After last year's disaster people blamed the factory owners, builders, or the government – but isn't the real culprit our demand for cheap clothing?
For a very brief moment, just before daybreak, the narrow backstreets are empty. Trucks still rumble down the potholed road through the town but the last workers have long gone home, walking past the furled awnings of the market stalls, over the single footbridge, along the battered pavements, to the tenement apartments, the squalid huts, the tin-roofed homes by the fetid pond.
Then, as light comes, the silence is broken: water splashes into a bucket held under a standpipe by a child, a pressure cooker wails, someone laughs. In thousands of homes, tens of thousands of people are scooping rice and vegetables from tin bowls, packing the leftovers to eat during the long day ahead and then, hands rinsed, goodbyes said, filing out into the streets, the streams of workers uniting and then separating as they flow through the town, like blood through veins, each leading to a different factory. In the evening the flow will reverse, the pulse slower, less certain. But now, at 7.30am, it is sure and steady.
On this morning, 23 April last year and the day before the disaster, the workers at the five factories housed in the eight-storey Rana Plaza arrive as usual around 7.45am. There are 2,200 registered employees in the complex, plus those who staff the bank and the shops on the first floor. Once through the doors at the rear, they head up the narrow stairs to their workplaces: New Wave Bottoms on the second floor, Phantom Apparels on the third, Phantom Tac on the fourth, then Ether Tex and finally New Wave Style on the sixth and seventh floors. For several years now, these five companies have produced millions of items of clothing for western clients including Matalan and Primark.
Among the workers is Mahmuda Akhter. Her husband, Habibullah, works in the Phantom Tac factory a floor above, and as usual the couple have walked to work together, leaving their baby girl at home with Mahmuda's mother. They are from a small village in Pabna district 100 miles from Savar. Unusually for conservative Bangladesh, theirs is a "love marriage", not arranged by their parents. Mahmuda is 20; Habibullah, 23.
Mahmuda reaches her sewing machine and sits down. A few yards away is Shapla Begum, a supervisor working on another of the three lines, each of around 80 sewing machine operators, that constitute Phantom Apparels. Shapla is 27 and has been in Savar for five years. She, too, is a migrant. Her husband's earnings as a rickshaw puller in their village in Kurigram in the distant north were insufficient to pay for schooling for their two boys so, following other relatives, they came to Savar.
Working for Ether Tex on the fifth floor are Runarini and her two daughters. Runarini is a "helper", cleaning and carrying, as is the younger of the two girls, Preity, who is 15. The elder, 18-year-old Shamapati, a serious girl who laughs rarely, says little and works hard, is a sewing machine operator. The trio have arrived in Savar more recently than most of their colleagues and so can afford only a single room in a battered, tin-roofed shack. They hope that in time they will find something better. The open yard full of chickens and children in front of their new home reminds Preity of the fields and trees she left behind, and of the friends she misses.
But she likes Shonjit Das, the 19-year-old son of her immediate neighbour. He works in the finishing section of Ether Tex, packing the clothes to be sent off to the west, and is handsome and funny, and sometimes walks her home at the end of the day. And she knows the three women are earning many times what labouring in others' fields or cultivating their own poor, eroded land back in their village would ever have paid.
At 8am, as every morning except Sundays, in all the factories, on every floor of the Rana Plaza, the bell sounds, conversation ends and work starts.
No one is entirely sure how big the global clothing industry is, what profit it makes or how many it employs. It is estimated that $300bn worth of clothes were made by the top 10 producers in 2012, and the industry as a whole generates revenues of between $500m and $2tn. But no one really knows.
Textiles, if not garments, have always been a key element of global commerce. For more than a thousand years, trade between Europe and east Asia travelled what were known as the "silk routes". Later, the textile industry played an important role in Britain's emergence as the world's leading commercial power. There and elsewhere, the rag trade employed millions and created immense wealth, playing a key role in the transition of western nations from agrarian to industrial economies. But nothing really compares with what is happening today, either in scale or in impact. For as the west has got richer, its demand for clothes has steadily risen.
Garment-making is labour-intensive and there is often little room for savings on the textiles that are the biggest single cost. This means the price of a human being cutting, making and trimming a garment is key in the overall production costs and, of course, eventual profits. Through the 50s and 60s, producers hunted cheaper labour in east Asia – first Japan and then, in the 70s and 80s, in the so-called Asian Tiger economies of Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. Employment in the garment manufacturing industry in the west has declined steadily decade on decade – despite attempts to protect local industries with quota systems and tariffs. Production in newly industrialised China, as well as in Indonesia, Turkey, Mexico and India, has increased exponentially.
For the consumer, of course, this has all meant that while prices of everything else except communications have risen, clothes cost less. In 1900, 15% of a US household's income was spent on clothing. In 1950, it was still 12%. Even as late as the early 1990s, major purchases of clothing – a suit, a dress, a coat – marked a special occasion or a rite of passage. But by 2004, the total amount spent by households on clothes had dropped to just 4%. By 2010, according to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, clothing cost the average American family only $1,700 (£1,017), 2.8% of their income. And for that money the consumer gets much more. Cheap no longer means nasty; it just means affordable. In 1997, the average woman in the UK bought 19 items of clothing a year; in 2007, she bought 34.
The big bang in recent textile history came in a few short years at the beginning of the last decade, when various factors coincided to change radically the nature and scale of garment production around the planet. One was the end of the quota system put in place 30 years earlier to protect western industries. A second was a new degree of conformity of tastes across the world, allowing greater uniformity of product and bigger volumes of single designs. A third was "fast fashion".
Fast fashion is at once a mode of production, a strategy and a style. It grew out of the efforts of the major western brands, which dominate garment sales, to find new ways to coax further demand out of a saturated market. Though soon adopted by retailers across the world, it was pioneered by Inditex, the giant Spanish company that owns Zara. It depends on a series of mutually reinforcing innovations: an accelerated cycle of design, production and supply that means trends can be spotted, copied and sold within weeks; no "seasons", but a year-round product flow; low stock levels in stores to encourage rapid, repeated impulse purchases; a supply chain that can respond when shop staff notice that shoppers suddenly seem to like lace, or blue, or diamond patterns, or a particular stitching on their socks, or whatever; huge numbers of young adults for whom shopping is the primary leisure activity; a new obsession with celebrities, fuelled by social media and the internet; and, of course, low prices.
Sourcing has thus become a complex operation in which scores of different factors – cost, location, eventual market, risk, competition, styling, quality and so on – are computed to decide on an eventual place of production. Basic clothing – socks, for example – will be ordered in huge quantities with long lead times. Higher quality workmanship will be done in Europe, north Africa or, for the US market, Latin America. More fashion-led items are often needed in smaller quantities but faster. And cost, whatever the brands say, is always the prime consideration. So in this highly networked system, places where suppliers can turn around vast quantities of clothing very rapidly and very cheaply are key. Places where you can order, say, 500,000 basic shirts, paying $6 per piece, and they will be shipped on time, with minimum fuss, and be in stores, retailing for $30, within, at the outside, two to three months. Places such as Bangladesh.
Mahmuda and her husband are standing in a crowd of workers outside the Rana Plaza complex. They have been there for nearly 40 minutes and now 2,000 people are massed around the building. Shapla is there, too, and Preity, her mother and sister, and Shonjit, her 19-year-old friend. There is a low murmur of discontent and concern.
It is 24 April. The previous day, shortly after work started, three cracks were found in the reinforced concrete pillars that support the eight-storey building. An engineer sent by the Savar municipality declared the building unsafe, work in the five factories was halted and everyone was sent home.
Mahmuda's job is to stitch seams and pockets. It is one of the tougher of the 60 or 70 separate operations needed to make a pair of trousers. She is supposed to stitch 120 pairs an hour, 10 hours a day, six days a week, 50 weeks of the year. That's 360,000 annually. She earns 8,000BDT (£60) each month. Her husband, a quality controller, earns a little more.
Each line in Mahmuda's factory is watched over by three supervisors. Shapla is one of only a handful who are women. She is paid 10,000BDT (£75) for monitoring the 15 workers and five helpers on her section, but gets no overtime. The line's target and their progress is indicated on a board hung on the wall above the output bins where the finished clothes are dropped. The workers get an hour off for lunch. The boss "is a well-mannered person" and there are no complaints, or at least not from Shapla's section.
If an order is delivered late, accepted practice in much of the industry is for the buyer to deduct 5% for each week of delay. The buyers already have political unrest, wildcat strikes and blockades to deal with; they cannot afford to risk losing further days of production.
And that is what they are facing now.
Which may explain how, somehow, overnight, the cracks that shut the factory the day before have become less dangerous and the management has called in the workforce. The building has been inspected once more and is safe, they say. Monthly salaries are due in 10 days, but overtime, which increases most employees' salaries by between a third and a half, and means being able to pay the rent or eat properly, will be paid in the next day or so. Many of the workers are told by their managers that unless they work, they will not receive the money. What choice have we got, the workers are saying to each other. We are here to work, after all.
The managers know this. They know, too, that, as a female supervisor, Shapla is trusted more than her male counterparts, and not just by "her girls". So when they want the workers to stop shouting and calm down, and to enter the building, take their places at their machines and finish the big orders the factories are currently under pressure to complete on time, several come to her, telling her again how the building is safe, how the girls trust her, how if she doesn't go in, the girls won't either. She is uncertain, reluctant, but because at that moment it is the easiest thing to do, she gives way and goes in. And her girls follow.
Similar pressure has been put on other supervisors. They, too, reluctantly head into the building. Soon all the workers are flowing up the stairs. Mahmuda leaves her husband in the stairwell. He carries on up to his factory. She makes her way to her desk and machine on the third floor. On the fifth floor, in the Ether Tex factory, 15-year-old Preity, her mother and her sister are working by 8.30am. Preity is on her feet, moving up and down the line, clearing offcuts, bringing new needles or thread; her mother is nearby, her sister working at a sewing machine on the same line but at the opposite end of the room.
Mahmuda has time to stitch maybe two or three pieces before the lights go out, the old fans, which barely dent the heat in the factory, slow and the sewing machines stop. A power cut, frequent enough and no cause for alarm. The workers wait in the gloom, talking quietly, worried, waiting for the powerful, heavy generators installed on the roof to start up.
Moments after the generators start, sending vibrations through the building, a pillar in one corner of the Rana Plaza gives way with a loud, explosive bang. Then each storey slides sideways, tips and splits, falling in on the one below. On the third floor, the collapse is almost instantaneous, but the workers of Phantom Apparels still have time to realise what is happening.
The floor starts shaking and it is clear the building is coming down. Mahmuda starts reciting verses of the Qur'an. She staggers, falls and crawls beneath her sewing machine.
Shapla is walking down her line when the building starts to collapse. She starts running. She, too, seeks protection under a sewing machine and then everything gives way around her. She is in darkness, gasping for breath.
Two floors above, the floor inclines slowly like the deck of a sinking ship. Panicked workers rush to the two narrow exits. It is dark, there is much dust and noise. Runarini has managed to find her youngest daughter, Preity, and is now trying to get to the other end of her line where Shamapati, her eldest, was working at her machine. But the force of bodies pushes her towards the exit. She cannot hold on to Preity and fight the crowd to find Shamapati. The floor lurches, tips again and everything falls.
In the darkness after the collapse there are many voices: sobs, sustained screaming, calls for help and water, moans of pain, prayers, howls of grief. Some are trapped in total darkness, others can make out some light. Many are pinned down by huge blocks of concrete, bent iron girders, machinery. Others are entombed in small cavities. Some are alone, others with colleagues or strangers from other floors. Shapla can move her hand but nothing else. Mahmuda can see the sky through a gap in the wall several yards away. Runarini and Preity are trapped together and they can hear voices, but not Shamapati's. They shout her name, but there is no response.
Outside there is chaos. Dazed survivors stand immobile in a huge, roiling cloud of dust. It takes time for Dhaka's ramshackle emergency services to arrive, so hundreds of locals clamber over and through the rubble, tearing at the concrete blocks and mangled metal with their hands. Soon corpses are lined up on the ground, limbs limp and twisted, as if they had fallen from a great height. Mahmuda crawls towards the light, finds herself only a few metres from the ground and clambers down. She cannot see her husband.
Shapla waits longer for rescue. She can hear sirens and shouts outside. They are hammering and drilling the slab of concrete above her. She finds her throat so dry from screaming that she cannot talk when the rescuers find her. She is unaware that she has made any noise whatsoever. It takes two hours to free her.
Runarini and Preity crawl together towards a shaft of light and are lifted from the rubble by mid-afternoon. The ruined building is now surrounded by police and soldiers, and heavy lifting equipment is arriving. There are electric saws and jackhammers, and lines of ambulances. There is no sign of Shamapati.
Bangladesh is the original "basket case", a term coined by Henry Kissinger, the US secretary of state, to describe the country immediately after its violent secession from Pakistan in 1971. Up to 3 million died in that conflict, a civil war that was simultaneously a war of independence, and its wounds remain livid. Famine, flood, a massive programme of nationalisation, political instability and further violence crippled the new nation's economy. But, despite the continual challenges, the textiles and garment industry prospered. Investment and advice from Korean companies helped and, by the end of the 1990s, the industry had somehow weathered destructive storms – political, economic and meteorological.
In 2004, when the protectionist quotas that had been imposed to protect western jobs 30 years earlier expired, many in Bangladesh were apprehensive. But the industry boomed. "Business just took off," says Rubana Huq, now managing director of garment manufacturers the Mohammadi Group. In 2004 there were 2 million workers in Bangladesh's 4,000 factories, with exports worth $6bn. Nine years later, there were twice as many in 5,600 registered establishments, sending $21bn worth of clothes overseas.
Competition from abroad when the quotas disappeared meant "prices dipped", Huq says, but the demand from Europe and the US was so great that she and others "just kept on building". If wages in Bangladesh remained the lowest in the world, land prices in central Dhaka, where most of the garment businesses were based, rose so fast that new investors sought space on the margins of the city where hastily reclaimed wetlands could still be bought relatively cheaply. In Savar, Gazipur, Ashulia and elsewhere around Dhaka, hundreds of factories went up every year. There was little or no planning or regulation.
"People were not much concerned by building codes or quality of material," admits Emdadul Islam, the long-serving chief engineer of Rajuk, Dhaka's development authority. Monitoring of environmental impact, construction quality and permits for the millions flowing in from rural areas were almost nonexistent.
Inevitably, people started to die. In April 2005, a factory in Savar called Spectrum collapsed, killing 64 workers. The dead were making clothes for western retailers. Poor cement was a likely cause – builders often charge for better-quality materials than they deliver – or water from a nearby canal may have washed out foundations. For a short period there was talk of a crackdown on unsafe buildings, but even though a second factory in northern Dhaka collapsed a year later, killing 21, the fuss faded. As the recession hit western economies in 2008 and 2009, brands forced down prices even further as they negotiated with suppliers. Those in Bangladesh who demanded government intervention in one of the country's few economic success stories made little headway when dozens of garment factory owners sat in parliament and powerful industry bodies had the ear of policymakers. The boom continued. Bangladesh, the world's 76th biggest exporter of clothes in 1980, was the eighth biggest in 2006, and by 2013 was second only to China.
Over the decade, prompted by a string of reports of child labour and other abuses in factories around the world, the brands had set up systems to monitor pay and working conditions in their supply chain. Some organised their own inspections, many brought in contractors. But executives did not think to undertake structural surveys of the buildings where their clothes were made. Instead, they relied on the corrupt, poorly paid, underqualified, undermanned local authorities. This, senior executives at major European brands now admit, was a mistake. Others use stronger terms. From 2005 to March 2013, fires killed an estimated 600, but no more buildings collapsed.
The Dhaka suburb of Gulshan is only 15 miles from Savar. Rickshaws negotiate its quiet, tree-lined streets with relative ease and there are many good restaurants. In the late morning, coffee shops are busy with staff from international NGOs and the UN. This is where the Bangladesh operations of many big European and US brands are based, as are the larger buyers who often act as their intermediaries locally.
The offices of H&M occupy a new five-storey block. There is nothing to distinguish the building, inside or out, from its counterparts in any western capital. On the walls of brightly lit meeting rooms – each named after garment manufacturing zones around the city – are posters of laughing, thin, beautiful young Europeans of varying ethnic backgrounds wearing the bright, cheery, fashionable clothes of the company's brands. A notice tells staff: "Your passionate focus towards quality will make it happen."
H&M, which has 3,000 stores in around 50 markets worldwide and sales of £13bn in 2012 (making a profit of £1.6bn), has been in Bangladesh since the early 80s and is one of the biggest foreign brands working in the country. The Swedish retailer did not have any contracts with the factories working in Rana Plaza, nor any link to the building, and has long been at the forefront of efforts to find a way to improve pay and working conditions in the industry. These have intensified since last April's tragedy, but "there's a lot more to the country for us than low wages and low costs", says Anna Gedda, the company's social sustainability manager.
Executives from other big brands all make similar points when talking about the Rana Plaza collapse, even if their companies have been less proactive than H&M. They express their shock and grief, say they have long recognised the problems in Bangladesh, point out that the chaotic environment of a developing world city means many issues are partly beyond their control (though, they admit, still their responsibility), and downplay the significance of cheap labour in the decision to locate production in the country. They also emphasise the importance of the garment industry to the Bangladeshi economy and the social transformation brought about by the employment of millions of young, rural women, albeit in poorly paid, monotonous jobs. One company spokesman points out that otherwise "these women would be in the fields, in ship-breaking or shrimp farming, working as maids". Now, he says, they are breadwinners, independent, and often with the means to pay for their kids to go to school.
H&M's Gedda says: "The best way for the country is for brands like H&M to stay there." This is something one hears frequently: from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, senior ministers, international trade unionists, independent economists and urban development specialists in Dhaka. It's also what all the workers say. Everyone agrees that the Rana Plaza collapse was a "wake-up call" that will be "a turning point", but they all say the industry and the brands must remain. "If there is a pull-out, it will be a catastrophe for Dhaka," says Professor Nazrul Islam, of the local Centre for Urban Studies.
The result, after a series of fairly acrimonious meetings in Geneva and Paris last year, is three separate initiatives: the Accord, which involves more than 150 largely European brands; the Alliance, set up by US brands; and a joint effort by the UN and the Bangladeshi government. Between them, these three are meant to bring all the factories in Bangladesh into a system of auditing and inspection that will enforce agreed standards. They will also, theoretically, ensure structural surveys. The brands will help pay for improvements needed by their suppliers to meet the new standards – through grants in the case of the legally binding Accord and soft loans for the less constraining Alliance – and there are also provisions for strengthening the country's underdeveloped and highly politicised unions. There is a separate process designed to establish how much compensation will be paid – the total could be more than $40m – to the Rana Plaza victims. Many brands have refused to become involved and international trade unionists admit the current initiatives have many flaws. Nonetheless, they say, taken together the package represents "an unprecedented chance to put all this right".
Some specialists even hope that initiatives will provide a model not just in Bangladesh but in Cambodia, Indonesia, Latin America and even the emerging new markets for production such as Burma and Ethiopia. The risk, of course, is that attention will fade, as it did after the 2005 Spectrum factory collapse. "This is Plan B," says Srinivas Reddy, the Bangladesh country director of the International Labour Organisation. Plan A led to Rana Plaza. There is no Plan C.
If, from afar, the world of the garment workers and the garment industry in Bangladesh is one of stark contrasts, up close it is one of shadows and ambiguity. Mohammadpur, for example, is a designated slum that is also a booming new neighbourhood on the western margins of a city that has no legal boundaries. A few decades ago it was wetland like Savar or Gazipur. By the 90s, the marshes had been replaced by rows of wooden sheds on stilts full of half-starved labourers and their families. Now it is changing again as Dhaka, a city of at least 15 million, gets steadily less poor. The wooden shacks have been replaced by cement apartments and rooms. There are tea stalls with TVs tuned to the Discovery Channel, schools, shops and a refurbished mosque. "It's better than where I came from… At least there's a chance of making a living here, of a better life, perhaps," says Salahuddin, a 27-year-old labourer who fled poverty, debt and failing yields on a tiny parcel of land to bring his family to the city.
But if it is possible to see incremental and uneven progress in Dhaka, there is also misery, overcrowding, disease, crime and failing infrastructure. Police rarely venture into Mohammadpur. A fire in a garment factory here killed seven in 2013 and fear of such accidents is one reason Salahuddin's wife, Juleika, prefers poorly paid work as a maid. The dirt roads are strewn with rubbish. Water from standpipes is sold at extortionate prices by landlords in league with local politicians and bureaucrats. There is the perpetual risk of eviction and demolition. In the brutal summer heat, the concrete boxes where entire families live are furnaces.
Then there is Bangladesh. It is one of the "Next 11" nations seen by Goldman Sachs as having the potential to take off as major economies. Its development indicators have risen steadily, to the point where most are now better than those in neighbouring India. But again, if the rate of population growth has dropped in recent years, it is still high. Flooding and extreme weather events linked to climate change threaten disasters in the future in this low-lying land. The flow from the countryside to the cities is unlikely to slow soon, and, as the effluent from the factories contaminates the once pristine waterways, so toxic politics and endemic graft poison public life.
And what of the garment industry's role in all of this? Along with remittances from workers overseas, the industry is the only major foreign currency earner for the country. Wages for workers have risen since the disaster – the minimum monthly salary for an entry-level worker is now 5,300BDT (about £40) a month – but so have rents, and no one can pretend a family can live on a single salary. Factory conditions might have improved in the last decade, but even without the 1,130 who died in Rana Plaza, the toll from fires and other accidents would be intolerable. Along with the 4 million directly employed by the industry, economists say there are another 4 million people whose livelihoods depend on the internal demand it generates. If half of these 8 million people support a family of five, then around a sixth of the population depends on people several thousands miles away buying cheap clothes that they don't need.
And that means this world of ambiguity is one the consumer inhabits, too. Many debate where the blame lies for tragedies such as Rana Plaza, and argue over who has the responsibility to prevent them in the future. The owners of the factories? Those who let the buildings that house the workshops? The crooked builders? The bent bureaucrats? The government? The intermediaries who do so much of the buying? The brands?
Some western brands implicitly accept a degree of moral responsibility, even if their lawyers are careful to make sure their legal liability is strictly limited. "People portray companies as evil by definition, and in many aspects they are. But often times a company is forced to behave in certain ways by consumer behaviour. If no one buys your product, you are out of business. Consumers take decisions for companies, but often [they] don't, which means they don't care," says one senior executive at a big European high street brand.
Though there is little statistical evidence of any direct correlation between bad publicity about social issues and sales – it would, experts say, be almost impossible to establish such a link anyway – big companies do their own research to understand the impact on sales of events such as the Rana Plaza collapse.
"Companies do very precise work on this to understand the consumers and what level of quality they are willing to pay for, and [it shows that] a large number of consumers prefer inexpensive over respect for human rights or environment," the executive says. "After all, if you buy a pair of jeans at $9.99, what are you really expecting about the working conditions of those who made them or even just the environment in which they live?"
Mahmuda eventually found her husband's body, intact but for a broken nose, laid out in the makeshift morgue set up in the grounds of a local school. It took some days for her to realise that her husband was not going to walk through the door of their small home in Savar. She returned to her village to bury him, but life was as hard there as it had ever been and she was soon back in Savar. Eight months later, Mahmuda started work at another garment factory, less than 300m from where the Rana Plaza complex stood. She passes the site of the collapse – the rubble scraped away, a trough of filthy water, scattered bolts of filthy cloth, a stench of decayed matter – every day. "I tell myself if one building has collapsed, it doesn't mean they all will," she says. "I can't be scared. If I am scared, how will I feed my family? I tell myself if one building has collapsed, it doesn't mean they all will."
Runarini, however, has still not fully understood that her daughter will not come home. Shamapati's remains have never been found. It is possible that the 18-year-old's corpse may have been buried with 250 others, all unidentified, in the chaotic aftermath of the collapse. There is even a chance that, unrecognisable and untested, it may have been given to the wrong family. Bangladesh's only DNA testing facility was unable to cope with so many dead, and officials admit mistakes were made.
Preity still dreams of her village and misses her friends and school. Now she hopes to set up a tailoring shop when she is older, with help from an NGO. "My mum cries all the time," she says. She misses her sister, too, and Shonjit, who sometimes walked her back from the factory. He was killed, too.
When Shonjit's father, Satyadip, who still works as a loader in a nearby factory, heard of the collapse, he ran to the site. "I was crazy. I tried to tear away the stones with my hands. For 13 days I went there, round all the hospitals, to find him, to find my son. I held on to my hope, but then we found him and he was not with us any more."
Rubana Huq, managing director of the Mohammadi Group, travelled to the site of the collapse when she heard what had happened, though she has no link to the factories there. She set up a small relief operation and spent days handing out water and food to rescue workers. "It made me think differently about the workers; that it is another life, like mine," she says.
Shapla has seen only one of the 20 girls she watched over since the day of the tragedy. She saw her, fleetingly, at a bus stop. She has heard news of a second. The rest she believes are dead. Now, when she sees their children, she feels "like a criminal". "I was the one who got them to go in. I was the one they followed. I think about it all the time."
Shapla has found a job at another factory but, due to her back injuries, as a sewing-machine operator, not a supervisor. She would prefer to do "any other job", but the only alternative is manual labour on construction sites, building new factories and homes for workers, and she needs 10,000BDT (£75) to get her son into a local school.
Most of the victims have received money – some from the government, some from industry bodies, some from one or two brands, such as Primark, that have unilaterally decided to make payments while most other brands, the government, global unions and industry bodies argue over the level of compensation they will eventually pay out.
Every evening, Mahmuda, Satyadip, Shapla and approximately 4 million others in and around Dhaka stop work, exchange a few words with their colleagues and head home. They go out on to the broken, crowded streets, a stream of workers that flows together, then divides again round the stalls, the beggars, the lines of overloaded trucks, the packed buses immobile amid the rickshaws. They are joined by streams from other factories, flowing together before splitting again into smaller streams down the narrow lanes between the tenements, until these, too, eventually divide and divide once more, and it becomes dark, and the workers are home.
• We Are What We Wear: Unravelling Fast Fashion And The Collapse Of Rana Plaza by Lucy Siegle and Jason Burke is published by Guardian Shorts (ebook, £1.99/$2.99). Visit guardianshorts.com to read an extract and buy your copy. The Shirts On Our Backs, an interactive documentary about Rana Plaza and the textile industry, is on theguardian.com/rana.
Rana Plaza a year on: did fast-fashion brands learn any lessons at all?


text:
Home Sport Article
Rising rowing talent Joshua Brangan pulling towards success after second place in GB Rowing Team trials and securing spot at Harvard University
By James Henley
james.henley@advertiserandtimes.co.uk
Published: 09:34, 10 December 2021
| Updated: 09:35, 10 December 2021
CHRISTCHURCH Rowing Club's rising talent Joshua Brangan has come second in his age group (U19) at the GB Rowing Team trials.
After posting some of the best times for his age group at both 2K and 5K, he was given the chance to shine at the GB trials in Boston, Lincolnshire – coming second.
He was subsequently invited to a GB rowing camp just before Christmas at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham.
Joshua Brangan in action for Christchurch Rowing Club
While at Highcliffe School in 2017, Brangan learned to row at Christchurch Rowing Club and subsequently joined the junior squad. Under the coaching of John Dodsworth, he grew into the sport and had success in various races for Christchurch in singles, double and the coxed quad.
In 2019, he qualified for the Junior Inter-Regional Championships, but poor weather scuppered his chance to compete.
Further disappointments in early 2020 due to the lockdown denied him the opportunity to compete again at the inter-regionals or enter the GB junior water trials.
Determined to keep his fitness up during lockdown, he followed a strict training regime – even building a squat rack from scrap wood from his dad's shed and using loaded plastic bags as the weights.
At the end of June 2020, Brangan entered the GB Junior Virtual Indoor Rowing championships, where he raced against boys from all around the country. After linking a laptop to his rowing machines at home, he qualified for two finals, achieving bronze and silver.
Joshua will attend Harvard University in 2022
On the same weekend, St Edward's School Oxford's head of rowing contacted the family and offered him a scholarship.
This year's first opportunity to race came at the Henley Royal Regatta, and Brangan did not disappoint, reaching the quad semi-finals.
In response to his impressive performances, multiple Ivy League universities reached out to offer him a place rowing in the US.
After many Zoom meetings and a successful academic assessment with his predicted A-level grades, Brangan will attend Harvard University in 2022.
Brangan still has plenty of targets on the horizon, representing GB at the junior world championships in Italy next summer at the top of the list.
Water Sports James Henley

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Presenting imaging views and measurements in various models. General introduction on the Vevo system's capabilities, tips and tricks, and analysis tools.
Dedicated focus on workflow for early detection of abdominal tumors, volumetric quantification, tumor/organ functional and molecular characterization, and possibilities for photoacoustic imaging.
Introducing working with presets – establishing standardized imaging protocols.
Importing previously acquired data into the offline analysis software.
Data handling, annotations, measurements and 3D analysis protocols.
Computers (PC) and projector required.
• Identification and volumetric assessment of abdominal organs in 3D.
• Identification and labelling of abdominal vessels.
Focus on workflow, reproducibility and acquisition speed. Tips and tricks for fine-tuning.
Introducing Color and Power Doppler Mode for assessing blood flow velocities.
Identifying arterial and venous blood flow patterns.
Discussions on to be expected structural and functional changes during tumor growth.
Applications for abdominal, and tumor research.
NOTE: The agenda can be modified when requested.


If you've ever read any articles or blogs on how to deal with a natural disaster, you'll notice one major tip in common: the need to have a disaster plan in place.
So, what should be in a disaster plan? It should include at the very least, evacuation routes; shelter ideas; how your family will communicate with each other (FEMA provides templates for a communications plan); as well as instructions on how to turn off all utilities, particularly natural gas in the case of earthquakes.
As you prepare your plan, make sure it is suited to your family's particular situation—if you have kids, pets, have a family member who needs prescription medicine or specific medical equipment, work at home, etc.
DISASTER KITS: Emergency preparedness experts strongly urge everyone to have a preparedness kit, preferably one for your home (for every member of your family, including pets), your work location, and your car. But if you can't do all of that—at least having one for your home would be ideal. What should be in it? The basics: food and water for at least two to three days, an emergency radio and batteries, first aid kit and extra prescription medicine, a way to charge your cell phone, flashlights, blankets and sleeping bags, an emergency supply of cash. The American Red Cross provides ideas and various kits for purchase.
Make sure your insurance is updated and is able to cover all that you own, including personal belongings. Many affected by a natural disaster discover too late that they were underinsured.
Make sure to place all important documents, such as birth certificate, mortgage papers, and insurance papers, in a safe, preferably fireproof, and easily transportable location. Make a list of everything in your house and keep that in the same location as your important papers —this will come in handy should you have to remember what you've lost.
One thing people might tend to forget in the midst of a disaster are their bills. Financial experts recommend talking to all your creditors—mortgage companies or financial institutions, car lenders, student loan companies, utility companies, and credit card companies—as soon as possible about your options. Depending on how widespread the disaster is, creditors might be willing to give you a break from paying your bills for a certain period of time, or in some cases provide some aid in making payments. But you do need to ask. And you need to understand the ramifications of not paying your loans, even if allowed to do so; you might still have to pay the accrued interest.
Other recommended actions: maintain a written record of your conversations with creditors so you have a back-up in case of a dispute, add a statement to your credit report with all three credit-reporting companies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—that you've been involved in a natural disaster which can help lenders later on understand why there were issues with paying certain accounts.


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By exploring the social theory about how meaning is created through social interaction
By exploring the social theory about how meaning is created through social interaction (through the things we do and say with other people), this research paper will further explain and help understand the distinct cultural constructions in different regions and to further see the initial thought behind how countries are running. It will explore the cultural construction of gender in different regions, and how it affects the roles of gender in different countries through the comparison of four different cultures with the main country in focus being America. Through the specification in the similarities and differences women experience in each culture being influenced by the education, job opportunities, equality, among other we will learn how meaning of a certain role is created through social interaction will let us know why things such as abuse (mental, physical, etc.), conforming to an unhealthy life or relationship and control of one's life in a woman's life can happen.
The role of women in the United States has changed dramatically over the past few decades. For one, more and more women have taken on new responsibilities outside the home by joining the paid workforce. While women made up only about one-third of the workforce in 1969, women today make up almost half of all workers in the United States. Women are also stepping up to lead the country; a record number of women ran for public office in 2012, and a record-high percentage of women are serving in Congress. In addition to making progress on issues of economics and leadership, women have made progress on health issues, which impact women's personal well-being, as well as their economic security. Over the past few years, women have been able to end gender discrimination by big insurance companies and gain free contraception coverage because of the Affordable Care Act. Despite women's advancements, however, substantial inequalities remain.
Abstract- "Freedom of speech and expression has been embodied as fundamental right in the Constitution of India which includes Media as it is regarded as one of the pillars of democracy
DATA ANALYSIS INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE
This essay aims to delineate and elucidate the Syrian conflict using the framework of two theories
Bhavi Shah Professor Juel English-1302 September 27


Chapters: 1. Inside the Seattle Love Lab: The Truth about Happy Marriages 2. How I predict Divorce 3. Principle 1: Enhance your Love Maps 4. Principle 2: Nurture your fondness and admiration 5. Principle 3: Turn toward each other instead of away 6. Principle 4: Let your partner influence you 7. The two kinds of marital conflict 8. Principle 5: Solve your solvable problems 9. Coping with typical solvable problems 10. Principle 6: overcome gridlock 11. Principle 7: create shared meaning Afterword: What now?
Synopsis: The author has studied married couples in his lab, and he has found that marriages that last all display effective use of these 7 principles. Marriages that don't last are deficient in them. Several examples are given. Quizzes and activities are found in the book as well to do a self-diagnosis.


Each day, we at the Clinton Foundation work to help solve problems and improve the lives of people around the world and here in the United States.
Over the past 15 years, the Foundation has helped make HIV/AIDS treatment available to more than 11.5 million people in 70 countries.
Our rural development work has helped more than 150,000 farmers in East Africa dramatically increase their yields and their incomes through better tools and training, and millions more people around the world have the opportunity to live better lives because our programs are improving global health, increasing opportunity for girls and women, and creating economic opportunity and growth.
Here, in the US, we've promoted healthier habits like nutrition and exercise to 20 million kids in 35,000 U.S. schools, in every state, who now have access to healthier food and more physical activity options. We're also working with partners to curb 10,000 opioid-related deaths across the country; distribute more than 835,000 books to kids and families in our underserved communities; spur investment in our communities and our future; and, at every step, build upon the legacy of President Clinton through our work, together.
Unfortunately, our record and impact is sometimes overshadowed by critics who make erroneous and unprecedented charges against the Foundation. To make things clear, we've outlined key facts about the Foundation below.
We invite you to learn more about our programs, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and read the facts about the Foundation on our website.
FACT: We're an Operating Foundation that Runs Our Own Charitable Programs.
This claim ignores how different charities operate, and Politifact and FactCheck.org have refuted these claims time and time again.
FACT: Our Donors Know What They Support, and You Know Our Donors.
Donors — no matter how big or small — know that their support is used to efficiently and effectively make a difference in the world by supporting the life-changing work of the Foundation's programs. We're proud to share news about our work, and we're clear about how we do it. In fact, you can find our list of donors and financial information on our website. And, while critics claim donors received favors from the State Department, numerous investigative reports have debunked these claims.
Some critics also continue to claim that the Clintons financially benefit from the Foundation. But as we show, and Politifact has confirmed, the truth is that the Clintons do not take a salary from the Foundation. In fact, rather than take a salary, they have contributed millions of dollars to the Foundation themselves.
FACT: We're Making an Impact Across the United States.
From helping millions of school kids combat childhood obesity by partnering with the American Heart Association and fighting the opioid epidemic, to promoting early childhood education and literacy, improving America's infrastructure, and expanding home ownership in Detroit, our programs are making a real difference in the lives of millions of Americans.
CGI America has brought together leaders from business, philanthropy, and government to encourage economic growth in the U.S., leading to more than 500 Commitments to Action that have improved the lives of more than 4.9 million people. This includes a commitment by the AFL-CIO that has resulted in more than $16 billion allocated — $12 billion of which has been deployed — to U.S. infrastructure investments, creating at least 50,000 jobs; a commitment by the Carnegie Corporation to recruit and train 100,000 STEM teachers in 10 years; and, a commitment by the Community Reinvestment Fund with local, state, and national partners to launch the Detroit Home Mortgage to make it easier for 1,000 people to own homes in Detroit.
The Clinton Foundation also runs the Clinton Presidential Center (commonly known as the Presidential Library) in Little Rock. A study by the local Chamber of Commerce found that since opening, the Center has helped generate $3.3 billion in economic impact in the Little Rock community.
Read more about what the Clinton Foundation does in the United States here, in a post by our President, Donna Shalala.
FACT: We take pay equity and equal opportunity seriously.
We take pay equity seriously at the Clinton Foundation, and allegations suggesting major pay discrepancies between men and women at the Foundation are false.
FACT: President Clinton and the Clinton Foundation's only goal in Haiti is to help the people of Haiti.
For many years dating back before the 2010 earthquake, President Clinton and the Clinton Foundation have worked to help the people of Haiti. These efforts helped mobilize emergency relief after several hurricanes and an earthquake struck Haiti. The driving force was always to get help to where it was desperately needed as quickly as possible. President Clinton and the Clinton Foundation have also supported long-term recovery efforts, including spurring investment in the country, and helping to lift people out of poverty through a number of programs operating on the ground. Most recently, CGI Haiti Action Network members have mobilized aid and support for Haiti in the wake of Hurricane Matthew, with the Foundation directing donors to these partners providing emergency relief services.
Critics have alleged special access was given to people and organizations that wanted to help in the wake of the earthquake, simply because they had worked with us or supported our efforts previously. To be clear: in the wake of the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti and left hundreds of thousands dead, President Clinton and President George W. Bush worked with a wide range of partners to mobilize relief efforts immediately, and many people they had previously worked with responded to this call to help.
Despite allegations to the contrary, FactCheck.org confirmed that no decisions were ever made to benefit Foundation donors, and there's no evidence to support that. This claim has also been rated false by Politifact. You can read an in depth look at our work in Haiti on Medium.
Since 2010, the Foundation has worked on the ground in Haiti with a range of partners– helping more than 7,500 farmers lift themselves out of poverty; improving the Haitian environment by planting more than 5 million trees and installing more than 400 KW of clean energy; and supporting women through literacy training and job skills for over 2,000 women.
The Clinton Foundation also works through CGI's Haiti Action Network to help the country build back stronger — facilitating more than $500 million in projects and investments — including building and supporting schools, medical facilities, small businesses, and water and sanitation infrastructure.
We continue to work with partners on the ground to address on-going challenges . Most recently, Clinton Foundation partners and CGI Haiti Action Network members have mobilized for Hurricane Matthew response efforts. You can read more about the ongoing work on the ground and commitment to continuing efforts in our blog here.
The Washington Post Fact Checker also awarded "four pinocchios" to false claims about an industrial park in Haiti and the Clinton Foundation's connections to it.
FACT: The Clinton Health Access Initiative has Helped Millions around the Globe Get Access to Life-Saving HIV/AIDS Treatment.
As Politifact has affirmed, millions of people in the developing world have been provided access to HIV/AIDS treatment through the work of the Clinton Health Access Initiative.
But that hasn't stopped critics from pushing false and irresponsible claims that CHAI distributed "watered down" drugs.
FACT: Global Development Takes Global Engagement.
Countries support our work because they have a shared interest in issues such as combating climate change, fighting HIV/AIDS and Malaria, disaster response and recovery, alleviating poverty, and building health systems across the developing world. For example, Norway has supported our work with island nations on their transition to renewable energy, and Australia, through their international development agency, has supported the HIV/AIDS work in Southeast Asia.
That hasn't stopped critics from focusing on a handful of countries in that have supported our work for years, suggesting their involvement is now somehow unique. For example, since 2002, Qatar has been among our hundreds of thousands of donors who have supported our work, and despite the conjecture based on incomplete and unverified evidence, there is no proof that this donation would warrant clearance from the State Department.
Finally, proving just how callous these allegations are, Politifact debunked claims that the Foundation took money from countries on the terrorist watch list.
We hope these facts have been helpful. We'd encourage you to share these facts, which you can find on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds.
Charity watchdogs agree that the Clinton Foundation ranks among the most effective and well-regarded organizations in the world. Know the facts.


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Eversea Tour Part 1: A Review of Eversea by Natasha Boyd. Plus Giveaways!
Eversea (Eversea #1) by Natasha Boyd
Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Self
Eversea, a love story, is a Winter Rose Contest FINALIST 2013. Emilia Pisani of Simon & Schuster (judge) says "Great southern flavor!" and "Jack is an alluring leading man!"
An orphaned, small-town, southern girl, held hostage by responsibility and self-doubt.
A Hollywood A-list mega-star, on the run from his latest scandal and with everything to lose.
A chance encounter that leads to an unlikely arrangement and epic love affair that will change them both forever.
When his co-star and real-life girlfriend is caught cheating on him with her new director, A-list hottie, Jack Eversea, finds himself in sleepy Butler Cove, South Carolina. Jack hopes the sultry southern heat in this tiny coastal Lowcountry town will hide him not only from the tabloids and his cheating girlfriend, but his increasingly vapid life and the people who run it. He doesn't count on meeting Keri Ann Butler.
Keri Ann has relied on herself so long, dealing with her family's death and the responsibilities of keeping up her family's historic mansion, that boys and certainly the meager offering of eligible boys in Butler Cove, have never figured into her equation. But fate has other plans. Suddenly face to face with the man who played the movie role of her favorite fictional character, Jack has Keri Ann yearning for everything she has previously avoided ... and Jack must decide whether this funny, sassy girl is worth changing his life for, before his mistakes catch up to him.
Eversea is the intoxicating debut novel by Natasha Boyd. I was immediately drawn into the life of Keri Anne. The scenes were written in such away that I felt like I was there, and this was all happening to me. The emotions were raw between the characters and that really flowed from the pages. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but there were many things that reminded me of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart's breakup. I was a little worried about that in the beginning, but it didn't hinder the overall enjoyment of the book for me. In fact, except for some obvious instances, I rarely thought about the comparison through most of the story. Jack and Keri Ann are broken and flawed, each in their own ways. They both have had some major trauma in their lives. I think these things make them perfect for putting each other back together again. The romance is electric. Their chemistry seeps off the page and kept me in an almost permanent state of anticipation.
Eversea by Natasha Boyd was kindly provided to me by the Xpresso Book Tours for review. The opinions are my own.
Already read Eversea? Check out my review for book 2, Forever Jack!
Natasha Boyd is a writer with a background in marketing and public relations. She lives in the coastal Carolina Lowcountry, complete with Spanish moss, alligators and mosquitoes the size of tiny birds. She has a husband, two sons and a cat named Tuna. Eversea is her first full-length novel.
To learn more about Natasha Boyd and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.
--4 Kindles (Open wherever Amazon ships)
--2x signer copies of both book 1 & 2 + sea turtle pendant (Open INTL)
By What's Beyond Forks? at January 31, 2014
Labels: Adult Fiction , Adult Fiction - Romance , Blog Tours , Book Review , Book Tours , Contemporary Romance , Eversea , Natasha Boyd


09/01/2010 - One glance at this month's cover photo and it is obvious that his little granddaughters are the apple ot Wade Weis's eye. It's just possible he didn't know he could fit so perfectly around their little fingers either.
When Wade Weis met Lynne Elmore at Natrona County High School (NCHS) and they became high school sweethearts, they didn't know the treasure in store for them. "We married when we were 19 and have 'grown up' together," Lynne explains. The couple just celebrated their 37th anniversary on August 4th.
Wade has been a Leadman/Supervisor in the warehouse at Wyoming Machinery for 31 years. Lynne has recently retired, loves gardening and is very happy to have time to spend with granddaughters, Allie amd Sarah, who just happen to be the apple of her eye, as well.
"Casper has been a great place to raise a family, and the thing we like most is that all of our immediate family lives here -- our parents, children, grandchildren, brother and sister-in-law, nieces and nephews. We (our whole family) are so happy and blessed to attend Highland Park Community Church. We (all 19 of us) go to church and then to dinner every week -- you could say we have a family reunion every weekend. It has given us a special love and closeness that is truly a blessing from God," Lynne says.
Wade and Lynn have two children -- Shawn, who was born four years after they married, and Schlee, born three years after Shawn. Shawn and Schlee both attended Natrona County High School and both graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. Shawn is the director of bands at NCHS and Schlee is a special education teacher at University Park School.
Shawn met his wife, Amanda (director of bands at CY Middle School), at the first rehearsal of the Pride Of The Rockies Marching Band at the University of Northern Colorado in 1998. "I was new to the school, having transferred from Casper College," Shawn says. "Amanda had switched from flute to trumpet that season so she would have some experience playing brass before she started teaching. We were placed beside each other on the field for that rehearsal and we've been together ever since." They married in 2002 at the church in which they had both given their senior recitals.
Shawn and Amanda have two daughters. Allie is five-years-old and loves Disney princesses and Toy Story. "Her favorite things in the world are her pink pillow, her Buzz Lightyear toy and her stuffed animal (Stitch)," her dad says.
Sarah is eight-months-old and just getting her first two teeth. "She is crawling around a lot now and smiles more than any baby we have ever seen!" Shawn says.
"I have lived here (Casper) since I was born and never really thought about living anywhere else. Casper just always has been home," Shawn says. "After spending some time here visiting me, Amanda realized what a great place it is. We have really enjoyed living here where so much of our family lives."


So there you have it - the duty free goodness in its entire form. I don' really think I've gone over what I had saved up and I came home with well over £100 in Euros. Can't believe I'm about to admit this but the money I've come home with is being used to buy.... wait for it... a hoover. Its worth mentioning that the Lancôme Genifique isn't for me, its for the mother. I'd spied the Renunail set in the on-flight guide and I'm so glad I picked this set up as I was ready to spend £18 on the one bottle. Finally the highlight for me was spotting the Korres stand on the way home - gutted that they didn't stock any of the lipbutters and the 24 hour rose moisturiser which I want. However they did stock a vast arrange of travel sized versions of their popular products so I decided to pick up a few.
I'll be going reviews on the items as I work through them (currently on week two of the Renunail programme), however if you're going to be flying from Newcastle Airport soon - Chanel are stocking cream blushes, they do OPI now, Clarins counter is huge and remember to download the £5 off voucher from Newcastle Airport website.
ooh I can't wait to read the Renunail review! Mine are kinda pathetic at the moment.


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Living a Comic Artist Life for Twenty YearsWriter Jeon Geuk-Jin, writing his imagination into a comic book
Jeon Jong-Min | jongmin1701@naver.com
Recently, comic artists who are active on television programs and YouTube have increased. This has made many people become interested in comic artists. But it poses a question. How much do ordinary comic artists earn in comparison to famous writers who often appear on air? Since the start of the comic, 'Yeol-hyeol-gang-ho' series, one of the long-lived comics from 1994, comic story writer Jeon Geuk-Jin has been writing for a long time for more than twenty years. Let's check out the secret of long-living and the situation of the current comic industry.
1. Please introduce yourself.
Beginning as a comic story writer since college, now I am writing 'Yeol-hyeol-gang-ho', 'Breaker', 'Trinity Wonder'.
2. What is the reason that you became a comic story writer?
I loved comics since childhood. When I was a university student, I went to the comic book club and thought, 'If I was a comic story writer, I would make a comic like this.' One day, my younger friend participated in a contest that was related to comics and received an award. Since then, we started writing, 'Yeol-hyeol-gang-ho'.
3. Where do you get inspiration for the story?
I think the creativity needed for inspiration of a story depends on a person's characteristics. I'm not sure about this, but I think that people's common point for getting inspiration is to copy from other works, mix with other works, and add or change stories on the parts they want, and write their own stories like inventors.
4. What is the process of creating a work?
I first have a conversation and discuss with a pictorial writer about the storyline. Then we make the story into text when we agree with each other. After that, we make continuity of the comic's outline. After that, we try to perfect it by adding more detail through drawing and painting. Compared to this time-consuming process, many people may wonder how webtoons come out in a week. But don't worry, most writers are not burdened because they start writing after making about twenty episodes of the save manuscripts that are pre-written.
5. What were your most difficult and also proudest moments as a comic artist?
When you write a story for work, sometimes you can't write what you want to write. But I feel most proud when I solve this difficult situation and make a comic that I like and readers also like.
6. Have you ever wondered about the cartoon characters moving on their own contrary to the will of the writer?
I get that feeling a lot. Each comic character has each personality. In the story, I have to move a character in this direction, but sometimes I get the feeling that the character doesn't want this with his or her personality. In that case, by changing the story and letting the character be according to its characteristics, the writing can be written better.
7. What is the revenue-generating structure in the industry?
In the past, the comic artist's profits were disastrous until 2013. You could only managing to make a profit using the comic factory formula which is the multi-person process of printing a huge number of cartoons. Since 2013, however, profits have increased a lot from webtoon platform, where the writers get a fair amount of money by contents like previewing.
8. With the advent of the media era, how do you think is the prospect of comic books?
The comic book field seems hopeless. This is because people prefer webtoons to paper comic books. Of course, not many webtoons have been infiltrated in overseas markets so far. However, since Korea is currently forming a potential market in a foreign country under the name of K-toon, I believe that webtoons will soon be spread around the world.
9. How do you deal with a spoiler problem?
These days, there is a system on the site, so the comments with a spoiler about the next episode are handled by the "blinds". And even if there is a spoiler, I wouldn't really care about it because I believe they want to see it with their own eyes.
10. What do you want to say to students who dream of becoming a comic artist?
I hope you don't try to become a comic artist by looking only at its outlook, such as dreaming of a comic artist with only rumors about earning lots of money. According to the webtoon market, 130,000 people challenged webtoons but only 500 of them can publish as formal Webtoons. The people who earn lots of money are only a small portion of these 500 people. So, I wish you to become a comic artist only do it if you can be satisfied with your creative life.
As such, comic artists are living in greater competition, like the 500 out of 130,000 figure mentioned. Nevertheless, a growing number of people are only thinking about the colorful lives of some famous writers and are challenging comics. Would you be happy to choose a job for external reasons? I don't think so. Through this article, I hope that it will be an opportunity to think about whether the job you want to do now is what you really want.
Jeon Jong-Min Other Articles More


Marvel's greatest heroes and evilest of villains battle it out in action packed yet somewhat satirical alternate universe-style adventures.. Watch The Super Hero Squad Show Season 1 online free in hd quality on solarmovie.
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Why Moderna's CEO 'didn't lose a minute of sleep' over vaccine patent waiver
Staff - Friday, May 7th, 2021
The pharmaceutical industry has expressed mixed feelings about the White House's May 5 decision to back waiving intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines. During a May 6 earnings call, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said he "didn't lose a minute of sleep" over it, according to a transcription provided by The Motley Fool.
The World Trade Organization is currently discussing a waiver for COVID-19 vaccine patent protections. If approved, countries could recreate vaccines without worrying about sanctions.
Mr. Bancel said waiving COVID-19 patent protections "doesn't change anything for Moderna," as its vaccine uses mRNA technology.
"There is no mRNA in manufacturing capacity in the world," Mr. Bancel said. "This is a new technology. You cannot go hire people who know how to make the mRNA. Those people don't exist."
Moderna has not been particularly protective when it comes to sharing its COVID-19 vaccine intellectual property. In October, the drugmaker said it would not enforce the vaccine's patent rights while the pandemic continues, adding it is also willing to license the vaccine's intellectual property to others after the pandemic.


Page 98 - Gallery Design of Home Ideas | Sacramentoduilawyers Home Depot Bathroom Vanities 36 Inch. Sleigh Bedroom Sets. Sliding Door Medicine Cabinet.
collection of galleries from Home Ideas like Home Depot Bathroom Vanities 36 Inch. Sleigh Bedroom Sets. Sliding Door Medicine Cabinet. and other designs you might like Best Shower Cleaner For Mold And Mildew. Closet Storage Units. Bathroom Sinks With Cabinet. Tiny Bathroom Sinks. Stainless Steel Bathroom Sinks. 48 Inch Bathroom Light Fixture. Outdoor Fire Pit.


The Personalized Hand Stamped Bar Necklace, 4 Sided Bar Pendant Custom Names features a 4 sides panel to write any name or message on. This necklace is great for parents, grand parents, best friends, siblings and anyone who wants to carry around a meaningful message on their necklace. You can customize dates of births, names, initials, nicknames and more. You can customize all 4 sides up to 8 characters per side.


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Music December 28, 2019
David Gray: "I was never going to just keep remaking White Ladder"
DAVID GRAY'S 1998 album 'White Ladder', a whopping seven-million seller that features smash hits 'Babylon', 'Sail Away' and 'This Year's Love', is Ireland's best selling record of all time, and given changes in the music industry, is likely to remain so for some time.
Gray is still profoundly grateful for Ireland's role in his breakthrough, in fact. "Ireland embraced me in such a big way before anyone else did," he recalls. "It was unbelievable, really. Looking back, I still can't quite take in what happened. It was an unforgettable time for me and I'll always love the Irish because of it."
Naturally, though, the Cheshire-born folk-pop singer has long been ready to move past his major commercial breakthrough on that fourth album. His eleventh studio album, 'Gold In A Brass Age', was released earlier this month, and offers something really quite different.
"I was never going to just keep remaking 'White Ladder', it's important to experiment and stay interested," Gray said of the new record, which is layered with some complex electronic aspects, producing an organic, delicate element. It also sees Gray explore falsetto vocals across several tracks.
In many ways, 'Gold In A Brass Age' is a stylistic throwback to Gray's early, art-school days. "I want to go back to making art at some point," he said. "I like to go out to the countryside and switch off, it's essential to me to have that time, and it would be perfect for painting. But to paint again, I'd want to really dedicate myself to it. It'll happen at some point, just maybe not quite yet."


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PIA09701: Both Solar Arrays Open on Phoenix Mars Lander
Mission:  Phoenix
Spacecraft:  Phoenix Mars Lander
Produced By:  Lockheed Martin Space
NASA's next Mars-bound spacecraft, the Phoenix Mars Lander, was partway through assembly and testing at Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, in September 2006, progressing toward an August 2007 launch from Florida. In this photograph, spacecraft specialists work on the lander after its fan-like circular solar arrays have been spread open for testing. The arrays will be in this configuration when the spacecraft is active on the surface of Mars.
Photojournal Note: As planned, the Phoenix lander, which landed May 25, 2008 23:53 UTC, ended communications in November 2008, about six months after landing, when its solar panels ceased operating in the dark Martian winter.
NASA/JPL/UA/Lockheed Martin


This perennial favorite from pastoral experts Sr. Donna Ciangio, O.P., and Fr. Thomas B. Iwanowski returns for Lent 2012 (Cycle B). Open Our Hearts is a Lectionary-based, small-group booklet that contains everything needed for a successful parish-based Lenten program, including meatless soup recipes for groups that want to begin faith-sharing with a simple meal. It provides a basic introduction, guidelines for six weekly, small-group faith-sharing sessions, and daily scripture meditations to keep participants engaged throughout each week.
Sunday gospel texts are printed right in the booklet, and citations with brief commentaries on the first and second readings appear as sidebars. Group sessions link the scriptures with informative and practical commentary and reflection questions, space for written responses, prayers, and suggested activities help reinforce the week's message.


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Q: How to link a class with another class thru a relationship table I am a complete beginner and trying to write a code where the requirement is that when an account holder approaches the bank counter and provides his account number; upon entry of account number, the system pulls out its name & address. I understand that a relationship table will need to be maintained with account number & name, address etc., but how to write a code where upon entry of account number, it pulls out the details as maintained in relationship table?

A: My answer assumes you don't need to store these account holder entries once you shut down the program. (The bank will be "blank" everytime the program starts)

A simple way that I would approach this problem is seeing what objects I would need to make.
Well here's what I do know: Banks are smart, they will only assign one account number per bank account! Now we're on to something.
And what else does a bank account have? Well it would contain your name, address, and all your information like you said.
So now we already have:
public class BankAccount {
    int accountNumber;
    int nameOnAccount;
    // And so on and so on. We also need all the methods associated with this class.

But I need to store a bunch of these, so why not make an ArrayList of BankAccount?
Then, when someone comes with their bank account number, I can check that arrayList to see if that bankAccount exists and if not, it can make a new entry for the new customer!
I think that should be enough to get you started.
EDIT:
To answer the second part, you would want something like:
private BankAccount getDetails(int accountNumber) {
    for (BankAcount bankAccount : lstofBankAccounts) {
        if (bankAccount.getAccountNumber() == accountNumber)
            return bankAccount;
    }
    // Do something if there is no account associated with that account number
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
namespace device {

namespace {

int BitrateToSpeedConstant(int bitrate) {
#define BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(x) \
  case x:                        \
    return CBR_##x;
  switch (bitrate) {
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(110);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(300);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(600);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(1200);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(2400);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(4800);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(9600);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(14400);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(19200);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(38400);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(57600);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(115200);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(128000);
    BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE(256000);
    default:
      // If the bitrate doesn't match that of one of the standard
      // index constants, it may be provided as-is to the DCB
      // structure, according to MSDN.
      return bitrate;
  }
#undef BITRATE_TO_SPEED_CASE
}

int DataBitsEnumToConstant(serial::DataBits data_bits) {
  switch (data_bits) {
    case serial::DATA_BITS_SEVEN:
      return 7;
    case serial::DATA_BITS_EIGHT:
    default:
      return 8;
  }
}

int ParityBitEnumToConstant(serial::ParityBit parity_bit) {
  switch (parity_bit) {
    case serial::PARITY_BIT_EVEN:
      return EVENPARITY;
    case serial::PARITY_BIT_ODD:
      return ODDPARITY;
    case serial::PARITY_BIT_NO:
    default:
      return NOPARITY;
  }
}

int StopBitsEnumToConstant(serial::StopBits stop_bits) {
  switch (stop_bits) {
    case serial::STOP_BITS_TWO:
      return TWOSTOPBITS;
    case serial::STOP_BITS_ONE:
    default:
      return ONESTOPBIT;
  }
}

int SpeedConstantToBitrate(int speed) {
#define SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(x) \
  case CBR_##x:                  \
    return x;
  switch (speed) {
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(110);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(300);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(600);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(1200);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(2400);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(4800);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(9600);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(14400);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(19200);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(38400);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(57600);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(115200);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(128000);
    SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE(256000);
    default:
      // If it's not one of the standard index constants,
      // it should be an integral baud rate, according to
      // MSDN.
      return speed;
  }
#undef SPEED_TO_BITRATE_CASE
}

serial::DataBits DataBitsConstantToEnum(int data_bits) {
  switch (data_bits) {
    case 7:
      return serial::DATA_BITS_SEVEN;
    case 8:
    default:
      return serial::DATA_BITS_EIGHT;
  }
}

serial::ParityBit ParityBitConstantToEnum(int parity_bit) {
  switch (parity_bit) {
    case EVENPARITY:
      return serial::PARITY_BIT_EVEN;
    case ODDPARITY:
      return serial::PARITY_BIT_ODD;
    case NOPARITY:
    default:
      return serial::PARITY_BIT_NO;
  }
}

serial::StopBits StopBitsConstantToEnum(int stop_bits) {
  switch (stop_bits) {
    case TWOSTOPBITS:
      return serial::STOP_BITS_TWO;
    case ONESTOPBIT:
    default:
      return serial::STOP_BITS_ONE;
  }
}

}  // namespace

// static
scoped_refptr<SerialIoHandler> SerialIoHandler::Create(
    scoped_refptr<base::SingleThreadTaskRunner> file_thread_task_runner,
    scoped_refptr<base::SingleThreadTaskRunner> ui_thread_task_runner) {
  return new SerialIoHandlerWin(file_thread_task_runner, ui_thread_task_runner);
}

bool SerialIoHandlerWin::PostOpen() {
  DCHECK(!comm_context_);
  DCHECK(!read_context_);
  DCHECK(!write_context_);

  base::MessageLoopForIO::current()->RegisterIOHandler(file().GetPlatformFile(),
                                                       this);

  comm_context_.reset(new base::MessageLoopForIO::IOContext());
  comm_context_->handler = this;
  memset(&comm_context_->overlapped, 0, sizeof(comm_context_->overlapped));

  read_context_.reset(new base::MessageLoopForIO::IOContext());
  read_context_->handler = this;
  memset(&read_context_->overlapped, 0, sizeof(read_context_->overlapped));

  write_context_.reset(new base::MessageLoopForIO::IOContext());
  write_context_->handler = this;
  memset(&write_context_->overlapped, 0, sizeof(write_context_->overlapped));

  // A ReadIntervalTimeout of MAXDWORD will cause async reads to complete
  // immediately with any data that's available, even if there is none.
  // This is OK because we never issue a read request until WaitCommEvent
  // signals that data is available.
  COMMTIMEOUTS timeouts = {0};
  timeouts.ReadIntervalTimeout = MAXDWORD;
  if (!::SetCommTimeouts(file().GetPlatformFile(), &timeouts)) {
    VPLOG(1) << "Failed to set serial timeouts";
    return false;
  }

  return true;
}

void SerialIoHandlerWin::ReadImpl() {
  DCHECK(CalledOnValidThread());
  DCHECK(pending_read_buffer());
  DCHECK(file().IsValid());

  DWORD errors;
  COMSTAT status;
  if (!ClearCommError(file().GetPlatformFile(), &errors, &status) ||
      errors != 0) {
    QueueReadCompleted(0, serial::RECEIVE_ERROR_SYSTEM_ERROR);
    return;
  }

  if (!SetCommMask(file().GetPlatformFile(), EV_RXCHAR)) {
    VPLOG(1) << "Failed to set serial event flags";
  }

  event_mask_ = 0;
  BOOL ok = ::WaitCommEvent(
      file().GetPlatformFile(), &event_mask_, &comm_context_->overlapped);
  if (!ok && GetLastError() != ERROR_IO_PENDING) {
    VPLOG(1) << "Failed to receive serial event";
    QueueReadCompleted(0, serial::RECEIVE_ERROR_SYSTEM_ERROR);
  }
  is_comm_pending_ = true;
}

void SerialIoHandlerWin::WriteImpl() {
  DCHECK(CalledOnValidThread());
  DCHECK(pending_write_buffer());
  DCHECK(file().IsValid());

  BOOL ok = ::WriteFile(file().GetPlatformFile(),
                        pending_write_buffer(),
                        pending_write_buffer_len(),
                        NULL,
                        &write_context_->overlapped);
  if (!ok && GetLastError() != ERROR_IO_PENDING) {
    QueueWriteCompleted(0, serial::SEND_ERROR_SYSTEM_ERROR);
  }
}

void SerialIoHandlerWin::CancelReadImpl() {
  DCHECK(CalledOnValidThread());
  DCHECK(file().IsValid());
  ::CancelIo(file().GetPlatformFile());
}

void SerialIoHandlerWin::CancelWriteImpl() {
  DCHECK(CalledOnValidThread());
  DCHECK(file().IsValid());
  ::CancelIo(file().GetPlatformFile());
}

bool SerialIoHandlerWin::ConfigurePortImpl() {
  DCB config = {0};
  config.DCBlength = sizeof(config);
  if (!GetCommState(file().GetPlatformFile(), &config)) {
    VPLOG(1) << "Failed to get serial port info";
    return false;
  }

  // Set up some sane default options that are not configurable.
  config.fBinary = TRUE;
  config.fParity = FALSE;
  config.fAbortOnError = TRUE;
  config.fOutxDsrFlow = FALSE;
  config.fDtrControl = DTR_CONTROL_ENABLE;
  config.fDsrSensitivity = FALSE;
  config.fOutX = FALSE;
  config.fInX = FALSE;

  DCHECK(options().bitrate);
  config.BaudRate = BitrateToSpeedConstant(options().bitrate);

  DCHECK(options().data_bits != serial::DATA_BITS_NONE);
  config.ByteSize = DataBitsEnumToConstant(options().data_bits);

  DCHECK(options().parity_bit != serial::PARITY_BIT_NONE);
  config.Parity = ParityBitEnumToConstant(options().parity_bit);

  DCHECK(options().stop_bits != serial::STOP_BITS_NONE);
  config.StopBits = StopBitsEnumToConstant(options().stop_bits);

  DCHECK(options().has_cts_flow_control);
  if (options().cts_flow_control) {
    config.fOutxCtsFlow = TRUE;
    config.fRtsControl = RTS_CONTROL_HANDSHAKE;
  } else {
    config.fOutxCtsFlow = FALSE;
    config.fRtsControl = RTS_CONTROL_ENABLE;
  }

  if (!SetCommState(file().GetPlatformFile(), &config)) {
    VPLOG(1) << "Failed to set serial port info";
    return false;
  }
  return true;
}

SerialIoHandlerWin::SerialIoHandlerWin(
    scoped_refptr<base::SingleThreadTaskRunner> file_thread_task_runner,
    scoped_refptr<base::SingleThreadTaskRunner> ui_thread_task_runner)
    : SerialIoHandler(file_thread_task_runner, ui_thread_task_runner),
      event_mask_(0),
      is_comm_pending_(false) {
}

SerialIoHandlerWin::~SerialIoHandlerWin() {
}

void SerialIoHandlerWin::OnIOCompleted(
    base::MessageLoopForIO::IOContext* context,
    DWORD bytes_transferred,
    DWORD error) {
  DCHECK(CalledOnValidThread());
  if (context == comm_context_) {
    if (read_canceled()) {
      ReadCompleted(bytes_transferred, read_cancel_reason());
    } else if (error != ERROR_SUCCESS && error != ERROR_OPERATION_ABORTED) {
      ReadCompleted(0, serial::RECEIVE_ERROR_SYSTEM_ERROR);
    } else if (pending_read_buffer()) {
      BOOL ok = ::ReadFile(file().GetPlatformFile(),
                           pending_read_buffer(),
                           pending_read_buffer_len(),
                           NULL,
                           &read_context_->overlapped);
      if (!ok && GetLastError() != ERROR_IO_PENDING) {
        ReadCompleted(0, serial::RECEIVE_ERROR_SYSTEM_ERROR);
      }
    }
  } else if (context == read_context_) {
    if (read_canceled()) {
      ReadCompleted(bytes_transferred, read_cancel_reason());
    } else if (error != ERROR_SUCCESS && error != ERROR_OPERATION_ABORTED) {
      ReadCompleted(0, serial::RECEIVE_ERROR_SYSTEM_ERROR);
    } else {
      ReadCompleted(bytes_transferred,
                    error == ERROR_SUCCESS
                        ? serial::RECEIVE_ERROR_NONE
                        : serial::RECEIVE_ERROR_SYSTEM_ERROR);
    }
  } else if (context == write_context_) {
    DCHECK(pending_write_buffer());
    if (write_canceled()) {
      WriteCompleted(0, write_cancel_reason());
    } else if (error != ERROR_SUCCESS && error != ERROR_OPERATION_ABORTED) {
      WriteCompleted(0, serial::SEND_ERROR_SYSTEM_ERROR);
    } else {
      WriteCompleted(bytes_transferred,
                     error == ERROR_SUCCESS ? serial::SEND_ERROR_NONE
                                            : serial::SEND_ERROR_SYSTEM_ERROR);
    }
  } else {
    NOTREACHED() << "Invalid IOContext";
  }
}

bool SerialIoHandlerWin::Flush() const {
  if (!PurgeComm(file().GetPlatformFile(), PURGE_RXCLEAR | PURGE_TXCLEAR)) {
    VPLOG(1) << "Failed to flush serial port";
    return false;
  }
  return true;
}

serial::DeviceControlSignalsPtr SerialIoHandlerWin::GetControlSignals() const {
  DWORD status;
  if (!GetCommModemStatus(file().GetPlatformFile(), &status)) {
    VPLOG(1) << "Failed to get port control signals";
    return serial::DeviceControlSignalsPtr();
  }

  serial::DeviceControlSignalsPtr signals(serial::DeviceControlSignals::New());
  signals->dcd = (status & MS_RLSD_ON) != 0;
  signals->cts = (status & MS_CTS_ON) != 0;
  signals->dsr = (status & MS_DSR_ON) != 0;
  signals->ri = (status & MS_RING_ON) != 0;
  return signals.Pass();
}

bool SerialIoHandlerWin::SetControlSignals(
    const serial::HostControlSignals& signals) {
  if (signals.has_dtr) {
    if (!EscapeCommFunction(file().GetPlatformFile(),
                            signals.dtr ? SETDTR : CLRDTR)) {
      VPLOG(1) << "Failed to configure DTR signal";
      return false;
    }
  }
  if (signals.has_rts) {
    if (!EscapeCommFunction(file().GetPlatformFile(),
                            signals.rts ? SETRTS : CLRRTS)) {
      VPLOG(1) << "Failed to configure RTS signal";
      return false;
    }
  }
  return true;
}

serial::ConnectionInfoPtr SerialIoHandlerWin::GetPortInfo() const {
  DCB config = {0};
  config.DCBlength = sizeof(config);
  if (!GetCommState(file().GetPlatformFile(), &config)) {
    VPLOG(1) << "Failed to get serial port info";
    return serial::ConnectionInfoPtr();
  }
  serial::ConnectionInfoPtr info(serial::ConnectionInfo::New());
  info->bitrate = SpeedConstantToBitrate(config.BaudRate);
  info->data_bits = DataBitsConstantToEnum(config.ByteSize);
  info->parity_bit = ParityBitConstantToEnum(config.Parity);
  info->stop_bits = StopBitsConstantToEnum(config.StopBits);
  info->cts_flow_control = config.fOutxCtsFlow != 0;
  return info.Pass();
}

std::string SerialIoHandler::MaybeFixUpPortName(const std::string& port_name) {
  // For COM numbers less than 9, CreateFile is called with a string such as
  // "COM1". For numbers greater than 9, a prefix of "\\\\.\\" must be added.
  if (port_name.length() > std::string("COM9").length())
    return std::string("\\\\.\\").append(port_name);

  return port_name;
}

}  // namespace device

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Automotive Stuff offers the best selection of roof mount products on the market.
Automotive Stuff offers the best selection of Roof Mount on the market. We carry top brands including Thule, SportRack, ROLA, Swagman, Yakima, and other quality Roof Mount.


Building resilience in Ocean Cities of the Pacific region is key to converting challenges and risks communities face into opportunities for systemic transformation toward sustainable development. Island settlements at the nexus of ocean health, climate change and urban development will need to build anticipatory, adaptive, absorptive and transformative capacity in the face of complex stressors. The interlinked challenges and resource constraints in rapidly growing Ocean Cities in the Pacific means that the ability to absorb shocks and bounce back relevant partners and stakeholders to promote equitable opportunities for all people in urban communities to access resources and use them sustainably, and to apply standardized methods contextualized for the Pacific to assess the relative vulnerability of communities in Ocean Cities. It also recognizes the importance of promoting stronger governance regimes within urban communities, aligning these with the policies of local government, and encouraging partnerships between urban and rural communities. This second policy brief in the Ocean Cities series offers guidance in this direction.


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text:
The Fairy Queen is one of the world's oldest working steam locomotives, built in the year 1855. In the same year, the train saw its first journey for the former East Indian Railway. In 1998 the Fairy Queen Train was listed in Guinness World Records for being the oldest locomotive in regular service. Till 1908, it used to run on the Howrah-Raniganj line and later in Bihar. After a period of halt, in July 1997, its operation was restarted by the Indian Railway as a heritage train running from Delhi to Alwar and back.
History Behind the Train
The Fairy Queen saw its inception in 1855 when it was first developed by Kitson, Hewitson, and Thompson in Leeds, England. After its construction, the train set on a journey to reach Calcutta. It was labelled as EIR-22 by the East Indian Railway Company on arrival. Initially, the Fairy Queen locomotive was used to haul light mail trains in West Bengal that operated between Howrah-Raniganj. Later it was consigned to line construction duties in Bihar, where it stayed till 1909. It was displayed outside Howrah Station for 34 years. In the year 1943, the locomotive was moved to the Railway Zonal Training School at Chandausi in Uttar Pradesh.
In 1972, Fairy Queen was bestowed with a heritage status and declared a natural treasure by the Indian Government. Later in 1997, this locomotive was launched as the Fairy Queen train, which undertook two-day excursions from Delhi to Alwar, and from there, the tourists were taken to the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary. In 2011, this train was extensively destroyed and looted at a railway shed in Delhi. The locomotive was replaced with a WP 7161 steam engine known as Akbar, which kept the train functioning. This train is housed at Rewari Railway Heritage Museum and is used for special day trips by the Steam Express.
The Unique Features of the Train
Fairy Queen is a broad gauge locomotive that weighs 26 tons. It has a power output of 130 horsepower that enables it to reach a maximum speed of 40 km/h. It has a 60-seater air-conditioned carriage. The seats are made up of cloth upholstery that is quite comfortable and are located in pairs on either side of a wide aisle. The carriage is designed with a large glass window at the front that exposes travellers to the views of the locomotive. It also offers a scenic observation lounge that overlooks mesmerising views of the countryside. There is a pantry car for on-boarding catering that serves food to the guests.
The train operates on the Delhi-Rewari-Delhi route. Before boarding the train back to Delhi, the passengers get to spend a few hours at Rewari Railway Heritage Museum. The museum houses the world's 10 oldest restored steam locomotives, signalling systems, gramophones, seats, and vintage railway equipment. Other attractions here include a 3D steam loco simulator, a documentary about the history of railways in India, a 3D virtual reality coach simulator, an educational yard model train system, a toy train, a cafeteria, a century old-dining car, and a souvenir shop.
Departures and Accommodations
Every year, Fairy Queen operates on the second and fourth Saturdays between the months of October and March. The train departs at 10:30 a.m. from Delhi Cantonment Railway Station and reaches the museum in Rewari at 1 p.m. On return, it leaves Rewari at 4:15 p.m and arrives in Delhi at 6:15 p.m. the same day. Make sure you arrive at the station before an hour to see the locomotive being fired. You can also snap a picture or two with and of the marvellous train.
The journey on the royal train to Alwar is a day journey, and there is no overnight stay on the train. For a restful night, guests are advised to book a comfortable room at one of the many hotels in Alwar. Passengers can stay overnight at Tijara Fort Palace, a heritage property where they can have a peaceful weekend getaway from Delhi. The hotel offers regal accommodations and lavish restaurants for guests to enjoy a splendid sojourn!


text:
Home > News > 2022 Annual Meetings: A $20 smartphone could spark Africa's mobile boom. Experts offer this and other digital solutions during panel discussion
2022 Annual Meetings: A $20 smartphone could spark Africa's mobile boom. Experts offer this and other digital solutions during panel discussion
A delegate listens to a discussion on Africa's digital resilience on 25 May 2022.
The African Development Bank hosted a panel of experts drawn from industry, government and the investment community to lay out key actions for Africa to deliver a transformational digital future for its people.
A side event to the Bank's Annual Meetings in Accra, Ghana, the session featured a discussion on building resilient digital economies in Africa. It addressed the need for resilient broadband networks as well as innovation and entrepreneurship to develop a thriving digital eco-system.
Ralph Mupita, Group CEO of MTN, Africa's largest telecommunications operator, outlined the rapid advances in connectivity in Africa: almost half the population has their own sim card and more than 20% has access to the internet. Yet "attaining broadband for all of Africa by 2030 will cost at least $100 billion," he cautioned, and said for mobile technology to be affordable for all, Africa needs a $20 smartphone.
The transformational impact of digital platforms could revolutionise entire sectors of the economy, particularly when applied to existing value chains, predicted Tidjane Dème, a partner at venture capital firm Partech. Investment in digital technology in Africa grew from $360 million in 2016 to $5.2 billion in 2020, he said.
The experts recognised interdependencies within the digital sector. For example, building digital infrastructure requires digital skills and entrepreneurship. To drive maximum value from the sector, governments and the private sector have to consider the eco-system as a whole, they said.
In Cabo Verde, a €31 million investment from the African Development Bank is enabling the government to build a world-class technology park, giving digital entrepreneurs a place to innovate and learn, supported by superior connectivity. "Our vision is to position Cabo Verde as the leading digital hub and gateway to West Africa," said Cabo Verde's Minister of Finance, Olavo Correia.
Omobola Johnson, Senior Partner at venture capital firm TLcom, and former Chair of the Alliance for Affordable Internet, underscored Africa's youthful population and demographic advantage. She said if skills are taught and quality connectivity, at least at 4G level, is widely accessible, a talent pool of the continent's youth could drive Africa's digital economy and attract investment.
One example of a digital innovator is Monique Ntumngia, the founder of Green Girls. Using artificial intelligence to foster the deployment of renewable energy devices, her aim is to ensure women and rural communities are not left behind. "We must go beyond just offering digital services to these demographics; we have a responsibility of empowering women and our rural communities with basic skills to interact with the digital world," Ntumngia told the session.
Wael Elkabbany, Managing Director of the Microsoft Africa Transformation Office, recognised that more still needs to be done. Africa requires 700 new data centres to meet its growing data demand. Governments and regional economic communities could provide opportunities for large-scale investment, through the adoption of harmonised policies supporting the free movement of data.
For his part, Alain Ebobissé, CEO of the infrastructure investment fund Africa50, noted the untapped potential of asset recycling — whereby governments could release capital for future infrastructure investment by bringing in the private sector as partners in the management and ownership of existing assets. "The time to invest is now. We must invest faster and at scale," he commented.
A theme of the African Development Bank's Annual Meetings is building climate resilience and Juha Savolainen of Finland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the circular economy, where digital platforms have been fundamental to the development of value chains that reuse components, creating resource efficiency and reducing carbon footprints.
Bringing the discussion to a close, Solomon Quaynor, Vice President, Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation at the African Development Bank Group, cited a recent $170 million investment project in Nigeria's digital and creative industries. The project aims to create up to 850,000 direct and indirect jobs, part of Nigeria's efforts to create more sustainable jobs for the booming youth population.
Annual Meetings 2022: Knowledge Event 1: Building Digital Economies, OPENING VIDEO
Annual Meetings 2022: Highlights of Day 3
Annual Meetings 2022: Highlights from Knowledge Event 1 on Digital Economies