#Soccer Tournament Maps

[utaesthetics]

SCR-WaterWorks

[o-the-mts]

So obviously I was rooting for the USWNT to go much further in this tournament, but ultimately it will be a good thing for women's soccer globally that they won't win three straight. It will be especially great if a nation that has never won the championship before wins it all, and the only team left with a previous championship is Japan so there's a good chance that will happen. How cool would it be for Australia to win on their home soil? Or France or England - countries that pay a lot more attention to men's football - putting the women's game on the map. Best yet would be seeing Colombia, Jamaica, Morocco, or Nigeria - "minnows" in international football - pulling off the ultimate upset!

[archivxx]

✯[0.11-extra]✯

Main story.| Previous || Next

AN: this comes before 0.11

Note: there is a significant link between the amount of sunscreen poured in my hands and the intensity of my desire to murder Nichole.

“Now go right.”

“Got it.” Kyle’s finger flicked the indicator. A clicking sound filling the small car. “Going right.”

“No don’t listen to Craig. Turn left.”

Craig leaned forward and swatted Nichole’s arm. “Kyle, trust me. Nicholes never been to the farm. It’s on the right.”

“Google Maps says left.”

“Google Maps is wrong.”

“What do I do?” Kyle made a face in the rearview mirror. “Left or right? N/N, what do I do?”

In the back seat, you looked up from the car window and shrugged. “Try right; if it’s wrong, we’ll just turn around.” You shot Nichole a quick apologetic glance, but she and Craig were too busy mock-glaring each other to notice.

Kyle grimaced. “We’ll be late. God; I hate these stupid picnics.”

“We are, like”—you glanced at the cars clock—“one hour late already, I think we can add an extra ten minutes to that. I just hope there’s some food left.” Your stomach had been growling for the past two hours, and there was no way everyone in the car hadn’t noticed.

After the minor argument you’d had with Clyde over text, you’d been tempted to simply skip the picnic. Hole yourself up in your room and practice the drums—just like you had all weekend—ignore the fact you had told him to fuck off in one of the messages later on, and with every little reason. You could use the time to work on a report you were doing for your friend, which was providing a trickery time than you had originally thought when agreeing to it—probably because you were essentially unprepared for everything. But you’d changed your mind last minute, telling yourself that you’d promised Clyde you’d meet here and show off to the department chair. It would be unfair of you to back out after he’d done more than his share of the deal when it came to convincing Nichole.

That was of course in the very unlikely case he still wanted anything to do with you.

“Don’t worry, Kyle,” Nichole said. “We’ll get there eventually. If anyone asks lest say that a mountain lion attacked us. God, why is it so hot? I bought sunblock, by the way. SPF thirsty and fifty. No one is going anywhere without putting it on.”

In the back seat you, Tolkien and Craig exchanged a resigned look, well acquainted with Nichole’s sunscreen obsession.

The picnic was in full swing when you finally arrived, as crowded as most events with free food. You made a beeline for the tables and waved at your advisor, who was sitting in the shade of a giant oak tree with other faculty members. You’d advisor waved back. No doubt please to see that her advice is probably what got you here. You smiled weakly in a valiant attempt to not look resentful, grabbed a Chester of white grapes, and popped one into your mouth while letting your gaze wander around the fields.

Nichole was right. This may was uncommonly hot. There were people everywhere, sitting on the lawn chairs, laying down in the grass, walking in and out of barns—all enjoying the whether. A few were eating from plastic plates on folding tables close to the main house. There were at least thirty games going on—a verity’s on valley ball with the players standing in a circled, a soccer match, and something that involved a frisbee and over a dozen half dressed dudes.

“What are they even playing?” You asked Nichole. You spotted Tweek tackle someone from admin and looked back to the almost empty tables, cringing. Slim picking was all that was left. You wanted a sandwich. A bag of chips. Anything.

“Ultimate Frisbee, i think? I don’t know. Did you put on sunblock? You’re wearing a tank top and shorts, so you really should.”

You but into another grape. “You Americans and your fake sports.”

“I’m pretty sure there are Canadian tournaments of Ultimate Frisbee, too. You know what’s not fake?”

“Melanoma. Put on some sunscreen.”

“I will, Mom.” You smiled. “Can I eat first?”

“Eat what? There’s nothing left. Oh, there’s some corn bread over there.”

“Oh, cool. Pass it over.”

“Don’t eat the corn bread, guys.” Tolkien popped up between you and Nichole. “Kenny said that some guys needed all over it. Where did Kyle go?”

“Parking—holy shit.”

You looked up from your perusal of the table, alarmed by the urgency in Nichole’s tone. “What?”

“Just, holy shit.”

“Yeah, what—”

“Holy shit.”

“You mentioned that already.”

“Because—holy shit.”

You glanced around trying to figure out what was going on. “What is—oh there’s Kyle. Maybe he found something to eat?”

“Is that Donovan?”

You were already walking toward Kyle to fine something edible and skip the whole sunscreen nonsense altogether but when you heard Clydes name, you stopped dead in your tracks. Or maybe it wasn’t Clydes names but the way Nichole’s was saying it. “What? Where?”

Tolkien pointed at the Ultimate Frisbee crowd. “That’s him, right? Shirtless?”

“Holy shit,” Nichole repeated, her vocabulary suddenly pretty limited, given here twenty something years speaking English. “Is that a six-pack?”

Tolkien blinked. “Might even be an eight-pack.”

“Are those his real shoulder?” Nichole asked. “Did he have shoulder-enhancement surgery?”

“That must be how he used the contract money,” Craig said. “I don’t think shoulders like that exist in nature.”

“God, is that Donovan’s chest?” Kyle leaned his chin over your shoulder “was that thing under his shirt while he was being a dick and shredding my chords a new one? N/N why didn’t you say he was shredded?”

You just stood there, rooted to the ground, arms dangling uselessly at your sides. Because I didn’t know. Because i had no idea. Or maybe you had, a bit, from seeing him push that truck the yesterday—though you’d been trying to suppress that particular mental image.

“Unbelievable” Nichole pulled your hand toward herself, overturning it to squirt a healthy dose of lost job on your palm. “Here, put this in your shoulders. And your legs. And your face, too—you’re probably at thought risk for all sorts of skin stuff, freckles McFreckleface. Ky, you too.”

You nodded numbly and began to massage the sunscreen into your arms and thighs. You breathed in the smell of coconut oil; trying really hard not to the about Clyde and about the fact he really did look like that. Mostly failing, but hey.

“Are there actual studies?” Tolkien asked.

“Mmm?” Nichole was pulling her hair into a bun.

“On the link between freckles and skin cancer”

“I don’t know.”

“Feels like there would be.”

“True. I wanna know now.”

“Hold on. Is there Wi-Fi here?”

“N/N do you have internet?”

You wiped your hands in a napkin that looked mostly unused. “I left my phone in Kyle’s car.”

You turned your head away from Nichole and Tolkien who were studying the screen of Tolkiens iPhone, until you had a good view of the Ultimate Frisbees group—fourteen men and zero women. It probably had to go with the general excess if testosterone in your work place. At least half of the players were people you were sure you’d never seen before except Clyde, of course, and Pete, and Tweek who despite his usual jittery self and then was doing a fairly good job at not-jittering to say he’s usually pumped up with caffeine to a point of concern. All men were equally shirtless. Though, no. Not equal at all. There was nothing equal about Clyde.

You weren’t like this. You were really not. You could count the number of guys your been this viscerally attracted to on one hand. Actually—on one finger. And at the moment said guy was running towards you, because Pete Thelman, and bless his heart, had just thrown the Frisbee way too clumsily, and it was now in a patch of grass approximately ten feet from you. And Clyde, shirtless Clyde, just happened to be the one closest to where it landed.

“Oh, check out this paper.” Tolkien sounded excited.

“Khalesi et al., 2013. It’s a meta-analysis. ‘Cutaneous markers of photo-damage and risk of basal cell carcinoma of the skin.’ In cancer epidemiology, biomarkers and prevention.”

Tolkien fist pumped. “Y/N are you listening?”

Nope. No, you were not. You were mostly trying to help the your brain, and your eyes, too. Of your fake boyfriend and the sudden warm ache in your stomach. You just wished that you were elsewhere. That you were temporarily blind and deaf.

“Hear this: solar lentigines had weak but positive association with basal cell carcinoma, with odds ratios around 1.5. Okay i don’t like this. Tolkien hold the phone. I’m giving Y/N more sunscreen. Here’s SPF fifty; it’s probably what you need.”

You tore your eyes from Clyde’s chest, no alarmingly close, and turned around, stepping away from Nichole. “Wait. I already put some on.”

“Y/N,” Nichole told you, with that sensible, motherly tone she used whenever you dipped and confessed that you mostly got your veggie servings from french fries, or that you washed your colours and whites in the same load. “You know the literature.”

“I do not know the literature, and neither do you, you just know one line from one abstract and—”

Nichole grabbed your hand again and poured half a gallon of lotion in it. So much of it that you had to use your left palm to prevent it from spilling over—until you were just standing there like an idiot, you hands cupped like a beggar as you half frowns in goddamn sunscreen.

“Here you go.” Nichole smiled brightly. “Now you can protect yourself from basal cell carcinoma. Which, frankly, sounds awful.”

“I…” you would have face-palmed, if you’d had the freedom to move your upper limbs. “I hate sunscreen. It’s sticky and it makes me smell like a piña colada and—this is way too much.”

“Just put on as much as your skin will absorb. Especially around the freckled areas. The rest you can share with someone.”

“Okay. Nichole, you take some, you too Kyle. You’re a ginger for God’s sake.”

“A redhead with no freckles, though.” He smiled proudly like he’d created his genotype all on his own.

You turned to Tolkien. “I already put on a ton. Thanks, babe.” He leans down for a brief kiss to Nichole’s cheek, which almost devolved into a make out session.

You tried not to sigh. “Guys, what do I do with this?”

“Just find someone else. Where did Craig go?”

Tolkien snorted. “Over there, with Scott.”

“Scott?”

“Yeah that guy with diabetes, you know the one.”

“Is he pissing him off? Or—”

“Guys.” It good all you had not to yell. “I have no mobility. Please, fix this sunscreen mess your created.”

“God, N/N” Nichole rolled her eyes. “Your so dramatic sometimes. Hang on—” she waved at someone behind your, and when she spoke her voice was much louder. “Hey, Donovan! Have you put on sunscreen yet?”

In the span of a microsecond your entire brain burst into flames then crumbled into a pile of ashes. Just like that, one hundred million neurones, one thousand billion glial cells, and who know how many millilitres of cerebrospinal fluid, just ceased to exist. The rest of your body was not doing very well, either, since you could feel your organs shut down in real time. From the very beginning of your acquaintance with Clyde there had been about ten instances of you wishing to drop dead on the spot, cor the earth to open up and swallow your whole, for a cataclysm to hit and spare you from the embarrassment of your interactions. This time, though it felt as though the end of the world might happen for real.

Don’t turn around, what’s left of your central nervous system told you. Pretend you didn’t hear Nichole. Will this into nonexistence. But it was impossible. There was this triangle of sorts, formed by You, Nichole in front of you, and Clyde probably—surely—standing behind you; it wasn’t as if your had a choice. Any choice. Especially when Clyde, who couldn’t possibly imagine the depraved direction of Nichole’s thoughts, who couldn’t possibly see the bucketful of sunscreen that had taken residence in your hands, said, “No.”

Well. Shit.

You spun around, and there he was—sweaty holding a Frisbee in his left hand and so very, very shirtless. He walked over to you, a perplexed look briefly occupying his face before he returned to his regular stoic one, then one of slight shock upon seeing your hands. He knew exactly what was coming.

“Perfect. Y/N has some extra, why don’t you let her put it on you?” Somehow the complete severity of the situation only just dawned on you when the words left Nichole’s lips. You were going to have to touch him. Touch his abs. And his large shoulder blades. His large shoulders—

“Oh okay, sure.” He threw the Frisbee back to the game telling them that he had to do something. Your eyes shot to him. Why was he agreeing to this? Many thoughts circled your mind. The main one being panic. You couldn’t do this. No way. There was no way you would lather Clyde Donovan in sunscreen in front of every person you have ever—and will ever know. Your eyes flickered between the sunscreen in your hands and Clyde’s broad chest. You were not going to do this. No way in hell. You couldn’t. And yet the sunscreen in your hands had starts to seep through the cracks in your hands leaving you with only one choice.

Fuck your life, for a real one.

You took once glance at Clyde to check his expression, you wanted him to retract his former statement, tell you that it was absolutely unacceptable considering the fact that you had only known this guy for a little over two month now and had spoken to him a total of twenty-three times and hardly knew anything about him. And despite all that wishing his expression didn’t change.

You raised your hand and started to massage the sunscreen into his chest. His firm chest. You tried your very best not you but the sweat began to collect in your hairline and the way that the sun was shining on you there was so doubt he could see it, glistening.

“Y/N.” Clyde said, it wasn’t loud enough that the group now behind you could hear but it was loud enough that your could hear. You looked up at him, his mouth did one of those twitch-things of his again. “Don’t worry about it.”

You heaved a sigh. He was right, you guys were going to find yourself in situations like this all the time now, considering you had a track record for it with Nichole. However that didn’t make the situation any less embarrassing. If anything that made you more embarrassed at the mere thought of something of this monstrosity happening ever again. Part of you couldn’t believe what you had gotten yourself into the other part told you you were insane. Of course this was your life, of course because what other purpose would your best friend had than to make it hell?

You continued to massage it into his skin. “Hey, Y/N are you good for a room when we go to Pete’s thing?” Your head whipped around to Nichole as a small seed of anxiety planted itself in your thoughts. What on earth could that question entail?

“I thought we’d be sharing?”

“Well, about that. I’m going to share with Tolkien, do you mind?”

Right, of course. “No! Not at all.” You forced a tight smile onto your face and looked back at Clyde, trying to focus all your attention on him.

“You’re gonna be okay for getting a room? You’re sure?”

“Positive!” You were lying to your best friend. While it felt shitty this is what you had wanted, this is what you had asked for at the start of all this, you had to be happy.

You focused fully on Clyde, blocking all of the thoughts about how you were going to stay in LA for a week out of your head and to be thought about on a later date. By now, you had fully coated Clydes front. You looked up at him. He cocked his head ever so slightly. His thick brown hair sticking to his forehead.

“Can you turn around? I finished your front.” He nodded then turned around. You were now met with his back. Holy shit was his back big. You couldn’t see all his muscles. Which wasn’t something you were typically attracted too but considering when he’s dressed he looks so skinny, his sleeper build was causing that heat to erupt in your stomach again. You were going to fight it off but you were interrupted by Clydes awkward swaying, you’d been buried in your mind for far too long.

You began to massage the sunscreen into his back, his muscles moved a little, jolting when you hit tight spots. This felt wrong. Like an outer body experience. Part of you thought you were going to double down on yourself at at moment. It was all just too much. You wanted you laugh at the pure idiocy of the situation but at the same time you wanted to cry at it. It was wrong—on every level possible.

You finished his back as fast as you could finishing it off with two taps on his back to let him know you were done—something you would cringe about when trying to fall asleep that night. He turned back to you. You looks at him, straining your neck. Why was he so goddamn tall?

“Well, thank you Y/N and thank you Nichole for…watching out for me?” With that he ran back to the game. Maybe he was still annoyed at you for the yesterdays mini argument. You stood rooted to the spot for a moment before turning around and grabbing the same napkin you had used the first time to wipe you hands and wiped them again.

“Wow.” Kyle said, approaching you. “That was an insane amount of sexual tension I just saw.”

You whipped your head around to Kyle, a breathy laugh forcing out of your lungs. “I have no clue what you’re talking about, Ky.”

“That was like hella sexual. You just lathered him up N/N.”

“So what? It’s just an acquaintance helping an acquaintance.”

“Psh. Yeah right.”

“What? I’m being serious Kyle.” Your voice went a few octaves higher than you would have liked.

“Sure. If you guys ever fuck don’t say I didn’t tell you it would happen.” You rolled your eyes and shoved his shoulder. He dramatically stumbled away from you causing you to roll your eyes once again. Before he could get back up you walked over to Tolkien and Nichole who were now finally joined by Craig.

“Y/N I just saw that m scene with Donovan when I was talking to Scott, what was with the PDA?”

You stared at him. Dumbfound.

“Well come on. You used to complain about how gross couples who publicly doted on each were, where’s that same energy now?”

You stared at him a second more. Craig Tucker. Your childhood best friend and known for being a notorious asshole when it came to teasing. There was nothing Craig did better then pissing people off, which was being shown ever so clearly to you in that moment, one of the main factors to answer for why people don’t like him.

It took you more than physically restraint to not tell him to fuck off, or to sock him right in the face, instead you opted for the latter’s latter and shoved his head back, plopping yourself next to Nichole leaving a spot for Kyle next to you.

You would be counting down the seconds till you could go home.

Masterlist

Taglist: @bootsieboo @ryenwritess @h3artilly @southparktegreity @

[haltandcatchfiretothemax]

(belated!) FEMSLASH FEBRUARY 2024 #18: In which Donna (and by extension, Cameron) assist in a critical rescue effort

[CN: food/eating mentions; alcohol mentions; fictional plane crash]

[ALSO: spoilers for season 1 of Yellowjackets]

.

In 1996, Donna and Cameron are elated to celebrate Haley’s graduation, and see her off to college. Donna throws a huge party, delights in taking her graduate shopping for everything she’ll need for her dorm room, and makes an event of taking Haley to school and helping her move in.

But then, after Haley is situated, Donna realizes that she is an empty nester. She copes with it by obsessing over a horrifying and puzzling news story: in May, Flight 2525, carrying a high school girls’ soccer team to a tournament went missing. Watching the news from their living room couch, Donna says, “They’re Haley’s age...most of them should be at college right now, what a nightmare.” After a couple weeks of reading everything she can find about the flight, she manages to get in touch with the Matthews, whose daughter Lottie was a member of the soccer team, and who chartered the flight. When Lottie’s father says that the NTSB hasn’t found anything in months, and that the private former NTSB investigator that they hired hasn’t been able to find anything either, Donna offers to see if any of her contacts are willing to review their findings. The Matthews and the other parents are desperate, and so they accept.

-- When photocopies of the private investigator’s research arrives, Cameron looks at it. “I think getting involved in this is a terrible idea, but I’ve gotten weird about crazier things,” she says. After she goes through everything, she looks at the map again, and says, “I don’t think they’ve been looking in the right place. Like, the projection for the debris field, I think it’s wrong. Did they look in Canada?”

-- Donna calls Risa’s femme aerospace engineering professor ex, who agrees with Cameron, and puts the debris field way north of where the NTSB put it, in Alberta. Donna then finds a search and rescue firm run by a woman who used to be in tech that has connections to the local parks department and wilderness experience, Lottie’s father hires them, and they deploy an all-woman search team. When Risa, not entirely kidding, predicts, “We have lesbians with carabiners on the case now, so we’re gonna see results,” Donna hopes that she’s right

-- It takes the search team a week to find the plane, and it’s unexpected ‘gone to lake’ message, and another day to call in more reinforcements and find the lake. They find a girl sleeping on the ground outside a cabin, and they wake her, and she tells them that the rest of the survivors are in the cabin. Finding the survivors to be in shockingly good health, the search team starts the process of transporting them all back to Calgary

-- The Matthews fly the survivor’s parents to meet them in Calgary, and Donna helps some of the parents to secure hotel accommodations for the trip. She winds up getting hotel room and flight for herself, and Cameron, who isn’t about to let Donna go off to meet a bunch of strangers by herself, agrees to go with her

-- When they gets to the search and rescue firm’s offices, she finds the survivors crowded into the lobby, looking dazed, while a team of private nurses buzzes around them, taking down their information and re-checking their vitals. Cameron and Donna wind up handing out water and protein bars to them while the owner of the firm orders food for them

-- After a literal feeding frenzy that actually kind of scares every non-survivor in the room, Donna talks to the survivors, asking if there’s anything else she can get for them while they wait for their parents. One of the soccer players, a 17 year old girl whose hair reminds Donna of the first time she met Cameron, semi-jokingly asks for a stiff drink, and says, ‘thanks anyway,’ when Donna asks one of the nurses if she has any Xanax.

-- Another girl, who’s wrapped in a blanket, and sitting off to the side, somewhat removed from the rest of the group, quietly asks for hot cocoa. Donna finds packets of instant cocoa in a kitchen, near the carafes of coffee and hot water, so she mixes some. The girl starts crying when Donna brings it back to her, so Donna stays with her for a while

-- A third girl demands to know how they were found, as if she’s angry they were rescued. When the owner of the firm explains that Donna helped find new personnel track down a new lead, the girl glares at Donna from behind her wire rim glasses and poof of curly blonde hair

-- Donna asks the girl who asked for a drink about her, and she says that they probably only survived as long as they did because the girl in the glasses, Misty, took some red cross class, and knew how to sterilize wounds and tie tourniquets. Donna makes a point of talking to Misty and praising her for taking care of her teammates and sharing her skills. Misty seems less angry after that

-- Later, in the privacy of their hotel room, Cameron says that Misty is weird (“which is significant, coming from me, Donna”)

-- When the parents of the survivors arrive, the scene is predictably overwhelming, even before they all start to thank Donna profusely for her efforts. No one claims the girl who asked for the drink, though, because her mother is too sick to travel

-- Before they all retire to their hotel rooms, Donna passes business cards out, and and offers to help anyone who needs to figure out college admissions or job placements before they all return home. The girl who asked for the drink, Natalie, is the only one who takes her up on it. A few weeks into the new year, she calls Donna at work, and tells her that she never really had a plan for after high school, and that she needs to get out of New Jersey

-- Donna invites her out to California, and Natalie ends up moving to San José. Donna helps her find a job, and Cameron gives her a book on code, which Natalie wants to like, but finds boring. After she establishes residency, Natalie starts community college, and two years after that, she gets into UC Santa Cruz, where she goes on to study philosophy.

-- Well over a year after the rescue, Donna gets another call at work, which she picks up herself because her assistant has gone home for the day. When she says, “Symphonic Ventures, this is Donna,” the person on the other end says, “Hi, this is Jackie Taylor, from…the plane crash? You got hot cocoa for me.” It takes a second, but Donna realizes who she is and sits up, and says, “Hi! How are you doing? What can I do for you?”

-- Jackie says that she doesn’t know what to do, and when Donna asks, “About what, sweetie?” Jackie says, “Anything?” She relates a long and complicated story about how she and her best friend got into a terrible fight shortly before the rescue, after which they never spoke again, and how she didn’t have any friends and had dropped out after half a semester at Rutgers because she couldn’t drag herself out of bed anymore, and how she’d probably already peaked in high school

-- Finally, she says, “Did you ever have a friend who you thought would be in your life forever? And like, you were totally fine with that? Like, you would have been happy to hang out with them for the rest of your life?”

-- Donna is slightly bewildered by this outpouring of emotion, but she says, “I felt that way about my partner when we started working together.” “And now?” Jackie asks. Donna grins, “She moved in a few months ago, so I guess we’ll be hanging out for a while.”

-- Jackie asks Donna what their house is like, and about Donna’s job. Donna tells her about Mountain View, and her pool, and getting married young and then getting divorced and into venture capital, and Gordon and their kids and Mutiny and Cameron, and then takes the opportunity to ask Jackie, “What about you though? What did you want to study, at Rutgers?”

-- When Jackie says that she doesn’t know, and that she’s never really been good at anything but looking like an overachiever, Donna ends up inviting her to visit

-- Jackie tears through a stack of unopened birthday cards from relatives and family friends who haven’t know what to say to her since the plane crash and finds enough money to pay for an open ended round trip bus ticket to San José, which she books immediately

-- A few weeks later Jackie arrives in Mountain View. Cameron and Donna find her to be a mostly pleasant houseguest, but scold her for apologizing whenever she asks them for anything. Jackie blushes self-consciously when Cameron tells her, “You’re allowed to take up space.”

-- While in the Bay Area, Jackie takes herself sightseeing and goes to the beach. She visits with Natalie, who actually seems happy to see her, and finds that Natalie is sharing her tiny, one-bedroom apartment with a girl she met through her bookstore job (Jackie is very curious about this, but manages to keep her prying questions to herself)

-- Haley takes Jackie out on her next to last night in Mountain View. She gets dressed up and dances and drinks alcohol for the first time since the plane crash, and she gets so drunk that she kisses Haley while they’re waiting outside the bar’s restroom (Haley doesn’t exactly mind, but also isn’t about to take advantage of a vulnerable young woman

--She does wind up sleeping in the guest room with Jackie, though, partly because she’s afraid that Jackie will be sick, but also because she is very easy on the eyes, and better company than she realizes

-- (Donna asks Haley the next morning how their outing was, and if she ‘showed Jackie a good time,’ and Haley says, “Yeah, and she showed me one too” before sashaying out of the kitchen. Cameron and Donna are delighted by this mildly scandalous turn of events)

-- When Donna drives Jackie to the bus station two days later, she asks Jackie what she’s going to do when she gets home. “I don’t really know,” Jackie says with a tentative smile. “I’ll figure it out, I guess? I have a week on a bus to think about it….” Then, she says, “Thanks for having me, Donna. This was really amazing.”

-- When Jackie gets home, she starts looking for a job and learning how to drive, and starts using the internet more regularly. For a while, she takes every ‘am I gay?’ quiz she can find (they all say 'probably', ‘maybe’, or ‘yes, definitely’)

-- A year later, Donna gets a postcard with a picture of a sculpture called “Gay Liberation” on it. She turns it over, and it says, “Donna, I figured it out! Thanks again, your friend Jackie Taylor (p.s tell Cameron I say hi)”

-- Donna pins the postcard to the cork board in her office, so she can look at it whenever she feels like she doesn’t know what to do, or like she’s not doing enough.

[mariacallous]

Serbia and Switzerland face off tonight in the final round of group fixtures at the 2022 World Cup in what has become one of the great geopolitical grudge matches in international soccer. The two sides met at the same stage of the last tournament in Russia four years ago, and tempers boiled over after Switzerland’s Kosovo-born winger, Xherdan Shaqiri, scored a last-minute winner that eliminated Serbia from the competition and secured Switzerland’s progression to the next round.

Before Shaqiri’s strike, the score sat level at 1-1 after Granit Xhaka, another Swiss player of Kosovar-Albanian heritage, canceled out Serbia’s early opener. As Shaqiri reeled away, he celebrated his goal by forming a two-headed eagle gesture with his hands—just as Xhaka did earlier in the match—in tribute to the Albanian flag. Serbia’s players erupted with rage, and a melee ensued, triggering endless controversy and several FIFA investigations into player misconduct.

It is often said that sports are politics by other means, and this World Cup hasn’t been short of geopolitical subtexts. From the United States’ game against Iran, to the Iran team’s refusal to sing their own national anthem as an alleged silent protest against the oppression of protesters back home, to Qatari “sportswashing,” there has hardly been a more political World Cup in history—barring perhaps Argentina 1978, which was controversially held in a military dictatorship at a time when ordinary citizens were being disappeared and murdered by the state.

The fault lines behind the Serbia-Switzerland fixture, as was the case four years ago, center on Belgrade’s continued refusal to accept Kosovo’s independence after its unilateral secession from Serbia 14 years ago.

Since the previous meeting between these two sides in Kaliningrad, the diplomatic standoff between Serbia and Kosovo has barely progressed, while the enduring ethnic animosities between the two sides have already reemerged in Qatar, which promises to turn tonight’s match into a powder keg.

This reflects the political situation on the ground in Kosovo, where fears of renewed interethnic violence were running high in recent weeks after the government pushed on with plans to coerce drivers into surrendering their Belgrade-issued license plates; a recent deal has defused tensions for the time being. Serbia-Kosovo relations appear to be unsolvable. But that’s because relations are treated solely as a political issue, rather than an emotional one deeply rooted in the Balkan character.

Ahead of their opening game against Brazil, the Serbian team decided to hang a banner bearing an image of Kosovo overlaid with the Serbian flag and the words “No Surrender.” This is a common nationalist symbol that can be spotted at soccer matches and far-right protests in Serbia. Danilo Vucic, the son of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, was spotted wearing a No Surrender T-shirt at the original fixture in 2018.

FIFA promptly announced an investigation into Serbia’s “hateful” flag, which is likely to lead to a fine for the Football Association of Serbia. Not that this will change anything. Because in soccer, as in politics, the spiteful joy that comes from seeing the opponent lose often outweighs the benefits of winning. This is why the Serbia-Kosovo dispute has proved so intractable.

For a brief moment in 2020, Vucic and his counterpart in Pristina, Hashim Thaci, appeared ready to strike a deal. There were rumors that former U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Balkans, Richard Grenell, was prepared to greenlight a controversial land swap proposal that would redraw the maps of the two countries along ethnic lines by exchanging a Serb-majority portion of northern Kosovo for an Albanian-majority slice of southern Serbia.

This was the first time that Belgrade had shown any genuine willingness to engage with a proposed resolution. But the European Union moved quickly to torpedo the deal because Brussels feared that it could trigger other ethnically driven border disputes across the Balkans. The Specialist Prosecutor’s Office in The Hague announced that it had filed a 10-count indictment with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers charging Thaci, a former guerilla leader, with war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the Kosovo War. Thaci resigned and Grenell’s mandate was cut short by Trump’s 2020 election defeat, which killed off the land swap proposal for good.

In 2021, the Vetevendosje party and its leader, the nationalist firebrand Albin Kurti, won a commanding mandate in Pristina following snap elections. Kurti has taken an uncompromising line against Belgrade and is insistent that he will settle for nothing less than full recognition of Kosovo’s independence. Although this sounds like a reasonable demand on paper, in practice it is close to a political impossibility.

Even if Vucic did choose to defy majority opinion in Serbia and sacrifice his own career for the ideal of regional reconciliation, the Serbian constitution codifies Kosovo’s status as “an integral part of the territory of Serbia,” which means that recognition would be unconstitutional and thereby illegal.

This leaves Vucic with two options: to alter the constitution, which would require a national referendum that would be doomed to fail, or to impose it undemocratically upon the nation without a vote and hope that his government isn’t overthrown by mass protests. It is highly unlikely that Kurti isn’t aware of this, which is why it could be said that he doesn’t approach the negotiations in good faith. Kurti would argue that there can be no compromise on justice, but that doesn’t make his position any more diplomatic than Serbia’s.

Indeed, throughout his term, Kosovo’s prime minister has shown that he isn’t afraid of provoking Belgrade or angering Brussels in the pursuit of his political aims.

Tensions reached a new peak this November, when Kurti insisted that he would press on with plans to begin issuing fines to drivers if they don’t exchange their Belgrade-issued car license plates for ones issued by the Republic of Kosovo. Many ethnic Serbs in the country have continually refused to comply with this regulation, and there were heightened fears that the measures, which allow the police to confiscate the vehicles of repeat offenders, could lead to further outbreaks of interethnic violence after Serbs barricaded roads and fired live ammunition in protests that occurred over the summer.

The standoff lasted for weeks, and while a diplomatic fix was eventually found after Serbia agreed to stop issuing new license plates to drivers in Kosovo if Pristina backed down, Kurti was publicly criticized by EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell during a temporary breakdown in negotiations as the main barrier to progress—a charge that has usually been directed toward  the Serb side in the past. By the end of November, a diplomatic fix deescalated the issue for the time being, but Kurti’s zeal appears to be alienating friends and damaging his country’s international standing.

The continued failure to normalize relations between the two sides stems from the fact that international negotiators continually treat it as an equation that can be solved by the right combination of diplomacy and policy. But Serbia’s position can only be understood if it is viewed as a matter of political psychology.

Since the beginning, Brussels has tried to incentivize Belgrade to recognize Kosovo’s independence in exchange for political and economic benefits such as EU membership. But polling shows that a vast majority of Serbian voters would reject this trade-off if it was put to a vote. Serbia’s obstructionism is often misconstrued as a negotiating tactic when it is actually a political end in and of itself.

Vucic has already made it clear to the West what Serbia needs from any future deal, yet international actors have chosen to ignore him. In a 2017 interview, the Serbian president told the Swiss newspaper Blick, “Unless both sides are willing to lose something, then the [Serbia-Kosovo] conflict will go on forever.” His words should be taken at face value.

In Serbia, there is an emotional impulse called inat that is widely accepted as a key feature of the national character. It is difficult to offer a direct translation of inat, but “spiteful contrarianism” comes close. The English expression about cutting off your nose to spite your face captures the spirit of the term.

A Serbian idiom that helps illustrate inat is the phrase “so long as the neighbor’s cow dies.” What this refers to is a common stereotype in Serbia that people take pleasure in watching others’ misfortune because it makes their own struggles easier to bear. Seeing the neighbor prosper, by contrast, can only be a source of frustration. While similar to schadenfreude in some ways, inat has an element of counterproductive rebellion; it’s an emotional reflex rather than a logical, considered reaction—and it’s malicious by design. This dynamic is a key feature of the dispute with Kosovo.

Serbia may no longer have any control over the breakaway province, but it does have the power to stunt its development as an independent state by blocking its entry into international institutions and waging a derecognition campaign that diminishes the legitimacy of its claims to statehood.

A resolution would require Serbia to relinquish this power, which means that the onus is on Pristina to make concessions if it wants to see changes to the status quo. And, as Vucic has already highlighted, the only deal that he can sell back home is one that is begrudgingly accepted by Kosovo without celebration. The opponent cannot be allowed to feel like they have won. This is inat in geopolitical form.

This same dynamic can be seen in tonight’s World Cup match. After being so comprehensively humiliated by Xhaka and Shaqiri in 2018, Serbia’s players and fans want revenge both on and off the field. The team knows that this is certain to motivate the opposition, but it also means that, if they do win, defeat will feel so much more painful for their adversaries.

But this isn’t just a Serbian quality: It’s a fundamental component of soccer fandom. Many of the sport’s biggest rivalries are disputes over petty differences between neighbors, where the joy of watching your team win is outweighed by the tribalistic pleasure of seeing your opponent lose. Ultimately, soccer is just inat by other means.

[gallantsports-blog]

The Ultimate Guide to Turf Construction: From Design to Installation

Welcome, sports enthusiasts and turf aficionados, to a journey through the intricate world of turf construction. Whether you're aiming to revamp your backyard for weekend soccer matches or dreaming of hosting professional tournaments, Gallant sports Company is your go-to guide for turning those dreams into reality.

Unveiling the Gallant Sports Experience

At Gallant Sports, we aren't just about laying down a patch of green and calling it a day. We're committed to crafting sports arenas that are as resilient as they are beautiful. Our journey begins with a meticulous consultation process where we delve into your vision, budget, and specific sporting requirements. From there, it's a seamless transition through design, construction, Artificial Grass Cost With Installation, and maintenance, ensuring that every step aligns with your expectations.

Designing the Dream

Ah, the design phase—the canvas upon which sporting dreams are painted! Our team of experts utilizes state-of-the-art CAD technology to map out every inch of your future turf. From color schemes to line markings, no detail is too small to escape our attention. Whether you're envisioning a FIFA-approved soccer pitch or a multi-sport surface, we've got you covered.

Construction: Where Science Meets Sports

With the design locked in, it's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. Gallant Sports prides itself on a comprehensive construction process that addresses everything from drainage to lighting. Our goal? To create a sturdy foundation that will withstand the test of time, ensuring optimal performance for years to come.

Installation Mastery

Now comes the moment of truth—installation day! Our skilled team, armed with specialized equipment, swings into action to bring your vision to life. Whether it's laying down Artificial Football Turf or installing interlocking tiles, precision is our middle name. The end result? A flawless playing surface that's ready to host the next epic showdown.

Maintenance: Keeping the Dream Alive

But wait, our journey doesn't end with installation. At Gallant Sports, we understand that maintenance is the key to preserving the integrity of your turf. That's why we offer dedicated maintenance services to keep your playing surface in top condition. From regular inspections to repairs, we've got you covered every step of the way.

Why Choose Gallant Sports?

So, what sets Gallant Sports apart from the competition? For starters, we're more than just turf builders—we're game-changers. With over 700 facilities under our belt and a commitment to quality that knows no bounds, we're on a mission to redefine the sporting landscape of India. Plus, with a diverse range of products, including PVC Vinyl For Basketball Cost and Stadium Seatings & Bleachers, we've got everything you need to create the ultimate sports arena.

Join the Gallant Sports Revolution

Ready to take your sporting dreams to new heights? Connect with Gallant Sports today and let us be your partner in transformation. Whether you're a school looking to upgrade your facilities or a community center in need of a facelift, we're here to make it happen. Together, let's rewrite the game and usher in a new era of sports excellence.

In Conclusion

From consultation to construction, Artificial Grass Installation Price to maintenance, Gallant Sports is your one-stop destination for all things turf like Artificial Turf Lawn Cost-related. With a commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction, we're here to turn your sporting dreams into reality. So why wait? Join the Gallant Sports revolution today and let's build something extraordinary together.

[best-elizabethtown-ky]

Expert Heating Care

In Elizabethtown, residents trust Air Support Heating & AC Repair for comprehensive HVAC solutions, extending their expertise beyond cooling services. The company excels in heating installation, ensuring efficient and reliable systems tailored to individual needs. Their skilled technicians specialize in meticulous heating maintenance and tune-ups, addressing potential issues before they escalate and optimizing the performance of existing systems. With a commitment to excellence, Air Support aims to provide residents of Elizabethtown with a warm and comfortable living environment. Whether installing new heating systems or fine-tuning existing ones, Air Support Heating & AC Repair stands as a reliable HVAC repair Elizabethtown, KY partner dedicated to elevating heating solutions throughout the community.

The History of Elizabethtown, KY

Established in 1797, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, has a rich history that traces back to its founding by Andrew and Elizabeth Hynes. Named in honor of Elizabeth Hynes, the city played a crucial role in early American history. Initially a frontier outpost, Elizabethtown grew rapidly, fueled by its strategic location along the Lincoln Trail and proximity to the Ohio River. During the Civil War, it served as a key Union supply depot. Today, remnants of this storied past can be explored in the city's historic district, showcasing well-preserved 19th-century architecture and landmarks such as the Brown-Pusey House. Elizabethtown's history reflects the resilience of its pioneers and their enduring impact on the development of this vibrant Kentucky community.

Elizabethtown Sports Park

The Elizabethtown Sports Park is a premier destination for sports enthusiasts, attracting athletes and spectators to its state-of-the-art facilities. Situated in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, this expansive sports complex spans 150 acres and features top-notch amenities for various sports and recreational activities. The park boasts numerous soccer and baseball fields, softball complexes, and multipurpose courts, providing a versatile space for tournaments and events. With meticulously maintained grounds and modern facilities, the Elizabethtown Sports Park has become a hub for regional and national competitions. Beyond its role as a sports venue, the park offers a family-friendly environment with playgrounds, walking trails, and green spaces, making it a central hub for athletic excellence and community engagement.

Norton Healthcare Brings Full-service Imaging Services to Elizabethtown

Full-service imaging services provide comprehensive diagnostic capabilities in a community's healthcare infrastructure. These services encompass a range of medical imaging technologies, including X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and ultrasounds, crucial for accurate and timely medical diagnoses. Their accessibility within a community ensures that residents have convenient and swift access to essential diagnostic tools, facilitating early detection and treatment of various medical conditions. This, in turn, contributes to improved healthcare outcomes, lessens the need for patients to travel long distances for specialized imaging, and enhances the overall efficiency of healthcare delivery. Full-service imaging centers are vital in the holistic approach to community healthcare, promoting preventive care and supporting medical professionals in delivering timely and precise diagnoses.

Link to maps

Elizabethtown Sports Park 1401 West Park Road, Elizabethtown, KY 42701, United States Head west 121 ft Turn left toward West Park Road 404 ft Turn right onto West Park Road 0.8 mi Turn left onto Ring Rd 0.8 mi Turn right onto N Black Branch Rd Destination will be on the left 256 ft Air Support Heating & AC Repair 711 N Black Branch Rd Unit 2, Elizabethtown, KY 42701, United States

[superstrangerblizzard]

From Ancient Beginnings to Modern Glory: Untangling the Rich History of Football

Introduction

Soccer, additionally referred to as football in lots of components of the globe, is a sporting activity that has actually captured the hearts and minds of billions of individuals. It is a game full of enthusiasm, skill, and excitement. However have you ever before questioned exactly how this gorgeous video game originated? In this post, we will certainly dive deep into the background of football and explore its old beginnings, mapping its advancement via time to its contemporary glory.

From Ancient Origins to Modern Magnificence: Unwinding the Rich Background of Soccer The Very Early Starts: Old Beginnings of Soccer

The origins of football can be traced back hundreds of years to old people. Evidence recommends that ballgame resembling soccer were played by various societies across the globe. In Ancient China, a game called "Cuju" was played throughout the Han Empire (206 BC-- 220 AD). Cuju entailed kicking a leather ball into a tiny internet without using hands.

Similarly, in Old Greece and Rome, variants of soccer-like games were prominent. The Greeks had actually a game called "Episkyros," which involved two teams trying to toss or kick a ball over their opponent's border lines. The Romans Soccer Way had a similar game called "Harpastum," which was played on a rectangle-shaped field.

Medieval Times: The Development of Soccer

As time took place, soccer-like games remained to develop in numerous kinds throughout medieval Europe. These games were often played in towns and towns as component of conventional celebrations and festivities.

In England, a very early form of football arised during the Center Ages. Referred to as "mob football," it was a disorderly and rough game played in between rival villages or communities. There were no policies or limits, and numerous players would certainly participate. The purpose was simple-- get the ball to your opponent's town or town.

Modern Guidelines: Systematizing the Game

As football gained appeal across various areas, there was a requirement to standardize the rules of the game. In 1863, the Football Organization (FA) was established in England, and they established the very first collection of official rules for soccer. These rules included specifying the dimensions of the area, determining the variety of players per team, and specifying fouls and penalties.

The growth of standard rules led the way for arranged competitors and organizations. The initial authorities football organization, known as the English Football Organization (EFL), was created in 1888. It included twelve clubs and rapidly ended up being a significant success.

Global Growth: Football Spreads Throughout Continents

From its simple starts in ancient times to its modern-day type, football has spread out across continents and recorded the hearts of people worldwide. In the late 19th century, British sailors and vendors introduced soccer to various components of the globe, consisting of South America and Africa.

South America welcomed soccer with tremendous interest, resulting in the development of different nationwide groups and expert leagues. The Copa America, established in 1916, became one of the oldest global soccer tournaments.

Similarly, in Africa, soccer came to be an integral part of society throughout early american times. The sporting activity gave a system for social combination and resistance aga

[govindhtech]

Apple Vision Pro gets over 600 new apps

This February , more than 600 applications and games created to leverage the distinct and potent capabilities of Apple Vision Pro will be accessible. With Vision Pro, apps can expand beyond the confines of a conventional display thanks to its infinite canvas. It also features a powerful and user-friendly three-dimensional user interface that can be used by hands, eyes, and voice. With the help of spatial experiences on Vision Pro, users can turn any space into a personal theater for watching movies, TV shows, or sports; discover new methods to create, collaborate, and consume digital content; and travel to breathtaking new locations and gaming environments.

Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, said, “Apple Vision Pro is unlocking the imaginations of our worldwide developer community, and we’re inspired by the range of spatial experiences they’ve created for this exciting new platform.” “With over 1 million compatible apps on iOS and iPadOS, as well as over 600 new spatial experiences to explore in the all-new App Store, users can find a wide variety of apps that push the envelope of what’s possible.”

These amazing apps will transform the way we enjoy games, music, and entertainment. They will also give us new ways to learn, explore, grow creatively, and be more productive than ever. Developers are realizing spatial computing’s potential, and we’re excited to see what they do next.

Savor the Greatest Chair in the House With Apple Vision Pro

With Apple Vision Pro, users can view their favorite content on a 100-foot screen thanks to ultra-high-resolution displays that deliver more pixels for each eye than a 4K TV. Sports fans will enjoy watching on Vision Pro thanks to apps like PGA TOUR Vision, which overlays real-time shot tracking with important data such as leaderboards, scorecards, schedules, course details, and other tournament details  to bring the tour to life in the user’s environment.

According to Scott Gutterman, senior vice president of digital operations for the PGA TOUR, “Apple is teeing us up to deliver an innovative and immersive way of experiencing professional golf with Apple Vision Pro and the power of spatial computing.” “PGA TOUR Vision, the first app designed for Apple Vision Pro, allows golf enthusiasts to experience the world’s most renowned courses, from Pebble Beach to TPC Sawgrass, right from their location.”

Basketball fans can stream up to five broadcasts live or on demand with Multiview, monitor team and player stats in real time, and quickly scan other games and scores with the NBA app on Apple Vision Pro. MLB provides statistics from every pitch and a view from home plate to transport users to a ballpark. Red Bull TV features immersive environments, top-notch video, and 3D maps of races.

Additionally, MLS Season Pass is available to soccer fans on the Major League Soccer app on Apple TV. Users of Vision Pro always have the best seat in the house thanks to compatible apps from leading cable services like Charter Spectrum, Comcast Xfinity, Cox Contour, Sling TV, and Verizon Fios, as well as sports broadcasters like ESPN, CBS, Paramount+, NBC, NBC Sports, Peacock, FOX Sports, and the UFC.

Watch Exceptional Immersion Content With Apple Vision Pro

Top entertainment apps have combined with Disney+ to offer viewers brand-new ways to watch their favorite films, TV series, and more by utilizing the special features of Apple Vision Pro. With its larger aspect ratio, IMAX offers a breathtaking visual experience for both 2D and 3D content, including well-known documentaries like Deep Sky.

Hit films and television shows, brand-new original content, beloved family films, breaking news, and live sports are all available on Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max. A few titles are also available in 4K and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos.

According to Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, “fans can transform their space using the Iron Throne Room environment for an immersive experience that brings viewers into the iconic Red Keep” with the help of the Max app for Apple Vision Pro. “Fans will get the impression that they’re watching the content available on Max in Westeros at the height of their reign thanks to the intricate Targaryen-era embellishments.”

In addition, users of the Apple TV app can enjoy over 200 3D films, all Apple Originals from Apple TV+, and Apple Immersive Video, which immerses viewers in the action through 180-degree, 8K 3D recordings that incorporate Spatial Audio. Using AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with USB-C, users can download and stream over 100 million songs on Apple Music without any advertisements.

The music features Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio with extremely low latency. Apple Vision Pro users can enjoy their favorite video and music streaming services in Safari, along with the ability to open multiple windows, go full screen, listen with Spatial Audio, and launch an environment for an unparalleled entertainment experience. Native apps offer experiences that fully utilize the capabilities of spatial computing.

FAQS

Where to buy Apple vision Pro?

The Apple Vision Pro is currently offered on Apple.com and at every Apple Store physical location.

When can I buy Apple Vision Pro?

Apple Vision Pro Can Be Pre-Ordered Now: When Will the New VR Headset Be Available Online. On February 2, Apple is scheduled to release its first mixed reality headset.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[utaesthetics]

SCR-Nostalgia

[college-girl199328]

FIFA partially fleshed out the road map for the 2026 World Cup on Sunday, revealing Canada and Mexico will each host 13 games with the U.S. staging the remaining 78. With 45 countries yet to qualify for the men’s soccer showcase, the full picture won’t emerge until the tournament draw in early December 2025. But Sunday’s televised reveal attached cities to dates as well as concrete information on the three co-hosts’ schedule during the opening group phase.

Mexico, currently ranked 15th in the world, will kick off the expanded 48-team tournament on June 11 at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, with a second game later that day in Guadalajara. No. 48 Canada will open at Toronto’s BMO Field on June 12.

The 12th-ranked Americans start their campaign the same day at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Canada will stage 10 opening-round games — split evenly between Toronto and Vancouver, which will host Canada’s two other opening-round matches June 18 and 24 at B.C. Place Stadium.

Toronto and Vancouver will each stage a round-of-32 knockout game with Vancouver also hosting a round-of-16 match. Vancouver likely gets one more game than Toronto because it offers a bigger venue. Capacity at B.C. Place for the tournament will be 54,000 while BMO Field, once extra seats are added, will accommodate 45,000.

The U.S. will face less early travel than Canada with a June 19 game at Seattle’s Lumen Field between June 12 and 25 dates at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Mexico will play June 11 and 24 games in Mexico City sandwiched around a July 18 match in Guadalajara, a mere 460 kilometres away.

The 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups for the opening round-robin stage. The group winners and runners-up, plus the eight best third-place teams, will advance to the knockout round of 32. Success in the group stage means a more benign schedule in terms of travel and rest when compared with the runners-8- and third-place teams than advance.

Should Canada win its group, it would stay in Vancouver for the round-of-32 game and, if it wins that, stay put for the round-of-16 contest. The Canadian men are still looking for their first World Cup win, however, after losing all three matches in both 1986 in Mexico and in 2022 in Qatar. The tournament quarterfinals are set for Boston, Kansas City, Los Angeles and Miami with the semifinals in Atlanta and Dallas.

The championship game is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. with the bronze-medal match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. The 2026 tournament was initially planned for 80 games, with the U.S. expected to host 60 and Canada and the U.S, getting 10 apiece. The group phase was subsequently enlarged, adding an additional 24 games.

There are 16 host cities — two in Canada, three in Mexico and the rest in the U.S. AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will host the most with nine. The televised reveal, streamed around the world by FIFA, was co-hosted by actor Kevin Hart also included a cameo by Drake, in conversation with Infantino.

While the Toronto rapper is known more for his love of hoops than the beautiful game, he has connections with the Canadian men’s team and has hung out with them when they are in town. During the schedule reveal show, Drake talked up Canada’s and Toronto’s multicultural population, calling the World Cup a “beautiful time” in the city. Reality TV star Kim Kardashian and her son Saint helped announce the U.S. opening fixture.

Mexico will become the first country to stage the FIFA men’s World Cup for a third time after hosting in 1970 and 1986. The U.S. hosted the 1994 tournament. Canada has never hosted the men’s World Cup although it tried to get the 1986 edition after Colombia, the original choice, said it could not stage the tournament for financial reasons. Canada, the U.S. and Mexico all submitted bids to be the replacement host with Mexico eventually being chosen by FIFA, much to the ire of Canada and the U.S.

Canada hosted the 2015 Women’s World Cup, as well as other age-group world championships. World Cup qualifying has already started in CONMEBOL (South America), the AFC (Asia) and CAF (Africa).

CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean, kicks off qualifying next month while the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) begins in September. UEFA (Europe) starts in March 2025. CONCACAF could send as many as eight teams to the expanded World Cup. Three teams will join the tournament co-hosts via regional qualifying with two more bidding to join them via intercontinental playoffs.

FIFA awarded the 2026 hosting rights to the three co-hosts on June 13, 2018, at a meeting of the FIFA Congress in Mexico. The so-called united bid received 134 of 200 votes case (67 percent) while Morocco got 65 votes (33 percent) with one member association voting not to choose either bid.

[qnewslgbtiqa]

'My person for life': Matildas' Ellie Carpenter gets engaged

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/my-person-for-life-matildas-ellie-carpenter-gets-engaged/

'My person for life': Matildas' Ellie Carpenter gets engaged

Matildas player Ellie Carpenter has announced she’s engaged to her teammate and girlfriend Daniëlle van de Donk.

The couple were on a summer holiday in the Maldives recently. On New Year’s Day, the athletes shared a joint Instagram post announcing the happy news.

“My person for life ❤️💍!!,” Daniëlle wrote in the caption of the beachy photo, showing off her engagement ring while hugging Ellie.

In the comments, Matildas captain Sam Kerr cheered the couple’s announcement.

“Let’s goooooo… Congrats guys xx,” Sam said.

“Congrats lovers 🥰,” teammate Alanna Kennedy wrote.

Ellie Carpenter and Daniëlle van de Donk met at French club

Pro soccer player Ellie Carpenter, who’s 23, was born in New South Wales and made her debut for Australia’s national team the Matildas at age 15.

She and Daniëlle van de Donk are now teammates at French soccer club Olympique Lyonnais.

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Daniëlle van de Donk (@daniellevddonk)

The couple first met in June 2021 when Daniëlle, who’s from the Netherlands, first moved to the French club.

The pair confirmed their relationship on Instagram the following year.

Last July, Ellie and Daniëlle were both in Australia for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The two women played for their respective national sides but didn’t face off on the field during the tournament.

Read also:

Matildas captain Sam Kerr and fiancee Kristie Mewis share proposal photos

Fan’s huge ‘WoSo Chart’ maps pro soccer’s lesbian couples

Record number of openly queer players at 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Matildas superstar Katrina Gorry and partner Clara share baby news

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[datasportsgroup]

Keeping Up With The Game: Football Data Feeds for Fans and Teams

The beautiful game of football has come a long way from its early days of leather balls and sparse statistics. Today, football is a data-driven sport. Teams utilize advanced analytics and technology to gain every possible advantage, while fans crave up-to-the-second stats and insights into their favorite players and clubs. This increasing data dependence has created a huge demand for football data feeds packed with real-time information.

For football clubs, quality data feeds are now an essential tool. Access to live player tracking data, comprehensive event data, and more allows coaches and analysts to make informed tactical decisions during matches. They can analyze passing patterns, press effectiveness, and all facets of on-pitch performance. Teams can also leverage data to optimize training, scout opponents, and bolster recruitment efforts. The right football data feed acts as the lifeblood of a modern club's technical staff.

Fans may not deploy data with the same rigor as professionals, but they too have grown accustomed to stats-enhanced match coverage and insights. Whether it's fantasy football or just keeping up to date on a favorite player, supporters want access to detailed data feeds. luckily, several excellent football data APIs and providers cater to this audience.

Choosing the Right Football Data Feed

When selecting a data feed, football clubs and fans have a few core considerations:

Coverage: The data feed should offer wide coverage of competitions, from domestic leagues to continental tournaments to international fixtures. More matches and leagues tracked equals more data.

Depth: With advanced tracking and event data now commonplace, the depth of stats available makes a big difference. Granular data leads to greater insights.

Speed: Low latency data feeds that deliver stats and events in real-time are ideal, especially for in-match analysis.

Reliability: Consistently high uptime and stability is crucial. Data feeds must function during peak traffic like major matches.

Accessibility: For casual fans, public APIs and customized packages are necessary, while clubs require private feeds with complete control.

Leading Football Data Providers

Several companies have emerged as go-to providers for football data feeds at both professional and recreational levels:

Data Sports Group: A global leader in live sports data, Data Sports Group offers extremely detailed event data coverage and analytics capabilities. LaLiga, Premier League, and UEFA are among their many partners.

StatsPerform: With optical tracking data and AI-powered analytics, StatsPerform works with top clubs, media outlets, and sportsbooks worldwide.

WyScout: Used by over 100 professional teams, WyScout offers comprehensive data feeds with video, stats, and scouting insights.

SCI Sports: SCI provides tablet and mobile-based data solutions for easy access to live stats, formations, averages and more.

SportRadar: From live score APIs to performance metrics and intent data, SportRadar serves leagues, sports media, and regulated sports betting operators.  

For bloggers, smaller publishers, and fans, public football APIs can provide easy access to data feeds. Examples include football-data.org for crowdsourced data and Apifootball for aggregated football statistics.

Data Visualization and Widgets

While spreadsheets of raw numbers have their place in football analytics, data visualization can make stats far easier to interpret and utilize. Widgets streamline the process of bring data visualizations to digital platforms.

Some effective visualizations for football data include:

Shot zone heatmaps showing high percentage areas of the pitch.

Pass maps visualizing successful passes between players.

xG timelines exhibiting scoring chances over the course of a match.

Radar charts comparing two teams or players across attributes.

With user-friendly widgets from providers like Data Sports Group and Soccer STATS 247, publishers can easily embed visuals on their sites. These widgets tap into live data feeds to create insights fans crave.

The Future of Football Data

From detailed player tracking to augmented analytics, football data will only expand in depth and complexity going forward. The increased accessibility of advanced data also opens up new possibilities for fans. Just like the sport itself, football data feeds will continue evolving each season.

[1776park]

About "1776 Park"

About 1776 Park in Friendswood, Texas. However, based on standard practices for parks with historical names, 1776 Park might have been established to commemorate the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Location: The location of 1776 Park in Friendswood would need to be confirmed through local sources, such as the City of Friendswood's official website or the Parks and Recreation Department.

Significance: Given its name, 1776 Park could have historical or patriotic importance, aiming to honor the events surrounding the Declaration of Independence or celebrate the nation's birth. Parks with such names often serve as community gathering places and may host events related to national holidays like Independence Day.

Amenities: As with most community parks, 1776 Park is likely to provide a range of amenities for recreational activities and family enjoyment. Standard features may include playgrounds for children, picnic areas with grills, walking or biking trails, sports facilities like baseball or soccer fields, and possibly a pavilion for events or gatherings.

Events and Activities: Parks often host various events and activities throughout the year. These could include family-friendly gatherings, concerts, holiday celebrations, sports tournaments, community festivals, and more. Depending on the size and popularity of the park, it may also be a location for local fairs or art shows.

Environmental and Educational Features: Many modern parks aim to incorporate environmental and educational aspects. This might involve nature trails with informational signage about local flora and fauna, butterfly gardens, or interpretive centers focused on the area's natural history.

Local Engagement: Community involvement is essential for the success of any public park. Friends of the Park groups or volunteer organizations may work with the city to maintain and improve the park, organizing clean-up events and fundraisers.

Updates and Changes: Remember that park information can change over time. To get the most accurate and current details about 1776 Park, including its location, amenities, and upcoming events, it's best to visit the official website of the City of Friendswood or contact their Parks and Recreation department directly.

As always, local government websites, community forums, or the Parks and Recreation Department will be the most reliable sources for the latest and most comprehensive information about 1776 Park in Friendswood, Texas.

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Address: 5406 Abercreek Ave, Friendswood, TX 77546

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[fitshirtreview]

World Cup fans acclimatize to desert accommodation – in tents and portacabins

Doha, QatarCNN — 

As fans trickle intoQatar, they’re understandably in holiday mode as they look forward to the prospect of a desert World Cup.

But where best to stay in a country that is geographically on a peninsula smaller than Connecticut and is the smallest World Cup host in history?

'Our dreams never came true.' These men helped build Qatar's World Cup, now they are struggling to survive.

The scramble for accommodation is likely to hot up given Qatar is set to welcome an estimated 1.5 million fans over the month-long tournament, which begins on November 20.

Jimmy and Kennis Leung were among the very first fans to arrive at the Fan Village Cabins Free Zone, one of the largest sites available to supporters, checking in on Thursday.

“They’ve built this in a desert,” Jimmy told CNN Sport, as he scanned his accommodation space, which he was impressed by.

“It is too expensive to stay in a hotel or AirBnB in Doha so this was a great option.”

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The Free Zone fan village is around 20 minutes by metro from downtown Doha but at the moment it’s a bit like entering a dystopian world.

There is precious little else around the village – one or two building sites and a main road – so staff quickly direct you to the reception, which is a 10-minute walk across a vast car park.

There is an endless lines of portacabins, organized into different colors and mapped in alphabetical order, stretching into the distance, with large gazebos containing hundreds of empty tables and chairs.

Basketball courts, outdoor gyms and a huge television screen are dotted around the complex where fans can play and relax.

When CNN visited on Friday, only a handful of fans were milling around, though many more are expected over the course of the tournament.

Container living in the desert ... World Cup style.Ken Satomi/AP 

"Hup Holland Hup" ("Go Holland Go") ... the Leungs are from Hong Kong and have come to watch Holland at the World Cup.Ben Church/CNN

Navigation is also proving a bit problematic – the Leungs admit to getting lost in the seemingly endless makeshift roads that connect the village. There are, though, electric scooters to get around and staff will even drive you to your door in a golf buggy. The Leungs work in the media and have traveled from Hong Kong to watch their favorite team, the Netherlands, at Qatar 2022.

“It’s very quiet at the moment but there are food options and the rooms are nice, but a bit small,” Kennis adds.

As fans like the Leungs grapple with finding their feet in Qatar on Friday, they were greeted by the news that soccer’s world governing body FIFA had performed a U-turn and that no alcohol will be sold at the eight stadiums which will host the tournament’s 64 matches.

‘Eco farm’

For those supporters on a budget and are unable to afford what’s on offer from hotels, eight fan villages provide “casual camping and cabin-style” options.

Some World Cup visitors, however, were less impressed with what was on offer.

“There are so many cabins and containers and there’s a big screen that we can all watch the games together but the accommodation, well … What can I say?” Fei Peng from China, who is here to watch over 30 World Cup games, told CNN Sport.

“This is the best option that we can afford. It’s so expensive in Doha so we cant expect more.”

One night in the Free Zone fan village cabin starts at $207 a night, according to the Qatar World Cup’s Official Accommodation Agency, but cheaper options can be found at Caravan City, at $114 a night.

And if your heart is set on camping under the stars, a tent in the Al Khor village is available for $423 a night.

If you’re not on a budget, a self-described “eco farm” hut will provide a more luxurious option at $1,023 a night, while a stay on a cruise ship will set you back at least $179.

The cabin container comes with beds and air conditioning.Ben Church/CNN

Many fans are expected stay in neighboring countries to Qatar, flying in and out of the Gulf state for matches.

Qatar Airways announced in May that it had partnered with regional carriers to launch 160 extra daily return flights at “competitive prices” that will shuttle fans from Dubai, Jeddah, Kuwait, Muscat and Riyadh.

There will be no baggage check-in facilities to speed up the transfers and dedicated transportation services will be made available to get fans from the airport to stadiums.

It will also be possible to drive from cities like Riyadh, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, all of which are under seven hours away. INTERACTIVE: For Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, a final shot at World Cup glory

Warm winter

Those coming to Doha will have to contend with the heat.

The tournament was moved to the winter months because of scorching summer temperatures – the average high in Doha in the second half of November is around 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit), which is much better than in July, when the World Cup would normally conclude, when the average high temperature is about 42 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit).

FIFA confirms no alcohol to be sold at Qatar World Cup stadiums

Even in winter the heat is energy sapping, if you come from a colder clime. Walk too far, too quickly and you’ll soon find yourself drenched in sweat and in need of hydration.

Shade is king and tournament staff, dotted around Doha, are very quick to advise you to stay out of direct sunlight.

The heat tends to die down a little, though not much, in the evenings and the nights are humid and sticky.

Fortunately, Doha is fully equipped with air conditioning inside stadiums and the white wall architecture will also help deflect some of the heat’s intensity.

With just two days to go until the first match, the nation is putting the final touches to its preparations as it braces itself for a World Cup like no other.

[iowagreys]

Counter strike source help

COUNTER STRIKE SOURCE HELP FOR FREE

Reviewer NoGameNoTalk was more favorable, touting the online version's new three gaming modes (deathmatch, team deathmatch and zombie) as a welcome improvement to the original. They noted its similarity to the original game, and criticized its lag time outside Southeast Asia, the location of its server hubs. Online reviewer MMOhuts gave Counter Strike Online a 3/5 rating. Counter-Strike Online was discontinued in Singapore/Malaysia (ENGLISH) six months later. Counter-Strike Nexon: Zombies was renamed to Counter-Strike Nexon: Studio in 2019. This is the first adaptation of Counter-Strike Online to be published via Valve's Steam content delivery system. Some weapons need the player to collect the given kill points to unlock them.Ĭounter-Strike Nexon: Zombies was released via Steam on October 7, 2014.

COUNTER STRIKE SOURCE HELP FOR FREE

Some weapons can be obtained for free while the others can be obtained for points and achievements. They are separated into pistols, shotguns, submachine guns, assault rifles, sniper rifles and machine guns. The weapon models are heavily modified and reanimated. The weapons are taken from Counter-Strike: Source as well as adding new weapons. The game also adds its own exclusive maps. Some are heavily modified in term of graphics, such as Dust II, Inferno, and Italy. Maps in this game are taken from Counter-Strike: Source. After a period of open beta testing, it was released in December 2013 in the Asian markets, but it was closed on April 26, 2018. It ran a closed beta test on 16 November 2011 and an open beta test in June 2013. The game uses the free-to-play and micropayment business model, similar to its predecessor. It was targeted towards Asia's gaming market. However, it is not a copy of CS:S since all the features in game like models, maps and sounds are completely rebuilt by Nexon of South Korea. It has been confirmed that Counter-Strike Online 2 uses the same Source version as Counter-Strike: Source. On April 5, 2012, Nexon and Valve announced a partnership to develop Counter-Strike Online 2, which is based on an enhanced Source engine, and offered enhanced graphics, powerful impact physics, and more new features. The TYLOO team from China won the tournament. The World Cyber Games 2012 Grand Finals in Kunshan hosted a Counter-Strike Online tournament, at which teams from China, Taiwan, Malaysia and South Korea competed. PvPvE: Player vs Player vs Environment modes that are Zombie Union, Metal Arena, Battle Rush, Zombie Shelter and Beast.Ĭounter-Strike Online is one of the largest esports, with various annual tournaments taking place worldwide.Modes available are Hidden, Bazooka Battle, Soccer, Challenge and Item Battle. Modes available are Zombie Scenario and Human Scenario. Scenarios: A group of 10 players must survive and annihilate computer-controlled enemies to clear specific goals.The modes available are Zombie 1: Original, Zombie 2: Mutant, Zombie 3: Hero and Zombie 4: Darkness. Zombie Infection: Humans must survive incoming zombie attacks.The modes available are Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Gun Deathmatch. Deathmatches: Players will respawn immediately after death.The modes available are Bomb Defuse, Hostage Rescue, Assassination and Basic. They are categorized as six: Classic, Deathmatches, Zombie Infection, Scenarios, Fun and Others. Certain weapons and items can be purchased with points that are gained by getting kills, completing objectives, etc.Ĭounter-Strike Online includes classic Counter-Strike modes and added more. These weapons usually expire after a certain amount of time but sometimes can be purchased permanently during a promotion. A variety of other special items can also be bought with in-game points as well.Ĭounter-Strike Online itself is free to play, but some weapons are bought using points purchased with real money. Most special weapons, skins, power-ups, etc. Most of the weapons are "locked" by default, so virtual cash or in-game points are essential to purchase them. The game features a variety of additions over the international Counter-Strike, such as the introduction of female characters, numerous new weapons and skins for previous weapons.