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One man's trash is another man's sculpture
Alli McLaughlin, Staff Reporter|September 23, 2021
Alli McLaughlin
"The Self-Guided Missile"
Just inside the Dibden Center for Fine Arts within the Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, local artist Matt Neckers has constructed nostalgic, playful sculptures in an exhibit titled "The Self-Guided Missile."
The exhibit was open to visitors from Aug. 23 to Sept. 23 and features five industrial sculptures made of various found objects. The center of the exhibit, as well as its namesake, is an 11-foot long, hollow rendition of a missile that weighs in at 500lbs.
Neckers said he is particularly inspired by nostalgia, but that we should "look a bit more carefully, and things may feel more subversive and chaotic, much like the world we are in at the moment."
The exhibit as a whole is reflective of how even the more childish aspects of life have been quite hardened and tumultuous. Neckers has participated in a plethora of other exhibitions over the years, including Bubblegum Pop at Burlington City Arts presently and as far back as 2010 with a solo exhibition at the Vermont Studio Center Red Mill Gallery.
Neckers was initially scheduled to have his exhibit in Fall of 2020, but after campus closed due to COVID-19, his exhibit was pushed back. Another local artist named Misoo was also planned to have her exhibit in Fall 2020, but is now rescheduled for Spring 2022 alongside Theresa Thacker.
According to gallery director Phillip Robertson, the fall selection of exhibits will be rich. "Right after Matt Neckers is the artist Susan Abbott…" he said. "She is a local artist. She does a lot of teaching in Maine and other parts of New England, but Susan Abbott is a landscape and figurative artist. The best way I can describe her work is it has the quietness of an Edward Hopper with some modern colorist sensibilities."
The reception for Abbott's exhibit will take place on Sept. 30, barring any new COVID-19 updates.
Following Abbott's paintings, the gallery will be hosting the exhibits of NVU's BFA students. These are typically split into two shows, during which the students will be able to showcase what they have worked on throughout their time at NVU. This semester, the gallery will also be welcoming three graduating BFA student exhibits.
Robertson was able to give a preview of what to expect for next semester, as well. "What I have lined up for the spring is really exciting," said Robertson. "We're going to have a faculty show with Tara Thacker… our sculpture faculty [member] of the visual arts center. And after Tara, we have Misoo. Both Tara and especially Misoo have feminist themes in their work."
Robertson said he has been relying on his connections in the local art scene to invite artists into the gallery over the past five years. "I want to tip the hat to former president Elaine Collins and our current department chair for the fine arts," he said. "Elaine Collins was a real supporter of the arts.
"Unlike some folks in the past, she actually came to some receptions and saw the art, and she understood what an important component of the Liberal Arts experience… a vibrant art department and cutting edge, contemporary art gallery is."
The gallery is open inside the Dibden Center Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Julian Scott Gallery
Alli McLaughlin, Arts & Entertainment Editor
First year student from Orlando, FL.
Working on her second bachelors.
Love poetry, anime, and her dog (mostly her dog).
Dreams of living in a van.
Tara Thacker's "Darken" on display at Dibden Center for the Performing Arts
Devyn Thompson's unflinching "Soul"
Exhibit highlights creative reflection
An acetone addiction: my journey from nail biter to nail artist
Binta M. Colley comes to Dibden
Counter Intelligence
Unpacking Swift's "Midnights"
Still thrilling over thirty years later
Female phallic fixations abound
This year's BFA exhibits tell personal stories of life and loss
New book explores secrets of trees
Gallery exhibit to donate pencils
Zebrowski exhibit opens doors


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Home Royal Family SARAH VINE: Jeremy Clarkson is a ghastly dinosaur, but don't let Harry...
SARAH VINE: Jeremy Clarkson is a ghastly dinosaur, but don't let Harry and Meghan cancel him
Fair to say, I think, that Jeremy Clarkson is not everyone's cup of tea.
He's rude, obnoxious and bigoted. He's a dinosaur, a relic. He annoys everyone all of the time, and thoroughly delights in doing so. Or at least he used to.
This week saw a very different Clarkson, cowed and contrite, begging the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for forgiveness in a desperate bid to save his career. And while many will delight in his discomfort, I can't bring myself to join them.
Don't get me wrong: what he wrote about Meghan was completely unacceptable. Saying he was 'dreaming of the day when she [Meghan] is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant 'Shame!' and throw lumps of excrement at her', was undoubtedly a bridge too far.
Fair to say, I think, that Jeremy Clarkson is not everyone's cup of tea
This week saw a very different Clarkson, cowed and contrite, begging the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for forgiveness in a desperate bid to save his career
He was right to say sorry, as he did, soon after the article's publication last month, and The Sun was absolutely right to take it down. There's a fine line between strong meat and week-old offal, and that just stank.But having apologised once, he should have left it at that.
Instead, he decided to grovel, writing on Instagram on Monday: 'On Christmas morning, I emailed Harry and Meghan in California to apologise to them, too.
I said . . . that the language I'd used in my column was disgraceful and that I was profoundly sorry.'He added: 'I really am sorry. All the way from the balls of my feet to the follicles on my head. This is me putting my hands up. It's a mea culpa with bells on.'
You might have thought that would elicit some sort of sympathetic response from their graciousnesses in Montecito.
After all, that is some pretty unequivocal bowing and scraping. But far from it.Instead, they issued a snooty statement, doubling down on Clarkson and making it clear that sorry is just not good enough.
Having chastised him for mistakenly addressing his apology to 'solely Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex', they went on to add: 'What remains to be addressed is his long-standing pattern of writing articles that spread hate rhetoric, dangerous conspiracy theories and misogyny . . . it's clear this is not an isolated incident shared in haste but rather a series of articles shared in hate.'
Hang on a second. Hasn't Harry himself made mistakes in the past (Nazi uniforms, racist language and so forth)? Surely he of all people should understand that one — if not more — error of judgment does not define a man . . . or a career.
He was right to say sorry, as he did, soon after the article's publication last month, and The Sun was absolutely right to take it down. There's a fine line between strong meat and week-old offal, and that just stank
But then that's not what this is really about, is it? It's not about someone who has made a bad mistake apologising to those offended and everyone moving on in the hope of doing better. It's about cancel culture and a seemingly insatiable need for revenge.
Amazon, which shows the wildly popular Clarkson's Farm and his Grand Tour series is said to be cutting ties with him. ITV has hinted he might be dropped from Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?Let's face it, Harry and Meghan won't be happy until Clarkson is living in a cardboard box under a bridge, being spat on by passers-by. He could crawl through Montecito on his knees begging for forgiveness and still it wouldn't be enough.
They give the impression that nothing short of his complete defenestration will satisfy their hunger to see him thoroughly humiliated. Which, in the context of the original insult, is somewhat ironic.
They don't want an apology; they want more. Just as the apology demanded by Harry from his family for their treatment of Meghan wouldn't satisfy them.
Harry talks about saving the royals 'from themselves'. But that's nonsense. He is engaged in a much more ambitious endeavour: he wants to burn down the House of Windsor and build it back in his own image.
Likewise the British Press, the only thing that Harry perhaps has it in for more than his own family. Again, he won't be satisfied until the only person allowed to voice an opinion about him or his wife is fawning biographer Omid Scobie.
That's why, as wrong as Clarkson was, as annoying as he is, it would be a disaster if the Sussexes succeed in cancelling him. Because a world in which irreverence towards a group of self-appointed moral arbiters is punished with the modern equivalent of the guillotine is not a world in which most people wish to live.
For most of us, Five Guys is a takeaway. For Carol Vorderman, who's said she has five 'special friends', it's just another month in her busy love life. Good on her. If she can still get all those men pursuing her, why not?
Rishi Sunak showed courage in blocking Scotland's Gender self-ID law, which had the potential to challenge women's rights to single-sex spaces such as changing rooms and loos. Yet the Government plans to ban all forms of conversion therapy, sparking fears it will be illegal to question a person's sexuality or gender identity. This could make it difficult for a parent to question their child's desire to alter gender — a process that can lead to irreversible changes.
I wouldn't want anyone to suffer the pain of being denied their sexuality or identity; but given the numbers of young people who regret transitioning, is this course of action wise?
NO LACE PLEASE, MARGOT
Margot Robbie — one of the most beautiful actresses of her generation — looked stunning in a vintage Versace gown at the Sydney premiere of her new movie, Babylon, on Monday. What I can't understand, though, is why she added that blood-red lace trim to it? The original dress, from SS'95, looked much better without it. Or am I missing some deeply meaningful subliminal message?
Margot Robbie is one of the most beautiful actresses of her generation that looked stunning in a vintage Versace gown at the Sydney premiere of her new movie, Babylon, on Monday
Bottom of the class
I'm sorry, but I think it's disgusting that teachers are going on strike. Clearly they feel no duty towards a generation of children who have already had their chance of a decent education torpedoed by lockdown.
Teaching is meant to be a vocation. No one goes into it to get rich, and teachers already have a generous pension, holidays most can only dream of — and last year got a pay rise of more than five per cent, with the Government committing to raising starting salaries to £30,000 by 2024.
The same, I'm afraid, goes for the university lecturers, who have an even cushier existence, only they get to strike at the expense of students saddling themselves with thousands of pounds of debt for the privilege. Disgraceful.
For Italians, the Gina Lollobrigida (may she rest in peace) vs Sophia Loren thing was a bit like The Beatles vs the Rolling Stones. You were either one or the other. And, as fabulous as La Lollo was, I must confess I've always adored Loren for the simple fact that she once said: 'Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti.' Very definitely a woman after my own heart.
For Italians, the Gina Lollobrigida (may she rest in peace) vs Sophia Loren thing was a bit like The Beatles vs the Rolling Stones. You were either one or the other
It is bad enough that Scott Mills has replaced Steve Wright on Radio 2; now Ken Bruce — the heart and soul of the station — is leaving. He's the latest in a huge roster of stars — from Jane Garvey and Eddie Mair to Andrew Marr and Jenni Murray — to abandon the BBC. What do they all have in common? They're all over 50 and actually know how to do their jobs.
I wonder how Prince Harry feels about the fact that the Iranian regime has used his claim that he killed 25 insurgents in Afghanistan to justify the alleged torture and execution of Alireza Akbari, a UK national. Or is he too busy counting the money from sales of his memoir to care?
You've heard about cultural appropriation; the latest thing, my daughter informs me, is blonde appropriation. This is people who dye their hair blonde. Apparently, it's a micro-aggression. I don't understand anything any more.
Madonna's tacky truth or dare
Madonna has announced a new world tour — her 40th anniversary — by releasing quite the most bizarre video you will ever see.
Featuring a motley selection of musicians and celebrities, including comic Amy Schumer and actor Jack Black, it takes the form of a game of truth or dare, in which Madonna asks each of her guests to perform the kind of pointlessly obscene act that only a 16-year-old boy would dream up. One has to dip his undercarriage in his drink before downing it; another has to simulate oral sex using a bottle. And no, I am not making this up.
Madonna has announced a new world tour on her 40th anniversary by releasing quite the most bizarre video you will ever see
I'm sure the idea is to give the impression that, even at 64, the Grandmother of Pop is as edgy as she ever was; but I'm afraid it just comes across as . . . well, a bit creepy and embarrassing.
Not to mention rather boring. I think I'll give the tour a miss.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: Comparison: which one is correct Which of the following sentences is correct or more idiomatic for comparison between two things:

*

*The AUC (the area under curve) for the model A is greater than of the model B

*The AUC (the area under curve) for the model A is greater than for the model B

*The AUC (the area under curve) for the model A is greater than of that for the model B

*The AUC (the area under curve) of the model A is greater than of the model B

*The AUC (the area under curve) of the model A is greater than the model B

I feel the third one is more precise. However, I wonder if the first and second also are idiomatic and convey the desired meaning.

A: Either "for" or "of" is fine, just use the same preposition for both.  It's fine not to repeat the preposition, as in your fifth example, but this is a style choice.  "Of that for", in your third example is incorrect (or at least awkward).
Personally, I wouldn't use "the", since these are the names of the models:

The AUC of Model A is greater than that of Model B.

Notice I use "that of Model B".  This is because I feel it's good style to compare "like to like", especially in a scientific publication.  Other people might think shorter is better:

The AUC of Model A is greater than (of) Model B.

Again, this is about writing style, not grammar.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Evil Robot Games product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission.
Open Game License v 1.0. © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.


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The pope apologized for slapping the hand of a woman who tried to yank him toward her
Michelle Mark
Pope Francis apologized Wednesday for losing patience and smacking the hand of a woman who grabbed him.
YouTube/Guardian News
Pope Francis apologized in a New Year's Day address for losing patience and smacking the hand of a woman who grabbed him.
"I apologize for yesterday's bad example," he said.
Videos of the incident showed the pope navigating a crowd when a woman reached out and grabbed his hand, yanking him toward her and initially refusing to let go.
He then smacked the woman's hand as a security guard tried to loosen her grip.
Pope Francis apologized for smacking the hand of a woman who grabbed him on New Year's Eve.
In a New Year's Day address at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, Francis acknowledged the incident and spoke about the virtue of patience.
"So many times we lose our patience. Me too, and I apologize for yesterday's bad example," he said, according to The Washington Post.
Videos of the incident showed Francis walking alongside a crowd of people, greeting them and grasping some of their hands before turning away.
But as he pivoted, a woman reached out and grabbed his hand, yanking the pope toward her and initially refusing to let go.
Francis then smacked the woman's hand as a security guard tried to loosen her grip.
It's unclear who the woman was, or what she was trying to say to the pope.
Somewhat ironically, Francis also denounced violence against women in a later segment of his speech.
"Women are sources of life. Yet they are continually insulted, beaten, raped, forced to prostitute themselves and to suppress the life they bear in the womb," Francis said, according to CNN. "Every form of violence inflicted upon a woman is a blasphemy against God, who was born of a woman."
Pope Francis obliquely addressed the Catholic Church's controversies during Christmas Eve Mass
All of the 'Popemobiles' Pope Francis rode this year, from a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen to a hydrogen-powered Toyota
Instagram's former CEO once flew to the Vatican to personally help Pope Francis create an account
Pope Francis compared rhetoric from anti-gay politicians to Hitler speeches
More: Pope Francis New Year's Eve New Year's Day


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RSV cases surge in NYC area
Updated 10:36PM
Triple threat of COVID, flu, RSV
No parent wants their family to experience the holiday trifecta of COVID, the flu, and RSV. The viral illnesses are wreaking havoc on young kids, who are filling emergency rooms and hospital beds. For the last five weeks, RSV, which can be deadly in small children, especially infants, was the main concern. Then the flu season ramped up. And now COVID cases are rising in some areas.
NEW YORK - Respiratory syncytial virus infection (RSV) cases have nearly doubled in the New York City area since October. The number of cases is overwhelming hospitals.
Nearly 300 children a day are coming to emergency rooms and the number of children who need to be admitted to the hospital is up 49%, according to authorities.
The respiratory virus spreads via respiratory droplets produced from coughing and sneezing. For most children, the illness is mild. But it can be dangerous for young kids and infants.
RELATED: Kids with RSV, other illnesses keep flooding hospitals
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should be ready to send doctors, nurses, and medical staff to New York, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday.
"It's a simple 10 letters," Schumer said at his regular Sunday news conference. "I'm telling HHS to address RSV, ASAP."
The U.S. is facing a surge of viruses including RSV, influenza and COVID-19.
"I've been practicing for 40 years. We have never seen an RSV surge like we are having over these past few weeks," said Dr. Charles Schleien, Chair of Pediatric Services at Northwell Health.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV) cases have nearly doubled in the New York City area since October, overwhelming hospitals.


Too close to April 1. Tomorrow, Steam and the entire HL2 series will be released for Linux, along with Microsoft Office 2010. Oh and Catalyst will be released as open source and merged to Linux 3.4 mainline.
Also expect Stereoscopic 3d support "real soon now", a native Linux port of Mass Effect 1 - 3, and pre-releases of Intel's Haswell platform being shipped free to Linux users for their undying adherence to their belief in their platform.
That statement doesnt even sound right, with opengl 2+ you compile your shaders so that you can use to them to draw. Compiling is a one time thing, your not doing it during draw calls. I say its bogus.
Yes, this time for sure!!!
Surely Valve knows how to pre-compile their shaders at level-load time for example. Or have they been DX-only for too long?
Actually, some really ugly 3d engines will compile shaders very frequently, not just at load-time. Sometimes it's easier to ship different code based on dynamic occurrences within the engine. Sometimes that code is written "on the fly"; sometimes that code is pre-stored, but loading all the shaders at once would eat up too much VRAM (or what they perceive as too much for certain hardware at least).
It's not out of the realm of imagination that an engine might want to load a shader at render-time, not just at load-time. In fact I think the Valve Source engine might do this, because I often get these very obvious freezes in Source engine games during the early stages of a match. The frequency and severity of them drops off as I play the game longer, to the point that they simply don't happen after 10 minutes or so. Seems like it's trying to load some resource at runtime the first time it was utilized, rather than simply throw everything at the VRAM and/or RAM during the initial engine load.
no they use "wine" libs and they use openGL3.2+ you can check this start aram2 in wine wine always compile shaders "in game"
also modern engines like Arma2 are Streaming games this means new land comes up new shaders and so one the engine always drop part and load new parts.
imagine a modern engine like arma3... 900km? you can't hold this in VRAM! never! because of this the engie need to load and unload stuff all the time.
valves half-life 3 engine its the same the game engine is made to be so big that you always need to compile shades.
Or perhaps the correct term is pre-cache? Anyway, even the blobs don't fully compile the shader until you use it to draw something.


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Current Read #29: How to Blog A Book by Nina Amir
Joyfully Exploring Words, Authors Stephen and Susan Tchudi
Posted by: Allison Helps Cats on: June 30, 2015
In: Grades 3-5 | Grades 6-8 | Nonfiction | Teasers
The past few years I have taught an after school writing club for elementary-aged students. One of the inspirations for the activities I teach is a book called Gifts of Writing by Susan and Stephen Tchudi. I've mentioned it before as part of my Roundup of Writing Guides for Young People. This week, I plan to post a full review of it.
My custom is to promote an upcoming review with a teaser. However, to my dismay, I have been unable to find much info about the author pair. The back flap of Gifts of Writing, a guide published in 1980, tells me that Stephen Tchudi used to be a professor of English at Michigan State University and his wife Susan used to be a professor of English at Central Michigan. Both contributed to professional journals. Many of the ideas from Gifts of Writing grew directly from their work with young people in writing workshops. At that time, they lived in Michigan and were parents of four children.
From Heinemann, I also discovered that Stephen Tchudi later taught and retired from the University of Nevada, where he coordinated the interdisciplinary university seminars program and directed graduate programs in rhetoric and composition. He also edited an interdisciplinary humanities journal and served as the past president of the National Council of Teachers of English. Together, his wife and him wrote several books about the English classroom, because they believed classrooms "should be places for joyful exploration of the word and world".
As I continued to dig, I found one more item of interest. As part of a 2009 project called Growing Into Who We Are, the two both submitted essays that reveals insights into their personal lives. Stephen Tchudi wrote about becoming an artist, a process that involved his struggling with shading, creating 3-D art in high school, and cartooning in college. The latter not working out, Stephen turned to teaching English, taking up art only again when he retired. Now he likes to both pencil draw and watercolor. He's also an organic farmer and justice activist.
As for his wife, Judy wrote an essay on equality. Besides her involvement with farming and justice activism, Susan and her husband have a weekly radio show. On it, they interview guests and focus on environmental issues. The two apparently now live in California.
Gifts of Writing by Susan and Stephen Tchudi is one of the first writing guides I used heavily as a young person. It'll also serve as the foundation for a writing club I'll teach later this month. For both of these reasons, I'm reviewing it tomorrow. Save the date: July 1!
Review of The Young Writer's Handbook
Inspired by…. Inspired by Student Projects with Words and Art
Tags: Allison's Book Bag, Gifts of Writing, reviews of books for young people, Stephen and Susan Tchudi


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Home / Biography / Curly Dan & Wilma Ann
Curly Dan & Wilma Ann
Although for practically their whole career, these were just part-time entertainers, this couple duo became an extremely popular action in bluegrass music for over 4 years. Curly Dan (b. Densile Holcomb, 12 Sept 1923, Clay, Western world Virginia, USA) discovered electric guitar, mandolin and banjo and started playing and performing in local groupings in his teenagers. Wilma Ann (b Wilma Ann Decreases, 11 August 1924, Charleston, Western world Virginia, USA) wedded Curly Dan in 1942. In 1952, due to having less work in the Western world Virginia region, the few relocated to Detroit, where Curly Dan discovered function in the electric motor industry using the Chrysler Company. Eventually he proved helpful as an engineer in public areas institutions in Royal Oak, Michigan. They truly became involved with the neighborhood music picture and in 1955, with Wilma Ann playing bass, they produced their Danville Hill Boys, which for quite some time included Lester Flatt's cousin Carmon Flatt. They produced their initial recordings the next year in the Lot of money label. In 1961, they documented 'South On 23', which became their personal tune on Content Heart and demonstrated popular more than enough for Starday release a it on the Nashville label. They eventually documented 'North On 23', which like a lot of their music was biographical or associated with their house. In 1973, these were agreed upon to John Morris' Aged Homestead label that they documented three albums. By this time around their kid, Ricky Dan, was playing banjo using the music group and appeared along with his parents on a number of the recordings. They continuing to play primarily local locations until 1993, when after Carmon Flatt's loss of life they retired from your music to reside in Hazel Recreation area, Michigan.


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A large flare burns off fuel at Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery while firefighters battle a fire there. The wind carried the black smoke toward residential areas of South Philadelphia.
Emma Lee / WHYY
Philadelphia officials to convene working group on the PES refinery fire, while residents rally to shut the plant down
City says the refinery explosion, fire did not impact public health
Susan Phillips tells stories about the consequences of political decisions on people's every day lives. She has worked as a reporter for WHYY since 2004. Susan's coverage of the 2008 Presidential election resulted in a story on the front page of the New York Times. In 2010 she traveled to Haiti to cover the earthquake. That same year she produced an award-winning series on Pennsylvania's natural gas rush called "The Shale Game." She received a 2013 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Journalism Award for her work covering natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania. She has also won several Edward R. Murrow awards for her work with StateImpact. In 2013/14 she spent a year at MIT as a Knight Science Journalism Fellow. She has also been a Metcalf Fellow, an MBL Logan Science Journalism Fellow and reported from Marrakech on the 2016 climate talks as an International Reporting Project Fellow. A graduate of Columbia School of Journalism, she earned her Bachelor's degree in International Relations from George Washington University.
Dana Bate/WHYY
Dana Bate is a health and science reporter for WHYY. Previously, she worked as a Washington D.C.-based field producer and on-air reporter for the PBS Nightly Business Report, where she won the Gerald Loeb Award for a series she produced on the Indian economy. She is also the author of five novels, which have been published in several languages around the world. She holds a degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale University and a master's in journalism Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. When she isn't on the hunt for a good story, she is probably in her kitchen, whipping up a recipe from her extensive cookbook collection.
Sylvia Bennett, a member of Philly Thrive, raises her arms at a protest outside Philadelphia's PES refinery. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Philadelphia, state and federal officials gathered Tuesday to assure city residents that the refinery explosion and fire that occurred Friday at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions complex did not result in any threats to the public health.
The city plans to form a working group that would include officials, residents, environmentalists, workers, and PES management to address issues at the plant. Managing Director Brian Abernathy said a public meeting will take place at the end of July.
"This incident sharpened a number of questions around the refinery," Abernathy said. "Is the refinery safe? Does PES have appropriate measures in place to prevent a catastrophic failure? Was our response and the response of PES adequate and appropriate?"
Abernathy said fears that the dangerous chemical hydrogen fluoride could have been released will also be addressed, as well as the financial health of the plant. PES emerged from bankruptcy last year, but it has struggled to compete due in part to changing economics of the source of its crude oil from the Bakken Shale fields of North Dakota and the requirements of the Renewable Fuel Standards.
The explosion of liquefied petroleum gas at the PES refinery sent a fireball into the air and black smoke billowing across the region.
But Philadelphia's deputy health commissioner, Caroline Johnson, said the windy day helped clear the air of any pollutants that could have affected city residents.
"Based on aggressive sampling of air quality in the region of PES, we found nothing of concern, and we see no evidence that there's been an impact on the health of the public in Philadelphia."
Johnson said she could not speak about the potential impact in other parts of the region. Officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the city's Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel agreed the fire and its aftermath did not pose a public-health threat.
Johnson said inspectors with the city's Air Management Service have conducted a number of tests both at its monitoring stations, as well as bottling air in the vicinity of the refinery to test for 61 potential pollutants.
"They've been doing very aggressive monitoring," Johnson said. "They've been doing daily inspections in the community and along the fenceline of the PES to look for hydrogen sulfide, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide."
Kimberly Paynter / WHYY
Refinery workers watch protestors outside the PES refinery Tuesday. The Girard Point refinery is offline as the investigation into the fire continues. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
'No new information to share'
Missing from the news conference was a representative from PES. Company spokeswoman Cherice Corley released a statement Tuesday afternoon saying that a thorough investigation was continuing and that there was no new information to share.
Mayor Jim Kenney promised residents and workers at the refinery that the city is committed to ensuring the safe operation of the plant.
"I do believe that there is room for improvement," he said, "both in the operation of the refinery and in the communications to residents."
Residents have been calling for the refinery to be shut down, citing decades of poor air quality and lack of response from the company.
Although Friday's fire may not have resulted in poor air quality, the refinery is the largest single source of air pollutants and greenhouse-gas emissions in the city. The plant released 3,218,080 metric tons of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in 2017. Over the past five years, PES has paid $649,417 in penalties for violating the Clean Air Act, $150,000 for violations related to the Clean Water Act, and $100,000 for hazardous-waste issues.
In the previous three years, the site has been cited for Clean Air Act violations in nine of 12 quarters. It has not been in compliance with the Clean Water Act for any of the past 12 quarters. Some of the releases listed under the Toxic Release Inventory for 2017 include volatile organic compounds such as toluene and benzene, as well as ammonia, lead compounds, and sulfuric acid.
Fire Commissioner Thiel said his department continues to have a strong presence at the refinery during the investigation, which he said "will take a very long time."
Along with the city's fire marshal, DEP and ATF, the Chemical Safety Board and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating.
Voices raised in protest
On Tuesday afternoon, about 40 protesters from grassroots community groups gathered in front of the refinery, at one point spanning the width of Passyunk Avenue and bringing traffic to a standstill as they shouted their demands.
South Philadelphia resident Sylvia Bennett, a member of Philly Thrive, which organized the protest, was among them. She felt her bed shake when the explosion occurred around 4 a.m. Friday and thought she was hearing firecrackers. She said she and her neighbors are fed up with the health risks the refinery brings to her neighborhood.
"Enough is enough," Bennett said. "I want them to shut it down or change [from] fossil fuel."
Ryan O'Callaghan, president of United Steelworkers Local 10-1, said calls to eliminate the refinery were rash and did not account for the 1,000 or so workers the refinery employs.
"Those who are calling for the refinery to be shut down, I don't think they realize the amount of people that rely on this refinery's operations for part or all of their salary," O'Callaghan said.
As for the safety of the facility, O'Callaghan said that he wants any repairs to make the work environment safer, but that he hasn't felt at risk while on the job.
"If we felt it was unsafe, we wouldn't be here," he said. "Our members are in the refinery every day. We don't want anything to get out of the pipes or anything like that. We're the first line."
Some at the protest acknowledged the need for a thoughtful transition at the refinery that would account for those who rely on it for their livelihood.
"Where are the people who work here now going to work? How are they going to have good jobs?" said West Philadelphia resident Noah Winer, who attended the protest with his wife, Sarah, and 3-month-old son, Amos.
"But it doesn't make sense to maintain this just because this is where some people work. Those people should have jobs, but it doesn't make sense to me to endanger the whole city, including the workers, by continuing to operate an oil refinery right in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the country."
Winer said the impact of the explosion could have been far worse, which makes him concerned for the safety of his son and other children who live closer to the refinery.
"In a lot of ways," he said, "we're here for him."
Emily Pontecorvo contributed to this report.
Delaware Watershed
Philadelphia Energy Solutions
Future of PES refinery could be decided Friday behind closed doors
State levels record $30M fine against pipeline company responsible for Beaver County blast
Six months after the fire, both ex-refinery workers and PES struggle to find new lives
Restore PA and Wolf's fifth severance tax attempt, explained


text:
Women's Rights and Achievements Reception
Buket Bora	 Jan 23, 2016 0
On March 2nd 2016, in the lead up to International Women's Day, The Centre for Turkey Studies hosted the Women's Rights and Achievements Reception in the House of Commons. The reception was kindly hosted by Caroline Flint, Labour MP for…
Winners of Turkish, Kurdish and Cypriot Community Achievement Awards 2015
Buket Bora	 Oct 31, 2015 0
We would like to congratulate the winners of the Community Achievement Awards 2015. Please see below the full list of winners. CEFTUS Appreciation Award Mr Rami Ronger MBE, Mr Shany Gupta, Mr Martin Howe and Mrs Gulse…
Dr David Graeber
ceftus.org	 Mar 26, 2015
CEFTUS Joint Forum 'Kurds in Syria: From Denial Toward Self-ruled Governance Model' Dr David Graeber is a professor of anthropology at the London School of Economics. He is the author of numerous books, including Lost People,…
2 December 2014 News Round-up
Constitutional Court's announcement of a possible lowering of the 10% electoral threshold shook the domestic agenda, as well as the Russian President Putin's visit and its lower priced natural gas offer. Alongside new figures on…
Joint Forum: 'Turkey and its Turbulent Neighbours'
ceftus.org	 Oct 8, 2014
This Joint Forum is organised by the Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) and Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). With the Turkish military poised on the border of Kobane in neighbouring Syria, this timely roundtable led by Dr. Soner…


text:
Q: MySQL error When Update the database $column = "`0907001`='0',`0907002`='0',`0907003`='0',`0907004`='0',`0907005`='0'";
$date="01/01/2013";
$sql_cmd = "UPDATE `$database`.`$table` SET ($column) WHERE `$table`.`Date` = '$date'";
if(!mysql_query($sql_cmd)) {
  die('inside AddUserToDataBase Error: ' . mysql_error());
}

Here I got an error
the error is
You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near '(`0907001`='0',`0907002`='0',`0907003`='0',`0907004`='0',`0907005`='0') WHERE `C' at line 1

Please Help....
How can I solve this problem........

A: Just drop the ( ) around $columns in the query:
$sql_cmd = "UPDATE `$database`.`$table` SET $column WHERE `$table`.`Date` = '$date'";

A: Remove the parenthesis around the columns. Instead of:
UPDATE TABLE table SET (column = value)
It should be
UPDATE TABLE table SET column = value


The Nokia SU-8W keyboard has been here for several months now. It wasn't much fun to use with the Nokia 770 internet tablet's original operating system, which back then required inofficial drivers, but the Nokia N800's OS supports this keyboard by default. Pairing is easy, yet a little confusing with the N800 sometimes, and typing in applications is straightforward. The keys have a very good feel and yes, you can comfortably touchtype with it. It has an integrated folding stand that is designed for cell phones which can hold the N800, as well.
The SU-8W runs forever on one set of 2 x AAA batteries and a reason other than its low power drain might be that I hardly ever use it. Let me explain why.
Originally I expected to use this keyboard for extensive typing while on the go. But Maemo isn't made for keyboard use (if it is, this user didn't see the clues needed to learn it), so the N800 needs to be in touch distance since you have to use the pen or a finger for GUI interaction every now and then.
It's no fun to use the SU-8W on the subway in a hurry.
Obviously, you can't use the N800 with the keyboard while walking or standing. An absurd situation resulted when I once needed to send an important long message by email while at the train station. So I sat down cross-legged on the concrete floor, put the N800 on the floor in front of me, put a book on my lap and the keyboard on the book. That worked, but definitely wasn't comfortable.
Oh no, an FN-key, designed to drive me mad!
The keys have the near-perfect size for touchtyping, but the SU-8W has only three rows of keys, with the fourth row of numbers accessible through a green FN-key, which is inexplicably designed to act similar to caps-lock instead of shift.
You can pair the SU-8W with PCs (it works with the Everun). But the German SU-8W keyboard has non-standard label locations for some special characters such as @ or ß, so that you won't easily find those while using XP. My wife called her attempt of writing a short email with that setup a "maddening experience" and I still haven't gotten used to the the FN-key function, either.
nice review! It would be even nicer if they had included a lock for the keyboard though.
– I just got myself one of the new Apple Wireless keyboards, which works perfectly with the N800 (except for the key mappings – how do I change the mappings in the N800 for HW keyboard… ne1? 😉 ). The keyboard is light/small enough to be thrown in the suitcase on travels yet still solid enough for heavy coding (which I doubt the SU-8W will ever be 🙁 ).
How is the electrical connection made between the halves of the keyboard?
I ask because I had (note the verb tense) a Stowaway keyboard, but it died when the flex cable connecting the two halves failed – and the "cable" was nothing more than an extension of the keyboard circuit "board" itself, so there was no way to fix it. I now have a very expensive paperweight.
"Flex" cables are not really designed to flex continually. They are designed to flex ONCE, during device assembly. Any flexing after that is at your own risk, ESPECIALLY if the radius of the curve is not very carefully controlled.
I've been trying to find a store somewhere here in the middle of the US that carries the Nokia keyboard, so that I can evaluate it myself.
I have no idea. Looks pretty solid to me, but I didn't open the case to have a look.
I tell you what David, You are right. It has a cable that got busted for me.
Yeah, its an interesting device, but my keyboard stopped behaving 2 weeks after I purchased it. The left half of the keyboard is not working now. I took it to local nokia repairs but they dont know heck about the keyboards. All they know are the handsets and their repair. I believe thats a big negative about the device.
By the way, if anyone of you have one of this broken keyboard, I may need some parts from you (possibly a cable) so that my half of the keyboard starts working.
Indeed, the SU-8W is a very nice companion for the N800. I've used this setup a lot, as it makes it a lot faster to chat and code (once you've gotten used to the funny Fn-key). It's also possible to use it on one lap at a time (as opposed to laying it across both of your laps), though it's a bit of a balancing act. The N800 has keyboard shortcuts for most tasks, so you actually rarely need to tap the display.
When I bought the Nokia SU-8W keyboard I was so happy. But this happines ended very soon. First of all there is no fixator in the keyboard and it is very inconvenient.
Then after about 2 month of rare use, I noticed that some keys on a left side of the keyboard do not work at all. My conclusion this keyboard is piece of crap. Do not buy!


text:
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/xhtml;charset=UTF-8"/>
<title>MarsinEngine: Engine.Objects.ObjectAttributes.Velocity Class Reference</title>
<link href="tabs.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
<link href="doxygen.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>

Main Page

Classes

Class List

Class Index

Class Hierarchy

Class Members

Engine

Objects

ObjectAttributes

Engine.Objects.ObjectAttributes.Velocity

Public Member Functions |
Package Attributes

Engine.Objects.ObjectAttributes.Velocity Class Reference

List of all members.

Public Member Functions

 	Velocity ()

 	Velocity (double x, double y)

double 	getX ()

void 	setX (double x)

double 	getY ()

void 	setY (double y)

Package Attributes

double 	x = 0

double 	y = 0

Detailed Description

Created by IntelliJ IDEA. User: Sina Solaimanpour Date: 10/18/11 Time: 10:39 PM

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

          Engine.Objects.ObjectAttributes.Velocity.Velocity
          (

           )

Just The Default Constructor for debugging matters It Will set X = 0 And Y = 0

          Engine.Objects.ObjectAttributes.Velocity.Velocity
          (
          double
           x,

          double
           y

          )

This Will Create the Velocity As X = x and Y = y

Parameters:

	x 	Value for the Velocity on X Axis

	y 	Value for the Velocity on Y Axis

Member Function Documentation

          double Engine.Objects.ObjectAttributes.Velocity.getX
          (

           )

Returns:

Velocity Projection on X axis

          double Engine.Objects.ObjectAttributes.Velocity.getY
          (

           )

Returns:

Velocity Projection on Y axis

          void Engine.Objects.ObjectAttributes.Velocity.setX
          (
          double
           x
           )

Parameters:

	x 	It Sets Velocity Projection on X

          void Engine.Objects.ObjectAttributes.Velocity.setY
          (
          double
           y
           )

Parameters:

	y 	It Sets Velocity Projection on Y

The documentation for this class was generated from the following file:

src/Engine/Objects/ObjectAttributes/Velocity.java

<address class="footer">Generated on Mon Oct 31 2011 13:41:24 for MarsinEngine by

 1.7.1 </address>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


When it's time for your braces to come off, you'll be fitted with a retainer to help your new smile stay in its corrected position. It is best to remove your retainers when brushing and please be sure to follow all instructions for wear and care. For the first few days with your retainers, you may experience some soreness and/or difficulty speaking. These reactions are normal, and will disappear quickly. If you have any questions call us – we love to answer your concerns. It may be necessary in some situations to schedule an appointment and you will certainly be able to do that when you call.
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, you should wear your retainer all the time, even while eating and sleeping. You should take it out to clean it when you brush and floss your teeth. After about 9 months, when the roots are "set," you can start wearing your retainer only while you sleep, but we will follow your retention progress to give you the sleep only instruction.
You can clean your retainer by brushing it on both sides with toothpaste and you may occasionally use denture cleanser and warm water. NEVER put your retainer in boiling water, and never wash it in the dishwasher or microwave; the form fitting plastic will distort and not fit properly. When it's not in your mouth, your retainer should stay in its case, kept away from pets – dogs especially love to chew the appliances!


Real Madrid v Al Ain: Club World Cup final – live!
Real Madrid v Grêmio: Club World Cup 2017 final – live updates!
Real Madrid suffered an almighty fright before a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick hauled them back from 2-1 down and gave them a 4-2 win over Kashima Antlers in the Club World Cup final on Sunday.
Two goals from Gaku Shibasaki stunned the European champions as the Japanese hosts took the lead early in the second half before a Ronaldo penalty brought Real level on the hour. The 11-time European champions then survived several more scares and a possible sending-off for captain Sergio Ramos before Ronaldo scored twice more in the first period of extra-time.
Real Madrid v Kashima Antlers: Club World Cup final – live!
Real Madrid booked their place in the Club World Cup final by beating Club América 2-0 on Thursday, although Fifa's new video technology was again the talking point after confusion reigned following Cristiano Ronaldo's injury time strike.
Real will play Japanese champions Kashima Antlers in Sunday's final in Yokohama, looking to become world champions for the second time in three years and earn a record 21st international title.
Football's most prestigious prize for individual achievement, the Ballon d'Or, has been shared between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi since Kaká's win in 2007 and the idea of anyone else winning seems farfetched even by 2016's high standards. The Portuguese is overwhelming favourite after a season that culminated in European triumph for club and country. Barcelona won La Liga but Messi's missed penalty in the Copa América final and failure to deliver Argentina's first trophy in 20 years will likely rule him out of a fifth award. Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suárez are outside bets while Jamie Vardy is the only Englishman nominated. (The last English winner was Michael Owen in 2001.) As of this year, the Ballon d'Or is no longer a Fifa-sanctioned gong since football's world body has ended its six‑year bond with the event, which has been run by France Football since 1956. Those Zurich-based blazers will now relaunch their world player of the year prize under a new name, details of which remain sketchy. Perhaps they will broaden it out to 48 players.
Auckland City have struggled against the aggression of Japanese champions Kashima Antlers in going down 2-1 in their Club World Cup match.
The Oceania champions were in front five minutes into the second half thanks to Dae Wook Kim, but Kashima's Shuhei Akasaki levelled on 67 minutes and Mu Kanazaksi grabbed the winner two minutes from time in Yokohama.


In early 2015, Google shuttered the Google Glass, sparking a round of eulogies for the flashy gizmo. The Glass was both pretentious and intrusive - it let wearers take photos with a wink of the eye! Turns out, Alphabet-owned Google has not given up on its controversial small glasses, after all. The Menlo Park, Calif.-based company has officially launched the "Enterprise Edition" of its smart glasses hardware, which is now available to a network of Google Partners.
The Google Glass Enterprise Edition closely resembles the version 1.0 for consumers, which sold for $1,500. According to the statement, Google Glass Enterprise Edition glasses are lighter and sit comfortably on the bridge of the nose during long term wear. In addition, they offer improved sound quality, better display, more power and longer battery life.
Google's developer partners include companies like AGCO, Boeing DHL, and GE. Google supplies the Glass to a range of developer partners from logistics and manufacturing to the service industry. Some of the companies authorized by Glass at Work, includes ACGO, Boeing DHL, GE, NSF International and Volkswagen.
Glass was launched in 2012 and failed to gain traction. It was criticized for its cumbersome design and poor battery life. Most of all, it failed to take over the world of fashion. Alphabet-owned Google enlisted the support of Diane Von Furstenberg and Net-a-Porter, hired a Calvin Klein marketing expert, and picked shinier frames. Yet, what consumers really focused on was Glass-specific hate crimes. Eventually, the Apple Watch outpaced Glass and the company had to shut down its Explorer program. It halted sales of Glass, while it continued to develop an improved version of Glass.
Despite drawbacks, Glass did succeed in fields such as medicine and surgery where professionals need a device to record information without needing to use their hands. Augmedix, a San Francisco-based startup built its success around Glass. A majority of its customers are doctors who use the Glass to access an app called Augmedix to transcribe notes from patient interactions. It has become a mighty example of how incorporating smart glasses can be of advantage to field workers who contantly document information.
For the past few months, Alphabet X has been working on Glass Enterprise Edition. Google has also taken help of developers to build a slew of apps to take advantage of some of Glass's most interesting features.
Don't count on the Glass Enterprise Edition to go on sale anytime soon. Well, for the consumer Glass team, it's still chipping away to create a consumer-friendly Glass version.
Leaked features of Nokia 9 reveal it'll be exceptionally fine.


text:
Q: Error 400 uploading file using angularJS and nodeJS I am trying to upload a sound with AngularJS but I get this error when posting the data.
POST http://localhost:2000/upload 400 (Bad Request)

I don't know what is the issue. Is it the formdata that I need to change?
This is the code :
HTML:

        This needs to be a .WAV file
        <form enctype="multipart/form-data">
            <input type="file" class="form-control" name="uploads[]" id="upload-input" multiple="multiple">
        </form>
        <button class="btn-primary" ng-click="uploadSound()">UPLOAD</button>

AngularJS Controller:
$scope.uploadSound = function(){
    var x = document.getElementById("upload-input");
    if ('files' in x) {
        if (x.files.length == 0) {
            console.log("Select one or more files.");
        } else {
            var formData = new FormData();
            for (var i = 0; i < x.files.length; i++) {
                var file = x.files[i];
                if(file.type==("audio/wav")){
                    console.log("Importing :");
                    if ('name' in file) {
                        console.log("-name: " + file.name);
                    }
                    if ('size' in file) {
                        console.log("-size: " + file.size + " bytes");
                    }
                    formData.append('uploads[]', file, file.name);
                }else{
                    console.log("Error with: '"+file.name+"': the type '"+file.type+"' is not supported.");
                }
            }
            console.log(formData.getAll("uploads[]"));
            $http.post('/upload', formData).then(function(response){
                console.log("Uploaded :");
                console.log(response.data);
            });
        }
    }
}

NodeJS:
app.post('/upload', function(req, res){
// create an incoming form object
var form = new formidable.IncomingForm();
// specify that we want to allow the user to upload multiple files in a single request
form.multiples = true;

// store all uploads in the /uploads directory
form.uploadDir = path.join(__dirname, './public/database');

// every time a file has been uploaded successfully,
// rename it to it's orignal name
form.on('file', function(field, file) {
    fs.rename(file.path, path.join(form.uploadDir, file.name));
});

// log any errors that occur
form.on('error', function(err) {
    console.log('An error has occured: \n' + err);
});

// once all the files have been uploaded, send a response to the client
form.on('end', function() {
    res.end('success');
});

// parse the incoming request containing the form data
form.parse(req);
});


What is the salary of Project Engineer at Fluor?
Average Fluor Project Engineer salary is ₹ 25,00,000. Project Engineer salaries at Fluor can range from ₹ 20,00,000 - ₹ 30,00,000. Most of the Project Engineer in Fluor get a salary in the range of ₹ 22,50,000 - ₹ 27,50,000. This estimate is based upon 5 Fluor Project Engineer salary data points provided by Fluor employees and data points collected through other sources. See all Project Engineer salaries to find out how Fluor Project Engineer salaries are compared to market average.


iCare is our Pre-Paid Support Agreement, allowing customers to purchase a block of service hours upfront which provides direct access to our resources within a defined service level, all at a heavy discount.
iCare eliminates the need to raise separate purchase orders or to process monthly invoices for each task, whilst it provides customers complete visibility and flexibility with a detailed monthly report of time spent and available balance.
By choosing the package that best suits their needs, pro-active customers can achieve significant cost value savings.
Clients often purchase different blocks of iCare to support different purposes. Whether to provide pro-active and ongoing support with active monitoring and problem resolution; access to development and software engineering resources, consulting on demand or to provide infrastructure administration and deployment/upgrade resources, iCare hours can be put to work. Your ISW Account Management team will help identify areas that can be pro-actively improved and provide guidance on how to add further value.
iCare is available for purchase in 60hr, 100hr, or 200hr blocks. The base contract rate is discounted with a purchase of a larger block of hours. Whilst ISW reserves the right to change pricing for iCare at any time, price changes have no effect on previously purchased hours, thus providing a hedge against price increases. Unused iCare hours do not expire.
As part of our iCare Support agreements ISW is able to provide Active External Monitoring for systems that can be access via HTTP/HTTPS, Ping, TCP, UDP, DNS, SMTP, POP3, or IMAP. This can be simple monitoring of specified applications for availability, or alternatively can be more advanced monitoring scripts that validate functional availability of applications.
When monitoring events occur ISW engineers will be notified, able to respond to review the event and if necessary notify customers to take remedial actions. Depending on the exact requirements external monitoring is simply charged to your iCare agreement on a monthly basis and can be as inexpensive as effectively ½ hr of support/month, ranging up to a few hours.
ISW is also able to review the existing internal monitoring facilities in place to ensure they are optimised to correctly monitor availability of systems and applications that are not accessible externally.
Priority 1 Response: (Server/ Network / Application down, multiple users affected) - on receipt of a request you will receive a telephone response within 1 hour. An engineer is allocated within 4 business hours or sooner.
Priority 2 Response: (Application / Workstation or major system down, single user affected) - on receipt of a request you will receive a telephone response within 2 hours. An engineer is allocated within 8 business hours.
Priority 3 Response: (Minor errors, alternative arrangements can be made until engineer is available). - on receipt of a request you will receive a telephone response within 8 hours. An engineer is allocated within 16 business hours and the task scheduled.
For reliability, logging calls by telephone is preferable either directly with your allocated Software/System Engineers or your Account Manager; however calls can also be logged by email. Minimum response times are not guaranteed for calls logged by email.
iCare is designed as a normal business hours service. You request support at any time between 8.30am and 5:30pm (EST) Monday to Friday excluding public holidays. Out of hours work can be done with prior arrangement, however a surcharge will apply. Where Active Monitoring is in place ISW will provide best effort to respond out of hours where possible.
ISW operates database itemising exactly how your iCare time has been used. You will receive a monthly reconciliation statement showing exactly when hours have been used during the preceding month and how many hours you have left in balance. When your prepaid hours credit drops to less than 20% of your initial purchase your account manager will advise you so that you can consider a top-up purchase before the balance is exhausted.
Monthly review meetings with your Account Executive.
For more information on how iCare can be tailored to your ongoing requirements, please contact your nearest ISW office.


text:
Burma's Youth Power Strives for Maturity
Chinese and Indian Firms Tipped for Kyaukphyu SEZ Bidding Race
India's Exim Bank Sees Potential in Burma
Singing Reggae, Seeking Reconciliation
Exports Set to Soar, as Europe Opens Its Doors
Sex and the Chinese City: Classes Help Women Shed Taboos
UN Security Council 'Deep Concern' About Burma's Use of Child Soldiers
UN Experts Concerned About Thai Prosecution of UK Activist
Aung San Suu Kyi Meets Polish Parliament Speakers
Thai Air Asia to Link Naypyidaw, Bangkok Ahead of SEA Games
5 policemen killed in Thailand's restive south
Institute: North Korea Nuclear Reactor Likely Restarting
Prosecutor Calls for Death in Delhi Bus Rape Case
Burma Govt's Vaccination Campaigns Faces Criticism
NLD Publication Hit by Financial Woes After $185K Goes Missing
Burma Sees World's Third-Biggest Drop in Happiness Levels: Report
Chilling Out Is Easy at 'Fatman' Bistro
The New Internet Wave Sweeping Burma
Burma Buddhist Committee Bans Anti-Muslim Organizations
Hundreds of Farmers Prosecuted After 'Harrow Battle'
Preparations Underway at Ancient Pyu City Considered for World Heritage Status
'Yangon's Development Is Key'
Fighting Continues Between KIA, Govt
Burma Hopes to Pass Revised Company Act by End of 2014
Burma's Shwe Taung Group to Invest $500M in 5 Years
U Wirathu Urges Security Presence at Mosques, Monasteries
China Warns of Jail for Viral Posts Deemed Libel
Changing China Set to Shake World Economy, Again
With Japan's Help, an Ex-Soldier Leads Rangoon From Backwater to Megacity
Burma Receives High-Tech TB Detection Machines
State-Backed China Shipbuilder to Raise $1.4B for Naval Buildup
Malaysia's Najib to Announce Steps to Help Ethnic Malays
Looking for a Few Good Cronies
India Opens Export-Import Bank Office in Rangoon
Number of Dengue Cases, Deaths Lower Than Feared
Buddhist Committee's 969 Prohibitions Prompts Meeting of Movement Backers
Art for All Generations
500 CSO Issues Statements Opposing Association Bill
After 20 Months, First UN Aid Convoy Reaches Laiza
Burma to Assess Road Network With $1.3M Grant
Bangladesh to Carry Out Count of Illegal Rohingya Migrants
Thai Airways Plane Skids off Runway
Organizers Confident 'Rich Men' Will Fund $20Mln Cable Car on Karen Mountain
China Boosts Tin Ore Imports From Burma as Indonesian Supply Dries Up
Pawnshops Hit Paydirt as Southeast Asians Sweat Before Pay Day
Study: 1 in 10 Men in Parts of Asia Have Raped
Sectarian Riots Spread in North India, 31 dead
Rangoon's Arakanese Gather to Honor U Ottama for the First Time in Decades
As Burma transitions from nearly five decades of military rule, young activists seek a way to influence politics and the direction of the country.
By Nanchanok Wongsamuth 12 September 2013
RANGOON – In 1989, visiting a roadside bookstore in downtown Rangoon was not something as simple as it might sound. Unless the vendors recognized your face, that is.
Yan Myo Thein, now 44, knows how difficult political activism among Burmese youth used to be. The former medical school student had to use his familiar face to get rare reading materials when dropping in bookstores.
"When they recognized me, they showed me political or history books written in English regarding Burma whenever they had some," said the political commentator, who has also listened to radio news programs from Voice of America and the British Broadcasting Corporation for at least three hours a day since the age of 14.
At that time, books about the Burmese opposition movement were not allowed to be sold in public, so bookstores were important places to promote ideas of revolution. Books like these, which were sold for about 200 kyat, were passed from one person to another, exchanged and discussed among friends.
Twenty-four years later, the number of youths participating in various movements is higher than in the past, but Yan Myo Thein, who was jailed for almost three years when he was 18 years old for participating in the 1988 uprising against the socialist government, remains skeptical about how much influence they can actually assert in politics.
Generation Wave, a pro-democracy youth group, has openly conducted awareness campaigns since the 2010 elections, roaming the streets to collect signatures and explain to people that the political war is not yet over. The group is known for expressing its views through hip-hop songs and graffiti.
Among the activists is 32-year-old Moe Thway. A former rock musician, he sits cross-legged in jeans and a black-and-white checkered shirt, his eyes covered by strands of hair when he looks down, revealing black stud earrings. Someone who once led a wild life, he is not the average freedom fighter.
"During those years of dictatorship, we couldn't do anything, so we did a lot of art forms such as distributing music, publishing poems and drawing graffiti on street walls," he says. He has been president of the youth group since its formation in 2007.
Now Generation Wave deploys different tactics. Their website and Facebook page are used to provide updates on their activities, mobilize people and organize protests.
Small political forces like this have benefited from greater access to the Internet in Burma after decades of heavy censorship. With over half the country's population under the age of 30, the Internet has been a critical tool to express views on politics and democracy.
In May, Generation Wave spent one month collecting signatures for a campaign to stop "civil war" and start a political dialogue. With the help of the Internet, Facebook and email, they collected more than 60,000 signatures. Last year, they also gathered about 2,000 people to march for 10 miles on the International Day of Peace.
Since September last year, Moe Thway has faced 19 trials for demonstrating without permission and acting against the state or public tranquility, both violations of the Penal Code. His weekly routine consists of paying visits to the court. He estimates he has gone more than 170 times.
"I have 16 cases related to [violating] Article 18 [of the Penal Code], which has a maximum punishment of one year in jail; and two cases related to Article 505 (b), with a maximum of two years. So that's 22 years maximum," he says with a smile.
Since Generation Wave's formation, 27 members have been arrested, but all are released now. Still, the 15 group members know they might be arrested at any time. "Even now [the police] might come and arrest us, at this very moment, including you," says Min Yan Naing, a co-founder of the group.
Moe Thway is also working closely with the National Youth Congress to encourage youths to become political leaders. Sitting at 50th Street Café in downtown Rangoon, he says democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi does not have the capacity to lead the country alone, after being kept under house arrest for 15 years during military rule. "We need Daw Suu to build the foundation, but for future leadership we must build ourselves and not depend on other people," he says.
He adds that he does not have any plans to enter politics for the 2015 elections, saying that democracy is not just about elections, but includes other forms of participation by the people. To raise participation, civil society is essential, he says. He might consider entering politics in 2020, together with other youths today. "I want to go with the wave of the generation," he says.
Elsewhere in Rangoon, at 3 pm in an apartment on Zayyar Thiri road, nine men and eight women aged 20 to 35 sit on the floor, discussing ways to organize a movement on the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21.
Facilitate. Inclusive. Peace documentary. Facebook. The fact that almost all of them can use English terms like these during their discussion shows why they have been able to connect to other international organizations through social media.
When 26-year-old Salai David got his own Facebook account in 2008—also when he moved from Shan State to Rangoon to study—SIM cards for mobile phones cost at least US$2,000, so he had to use a cyber café to access the Internet. Last year he purchased a SIM card for $500. Working as a freelance researcher on youth policy in Burma, he now uses the Internet on his mobile phone for posting updates on the Chin Youth Network page, which he co-founded last year.
The Chin ethnic group is one of the 135 ethnic groups officially recognized by the Burma government, covering a population of about 500,000. Each state in Burma has its own youth networks for different ethnic groups, and they meet every year at the national youth forum. In July, the Chin Youth Network met members of Parliament in Naypyidaw to submit a policy paper discussing 10 issues, including a lack of access to telephone lines and technology across Chin State.
This is the third time Salai has attended the meeting, which is dominated with words like framework, democracy, motivation, solution and 88.
The 1988 pro-democracy uprising was led by young people, which is why some like Seng Gu remain optimistic about the power of the youth.
"Now youth groups are leading the democratization process, but the problem is that our government doesn't mention the history very well. School curricula don't mention the 1988 uprising and the democratization process, which leads to a gap between seniors and the youth," says the 35-year-old, who is part of a community response group that provides peace module training to civil society.
Highlighting the point of political maturity, Yan Myo Thein says that without having good education and reading about political ideas, as his generation did in the past, a person cannot be a politician. "You can be an activist without studying or reading works, but our country needs a lot of mature politicians. Without them, the future of our country will be in a bad condition," he says.
Yan Myo Thein's profile picture on Facebook is a peacock, a symbol of the student movement. He has 1,500 friends on the social media website who follow his posts on politics. Now his daughters, aged 13 and 10, are keen to set up Facebook accounts.
"I will allow them to open [a Facebook account] at the age of 14, because sometimes I think some posts aren't very good for children," he said. "Here, most of the youth only read short posts on the Internet and Facebook, instead of reading books. They fail to educate themselves. Most of the youths here can't read in English, so most have to search for translated posts in Facebook and on the Internet. Because of that, they are not very well updated."
A group of young debaters, however, have aimed to dismiss this notion.
At 2:30 pm on a weekday in 2008, around 20 people gathered at the ground floor of the two-storey building at the American Center Debate Club (ACDC). They had come to discuss environmental conservation and economic development, with a plan to debate which of the two was more important. A man in his 20s stood up to explain his stance.
"The government is exploiting natural resources in the country and selling them to China and other countries. While they are putting money in their pockets, our people are still in poverty," he said.
After the event ended, five of the participants were taken away by military intelligence. Luckily, they were only put into custody and questioned for a short period. They did not mention Nyein Zarni Naing, who was leading the activity that day and was a founding member of ACDC, which was scrapped a year later due to the risks associated with the activities.
"Before that day, someone noticed people had been following us. But I thought it was very common in Myanmar," says Nyein Zarni.
Today, 28-year-old Nyein Zarni is head of advocacy and consultancy at the Myanmar Debate Education Society (MDES). Set up in 2011, the MDES is a nonprofit and non-political association aimed at promoting a debate culture in a country where the practice has long been discouraged.
Nyein Zarni says Burma needs a debate culture for successful peace dialogue. "If the peace process is led by young people, it would be successful because they are really realistic and have no agenda behind. But they need experienced people. So why not bring young people into the dialogue?" he asked.
Peter Pyaezone, 33, a member of the MDEC, also sees debate as a form of dialogue. If the debate culture really takes off, then spaces like Facebook can be useful, he says. "If you had a problem in the Stone Age, you would solve it by using force and weapons. With debate, we use our rationalized thoughts and see their perspectives with respect, and we can find some common ground," he says.
If young people are well educated from the perspective of debate education, they can go on Facebook, read the comments and identify the fallacies. This includes overgeneralization, irrelevant reasons and improper premises, says Peter Pyaezone, adding that identifying fallacies are important because oftentimes people tend to participate in discussions by using emotion rather than rationale.
The MDES, which claims to be the only debate group in the country, estimates that about 500 to 1,000 youths have participated in its activities since the group set up.
Saw Thet Tun, 41, who was also involved in the 1988 democracy movement, was kept in prison for 17 years, and recalled how officials did not hesitate to punish and beat prisoners. He said the youth nowadays do not believe in physical struggle anymore.
When he left prison in 2011, he set up Sky Age, a free education center for the poor.
In the 2010-11 academic year, Burma had nearly 40,000 government schools, 275,000 government teachers and 8 million basic education students, according to the latest figures released by the Department of Educational Planning and Training.
To Saw Thet, the government is not interested in improving the country's education system, with a large amount of the budget used for military purposes. "They pretend to be interested in issues such as human rights, ethnic conflicts and religious conflicts because they are afraid of international pressure," he says.
A one-hour drive from downtown Rangoon, there is a small house situated in Southern New Dagon Township. Nineteen students, aged 16 to 41, are here—all from poor families outside Rangoon, including five whose homes did not have electricity.
In a country of 60 million, statistics by the Department of Electric Power indicate that there were only 2.2 million consumers of electricity in 2011. At that time, 486 town and 2,250 villages had access to electricity.
When Saw Thet roamed the states outside Rangoon, he attracted over 500 students who were eager to learn. But with an NGO, not a for-profit education center, he was only able to take 19 students to the study center. English is the main subject, with eight volunteers who teach the students 10 hours daily. The English language is like a weapon, says Saw Thet, and it can be used to communicate with the international community and bring development to the country.
Bhamo Mee Chan, 21, earned only 1,500 kyat per day when she was in her hometown in Pathein district in Irrawaddy Division. She has been with Sky Age for almost two months because costs for continuing her education were too high elsewhere.
Saw Thet says the students, especially women who live in the countryside, lack confidence and are afraid of expressing their feelings. "They think that it is not good for students to ask questions to their teachers. I would like to change this mindset. Every morning I encourage them to ask questions," he says.
For people like Charles Petrie, who heads the Myanmar Peace Support Initiative, the Internet has the potential to be a significant platform to facilitate the peace process among ethnic groups in different regions. "If political dialogue starts, peace will be sustainable. Those who have agreed to stop fighting will now start talking about their political future. But assistance is only one side of what is needed. You need justice and predictability in law," he says.
Meanwhile, political parties are trying to recruit younger members. Of 1.2 million members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), about 50,000 are under the age of 30, estimates party spokesperson Nyan Win. "Compared to the older generation, the youth are capable of looking at things in a broader sense," says the 70-year-old.
Over 2,000 people have graduated from the NLD's training center, with topics covering politics and business. Most students are younger than 30 years old and come from outside Rangoon.
The Democratic Party for a New Society (DPNS) also has a youth branch, with members between the ages of 15 and 32. They had about 200,000 members in 1990 but are now working with about 500 members, as they try to regroup their organization. "Because of them [the youths], we are surviving. They are our envoy in different communities," says party leader Aung Moe Zaw, who has been in exile for 24 years.
Although the government acknowledges that there has recently been a lot of hate speech, discrimination and campaigning on Facebook, Thaung Tin, Burma's deputy communications and technology minister, stressed the importance of technology in encouraging the democratization process at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Naypyidaw in June.
Even democracy icon Suu Kyi is optimistic about the youth movement in the country. On the last day of the WEF, she brought out a large cheer from a small part of the crowd where all the young people were sitting.
"May I say that my session with the YGL [Young Global Leaders] this morning was the most enjoyable I've had in this forum. It really was," she said.
This article was produced for the 2013 Southeast Asian Press Alliance (Seapa) fellowship program. Nanchanok Wongsamuth, a business reporter for the Bangkok Post, is one of the 2013 fellows. This year's theme is Freedom of Expression Challenges to Internet Government in Southeast Asia. The article was originally published for the Southeast Asian Press Alliance in September 2013.
Topics: Health
Nanchanok Wongsamuth Contributor


text:
Kyle Kurlick
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Legs & Scorpi
Last week, I covered Terminix employees talking to second graders at Idlewild Elementary about the differences between spiders and insects. They brought two arachnids as living examples, a tarantula named Legs and an emperor scorpion named Scorpi. Some of the students, including Sydney Berry (above), were horrified to be so close to these creatures while others like Nathanial Ivy (below, hands) were eager for a turn holding Legs.
I found Scorpi to be a more interesting specimen. When emperor scorpions are exposed to ultraviolet light they turn from dark blues and blacks to vibrant, indiglo green.
memphis photography
March 5th in	Photo Blog Photography
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