text:
State engineers developing measurement rules for water diversions
Compliance in the Yampa going slower than hoped
by Heather Sackett July 17, 2021 July 19, 2021
This Parshall flume, which was installed in the Yampa River basin in 2020 and is shown in this August 2020 photo, replaced the old, rusty device in the background. State engineers are developing rules for measuring devices, which would apply to the entire Western Slope. Credit: Heather Sackett/Aspen Journalism
State officials are preparing for a future with less water by developing rules and guidance for water users to measure how much they are taking from streams.
State Engineer with the Colorado Division of Water Resources Kevin Rein is planning a rule-making process on measurement devices that includes stakeholder input. Although state engineers in each water division have the authority to enforce the requirement of measurement devices, Rein said drafting more formal rules through an administrative rule-making process, instead of an ad hoc push like in the Yampa River basin, would affirm that authority. Rules would also include specific technical guidance on the best types of flumes, weirs and meters to use for different types of diversions.
"The idea about rule-making is that we would have consistent guidance across the basin, developed through a formal process," Rein said. "One thing I've found is that when you have stakeholder involvement in the development, then you have stakeholder buy-in during the implementation."
Sprinklers and a ditch irrigate this section of Crystal River Ranch outside of Carbondale on Wednesday. According to state officials, about 95% of diversions in the Crystal and Roaring Fork River basins already have measuring devices. Credit: Heather Sackett/Aspen Journalism
Yampa/White/Green river basin
Division 6 Engineer Erin Light is still taking a lenient stance with water users in the White and Green river basins while the measurement rules are developed. In fall 2019, Light ordered nearly 500 water users in the Yampa River basin to install measuring devices to record their water use and initially received some push-back from agricultural water users unaccustomed to measuring their diversions.
In March 2020, Light issued notices to water users in the White and Green, but decided to delay sending formal orders after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the economy. Orders are still on pause while Rein's office develops the measurement rules, which would apply across the Western Slope.
"It made more sense to wait for the measurement rules to at least get started, maybe not necessarily get completed, but allow Kevin to get out and start doing the stakeholder meetings and encourage these structures to be installed without orders," Light said.
Compliance is gradually increasing across the basin, but at a slower pace than Light would like. In January 2020, 49% of diversions in the Yampa River basin did not have a measuring device; as of April 2021, 42% were still without one. White River basin compliance has improved from 83% without a measuring device to 68% over the same time period; water users in the Green have gone from 69% to 49%. As a whole, Division 6 has gone from 55% of diversions without measuring devices to 46%.
"I would have hoped that we would have had more compliance at this point," Light said. "I look at those numbers and think we still have some work in front of us and how are we going to accomplish our goal, which is to assure that all of these structures that we maintain records on have operable headgates and measuring devices."
In some basins on the Western Slope, nearly all diversions already have measuring devices. For example, in the Roaring Fork and Crystal river basins, about 95% of the structures have devices, according to Colorado Department of Natural Resources Communications Director Chris Arend. That's because there has traditionally been more demand and competition for water in these basins, he said.
Scott Hummer, water commissioner for District 58 in the Yampa River basin, checks out a recently installed Parshall flume on an irrigation ditch in this August 2020 photo. Compliance with measuring device requirements has been moving more slowly than state engineers would like. Credit: Heather Sackett/Aspen Journalism
Water shortages drive measurement push
The push for Western Slope diverters to measure their water use comes down to impending water shortages. Division 6, in sparsely populated northwest Colorado, has traditionally enjoyed abundant water and few demands, but as climate change tightens its grip on the West, there is less water to go around. Calls by senior water users have gone from unheard of to increasingly common in just the last few years.
"We definitely have systems on call that have never been on call," Light said of current conditions in the Yampa.
A call occurs when a senior water rights holder is not getting their full amount they are entitled to. They place a call with state engineers, who shut off more junior water rights users so the senior user can get their full amount. Under Colorado's prior appropriation system, the oldest water rights have first use of the river.
"If you don't have a measuring device during a call, we are shutting you off, period," Light said.
As the threat of a Colorado River Compact call and the possibility of a state demand-management program grow, state officials say the need to measure water use grows, too.
A compact call could occur if the upper-basin states — Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico — were not able to deliver the 75 million acre-feet of water over 10 years to the lower basin states — California, Arizona and Nevada — as required by the 1922 compact. Colorado water managers desperately want to avoid this scenario, in part because it could trigger mandatory cutbacks for water users.
If a compact call were to play out, measuring devices would be crucial, because as Rein says, you can't administer what you can't measure.
"We need to better measure what has been diverted, so having measurement rules and therefore measuring devices in place will be critical to prepare for and implement compact administration, should it happen," he said.
The state is also currently exploring a potential demand management program, which would temporarily pay irrigators to not irrigate and leave more water in the river. The goal would be to boost water levels in Lake Powell and avoid a compact call. But in order to participate in the voluntary program, feasibility of which is still being evaluated, irrigators need to first measure their water diversions.
"We would have to know how much they were using in the years before, before we can give them credit for not using it," Rein said.
Sprinklers irrigate this section of Crystal River Ranch outside of Carbondale on Wednesday. State engineers are creating rules that will lay out guidelines for water users to install measurement devices for their diversions from the river. Credit: Heather Sackett/Aspen Journalism
Low interest in grant funding
One of the reasons Light originally paused enforcing the measurement device requirement in the White River basin was to give conservancy districts time to secure grant money to help irrigators pay for the potentially expensive infrastructure. But there was not much interest from water users in getting grant money, according to Callie Hendrickson, executive director of the White River & Douglas Creek Conservation Districts.
"We did not proceed with (securing grants)," she said. "We didn't hear from very many people that they were seeking funding."
The story was similar on the Yampa. The Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District had a $200,000 pot of money — half of it state grant money and half from the district — to reimburse water users for installing measuring devices. Irrigators can get 50% of their costs covered, up to $5,000 through the first tier of the grant program. According to Public Information and External Affairs Manager Holly Kirkpatrick, despite a very simple application process, the program has doled out just under $40,000 so far for about 20 projects.
"I had certainly hoped to have more interest in the first year of the program," she said.
As Rein plans for webinars and meetings with water users later this summer and fall, the situation in the Colorado River basin grows more dire. The Bureau of Reclamation this week began emergency releases from Upper Basin reservoirs to prop up levels in Lake Powell to try to maintain the ability to produce hydroelectric power at Glen Canyon Dam.
"I recognize the value in having measurement rules as soon as possible because, yes, they would be extremely helpful if we need to take measures toward compact administration," Rein said. "Having more data sooner rather than later is important."
This story ran in the July 17 editions of the Steamboat Pilot & Today and the Craig Press, and the July 19 editions of The Aspen Times, Summit Daily, Sky-Hi News,


text:
Q: PostGIS Unknown colormap keyword I'm working with thematic maps with ST_ColorMap function smoothly until I try to create my own thematic map(colormap).
WITH
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        SELECT ST_Raster(
                ST_SetSRID(ST_Extent(geom), 4326),
                800,
                (800 * (SELECT (Max(ST_YMax(geom)) - Min(ST_YMin(geom))) / (Max(ST_XMax(geom)) - Min(ST_XMin(geom)))))::integer,
                '32BF', 0, 0) AS rast
          FROM estado
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                 100% 255   0   0
                  80% 160   0   0
                  50% 130   0   0
                  30%  30   0   0
                  20%  60   0   0
                   0%   0   0   0
                   nv 255 255 255
                  ')) AS rast

I get the following error:
ERROR:  Unknown colormap keyword:
100% 255   0   0
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 50% 130   0   0
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 20%  60   0   0
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I tried the first example in the documentation for PostGIS:
ST_ColorMap, and I get the same error.
Only works fine with pre-defined colormap keywords.
Any ideas?
PostgreSQL version: "PostgreSQL 9.3.5, compiled by Visual C++ build 1600, 64-bit"
PostGIS version: "POSTGIS="2.1.3 r12547" GEOS="3.4.2-CAPI-1.8.2 r3924" PROJ="Rel. 4.8.0, 6 March 2012" GDAL="GDAL 1.10.0, released 2013/04/24" LIBXML="2.7.8" LIBJSON="UNKNOWN" TOPOLOGY RASTER"

A: The problem is the line break after the opening apostrophe. :$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


in his abilities, but unsure of the Decepticons goals. Although he believes he will one day rule the Decepticons, he has so little use for anyone else that this prospect barely has any appeal to him. Trypticon makes no attempt to hide his feelings . . . except to himself. He can't admit to himself that his hatred for others is a mask for his own self-loathing. He'd rather be doing anything other than what he does. He secretly finds warfare boring and pointless. But he accepts the fact that fate has forced him into this role of the ultimate warrior . . . and nobody does it better!
Abilities: In dinosaur mode, Trypticon has incredible strength and is virtually impervious to attack. A rocket back-pack allows him to jump a distance of 20 miles. He can shoot heat-seeking plasma bombs from his mouth and he carries a particle beam cannon within his sinus cavity. His optical sensors shoot high frequency hypno-beams. When locked on to the eyes of another Trans-former, these beams carry powerful electromagnetic currents that can override their target's own mental processes, allowing Trypticon to control that Transformer. If the intended victim is strong-willed enough Of manages to turn away from Trypticon's gaze quickly enough, he can avoid this fate. In city mode, Trypticon opens up to, reveal landing and repair bays and a communication center that includes antennae for local and interspace transmissions. An anti-gravity repulsor disk at each end prevents anyone from approaching closer than 1,000 feet unless Trypticon so chooses. Rotating scanners on top of his assembly can blast a hole through a city block of buildings. In mobile battle station mode, Trypticon is perhaps at his most dangerous. He has a range of 8,000 miles and can attain a speed of 800 mph, In addition, he has a flashing laser cannon, rotating blasters, destruct° beams, and dual photon launchers.


SweetyBoy1992 MariKi livejasmin. CountessEmily. Eduardo25. SweetJewell.
AlexaAngelesiloveurassArcherfirexxxVivianICE .BeautyAmarisVALLERYANDMIKEOneSexyVixeniloveurass .OneSexyVixenMasculineLoverBigxTitsHot4uGiovanniNipples .AdoredStarKARLready2playSeanSportyPumaFlirt .SexyCurvesEmmaAdoredStariloveurassPumaFlirt .AshleClarkRoseNathalyalexforyou24AnaTaylor .THEQUENiSBACKXAshleClarkMichaelDustSweetJewell .ManilaYoungHeartArcherfireLounaaVALLERYANDMIKE .ArcherfireAdelineXooPumaFlirt00Catwalk .lady4mikeSeanSportyLexiLexingtonBeautyDaysy .iloveurassTwilekTestDavidashford4AdoredStar .
SexyCurvesEmmaLea220duogenialxxxSexyCurvesEmma .wildcathotxalexforyou24THEQUENiSBACKXKARLready2play .TrishyaVixenAimee2SexyCurvesEmmaMaxRebel .StephaniaTSAshleClarkLounaaJOHANADOLLTS .OllisaRisaLeeLexiLexingtonVixenAimee2 .StephaniaTSSeanSportyAshleyBartonHarunny .gabbriellaaMissMielManilaYoungHeartAnalBalletXXX .OneSexyVixenLinnaSweetDanFriendAdelineXoo .JacksonMaxNikaHotxMaxRebelPlayfulLizzie .DanFriendEMILY9JenniferVinxCrishowx .FoxxyClariseBigxTitsHot4uEduardo25HotSportyGODDESS .


text:
Q: Can an electron have an electric quadrupole moment? There are several groups actively working to measure the electric dipole moment of the electron.  Is it possible for the electron to have higher order multipole moments, like quadrupole?
The reason for this question is an observation in Gottfried & Yans "Quantum Mechanics: Fundamentals" book (pg. 125) that all observables for a spin 1/2 system are either scalar or vector.  Thus it would seem that higher order multipole moments are forbidden for an electron.  However, that statement is about an isolated, non-relativistic electron, so I could imagine that there might be tiny corrections due to field theory effects in the same way that the electron EDM is expected to be generated.

A: No, cannot, and Yes, it can...
A) it is possible for the quantum object with spin J=1/2, to have an "intrinsic"
quadrupole deformation of the internal charged distribution.
The real example is a strongly deformed J=1/2 nucleus Cf-251,
with half-life approx 900 years. You may ask Berkeley scientists, they
know about the internal = "intrinsic" deformation of Cf-251 enough.
B) however, if You tried to measure the quadrupole moment of Cf-251, via
spectroscopic NMR technique, in the crystal lattice with large electric
field gradients, You would Not observe any quadrupole moment
of Cf-251 spectroscopically. Nevertheless, all scientists understanding
the physics of deformed nuclei will confirm: Cf-251 is a strongly deformed nucleus.
C) if the electric field around the "frozen electron" deviates from the spherical
(expected) distribution (that means: if it has "intrinsic" quadrupole moment)
then, due to J=1/2 spin of the electron this cannot be experimentally detected
using standard spectroscopic methods. Quantum state with Jz = +/- (1/2), makes
the "intrinsic" quadrupole moment unobservable, and this applies to any
superposition of +1/2 and -1/2 states, so for any quantum state of J=1/2 quantum object.


Have you every gone anywhere and felt like you could just linger and stay. This is what Baringa Villa offers its guests.
Its not that it is so much more beautiful than other places, although it is luxuriously comfortable.
Its not that it is in the most beautiful picturesque parts of Victoria, although it is quite beautiful and has amazing views to both the Dandenongs & Yarra Valley area and is very peaceful.
Its more like you can't quite put your finger on it, it is just something about the energy of Baringa Villa that has its guests feel at home, comfortable and feel nurtured.
2 bedroom, one with queen size bed. One with a two bed configuration, either 1 king size or 2 extra long singles. All with very comfy beds and pillows. Also has room to add a very comfy portable fold out bed.
Centrally located being 35 minutes drive from Melbourne city in light traffic and 55 minutes from Melbourne airport in light traffic. A short drive from the Yarra Valley and wineries, Mount Dandenong and the sites, walks and cafes, Warrandyte and the Yarra River. And an array of supermarkets and cafe's in Croydon central - less than 5 mins drive.
Guests can enjoy an in-house massage or a pampering healing package for an additional charge.


text:
Population may refer to:
Population, a summation of all the organisms of the same group or species, who live in the same geographical area.
Statistical population, which is a set of similar items or events which is of interest for some question or experiment.
Population genetics, the study of the distributions and changes of allele frequency in a population.
Metallicity, star populations.

Human population
Population density
List of sovereign states and dependent territories by population density
List of city districts by population density
World Population
World population estimates
World population milestones
Projections of population growth
List of continents by population
List of countries by population
List of countries by population growth rate
List of countries by population in 1900
List of countries by population in 2000
List of countries by population in 2010
List of countries by population (United Nations)
List of countries by past and future population
List of countries by foreign-born population
List of African countries by population
List of Asian countries by population
List of European countries by population
List of North American countries by population
List of Oceanian countries by population
List of South American countries by population
List of urban areas by population
List of cities proper by population
List of national capitals by population
List of sovereign states and dependent territories by birth rate
Demography, the statistical study of human populations
Demographics, the quantifiable statistics of a given population
Human overpopulation
Overconsumption
Population growth
Zero population growth, a condition in which a population neither grows nor declines
Center of population, a geographical point that describes a centerpoint of the region's population
Human population planning, the practice of artificially altering the rate of growth of a human population
Population momentum, population growth at the national level if levels of childbearing declined to replacement level
Population reconstruction a method used by historical demographers analysing patterns of family formation, fertility, mortality, and migration, and of consequent trends such as population growth.
Population pyramid, a graphical illustration showing the distribution of various age groups in a population
Population ethics, the philosophical study of the ethical problems concerning populations
List of religious populations
Christian population growth, the growth of population of the global Christian community
Muslim population growth, the growth of population of the global Muslim community

Organisations

Population Matters, a think tank, and campaign group concerned with the impact of population growth on long term sustainability
Population Connection, organization attempting to stop what they believe is an unsustainable rate of world population growth
Population Council, a non-governmental organization conducting biomedical, social science, and public health research
Population Reference Bureau, nonprofit organization providing information about population, health and the environment for research or academic purposes
Population Europe, a collaborative network of Europe's demographic research institutes and centres
Population Action International, NGO aiming to improve global access to family planning and reproductive health care
Negative Population Growth, a membership organization advocating a gradual reduction in U.S. and world population
Minnesota Population Center, interdisciplinary research center at the University of Minnesota
Office of Population Research, the oldest population research center in the United States
Population Association of America, a non-profit scientific professional association dedicated to the study of issues related to population and demography
Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, the largest demographic research body in Europe
North Atlantic Population Project, a collaboration of historical demographers in Britain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Events

World Population Day, an annual event, observed on July 11 every year
World Population Conferences
World Population Conference, event held in Geneva, Switzerland in 1927

Publications
An Essay on the Principle of Population, 1798 and "acknowledged as the most influential work of its era"
Population & Environment, journal on bi-directional links between population, natural resources, and the natural environment
Population and Development Review, a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published on behalf of the Population Council
Population and housing censuses by country
The Population Bomb

Population of other organisms
Lists of organisms by population
Lists of mammals by population

Other
Population dynamics
Population size, the number of individual organisms in a population
Population decline, the decline in population of any organism
Population bottleneck a sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events
Population cycle, a phenomenon where populations rise and fall over a predictable period of time
Population biology, the biological study of animal populations
Population ecology, the dynamics of species populations and how these populations interact with the environment
Statistical population
Stellar population (astronomy)

Media

Population: 1, a 1986 punk rock musical film
Population Override, the twelfth studio album by Buckethead
Population Me, an album by Dwight Yoakam
Population (album), an album by The Most Serene Republic
Population Control, the fourth studio album by East Coast hip hop producer Statik Selektah
Save the Population, a Red Hot Chili Peppers ' promotional single from their 2003 Greatest Hits album
Population: 2, a 2012 American film directed by Gil Luna

See also
People (disambiguation)

Population

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


What enables electrons to be transferred swiftly, for example during photosynthesis? An interdisciplinary team of researchers has worked out the details of how important bioinorganic electron transfer systems operate. Using a combination of very different, time-resolved measurement methods at DESY's X-ray source PETRA III and other facilities, the scientists were able to show that so-called pre-distorted states can speed up photochemical reactions or make them possible in the first place. The group headed by Sonja Herres-Pawlis from the RWTH Aachen University Michael Rübhausen from the University of Hamburg and Wolfgang Zinth from Munich's Ludwig Maximilian University, is presenting its findings in the journal Nature Chemistry.
The scientists had studied the pre-distorted, "entatic" state using a model system. An entatic state is the term used by chemists to refer to the configuration of a molecule in which the normal arrangement of the atoms is modified by external binding partners such that the energy threshold for the desired reaction is lowered, resulting in a higher speed of reaction. One example of this is the metalloprotein plastocyanin, which has a copper atom at its centre and is responsible for important steps in the transfer of electrons during photosynthesis. Depending on its oxidation state, the copper atom either prefers a planar configuration, in which all the surrounding atoms are arranged in the same plane (planar geometry), or a tetrahedral arrangement of the neighbouring ligands. However the binding partner in the protein forces the copper atom to adopt a sort of intermediate arrangement. This highly distorted tetrahedron allows a very rapid shift between the two oxidation states of the copper atom.
"Pre-distorted states like this play an important role in many biochemical processes," explains Rübhausen, who works at the Centre for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL) in Hamburg, a cooperation between DESY, the University of Hamburg and the Max Planck Society. "The principle of the entatic state helps the electron transfer reactions that occur everywhere in nature and also in human beings, for example when we breathe or a plant photosynthesises," adds Herres-Pawlis.
Biologically relevant, pre-distorted states always involve a metal atom. The scientists examined a model system consisting of a copper complex with specially tailored molecules bound to it, so-called ligands. Using a wide range of observation methods as well as theoretical calculations, the scientists showed that the ligands used did indeed put the copper complex into a pre-distorted (entatic) state and were then able to observe the details of the reaction that occurred when light was absorbed.
The combination of time-dependent UV, infra-red, X-ray and visual fluorescence spectroscopy produces a detailed picture of the dynamics of the structural changes on a timescale of pico- to nanoseconds (trillionths to billionths of a second). "We are now able for the first time to understand how pre-distorted states favour charge transfer," explains Rübhausen. "Also, our studies demonstrate that pre-distorted states are important for photochemical reactions, in other words for certain biochemical processes which are triggered by light," explains Herres-Pawlis.
The study shows in detail how the process proceeds: from the initial state (copper in an oxidation state of +1) an electron is transferred from the copper to one of the ligands, by optical excitation. Within femtoseconds (trillionths of a second) the excited state created decays into another, still excited state, known as the S1 state. In this configuration, the geometry is slightly relaxed.
Shortly afterwards, the electron undergoes a change in spin. The spin of an electron is comparable to the direction in which a top rotates. Although one of the electrons has so far remained on the ligand, this electron and its corresponding partner on the copper were spin-coupled. The spin of the electron on the ligand now reverses, and this very rapid transition to the so-called triplet state, within just about two picoseconds, removes the spin coupling. This T1 state exists for 120 picoseconds and drops back into the original state again after once again reversing its spin. All the time constants are distinctly shorter compared with other copper complexes. "A complete understanding of all the processes taking place has only become possible through the unique combination of different methods of study," emphasises Zinth.
The detailed analysis of the reaction principle not only improves our understanding of natural processes. It can also help to customise new bioinorganic complexes that imitate nature but whose range of reactions extend beyond those of natural molecules. These complexes could also accelerate or make possible chemical reactions associated with electron transfers in other areas, too.
Scientists from the University of Hamburg, RWTH Aachen University, the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, DESY, the University of Paderborn, the European research facility ELI Beamlines, the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, the University of Uppsala, the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, European XFEL and the Danish Technical University were all involved in the research. The study received grants from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft as part of the dislocated research group FOR1405 (Dynamics of Electron Transfer Processes within Transition Metal Sites in Biological and Bioinorganic Systems) and the SFB749 (Dynamics and Intermediates of Molecular Transformations) and the cluster of excellence CIPSM.


text:
Q: Make shortcode work with nested double quotes I have following shortcode:
function infobox_shortcode( $atts, $content = null ) {

    extract( shortcode_atts( array(
      'src' => '',
      'title' => '',
      'text' => '',
    ), $atts, 'infobox' ) );

    $return = '

 ' . $title . '

' . $text . '

';

    return $return;

}
add_shortcode( 'infobox', 'infobox_shortcode' );

This works fine, when the user uses it simple like so:
[infobox src="http://www.google.com" title="Google" text="Some description"]

But:
As soon as the users tries to add e.g. a link with quotes to the shortcode, it - of course - breaks:
[infobox src="http://www.google.com" title="Google" text="Some description - see more: More here"]

Issue is that my user uses the WP Editor to add a link and this makes double quotes. Alsor WordPress seems to delete single quotes for attributes by default  and adds double quotes which then again break my shortcode.
Right now I see 2 solutions for this, but both are not quite satisfying.
a) Tell WP not to convert single quotes to double quotes in a href links while saving a post or
b) To make the shortcode work with double quotes.
Any other hints or workarounds I can go with this?
Thanks!
Mike

A: Either way this seems like a very clunky solution for arbitrary markup in shortcode.
If only one of attributes is more bulky and includes markup I would consider making shortcode enclosing:
[infobox src="http://www.google.com" title="Google"]
    Some description - see more: More here
[/infobox]

You might be to the point when you'll need to built custom UI or it will just be too error prone for users.


text:
DELFI ENBusiness
A2 Vilnius-Panevėžys motorway closed at 40th km traffic diverted to regional roads
Elta EN
A2 Vilnius-Panevėžys motorway closed at 40th km
The A2 Vilnius-Panevėžys motorway has been closed Wednesday morning in the direction of Panevėžys at the 40th kilometre (Širvintai district) following a major road accident, the Traffic Information Centre said.
Traffic is being diverted to the regional roads No 4313 Jauniūnėliai-Musninkai and No 5217 Maišiagala-Širvintos.
It is forbidden to copy the text of this publication without a written permission from ELTA.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Bless a child with peace . . .
and heart warming moments with man's best friend.
Photographs are 5 x 7, attractively matted to an 8 x 10 wood frame.
A thoughtful gift for family, friends or to give to yourself.
Waiting For Her Hero . . .
Celebrate Your Freedom . . .


text:
Vancouver, BC V5V 3M7
eat@anhandchi.com
Open 11-11pm daily
Anh and Chi
Home Right Community News Right Anh and Chi just reinvented Vietnamese restaurant scene
Anh and Chi just reinvented Vietnamese restaurant scene
Anh and Chi, a new upscale restaurant that opened in April – and a breath of fresh air in a city more used to no-frills pho shops….with a planned patio expansion this summer, it could be just the beginning of a great new era for the decades-old Vietnamese restaurant.
Willem Thomas | vanmag.com | June 16, 2016
Read the Original Article Here
Main Street Vietnamese staple Pho Hoang has been reborn in glorious fashion
Amelie and Vincent Nguyen want to reinvent Vancouver's Vietnamese dining scene. And the siblings, children of Vietnamese immigrants who fled the chaos of post-war Vietnam, are doing just that with Anh and Chi, a new upscale restaurant that opened in April—and a breath of fresh air in a city more used to no-frills pho shops. Building upon the groundwork laid by the Nguyen parents and their Main Street mainstay of 30 years, Pho Hoang, Amelie and Vincent have both elevated and honoured their parent's Canadian-immigrant success story with a space that mixes the modern and the traditional.
Taking in the flowing, spotless space that is Anh and Chi's dining room, one would be hard-pressed to believe the vision for the establishment came from two individuals who originally had little interest in the operation of a restaurant. That changed when tragedy struck in 2010. While the kids engaged in studies abroad, their father Hoang died, leaving Pho Hoang solely in the hands of their mother Ly. She tried to continue operating without him but found it a difficult task to maintain the establishment without his energy and enthusiasm. "A part of the business died with him", says Vincent, who at the time was reconsidering his med-school studies, citing an increasing interest in the business world. "The restaurant had become stagnant."
This stagnancy eventually led to Pho Hoang's unfortunate closure, but it also led to a revelation of sorts for Vincent. It was "shut the doors or do something," he says. And he would do something, choosing to honour his parent's legacy by keeping the location and restaurant in the family. With the help of his two siblings, changes were made and an altogether new restaurant would be opened, known as Anh and Chi (which means brother and sister in Vietnamese).
With an open, inviting interior that blends custom wood furniture with design elements that range from vintage to ultra-modern, the space reflects Vincent and Amelie's desire to mix the traditional and French design-influences from Vietnam with sleek, contemporary Main Street style. On the walls are antique oil lamps brought from Vietnam by Hoang ("We can't forget where we came from," Vincent says). Behind the bar, meanwhile, a massive art piece constructed out of chopsticks resembles a burning sun. The wall tiles, also shipped from Vietnam, are in three colours (Vincent, Amelie, and their sister Angela each selected a colour), while Anh and Chi's banana-leaf decorated unisex washroom with its communal brass-fixture sink was one of the biggest changes implemented in the reopening.
With Mom still in charge of the kitchen and recipes, and a number of long-time staff still on-hand, Vincent and Amelie intend to not only further their father's legacy in a familiar way but to improve upon what he started so long ago. The menu is a combination of old favourites from Pho Hoang and more contemporary fare. Number 37, a hugely popular item from Pho Hoang, returns but with an update. The Pho Hoang, one of three noodle soup dishes (all using a 12-18 hour broth preparation), is named in tribute to their father. The Cánh Gà—fried chicken wings—are a delectable Vietnamese classic. Also available are vermicelli bowls, salads, and family-style share plates. The bar program, established by bar manager Guy Stowell (previously of Bao Bei), features beer from Southeast Asia and some local craft mainstays, a curated list of B.C. wines, and a cocktail list split into two sections (pre-1975, incorporating Vietnam's French influence, and post-1975, following the communist takeover era, which includes a fresh take on a Pimm's Cup that can be ordered by the pitcher).
In the face of losing the family business, the Nguyen siblings have instead chosen to modernize it. And with a planned patio expansion this summer, it could just be the beginning of a great new era for the decades-old Vietnamese restaurant. After all, the Nguyens are nothing if not survivors.
Pho Hoang on Main reborn as Anh and Chi
Anh and Chi ("brother and sister" in Vietnamese) opened mid-April and has been sporting line-ups and a crowded room ever since. Anya Levykh | West...
Anh and Chi, a new upscale restaurant that opened in April – and a breath of fresh air in a city more used to no-frills pho shops….with a planned ...
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Best Dog Walkers in New Dorp of New York, NY | Wag!
New Dorp is a small neighborhood on Staten Island, located in the East near Todt Hill. New Dorp has easy access to a wide natural area in High Rock Park, Blood Root Valley, Latourette Park, and Richmond Parkway. Homes in New Dorp tend to be attractive single family homes, generally of two or three stories with charming porches and fireplaces. The homes are set back from the road by wide grassy lawns with attractive landscaping. Very large and mature trees stud the grassy divider between sidewalk and road.
This is a great neighborhood in which to walk your dog on a loose leash, or enjoy some wheeled travel such as biking or skating. There is plenty of room around the sidewalk to get out of the way of pedestrians and vehicular traffic is generally not very heavy on the roads. For much more extensive natural exploration outside of the neighborhood streets, head towards the wide forest near New Dorp.
Walking through the streets of New Dorp is generally very pleasant, with lovely homes, wide sidewalks, and plenty of trees and grass. Even in the nicest neighborhoods, however, you and your dog may get bored of neighborhood walking and seek more exploration in the forests beyond New Dorp. Connected parks offer well-maintained walking trails through miles of natural woodland. Your dog will love the opportunity to run on a loose leash and test her footing on dirt and undergrowth after becoming accustomed to walking on a concrete sidewalk.
These parks also provide lots of natural ponds like Walker Pond, as well as naturally boggy areas. These places will give your dog an opportunity to explore swampy terrain and even try wading in the shallow water. It is important that a developing puppy is exposed to water in a safe way so that she does not develop a fear of water as she grows.
New Dorp is fortunate to be near an extensive forested area for you and your dog to explore.The connected parks that make up this forest are large enough to allow for significant wildlife. You have a great chance of seeing foxes, raccoons, all sorts of birds both residential and migratory, and even larger wildlife like deer.
Lots of ponds and boggy areas provide a gathering place for wildlife, as well as a concentration of reptiles and amphibians. Grassy spaces throughout these parks will give you and your dog a chance to get out of the tree cover and play a game of fetch or frisbee. Some larger legs like Orbach Lake provide a great place for you to take a swim with your dog on the hottest New York days. There are enough miles of beautiful forest for you and your dog to both have your exploration needs met and be happy and tired at the end of your hike.


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Published 06 Apr 2016 in Articles
A map of personal relations
by Merja Hottinen
Cooperation between contemporary music operators in Finland and Russia depends on networks of personal connections built up over a long time. Although there are surprisingly few joint projects, existing relationships continually foster new interaction between the two neighbouring countries, which in turn makes it easier for other contemporary musicians to cross the border.
While Finland and Russia share a geographical border, in contemporary music they might as well be on different continents. Recent Russian music is rarely heard in Finland, and performances of new Finnish works in Russia are not exactly common either.
The geography of contemporary classical music is not something you can read on a map. Influences do not trickle through national borders; they travel from one metropolis to another. The strong contemporary music institutions in central Europe attract both Finns and Russians, confining direct interaction in contemporary music between Finland and Russia largely to sporadic projects.
Building a network
The Moscow Forum, the Sound Ways festival, the St Petersburg Philharmonic, the Moscow Conservatory … the list could go on. Composer Tapio Tuomela must be one of the best-networked people in Finnish contemporary music as far as Russia is concerned, considering the list of his Russian contacts. In addition to having his music performed in Russia, he has given lectures and composition workshops, conducted orchestras and acquainted himself thoroughly with the contemporary music scene in St Petersburg and Moscow.
"I began to explore Russia as soon as I became artistic director of the Time of Music festival in 2000," he says. "The first cooperation project was organising the visit of the Pokrovsky ensemble in 2002. Since then, there has been a cooperation project almost on a yearly basis."
This networking bore fruit in the programmes of the Time of Music festival in the 2000s. Guest artists at Viitasaari included the Studio for New Music Ensemble from Moscow (2001), the avant-garde ensemble Zvukovje puti (2004) and the Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble (2006). Composers such as Boris Filanovsky and Vladimir Tarnopolsky were featured. In 2006, Russia was the overall theme for the festival.
This interaction worked both ways. "As in our Soviet trade once upon a time, people prefer to repay favours with favours rather than with money. You can be sure that if you invite someone from Russia to perform here, you will be invited there in turn. So it promotes exports too," says Tuomela.
Finnish music to over 30 Russian cities
One of the most important partners in Russia not only for Tuomela but for Finnish composers more generally is the Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble, the MCME. Founded by composer Yuri Kasparov in 1990, it specialises in performing music by young composers.
The ongoing collaboration between the MCME and Finnish musicians began in the early 2000s when the MCME's General Manager Victoria Korshunova met the then director of the Finnish Music Information Centre, Kai Amberla, in Moscow.
"Cooperation had already been established between Finland and St Petersburg. But our meeting led to Finnish contemporary music spreading to Moscow and to almost all Russian regions, including the Ugrian regions," Korshunova recalls.
Since 2004, Finnish composers have been included in a dozen MCME tours to more than 30 cities in Russia. The guest composer is invited to select Finnish works suitable for the ensemble, and Finnish musicians have also been invited along. Tapio Tuomela has been on these tours several times and is one of Korshunova's trusted contacts. In recent years, Russian audiences have also been introduced, for instance, to Olli Virtaperko (2011) and Sebastian Fagerlund (2013).
Victoria Korshunova likes to keep Finnish music in the repertoire. "After all," she notes, "we are neighbours and our cultures have many features in common."
A new tour is being planned, and advance information indicates that its theme will have something to do with documentaries. The MCME is also planning a Finnish-Russian multimedia project for the Sound 59 festival in Perm together with the Finnish Embassy.
One of the MCME's own projects is giving an international course for young composers in the town of Tchaikovsky in the Perm region. "Each September, more than 80 participants including 15 to 20 foreign musicians come to this small town to collaborate and to write new works that are then performed by the MCME," says Korshunova. ln 2014, there was a Finnish participant, Timo Tuhkanen.
Bilateral opportunities
Tapio Tuomela cites meagre funding as a permanent challenge on the Russian contemporary music scene. After the active years in the 1990s, funding has largely depended on private and foreign sources. Indeed, judging by the scattering of logos in concert programmes, foreign funding is important for the entire sector, including the MCME -which, on the other hand, is one of the few contemporary music operators to receive funding from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
Korshunova explains that many projects can only happen with support from foreign cultural institutions such as the Goethe Institute or the Finnish Music Foundation (MES). "It is wonderful that the MES continues to support the promotion of Finnish contemporary music abroad," she says. "lt is very important for cultural collaboration and development. Unfortunately, here in Russia we have no organisation to support the performing of Russian contemporary music abroad, except for the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation."
Festival concert programmes indicate that cultural exchange with countries in central Europe is alive and well even since the economic sanctions imposed on Russia, and there are many foreign ensembles and soloists on the programmes.
Personal relations between musicians
Composer Pasi Lyytikäinen was impressed with Moscow when he visited the Moscow Autumn festival in 2012. "lt was an amazing cultural experience. Not just the music, the museums too," he says of his first visit to the Russian capital. "I noticed that there are many cultures overlapping. The music produced during the Soviet era still maintains a strong presence on the contemporary music scene. The repertoire is very diverse."
Three works by Lyytikäinen were performed at the festival, one of them a world premiere: Chamber Vocalise, dedicated to freedom of speech. He was invited to the festival by composer Anton Safranov, whom Lyytikäinen had previously met when Safranov was lecturing in Helsinki. They also had a common acquaintance, Keijo Aho, who at the time was a lecturer in chamber music at the Metropolia University of Applied Arts in Helsinki; his Ajassa! ensemble was also a guest at the festival.
Lyytikäinen does not speak Russian, so it was important for him to have someone in Moscow meet him, interpret for him and explain differences in operating practices. lt was a surprise that there were so many cultural differences, starting with concert practices, says Lyytikäinen.
Language barrier notwithstanding, he managed to establish direct relations with musicians and composers. Lyytikäinen notes that many Russian musicians and composers travel between central Europe and Russia a lot, building international careers. He has since maintained contact with the GAM Ensemble, which performed his works at the festival, and accordionist Sergej Tchirkov. Lyytikäinen invited Tchirkov to be the headline performer at his own festival, Pasimusic, in 2014.
And what about the political circumstances? Do they influence relationships with Russians? Lyytikäinen says that he was prompted to think about this as his visit coincided with the Pussy Riot trial, and many people were boycotting performing in Russia. "My contacts with musicians are direct and personal, and politics plays no role in them", says Lyytikäinen. "If anything, it has been interesting to hear about things from their perspective. Besides, music has always had the capacity to transcend conflicts."
So close yet so far
Despite individual efforts, Russian contemporary music remains an oddity in Finland, rarely found on concert programmes. Although Finland has a large Russian minority, Russian composers or composition students are not much tempted to come here. Why not?
"St Petersburg is close to us, but very few composition students in that city are sufficiently modernist in orientation to be interested in what is going on here," says Tuomela. "The St Petersburg Conservatory still has quite a few teachers left over from the old regime. In Moscow, on the other hand, there is also a fine tradition of modernism that was inaugurated by Edison Denisov and well represented even today thanks to Professor Vladimir Tarnopolsky."
That Russian music is so unfamiliar in Finland is compounded by the fact that very few recordings are available. And, as Tapio Tuomela notes, establishing personal contacts between Finns and Russians has always been hampered by the language barrier.
So what does the contemporary music scene in Moscow and St Petersburg look like from the Finnish perspective? There are certainly a lot of musicians, composers, events and institutions. "But relative to the size of the place, contemporary music is much more passive than in Finland," Tuomela notes.
To small places and new audiences
The field of contemporary music in Russia – as elsewhere – is in a state of flux, orientating itself towards new audiences, according to Korshunova. "lnterest in international contemporary art is high particularly among young people, and many clubs and unusual venues for contemporary music have emerged."
Smaller cities are making a mark on the contemporary music scene; new initiatives may be found in Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Yekaterinburg, Tomsk and Rostov, according to Korshunova.
The MCME tours have taken Tapio Tuomela to communities even smaller than that, and he has fond memories of those visits. "For instance, accordionist Niko Kumpuvaara and myself were once in a tiny village 200km east of Perm. Many of the people in the audience had never been to a concert of contemporary music in their life. They were enormously interested and curious. We were met by the town manager and given gifts. We were incredibly cordially received," he says.
"All this has helped establish direct contact with people there. When you speak Russian, you can talk to people directly about their views for instance on political events," says Tuomela. "Having seen all the receptions and been received like a celebrity, it seems all the more incredible that the situation at the level of national polities should be the way it is now. And because of that, it is increasingly important to maintain the personal contacts that we have."
#Ajassa!
#Anton Safranov
#FMQ Spring 2016
#Kai Amberla
#Keijo Aho
#Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble MCME
#Niko Kumpuvaara
#Olli Virtaperko
#Pasi Lyytikäinen
#Sebastian Fagerlund
#Sergej Tchirkov
#St Petersburg Philharmonic
#Tapio Tuomela
#Timo Tuhkanen
#Victoria Korshunova
#Vladimir Tarnopolsky
Taking Note Spring 2016: Borderland riches and explorers' instincts
Columns by Elina KahlaPublished 06 Apr 2016
Singing with our neighbours - Editorial from FMQ Spring/2016
Columns by Anu AholaPublished 06 Apr 2016


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Indian Super LeagueChennaiyin FCLeaguesInterviews
Bandovic wants Anirudh Thapa to score more goals
By Anurag Guha
Anirudh Thapa has played an integral part in Chennaiyin FC's success over the years, and the club has also shown immense faith in the youngster as they named him as their new captain for the upcoming season, a sign of their confidence in him.
A product of the AIFF Elite Academy, Thapa has played 71 matches for Chennaiyin since joining them at the age of 18 and has improved significantly since then. He also served as Chennaiyin FC's vice-captain last season. Thapa made his international debut in 2017 and he has since made 25 appearances for the national team. He is also a recipient of the esteemed AIFF Men's Emerging Footballer Of The Year award, winning it twice in 2018 and 2020.
Such is the ceiling of Thapa that captain Sunil Chhetri also pins his hopes of Indian football's future on the 23-year-old and has high expectations from the youngster, "If you talk of goal scorers in future, I will put my money on Thapa."
In an interaction with IFTWC, Thapa shared his thoughts on the new season, Chennai's trophy drought, his contract and much more.
How has the off season been and what are your expectations going into the new season?
"We all are excited for the new season to start but the sad part is that we are again in a bubble. But we are excited for the season and we want to give our best. Hopefully this season will not be something like the last one. We want to be in the top four and everyone is working for that.
After the end of last season, we had international matches schedule every 15 days or a month."
"I was with the national team mostly and in between when I was not there I went to Chandigarh to my coach Surendra sir. I trained with him for a few days then then I was back with the national team. So mostly I spent my time with the national team. There were the qualifiers and the SAFF Cup was around so I was trying to stay fit."
You have been in the bio bubble last year and you will be playing in the same grounds in Goa and you are used to them. So will the conditions be a bit easier for you now?
"I don't think so. It is obviously very hard to stay in the bio bubble. It is not easy but yes, we are used to it. We know how the feeling is now. So it won't be same as last year, but yes, it will be difficult."
Although you are only 23, your importance in the dressing room has grown enormously over the past few seasons and now you are a part of the leadership group as well. Do you enjoy the added responsibilities that comes with the new role?
"I think not much has changed for me after being appointed the captain. I have been here for six years now and so it's not hard to understand what the club wants. They want to win. And so do I. But as captain, there is an added responsibility. To grow up a little bit faster. I will still be a boy who loves football but I will also ensure that the team stays together on and off the field. And I will always protect my team and my players."
"I enjoy this new challenge as I believe that it will only make me a better player. It will help me grow and in the coming years, it will help me grow as a person as well. So I am enjoying every bit of it."
The team has already played a couple of friendly matches under the new coach, so you must already have a sense of his tactics and approach. Has it been difficult to adjust to this brand-new system and how different is it from that of Csaba Laszlo?
"No, it's not difficult because I have played under many coaches and you know more or less everyone is same. It is just that they have a different approach to the game. Adjusting to the new tactics is not difficult. It is just that what he is asking us to do on the field and he has given us some rules individually. So we will try and do that and with that so that we can get the results. We need to go with the plan and we need to try and execute it well."
What message did Bosko Bandovic have for you personally this season? Is there something specific that the coach wants from you?
"Bosko firstly told me that he has seen me play. He has seen my matches and he thinks that I can improve, specially in the attacking part. He thinks I can score more goals and I am working with him on that. I can be more effective upfront and I will try and score or assist in whichever way I can to help the team."
Sunil Chhetri said in a recent interview that he thinks that you are someone who can replace him in terms of scoring and can play as a forward. What are your thoughts on this?
"My preferred position is midfield. I don't feel like someone who wants to score a goal or I am the one who should be scoring a goal. It's nothing like that. It's just that I want to help my team to win games. And what Sunil bhai said is is that I can score goals and yes I can do the same. I can play in different positions like I played as a winger in the SAFF Championship. I played as No.10, No.6 and also No.8, so playing in different positions is not a problem for me. All I want is to win games. And if I can then I will also score goals."
During the transfer window ATK Mohun Bagan was desperate to get you and there were some reports that East Bengal were also interested. Why did you stick with Chennaiyin FC?
"I have a year left in my contract so I am just focused on this season and after this I will think about what offers I have in my hands."
How much of a miss are the fans in the stadiums?
"I am missing them badly because you know, I want to see them again. I want to hear them cheering and chanting. It is a difficult feeling when we do not have fans in the stadium. Everyone in the team is missing them because their presence gives us an added advantage. Hopefully this will end soon and we will have them back."
The last three seasons have been somewhat dry for Chennaiyin in terms of trophies. Why do you think the team has faltered in this regard and what have they been lacking?
"Everyone wants to win and we all tried our best but last season there were many injury concerns. Many of us got injured, I got injured in the fourth game and then Rafa got injured. So these injuries, you know, it is something that doesn't help the team to win titles because if you have injury concerns in every game, if a player is missing games then the balance becomes messed up. We gave our best last season, we kept the positivity up in the team."
"It helped us reach the finals in 2020, but somehow we couldn't win so it's nothing like that. Everyone wants to give their hundred percent, everyone wants to win but we need the luck to do the same. Because sometimes what we have given on the field does not matter because the other team is also, you know, there to win. They won't give us goals and points easily."
Injuries are a concern due to the long off season so do you think there should be more matches in the Indian football calendar?
"Obviously we need more matches so that we can stay fit and we can gain more experience. We can learn a lot by playing matches because we try different things during the games. We will be more fitter and not just stay at home and do nothing. It is a big thing that we are lacking right now and hopefully this will get resolved soon. If we have more matches, it will benefit everyone, specially the domestic players."
In 2017, Gregory termed you as the next big thing in Indian Football and many players have also said the same. Is it an added pressure or do you enjoy the remarks?
"I obviously enjoy the compliments because they have been said by some of the big names in Indian Football. They believe in me and they have faith in me and I think that I should enjoy it in every way. I am giving my best in whichever way I can and hopefully I can do my best which will be good for the team as well."
Ever since joining Chennaiyin, Rafael Crivellaro has had a huge impact at the club, but injuries kept him on the sidelines for the entire second half of the last season. How would you describe the difference in the dressing room with Rafa and without Rafa and how much of a miss was he when sidelined due to the injury?
"Everyone knows how important Rafa is for the team and last season we missed him because of that injury. But now he is back and hopefully we can enjoy seeing him play. He will be one of the important players this season just like he was previously. All we want is that he should not be injured again so that the team does not once again get affected."
If you were given an opportunity to spend a whole day talking football with- Ronaldo, Luka Modric or Frenkie de Jong. Whom will you chose and why?
"I will go with Ronaldo because I think for me, he is the best and he is the most hardworking player ever .He is one of those players who is always thinking about football and so that will be the player I will go with."
Any message for the Chennaiyin FC fans out there?
"I just want to thank them for the support and for the love that they have shown us and I want them to keep supporting us. Obviously we miss you badly in the stands, but hopefully all this will end soon and we will see you back in the stadiums. But till then keep supporting us. We will give our best. Also. stay safe. We all know what is going on in Chennai. So just try and stay together and help each other."
The fans will be looking forward to this upcoming season with the hope that Thapa can guide them to a top four finish and possibly help them grab the ISL shield and the trophy. Moreover, since he is in his last year of contract with the Super Machans, they would also wish for him to sign a new contract. Chennaiyin FC will play Hyderabad FC in their Indian Super League opener on 23rd November.
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Chetan Anand -


When you're a kid you don't really understand what it means to be a grown up. In fact, you cannot wait for that day to come sooner. Any child wants to be able to eat sugar at any time they want, or go to sleep past their bedtime. Throughout the years we watched our parents be independent and we always believed they could do anything they wanted. We couldn't wait to grow up so we could be just like them. And so we patiently wait, dreaming about the adult life filled with freedom, independence, adventure and thrill.
Reality is something that we, as children, could not really understand. Childhood is, as I call it a "fairy tale", an escape from reality. We are loved and sheltered by our parents and we lived in complete ignorance of what is actually going on in this world. It wasn't our fault of course. Any child should be able to have that escape, to only worry about their toy collection or having someone to play with, to be oblivious of the bad parts. And so, the circle of life continues. With every passing year the child starts to change. They become more aware of their surroundings and once the teenage years come along they start experiencing new emotions, good and bad: love, passion, moodiness, anxiety, depression. I think these are truly the starting point of our journey to adulthood because for the first time we get a glimpse that things are not as perfect as they seemed to be. You start contemplating about your past, your childhood and realise that hey, that part of our life was pretty amazing.
My first glimpse of reality was when I had to decide what I was going to do with my life. When I was little, I always had this idea in my mind that I wanted to be an actress, and then a comic artist, and then a designer. If only I knew back then that it wasn't so easy. When I actually had to choose which path I should take I felt like I was being trapped into a dungeon, a very cold and lifeless dungeon. Fear quickly made its way too. It was the first time that I understood that life is not a game, and you have to choose your next move carefully. Even after I finished high school I wasn't completely aware that yes, I was finally an adult. As I entered in University, life seemed better than ever. I found this new freedom thrilling, challenging. It was exactly what I needed. But freedom brings more than just thrill and adventure. It opens the door to the real world. Now you are in charge of your life and whether you like it or not, it will have many difficulties.
You now are mature enough to see the reality, to be aware of the good and the bad parts. There is a whole world out there that we have yet to know, a world which may not have the same privileges as us. Reality is imperfect and because of this, many people aren't always blessed like the rest of us. The world is much more than just your family, friends, town or country. This is what it means to be an adult, to fight for what you want, to survive failure and rise from the ground because boy, once you do, nothing can stop you.
I've been really struggling lately to express my thoughts into words. Every single time I would try to write something I would fail, even if in the back of my mind I had a world filled with words that wanted to say. It was like I couldn't be myself anymore. It got to a point where I believed that I won't be able to write again and I hated the idea because my ocean of words never really vanished or faded away, I just simply didn't know how to access it anymore.
My life has been a series of transitions this past year. For one thing, I've officially entered the world of adulthood as I am now a University student. Though I've wished for this moment for the past year and a half, when it actually started I've found myself being more confused. The transition from high school to University was one of the biggest changes I've ever had to face and I'm still in that process. The first week of University filled my mind with numerous questions such as "Am I able to accumulate so much information?" "Am I good enough to get my degree?" "Am I ready for this?". With all these questions though, I've never felt that I didn't belong there. I was able to find people who share the same interests as I do, who understand me in so many ways and also teachers who are willing to expand our world of knowledge. I've also started doing YouTube videos this past August. A dream finally came true. For years I've wondered if I should do it or not. I've doubted myself, that I will be able to put myself out there. You know what they say: you are your worst enemy. In the end, indeed, I could and this experience brought me a new passion and also brought me out of my comfort zone.
As the seasons change, I'm changing along with them. I'm maturing and becoming a woman. I've promised myself that throughout all of this I'll never let go of my childhood self, that I'll cherish it until the end because after all, it's the purest part of ours, whether you like to admit it or not. Our journey is based on changes. Without them, we'll never grow.


Maps enclosed at bottom of page.
The Midway Community is one in which residential and industrial uses collide. The Kirk Avenue bus yard has been a point of contention between the surrounding community and the MTA for some time. The primary complaint has to do with noise and emissions impacts from operations at the yard on the Community. The bus lot sits in a traditional setting between industrial land to the north and east, and residential neighborhoods that seem to have somewhat receded over time on the west and south. What is not clear is the extent to which the operations at the Kirk Avenue have directly caused the decline of the neighborhood.
The Kirk Avenue facility lies south of East 25th Street and the main northeast corridor railroad line out of Penn Station. The areas immediately north (Bonaparte Avenue) and east (Kirk Avenue) of the bus yard support light industrial uses, including buildings (from fair to good condition), their parking lots, and some empty land with trash. Something of an anomaly, the portions of Bonaparte Avenue immediately east of the bus yard is a relatively attractive residential street, though for a couple blocks it is only a ribbon of houses – surrounded on either side by industrial activities or empty lots. It is not until Bonaparte reaches its intersection with Garret Avenue that the residential development fans out into more of a neighborhood. South and west of the bus yard are the remains of some older residential neighborhoods. The area to the west, along Homewood Avenue, consists primarily of empty lots and abandonment in what was apparently once an established neighborhood, particularly in the first half to two-thirds of a western portion of the bus yard, affording the area to the west a bit of topographic separation for the bus lot (thought it is not clear whether it is sufficient to buffer any of the noise or backs of these small row houses (in various states of repair) separated by from the bus yard by an alley. Partially buffering these houses from the yard is a welding/fabrication company warehouse located on the southwestern quadrant of the bus lot block but unrelated to MTA and the bus yard. Of the 4 regional bus yards Kirk Avenue is the only one separated from homes by just an alley.
The Kirk Avenue Division, 226 Kirk Avenue, is separated from homes by the alley behind Bartlett Avenue.
The Eastern Division, 201 Oldham Street, is separated from homes by Oldham Street.
The Bush Division, 1515 Washington Blvd, is separated form homes by Bush Street plus about 110 ft. of commercial/industrial property.
Northern Parkway and Powder Mill Park separate the Northwest Division, 4501 Mount Hope Drive from homes.