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Leap into darkness
Leap into darkness

Deccan Herald

time29-06-2025

  • General
  • Deccan Herald

Leap into darkness

The first thought that comes to mind when we are overwhelmed with fear or uncertainty is to look for people who can calm those French tightrope walker and acrobat Charles Blondin is best known for his most daring feat of crossing the Niagrara Gorge across the roaring Niagara falls on a tightrope 1,100 feet high in June of walked that tightrope across 160 feet directly above the waterfalls several times and each time with a different daring feat – once in a sack, then he did it on stilts..(Bible) Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as '...the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen'..The crowd at Niagara gorge screamed in excitement as Blondin finally walked across one dangerous step after another — blindfolded and pushing a wheelbarrow. When Blondin reached the other side he suddenly stopped and addressed the excited crowd. 'Do you believe I can carry a person across in this wheelbarrow?' .The crowd screamed excitingly 'Yes You are the greatest tightrope walker in the world. You can do anything!'.Blondin then challenged the crowd 'Okay, Get in the wheelbarrow with me' No one months later his manager Harry Colcord, showed his complete faith in Blondin and did ride on Blondin's back across the those mighty phrase 'Fear not,' and similar variations like 'Do not be afraid,' occur all through the The Bible (Luke 17:5-10) the apostles ask Jesus to increase their Faith. Jesus responded saying that even with faith as small as a mustard seed, they could perform great things if they trusted can draw a perfectly good Faith-lesson from this. We love The Lord of our Belief. We all do. We trust in God's Almighty Power. We pray about His power,. We speak to others about His power. We write. We sing. We Preach of the awesome power of God. But when it comes to our personal life, how many of us can take up the risks and challenges God places before on our shoulders? In relation to our personal life, our family, our work or business, our career, and our wide spectrum of relationships. Faith is a leap out of darkness into light but trusting in something unseen, something beyond our immediate understanding.

Gwynedd quarry becomes first underwater escape room and museum children can use
Gwynedd quarry becomes first underwater escape room and museum children can use

Cambrian News

time25-04-2025

  • Science
  • Cambrian News

Gwynedd quarry becomes first underwater escape room and museum children can use

The relocation of the winch machine for the Blondin presented significant challenges, particularly as it weighed over 10 tonnes and was situated beneath a collapsed roof, close to the water's edge leaving not much room for the crane to operate in. A large team of specialists undertook this enormous task, which took a total of 14 hours to complete, even with machinery prepared in advance. The full dimensions and exact weight of the machine were previously unknown, adding to the complexity of the operation. The first step involved carefully removing the slate roof—a formidable task due to its substantial weight. The machine was meticulously disassembled into four major components. These components were then reassembled in their new display location, maintaining the integrity of their original arrangement. During the mobilisation of the machinery, the team uncovered relics such as Victorian aged glass bottles, tools, and the heating system for when the machine was steam powered.

Tłı̨chǫ elder remembered as family man, jokester, and negotiator with 'big legacy'
Tłı̨chǫ elder remembered as family man, jokester, and negotiator with 'big legacy'

CBC

time09-04-2025

  • Politics
  • CBC

Tłı̨chǫ elder remembered as family man, jokester, and negotiator with 'big legacy'

A well-known Tłı̨chǫ elder in the N.W.T. is being remembered as a kind and loving family man, a jokester, and a land-claim negotiator who leaves behind a "really big legacy." Ted Blondin died early Saturday morning at the hospital in Yellowknife according to his nephew, Tim O'Loan. So many people were there to say goodbye, said O'Loan, that the cafeteria became something of a waiting room. "What an incredible legacy when you have that many people showing up to the hospital to say goodbye," said O'Loan. Among those Blondin leaves behind are his wife, Violet Camsell-Blondin, and their children and grandchildren. Blondin was the chief negotiator of the Dene Métis process. In 1990, Dene and Métis leadership did not ratify the agreement that emerged from that process but it did become a framework for regional negotiations – including the Tłı̨chǫ Land Claims and Self-Government Agreement, which Blondin would also become involved in, led by "He was one of the main pillars, that's for sure," recalled John B. Zoe, who led those negotiations. The negotiating work Blondin had already done meant he had helpful connections within the territorial government and in Ottawa, said Zoe. "Every time we travelled … he did all the correspondence and looking for the money and all that kind of stuff to keep it going," he said. Having been a co-founder and editor at The Native Press, Zoe said Blondin was also a good communicator, with skills to get the claim "to the forefront" — which Zoe said they needed. In a statement, N.W.T. Premier R.J. Simpson called Blondin a "remarkable leader whose vision and commitment helped shape the future of the Tłįchǫ Region and the Northwest Territories. "His tireless efforts to advance education, health, social well-being, and self-governance — most recently as chair of the Tłı̨chǫ Community Services Agency — leave a legacy of service that will be felt for generations." 'Loved to tease, loved to laugh' Zoe also recalled a time Blondin, then managing a school, convinced him to fill in on his volleyball team for a weekend matchup. Zoe, a shift engineer at the time, had been there to check on a heating or air exchange system and was wearing his work attire – but he agreed to play. "I just kind of struggled through it," he said. The team won the game, and then "all of a sudden there was a reporter there … they snapped a picture of us and I didn't know what was going on." A week later, Zoe saw that the Native Press printed a story about the game – saying the team he'd been on had won the territorial championships. "I ended up there in the paper with him [Blondin]," he said with a laugh. O'Loan, who now lives in Ottawa, said that his uncle leaves behind a big legacy. He also has fond memories of the uncle he describes more as a "father figure." O'Loan said he was adopted, but when he moved home to the N.W.T. in 1998, "Uncle Ted was there, and without judgment — just basically brought me into his life. "He just, like, made me feel at home." O'Loan said his uncle had been a survivor of residential schools, but he didn't let the trauma of his youth hinder him. "He was a trickster and a jokester, loved to tease, loved to laugh, you know, just kind of lived a very authentic, loving life," said O'Loan. Even after having a severe stroke ten years ago, O'Loan said when he'd visit Blondin "the magic was still there" and that "even the stroke did not impact his soul." O'Loan said he recently travelled to Edmonton to say goodbye, before his uncle was brought back to Yellowknife. He said the family had been "comforted in the fact that it was time for the Creator to call him home."

Canada's speed skaters hope for a strong finish at the world championships
Canada's speed skaters hope for a strong finish at the world championships

CBC

time12-03-2025

  • Sport
  • CBC

Canada's speed skaters hope for a strong finish at the world championships

Social Sharing Canada's long-track speed skaters took a step back this season. After winning 23 medals, including five golds, across the six World Cup stops in 2023-24, they ended up with just 16 total and two golds when the tour wrapped up a couple of weeks ago. That left Canada seventh in total medals — down from fourth last season. Another decline seems almost inevitable at the world single-distances championships, running Thursday through Sunday in Norway. Last year, when this event took place at Calgary's Olympic Oval, Canadians captured a national-record 10 medals — trailing only the perennial powerhouse Netherlands' 13. It'll be tough to match that kind of production far away from home at the end of a so-so season. Still, Canada has some strong medal contenders this week at the Hamar Olympic Hall, also known as the Vikingskipet (Viking Ship). Let's start with Ivanie Blondin, a five-time world champion and double Olympic medallist who led all Canadians with eight World Cup podiums this season. Four of those came in individual races — including a surprising victory in the 3,000m opener in Japan back in November that turned out to be Canada's only solo gold of the season. Blondin also earned a silver in the mass start (her specialty) at that same meet before finishing with a bronze and a silver in the mass start at the final two World Cups. Ottawa's Ivanie Blondin bags mass start bronze in Poland 17 days ago Duration 11:01 The 34-year-old added four relay medals over the course of the season, including a gold and a silver in the women's team sprint. Blondin helped Canada win the world title in the team sprint last year in Calgary, where she also took silver in the mass start and the team pursuit. However, the Olympic-champion pursuit trio of Blondin, Isabelle Weidemann and Valérie Maltais did not reach the podium in either of its two starts this season while Weidemann and Maltais managed just one solo medal apiece. On the men's side, Canada will be counting on Laurent Dubreuil. The 32-year-old sprinter won the men's 500m (the shortest race in long track) at the 2021 world championships before taking silver each of the last two years while grabbing an Olympic silver in the 1,000m in 2022. He also helped Canada to back-to-back world titles in the men's team sprint in 2023 and last year in Calgary. Dubreuil was the only Canadian to win a medal in a men's World Cup event this season — individual or team. He collected six of them, recovering from a groin injury that kept him off the podium for two months to reach the podium in five of the last six 500m races (most World Cup meets offer two of them for each gender, compared to just one for the other distances). Dubreuil finished second in the men's 500m standings for the fifth time in his career. At the worlds, there's a good chance he'll again find himself trailing Jordan Stolz, the 20-year-old American force of nature who won 17 of his 21 individual races across all distances this season to sweep the 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m titles. The full list of Canadians competing: Men Ted-Jan Bloemen: 5,000m, 10,000, Laurent Dubreuil: 500m, 1,000m, team sprint Christopher Fiola: 500m Graeme Fish: 5,000m, 10,000m Connor Howe: 1,000m, 1,500m, team sprint Anders Johnson: 500m, team sprint David La Rue: 1,000m, 1,500m, mass start Women Ivanie Blondin: 1,500m, 3,000m, mass start, team sprint, team pursuit Laura Hall: 5,000m Rose Laliberté-Roy: 500m Béatrice Lamarche: 1,000m, team sprint Valerie Maltais: 1,500m, 3,000m, mass start, team pursuit Brooklyn McDougall: 500m, team sprint Isabelle Weidemann: 3,000m, 5,000m, team pursuit How to watch:

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