To stay ahead of the game in today's digital environment, successful businesses and organisations embrace new technology and use current innovations to make a difference to their working environments and business outcomes.
Increasingly this includes audio and video command technologies and conferencing, networking, telephony, digital signage, content creation, IPTV solutions, room booking and facilities management and control systems.
At Viewpoint we can help advise you on the best technology to equip your organisation and give you options on training and technology adoption phasing. This ensures you only buy it when you need itand we help to ensure you get the best out of it.
Your first opportunity to make an impression on your client is so important, so investring in the right technology in your business, meeting and collaboration spaces is key. We can help you with thosedecisions, with great technology partners and clients who help us show implemented technology in place and operating.
We will take you through the process from your initial contact, through advice on requirement definition and then to a formal agreement on design solution based on your desired outcomes. Once installed we will support you through training and formal implentation, then continue to support you based on a level of continued interaction driven by your business need.
Our team has many years experience in AV design and utilise best practice in ourdesign and development process to ensure your requiremnts are captured and incorporated accurately.
We take are time to listen to the detail, to understand and document your business or organisational needs. We then provide options for technoogy selection before designing the final the solution, linked to your desired outcomes. Technology is a key enabler and performance multiplier in most instances,so we take care in ensuring you are able to adopt its usage to maximise the benefits from your investment.
Our experienced team of designers and project engineers bring together expert practical technical knowledge from many successful client projects. We back this up with an excellent technology partnerprogramme, giving us leading product availability from across the sector.
Our commitment to quality and sound environmental practice means that we follow acknowledged industry standards, actively seeking solutions to reduce running costs, waste and environmental impact.
As your Audio Visual (AV) Project Management organisation, we maintain our focus on your solution objectives and your investment outcomes. Our key objective is to effectively put our agreed plan in motion, with documented information from all identified involved parties, through a series of planned technology implementation steps.
Our shared and agreed project plan document, that will describe all the key actions, timelines, and resources needed to complete your AV system implementation, which will be core to this process.
We will provide a dedicated Project Manager, who will liaise with you from early project definition, through to its implementation and commissioning. As a business, we will provide advice on the optimum support arrangements to ensure investment.
We will ensure there are engagement points for review, to inform on technology capability within your solution that may further enhance business effectiveness. We will also provide advice on planning for scheduled maintenance and support to maximise solution effectiveness and longevity.
As customer adoption is very important to us, we are keen to make sure you maximise the benefits from your investment. We will provide training for your implementation team to support any joint testing and for the wider user community once commissioned. We also provide user workshops to develop and grow technology exploitation skills and knowledge and to improve peer-to-peer experiences.
We will devise a unique set of tests for your companies approach to the use of the designed installation; taking into account your operations methodology and use of other existing systems and their interfaces. These tests will replicate business functionality with an aim to eliminate any issues within installation and to prove functionality based on your performance outcomes.
We make sure there is adequate time set aside before your system goes live for your team to run display and information tests, specifically where cross site or multi site collaboration solutions need to prove essential connectivity and user interface confidence.
Where considered beneficial to staff and the business operation, we can create a pilot program, to duplicate installed functionality and reduce integration risk. This may also include early programme on-site trials of equipment from different suppliers, in order to satisfy you that you have the right solution for your business.
We like to encourage joint testing and customer interaction throughout commissioning. It give us a further level of confidence that once delivered, our customers are very confident with the solution functionality and have extended knowledge of its capability.
We will work with you and your teams to help develop a programme that works with the business and that also helps identify key users adoption 'Champions' throughout business.
Audio visual technology requires ongoing maintenance which is why we provide a number of comprehensive support and maintenance programmes to ensure you are covered fully against any failures.
Our managed services help liberate your operational teams and financial resources from any issues in utilising your Audio Visual solution to maximise return from your investment. We will take care of the business of keeping your system running optimally and deal with any issues your team have with getting the best out of it.
We are very flexible in our approach to our long-term relationship with you. So, we offer several levels of on-going Service Level Agreement (SLA) once we have completed your installation, with options to design a bespoke solution with you, should you require something special.
Our reputation is built around a continued strong relationship with our customers, building our knowledge of your business operations and our responsiveness to your needs.
We provide a dedicated email helpdesk for all faults logging, followed up by a call from one of our service engineers. Our Gold service will provide you next day visits to diagnose and rectify reported faults. If it's a light touch with routine preventative maintenance visits and advice on technology future proofing, then we offer a cost effective Bronze level SLA.
Tough Mudder Challenge Viewpoint team finish! Well done!


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National treasures: Rescued art and antiques, part 2
In part two of H&A's art saves for the nation, we've picked out of the most important artworks and antiques displayed in museums and galleries today thanks to fundraisers, institutions and national support
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Published: July 18th, 2017 at 3:43 pm
Many of the country's most treasured artworks and antiques have followed unconventional paths to find their ways into our museums and galleries. Some have even been rescued from being sold into a collection beyond the public eye, or abroad. In part two of our shortlist, we reveal 15 of the greatest works to have been 'saved' in this way.
Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra' by Benjamin Britten
A temporary export ban was placed on this draft score by Benjamin Britten, after it was sold to an overseas buyer in 2011. The 1945 work was acquired by the British Library for £201,660 and was not known about until the point of sale.
Where to see British Library, London. 0330 333 1144.
Self Portrait by Sir Anthony Van Dyck
With a £10m price tag, saving the final self-portrait (and one of only three self-portraits Van Dyck is known to have created in Britain) by one of history's most renowned artists was never going to be easy. However, with more than 10,000 individual donations and financial support from numerous trusts, charities and foundations, the steep target was met.
Where to see National Portrait Gallery, London. 020 7306 0055.
Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows by John Constable
Considering the place John Constable holds in the heart of the British public, it is not a huge surprise to learn that support quickly rallied behind the campaign to buy this iconic work and prevent its export. The painting was created following the death of the artist's wife, in 1828. It was bought for the nation for a hefty £23.1m (with tax concessions) and acquired by the Tate. Support arrived from afar, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Art Fund (with a contribution from The Wolfson Foundation) and The Manton Foundation.
Where to see The painting is currently on loan to the Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh. 0131 624 6200.
William Burges tulip vase
Designed by William Burges, the illustrious architect, this striking vase now sits in Wales' national collection. It was created in the 19th century for Cardiff Castle's Marquess of Bute. After a temporary export ban, the piece was bought for £163,000 with support from National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund and Headley Trust.
Where to see National Museum Wales, Cardiff. 0300 111 2333.
Watercolour of Nonsuch Palace by Joris Hoefnagel
The Surrey-based palace once belonging to Henry VIII may no longer be standing, but this charming 16th-century watercolour depicting it is still very much part of Britain's history. The work, by Joris Hoefnagel, was created in 1568 and came up for sale in 2016. It was saved for £1m, through support from the Art Fund and the National Heritage Memorial Fund. In a press release celebrating the acquisition, the V&A's curator of word and image, Mark Evans, described the work as bringing to life 'one of the greatest monuments of the English Renaissance, now lost to us.'
Where to see V&A, London. 020 7942 2000.
Portrait of Mademoiselle Claus by Edouard Manet
It took a high-profile eight-month public campaign and support from multiple camps, including the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Art Fund, to keep this celebrated Impressionist painting in Britain. Depicting Fanny Claus, a friend of the French artist, the painting was purchased for £7.83m by the Ashmolean Museum.
Where to see Ashmolean, Oxford. 01865 278000.
Kongouro from New Holland, 1772, by George Stubbs Acquired: 2013
Sir David Attenborough was visible in his support for the campaign to retain these important works. The £4.5m target was met with public support, grants and a donation from magnate Eyal Ofer.
Where to see Queen's House, London.
Portrait of a Large Dog, 1772, by George Stubbs Acquired: 2013
The Lindo lamp by John Ruslen
Hailed as one of the most significant objects of Anglo-Jewish heritage, this silver Hanukah lamp was bought for £282,000, with help from The Wolfson Foundation, the Art Fund, the MLA/V&A purchase fund and private donors. The lamp was created in 1709 to celebrate the Jewish winter festival of light and mark the marriage of its vendors, the Lindos.
Where to see Jewish Museum, London. 020 7284 7384.
Multiple Sketch for the Banqueting House Ceiling by Peter Paul Rubens
James I commissioned a painted ceiling for Whitehall's Banqueting House to celebrate the union between Scotland and England. This preparatory sketch was saved after a public campaign and support from funders, including the Art Fund, raised the required £5.7m. It is now owned by the Tate.
Where to see Currently on loan to The Queen's House. 020 8312 6565.
The Wedgwood Collection
History was made when a staggering £15.75m was brought together in one month to save the Wedgwood Museum collection in 2014 (the fastest fundraising campaign in the Art Fund's history). The collection features around 80,000 works of art, ceramics, manuscripts and pattern books. Thanks to an overwhelming display of public support, substantial backing from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Art Fund and numerous private trusts and foundations, the V&A now owns the collection.
Where to see On long-term loan to The Wedgwood Museum, Stoke-on-Trent. 01782 371900.
The Wolsey Angels by Benedetto da Rovezzano
These four bronze Renaissance-style sculptures were commissioned in the 16th century to stand on the tomb of Cardinal Wolsey, the chief advisor to Henry VIII. An impressive £5m was raised by a public campaign and grants by numerous bodies, including the Art Fund, National Heritage Memorial Fund and Friends of the V&A, to acquire the angels on display at the London museum.
Where to see Victoria and Albert Museum, London. 020 7942 2000.
Scenes from the Lives of the Virgin and Other Saints by Giovanni da Rimini
In an unusual way of 'saving' a painting, the American businessman Ronald S Lauder purchased this 14th-century artwork for a substantial £4.9m in 2015, preventing it from being taken out of the country. The agreement ensured that the work be loaned to Lauder during his lifetime, but it will be on frequent display at The National Gallery, London.
Where to see It is not currently on display, but is often on loan to The National Gallery, London. 020 7747 2885.
Dagger belonging to Thomas Edward Lawrence
An export bar was placed on the sale of this dagger, owned by the British archaeologist and diplomat 'Lawrence of Arabia' last year. The dagger is thought to have been presented to Lawrence following a victory in Aqaba, Jordan, and features in one of the most iconic images of the famous figure. A total of £100,000 was raised from grants, including support from the National Heritage Memorial Fund.
Where to see National Army Museum, London. 020 7730 0717.
The Armada portrait of Elizabeth I, artist unknown
You may well recognise this resplendent painting from school text books or perhaps from one of the most famous public campaigns in recent years to save an artwork. This c1590 portrait depicts the victorious queen after the Spanish Armada's defeat in 1588 and remained in the family of Sir Francis Drake until its sale last year.
The campaign to save it for a UK collection attracted an amazing 8,000 donations from the public, in addition to financial contributions from the Art Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund, the Linbury Trust, Headley Trust, Royal Museums Greenwich and Garfield Weston Foundation, with a total amount of £10.3m being reached.
Where to see After essential conservation it will hang in The Queen's House, London. 020 8312 6565.
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¡Hello! Today, and as the title has it, in our post at hand we want to go through one of every Testers' most valuable assets, and that is actively working with our mind, and particularly, working with our mind building maps.
First things first - So, what is a Mind Map?
It is commonly known as a visual thinking tool, which you can apply to all cognitive functions such as learning, for your creative processes, analysis, and memory workouts.
The term itself was popularised by the popular British psychologist Tony Buzan, although the usage of diagrams and radial maps to visually map information is an old practice.
Creating a Mind Map is a process which involves combining colours, visual spatial arrangement, as well as images, and all of those are for us to use to map our thoughts using keywords that work as triggers in our minds recalling knowledge, and sparking brand new ideas.
Are Mind Maps and Concept Maps the same?
On the other hand, we have Concept Maps, which connect multiple words/ideas, and also, they typically have text labels on the connecting lines.
How can I create a mind map?
Well, Mind Maps may be either created using software, and there are plenty of applications for mind mapping on the internet, or you may create it drawing the Mind Map by hand on a piece of paper, whiteboard, etc.
It is the starting point, and it also represents the subject/topic we are going to go through with our Mind Map.
Usually, it is convenient locating the central idea in the centre of the page, or any other surface used while creating it. Furthermore, it is convenient including an image that relates to the topic. Basically, the idea of including images is for easily triggering associations, as our brains have a better response to visual stimuli and thus, the connection to our content strengthens.
The first set of branches which flow from the central idea, are the key ideas we want to strengthen, and that we will deepen in greater depth by adding more branches.
One thing to take into account here, in our mind maps we can add as many branches as we see fit, therefore, we are not restricted to using just a few ones, besides, the main purpose of a mind map is to let us map our ideas, our thinking, so it's natural that more ideas will come to mind, as our brains freely analyse the situation(s) and associations we are mind mapping.
One other characteristic that differentiates Mind Maps from Concept Maps, it's that with the first we use as little significant words as possible (one and only one significant word if possible) to represent a key idea. Basically, the idea after using one significant word is that of sparking a greater number of associations.
Additionally, using one word only it's also useful for putting the information into core topics, triggering connections in our brains, allowing us to easily remember more information.
Last, yet most certainly not least, as the sub-title already mentions it, a picture (or an image) may convey a lot of information, and more often than not, they convey more information than a collection of words.
All in all, we wanted to first share with you a glimpse of what Mind Maps "are" and "what they can do". In future posts, we will work on giving you further details of how we have used them in our professional practice.


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Lara Peake Height, Weight, Net Worth, Age, Birthday, Wikipedia, Who, Instagram, Biography
Lara Peake is a well known entertainer who has shown up in just about 13 distinct shows up to this point. Presently, she has been presented as the new Brave New World's cast where Lara Peake is assuming the function of Madysun. Truth be told, she has just showed up in three unique scenes as of now and will before long show up in different scenes too.
Aside from simply Brave New World, she has additionally showed up in some different shows like Born To Kill, How To Talk To Girls At Parties, Final Score, and so on She has been engaged with acting since the year 2014 when she previously showed up in the film called Bypass. As of now, in 2020, she has likewise been showing up in another TV arrangement named The English Game where she has been assuming the function of Betsy Cronshaw.
Name Lara Peake
Birthday August 4, 1998
Instagram @larapeake
Twitter @LaraPeake
Lara (@larapeake)'in paylaştığı bir gönderi
Lara Peake as born on August 4, 1998, and hence, her present age is actually 22 years at this moment.
As per her birthday, her zodiac sign or regularly known as the birth sign is Leo.
As of her authority IMDb account, Lara Peake remains at a stature of 5 feet and 7 inches.
Notwithstanding, we remain totally obscure about her folks and kin as of now.
Likewise, we don't have a clue whether Lara Peake has a sweetheart or not however the exploration work is going on and we will refresh about it at the earliest opportunity.
Moreover, an extremely well known site named Famous Birthdays has referenced her as the #141986 most mainstream entertainer on the planet.
Also, Lara Peake loves to utilize Instagram where she has figured out how to pick up almost 3.7 thousand devotees.
Likewise, she stays exceptionally dynamic on Twitter where she has picked up almost 1.2 thousand supporters as of now.
As per Lara Peake's Wikipedia page, we became more acquainted with that at the time of only 12 years, she had joined a show workshop named Inspire Academy.
Since she was born in London, the United Kingdom, Lara Peake's identity is supposed to be British however we stay uncertain about her nationality presently.


Schedule a meeting or start an ad hoc, real-time meeting to coauthor a document or collaborate on a project.
With team chats, calls, and activities visible to the whole team and chats preserved across devices, team members stay in the know even after a meeting. Mobile meeting apps for Android, i OS, and Windows Phone let you meet, chat, and call into meetings on smartphones and tablets.
With patented Super Clear technology to optimise video calls even on slow connection, this is a chat tool worth taking a look at if you want to see who you're chatting with rather than just exchanging messages.While you can conduct voice chats and send media files back and forth between contacts, video calling is not (yet) available to all platforms (it's i OS-only), so this could sway your decision about whether Whats App is the app for you or not.Download here: Whats App Free, browser-based chat for up to 15 people – no dedicated software required Talky is a little different to most messaging tools in that it is, primarily, a web-based service.The appeal is understandable – Skype lets you send text-based messages, as well as conducting video chats, completely free of charge – but it's far from being the only option out there.You might have an aversion to Microsoft-owned software, or you might just like the idea of trying out something new.


Deck Side Table free plans.
This sturdy outdoor sofa was built using 2 x 4s. Perfect for your patio or front porch. Build it using the free woodworking plans at the link.
Outdoor Coffee Table free building plan.
Build yourself an outdoor coffee table for your patio. The top measures 22 x 35 inches and you will find the free woodworking plans at the link.
Patio Coffee Table free plan.
Build this beautiful round patio coffee table using the free step-by-step instructions available at the link.
Outdoor Sofa free building plan.
Although this is an outdoor sofa, it is almost too nice not to be an indoor sofa. Find out how to build it at the link.
Free plan to build a Low Rise Outdoor Sofa.
Build a low rise outdoor sofa using the free plans provided at the link. This project fits a standard twin size mattress.


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Home > Archives > Blog > A Sustainable Future Is on the Horizon with Digital Twins and Artificial Intelligence
A Sustainable Future Is on the Horizon with Digital Twins and Artificial Intelligence
October 31, 2022 Blog
Authored By: Cheryl Ajluni, Director, Industry Solutions, Keysight Technologies
Sustainability is a top priority for all organisations today. For example, one-third of Europe's largest companies have pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, according to Accenture. Yet the firm also found that enterprises must significantly accelerate their efforts over the next decade, as just 9% of companies are currently on track to achieve this goal.
One way organisations can reach net zero and address other sustainability efforts is through the combined power of digital twins and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The technologies provide companies with unparalleled insights into their operations that can then inform sustainability improvements and help them achieve climate goals. For example, digital twins can be used to test various scenarios and help companies determine the best strategies for reducing energy consumption and emissions.
Technology Advances Accelerating Digital Twin Adoption
Of course, digital twins have already been deployed in various ways. For example, they are being used to help healthcare researchers create highly accurate models of the heart, lungs and other organs to improve clinical diagnoses, education and training. The energy industry also offers numerous use cases for digital twins, including building digital models to guide oil drilling efforts in real time.
But recent technology advances in simulation and modelling capabilities, increased deployment of IoT sensors and a more widely available computing infrastructure mean that companies can increase their reliance on digital twins. And when organisations augment digital twins with AI, they can realise additional benefits—for example, running simulations to investigate "what-if" scenarios and gain a deeper understanding of cause and effect.
"Sustainability is a top priority for all organisations today."
There are numerous examples of how these technologies can enhance operations, including their ability to inform a greener world. With that in mind, below are a few use cases that demonstrate how digital twins and AI are driving sustainability improvements across industries.
By 2025 89% of all IoT platforms will include digital twins, transforming how industrial and manufacturing facilities operate and providing granular insights to enhance sustainability efforts. Examples include:
Investigating ways to reduce energy consumption through a deeper understanding of where energy loss is occurring
Using predictive analytics to determine how emissions could be reduced by making various changes
Conducting risk assessments to identify operational weaknesses that could lead to accidents with an environmental impact
GE Digital is one organisation that has pioneered the use of digital twins and AI for sustainability improvements. Through its Autonomous Tuning Software, the company creates a digital twin of its gas turbines to find optimal flame temperature and fuel splits. The technology senses environmental and physical degradation changes in real-time, facilitating automatic adjustments to ensure that the gas turbines are running efficiently at low emissions and acoustic levels. With the technology, power generation plants have realized carbon monoxide reduction by 14% and decreased nitrous oxide emissions by 10–14%.
City planning, management and optimisation is another area poised to transform through the combined power of digital twins and AI. These smart cities offer numerous benefits—addressing food insecurity, increasing mobility, and helping identify criminal activity to name just a few. Smart cities also have much to offer in the form of addressing sustainability goals.
With digital twins and AI, city governments can understand, quantify and predict the impact of their decisions on the environment and test potential scenarios to determine the most environmentally beneficial situation.
For example, Transport for London (TfL) is using digital twins to gather data on noise, heat and carbon emissions throughout the Tube network. Prior to deploying the technology, TfL staff could only inspect assets when the Underground was closed between the hours of 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. With the real-time network access afforded by the digital twin, TfL can now assess locations throughout operating hours and also spot data that was previously undetected by the human eye, such as faults and heat and noise hotspots. Officials believe the project will be a key component of Mayor Sadiq Khan's goal of a zero-carbon rail system by 2030.
As carbon neutrality becomes a priority for cities across the globe, expect the usage of digital twins and AI to increase.
Just as digital twins and AI can help city sustainability efforts, they are also increasingly being utilised to create smart buildings. The technologies ensure sustainability is top of mind from the outset, enabling construction managers and other stakeholders to develop virtual representations that can evaluate a building's anticipated carbon footprint during the design phase.
This was the approach developers took when designing The Hickman in London, which has become the world's first building to receive a Platinum rating for smart buildings from SmartScore. During construction, the digital twin was connected with the building's management system through a variety of sensors, providing an integrated view of data such as occupancy, temperature, air quality, light levels and energy consumption. Not only did this enable the developers to optimise energy performance and reduce carbon emissions, it also laid the framework for future sustainability enhancements, as these can be simulated first via The Hickman's digital model.
There is increasing regulatory pressure on the construction industry to design greener buildings, so we can only expect that more developers will follow The Hickman's lead and look to address sustainability concerns before breaking any new ground.
Becoming a more sustainable industry and, ultimately, the planet has been an elusive goal for the last several years. But with recent advances in AI and the increased adoption of digital twins, this vision is poised to be realised. Now is the time for organisations to harness the combined power of these technologies to obtain insights at every stage of operations that will support a more sustainable, less carbon-intensive economy at a micro-level—and a greener world overall.
About the Author: Cheryl Ajluni
Cheryl Ajluni has spent the last 30 years as a technology expert, taking highly complex technical topics and helping others make sense of them. Her work ranges from research and development of optical solutions for satellite solar array testing to penning an RF circuit design textbook.
Cheryl has worked as an engineer for the Department of Defense, IBM and Space Systems/Loral, and as a technical editor and editor-in-chief for publications like Electronic Design and Wireless Systems Design.
Currently, Cheryl is the Director of Industry Solutions at Keysight Technologies. A patented engineer, she holds bachelor's degrees in physics and mathematics from U.C. Davis.
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Nov. 20, 2018, 1:24 p.m.
The National Association of Saving and Credit Unions (NASCU), the apex organisation for all financial cooperatives in Zambia, and global payments technology company Mastercard today announced a landmark agreement to drive financial inclusion by extending formal financial products and services to underserved members of cooperatives.
Under this agreement, NASCU will introduce a secure, efficient and transparent electronic payment system to streamline and automate payments including payroll, loans, and disbursements to its savings and credit cooperative members. It will also issue 1.5 million Mastercard contactless debit payment cards to its members over the next five years, providing them with a convenient electronic payment tool to receive and make safe and simple payments for everyday commerce activities.
The initiative aligns with Zambia's National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2017 to 2022 – which aims to increase financial inclusion from 59 percent to 80 percent – by enabling more people and businesses to access digital payments and formal financial services.
This initiative is a fundamental building block in developing a modernised and inclusive payments ecosystem in Zambia. With Mastercard's wide acceptance footprint, cardholders will be able to securely transact around the world at any Point of Sale or ATM that accepts Mastercard. The debit card programme is designed with affordability and accessibility in mind, offering safer, faster and more efficient ways for Zambians to manage their finances, while reducing their exposure to the safety risks and high transactional costs of handling cash.


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Why don't we sit down and have a little chat, mmk? I'll just pretend like you're here with me, so amuse my make believe for a sec. I think this post is going to be a mini rant and therapy session. And dang it if writing a blog post isn't a whole hell of a lot cheaper than therapy, right?! Anyway, I've been struggling lately. I've been struggling with this blog, and with the blog community in general. No, this isn't going to be a whole post dissing bloggers - there's some really great ones out there! More discussing why I'm struggling with this whole "influencer marketing" thing. And making an accurate comparison of influencer marketing to a high school lunch room. Seriously.
It seems like people now understand that blogging can be a legit career where you make actual money and can do it on your own time and from home in your pajamas. This week alone (I kid you not) three people wanted to grab drinks or coffee so that I could "counsel" them on how to get a blog started and help them up their social media game. And that's cool. There's a big market out there for that, and lots of opportunities to be had.
But is anyone else tired - I mean EXHAUSTED - of their favorite bloggers "going to the dark side" and posting nonstop sponsored content? Their Instagram feeds are full of "like it to know it" photos, meaning you'll get an obnoxious email sent to you if you like their photos with affiliate links to buy whatever is in said photo. Or they're posting about the free crap they got from some brand. Basically, every photo has "#ad" in it, if they're properly disclosing their photos. I'm talking at least 80 percent of their content is branded crap. Yeah, I calculated that statistic. Real numbers, right there.
Even their Instagram stories are full of sponsored content where all they do is link brands and add required hashtags. I'm sorry, but is it just me that finds that SO INSANELY boring?! Instagram stories kinda took over Snapchat because of the much better reach you get on them, and I see so much branded stuff it's actually more entertaining to watch commercials on TV. Because at least those are well-lit and have actors who legitimately know how to act, unlike an influencer on Instagram stories pretending to love a product they're rep'ping.
Here's the truth on the matter: I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated because I'm writing posts from my heart, that actually have things to say about things, and I'm watching other bloggers who only do sponsored work make so much more money than I do and get more opportunities than I do. Their blogs aren't entertaining or providing useful information. It's literally just a dumping ground of public relations nonsense. And these bloggers are growing and exploding and it's BLOWING MY MIND. Am I jealous? Sure. While I wouldn't post nonstop sponsored content here, I'd love to increase my income. I'd love more followers, especially if these followers engaged in pre-planned, pre-bought content.
I don't understand what people find relateable about this content. How does a photo of a protein shake get 2k likes?! How do these bloggers grow when they're basically shoving paid advertising down their followers throats nonstop? Basically, I don't get how THEY'RE growing and I'm remaining stagnant. And it's driving me nuts. Yes, comparison is the thief of joy and clearly I'm comparing myself to them and feeling bummed out. But it's mind-boggling.
In June, I resolved to blog again about the things that matter to me. To focus on a good mix of content of DIYs, recipes, thoughts and ramblings, topics in motherhood and so on. Now that we're in the second week of July, and I don't have a single sponsored post planned for this month, I'm just annoyed. I'm annoyed at the growth of the influencers who (to me) seem so fake and bought and unrelateble and frankly - unlikable. But they're growing like mad.
My attitude is clearly a problem. I could work a little harder. And I know that the summer months are sloooowwwww for bloggers. But I wanted to start a discussion, with both non-bloggers and bloggers alike: What are your thoughts on influencers who post nonstop branded content? Are you engaged with them and liking their social media posts to have it help you in some capactiy? Are you personally friends with these people? Do you genuinely like their work? Let's discuss! Am I just in desperate need of an attitude adjustment or is this something we all find annoying?
If I'm being totally honest, I feel like it's kinda a popularity contest where people are engaging with these bloggers because they're the "popular girls" in the lunchroom, and other bloggers desperately want to sit at their popular girl table. They don't really like said popular girl, but they want a piece of the popular girl pie. Am I wrong here?
Being a "it" blogger is absolutely a popularity contest. I'm just so sick of the cliques. I'm so sick of the pods. I'm so sick of people acting interested when they're not. And yeah, I'm sick of nonstop paid content. I don't mind paid content, but I want it to be a mix of paid and non paid.
I think it's a bit boring when people are not creative in showcasing sponsored content. There's a difference there. I post primarily sponsored stuff, but most of the time you may not know until you read a disclaimer at the end. I think it's frustrating that A-people are cheating to grow B- people who deem themselves as "influencers" are actually very ignorant, and in turn those people are unfortunately the most successful C- people genuinely don't want to grow (i.e. learn photography, staging, editing) and D- people don't even put an ounce of thought into sponsored content (when the brand's brief allows you to).
You're not alone in this; not only am I not growing, I'm LOSING followers (well, in terms of Instagram. Blog and Facebook are slow and steady up). I also am confused at the types of posts that soar with likes and comments. I left a comment group because they were alllllllllllll sponsored posts and it was quite dull. Now I'm only in a few groups with people I actually care to see their content.
Blogging pays the bills. It's up to the bloggers to make it useful and not just throwing stuff in people's faces. But what gets me is the behind the scenes stuff...bloggers making insane amounts of money and paying people to like and promote their stuff. THAT'S how they get so many followers, that's how they get so many likes on a picture of a bottle of shampoo. That's how. I honestly like real life stuff, sponsored or not. 50 pics of you in Cabo isn't going to make me like you. Whether you're holding a bottle of expensive wine or Tylenol or not. Don't let it get you down. Just be real. Real people can see real followers and real comments.
I agree with those of you who said balance is key. It is. Most of us are in this to try and make a living but if you're always selling then it loses the personal touch that we all enjoy blogging and reading.
I have been blogging for almost 4 years. I have done sponsored content a few times and made money with it. I don't go for every gig and only share what I truly feel my readers will want to see and/or know about. Yes, I have stopped reading blogs because many bloggers have done a lot and turned "commercial", but without the ability to make money, some blogs wouldn't be around (like mine). I use the money to supply my blog with content.
I don't clique up with bloggers. As a matter of fact, I don't have a posse of anyone. I am cordial with everyone and mostly keep to myself. I blog about what I want and have worked very hard to network my work throughout the social media world. I don't rely on anyone to do it for me. Up until this weekend, I haven't even invested money into my blog for anything other than project supplies and my domain name.
Having a fruitful blog takes a really long time and a whole lot of effort. Numerous places I've read have stated that it takes 10x longer to put your posts in front of people's eyes than it does to actually write it.
I am not completely disagreeing with you, I just feel like there's two sides to this. Maybe I'm the "missunderstood loner" in this high school.
I agree with Gena. Keep it real and it will come back to you. The rest will fall away.
I'm so sorry your frustrated girl! I totally hear you and feel the same way. Stay true to who you are!
I hear you and your frustrations. I just dgaf. I posted more sponsored content last year. I have a full time job and this isn't to pay my bills, moreso a place to chronicle my life and meet like minded people and if I can make a buck or two or two paid now and then, that's good enough for me. Blogging is tough $hit.
I know how you feel. I do sponsored posts from time to time but I know a few girls who are just ad factories and it gets old that they rarely ever post non sponsored content.
Yep. I'm over the people who post only sponsored content. Most of the time it doesn't feel genuine. There are exceptions, obviously. You know I could go on and on. I'm just over what blogging has become for so many.
It's wonderful to write from the heart and even more amazing when you're connecting with people because of it. Try not to focus too much on what others are doing.
Nothing turns me off faster than constant sponsored content. I totally understand how you feel, but it's always best to "just do you!" Good for you!
I couldn't agree with you more. This blog post really hit home with me and is probably one of the reasons I have quit blogging for so long. I can't play with the big dogs so I quit. But do I really want to play with the big dogs? I started blogging when blogging FIRST started, back in the early 90s, when it was a real BLOG thing and not what it is today - where every one is an expert at this or that. BLAH! So I may just go back to regular blogging again, just putting stuff out there, my thoughts and opinions and leave it at that. LOVE this post.
Thanks for the real post, it's greatly appreciated!! Sorry you're feeling so frustrated, sounds like you're in the right headspace though. Be you-- you're impacting people whether you know it or not.
A to the men!!! I'm sorry you're so frustrated, but I feel you friend, I feel you!
Right? You pretty much just said what I've been thinking! One of my favorite blogs went to the dark side and gets paid by an ad company. It's painful to read her blog. All the photos are covered by ads. Ads pop up at random times. Now I'm not above doing product reviews or sponsored posts but even those are written in my voice with my readers in mind. My blog is mine--and I'll probably never be able to quit my day job!
I've been blogging for nearly 7 years. Not one sponsered post. I started and continue to blog to connect with people and share ideas. I just signed up to an affiliate program. For books. The book love came before my burning desire to get 30 pence if you happen to like the same books I do. You are welcome to join us at the geeks table!
This is such an interesting perspective! It does feel that way sometimes!
i'm not gonna lie, i straight up ignore most sponsored posts now. i totally think that for non bloggers who read blogs, the sponsored posts aren't as obvious and they think the blogger is really sharing something they really use or care about. but when i am 'friends' with a blogger, i want to hear about their life or what things they really do/use. props to them for making money and stuff, but i don't have to read it. i think i'm in the minority with not wanting this to be a career or make any kind of money, so i don't judge those who do want that, i'm just not going to 'waste my time' (that sounds harsh but you know what i mean) reading something i don't actually care about.
I feel the same way. I wish blogging would be how it was about 5 years ago--telling our stories!
This is such an interesting post! I especially feel this way on YouTube, but bloggers have tried to become YouTube, and ARGH it's all a chain effect. Thanks for the fantastic discussion!


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The U.S. Made Life Hell For Iraqi Women. Trump Will Make It Worse.
Iraqi women could have helped stabilize the country. Instead, they have been left homeless, widowed and impoverished.
Lauren Sandler, Columnist
President George W. Bush addresses the nation on May 1, 2003, in front of the now-infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner.
STEPHEN JAFFE via Getty Images
The banner on the USS Abraham Lincoln read "Mission Accomplished." President George W. Bush grinned and gave a boastful thumbs-up before reading from his teleprompter about America's victory in Iraq. Fifteen years later, Mission Accomplished has become Mission Impossible. And as Islamophobic uber-hawks Mike Pompeo and John Bolton rise to rule our foreign policy and national security, Iraq has become a hellscape for women.
Once, they hoped for progress; now, they hope only for death. This month, Amnesty International released a new report about the very human and horrific lives of women in Iraq since armed territorial conflict with the group known as the Islamic State began to quiet down last year. Its title, "The Condemned: Women and Children Isolated, Trapped and Exploited in Iraq," can hardly overstate its contents. It is the story of life today for thousands of families headed up by women who have attempted to survive after male family members were killed or forcibly disappeared by opposition forces. The report makes The Handmaid's Tale look like a Disney confection.
Many of these women live in internal displacement camps without food or health care, and endure violent rape as a regular fact of life. If you are a woman in one of these camps, you might only get aid, cash or protection for yourself and your children in exchange for sex, at the coercion of security forces, armed guards and members of militias. If you are linked to a man perceived to have Islamic State ties ― he could be a cook or a driver, or just share a name with a man on a bogus list of suspects ― camp personnel will withhold the identity cards and the other documents you need to work or even to move freely. Not that it matters much, since you will have probably been forbidden to leave your camp, which has become a de facto detention center. Not that you have a home to return to safely anymore.
"Once, they hoped for progress; now, they hope only for death."
"Each night I say to myself, 'Tonight is the night I'm going to die,'" one woman told Amnesty investigators, describing how guards took her from her tent, raped her at gunpoint, and then returned her to the tent to show everyone gathered there how the guards could "take away my honor." Another said, "Sometimes I ask myself: why didn't I just die in an air strike? I attempted to commit suicide but I didn't follow through. I put the kerosene on myself, but before I set it on fire I thought of my son."
While it is hard to imagine life getting worse for these women, the report warns that it likely will soon, projecting a significant decrease in international funding for Iraq's humanitarian crisis.
When I arrived in Iraq to report a few months after Bush's foolish, hubristic performance, his gleaming promise of liberation from a despot who had strangled the nation had rusted considerably, exposing the shoddy machinery of the operation. While the exiled Iraqi professor Kanan Makiya had assured Bush that his people would greet Americans in uniform with "sweets and flowers," U.S. soldiers found a wary welcome. As many Iraqis told me in those post-invasion days, Iraqis still lived in what Makiya famously called a "Republic of Fear," smiling nervously at neighbors, speaking the truth of their political sentiments to no one, often not even to family members. If the Americans could fix unemployment, broken infrastructure and oppression, then fine, the Americans would be liberators. The first Gulf War hadn't yielded such progress. They'd grit their teeth and see, they told me.
Bush's United Nations representative John Bolton shakes hands with the president in 2006. Bolton is now advising President Donald Trump on national security.
Larry Downing / Reuters
Among Iraqi women, there had been real hope that a U.S. invasion might bring liberation. Baghdad, after all, had been a place where just a few decades before, women outnumbered men in doctoral programs and promenaded along the Tigris River in miniskirts. Life under Saddam Hussein had changed all that. While his power was secular, it brought tides of oppression and poverty that drove women to the mosques, where there was some measure of security. Men, rendered powerless by an authoritarian state, and then by Western occupation, tightened their fists around women in the name of Allah.
I'll never forget visiting a hospital in Baghdad after the invasion, where the staff of doctors and nurses was entirely female and everyone worked in a hijab. One of the doctors showed me a framed photograph she kept of the staff from 10 years earlier. Not one woman was covered. "This is what has happened to us. Maybe liberation will change it," she told me.
Liberation did not change it, because liberation never came.
"Among Iraqi women, there had been real hope. Baghdad, after all, had been a place where just a few decades before, women outnumbered men in doctoral programs."
In kitchens and living rooms, I heard stories of rape and persecution, of the threat of honor killings, of life gone from terrifyingly bad to much, much worse. One woman in tight jeans and flowing locks, whose main fury when I met her in 2003 was about an adulterous "son of a bitch" ex-husband having all the rights under the ruling personal status code, called me in terror months later, insisting I get her out of the city she swore she'd never leave. Another, a student who before the invasion had been writing her sociology dissertation, was now hiding in a dark house after being kidnapped, raped and thrown from a car, a jagged seam stitched along her skull under her dyed curls. "You call this liberation?" became the refrain I heard from women who had allowed themselves to hope for a return to the Baghdad they, and their mothers, had known.
All these women, and their mothers, could have been an asset to the effort to stabilize the country, the region. Instead, so many of them have been rendered invisible. Homeless, widowed, impoverished. Missing in civilian action, just for being born in a place filled with oil and unrest.
It's not like Bush and his cronies didn't know what they were getting into. Or rather, it's not like they weren't told. I interviewed people at the State Department who had spent their careers planning for the possibility of a war in Iraq, considering the necessity of maintaining electricity, water, security, employment, cultural heritage ― and the rights of women. They knew what was at risk. They told me of briefings ignored, of meetings canceled, of trying to warn a White House where no one seemed to register their concerns. Leaders on both sides of the Atlantic had been warned how destabilizing such a conflict could be for generations to come, and how to avoid the worst-case scenarios for Iraqis that have come to pass. Not chemical warfare, as people feared, but something far more invisible. An internal refugee crisis so invisible, people barely talk about it anymore.
CIA Director Mike Pompeo testifies during an April 12 confirmation hearing on his nomination to be secretary of state.
Leah Millis / Reuters
Bolton, now President Donald Trump's national security adviser, was one of the men who led Iraq to ruin by lobbying for this war in the exact inhumane form it took. Either he chose to be blind to the instability and humanitarian crisis to come, or he chose to ignore it. His professionalized hatred of Islam and the Arab world suggests the latter; it's hard to care about people if you can barely see them as people.
Then there's Pompeo. Though the secretary of state nominee murmured otherwise this week to quiet the yipping of turncoat Republican Sen. Rand Paul, Pompeo has been a career defender of the Iraq War, and perhaps exceeds even Bolton in what The Washington Post calls his "Islamophobia problem." Steve Bannon himself couldn't have picked a couple of men to more credibly threaten the lives of anyone born in the Middle East.
In 2003, soon after the United Nations building in Baghdad was bombed, a woman in her 60s welcomed me into her art-filled parlor. She had run a cultural center before the invasion; her mahogany-dyed hair was still uncovered. "I didn't think it could get worse," she said, referring to the crisis of life after the invasion: regular IED explosions, rolling blackouts, extremist violence in the Sadr City neighborhood, and families hiding in their homes. I don't know where she is now. I don't know where the divorcee is, or the sociology student, or dozens of other women I spent time with during those months. "How bad can it get, really?" she asked rhetorically, shaking her head. For 15 years now, it's seemed like it can't get worse ― until it does.
Lauren Sandler is a journalist and the author of Righteous, One and Only and a forthcoming book about a year in the life of a young homeless mother.
ALSO ON HUFFPOST OPINION
Opinion | Mike Pompeo's Anti-Gay Views Should Disqualify Him
Opinion | War With Iran Won't Be Iraq All Over Again. It'll Be Much Worse.
Opinion | Why A Former CIA Director Shouldn't Run The State Department
IraqIraq warMike PompeoJohn Boltonhumanitarian crisis
OPINION: It's Time For Democrats To Accept That Norms Are Dead
OPINION: I Thought We'd All Have Teslas By Now
OPINION: How 2020's Heroes Became 2022's Acceptable Casualties


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The Way Forward-Moving Toward Net Zero Energy Standards
Alawode, A and Rajagopalan, P 2018, 'The Way Forward-Moving Toward Net Zero Energy Standards' in Priyadarsini Rajagopalan, Mary Myla Andamon, Trivess Moore (ed.) Energy Performance in the Australian Built Environment, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd, Singapore, pp. 199-214.
Alawode, A
Rajagopalan, P
Energy Performance in the Australian Built Environment
Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd
Priyadarsini Rajagopalan, Mary Myla Andamon, Trivess Moore
Building Science and Techniques
Net zero energy building standards have been gaining prominence lately as the next performance target for buildings. However, despite the demonstrated benefits of such building performance across triple bottom-line concepts, Australia is yet to formulate a policy toward adopting a net zero energy building standard. Evidence from various scholars suggests that Australia cannot delay the implementation of deep improvements in energy efficiency in the built environment any longer, as issues of energy security, affordability and increasing greenhouse gas emissions have become critical. This chapter reviews recent advances in the high-performance building standards with emphasis on global developments of net zero energy standards and discusses how Australia is positioned in relation to this standard and the ways Australia might move forward to this standard.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019
10.1007/978-981-10-7880-4_13
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7880-4_13 Link to Published Version


text:
Q: PHPUnit pass configuration file and test file path I want to keep as much of my configuration stored in a configuration file as possible. There are times when I want to only run the tests in a specific file in addition to using my normal configuration options. Is there a way to pass both a configuration file and a single test filepath for PHPUnit to run?

A: Can you use testsuites?
Example:
Config file:
<testsuites>
    <testsuite name="Example">
        <directory suffix="Test.php">src/tests</directory>
        <file>tests/WhateverTest.php</file>
    </testsuite>
</testsuites>

Command line:
phpunit --testsuite Example

?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


As a "contemporary realist painter," i am constantly looking for visual ways to explore shapes, make meaningful marks, establish color relationships, organize space, find metaphors. Nature ("morte" and "vivante") reliably provides multiple opportunities.
I have recently become visually fascinated by the northern coast and its unruly ocean and crashing waves, unpredictable currents, enduring rocks, ever changing contours and light, moody reflections, moving skies. Its ominous presence elicits both anxiety and comfort, unease and reverence, danger and trepidation, a certain longing… It is a place of chaos where the whimsical can rapidly transform into the catastrophic! (and environmental concerns) Contradictory emotional states get amped up! (Which is what compels me to paint!) The intimacy of my seascapes is a humble attempt to tame this mysterious force.
Oscillating between intimate connections with Nature, I also look at familiar objects and their reassuring domesticity. The things i care about, their tactile presence, their vibrant simplicity, their ephemeral power, their feminine modesty, the way I arrange them, the way they embody the memory of times and people in my life, their "hidden" little massages and drama, their seemingly unimportance… Still lifes hold symbols, seasonal cycles, personal meaning, a sense of vanitas , despite their "no fuss" quality. The same way the ocean does.
In the end, these small paintings are a quiet celebration of life, impermanence and hope and solitary bliss.


text:
Tension in East Jerusalem Reach a Boiling Point
Tensions in East Jerusalem Reach a Boiling Point
Tensions in Jerusalem have been rising ever since March 31, 2014, the day peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians came to an abrupt halt. Negotiations about land division also stopped in March when Israel refused to release Palestinian political prisoners. Palestine retaliated by filing for international recognition with the United Nations. Rela tions between these two groups of people have historically been unstable, as they have fought over land for generations upon generations.
One highly contested area is East Jerusalem, where more recent fighting erupted on October 30. East Jerusalem has historical and religious significance for both the Arabs and the Israelis, and each party insists that in order to reach any sort of peace agreement the area must go to them.
Early the week of October 27 a Palestinian man was reported to have shot and wounded a US born Jewish Activist named Yehuda Glick. Only hours later, Israeli police tracked down and killed the suspect. This choice on behalf of the police did not receive a great response: Palestinians and crowds of people took to the streets where the man was killed, shouting and throwing sticks and stones at the Police, who responded with rubber bullets. The police also closed a Jewish and Muslim holy site, which only angered the people more.
The closed holy site is called Temple Mount by the Jewish people, while Muslims call know it as Noble Sanctuary. However, only Muslims are allowed to pray there. The man who was shot there was a Jewish activist, campaigning for Jews to be able to pray in the sacred space as well. The area of the holy site is also technically controlled by Jordan, so there is fear that this will only complicate things further.
And on November 5, things got worse. Two separate cars drove into crowds of Israelis, killing one person and injuring another. The incident, publicly lambasted as a terrorist attack, was followed by protests across Arab communities over the weekend of November 8, after more information about the police attack came to light.
The Israeli police claimed that the man they shot came at them with a knife. However, video evidence shows that the man approaching the police came with some sort of object, possibly a knife, but backed away before being shot. The Israeli Justice Department is reportedly looking into the incident, but the process is not happening quickly enough for protesters.
After more than a year of tension and violent demonstrations, many fear that the situation in Jerusalem is only going to continue spiraling downward, getting worse as time goes on.


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Endorsement watch: Is that all there is?
For the second consecutive day, there are no endorsements in the Chron's op-ed pages (though there is the anticipated Rosa Parks obituary), which leads me to wonder if they've done all the endorsing they plan to do. Why that would be, and why they've skipped these particular races and propositions, are mysteries to me.
For example, the Express News has offered a recommendation on all nine propositions – you can see seven of them here, with the two others here and here. The Morning News has a concise summary of all of its recommendations here. The Statesman did an all-in-one piece almost two weeks ago. That's not so hard, is it? I mean, sure, there's city elections in Houston and not in these other places, but Dallas has over a dozen city propositions on its ballot, and the DMN has reviewed all of them by now. So where is the Chronicle?
Well, at least we're still getting race coverage. Today's piece is on the two contested HISD trustee races, one of which will be on my ballot.
Trustee Karla Cisneros' decision not to seek re-election in District 1 set up the three-way match for her seat, and the outcome could change the board's ethnic makeup.
A win by Anne Flores Santiago or Richard Cantú would give Hispanics three of HISD's nine school board seats. More than half of HISD's 210,000 students are Hispanic. Cisneros is Anglo and married to a Hispanic.
The current board comprises four whites, three blacks and two Hispanics.
Cisneros has endorsed Natasha Kamrani, a 37-year-old lawyer who came to Houston from Ohio 15 years ago as a Teach for America corps member teaching Spanish-speaking students at Edison Middle School.
Her husband, Chris Barbic, runs the YES College Prep charter schools.
Kamrani said she would push to improve HISD's middle schools and support policies aimed at preparing all high school graduates for college.
Santiago, 38, wants to expand an HISD partnership with the Houston Community College System that allows high school students to earn college credits. Too many HISD students are graduating without basic skills, she said.
"We need to make sure our students can read and write when they graduate from high school," Santiago said at a recent candidates' forum. Santiago owns a private ambulance service and her mother, Yolanda Navarro Flores, is a member of the community college board. She is endorsed by HISD Trustee Diana Dávila, the wife of HCCS board member Abel Dávila.
Cantú, 36, runs Mayor Bill White's Citizens' Assistance Office and is the only District 1 candidate who has sought a school board seat before. He has promised to make teacher pay raises and HISD's high dropout rate his top priorities.
He is endorsed by HISD's main teachers union, the Houston Federation of Teachers.
Cantu said he supports HISD's partnership with Project GRAD, a non-profit group that promises $4,000 college scholarships to graduates from certain low-income schools. The organization requires the schools it supports to use its teaching methods and strict disciplinary practices. HISD trustees this year cut Project GRAD's budget by $1 million amid concerns from some administrators that the organization hasn't delivered strong enough results.
Cisneros has endorsed Kamrani, who is definitely the favorite choice in my neighborhood. I'll have more on this shortly, but in the meantime I'll point you to Kamrani's website so you can learn more about her, and to my previous Q&A session with Cantu.
Finally, the tireless Sal Costello has a pointer to more video of him disputing pro-Prop 1 assertions. Eye on Williamson has more on yesterday's Costello video, plus a plea to help No Nonsense In November in that county.
UPDATE: Forgot to note that BOR has some information on statewide coverage of the Save Texas Marriage effort, and that Jonathan Ichikawa was way ahead of the curve on this one.
← My question for Bill A little piling on Kay →
I wonder how many of the upper middle class Heights residents send their kids to public school. Is Kamrani really interested in making Hogg, Marshall, Burbank and Hamilton better? Will the upper middle class Heights residents send their kids to the neighborhood schools? Or is she going to vote to divert more money to places like KIPP, further starving the neighborhood schools and not making them better at all?
Natasha Kamrani says:
YES, I am interested in improving Hogg, Marshall, Burbank and Hamilton. I'm a former middle school teacher–I taught English as a Second Language at HISD's Edison Middle School on the eastside of town. I know first-hand how tremendously we need reform in our middle schools and I also know that without improving our middle schools, we are missing what is, perhaps, the most important effort in addressing our high school drop out problem and our lack of college ready high school graduates. If you look at our district, you will see that our challenges with low test scores, school attendance and low parental involvement begin to occur in a widespread way at our middle school. Many of the reforms that HISD currently has underway in high schools–smaller learning communities, more rigorous curriculum, remediation of instruction–are all logical steps we need to take immediately in our middle schools. Most kids who drop out do so during their ninth grade year, subsequently, implementing reforms at the high school level is misdirected effort. I am committed to making middle school reform a central part of my effort as a school board member.
Additionally, while I may be described as an upper middle class Heights resident, I've a strong history of working to increase educational opportunities for our city's most underserved students–first as a teacher and then as Executive Director of Teach For America. I worked, most recently, to help open our district's first All Montessori School which offers what is typically a high dollar private school education at no cost to HISD students.
The notion that I am running this race and plann on serving as a representative for only a few is an absurd notion.
I think all parents in my district–those who could be described as upper middle class Heights residents and those that could be described as not having the same financial resources–share the very same dream. Simply put, all parents–rich, poor, black, white or Hispanic, want good public schools to send their children to. And I am a representative of all these parents in my district, and all children in my district. And I most assuredly would not be running if I didn't believe that I had the background, the desire and the work ethic to help make ALL parents' dream a reality.
As regards schools like KIPP, let me first say that I would never support any effort that would lead to "starving the neighborhood schools and not making them better at all." I will say that I am a huge fan of all high performing public schools. Some of these high performing public schools are HISD schools and some of these high performing public schools are charter schools. I do not support charter schools that mismanage funds and fail to provide children with the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
It's important to know a few basics about charter school finance too before making the sort of statements Marie has regarding their "starving" HISD schools. Charter schools receive per pupil funding. For each child enrolled in a charter school, the per pupil allotment from the district the child is zoned to follows the child LESS facilities costs. What this means is that a school district does NOT lose capital costs as a result of a child going to a charter school. Charter schools are required to do more with less than our district and our district ends up, in essense, with more money than it would typically get when a child enrolls in a charter rather than the district to which he or she is zoned. Additionally, the number of chidren within our district that are enrolled in charter schools rather than HISD is miniscule. Our district enrolls 210,000 students. Our city's charter schools are barely making a dent in this number. Finally, it's so incredibly important to concentrate on what great charter schools do to HELP HISD. Great charter schools like KIPP and YES College Prep are achieving awesome results with student populations very similar to the student population of HISD. For instance, YES College Prep sends 100% of its high school graduates to four year colleges and universities. What this says to me is: HEY! If this school (with less funding) can achieve results like this with kids who are similar to the vast majority of students in HISD, what's HISD's excuse. Let's take a good long look at what these schools are doing and implement these strategies too!
These "laboratory" schools, so to speak, provide our district with a real opportunity to see how things work, to see what will work in our district and to execute ideas that work for our own students.
If you have any other questions about me, about what I've written or about any other topic concerning education, please feel free to visit my website at http://www.onesmartmommy.com and shoot me an e-mail.
Natasha Kamrani
The person I voted for is a fan of public schools, not just the "high performing" public schools. Ms. Kamrani – I am a product of public education and I attended schools in the neighborhood. While I appreciate your response to my post, you have to understand some community concerns. While we all share the values of wanting the best educations for our children, it starts with equalizing the playing field within HISD. Davis, Sam Houston and Reagan have been losing kids for years to schools like Lamar and Bellaire. When are we going to have someone on school board to fight to make our schools better? We don't need "laboratories" to experiment with what works. That experiment has been happening for years across town at Lanier, Lamar, T.H. Rogers and Bellaire. Those schools work. We all want the best opportunities for our kids, but there is no good reason why we should have to bus our kids across town for them to have those opportunities.
Problem is, the schools you listed, Lanier, Lamar, T.H. Rogers and Bellaire do NOT work for ALL kids. Under the federal No Child Left Behind, districts are now responsible for "de-aggregating" data on schools. What we learn from this de-aggregation, which essentially means breaking out test scores by race, is that these schools that HISD has held up as examples of what works, are not working for ALL kids. Hispanic and African-American students at the schools listed are NOT performing all that much higher at these schools than they are performing at other schools throughout the district. This is a sad, sad fact and, this is why, schools that do have high levels of academic achievement across all racial lines must be examined for what they are doing and how we can learn from them.
And, my goal is not to have a few high performing schools–that's simply ridiculous. ALL schools need to be operating at a high level (meaning all children are achieving academically). This is my sole goal. I assure you that my work on the school board will be to ensure that District I schools are operating in such a fashion that children and families have confidence that a first-rate public education will be offered to all who enter the school's doors…
I'm sorry I didn't receive your vote, but I certainly look forward to more dialogue with you in the future–either here or over the phone. If you would like to contact me at natashaforhisd@hotmail.com, I would be more than happy to give you my phone number, Marie.
I hope you are well,


OpenSDA는 open-standard 시리얼 디버거 어댑터로 MSD Bootloader 및 USB CDC기능을 가진다.
NXP, Freescale사의 보드의 경우 P&E micro사의 솔루션이 들어가 있는데 보드에 오래된 bootloader가 들어가 있으면 업데이트를 해야하며 다음과 같은 순서로 업데이트를 한다. 어떤 OS에서는 캐쉬기능 때문에 파일을 넣어도 write가 안된 경우도 있고, Windows8, Windows 10에서 문제가 있다고 하기도 함.
Unplug the USB cable (if attached).
Plug in a USB cable from a USB Host to the OpenSDA USB port.
A removable drive will be visible in the host file system with a volume label of BOOTLOADER.
보드의 LED는 다음과 상태값을 가진다.
Resin.io의 홈페이지에는 다음과 같이 자신들의 서비스를 설명을 한다.
Resin.io brings the benefits of Linux containers to the IoT. Develop iteratively, deploy safely, and manage at scale.
Linux containers to the IoT… 리눅스 기반의 IoT 디바이스를 위한 도커같은 서비스 일 것 같다.
resin.io 에 계정을 생성후 SSH 키 설정하여 resin에 저장을 하는데, 깃헙계정으로 로그인 할 경우 깃헙계정에 저장된 SSH 키 중 하나를 선택한다.
~/.ssh/config 파일을 다음과 같이 만든다.
다음과 같이 SSH 키를 클립보드에 복사후 github 계정에 설정한다.
Add device를 클릭하고 위에서 선택한 라즈베리파이에 맞는 이미지를 다운로드 한다.
다운로드한 이미지를 Etcher로 SD로 굽는다.
라즈베리파이가 부팅이 끝나면 dashboard에서 확인이 가능하다.
다음과 같이 remote endpoint를 추가한다. 주의) 여기서 USERNAME은 resin의 USERNAME이고, APPNAME은 위에서 생성한 Application 이름으로 대쉬보드에서 보인다.
다음과 같이 push를 하면 resin 서버에 코드가 업로드되고 기기에 코드가 적용이 된다.
– RPI에 SD를 넣고, 시리얼 포트를 연결하고 맥의 터미널에서 115200으로 연결한다.
gpio readall하면 다음과 같이 RPI의 핀맵을 알 수 있다.
vi ~/.vimrc하여 다음과 같이 설정한다.
$ ssh-keygen -t rsa -C "Your name <your_email_address>"
~/.ssh의 위치에 id_rsa와 id_rsa.pub가 생성이 된다. 참고로 맥에서 숨김 파일을 보려면 SHIFT + CMD + .
~/.ssh/config 파일을 다음과 같이 생성한다.
IoTivity Gerrit에 로그인을 한후 Settings 메뉴에서 id_rsa.pub 파일의 내용 copy & paste 한다.


text:
ABOUTsamuel2018-11-30T10:56:26+08:00
Over the last 50 years
microelectronic advances
have transformed our experience and lifestyle.
From box televisions to ultra-thin curvy high-resolution displays, from brick phones to slick mobile phones and smart watches, electronic devices are becoming increasingly light-weight, conformal and more intimately integrated with us. Flexible electronics are emerging over the last decade to enable this evolution in form factor. Rigid electronics like Silicon Chips have evolved to be ultra small, ultra energy efficient, and fast. On the other hand, ink-printed electronics enables low-cost components in large-area format (e.g. paper, plastic, elastomers) to enable new form factors and interactivity with us and the environment. An exciting emerging field of hybrid flexible electronics where printed and rigid semiconductor technologies, combine to overcome their respective limitations, is gaining traction and generating new innovative applications.
The Hybrid Integrated Flexible Electronic Systems (HiFES) program is an initiative by NUS and Faculty of Engineering to spearhead innovations in hybrid flexible electronics. It proposes system approaches to flexible electronics by integrating materials, device fabrication, and design through co-design. This brings together multi-disciplinary expertise across the campus with clear goals towards realizing more functionally capable devices.
The emergence and evolution of flexible electronics presents an exciting time for NUS and Faculty of Engineering, a time of change and opportunity. We are excited to start a new multi-team research program to explore and innovate in Hybrid Flexible Electronic Technologies. The mission of The Hybrid Integrated Flexible Electronic Systems (HiFES) program is to push the frontier of the technology to address three broad areas of application: smart human machine interfaces and wearables; autonomous robotics; as well as diagnostic and medical applications. Today we have 15 leading professors in the NUS HiFES program. Their interdisciplinary teams are engaged in research projects that span ultra-low power circuit design, RF, Wearables, Energy, and Hardware Security utilizing Hybrid Flexible Technologies. We continue to seek new collaborations to enrich the research work and find opportunity to translate the technology for societal impact. We also welcome industry partners to join our consortium to work closely with us to develop disruptive cutting-edge applications for commercialization. We appreciate your interests and look forward to your participation.
Aaron Thean
Aaron Thean is the Director of HiFES and a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the National University of Singapore. He also serves as the Co-Director for A*Star SIMTech – NUS Joint Laboratory for Large-Area Flexible Hybrid Electronics. In addition to his technical responsibilities, Aaron has been appointed as NUS' Director of Industry Engagement and Partnerships at the Office of Deputy President (Research-Technology)
Together with our partners, we work towards realizing more functionally capable device for better lives!
Department of Electrical& Computing Engineering
Department of BiomedicalEngineering
Centre for Advanced 2D Materials
Organic Nano Device Laboratory
Temasek Laboratories


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A long-range outlook discussing the expected weather conditions over the next 1-3 weeks.


There's a club if you'd like to go: The Grove Social Club Disco. | Come Here To Me!
There's a club if you'd like to go: The Grove Social Club Disco.
Youth culture in Dublin is a reoccurring theme on the blog, from the Beat Clubs to the Teddy Boys.
Moral panic around youth discos in the 1960s was very real; readers of one newspaper were warned in 1967 that "a young boy or girl put on the way to becoming regular drinkers can only finish up as moral wrecks." Plenty of column inches were lost on purple hearts and marijuana. Yet while plenty of newspaper ink went on that, there were also advertisements from young men and women looking to rent spaces across the city for discos. In an affectionate remembrance piece on the youth discos of 1970s Dublin, the journalist Niall Bourke recalled how "your arse wouldn't touch the ground until you hit the tarmac of the car park outside if you were found in possession of any dodgy substances." It would be foolish to suggest drink wasn't a factor in it all – Jason Duffy recalled "finishing off a few drinks in St. Anne's Park before making our way into St. Paul's" – but anyone who thought it the main attraction of a night out missed the point.
Every time I hear certain songs I'm right back there remembering the Grove. There was just a vibe. I think a place like that is special because someone like Cecil,who was from another generation, came up and related to every teenager who went over a thirty year period.
Hard rock took over for a period, but as Bourke noted, Cecil "knew how to work a crowd…during his career he presented the different genres of metal, punk, gothic and grunge to the ever-enthusiastic punters who lapped it all up with absolute relish." A discussion on a forum dedicated to the club gives a sense of its 1980s playlist. The Damned and Motorhead competed for time against The Smiths, XTC and 10cc. Leonard Cohen's Suzanne is recalled too, presumably a 'slow dance and snog' type of number. The last song played at The Grove in 1997 was Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit, a classic teenage angst anthem which includes the line "Here we are now, entertain us." For thirty years, The Grove entertained without disappointment.
In 2006, RTÉ produced a True Lives feature special entitled The Grove: More Than A Feeling. Including contributions from RTÉ's own Eileen Dunne, Marty Whelan and the comedian Brendan Bourke, it was a nostalgic but important piece of social history. It captured the sense of community which existed – and continues to exist – around the club. Reunion nights, instigated by former Grover Andy Colbert and featuring the original club DJ Cecil Nolan, have ensured that the community remains today.
We salute all involved on fifty years of a club culture in Dublin, and may their reunions continue long into the future!
For a membership card from The Grove, see this recent addition to The National Treasures project. My thanks to Dr. Linda King, with whom I am working on National Treasures, for putting the idea for this article into my head!
Another great entry, thank you.


text:
History of Ireland "Doughnut" Earrings
Elegant, smooth, sterling silver earrings in a circular "doughnut" shape with a stud back fitting from the History of Ireland range. Each features a series of images representing periods from Ireland's history.
Among the symbols are the circle of life (reminiscent of the symbols of our early inhabitants), St. Patrick, a round tower, a viking ship, a Norman soldier representing the Norman invasion, a horseman for the Battle of the Boyne, a harp for the United Irishmen, the Irish tricolour flag, two figures representing the period of the Famine, a ship to represent Ireland's emigrants, Dublin's General Post Office (a significant building in the 1916 Rising), and the map of modern Ireland and Northern Ireland.


India is very popular among foreign nationals for its Ayurveda. If you are unaware what it is, Ayurveda is an ancient system of life and medicine. It is used to heal people and has been in India for thousands of years. It uses minerals and naturally occurring substances to heal.
To get yourself a better insight; here are a few pieces we invite you to read.
Trabug - India's First Travel Phone will be a tool that will help you explore India and will make your precious trips more enjoyable and completely hassle free. Time is of value and Trabug helps you save time everywhere as Trabug is loaded with recommendations about places to visit, to eat and about things to do. It also keeps your budget in check.
Check out this site to know more about/use the Trabug services.


text:
Q: How do I increase the transition time for an onmouseover event in javascript?

$(function() {
$('details').on('mouseover', function() {
$(this).attr('open', true);
}).on('mouseout', function() {
$(this).attr('open', false);
})
});
summary::-webkit-details-marker {
color: #00008B;
font-size: 75%;
margin-right: 2px;
}
summary:focus {
outline-style: none;
}
article > details > summary {
font-size: 14px;
margin-top: 16px;
}
details > p {
margin-left: 24px;
}
details details {
margin-left: 36px;
}
details details summary {
font-size: 14px;
}
.wrapper div {
width: 30%;
height: 150px;
float: left;
}
.wrapper:hover div {
width: 16%;
transition: 0.3s;
}
.wrapper div:hover {
width: 40%;
transition: 0.3s;
}
.wrapper {
    width: 100%;
}
.div1
{
width: 16.1%;
height: 150px;
padding: 10px;
border: 2px solid blue;
border-radius: 10px;
background-color: white;
float:left;
overflow-y:auto;
}

General Link

Some text to be visibile on mousover

General Link

Some text to be visibile on mousover

I'm using an expanding wrapper. Got the transition delay on that working well.
It's Friday though and my brain is fried and here's what I need help with:
What do I need to add to make the transition time longer on the mouseover and mouseout events for the "General Links" dropdowns? Right now, it's immediate on both.
Here's a pen with the code in action. Everything is working as it should except the transition time on the mouseover and mouseout. That is what I'm hitting a brick wall on.
https://codepen.io/alalien/pen/VwaamLa

A: I think this achieves the effect you're looking for. The only downside with this animation is that there won't be a delayed fade-out/hide on the element when you mouseout.
b {
  animation: visible 1s linear forwards;
}

@keyframes visible {
  from {
    visibility: hidden;
    opacity: 0;
  }
  to {
    visibility: visible;
    opacity: 1;
   }
}

You could add a transform to slide the text down from the a-tag, but then you will have to play around with absolute positioning and margins on the parent element.
I hope that alleviates your headache. Enjoy your weekend.


text:
Are Electric Cars Better for the Environment?
Are electric cars better for the environment than gasoline vehicles? Yes, but it's a complicated question. EVs may reduce carbon emissions but what about the negative impact of lithium mining? Can a car be truly green when electricity is still dirty?
The Impact of EVs
There are three aspects that need to be considered when evaluating the impact that electric cars have on the environment: tailpipe (direct) emissions, wheel-to-well emissions, and electricity sources. The impact on tailpipe emission reduction is simple: since electric cars lack an exhaust system, they produce zero tailpipe emissions. The other kinds of emissions are a little more complicated.
Wheel-to-Well Emissions
Wheel-to-well emissions is an umbrella term used to incorporate all emissions related to the production, processing, distribution and use of electricity. Most electric power plants produce emissions and there are additional emissions associated with every step of the energy source's production cycle. Electric cars emit an average of 4,100 lbs. of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent each year while traditional gasoline vehicles emit an average of 11,435 lbs. of CO2 equivalent each year — that's more than double the emissions of electric cars.
Electricity Sources
The amount of wheel-to-well emissions that an electric car produces is largely dependent on geographical location and the preferred energy source of that area. For instance, if you charge your electric car in Colorado, you will likely have higher wheel-to-well emissions than somebody charging their vehicle in Massachusetts, because a majority of Colorado's electricity is fueled by coal where Massachusetts prefers cleaner natural gas as its primary energy source. It's difficult to say which state is better, because most areas in the U.S. currently use a mixture of resources to generate electricity.
Overall, the best way to maximize the environmental benefits of an electric car and minimize its associated wheel-to-well emissions is by sourcing electricity from renewable energy. If you are planning to purchase an electric car in the future and want to lower your wheel-to-well emissions, consider asking your local utility or community choice aggregation (CCA) about any special programs or offers available. You could also consider installing solar panels.
Global Impact of Electric Cars
Since the transportation sector continues to be responsible for a significant source of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, studies show that electric cars can help tackle climate change and contribute to better air quality. In fact, simulation models have shown that widespread electric car adoption would aid in the fight of limiting global warming by at least two degrees Celsius, which would meet a target of the 2016 Paris Agreement. Nine countries, including the U.S., have currently announced their intent to restrict or ban the use of all internal combustion engines and reduce national tailpipe emissions to zero at some specified year in the future. As fossil fuel reliance decreases over the years, wheel-to-well emissions of electric cars could also see a decrease of at least 73% by 2050, nearly reducing the total emissions of BEVs to zero.
Environmental Impact of Lithium Mining
The environmental impact of mining for lithium also continues to be a topic of debate. More than half of the world's reserves are found in the brine of salt flats within an area known as the Lithium Triangle: a massive region in South America that spans across the countries of Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Over the past few years, mining in these areas has intensified due to the increased global demand for lithium, which is prevalently used in the batteries of many electronics, such as smartphones, laptops and medical devices. With electric cars on the rise in many developed countries, the price of lithium batteries is expected to drop as more mining occurs to meet this rising demand. But excessive mining is not without its consequences.
To mine for lithium, holes are drilled into salt flats and large amounts of water are pumped into the holes to churn up the brine and push the mineral-rich liquid to the surface into large salt ponds. The sun then evaporates the water in these ponds and leaves the minerals behind. One of the biggest problems with this procedure is that it depletes the local water sources and permanently damages nearby ecosystems.
In Chile, meadows and lagoons near these salt ponds have shrunk over the years, making it difficult for local farmers and traveling shepherds to provide for themselves and feed their livestock. The area's transformation has also contributed to the decline of the flamingo population due to the lack of available water and grass in the local ecosystems. Even without purchasing a BEV, a simple eco-friendly habit goes a long way — recycle your electronic batteries to help offset the demand for imported lithium.
Final Thoughts on Environmental Impact
Are electric cars better for the environment than gasoline vehicles? Yes, but it has yet to become a 100% sustainable solution. Without a doubt, BEVs are headed down the correct path towards eco-friendly transportation, but issues surrounding the continued reliance of fossil fuels and increased mining for lithium must first be solved to make this technology truly sustainable. It is ultimately our duty as consumers to embrace positive change and do our civic duty to lower our transportation emissions while practicing environmentally friendly habits.


text:
WGSA: an annotation pipeline for human genome sequencing studies
Xiaoming Liu1,2,
Simon White3,
Bo Peng4,
Andrew D Johnson5,6,
Jennifer A Brody7,
Alexander H Li1,
Zhuoyi Huang3,
Andrew Carroll8,
Peng Wei1,9,
Richard Gibbs3,
Robert J Klein10,
Eric Boerwinkle1,2,3
1Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
2Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
3Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
4Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
5NHLBI Framingham Heart Study, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
6Population Sciences Branch, NHLBI Division of Intramural Research, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
7Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
8DNAnexus, Mountain View, California, USA
9Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
10Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, New York, New York, USA
Correspondence to Dr Xiaoming Liu, University of Texas School of Public Health, Human Genetics Center, 1200 Herman Pressler Street, E529, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Xiaoming.Liu{at}uth.tmc.edu
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jmedgenet-2015-103423
Genome-wide
DNA sequencing technologies continue to make progress in increased throughput and quality, and decreased cost. As we transition from whole exome capture sequencing to whole genome sequencing (WGS), our ability to convert machine-generated variant calls, including single nucleotide variant (SNV) and insertion-deletion variants (indels), into human-interpretable knowledge has lagged far behind the ability to obtain enormous amounts of variants. To help narrow this gap, here we present WGSA (WGS annotator), a functional annotation pipeline for human genome sequencing studies, which is runnable out of the box on the Amazon Compute Cloud and is freely downloadable at (https://sites.google.com/site/jpopgen/wgsa/).
Functional annotation is a key step in WGS analysis. In one way, annotation helps the analyst filter to a subset of elements of particular interest (eg, cell type specific enhancers), in another way annotation helps the investigators to increase the power of identifying phenotype-associated loci (eg, association test using functional prediction score as a weight) and interpret potentially interesting findings. Currently, there are several popular gene model based annotation tools, including ANNOVAR,1 SnpEff2 and the Ensembl Variant Effect Predictor (VEP).3 These can annotate a variety of protein coding and non-coding gene models from a range of species. It is well known among practitioners that different databases (eg, RefSeq4 and Ensembl5) use different models for …
Contributors XL, ADJ, JAB, AHL, AC, PW, ZH, RJK and EB designed the study. XL collected the annotation resources and developed the tool. SW tested the pipeline. BP provided tools for retrieving the RegulomeDB data set. EB and RG supervised the study. XL, SW and EB wrote the draft manuscript and all authors provided critical edits.
Funding This study was supported by the US National Institutes of Health (5RC2HL102419 and U54HG003273).