#Things to do in Dalhousie

[halidays]

Dalhousie - Best Travel Guide

Dalhousie is a charming hill station in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is situated on five hills, namely Balun, Bakrota, Kathlog, Potreyn, and Moti Tibba, at an average elevation of 1970 meters above sea level. Dalhousie was established by the British in 1854 as a summer retreat for their officials and troops. The town still retains its colonial charm and architecture, along with its…

[muirneach]

a thing thats really funny about googling universities is you look up ‘good [area of study] university programs’ and it just gives you like. the top rated universities in general.

[st-just]

hi I like your blog. I have a question that may be too personal so no hard feelings if you don't answer but could you talk a little bit about more about what you like/don't like about Halifax? im considering Dalhousie for grad school but have never been! and would like to have as much information about where I might spend the next 2 years of my life. thank you!

Oh sure! Though like, it depends on where you're coming from? Everything here is very relative. And also I'm absolutely certain I will forget numemrous vital things, do ask followup questions.

Most important thing is that the housing market is horrifying - the city's population started booming during COVID and the zoning and construction is only really starting to catch up now. Especially within walking distance of Dal getting a place to live at anything approaching affordable is going to be vicious. (This has unsurprisingly coincided with a large uptick in homelessness. Unremarkable to walk by a tent in a corner of some public park now).

Relatedly, the bus system is like - okay I'm not sure it's notably bad for a mid-sized-ish north american city, but it's damn sure not any better. You can get by bussing around on the peninsula, anywhere beyond 20 minute drives turn into 40-60 minute rides.

You will not have a family doctor, figure out the nearest walk-in clinic you can use for anything non-emergency.

The city's economy runs on some combination of students, tourists, sailors and soldiers. There are as many bars as you might expect (had the most per capita in the country for a while, don't know if we still do). Some of them are actually very good!

Relatedly, weed and liquor are both only legally sold by the crown corporation monopoly and a few weird specialty places.

None of them are massive, but there is a very nice amount of parkland and green space scattered throughout the city. The public (botanical) gardens are really beautiful in the spring-summer, and most are well-maintained (they just renovated and expanded the outdoor pool on the city Commons last year, even).

The waterfront has been thoroughly gentrified for the cruise ships over the course of my lifetime, but it's all still open to the public and grabbing one of the armchairs or hammocks to read in during the summer is lovely.

Provincially the government is the most thoroughly domesticated/red tory party in the country (they fairly literally ran to the left of the liberals). Full of corrupt backslapping, constantly getting into pissing matches with the municipal government, will probably govern for the next decade.

For reasons that I assume are downstream of all the students and having the closest thing to a regional theater scene east of Quebec, the whole city is IME very queer-friendly. For reasons I absolutely not understand, pride is in August here.

The public library system is basically the only part of the municipal government I think anyone involved should be unequivocally proud of, but it is great.

I don't really know the crime stats offhand but like, I left my apartment door unlocked probably 7 times in 10 through all of undergrad and it never bit me in the ass?

[tzifron]

As local markets are increasingly influenced by the pressures of a globalized system, building more homes alone is not enough. To protect the right to housing of all Canadians, experts say decision-makers should look beyond market solutions, and expand the supply of co-operative housing.

But in a country where homeownership is king, doing this is a challenge.

“We’ve had constant support and promotion of homeownership as the ideal for decades,” says Ren Thomas, an associate professor of urban planning at Dalhousie University noting that homeownership was presented in the 1930s as a means to stability, community life, and retirement security. “This ideology was created to sell a product, and people still buy into it.”

Why doesn’t Canada build co-ops anymore?

Once the target of generous federal programs, non-equity co-op housing was touted as the “third force in the housing market” in the 1970s. But despite a proven record of long-term sustainability, only 17,000 units have been completed in Canada over the last two decades.

They were part of the postwar boom — between 1964 and 1995, about 10 per cent of all homes built were social housing. Then things started to change.

In the 90s, successive Liberal and Conservative governments built less and less non-market housing, including the Brian Mulroney Conservatives axing its co-operative housing program in its 1992 budget. As a result, the options available to Canadians dwindled, and are now mostly limited to the precariousness of renting or the stability of owning.

Despite this, co-ops have remained popular. Originally envisioned as a more socially diverse alternative to public housing — co-op members are neither homeowners nor tenants, but enjoy the benefits of both.

“Members have a say in how the decisions are made about maintenance and capital repairs, monthly housing charges,” says Courtney Lockhart, a spokesperson for the Canadian Co-op Housing Federation (CHF). “This gives members more control than a tenant would have versus the traditional landlord.”

The collectivist model of co-op housing not only facilitates the provision of perpetually low-cost shelter, it also supports capacity building amongst members, and bolsters social capital. “Co-ops collectively own their housing together, and make decisions democratically,” Lockhart says. “That enables people to take care of each other, rely on each other, and build a sense of community.”

With roughly 91,000 units nationwide, co-op housing currently represents less than one per cent of Canada’s housing stock, and a majority of these units were built between 1973 and 1993.

[schafpudel]

This extremely interesting article is locked behind a paywall, so I've... cracked open the page source for the lovely people of tumblr and re-transcribed the article. Have fun.

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Deep in the forests of Germany, nestled neatly into the hollowed-out shells of acorns, live a smattering of ants who have stumbled upon a fountain of youth. They are born workers, but do not do much work. Their days are spent lollygagging about the nest, where their siblings shower them with gifts of food. They seem to elude the ravages of old age, retaining a durably adolescent physique, their outer shells soft and their hue distinctively tawny. Their scent, too, seems to shift, wafting out an alluring perfume that endears them to others. While their sisters, who have nearly identical genomes, perish within months of being born, these death-defying insects live on for years and years and years.

They are Temnothorax ants, and their elixirs of life are the tapeworms that teem within their bellies—parasites that paradoxically prolong the life of their host at a strange and terrible cost.

A few such life-lengthening partnerships have been documented between microbes and insects such as wasps, beetles, and mosquitoes. But what these ants experience is more extreme than anything that’s come before, says Susanne Foitzik, an entomologist at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, in Germany, who studies the ants and their tapeworms. Infected Temnothorax ants live at least three times longer than their siblings, and perhaps much more, she and her colleagues report in a study published today in Royal Society Open Science. No one is yet sure when the insects’ longevity tops out, but the answer is probably in excess of a decade, approaching or even matching that of ant queens, who can survive up to 20 years.

“Some other parasites do extend life spans,” Shelley Adamo, a parasite expert at Dalhousie University, in Nova Scotia, who was not involved in the study, told me. “But not like this. Under typical circumstances, Temnothorax ants live as most other ants do. They reside in communities ruled by a single fertile queen attended by a legion of workers whose professional lives take a predictable trajectory. They first tend the queen’s eggs as nurses, then graduate into foraging roles that take them outside the nest. Apart from the whole freaky parasite thing, “they are pretty boring,” Foitzik told me.

Normalcy goes out the door, however, when Temnothorax larvae ingest tapeworm-egg-infested bird feces trucked in by foragers. The parasites hatch and set up permanent residence in the young ants’ abdomens, where they can access a steady stream of nutrients. In return, they offer their host an unconventional renter’s fee: an extra-long life span that Foitzik and her colleagues managed to record in real time.

The researchers spent three years monitoring dozens of Temnothorax colonies in the lab, comparing the fates of workers who’d fallen prey to the parasites and those who remained infection-free. By the end of their experiment, almost every single one of the hundreds of worm-free workers had, unsurprisingly, died. But more than half the parasitized workers were still kicking—about the same proportion as the colonies’ ultra-long-lived queens. “That was amazing to see,” Biplabendu Das, an ant biologist and parasite expert at the University of Central Florida, who wasn’t involved in the study, told me. And despite their old age, the ants’ bodies still bore the hallmarks of youth. They were difficult to distinguish from uninfected nurses, who are usually the most juvenile members of the colony’s working class.

The tapeworm-laden ants didn’t just outlive their siblings, the team found. They were coddled while they did it. They spent their days lounging in their nest, performing none of the tasks expected of workers. They were groomed, fed, and carried by their siblings, often receiving more attention than even the queen—unheard of in a typical ant society—and gave absolutely nothing in return.

The deal the ants have cut with their parasites seems, at first pass, pretty cushy. Foitzik told me that her team couldn’t find any overt downsides to life as an infected ant, a finding that appears to shatter the standard paradigm of parasitism. Even the colonies as a whole remained largely intact. Workers continued to work; queens continued to lay eggs. The threads that held each Temnothorax society together seemed unmussed.

Only when the researchers took a closer look did that tapestry begin to unravel. The uninfected workers in parasitized colonies, they realized, were laboring harder. Strained by the additional burden of their wormed-up nestmates, they seemed to be shunting care away from their queen. They were dying sooner than they might have if the colonies had remained parasite-free. At the community level, the ants were exhibiting signs of stress, and the parasite’s true tax was, at last, starting to show. “The cost is in the division of labor,” Das said. The worms were tapping into not just “individual [ant] physiology, but also social interactions,” Farrah Bashey-Visser, a parasitologist at Indiana University who wasn’t involved in the study, told me.

"Scientists think of social insects not as single bugs, but as interlaced parts of a giant “superorganism,” Manuela Ramalho, an ant biologist at Cornell University, who wasn’t involved in the study, told me. When one individual acts, others around it react; in a colony, no ant can truly act alone. Parasites of these communities automatically extend their reach to multiple animals at once, a rippling mind-control effect that spreads and amplifies the consequences of infection. Although the tapeworms had infected only a fraction of the Temnothorax workers, they were puppeteering the entire society.

That altered existence might play directly into the parasite’s hands. Tapeworms of these species can’t mature into adults and produce eggs until their ant host is consumed by a bird—a fate that insects in full possession of their faculties try to avoid. But ants who spend all their time lazing around the house make for easy prey; hosts who are pampered and long-lived have a high chance of surviving until they’re eaten. The worm’s most ingenious move might play out in some ants’ final moments, as they trade their natural fear of intruders for a dollop of ennui. When Foitzik and her students crack open infected Temnothorax colonies, the parasitized workers do little more than stare expectantly skyward. “Everyone else is just taking the larvae and running,” Foitzik said. “The infected workers are just like, Oh, what’s going on?”

Down to the molecular level, the parasite is pulling the strings. Sara Beros, Foitzik’s former doctoral student and the paper’s first author, told me she has split open Temnothorax abdomens and counted up to 70 tapeworms inside. From there, the worms can unleash a slurry of proteins and chemicals that futz with the ant’s core physiology, likely impacting their host’s hormones, immune system, and genes. What they achieve appears to be a rough pantomime of how ant queens attain their mind-boggling life span, a feat humans still don’t understand. (The tapeworms’ grasp of ant aging is far more advanced than ours.) The parasites are effectively flash-freezing their host into a preserved state—one that will up their own chances of survival, and help guarantee that their species lives on.

The worms’ MO is subtle and ingenious. They are agents not of disaster, but of an insidious social sickness that sets reality only slightly, barely perceptibly, askew. Infected workers get a taste of invincibility and status, swaddling themselves in youth and the benefits it brings. They also form resource sinks that sap the energy of those around them. They become echoes of the microorganisms they harbor. They are, in the end, parasites themselves.

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[twisted-tales-told]

hi! i’m the anon from soph’s page who was asking about universities and i loved hearing your opinion too. i was thinking about brock because the presenters at the tour i went to were very convincing but then i started thinking they were lying when i went to the cafeteria and they were bragging about their amazing food and then i went on tiktok later and saw people posting about how they got food poisoning multiple times there and i was like ok if you are lying about this WHAT ELSE ARE YOU LYING ABOUT?? anyways what university or college do you like the most?

Omg Hi Hello! Yeah Brock is Like That. It truly is made of popsicle sticks & crayons. A strong breeze would blow it over as an institution.

So different school here REALLY do different thing. Engineering & physics I would definitely reccomend Waterloo, my father went there for physics and chemistry and he had a wonderful time.

Ryerson, OCAD, and Sheridans collage of arts are all really good arts schools—Sheridan specifically for animation. You will get so many opportunities there & if you go after them you are way way more likely to get a job after you graduate.

Like Soph said Guelph is know so well for its veterinary program and similarity Trent University is known for its forensic science program. Trent is a. Weird uni. Weird in a good way! But weird. That’s all I can say on that.

Queens Does have a good business program, so does Western— I have a cousin there and she loves it.

Queens also has an art history program and as much as I HATE to admit it, it’s really good. If I could go back in time I would apply there.

Now there are all universities in Ontario. I only considered one outside of Ontario. It was in Halifax called Dalhousie—and I WISH I had applied there. God I wish I’d followed my instincts instead of listening to my parents. It’s a beautiful campus and has a really wonderful language and history programs.

Can I just say? I think it’s so fucking stupid to apply to university right out of high school.

Not to get personal but the choices I would make for my life now are way smarter now that my brain has fully developed. I didnt know what I wanted to do with my life and that’s okay.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by this decision, just know you can wait, you can dive in head first, you can change your mind and backtrack, hell you can start over (very expensive though don’t recommend). It’s your life, and in case nobody has told you this, that means you go at the speed you want to. Nobody else’s. That autonomy and choice is your right. People might pressure u into making certain choices and they are way out of bounds on that!!

[atlanticcanada]

Sex worker wins in Nova Scotia court but ruling leaves sex industry conflicted

In a legal decision described as the first of its kind in Canada, a Halifax sex worker successfully sued a client for nonpayment of services, but actors in the industry are conflicted about the ruling's impacts.

Former sex worker Brogan Sheehan took Bradley Samuelson to small claims court after he didn't fully pay her fee, which both parties had agreed to beforehand. Samuelson argued that the agreement was invalid because it is illegal to purchase sexual services, but court adjudicator Darrel Pink said the contract could still be enforced and awarded Sheehan $1,800.

Sex work remains criminalized in Canada, but a 2014 law removed criminal penalties for people, like Sheehan, who sell sexual services. Paying for sex, however, remains illegal.

Sheehan's lawyer, Jessica Rose, says she and her client wanted to expose the court to the "economic realities of doing sex work." As well, Rose said they wanted to raise awareness about "what is needed as far as access to the civil justice system to ensure sex workers are treated fairly by their clients."

"This type of issue had never been addressed before in court," Rose said in a recent interview.

Emma Halpern, executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia, says the decision empowers sex workers to seek legal remedies to enforce their contracts.

The decision also reflects a changing attitude within society and the law toward sex work, Halpern said. The public is beginning to understand the difference between "extremely harmful, predatory things like sex trafficking, and legitimate sex work by an adult who is a worker, pays taxes, has a business."

As a response to the ruling, Halpern and Sheehan said they planned to hold workshops for sex workers to help them understand their legal rights.

But not everyone in the sex industry sees the court's decision as a step forward. Real change will occur once politicians decriminalize sex work, said Sandra Wesley, executive director of Stella, a Montreal-based organization by and for sex workers.

The vast majority of sex workers, she said, won't seek financial recourse via the court system because sex work is still criminalized in Canada. Going to court exposes a sex worker -- and potentially everyone else she is associated with -- to the justice system, Wesley said.

"Even if there's a chance she can win, there's always a risk of workplaces being shut down, police being alerted to the activity, being evicted, deported," she said. "There are many consequences of being criminalized, even if we win in court."

Wesley says the small claims court decision actually goes against the 2014 federal sex work law, called the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act. That law emphasizes the importance of discouraging sex work and denouncing and prohibiting the purchase of sexual services "because it creates a demand for prostitution."

Wesley says, "I hope the minister of justice and prime minister read the decision, read the law, and consider it's time to change it."

And while Pink's decision says that both sides in the court case believe it is the first of its kind in Canada, a legal expert questions its importance on jurisprudence because the ruling was rendered in small claims court.

"The usual court hierarchy doesn't apply," said Wayne MacKay, professor emeritus at Dalhousie University's law school. "Another small claims judge wouldn't necessarily have to follow it, nor a higher court."

And while the decision doesn't have a binding precedent, it could still influence other court rulings, he said.

"The message is out there," MacKay said. "Sex work is work, legal work, and deserves to be treated like other legal work, and if people chose not to pay, they can get a remedy in small claims court."

According to documents filed in Nova Scotia's small claims court, Sheehan charged $300 an hour for her services, and spent seven hours with Samuelson on Jan. 26, 2022. But the next morning, when she attempted to take cash out of an ATM with his bank card, the transaction was denied. After several text exchanges, Samuelson eventually paid Sheehan $300, leaving $1,800 outstanding.

Pink's decision, rendered in April, says public policy requires the courts "not to increase or contribute to exploitation of sex work, and thus favours a regime that gives aggrieved sex workers access to the civil courts when they have a civil claim."

MacKay said the broader social impact of the novel decision may be more important than the technical, legal impact.

"One has to kind of admire the sex worker that decided to test the waters, see what small claims court would do, and succeeded," he said. "That's the way things change sometimes."

Sheehan, who advocates for the decriminalization of sex work, said she wanted to pursue the case in court because she was a victim of human trafficking when she was a minor.

"I feel obligated to not leave things the way that they were," she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2023.

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/mhPY7ES

[rockislandadultreads]

Read-Alike Friday: One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley

One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley

A mystery she can't remember. A friend she can't forget.

I kept your secret Lucy. I've kept it for more than sixty years . . .

It is 1951, and at number six Sycamore Street fifteen-year-old Edie Green is lonely. Living alone with her eccentric mother - who conducts seances for the local Ludthorpe community - she is desperate for something to shake her from her dull, isolated life.

When the popular, pretty Lucy Theddle befriends Edie, she thinks all her troubles are over. But Lucy has a secret, one Edie is not certain she should keep . . .

Then Lucy goes missing.

2018. Edie is eighty-four and still living in Ludthorpe. When one day she glimpses Lucy Theddle, still looking the same as she did at fifteen, her family write it off as one of her many mix ups. There's a lot Edie gets confused about these days. A lot she finds difficult to remember. But what she does know is this: she must find out what happened to Lucy, all those years ago . . .

Charlotte Illes is Not a Detective by Katie Siegel

The downside of being a famous child detective is that sooner or later, you have to grow up . . .

As a kid, Charlotte Illes’ uncanny sleuthing abilities made her a minor celebrity. But in high school, she hung up her detective’s hat and stashed away the signature blue landline in her “office”—aka garage—convinced that finding her adult purpose would be as easy as tracking down missing pudding cups or locating stolen diamonds.

Now twenty-five, Charlotte has a nagging fear that she hit her peak in middle school. She’s living with her mom, scrolling through job listings, and her love life consists mostly of first dates. When it comes to knowing what to do next, Charlotte hasn’t got a clue.

And then, her old blue phone rings...

Reluctantly, Charlotte is pulled back into the mystery-solving world she knew—just one more time. But that world is a whole lot more complicated for an adult. As a kid, she was able to crack the case and still get her homework done on time. Now she’s dealing with dead bodies, missing persons, and villains who actually see her as a viable threat. And the detective skills she was once so eager to never use again are the only things that can stop a killer ready to make sure her next retirement is permanent.

This is the first volume of the "Not a Detective Mysteries" series.

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13-year-old child during WWII. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiancé jilted her in 1941.

Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in ‘the distant hours’ of the past has been waiting a long time for someone to find it.

The Sweet Remnants of Summer by Alexander McCall Smith

Isabel Dalhousie accepts an invitation to serve on the advisory committee of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, but soon finds herself swept up in an all-too-familiar dilemma. David is the grandson of a Scottish clan chief and is supportive of Scottish nationalism. But his fervent beliefs are threatening family harmony, especially because his sister Catriona's socialist views put her at odds with her brother. When their mother, Laura, a fellow committee member, asks Isabel to intervene, she tries to demur. But always one for courteous resolutions to philosophical disagreements, Isabel can't help but intercede.

In the meantime, Jamie, having criticized Isabel for getting involved in the affairs of others, does precisely that himself. Jamie is helping to select a new cellist for his ensemble, but he suspects that the conductor may be focused on something other than his favored candidate's cello skills.

With so many factors complicating matters, Isabel and Jamie will have to muster all their tact and charm to ensure that comity is reached between all these fractious parties.

This is the 14th volume of the "Isabel Dalhousie" series.

[opheliaschamber]

"For every trial and sorrow that God makes us shoulder, He has a reason." ~Khaled Hosseini.

A year has surpassed, since my anxiety disorder.

But even now, as the sun sways on the clouds at evenings, I can feel the remnants of the disorder. The anxiety penetrating deep within the edges of my belly, and the waves of the new-found atheism.

My disbelief in my God, Madhav.

I went to a couple of people for my anxiety. From the pathologist, to the school teachers, to the school counsellor, to friends, and lastly, to my aunt.

"Do yoga. Go meditate, it's good for anxiety,"

"You worry alot, and you overthink stuff. Why do you want to add more?"

"Itna tension nahi leneka. Be happy."

Imagine you're walking in a tunnel with a herd of people walking like sheeps. You're screaming; full throated cries. Yet, nobody in the tunnel can hear you. Yes, it feels exactly like that.

When the anxiety started, at cold dusks,

I would be on the brink of death.

Thoughts would nuzzle around my mind, like a snake caging its prey with its tail.

My hands would tremble and my breathing would occur with labour.

The fear, the stress, would slowly creep down to the belly of my abdomen and I could do nothing.

I had foreseen a panic attack.

I saw it coming.

Gently, it walked towards me in March.

One flaming hot summer noon,

In a caged toilet, with warm wind gushing through the windows, the attack began.

I remember traces; I was banging on the locked toilet door, with palms turned into fists, and I could not speak.

Words wouldn't fumble out of my mouth and I would helplessly bang on the oak door.

When I was released out of the toilet, the attack raced with a deadly speed.

My cheekbones, my lips, and my mouth went entirely numb. I can remember the tears flowing out of my eyes, and being incapable in providing life to my numb mouth.

"WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE ALL OF THIS? OUT OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO COULD SUFFER, WHY ME? WHY ME?" I didn't realise I was screeching until my mother ran her fingers over the temple of my head, her eyes packed with tears.

I healed at the end of may, and the beginning of June.

After gazing at the monuments in Delhi, to the organized streets in Chandigarh, to the snow-capped mountains in Manali, to the flower gardens in Dalhousie, to the temple in Amritsar and lastly, with the soldiers at Wagha border.

With people, with places, and with memories,

I realised that life is now.

Life is in the present. Life is in the moment that I live, life is now that I'm writing.

Life is this.

My aunt, in east Maharashtra, was a messenger sent by Madhav, which we both believe in.

"You have taken the steering wheel of your life from Madhav. Return it back, divya. Let him drive. Let him take care of the speed and destination. You sit beside him and enjoy the journey. And trust him again. He won't let the brakes fail."

"It doesn't matter how many times you water a mango seed, for it will only ever bear fruits in summers."

"The only two things that you should focus on are; what you want in life and what will you do to achieve it."

She healed me.

At the end of the summer, on the brink of an upcoming monsoon,

In the garden, I met Madhav again.

In my dreams, I dream of peacock feathers and summers.

I dream that I am sitting beside the driver's seat and am gazing at the buildings that I grew up with.

"What happened?" Madhav asked.

I grinned; all teeth.

"Winters are parting," I answered.

"What do you see, Divya?" He asked standing beside me.

"I see the dawn of a rising sun."

"I will never let this sun set." He promised.

Now, as the fear of academic pressure looms over me, as new books, new publications await me,

I smile.

"Let me live now." i mutter.

I can see Madhav's eyes cramming with tears for the first time in days and a smile beaming at the dawn.

Author: Divya A. Korde.

[petticoatsandparasols]

Realizing now that I have Lyme disease, it leaves a lot of questions. Maybe this is what has been causing my fibromyalgia? Maybe that extremely rough psychological stuff I’ve been dealing with lately are related? Learning about Lyme is like a lightbulb going off…

2 years ago I found a bullseye rash, never saw a tick and was treated with doxycycline. Lyme can become chronic in some people and you can have what is called a resurgence which is what I am dealing with now. I don’t believe I got a new fresh tick bite.

Lyme disease can cause so many symptoms that look like other disorders and is not easily detected on blood panels and other testing methods. I was tested over a year ago and since it was negative I assumed that meant I didn’t have the disease. Well now I know that is not true. I have questioned since then if lyme was a possibility… like I can’t even tell you how many times it crossed my mind, but since I’m not a doctor, I just kept pushing it off and saying well my doctor told me I have fibromyalgia… I do but there’s a reason for it!!

The good thing that comes out of this is antibiotics can help me greatly and if things start to flare again, I know what it is and can ask for help!

When I was at the hospital the doctor asked if I wanted to be part of a Lyme disease study they are doing through Dalhousie University and I said YES OF COURSE! So now, like I always do, I will become an advocate for this disease.

My message for everyone is simple:

1. Please be careful and check yourselves for ticks! I know it’s easy to forget especially since they can be the size of a grain of pepper but do everything you can to avoid this disease can I can tell you, it is absolute hell! Nova Scotia is dealing with a really high volume of tick bites and Lyme now and also other bacteria borne illnesses are popping up too. I witnessed at least half a dozen people at the ER in Lunenburg yesterday who were there for them as well! It is truly rampant and I share this as a warning.

2. Never stop fighting and advocating for yourself. I know that also isn’t easy especially with our crumbling healthcare system but if you believe something is wrong, don’t stop asking questions! Don’t stop looking for an answer! Listen to your body and trust yourselves!

[indiatourismpackages]

Which part of Himachal has snowfall?

Himachal Pradesh, the "Land of Snow" is a paradise for adventure freaks and peace enthusiasts. With its beautiful landscapes, charming towns and thrilling activities, Himachal has something for everyone. Here are the top 5 places to visit in Himachal for snowfall and the best things to do in Himachal for an unforgettable experience.

1. Manali

Manali is a favourite for its views and adventure where you can explore the Solang Valley for paragliding and skiing or Rohtang Pass for snow fun, also visit Old Manali for its cafes.

2. Shimla

The "Queen of Hills" Shimla has colonial charm and views especially in winters. Take a walk along the Mall Road, visit Jakhoo Temple and ride the Kalka-Shimla toy train.

3. Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj

Known for their Tibetan culture and scenic beauty, these towns have peaceful monasteries, lively markets and trekking trails like the Triund Trek in winters.

4. Kullu

Kullu is for nature and adventure lovers. Rafting in the Beas River or a peaceful walk through the apple orchards and pine forests.

5. Dalhousie

This hill station has old world charm. Visit Khajjiar, also called “Mini Switzerland” and go for a peaceful walk in the deodar forests.

Trekking and river rafting to cultural exploration, these places have something for every kind of traveller.

[novumtimes]

Containers stacking up in Halifax Montreal amid dockworkers strike

Article content By Andrew Rankin Container traffic intended for the East and Gulf Coast ports in the United States is trickling into the Port of Halifax and more is on the way. Since Tuesday, dockworkers at more than 30 ports from Texas to Maine have been on strike, halting the flow of about half of America’s ocean shipping. Paul MacIsaac, Port of Halifax senior vice-president, said a few container ships have already been diverted to Halifax and more are expected soon. Article content That leaves those who run Canada’s largest Atlantic port with two jobs. “Our interest is in keeping the supply chain fluid and ensuring that our regular customers are not impacted,” MacIsaac said. Some cargo landing in Halifax will be shipped by rail to the U.S., mainly to the New York area. Most containers, though, will sit dockside in Halifax until the strike ends, he said. At that point, they will be picked up by container ships and delivered to the U.S. Right now, that’s not a problem. The city’s two terminals are operating at 40 per cent capacity, MacIsaac said. But things could get very tight quickly. “The port works in a fluid manner,” he said. “The boxes come, they are delivered, they sit on the docks usually two or three days, and they’re evacuated by rail and by truck. It won’t take long to utilize that additional capacity.” There’s only so much help Halifax can offer. The Atlantic port can accommodate about 600,000 containers a year, roughly a tenth of the four million containers New York handles annually. “We have the ability to help in the short term, but certainly we can’t do this forever,” MacIsaac said. “We’re hopeful that the situation in the U.S. ports corrects itself sooner rather than later, because what’s really most important to us is we want to make sure our regular services are not impacted in any way and cargo moving continues to do so with the efficiency and reliability we’re known for.” Article content While 45,000 U.S. longshoremen are off the job, Montreal dockworkers are staging a three-day strike of their own. The work stoppage, over wages and automation, closed two of the port’s seven terminals to all vessel, truck and rail traffic. Containers are piling up. As for Canadian consumers, there is no need to worry — yet, said Sylvain Charlebois, director of Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab. Grocery stores and big-box outlets have overstocked in preparation of the port shutdowns. But he said things could get ugly after a couple of weeks. “Beyond that, everything is off the table,” he said. Recommended from Editorial Effects of port strikes will ripple widely Halifax port weighs robots vs. dockworkers Large companies such as Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc. will prioritize the much more lucrative U.S. market, which could lead to shortages in Canada. “Eventually the U.S. port situation could be a problem for Canadians,” Charlebois said. • Email: arankin@postmedia.com Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the business news you need to know — add financialpost.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. Share this article in your social network Source link via The Novum Times

[communityinclusion]

ICI’s DeBrittany Humphrey Presents at 2024 Knowledge Translation Canada Conference

This year's Knowledge Translation Canada Conference selected DeBrittany (Mitchell) Humphrey, a Knowledge Translation Manager from the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI), to present on using a learning collaborative model as an integrated knowledge translation approach to help create youth apprenticeship programs in rural communities. The conference, which brings together knowledge translation experts from across Canada and beyond, focuses on the dissemination and implementation of research findings.

Photo of DeBrittany (Mitchell) Humphrey delivering a presentation on rural knowledge translation at the KT Canada Conference.

The Rural Youth Apprenticeship Development project (RYAD) uses the learning collaborative model as an integrated knowledge translation approach, partnering researchers with disability employment service providers across states to create more apprenticeship opportunities for youth with disabilities living in underserved, rural communities in the United States. One RYAD learning collaborative member shared about his experience:

“It’s been very eye-opening to me because I see a lot of the similarities in the struggles we face in rural communities across states. For example, transportation, especially for people with disabilities, is a real barrier and a recurring issue. So how do you address it? How do you know how to work together to find solutions to these problems? That’s one of the things we spent a lot of time brainstorming together in the learning collaborative.”

During the presentation, Humphrey highlighted key knowledge translation lessons learned from the RYAD project, emphasizing the importance of using the learning collaborative approach to move beyond disseminating research findings to fostering dialogue about best practices, barriers, and solutions to implementing apprenticeship programs in rural areas. She commented:

“We look forward to continuing our work on the RYAD project to help build more equitable and inclusive apprenticeship opportunities for youth with disabilities in underserved, rural communities.”

Photo of DeBrittany (Mitchell) Humphrey presenting her poster: “Rural Apprenticeships for Youth with Disabilities: Insights from the Learning Collaborative KT Model”

For more information about RYAD, view the project factsheet and explore the Rural Youth Apprenticeship Toolkit.

Photo of KT Canada Conference selected attendees and expert speakers standing in the courtyard of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. DeBrittany Humphrey is standing in the second row, second from the left.

[shimlamanalihoneymoonpackage]

Planning a honeymoon trip to Himachal Pradesh? Important things to consider in your honeymoon itinerary

Newly married couples planning for their dream honeymoon trip, embark on a vacation to the cool and cozy hills of Himachal Pradesh. Explore the charming hill-stations of Shimla, Manali, Kullu, Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj blessed with stunning landscape, green valleys, majestic snow covered mountain ranges, enchanting rivers flowing and the thick forests comprising of pine and deodar.

Himachal Pradesh is a charming hill station offering endless romantic activities to engage in and things to do. Honeymoon couples hoping to add some thrill to their vacation can opt for horse riding, trekking, paragliding, zorbing, and skiing (in winter only). For a relaxing and wellness experience they can engage in meditation, yoga and spa retreats. Those honeymooners, who want to seek blessings from the God and Goddesses, should visit the ancient temples. 

Shimla Manali Honeymoon Package offers the best of honeymoon packages from budget-friendly stay options to luxurious resorts. 

Begin your new journey and celebrate your love in the midst of the Himalayan mountain ranges, perfect for romance, adventure, natural beauty, and spiritual and cultural experience as well. To make your honeymoon trip to Himachal Pradesh captivating, here is what you need to consider for your honeymoon itinerary:

Best Romantic Destinations to visit in Himachal Pradesh

1. Shimla

Top on the list for a honeymoon trip to Himachal Pradesh is Shimla, which is the capital of Himachal Pradesh. The town is famous for its old colonial buildings, beautiful landscape, quaint villages, evergreen trees and rich vegetation. Some of the famous places to visit in Shimla include the Mall Road, Jakhoo temple, the Ridge, Scandal Point, Summer Hill, Chail, Kufri, etc.

2. Manali

Another romantic honeymoon destination in Himachal Pradesh is Manali which is blessed with eternal beauty. Some of the important places to visit in Manali include Hadimba Devi Temple, Vashisht Hot Water Springs and Temple, Old Manali, Solang Valley, Rohtang Pass, etc. Opt for the best Manali Tour Packages for a hassle-free honeymoon trip.

3. Dalhousie

Dalhousie is a small colonial town; the town was designed by Lord Dalhousie. The region is famous for its old colonial buildings, tranquil atmosphere and natural beauty. One of the popular spot to visit near Dalhousie is Khajjiar which is referred to as mini Switzerland, as it is blessed with lush green meadows, charming valleys and surrounding snow-clad mountains.

4. Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj

Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj are popular known as the twin towns. It is famous for its natural beauty and is home to Dalai Lama. The town has many beautiful places to visit like the Dalai Lama Temple, monasteries, Bhagsu Nag Waterfalls and temple, Nadi village and view point, Triund, Kangra Valley and Fort, etc.

5. Kasauli

Kasauli is a small hill-stations blessed with enchanting natural beauty and serene and peaceful atmosphere. Some of the places to visit in Kasauli include the Monkey Point, Christ Church, Kasauli Brewery, Gilbert Trail, Gurkha Fort, etc.

Adventure Activities to in Himachal Pradesh

1. Paragliding in Bir-Billing:

Honeymooners who want to add some thrill to their honeymoon trip can opt for paragliding in Bir-Billing. It is one of the famous spot around the world for providing this thrilling activity. 

2. Trekking in Himachal Pradesh 

Those who love to immerse in the natural beauty of the region and want to watch natura up close, they can opt for trekking. In your Shimla Manali Honeymoon Package, if you are an adventure lover include it in your trip. Some of the popular trekking routes include trek to Great Himalayan National Park, Triund Trek, Hampta Pass Trek, etc.

3. Skiing in Solang Valley:

If you have made your honeymoon plans during the winter season, you can opt for skiing in Solang Valley. The slopes and the stunning views of the mountain ranges, offers the perfect fit for skiing in Solang Valley 

4. River Rafting in Kullu:

Daring honeymooners can include River Rafting in Beas River in Kullu, scream-out loud as you navigate through the strong unpredictable rapids, pass through twist and turns of the flowing. This activity must be undertaken only by experienced rafters and if you are a beginner it is advised to choose this activity from experienced rafting tour operators.

5. Camping in Kullu:

Those honeymooners who want to experience staying near the wild in a serene and peaceful location should opt for camping in Kullu. One of the best spot for camping in Kullu is near the riverside of Beas River.

Relaxation and Wellness experience in Himachal Pradesh

Vashisht Hot Water Springs and Temple: If you want to have a natural therapy, visit this spiritual place in Manali, the natural hot springs are believed to provide remedial benefits.

Hot Springs of Gurudwara Manikaran Sahib: The natural hot springs of Manikaran located in the premises of Gurudwara Manikaran Sahib are believed to have therapeutic properties.

Wellness and Spa Resorts: Honeymooners can pamper themselves in spa treatments at some of the luxury resorts in Manali, Shimla, Kullu, and Dharamshala. 

Scenic Drives and Rides in Himachal Pradesh

Toy Train Ride: For making your trip extra romantic, enjoy the Kalka-Shimla Toy train ride. 

Rohtang Pass: If roads are open and passes are available, you can visit Rohtang Pass for enjoying the stunning views of the snow-covered mountains. Manali Tour Packages will surely let you have the best romantic honeymoon experience.

Himachal Pradesh Honeymoon Packages and Planning

Opt for customized honeymoon packages: Honeymooners should opt for customized honeymoon packages, wherein they can include accommodations, places to visit, activities to indulge in, and extra specials like candlelight dinner, based on their preferences.

Know the best time to visit: Based on the activity of your choice select the best time to visit. Honeymooners must know that the best months to visit Himachal Pradesh is during the spring/summer season i.e. from March to June and the autumn season that is from September to November. For snow, visit during the winter season i.e. December to February. Avoid traveling during the monsoon season i.e. from July to August.

[theoldman]

bless the joy in simple things. the carousel opened in port dalhousie yesterday and we took our five year old darwin there to enjoy its ancient beauty. the thing that makes a child so magickal and wondrous is the great joy they feel in doing the simplest of things. my son likes to collect sticks when we go for a walk then shove them in a bush in our front yard. that is life at its most real and beautiful. i think today i will sing for no reason and dance just for the fun of it. bless the joy in simple things.

MicHEAL Teal The Ancient One

[plutotravels1]

How to Plan Your Perfect Himachal Tour Package

India has a rich and varied cultural legacy, defined by an astonishing range of languages, cultures, and religions. The country is blessed with some very stunning hill stations that provide a unique combination of natural wealth, panoramic grandeur, and peaceful leisure. Himachal Pradesh, one of India’s states, has much to offer its visitors. The state is endowed with numerous tourism sites that serve as dream destinations for many visitors to India. Himachal Tour packages include picturesque hill stations, snow-capped mountains, rivers, lakes, and valleys. The state has several amazing tourist attractions that you should see at least once in your life.

Himachal is well-known for its attractive hill stations, such as Shimla, Dalhousie, Manali, and Dharamshala, which attract visitors from all over the world. The state is also recognized for its adventurous sports, including rafting down the Beas River and paragliding near Kangra. Himachal is known as “Dev Bhoomi” because it boasts many Hindu temples that are regarded as sacred by Hindus all over the world. The state has some of the most beautiful vistas and lush green valleys.

Here are some suggestions for arranging your trip to Himachal Pradesh:

When to visit: Himachal Pradesh has a temperate climate with four seasons: summer (March-June), monsoon (July-September), autumn (October-November), and winter (December-February). You can visit this state at any time during these seasons, but avoid traveling during the winter because it gets cold here.

Plan your itinerary.

Shimla, Manali, Kullu-Manali, Dharamshala, Dalhousie, and other sites are popular tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh. Tourists can tailor their itinerary based on their interests and preferences by visiting these locations at different seasons of the year. Or they can call Pluto tours, which provides the best Himachal trip packages from Delhi.

How long do you need?

If you wish to see the majority of Himachal Pradesh’s key attractions, you should plan on staying for at least two weeks or more, depending on your availability. Don’t forget that many destinations involve hiking, so make sure you leave enough time in case something goes wrong or someone gets hurt while hiking!

Ensure you have enough money:

Make sure you bring enough money for your Himachal trip because there are no ATMs in some locations, like Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti. Make sure your bank account is linked to internet banking so that funds may be transferred easily and without trouble during circumstances such as flight cancellations or illness while traveling.

Find out about the weather

Weather is a crucial consideration while traveling anywhere, especially if you are traveling with children or elderly people who may be unable to handle extreme weather conditions properly. Please check the weather before you go so that it does not ruin your holiday totally!

Bring at least one pair of walking shoes.

Himalayan trekking is a popular activity in Himachal Pradesh. You should always bring appropriate trekking shoes, especially if you are going on an overnight journey or in the winter when it is really cold up in the mountains. If you do not have trekking shoes with you, you can rent them from a travel agency that provides such services.

Interact with the locals.

The people are kind and would gladly provide you with all the information you require. If you want to see things through their eyes, interacting with them is a smart option because it will help you comprehend their culture and traditions.

Stay safe while driving.

Himachal Pradesh is well-known for its picturesque splendor, so it’s no wonder that most visitors come to enjoy nature. However, it would be beneficial if you exercised certain precautions while driving on roads with steep slopes or abrupt turns. It is also advisable to avoid visiting remote locations at night or after sunset. Stay safe, especially if driving alone!

Be conscious of the culture.

Before visiting a new location, it is critical to understand the local culture and traditions. Despite being connected to the outside world, the people of Himachal Pradesh have managed to preserve their traditions and cultures. You might notice this whether you go sightseeing or shopping at local markets. Make sure to respect their culture and traditions as well.

Book your trip now: https://plutotours.in/india-holiday-destinations/himachal-tour-packages/

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