven for all that we've done even if we've broken the 10 commandments. This series has been so popular that I might add an additional question on February 5. That is a Super Day, so why not have a super question.
I shared that I was going to write a blog about all the questions that weren't chosen for this sermon. And I confess that my blog writing has been slow. But I haven't given up on it. I am hopeful to write at least a blog a day this week.
Today's question is excellent. "Can a child or someone who hasn't heard the Word go to heaven?" This questions connects all sorts of beliefs about God—salvation, heaven, eternal life. I could share months of sermons just on this question.
To help out I wrote a Bible Study on salvation. I encourage you to get it out. It's in this brochure in the bulletin. Salvation happens all throughout the Bible—Old and New Testament. Put this devotion in your Bible and use it this week. In the middle is a place to take notes. I'm going to give you some teaching materials that you might want to write in this space. On the back is the place for our congregation's prayer requests.
Next week the question is Does God really have a plan? Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?
SLIDE I attended seminary in New York City. While there I worked as the Youth Director at the First Presbyterian Church in Babylon. My duties often went beyond working with the youth. One day I received a phone call from a woman who wanted to see me soon. She was new to the church, and I had no idea what she wanted to talk about, but I'm always willing to talk. Sure I'll talk.
She came to the offices. A friend of hers had recently passed away. Her friend was Jewish. The woman wanted to know from me—would her friend go to heaven. This was a very important question to her and one over which she had been brooding since the funeral. Would her friend go to heaven? What do you think, Paul?
As I listened to her question the thought that I remember going through my mind was, "couldn't you ask the senior pastor this question? I'm just the Youth Director. This question is way above my pay grade." Actually it's above everyone's pay grade.
I'm guessing this question has passed through our mind before. Someone passes away, and we wonder. What was the person's eternal destination?
There's a lot at stake in how we respond to this question. Our response reveals our identity. It lets others know who we are as followers of Jesus Christ. It lets the world know what type of disciples we intend to be. There's a lot at stake in the way we answer it, and I'm so glad this question was asked at Christmas Eve.
I'm going to provide an answer to this question, but what is just as important is the way we get to our answer.
This question is the linchpin to many other questions.
Who decides if I'll go?
Will I recognize people in heaven?
And how about someone who has done awful things—Adolph Hitler, Osama bin Laden—are they going to heaven.
And how about my Jewish friend or Muslim friend down the street—would they go to heaven?
What happens to a child who has never heard the Word?
SLIDE These questions tie together our beliefs about salvation, heaven, and eternal life. When I hear these types of questions the same thought goes through my mind as it did when I was the Youth Director at the Presbyterian Church in Babylon, New York.
These questions are above my pay grade. And I get paid a lot more now than I did as a Youth Director. Even though these questions are hard, we need to have a response because these are the questions people ask.
SLIDE What is salvation and who gives it. You'll read more about this in the devotion I wrote for you. The English word salvation comes from the Greek word, "Sozo." The word Sozo can be translated as saved or healed or made well.
Salvation is a gift and God is the gift-giver. To use an example from language, God is the noun, giving is the verb and salvation is what is given. You and I as humans are the recipients of the gift. We humans don't save ourselves; salvation comes from God.
John 3:16 is one of the best Bible verses of salvation. Many of us might have it memorized.
One way to think of salvation is deliverance. We are delivered from a situation because of what God has done. This deliverance happens not only when we die, but it happens here on earth.
A story. Part of the story is in this week's devotion. It's a story about a man named Moses. We have a group who is reading through the Bible. This week we will be reading about Moses in a book of the Bible called Exodus. The story I'm sharing is later in Exodus.
Many of us might have learned about Moses in Sunday School or by watching Charleton Heston in the movie, the 10 Commandments. Some context.
Pharaoh was the king of Egypt. He was one of the most powerful men in the world. The Hebrews or Israelites had been slaves in Egypt. God asked Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. After plenty of encouragement (including 10 plagues) Pharaoh decided to let the people go. The Israelites left Egypt.
Then Pharaoh changed his mind. Pharaoh got in a chariot and he had 600 other chariots loaded with people. They were going to find the Israelites and bring them back to Egypt. Eventually the Israelites saw Pharaoh and his chariots. They discovered that they were trapped. Straight ahead was the Red Sea; behind them were Pharaoh and his chariots. The Israelites had no where to go.
The people were afraid. And they were furious with Moses. "You brought us out here to die, Moses," they said.
The people were at the end of their rope. They had nowhere to go. They had no options.
Have you ever been there? You are at the end of your rope, you have nowhere to go; you have no options. If you've ever been there then this is you story.
Moses shared a powerful response to the people. It's a response worth knowing and perhaps even memorizing. His response was this.
This is one of my favorite verses of the Bible. Read this with me.
Do you know what Moses was offering the Israelites at this moment in their life. Deliverance. Or another way to say it they were being offered salvation. The Israelites were going to be delivered or saved by God from the Egyptians.
SLIDE You remember what happened? Moses raised his hands. The Red Sea was parted. The Israelites went through. The Egyptians and all their chariots started going through. The wheels of their chariots got bogged down. Moses lowered his hands and the waters came upon the chariots and the Egyptians died.
The people were saved in a way they could not have imagined. God saved them. Believing God can deliver us or save us is called hope. As followers of Jesus Christ we never give up on hope. Even in a hopeless situation where we have no options we still have God.
I know that many people in our country are very discouraged and are not hopeful because of the change of government in the United States. It's not for me to decide or judge whether you should feel that way or not. Whatever your views about politics those are your views. I respect that.
It's amazing to me that millions of people took to the streets yesterday to march. The two women who live with me were on the streets. I would have been out there myself, but I was at a Presbytery meeting.
I know that at Chain of Lakes we have people who voted for Trump and people who were marching in the streets yesterday. As a pastor I'm glad that we have different views about politics. We have a Core Value called Healthy Disagreement. It's worth lifting up in the midst of our different views about politics.
When we disagree we will encourage discussion while valuing all opinions. We will speak truth in love, treat others respectfully with dignity, and seek to remain in community.
No matter what our views about Trump we can agree that God always gives us hope. God can deliver us—even our country—in ways that we can't even imagine. The deliverance is salvation. Our belief in that deliverance is hope.
Because of God you and I experience salvation when we die. We recognize that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
I need to talk about our role in salvation. This is very important.
At the time I realized that I needed to start getting serious about my faith. I had graduated from high school and was going to go to college. It was time for me to get serious. For some reason I started to wonder about going to heaven. And I convinced myself that maybe if I read my devotional book every night that God would be pleased with this and maybe that would help me get into heaven.
For some reason I came to believe that if I was good, then I would be rewarded.
Have you ever thought that way? I'm guessing you have. It's the thought or the belief that somehow when we are done with our life God will look over our life and say either, "yes," you have been good. Or he will say, "no" you haven't been good. The criteria for our salvation is our goodness.
The idea makes sense on many levels. Of course we want to be good.
However tying our salvation to our own goodness puts us in a rabbit hole.
We find ourselves in this rabbit hole because eventually we're going to wonder, "how good do I have to be?" How much goodness is enough?
If I read a devotion once—that's good. But maybe I'll truly be good if I read it five times. But what if I read two devotions today can I skip tomorrow. Maybe what I should do is really be good now—create like this bank of good will—so if I ever mess up in the future I can rely on this bank of goodness. What happens when I want to go have some fun. I'll be good now so I can have fun later.
This way of thinking is very twisted. We can twist ourselves up into knots if we come to believe that our salvation depends on our goodness.
SLIDE You've probably heard of a man by the name of Martin Luther. Most people think of him as the father of Protestantism. Protestantism is a branch of the church. There are three branches to the Christian church. Catholic branch; the Protestant branch; and the Orthodox branch. We Presbyterians are part of the Protestant branch.
Martin Luther was going to be a lawyer, but the death of a classmate and a narrow escape from lighting led him to become a monk. Luther did well as a monk. He was eventually ordained to the Catholic priesthood. But he had no peace. His own sense of his sin overwhelmed him. And no matter how often he confessed or fasted or prayed or give alms he did not have peace. He didn't have peace from his own goodness.
The church was saying just buy an indulgence and you'll be forgiven; just say a few "Hail Mary's" and everything will be okay. That didn't work for him. Luther came to realize that he could not be good enough to put himself into a relationship with God. No matter how good he tried to be he couldn't be good enough. Perfection was not possible. He couldn't earn his own salvation. Luther came to believe that he couldn't save himself. He needed a savior.
The good news is he had a savior. What he needed to do was receive the gift. And then respond to the gift in faith.
The point is our goodness does not give us a ticket to heaven.
Two weeks ago—the bandit on the cross—he was a bad person—he was a lestai.
He didn't read his devotionals at night—he probably skipped a few days.
The point is basic and profound to our spiritual health. WE can never be good enough. This doesn't mean we're bad people. What it does mean is we can't save ourselves.
This point says a lot about God and gives us a basis to answer today's question. God blesses us with salvation. God blesses us even when we don't deserve it.
You know it's quite a God that we serve. God knows every part of us; God knows every molecule in our body. God knows every thought before we think it. God knows how good we are and God knows how much we fall short. Even when we fall short, God looks at us and says, "I love you." God loves us so much that he decided to give us his Son. Even though we killed him, he delivered him from death so that you and I can live.
This is the God we serve; this is the image of God we carry with us. This is the God we can trust. This is the God who offers us salvation.
We can trust this God to make our eternal decisions.
That's what I told a woman at the First Presbyterian Church in Babylon who came to me wondering if her Jewish friend was in heaven. We can trust this God this decision. That decision can give us peace. I believe that everything is okay with your friend because I trust GodThat's how I would answer today's question. I trust God to make decisions about salvation for a baby who hasn't heard the Word. I trust God to make decision about eternity for someone who grew up Jewish or a follower of Mohammed.
Before anyone starts wondering if I am a Universalist, that is I believe if everyone goes to heaven. I'm not. I do not believe everyone goes to heaven. I believe in Hell, but the topic doesn't interest me that much. What I'm most interested in sharing is how much God loves you; how much God cares for you. And what that can do for your life.
And I get that many people in the wider community and the church will profoundly disagree with what I just said. Maybe you do too. Let's talk about it.
I think God goes way beyond what we can comprehend about salvation. That doesn't mean that we don't have views or beliefs, but what it does mean is we trust God to make these decisions. That trust gives us peace.
A final story. At the church I previously served I got to know a woman by the name of Rachel. She was quite a woman. She lived on a farm for most of her entire life. She didn't have a lot of fear. She had open heart surgery at the age of 93. In the last year or so of her life she lived in a home health care setting in town. I would visit her about once a month. One day I asked her, "Rachel, do you think about heaven much?" Yes. What do you think about I asked her? How can there be enough room for everyone. I smiled. God has it figured out. There is enough room. There's a lot of mansions in that house. I trust God to know who to let in.


James Harden gave Houston quite the jump-start with 22 of the team's 50 points in the third quarter, as the Rockets cruised past the Timberwolves for a 119-100 win.
Minneapolis — Though James Harden and most of the Houston Rockets were misfiring throughout the first half, their confidence never wavered.
Harden had 22 of the team's near-record 50 points in the third, launching the Rockets past the Minnesota Timberwolves, 119-100, on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Clint Capela added 14 points and 17 rebounds, Eric Gordon finally got going with 18 points off the bench and the Rockets left the Wolves wondering what hit them after 3.5 games of decent defense against one of the league's most dangerous offensive teams. The Rockets scored on 11 straight possessions after an opening stop by the Wolves, and Harden alone scored 17 of their first 20 points.
"I think we came out a little flatter than last game. We didn't come out right away with that straight grit in the third quarter," said Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 22 points and 15 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
Minnesota missed 14 of 21 shots, producing several panicked possessions over the third. Perhaps that's because they were so rattled by how suddenly and quickly the Rockets were scoring.
Trevor Ariza made the first three 3-pointers attempted by the Rockets, who then missed on 13 of their next 14 tries from behind the arc. Harden didn't make a basket until 5:57 remained in the second quarter, when his 10-foot floater fell in to cut Minnesota's lead to 39-37. He swished one of his signature step-back 3-pointers on the next possession, and Houston was right back in front to sow the seeds for the staggering third quarter.
"Once we get going, it's hard to stop us," Capela said.
(At) Utah 113, Oklahoma City 96: Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points to lead the Jazz to a win over the Thunder.


The main objective of the Django Project on Advertisement Management System is to manage the details of Advertisement, Sizes, Customers, Advertisement Types, Payments. It manages all the information about Advertisement, Places, Payments, Advertisement. The project is totally built at administrative end and thus only the administrator is guaranteed the access. The purpose of the project is to build an application program to reduce the manual work for managing the Advertisement, Sizes, Places, Customers. It tracks all the details about the Customers, Advertisement Types, Payments.
It deals with monitoring the information and transactions of Advertisement Types.
Integration of all records of Payments.
Excel export has not been developed for Places, Advertisement Types due to some criticality.
The transactions are executed in off-line mode, hence on-line data for Advertisement, Sizes capture and modification is not possible.
Off-line reports of Advertisement, Customers, Payments cannot be generated due to batch mode execution.


text:
Tag Archives: Service Dog
How to Help Veterans on Mental Health
December 18, 2015 Sally Spencer-Thomas	Leave a comment
The constant beat of the major media drum often paints a grim picture of veterans and suicide. Sometimes, we wonder if these messages become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Consistent headlines include data such as:
Approximately 22 veterans die by suicide each day (about one every 65 minutes).
In 2012, suicide deaths outpaced combat deaths, with 349 active-duty suicides; on average about one per day.
The suicide rate among veterans (30 per 100,000) is double the civilian rate.
Listening to this regular narrative, a collective concern and urgency emerges on how best to support our veterans who are making the transition back to civilian jobs and communities. Many veterans have a number of risk factors for suicide, contributing to the dire suicide statistics, including:
A strong identity in a fearless, stoic, risk-taking and macho culture
Exposure to trauma and possible traumatic brain injury
Self-medication through substance abuse
Stigmatizing views of mental illness
Access to and familiarity with lethal means (firearms)
Veterans show incredible resilience and resourcefulness when facing daunting challenges and learn how to cope, but employers and others who would like to support veterans are not always clear on how to be a "military-friendly community."
The Carson J Spencer Foundation and our Man Therapy partners Cactus and Colorado's Office of Suicide Prevention conducted a six-month needs and strengths assessment involving two in-person focus groups and two national focus groups with representation from Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and family perspectives.
When asked how we could best reach them, what issues they'd like to see addressed and what resources they need, here is what veterans and their advocates told us:
"I think that when you reach out to the vets, do it with humor and compassion…Give them something to talk about in the humor; they will come back when no one is looking for the compassion." People often mentioned they preferred a straightforward approach that wasn't overly statistical, clinical or wordy.
Make seeking help easy. A few veterans mentioned they liked an anonymous opportunity to check out their mental health from the privacy of their own home. Additionally, a concern exists among veterans, who assume some other service member would need a resource more. They hesitate to seek help, in part, because they don't want to take away a resource from "someone who may really need it." Having universal access through the Internet gets around this issue.
"We need to honor the warrior in transition. The loss of identity is a big deal, along with camaraderie and cohesion. Who I was, who I am now, who I am going to be…" The top request for content was about how to manage the transition from military life to civilian life. The loss of identity and not knowing who "has your back" is significant. Several veterans were incredibly concerned about being judged for PTS (no "D," for disorder – as the stress they experience is a normal response to an abnormal situation). Veterans also requested content about: post-traumatic stress and growth, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma and fatherhood and relationships, especially during deployment.
The best ways to reach veterans: trusted peers, family members and leaders with "vicarious credibility."
Because of these needs and suggestions, an innovative online tool called "Man Therapy" now offers male military/veterans a new way to self-assess for mental health challenges and link to resources.
http://mantherapy.org/
http://mantherapy.org/#/richs_list
Videos highlighting veterans' stories of hope and recovery:
Tony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAYLotW27Bo
Also see stories by Logan, Kyle, Chad and Paul here: http://mantherapy.org/#/more_videos
In addition to mental health support, many other things can be done to support veterans:
Hire a veteran. Because they make excellent employees, and it's one of the best ways we can help support their mental health and their transition back into civilian life: https://www.hireheroesusa.org/why-hire-a-veteran/
Conduct financial management and planning: http://www.military.com/money
Provide service dog support: https://freedomservicedogs.org/
We owe it to our service members to provide them with resources and support and to listen carefully to the challenges and barriers that prevent them from fully thriving. Learn how you can be part of the solution instead of just focusing on the problem.
air forcearmycarson j spencer foundationColorado Office of Suicide Preventioncombat deathemployerFinancial Managementfinancial planningfirearmMan Therapymantherapy.orgMarine Corpsmental illnessmilitarymilitary veteranMREnavypost-traumatic stress disorderptsdsally spencer-thomasself-medicationService Dogspencer-thomassubstance abuseSuicidesuicide statisticstherapytraumatraumatic brain injuryveteran

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Want to learn more about Herbs, Supplement & Time Challenger Products? We would like to say Thank you for entering our drawing for this Time Challenger product giveaway contest.
This is our Time Challenger give away for the month. We will draw for a winner on the Last day of the month.
This gift of Time Challenger products is completely FREE – including the postage to mail the gift to you.
Look out for emails with more tips and info about our Powerline Health feature products!
Sharing on social media is appreciated!… we want to spread the word about our site and about the benefits of the Time Challenger products.
All of these things will increase your chances of knowing if you win the Powerline Health Product contest plus help you stay connected with us for additional promotional offers!


This is the fourth story in this summer's Flash Fiction series. You can read the entire series, and last summer's Flash Fiction stories, here.
It's a long time ago now, but once I lived in a cabin in Norway. It was Olav who mentioned the place to me, at the start of our relationship. He told me that it'd been the summer cottage of the Norwegian author Knut Terje Aasbakken. Now it served as a writer's retreat, and a narrow lane led up to it from the village Olav was from. As a child, he'd spy on the writers. They seemed so secretive, he said, and dived into me.
After our relationship began to get complicated, a friend suggested I go away somewhere. So it was that I remembered Aasbakken's cabin. The one on a mountainside, in a forest.
I applied, got the cabin, and left at the beginning of September. A woman from the general store drove me from the village. She talked about the area as we crept up the mountain in her little Golf. On the way, we passed the community center. She said it was customary for whoever was in the cabin to give a reading in the center. I gazed down on the river in the valley, and then she dropped me off with a key to the woodshed.
Evenings, I'd take a chair out in front of the cabin and try to stay there till I was shaking from the cold. In the mornings, I read, wrote zip. Late in the day I'd take a walk. And then one day I found myself at a standstill in front of the community-center notice board. "BUNADS," the heading read, and under it was the name of Olav's mother. She was called Halldis and taught the locals to sew their own folk costumes.
The days lasted an eternity, and at night the cold moved in. I walked around Aasbakken's house and picked paint from the cabinet doors. Out in the forest, the mushrooms poked up, and it was impossible to escape the reading event in the community center. One evening in October, I positioned myself against a large loom-woven tapestry. During the coffee break, a woman with short dark hair and a face like an Inuit's came over. She said, "I think you've met my son. He lives in Copenhagen." I must have stared. "I've got an article he's written about you," she said.
In that way, I became sort of friends with Olav's mother, Halldis. We agreed to go on some walks together. Later we also went out riding on her Fjord horses. She talked about the landscape, the kinds of tracks animals left, and how the winter we were entering would feel. We never spoke of Olav. It was my impression that she was a strong person, but at regular intervals she'd worry about whether I'd write about her.
I thought of Olav, his face and hers, and that might've been the day she invited me home for coffee. In any case, I remember that we let the horses loose in the pasture and sat in the kitchen. There were pictures of Olav and his wife on the bulletin board, and I'm sure that I gave Halldis a hug when I left.
Despite the awkwardness in our relationship, we kept seeing each other. One day when we were in the kitchen, Olav's father came in. He sat down at the table reluctantly, as we probably didn't want to be disturbed. Halldis found him a coffee cup, and of course he was disturbing us. I recall him saying that he didn't care for well-educated people. He was a carpenter, Olav's father. Said that the hand's labor was important and pointed to the table. I praised the table, and then I had to go and see his workshop.
We walked out to it, all three, and what I remember most clearly was that he'd stuck up a photo of a naked woman with a thumbtack. He'd pinned her up over the door to the room where Halldis worked on her costumes. That meant that Halldis had to walk under the naked woman anytime she went in and did her sewing. You never know about other people's relationships, but I thought to myself that it was their marriage Halldis didn't want me to write about. It seemed complicated to me, though I think it seemed healthy to her.
Every day she passed beneath the naked woman who hung over the door with her legs slightly spread, and she'd hung there so long that Halldis no longer noticed her. She was no doubt thinking of her son in Copenhagen. His wife was beautiful and industrious. He interviewed famous authors. And now one of them was living in Aasbakken's cabin.
The cabin had no phone, so I ended up getting a letter. I have it still. He was angry, Olav. "I wouldn't have thought it of you," he wrote.
In that sense, he wasn't like his mother. I can recall another time we rode out together. It was a clear fall morning. On the outward part of our route, we rode past a lake. To me, Norwegian lakes feel bottomless, the landscape unknowable. Such uncertainty must leave its mark on the locals, I thought. Later, we went in among the trees, where it smelled of fungus and rot.
As we rode, we talked about how the forest looked lovely in its decay. I told her she resembled an Inuit, and that Olav must have got his features from her. She smiled at that, and there were birds of prey aloft, and moss upon the massive trunks of spruce, and I drank in everything I saw.
At first I thought she asked him whether she should tell the story because it was his, or because he decided which stories could be told in their relationship. In any case, she began telling it, though at times she'd put a hand over her mouth. "No, I don't know if I dare," she said, glancing from her husband down into her cup.
The story concerned her cousin who had been married to a bad man.
It wasn't until the man was dead that the cousin discovered just how bad he'd been. It came out from the estate and certain letters found with it. "But you mustn't write this story," she said. She shouldn't be worried, I said. "Your cousin's husband wasn't so out of the ordinary." She asked, did I know such men? I said that now and then I ran into one. She asked if I wrote about them. "Sometimes," I said.
I have the impression that during the time we spent together she managed to read my books. She mentioned one in particular. It had become winter, we were in the forest, and the surroundings creaked with snow and ice. She'd read the book but didn't quite know what to think of it. She found the indecisiveness of the female protagonist especially hard to bear.
We crawled over an old stone wall. The sun was shining; my eyes hurt from all the whiteness. Recently, I saw an old photo from the gold-mining town of Yellowknife, near the Arctic Circle. It was a picture of an Inuit and then the sun, and the sun wasn't alone. It had company. It's an optical phenomenon—the sun's light is refracted by ice crystals and two bright points appear, one on either side. Under the picture it said that the sun had been joined by its rivals, the ones that in the language of the prairie were called sun dogs.
"What exactly are you afraid I'm going to write about?" I asked her. "I don't know," she said.
She stood there and the light went right through her, that's the way I remember it.
How the sun caused her physical form to cease. On the broad white expanse she cast a sharp shadow and I stood opposite her, not alone.
She tugged at her mittens, nodded.
Translated, from the Danish, by Misha Hoekstra.


Shooting in the ring. The energy of the draft animals and teamsters is palpable. On your toes.
A paired team of pulling horses, one teamster per team, a one hundred foot measured pulling length with side boundaries and turning areas at either end.
Five minutes time to pull twice the team's weight as far as possible, turning 180 degrees after each successful 100 feet of pull.
Winner pulls furthest within the bounds.


text:
Get a Milanese loop band for your Apple Watch for less than 8 bucks
Tirnga on Amazon is offering a discount on an already low-price stainless steel band.
By Leif Johnson
Associate Editor, Macworld | PT
Tirnga
Apple typically plays up the Milanese loop band for its higher-end Apple Watches, and it's not hard to understand why. It's as elegant as they come—a stainless steel mesh strap that wraps in around your wrist and stays in place with the help of a simple magnet. Normally you'll pay $149 for this elegance on Apple's own siteRemove non-product link. But today, by entering the code NPXMFVM6 at checkout on Tirnga's listing on AmazonRemove non-product link, you get a Milanese loop band for your Apple Watch for as little as $7.49.
The code works for all the watch bands available, be they black, gold, rose gold, or silver. You'll get the $7.49 price, though, if you pick up either a 38mm or 42mm band in black. If you happen to miss this sale, it's worth noting that these go for as little as $8.98, down $8.01 from the normal price of $16.99.
And buyers generally seem to be happy. Tirnga's Milanese loop maintains a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars even after 928 reviews, and previous buyers praise the band's breathability and sturdiness.
You'll still find a few complaints, though. Some users say "the magnet sticks to everything" or at least one user said the finish started coming off after a single day. I didn't see that complaint in many other reviews, though, so hopefully it was just a fluke.
Even with those troubles, it's hard to complain about a $7.49 Milanese loop. Honestly, I'll be picking one up myself.


DDP™ is a patent-pending degradable diverter polymer used in mid-stage and re-frac completion jobs where well conditions are not conducive to traditional diverter polymers such as PLA or rock salt. Available in powder, flake, pellet and monofilament form, DDP™ can be custom configured to meet your unique well conditions.
DDP™ pellets can be used in conjunction with our Monofil™ degradable monofilament and 8ths Balls™ degradable diverter balls for mid-stage diversion and re-frac applications; providing optimum perforation isolation.


text:
DoSomething.org and Popcorn, Indiana Step up to Stop Bullying in its Tracks
DoSomething.org
NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- DoSomething.org and the makers of Popcorn, Indiana® brand snacks are teaming up this fall to encourage young people to take action against bullying, a serious issue and all too common experience for teens in today's world. Beginning September 1, this campaign calls for young people to sign up on www.stepuptobullying.org or via text message (text STEPUP to 38383) to share tangible steps they want to take to combat bullying.
More than 160,000 kids stay home from school each day to avoid being bullied, but intervening can make a difference. Studies show when bystanders witness bullying and get involved, the bullying stops more than half the time (and usually within about 10 seconds). DoSomething.org and the Popcorn, Indiana team hope to create a network of "upstanders," across the country who witness bullying and intervene, sparking others to act.
Teens who participate by creating an "upstander" profile on the campaign website will receive customized footprint decals to show the steps they took to stop bullying in their schools and communities. The footprints can be placed anywhere – sidewalks, driveways, hallways, stairwells, and beyond! Young people are encouraged to post photos of their footprints on a DoSomething.org/Popcorn, Indiana microsite gallery page to accompany their personal stories of encouragement and support.
"We are thrilled to be the force teaming up with DoSomething.org on their anti-bullying campaign this back-to-school season," said Hitesh Hajarnavis, Popcorn, Indiana's CEO. "At Popcorn, Indiana we embrace our differences, and want to make sure teens can as well without being thrown off track by bullies."
"While I confess that my instinct is to punch a bully in the nose, I think this red footprint idea is much more effective," says CEO and Chief Old Person Nancy Lublin. "Instead we're bringing bullying out of the shadows, making people think about it locally."
To learn more, go to stepuptobullying.org.
About DoSomething.org
DoSomething.org is one of the largest organizations in the US that helps young people rock causes they care about. A driving force in creating a culture of volunteerism, DoSomething.org is on track to activate two million young people in 2011. By leveraging the web, television, mobile, and pop culture, DoSomething.org inspires, empowers and celebrates a generation of doers: teenagers who recognize the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action. Plug in at www.DoSomething.org.
About Popcorn, Indiana:
Popcorn, Indiana LLC cooks up perfect gourmet snacks under the company's Popcorn, Indiana brand that span the taste spectrum: crispy, crunchy, salty and sweet, and sometimes decadent and spicy. Popcorn, Indiana's classic, handcrafted popcorn and Kettlecorn have reinvented the category by using 100% natural ingredients and outrageously delicious flavors. Popcorn, Indiana popcorn offers freshness and flavor that can't be duplicated in the microwave oven, and contains zero trans fat. They are gluten-free, made from non-GMO corn, and contain whole grains. Their new Chip'ins offer everything they know about making healthier, all-natural, super-delicious, air-popped snacks in an easy-to-handle chip. Popcorn, Indiana products are sold in over 50,000 doors throughout the US, including grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, drug stores and a host of other outlets. Popcorn, Indiana brand products are currently available at select Bed Bath & Beyond, BJ's, Costco, CVS, Duane Reade, Jamba Juice, Rite Aid, Sam's Club, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, and many other leading retailers. Please visit us at www.popcornindiana.com.
SOURCE DoSomething.org


VCU Health is becoming its own landlord on the Northside after buying a building just off Chamberlayne Avenue from the Robins Foundation.
A March Madness breakdown of the business side of VCU Athletics since its bracket-busting run to the Final Four in 2011.
While it continues to work on numerous downtown projects, VCU Health also has eyes for New Kent County.


Join us for CRCSD Community Coffees at NewBo City Market.
This week we are celebrating National School Lunch Week at CRCSD, where we provide students with nutritious lunch menu options to fuel the body and mind! In celebration the Food & Nutrition Department has launched a photo submission challenge district wide. Read More for details.
22nd annual America Reads: Reading is Contagious literacy celebration. The program is designed to shine a spotlight on the importance of reading to young children to improve literacy and demonstrate the joy of reading through collective citizen involvement.


The new Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 007 Limited Edition has been released! The new Skyfall Seamaster is released to commemorate the new 007 film starting Daniel Craig due out fall 2012. This new Planet Ocean features the smaller 42mm case, a Ceramic Dive Bezel, Textured Dial with 007 logo on the 7 o'clock index. The watch also features Omega's new Co-Axial calibre 8507 which has a Si14 Silicone Balance Spring and a 4-year warranty to boot.


text:
Youth health risk behavior: effects of early sexual debut on HIV incidence among Rwandan youth
Roseline Dzekem Dine, Oluwaseun Adebayo Bamodu, Joseph Ntaganira
Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital
Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), currently over three in ten of all new HIV cases globally occur among youth aged 15 to 25 years. It is increasingly suggested that health risk behavior among the youth contributes to this rising HIV incidence among Rwandan youth; however, these suggestions are unsubstantiated by documented evidence. Objective: In this study, we investigated youth health risk behavior and their likely influence on HIV incidence. We also explored the hypothesis that limiting early sexual debut contributes to minimizing HIV incidence among Rwandan youth, consequently facilitating achievement of the global agenda for health and sustainable development to end HIV/AIDS ambition by the year 2030. Methods: The Rwanda Demographic Health Survey 2014–15 was used for this study. Youth who met the eligibility criteria were 1528. Descriptive statistic was performed in percentages and proportion. Bi-variate and multivariate logistic regressions were used with 95% confidence interval and statistical significance determined at p < 0.05. Adjusted odds ratio was used to calculate population attributable fraction (PAF) for age of sexual debut. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA v13.0. Results: Of all study participants, 2.6% (n = 40) were HIV positive. Multiple logistic regression showed that youth who practice earlier sexual debut at ages 15–17 had higher odds of being infected with HIV, compared to the reference population, albeit statistically non-significant (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.74–2.75, p = 0.287). PAF results demonstrate that approximately 2% of HIV infection could be avoided if the age of sexual debut was older than the national mean age of 17 years among the Rwandan youth. Conclusion: Risky sexual behavior remains a major healthcare challenge among the youth in Rwanda with a female sex preponderance. The present study established an association between these health risk behaviors and incidence of HIV among Rwandan youth, and also determined that the rising incidence of HIV among youth in Rwanda could be attenuated if prudent familial interventions, including parental involvement in the reproductive lives of youth, and evidence-based governmental healthcare policies are initiated and effectively executed.
Journal of Public Health (Germany)
Early sexual debut
Health risk behavior
Dive into the research topics of 'Youth health risk behavior: effects of early sexual debut on HIV incidence among Rwandan youth'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
incidence Social Sciences 62%
Incidence Medicine & Life Sciences 35%
Rwanda Medicine & Life Sciences 26%
Dine, R. D., Bamodu, O. A., & Ntaganira, J. (Accepted/In press). Youth health risk behavior: effects of early sexual debut on HIV incidence among Rwandan youth. Journal of Public Health (Germany). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-021-01617-8
Youth health risk behavior : effects of early sexual debut on HIV incidence among Rwandan youth. / Dine, Roseline Dzekem; Bamodu, Oluwaseun Adebayo; Ntaganira, Joseph.
In: Journal of Public Health (Germany), 2021.
Dine, RD, Bamodu, OA & Ntaganira, J 2021, 'Youth health risk behavior: effects of early sexual debut on HIV incidence among Rwandan youth', Journal of Public Health (Germany). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-021-01617-8
Dine RD, Bamodu OA, Ntaganira J. Youth health risk behavior: effects of early sexual debut on HIV incidence among Rwandan youth. Journal of Public Health (Germany). 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-021-01617-8
Dine, Roseline Dzekem ; Bamodu, Oluwaseun Adebayo ; Ntaganira, Joseph. / Youth health risk behavior : effects of early sexual debut on HIV incidence among Rwandan youth. In: Journal of Public Health (Germany). 2021.
@article{8645712b3d664549a5430b8772e0c403,
title = "Youth health risk behavior: effects of early sexual debut on HIV incidence among Rwandan youth",
abstract = "Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), currently over three in ten of all new HIV cases globally occur among youth aged 15 to 25 years. It is increasingly suggested that health risk behavior among the youth contributes to this rising HIV incidence among Rwandan youth; however, these suggestions are unsubstantiated by documented evidence. Objective: In this study, we investigated youth health risk behavior and their likely influence on HIV incidence. We also explored the hypothesis that limiting early sexual debut contributes to minimizing HIV incidence among Rwandan youth, consequently facilitating achievement of the global agenda for health and sustainable development to end HIV/AIDS ambition by the year 2030. Methods: The Rwanda Demographic Health Survey 2014–15 was used for this study. Youth who met the eligibility criteria were 1528. Descriptive statistic was performed in percentages and proportion. Bi-variate and multivariate logistic regressions were used with 95% confidence interval and statistical significance determined at p < 0.05. Adjusted odds ratio was used to calculate population attributable fraction (PAF) for age of sexual debut. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA v13.0. Results: Of all study participants, 2.6% (n = 40) were HIV positive. Multiple logistic regression showed that youth who practice earlier sexual debut at ages 15–17 had higher odds of being infected with HIV, compared to the reference population, albeit statistically non-significant (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.74–2.75, p = 0.287). PAF results demonstrate that approximately 2% of HIV infection could be avoided if the age of sexual debut was older than the national mean age of 17 years among the Rwandan youth. Conclusion: Risky sexual behavior remains a major healthcare challenge among the youth in Rwanda with a female sex preponderance. The present study established an association between these health risk behaviors and incidence of HIV among Rwandan youth, and also determined that the rising incidence of HIV among youth in Rwanda could be attenuated if prudent familial interventions, including parental involvement in the reproductive lives of youth, and evidence-based governmental healthcare policies are initiated and effectively executed.",
keywords = "Early sexual debut, Health risk behavior, HIV infection, Rwanda, Youth",
author = "Dine, {Roseline Dzekem} and Bamodu, {Oluwaseun Adebayo} and Joseph Ntaganira",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.",
journal = "Zeitschrift fur Gesundheitswissenschaften",
T1 - Youth health risk behavior
T2 - effects of early sexual debut on HIV incidence among Rwandan youth
AU - Dine, Roseline Dzekem
AU - Bamodu, Oluwaseun Adebayo
AU - Ntaganira, Joseph
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
N2 - Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), currently over three in ten of all new HIV cases globally occur among youth aged 15 to 25 years. It is increasingly suggested that health risk behavior among the youth contributes to this rising HIV incidence among Rwandan youth; however, these suggestions are unsubstantiated by documented evidence. Objective: In this study, we investigated youth health risk behavior and their likely influence on HIV incidence. We also explored the hypothesis that limiting early sexual debut contributes to minimizing HIV incidence among Rwandan youth, consequently facilitating achievement of the global agenda for health and sustainable development to end HIV/AIDS ambition by the year 2030. Methods: The Rwanda Demographic Health Survey 2014–15 was used for this study. Youth who met the eligibility criteria were 1528. Descriptive statistic was performed in percentages and proportion. Bi-variate and multivariate logistic regressions were used with 95% confidence interval and statistical significance determined at p < 0.05. Adjusted odds ratio was used to calculate population attributable fraction (PAF) for age of sexual debut. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA v13.0. Results: Of all study participants, 2.6% (n = 40) were HIV positive. Multiple logistic regression showed that youth who practice earlier sexual debut at ages 15–17 had higher odds of being infected with HIV, compared to the reference population, albeit statistically non-significant (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.74–2.75, p = 0.287). PAF results demonstrate that approximately 2% of HIV infection could be avoided if the age of sexual debut was older than the national mean age of 17 years among the Rwandan youth. Conclusion: Risky sexual behavior remains a major healthcare challenge among the youth in Rwanda with a female sex preponderance. The present study established an association between these health risk behaviors and incidence of HIV among Rwandan youth, and also determined that the rising incidence of HIV among youth in Rwanda could be attenuated if prudent familial interventions, including parental involvement in the reproductive lives of youth, and evidence-based governmental healthcare policies are initiated and effectively executed.
AB - Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), currently over three in ten of all new HIV cases globally occur among youth aged 15 to 25 years. It is increasingly suggested that health risk behavior among the youth contributes to this rising HIV incidence among Rwandan youth; however, these suggestions are unsubstantiated by documented evidence. Objective: In this study, we investigated youth health risk behavior and their likely influence on HIV incidence. We also explored the hypothesis that limiting early sexual debut contributes to minimizing HIV incidence among Rwandan youth, consequently facilitating achievement of the global agenda for health and sustainable development to end HIV/AIDS ambition by the year 2030. Methods: The Rwanda Demographic Health Survey 2014–15 was used for this study. Youth who met the eligibility criteria were 1528. Descriptive statistic was performed in percentages and proportion. Bi-variate and multivariate logistic regressions were used with 95% confidence interval and statistical significance determined at p < 0.05. Adjusted odds ratio was used to calculate population attributable fraction (PAF) for age of sexual debut. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA v13.0. Results: Of all study participants, 2.6% (n = 40) were HIV positive. Multiple logistic regression showed that youth who practice earlier sexual debut at ages 15–17 had higher odds of being infected with HIV, compared to the reference population, albeit statistically non-significant (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.74–2.75, p = 0.287). PAF results demonstrate that approximately 2% of HIV infection could be avoided if the age of sexual debut was older than the national mean age of 17 years among the Rwandan youth. Conclusion: Risky sexual behavior remains a major healthcare challenge among the youth in Rwanda with a female sex preponderance. The present study established an association between these health risk behaviors and incidence of HIV among Rwandan youth, and also determined that the rising incidence of HIV among youth in Rwanda could be attenuated if prudent familial interventions, including parental involvement in the reproductive lives of youth, and evidence-based governmental healthcare policies are initiated and effectively executed.
KW - Early sexual debut
KW - Health risk behavior
KW - HIV infection
KW - Rwanda
KW - Youth
JO - Zeitschrift fur Gesundheitswissenschaften
JF - Zeitschrift fur Gesundheitswissenschaften


How long could your record with the easyTRX3?
The easyTRX3 has a non removeable integrated SD card.
All received AIS targets and the own position is saved.
By USB you can read-out the SD card.
To do that, please first connect the unit with the programming tool and activate that mode.
Please note that within that time, there is no recording of AIS targets and own position.
For more details please have a look into the manual or follow the instructions within the programming tool.
We are using a 4 or 8 GB micro SD card.
With an AIS traffic of e.g. 20% you can safe up to 2 or 4 months.
On an AIS traffic with 20%: 20% x 75 slots/sec = 15 Messages per sec.
Each message has 50 characters -> 15 x 50 = 750 characters.


Have you started to become aware of things you never thought about before? Like how history is rewritten, the controlling elite, how we are manipulated through media, society, politics and religion? Then this new trilogy is for you!
It's about a girl named Eve, who has no idea she's the oldest soul on earth, with a pre-wired connection to every other soul on the planet and that the boy she's mysteriously drawn to, named Roman, has been her soul mate, her love of nearly three hundred lifetimes—until he tells her.
I was nine when my grandfather said to me, "Eve, if you've worked the question and come to your answer, the only way to be sure you're correct is if the answer leads to at least two more questions." One day soon, he said, I would start to search for questions more than answers. That "people like me" always did. It was at that moment when I realized I wanted my grandfather to live forever. Looking back, it was at this precise moment that I believe he began to die.
Now, eight years later, we're both in heaven; only it looks a lot like Rugby, North Dakota, 58268. Total land area, a magnificent one point nine square miles. Elevation, a wonderful one thousand, five hundred, and forty-nine feet above sea level. Population, two thousand, eight hundred, and seventy-six small-town souls, plus the future resident thriving inside the pregnant woman I see from time to time at Higgins Market. I can tell by the way she tilts her head and smiles with her eyes across the produce that she's curious, and a little worried frankly, to see such a young girl seems to do the household shopping; best guess she thinks I'm about twelve. My seventeen-year-old body is stubbornly slight. My flat chest and sharp hipbones ruthless evidence of a currently square shape. Only as developed as it absolutely must be for today and not an ounce more. I try not to let it bother me.
I stay focused on positive things, like Rugby, which happens to be the geographic center of North America. If you dropped a pin from the edge of the atmosphere down to the exact middle of the combined area of Canada, Mexico and the United States, it would land right in the center of Rugby. People around here, those over forty anyway, tend to be obsessed with this fact and I admit I share their enthusiasm, while kids my age think it's nothing more than a sarcastic punch line that sums up everything they find lacking in Rugby's remote and rural life. We may not have a stoplight and we may have to drive an hour to the nearest movie theater, but hey, they joke, at least we're the geographic center of North America.
I couldn't agree more. But then again, I invent alternative computer languages for kicks. I enjoy tinkering with unsolved mathematical theorems and have an unhealthy fixation on a nineteenth-century poet … I began to suspect a long time ago that I was different from the other kids.
It should come as no surprise that I was elated to discover the monument, the one that rises out of the ground at the miraculous spot at which this geographic center point exists. A fifteen-foot-tall stone obelisk, congratulating ourselves on this "achievement," under which I always seem to find myself sitting, well-worn copy of the complete works of Lord Byron in hand, to bask in the cozy idea that I am in all directions as far from an ocean as North Americanly possible. If I close my eyes and sit there long enough I start to feel like I can see for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of miles, in front of me, behind me and on both sides. I see nothing but the sure footing of solid land and I feel safe, even if it's just in my mind.
I've never been a fan of oceans. Maybe that's why Rugby suits me. I've lived everywhere and anywhere you can imagine; on every continent, and in every corner of the globe, yet I'm somehow certain that this tiny place has been patiently waiting for me. In fact, on a frigid night last February, less than twelve hours after my grandfather, Cian (key-in), and my brother, Shamus, and I first arrived in Rugby, snow whipping across the rugged plains, I said without thinking, "I'm staying here." I say, "without thinking," because Cian has been known to take certain things that come out of my mouth a bit too seriously. Sometimes it's hard to tell if we're just chatting or if I'm making an unintentionally binding declaration, but since we've never lived in one place as long as we've lived here, I suspect this time it was the latter.
town people who take pride in silly things.
begin school for the first time in my life, eleventh grade, and not that I expect his enthusiasm—I don't—but consciousness would be appreciated.
We both know things are changing and in our own ways we're both scared. Too bad we don't have each other to lean on.
"Shamus," I say into his room from the safety of the doorway and can't help but wonder what it would be like if he were a good brother. A different person.
"I heard you!" he roars through clenched teeth from somewhere deep inside the mess of bedding he's tangled in, his irritation teetering on rage, and I flinch at the pillow he flings at me. It falls a bit shorter than usual this time, at least a good yard from my feet, on top of a pair of jeans. There is not a clear spot of carpet in his room, every inch littered with the debris of laziness and drunken abandon.
"Please, Shamus. Ten minutes," I say in a firm tone but somehow sound like I'm begging. I'll be late. I already know this.
As his lanky frame rolls over, his swollen eyes strain to open. If I leave now he won't get up and I won't get to school. I wait, preparing to hold my ground; uncertain whether he's going to jump up and lunge at me, feigning the threat of bodily harm, or scream something disgusting or hurtful. I pray for the cruel words. I'm not worried about my feelings; my mind is a fortress Shamus can't infiltrate but my body is small. Vulnerable.
For more than a minute nothing happens. It's excruciating. I know I can't say anything more until he speaks first or he'll be completely lost to his wrath so I concentrate on matching the inhale of my breath with the exhale; the length, the depth, the rhythm. But as the next minute of quiet stillness passes I grow increasingly uneasy, like how seeing the clouds gather and sky turn green sounds the alarm in your brain, telling every cell in your body that a tornado is about to descend.
His eyes finally focus in my direction. They instantly radiate with malice. I concluded a few years ago that the hatred he feels toward me is etched in his DNA. There's no other way to rationalize the unprovoked wildfire inside him that my mere presence stokes with oxygen. He snarls at me like a lion bearing his teeth and my pulse quickens. I change my stance, turning my back leg outward, shifting my weight in case I need to break into a sprint.
He begins shaking his head. Then he does something disturbing. Something I've seen many times before. He smiles. Wide-eyed, like a certified lunatic. Then his maniacal smile breaks into an unsettling laugh, wild and hearty, a hyena now. His cackling mirth is devouring any shred of sanity in him, and it's not for show. I know what that looks like. This laughter is real. Each time he does this a certain Byron quote cycles through my mind: Nothing can confound a wise man more than laughter from a dunce. Then, per usual, just as abruptly as his uncontrollable fit started, it stops, and his face and eyes turn dead. It's the kind of dead you can't fake, and it always reminds me that he's not a dunce; he's a depressed and sociopathic mental patient. All he's missing is the hospital.
"You actually want to do this," he says, his body now listless as a sloth. I let down my guard; he's too tired to hurt me.
"Yes," is all I can manage, adrenaline vacating every cell at once. Yes, I want to do this. I want to go to school. To be an average girl who lives in one place, goes to high school and has friends. Is that so difficult to imagine? Is it so hard for Shamus to understand? That as it turns out, I didn't know what wanting something really was until the idea of going to school occurred to me. Until the thought sprang into my mind in mid-July, a sudden flash flood, a bucket of cold water in the face. And I've thought of almost nothing else since.
This is pretty much how I operate. I would assume that by now my brother would know that. Shamus, of all the repressed and unhappy people, should be able to comprehend a desire for things to be different. But as he rolls back over to face the wall grumbling something under his breath, I remember that my brother lacks all rationality, he isn't a reasonable person. Sometimes I think that his whole purpose in life is to provide obstacles for me, points of impasse, without any route to resolution. An audible exhale at his disconnected state concludes my protest. What else can I do? Then, as if he's making an announcement for the entire world to hear, his words building like a storm: "There's something wrong with you, Eve." His menacing voice, projecting off the walls, like thunder through a canyon, sends a chill down my spine.
Hunger, or maybe dread, drags me into the kitchen against my will, breaking my momentum with Shamus, ensuring several more minutes of delay. Food is a bother, a constant nag. I gulp cold, unfiltered cider from the large glass jug until my stomach begins to hush, then smear butter on a slice of soft white bread and eat as I pack two apples and another slice of bread in a sack and glide quietly to my grandfather's bedroom door.
The wooden door is a knotted, unstained pine, the knob is black, plain and unpolished. I think of knocking, but don't. I think of my grandfather and how, to the world, he appears … just elderly … fragile and weak. They never look at him long enough to notice that his cheeks are pink with life. They disregard the old man shuffling around the neighborhood and never learn that his hands are as strong as those of a man in his prime. They certainly don't take the time to look into his eyes, which are as clear and lucid as my own. Of course, for his part, it doesn't help matters that his clothes look about a century old, and that something in his quietness makes him seem distinctly unapproachable.
Fragile and weak, senile, frail … irrelevant … I almost have to laugh. Only Shamus and I know the truth, that Cian is as far from senile as humanly possible. And weak? In their wildest dreams they couldn't imagine the ferocity of his strength, and if people knew, I don't think they'd like it. Humanity isn't crazy about the truth, Cian teaches me whenever the lesson applies, even if deep down, it's what they want.
The truth is that the man, who goes practically unseen, is the answer to the question that humanity has asked since the beginning of time: when bad things happen, is it part of some mysterious plan or is chaos to blame?
Both. The answer is both. But only the waker can correct what chaos disrupts.
Our grandfather is the waker. Modern humanity has never known they had one, and has never known a time without one. I marvel, daily, at the irony of it. Death, the one thing man cannot conquer. My ancient grandfather, seemingly useless to society, is in fact the most vital man on the planet.
No one on earth is more pivotal, more powerful.
But he is aging, rapidly, and one day soon he will die. Everyday, I see him dying more and more before my eyes. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't terrified. What happens when he dies? "No," I tell myself, shaking the thought from my mind and enter his room without knocking.
The room is so small, seems to be getting smaller. In one corner, his bed with the soft blue cotton cover sits neatly made. It's the size of beds used some time ago, smaller than a twin, like children's furniture of today. It's "what he prefers." Though I've never seen him in it. Beside the bed is his night table, a wooden relic of undisclosed origin, the ornately engraved door on the front, locked, a key for which I have never seen. I've repeatedly asked where it's from, and when. How he got it and from whom and what on earth is inside? But his answer is always the same: a smile.
The room appears empty but as I turn I know my grandfather is behind me and I know I will see that smile. I haven't yet figured it out, but before I can wonder at its power, his smile whisks me away, like it always does. My anxious energy melts. The tiny room melts. Life and earth melt. It's just my grandfather and me and for the moment we're standing in a vast desert. It's sweeping with silence and vacant as space, bathed in burned yellow light and soothing as a hundred thousand sunrises. I wonder if my eyes are open or closed back in the tiny bedroom in the modest white house on East Gate Drive as I marvel at the endless golden dunes surrounding us. I look down at my bare feet in the powdery amber sand.
There's something wrong with you, Eve. I watch, as the words Shamus said to me are pushed into the cloudless sky above, each word dissolving as it rises, like an ecosystem ridding itself of a poisonous gas.
"Promise me something, Eve," Cian asks, his voice strong and tender. He takes my small hands, cradling them in his larger ones.
"Anything," I say, and now we're standing in the middle of his room, space and time unbroken. We're back, or maybe we never left. The sky and the dunes are gone. But so are Shamus's words, once they dissolve they're gone forever. Now all I can think about are my grandfather's hands, and wonder why they've always been so comforting to me. When I was younger I used to imagine I could curl up in them, as if I was the size of an apple, and just rest there for as long as I wanted. Right now his hands are warm and I detect the subtle tremor that's recently taken up residence in him. I know, as always, he's been out walking since well before dawn but lately his aging body is struggling to keep up with his inexhaustible mind and indestructible spirit. In the silence I wonder what he wants me to promise. Stay true to myself? Work as hard at school as I have worked learning with him?
"You won't be an island any more," he asks, combing a wisp of hair away from my eyes and I feel a bittersweet mix of sadness and anticipation. He'd taken to calling me "a happy little island" for the way I thrived despite our isolated life. The way I even loved it. It's all I've known.
"One more thing. Please, find some trouble, and get into it. It's okay to be a little reckless," he says, odd advice to give a teenager on her first day of high school. But I can tell that he means it. This is the same simple tone he uses when he teaches me anything for the first time. We are eye to eye, his are the same bright emerald as mine but they shimmer, almost transcendentally, like silver moonlight reflecting onto a pair of secret gem-green coves. Our height is precisely identical at this moment, which gives me a thrill.
any answer to this question. My asking the question is the answer. I'm only comforted by the fact that for now, at least, he still has work to do.
He hugs me tight, the same way he always does. My grandfather is needed—by whom, only he knows, and so he goes, my brother always his one companion, his heir apparent I fear. I've learned to understand the process. I've studied it since I can remember, never talking about it to a single soul. But like I said, things are changing.


New Natrel specialty butters coming on November 10!
Lactose-free butter and organic butter with sea salt in a 250g package will be available soon in Quebec and Ontario. Lactose-free butter will also be sold in the Atlantic provinces.
The first lactose-free butter on the market plus organic butter with a creamy texture and delicious taste.
Your recipes will taste better than ever!


text:
Q: How to mock (??) a method called within a feature spec in Capybara/Rspec All the guides to mocking (stubbing/whatever) in Rspec that I can find seem to be written for unit tests.
I have feature tests in Capybara/Rspec that look like this:
  visit page
  click button
  page should contain a png

This triggers actions in my controller that look like this:
  load parameters
  Worker.queue_a_lengthy_task_that_generates_a_png
  load page

I don't want to skip the lengthy task, but I don't want to run it either in the integration test. (I'll run it separately in a unit test.)
How can I ensure, in this example, that Worker.queue_a_lengthy_task_that_generates_a_png returns a Base64-encoding one-pixel PNG, so my integration tests don't take forever?
Sorry if this has been asked before but all the methods I have found seem to written for unit tests not feature specs.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
SHOW REVIEW: Freelance Whales/Miniature Tigers @ The Troubadour 11/18/2010
Blog Director
*Slightly humorous Troubadour slipup*
Last night at the Miniature Tigers/ Freelance Whales show at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, I learned three very important things. 1) I want to marry a dapper, adorable indie rocker; 2) It is indeed possible to die of happiness (and I can say that from experience, since I died of happiness at least 5 times last night); And 3) There's nothing quite like the magic of an intimate underground concert. While I've been to my fair share of amazing concerts over the years, last night's show might take the cake as the best one yet.
Let me start off my review of the show by saying that I'm maybe the biggest fan of Miniature Tigers ever. And by maybe, I mean that I definitely am. They got their start in my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona, and I've been following them since the early days when they were playing in small venues near my house. Road trips in my family undoubtedly include their first album Tell It to the Volcano, and I'm constantly walking around the 5Cs shaking my booty to their sassy tunes. Basically, I'm in love.
After making the long trek into LA during rush hour, we finally arrived at the Troubadour, which hilariously boasted on its sign that "Freelance Whales and Miniature Whales" would be playing that evening. Outside of the venue, we hopped in line and managed to secure a spot right at the front of the queue. After a long hour of waiting, the bouncer finally allowed us to enter the club, and my friend and I got a spot right at the front of the stage. I was literally so close that I could've reached up and touched the musicians. It was amazing. As we waited for Miniature Tigers to make their way onto the stage, I glanced nonchalantly over my shoulder, only to see CHARLIE BRAND—lead singer of Miniature Tigers and my musical idol—waiting suavely by the bar. After a few minutes of "Oh my God, should I talk to him? I mean, he's right there. But I don't want to bother him. Ahhh!" I finally worked up the courage to approach him. Shyly making my way through the crowd, I walked up to him and said hello. While I had been unbelievably scared to talk to him, he was—not surprisingly—incredibly nice and friendly. We spent a few minutes casually chatting about music, past Miniature Tigers concerts, and Phoenix. Then, feeling more comfortable, I asked him if he would sign my ticket and . . . wait for it . . . he did! I walked away floating on cloud nine and returned to my place at the front of the stage.
Finally coming on stage, the band kicked off their set with one of my favorite songs off their new album, F O R T R E S S, entitled "Tropical Birds," an upbeat danceable melody with irresistible "ooh ooh's" and a beat that makes you want to shake yo' thang like it's nobody's business. The band played some other great numbers off of F O R T R E S S, including the mystical song, "Coyote Enchantment," and the instant crowd pleaser, "Rock N' Roll Mountain Troll." They also took down the lights, creating a super amazing and mellow ambiance, and played my favorite track off their new album, "Dark Tower." I thought just then that the night couldn't get any better: I had met Charlie Brand, I was standing less than a foot away from him at the front of the stage, and I was in one of the best cities in the U.S. hearing my favorite musicians play an incredible set. But then it got better.
After a brief lull in the set, I heard the unmistakable, catchy synthesizer beats of F O R T R E S S's single, "Gold Skull," produced by Chris Chu of the Morning Benders. My feet already a'tappin' like Gene Kelly, I was preparing whip out some sassy dance moves when all of the sudden, something amazing caught my eye. And by something, I mean the sight of Charlie Brand stepping off stage in order to belt out the song from down on the floor with the audience. Moving around the floor singing, Charlie had impromptu dance parties with various adoring fans, causing even the most cool-conscious hipsters to wiggle their feet with excitement. As he made his way over to where I was dancing, my stomach filled with butterflies. And then, the most incredible event of all time happened. Right as the chorus of the song was beginning, Charlie thrust the microphone toward me, letting me belt out the lyrics! Somehow I managed to form words and sang the song at the top of my lungs. To say the least, it was definitely one of the most incredible moments of my life.
The rest of the set was equally amazing. The band played a fairly even mix of songs off of both their albums, including classics such as "Cannibal Queen" and "Dino Damage." While the crowd was initially a bit stiff, they soon gave in to the infectious beats; by the time Miniature Tigers played their last song, even the most serious audience members were feeling the groove. To say the least, it was an incredible show, as always.
About 45 minutes later, Freelance Whales took the stage, causing the audience to erupt into anticipatory cheers. Composed of irresistibly cute (and alarmingly stylish!) male musicians, as well as the most amazing female musician who I spent the whole set looking at and thinking, "Can I please be as cool as she is when I grow up?" the band modestly took the stage, seeming excited, nervous, and incredibly honored to be playing for a sold-out crowd. The energy in the room was palpable, and the show certainly didn't disappoint.
The band laid down an absolutely phenomenal set, playing all of my favorite songs off of their new album Weathervanes. The song "Hannah" was met by an eruption of joyous shouts, and by the chorus, every person in the audience was belting out the lyrics at the top of their lungs. Songs like "Generator ^ First Floor" and "Location" were met with equal levels of excitement, inciting foot-tapping, swaying, and a strong urge to sing along within most people in the crowd. Unlike most concerts, I can't think of a single bad song in the set—it was simply amazing.
Interestingly, one of the band members, Chuck Criss, is the brother of Darren Criss, the newest addition to the cast of the hit series Glee who is best known for his rendition of "Teenage Dream" on a recent episode of the show. To the amazement of the adoring crowd, Darren made a surprise appearance and played the mandolin on stage while singing to some of the band's biggest hits. It was definitely a treat.
Overall, I was extremely impressed by the band's overarching talent. Each band member seemed to play an infinite number of instruments, weaving together intricate vocal harmonies all at the same time. But what was truly a delight for me was to experience the palpable joy in the room, coming from both the band members and the audience alike. There is nothing quite like watching a group of people doing something that they clearly love with all their hearts, a sight that I can only describe as magical and profoundly moving. Looking back, last night's concert was possibly one of the best nights of my life, and every time that I think of it, I can't stop my lips from curling into a huge smile. While I may be biased, there is something truly special about underground music—this concert, to be sure, proved that for me once and for all.
Reviewed by Edie Adams
Photos by Melissa Grace Klose
previous post: Event Preview: Cinefamma Pajama Party III: Labyrinth shown w/Return To Oz + KSPC's DJ Dia spinning!
next post: SHOW REVIEW: Nora And The Brights / Ryan Wieghard And The Abstract Truth @ The Motley 11/12/2019


text:
Rhyacophila mayaensis är en nattsländeart som beskrevs av Kobayashi 1973. Rhyacophila mayaensis ingår i släktet Rhyacophila och familjen rovnattsländor. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Rovnattsländor
mayaensis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Home K.D. Joshi, Ph.D. MBA Program Faculty Popups K.D. Joshi, Ph.D.
K.D. Joshi is a professor in the WSU Carson College of Busines' Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship. She received her Master of Science in engineering from the University of Michigan and her Ph.D. in business administration (decision science and information systems) from the University of Kentucky. Joshi's research interests focus on knowledge management, innovation, and information technology (IT) workforce issues.
Her research on knowledge management is cited over 1,000 times, and she has received multiple research grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). She is also a co-principal investigator on the Institutional Transformation Grant, which WSU received from the NSF. Her research examines several issues including understanding knowledge sharing and transfer within groups and firms, and the recruitment, retention and advancement of an IT workforce.
Joshi has taught the Ph.D. Seminar as well as MBA and undergraduate courses on topics including IT strategy, business intelligence, web application, development and object-oriented programming. She has won multiple teaching innovation grants and is currently writing a book on business intelligence. Her engineering and business education backgrounds allow her to design and deliver technology-related courses which have a unique blend of both technical and managerial focus.


text:
Overlooking one of Toronto's most renowned and beautiful parks can be a dream come true for many homeowners. Offering both a quick subway ride to the downtown core and the serene nature of the park and surrounding areas, it's no wonder High Park is such a popular choice for people looking to live in the west end of Toronto and often referred to as an 'urban oasis'.
In this guide you will find:
Recently Listed Properties
Recently Bought Properties
Happy High Park Clients
History of the High Park
92 Indian Road
West Toronto - High Park
Dream your own dream in High Park. Move-in ready as a perfectly proportioned duplex, could easily turn into a triplex or could be a glorious castle of a single family home.
This year there has been a year of clarifying values for many. Be close to the ones you love! Two siblings, two friends, two families, or two generations could buy this GRAND purpose-built duplex together and have as much space as they'd have in two semi-detached houses combined. (Way more affordable and much better value than 2 semis in such a great location!) You could even finish the basement and have another suite (or 2) to work with.
You could also convert it to a single-family home! Have you been looking forever for a home to make all your own? This is a great opportunity - set on a huge lot. It has been renovated, super solidly built with great bones to start with plus exceptional mechanicals and of course, is located on an iconic street in one of the best neighbourhoods in the city!
1990 Bloor Street West #906
Chic & Spacious 2 Bedroom Plus Den Across From Beautiful High Park!
421 Glenlake Avenue
421 Glenlake Avenue is a gorgeous renovated 2.5-storey family home in the heart of High Park with extensive high-end finishings and spectacular views from all windows.
227 Grenadier Road
Fabulous Investment Property in Prime High Park / Roncesvalles!
227 Grenadier Road is a grand, 4 unit detached 2.5 storey Edwardian style residence on an extra large 30 foot wide south facing lot with garage in a superb location of Roncesvalles/High Park.
100 Quebec Ave #1101
100 Quebec Avenue #1101 is a 1250 square feet 3 bedroom condo with stunning views in the heart of High Park!
186 Indian Road
186 Indian Road offers a warm and welcoming family home at its finest in High Park/Roncesvalles, one of the best locations in Toronto!
20 Southport St 516
229 Grenadier Rd
70 High Park Ave 1709
4 Mayfield Ave
15 Windermere Ave 2103
45 Southport St 1602
Some of the High Park Happy Clients - this could be you!
JKT helps Allison sell her home and win a bidding war!
Maren and Terry Thrilled to have successfully sold their Roncesvalles / High Park Home with The JKT
Colleen sold with the team and shares her thoughts about The JKT
Julia & Marty Sold Condo and Bought a New Home
Bob & Susie Guided by The JKT
Bree & Trevor and family loving High Park00:29
Shelley & Aiden's happy story!00:48
Harry and Melissa Love their High Park House01:52
Jodi & Ben family moved to Toronto from Europe with help from The Julie Kinnear Team00:43
Jen K finds her perfect condo in High Park - interesting story she shares!00:29
Claudio and Marcela enjoyed a seamless experience with Holly & The Julie Kinnear Team
The area contains a diverse mix of housing options to rent and own. Part of the beauty of this area is that condo dwellers can also be pet owners and take in both spectacular skyline views and exercise their pooch, enjoying the park all year long. The cozy winding streets have both tall oak trees and ample access to important amenities and transit with the neighbourhood encompassed roughly by Annette Street to the north, The Queensway to the south, with the western edge bordering on Clendenan Avenue and the eastern along Keele Street.
History of The Park
The Park has two owners sharing in its history: The Howard and Ellis Family. John Howard had purchased a portion of the property today known as High Park in 1836 when it was a sheep farm for just $1,000. It was during this time that Howard both designed and built Colborne Lodge as a cottage to house he and his wife Jemima. Howard was the city's surveyor and civil engineer. To this date a third of the park is left in its own natural state, boasting a rare oak savannah. In 1854, when a railway was built to the south of the estate, Howard sold a piece of land to the Hamilton and Toronto Railway company for 300 pounds. At that time a sand bar that divided Grenadier park from Lake Ontario was filled to allow for the safe building of the reals.
Grenadier Pond
Several years later, in 1873, Howard would bequeath the property to the City of Toronto as an urban park, but his gift came with several conditions. Howard and his family were to continue to live in their cottage, there was never to be alcoholic beverages served within the park, and that the city keep the park forever more, "for the free use, benefit and enjoyment of the Citizens of Toronto for ever and to be called and designated at all times thereafter High Park".
The Ellis family, whose namesake can be seen by way of the name of Ellis Avenue, owned the western section of the park, including the Grenadier Pond. The Ellis family sold the westerly portion of the park to the Chapman family who used Grenadier pond for an ice-making business called the Grenadier Ice Company from the 1880s to the 1920's. In 1930, their portion of the park, complete with Grenadier Pond was sold to the city for a sum of $150,000.
Indigenous Roots of The Park
Much like the rest of Canada, High Park has roots laying in indigenous culture. Throughout the life of the park, skeletons have been discovered dating back as far as 2,500 BC to 800 AD. The remains found through various excavation and road building in the park have been found coated in a red powdery hematite substance which has been connected to various indigenous people who once lived in Atlantic Canada and New England. Research from the Taiaiko'n Historical Preservation Society reveals there are 57 ancient indigenous burial sites within the park.
The Park Through Time
Over the years the park has been a place for people to meet and come together. The park once housed a schoolhouse (which has since become a Nature Centre and holds within it a small Zoo. In 2012, when the city voted to stop funding the zoo an organization called Friends of High Park Zoo was created. The group has successfully fundraised and obtained sponsors, including the Honey Family Foundation, to keep the zoo running for the public's enjoyment.
The park has become a meeting place for sports leagues, outdoor theatre care of Shakespeare in the Park each summer, nature camps, Instagram worthy enjoyment of the annual cherry blossom bloom, as well as a place for runners, bikers, hikers, and families to enjoy the parkland oasis within city limits.
Tourist Mick reminds those visiting the area,
Don't only go for the cherry blossoms in spring. The hillside overlooking Grenadier pond is a special spot all year round.
It's very common to run into locals experiencing the park through running groups, outdoor fitness bootcamps, and guided tours through groups like Jane's Walk, who routinely visit the High Park area.
High Park's winding tree-lined streets are lined with impressive Victorian, Edwardian, and Tudor-style homes. These captivating houses were built largely during the late 1800's and early 1900's, and some have been divided into multiple-family dwellings.
High Park's distinctive brick homes feature a variety of architectural details that vary from house to house, such as leaded and stained glass windows, lush wood trims, French doors, hardwood floors and fireplaces. A selection of condo buildings along Quebec Avenue, north of Bloor Street, include balconies, some of which feature south views that overlook High Park and Lake Ontario.
Schools & Educational Facilities
Residents of High Park have access to dozens of public, private, and specialty schools, programs and daycares supporting the needs of their families including: High Park Gardens Montessori, High Park Alternative Junior School, High Park Day School, Humberside Collegiate Institute, Howard Park Junior School, Keele Street Public School, The Student School, Western Technical-Commercial School, and Ursula Franklin Academy.
In addition to access to numerous educational institutions there are also three public libraries in the immediate area including: Toronto Public Library High Park Branch, Toronto Public Library Runnymede Branch, and Toronto Public Library Swansea Memorial Branch.
There is nothing like a good cup of coffee or tea and a pastry after a brisk walk around High Park. Luckily for people in the area there are big brand cafés like Starbucks, The Second Cup, and David's Tea, as well as smaller unique shops to enjoy your tea and croissant.
The Grenadier Café is within the park itself and is a fantastic place to put your feet up after some time in the park or enjoy one of their many breakfast specials. Amanda says,
You can't get any cheaper than $3.99 for a full breakfast (2 eggs, 3 sausages, home fries and 2 slices of toast). Coffee is about $2 (no refills unfortunately but is quite tasty.). You order at the counter, take a number, and a server brings it out to you. It has a huge patio which is great for a post workout brunch, meeting up with friends or just coming back yourself for a quick bite.
High Park offers great shopping mostly because it's so close to many walkable, or short drive away, destinations. High Park Villages Farmers' Market is located at 66 Oakmount Road and runs every Sunday from late spring to the end of September. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along Bloor Street West towards Bloor West Village to gain access to fruit markets, grocery stores, bigger box stores like Soft Moc, Shopper's Drug Mart or New Balance. Those looking for some unique shopping should head to Caleche Boutique, Trixie, and Merrygoround to get the latest in women's fashion. If you're looking for a more shopping-mall experience, you can head north to the Stockyards which is just 3KM to the north of High Park Subway Station.
Night Life & Restaurants
While the night life in High Park isn't as bustling as other areas of the city there are a few gems, to enjoy some pub fare and laughs with friends.
For a true community experience Melody recommends Mackenzie's High Park Pub saying,
We were looking for a nearby place to watch one of the Raptors' games. This is a little pub located directly across from High Park, tucked in between a few other shops. When you walk in, you immediately get that welcoming 'neighborhood' vibe. The owner/manager came and greeted us. Everyone in the bar seemed to know everyone else. The decor is sports themed and includes two dart boards. There are several TVs and a decent sound system in the bar, which makes it easy to watch the game from any spot; no awkward head turns or sore necks. There is a patio covered with a canopy. The menu is pretty extensive for the size of this pub.
Other bars to visit on the border of the park include Mugshot Tavern, and The Wicket. If you're looking for something a little different check out Cabin Fever for pinball, craft beer and cocktails in a laid-back atmosphere.
Thanks to its close proximity to the subway and The Junction, which was just voted by The Huffington Post UK as one of the 50 Coolest neighbourhoods in the world, provides easy access to night life when you want it, and a quiet place to enjoy time with your family the rest of the time.


text:
Kick-off in Hunza – Our Very Own FIFA Cup in the North 0 1746
Namra Nadeem June 14, 2018 9:25 PM June 14, 2018
The sun light flickers like glitter over the jewel blue water of the Hunza River. Rising 8,200 feet above sea level, resting peacefully under the shadows of the snow-clad peaks of the Rakaposhi – Ultar and the Golden Peak, the sweet scent of roses and lillies lingers in the air of the small town of Karimabad, the capital of Hunza. Back in 1998 a bunch of our members ventured here for the first time and landed in Karimabad. Ever since, it has been our home – or headquarters as we like to call it.
The LUMS Adventure Society (LAS) is proudly the largest student run adventure society in Pakistan. It was founded in 1998, with our first members enthusiastically bent upon discovering the treasures veiled in the mountains of Northern Pakistan. As we LASsers like to tell it: "over our 20 year legacy, LAS has been dedicated to exploring new areas and trekking on paths untrodden" Through these 20 odd years, our various expeditions have introduced us to and helped us become ever so familiar with the unrivalled hospitality of the people of the Gilgit-Baltistan region.
LAS carries out a number of activities throughout the year that involve taking trips to the northern areas. Our premier flagship event is the annual May Trip. Shortly after the LAS May Trip 2017, we lost a colleague and a very dear friend, Mr. Shafqat Hussain, or Shafqat Bhai as he generations of LASsers referred to him. The late owner of Cafe de Hunza had gone to great lengths for the development of Karimabad. After his death we realised we had lost family. Consequently, we understood the importance of celebrating family. In order to pay tribute to and celebrate the legacy of development he left behind, we organised the Shafqat Memorial Futsal Tournament during their May Trip 2018. We know that no thank you is enough for all that the people of G-B have done for us. For our vendors, porters and guides, though it might only seem a minute repayment compared to their colossal contributions, it is a way to make clear our intention – we are not a travel company, we truly are a family.
Eight teams from the regions spanning Haramosh to Shimshal were invited to come to Karimabad and play the tournament over 3 days, 26th to the 28th May. This event meant to serve as a basis to unearth talent, as well as promote healthy competition, provide exposure, and encourage growth of sports in this region.
The event kick started with an Opening Ceremony in the afternoon of the 26th of May at the Hilltop Hotel, Karimabad with a trophy unveiling. In zeal and excitement, a marching band lead all 8 teams and LAS representatives towards the football ground. The drumming of the band echoed through the town, breaking the silence of the afternoon. What was happening was never before seen in Karimabad. With each beat of the drum, a new flame of excitement was kindled amongst the inhabitants of the town. While shop keepers and residents alike peeped through their windows, curious spectators on the streets joined in the grandeur of the event. It was really happening. Months of work was coming together.
The flurry of competitive matches saw each team aiming to top their group to cement their place in the semi final. Only the hosts, Karimabad were able to confirm their semifinal spot by the end of day 1. The next day saw the standard of football rise as the teams had become accustomed to the ground and style of play. By the end of day 2, we had our 4 semifinalists in Shimshal, Gilgit, Aliabad and as confirmed in day 1, Karimabad. Day 3 begun with Aliabad and Shimshal kicking of our first semifinal. The mercurial talent on display from Aliabad proved too much for Shimshal who had no answer to the dominance of Aliabad. The latter semi-final was much more competitive with Gilgit coming from behind and nicking the game in its dying moments
To settle the tension created after these two intense matches, LAS played 2 exhibition matches. The first was against the senior team of Karimabad, and as the saying goes 'old is gold', the seniors won. The second match was against the home town of Shafqat Bhai, Hyderabad, which we managed to narrowly win by one goal. These matches too left everyone feeling a strong sense of familiarity, of importance and belonging. The true aim of the event was being fulfilled – finding unity in difference yet at the same time celebrating diversity.
Time to tend to what all the former proceedings had led up to: Gilgit vs. Aliabad, the grand finale. You could see the poise in the eyes of both teams, both fancied taking home the trophy. With the whistle, both teams begun to attack in a match that constantly kept you on the edge of your seat. After 30 minutes there was no winner, meaning both teams had to now endure the drama of penalties. With every kick the whole ground would hold its breath, followed by a deafening roar from each team. It ultimately came down to the Aliabad player who kept his composure and as soon as he the ball left his foot, the whole of Aliabad knew they were crowned Champions of the Shafqat Memorial Futsal Tournament.
It was about 5:30pm. The sun began to set behind the towering mountains, the shadow of the dying sun slowly enveloping the valley. What everyone had witnessed over the last 2 days was an event never seen before. Being involved in its preparations, us LASsers didn't stop to enjoy the moments that made this event to so great. Bringing people together, celebrating each other, tolerance, entertainment – we did it. And finally acknowledging and witnessing it was a beautiful feeling. From the players to the crowds, men, women children, shopkeepers, everyone felt involved, everyone felt important.
At the Closing Ceremony on the 28th May 2018, prizes were distributed to everyone responsible for the execution of such a grand event. We can not thank Javed Bhai of Hilltop Hotel for 20 years of support with out whom this idea may have stayed, just that, an idea. A special thank you goes to the Agha Khan Youth Foundation and Assistant Commissioner of Hunza without whose help a sporting event of this magnitude could not have been arranged.
This tournament was set to fulfil a set number of goals but it ended up doing so much more. We at LAS want to the world to know that the kind of love we get here in Hunza has been, is and will remain unmatched. And we will go to any lengths to give back to the community that has done so much for us. We are proud to have hosted this tournament and intend on continuing this tradition of celebration and show of gratitude
Previous ArticleEid 2018: Entertain Yourself with The Movies Releasing This Eid!Next ArticleOnePlus 6 – The Atom to Zeus
The FIFA Guide for Dummies: Favorites, Underdogs and More
Russian Guide to FIFA: Tips for World Cup 2018 Tourists