text:
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Agricultural Education students travel to Europe, gain international experience
Tim Sandles is not usually one to venture outside of his comfort zone. The LSU graduate student from Madisonville, Texas, studying agricultural education decided to push himself this summer when he signed up for a study abroad program in Europe.
"I knew it would be a good opportunity for personal development," Sandles said. "It definitely exceeded my expectations."
Sandles journeyed to Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic in June with three other students and J.C. Bunch, an assistant professor in the LSU College of Agriculture.
"It is important to many companies and employers in the agriculture industry that potential employees have some international experiences with other countries and their cultures," Bunch said.
The program focused on international agriculture. The group toured agricultural universities, farms, bakeries, breweries and wineries as well as cultural landmarks in the three countries.
The students earned three hours of credit in agricultural education. They were required to write in a journal each day about their experiences and create a final project after they returned.
Much of their time was spent in Nitra, Slovakia, at the Slovak University of Agriculture. Students from that university visited LSU in February. Some of the same students took the LSU group around Nitra and to agricultural sites.
Myra Boudreaux, a senior from Belle Rose, Louisiana, studying agricultural education, said she enjoyed seeing the dairy farm at the university.
"I showed cows, so I liked seeing how some things were similar here and other things different, like some of the equipment they use," Boudreaux said.
Boudreaux was planning to finish college debt-free but took out a student loan for the trip.
"It was worth it," she said. "Ag is everywhere, and international experience matters. I am building networks and making connections I can use the rest of my life."
Cristina Serrano, a graduate student from Caracas, Venezuela, said no pictures, no words, no photographs, no descriptions can show you what you actually live and learn while studying abroad.
She finds travel addictive and said traveling with a program is a good way to go.
"For someone who hasn't left before, it could be difficult to be gone for so long. So go with people you know," she said. "It's safe to travel with group, and you can work out any complications together."
Chelsea Sutherland, a senior from Monroe, Michigan, said she is more open-minded because of her travel experiences.
"I think sometimes we can have a broken view of someone or some culture that is different," Sutherland said. "But we can change their view of us, and they can change our view of them, and we become more supportive of each other."
Sandles said he hopes through his experience he can encourage others to step outside of their comfort zone and travel abroad.
"If you experience it, you are better situated to tell someone else about it and influence them," he said. "I hope to spark an interest in people I mentor and students I may one day teach."
The reward of studying abroad was definitely worth the risk, he added.
106 Martin D. Woodin Hall
Email: agstusv@lsu.edu


Interning at MPI-Ecuador is life-changing. You receive hands on experience by working closely with the people, developing the programs for the community, and participating in fundraising and other organizational roles. Stepping outside of your comfort zone and immersing yourself in a culture extremely different than ours can be a daunting task, but with very few days left in this beautiful country, we'd like to share some of our experiences with you!
I can't say enough about how amazing and dedicated this group of university volunteers was this past week. Apart from volunteering to spend their Spring Break here at the Manna site, they did an amazing job of hosting Manna's first ever Women's Week. The problems of gender inequality here in Ecuador are numerous and complex but we are all interested in working to improve this area. While our Women's Initiative is very new, it was amazing to have the opportunity to discuss and experience these fresh perspectives.
During their time here, we hosted several community events and introduced the volunteers to some of the opportunities within this field of work. One of my favorite projects was working with and learning about NADENA's work, a fair-trade organization that empowers women by assisting them in the production and sale of goods made entirely from recycled materials. Aside from providing an extra income for these individuals, we hope that these workshops will provide both the skills and confidence to explore other markets. Additionally, our volunteers planned and led a women's exercise class and well as participating in Zumba in the park with local community members. In Manna's community center we hosted a discussion featuring a sociologist and expert on the subject of inequality in Ecuador. With great attendance and great discussion, it was awesome to provide this event out of our Community Center and to learn more about these issues from our amazing guest speaker. Likewise, we spent an afternoon preparing a lunch for the local young mother's shelter we volunteer with while bringing them an unimaginable amount of clothing donations gathered by our university volunteers. This group of volunteers certainly got to experience Manna's holistic approach to development, whether that be tutoring United Nations Peacekeepers or farming at the nearby at-risk youth shelter. In addition to helping with our existing programs such as English classes or Children's Nutrition, I hope our volunteers got to explore some of Quito and experience some of the many things Ecuador has to offer.
As a Program Director, it was especially inspiring to meet and get to know this young group of volunteers. Experiencing their enthusiasm and new ideas was refreshing and seeing their dedication to our work was definitely an excellent reminder of what Manna is here for.
'Tis the season of water balloons, flour, foam and eggs – Carnaval! It's an exciting time here in Ecuador, but unfortunately Carnaval brings the risk of getting pegged by water balloons (or perhaps eggs) on your way to work. But really, it is crazy here, and no matter where you are, you have to be battle ready.
For example, Ann Lowry, Michael and I took a lovely trip to Baños this past weekend. As we were enjoying a breakfast of crepes and coffee on an outside patio (our first crepes since arriving in Ecuador), we heard a mischievous crackle and were suddenly showered in foam, crepes and all. Needless to say, we did not appreciate it.
However, now that we are nearing our long weekend for the holiday, we are getting more in the spirit of Carnaval. Everyone has exciting travel plans. A large group of us are going to Guaranda, Montanita and Puerto Lopez accompanied by none other than everyone's favorite Spanish teacher, Ivan. Kate has friends visiting and they are hitting Baños and Ambato before meeting up with the group in Guaranda for parades and chaotic Carnaval celebrations. Evan is in Cuenca, visiting with an old friend, and Carley has plans to go to Amaguaña and Ambato, which is a haven that has banned water balloons and has a beautiful festival of flowers this time of year. Michael and I both have parents visiting for the occasion. Michael and his father plan on pursuing adventure with the highlight being mountain biking down the gargantuan volcano Cotopaxi. I, on the other hand, am heading to Cuenca with my parents for some rest, relaxation, and sight-seeing.
At the library, things have been calmer than usual as public schools are on a two-week vacation and many families have been out of town. We've had plenty of time to help with homework, play and converse on a one-on-one basis with Rumilona community members, which has been very nice. We have also had some time to pursue projects like painting bookshelves and fixing up the Preventative Health Center.
Still, we are excited for some much needed time off, and will definitely take full advantage of it. We can only guess the stories we will have on the other side of such an adventure-filled weekend.
Living in the Valle de los Chillos just outside of Ecuador's capital city of Quito provides us with the best of both worlds: we get to enjoy some peaceful moments here in the "suburbs" while still being close enough to enjoy everything the big city has to offer.
This week I spent some time in downtown Sangolqui eating helado de paila [a special way of preparing ice cream in a large bronze pot...it somehow makes it extra delicious!] and enjoying people watching. Even though there is less to do in Sangolqui than in Quito, there always seems to be something interesting and particularly Ecuadorian going on... like hornados [whole roasted pig, famous in Sangolqui] in the market place, or pick up soccer games in front of the main church.
This weekend I ventured outside of the Valley and also spent some time in Quito, exploring Parque El Ejido with friends. We also discovered that this week is the beginning of the Festival de Cine Latinoamericano [Quito's Latin American Film Festival], and are looking forward to spending our free time taking in some awesome movies!
Its seems like our time here is flying by, but I am so excited to continue discovering the amazing things that Quito and the Valle de los Chillos have to offer.
I arrived to MPI's Ecuador site in Sangolqui about 3 weeks ago. It's been a rush of learning about all of the various programs, figuring out how to get from place to place, and getting to know the 9 other new housemates who immediately impressed me with their passion for this community, their drive to see projects through to the finish, and their ability to find humor in any situation. The first couple of weeks of orientation, I was overwhelmed by the variety of programs and partner organizations everyone seems to be involved with but now that my third week comes to a close I think I'm getting the hang of things around here.
One of the programs I have become involved with is Kid's Nutrition (which I'm sure folks back home will find humorous given my personal eating habits). Part of this program includes twice weekly visits to a local school called Chaupitena, where we spend about an hour talking to a class about nutrition and then the following visit we all make a healthy snack together. The volunteers involved with this during the past several months have had more than a few difficulties. Between language barriers and the lack of understanding by the teachers about how nutrition and cooking go hand in hand (why cook a nice egg white omelet when you could be baking a chocolate cake?), the volunteers definitely felt like Manna's presence at Chaupitena was not very effective or always appreciated. There was talk of discontinuing these visits and developing a curriculum to give them instead, but in the end the consensus was to soldier on, but decrease the frequency of our visits to every other week.
Last Tuesday was my first day on the job, and I really had no idea what to expect. We decided to start last semester's curriculum from the beginning because scores on the final exam hadn't been exactly stellar. Amelia and I went over the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate, and to our surprise the students remembered lots of the material and were actively participating throughout the class. It was an encouraging sight, and made me feel optimistic for our future involvements with Chaupitena.


New Orleans Museum of Art: NOMA distributes CDs to the press when they announce a new exhibit. The CDs contain high-resolution photos to publish in articles about the museum. They also develop teacher workshops around each exhibit, and provide visual aids and teacher handouts via CD. They switched to CDs because of the extremely low cost to distribute such a large amount of information.
Freeport-McMoran: Animated demonstrations of mining techniques are presented in a clear, visual manner via CD-ROM. This is particularly effective when dealing with a subject that is impossible to demonstrate in person – in this case they are able to show something that takes place underground in a dangerous environment in a foreign country over a long period time.
Well Control School: Develops entertaining yet comprehensive interactive self-paced training CDs for oil well operation and production safety. The CDs courses contain over 2000 topics and skills, provide photorealistic simulations, video, and instruction, and even testing. This training program is a powerful tool for verifying competency as it ensures comprehension of key points, consistent training worldwide, and has been found to reduce training time by 25%.
Historic New Orleans Collection: To mark the anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase, the Historic New Orleans Collection developed a documentary and distributed it on a double DVD.


We live in a world where we are constantly inundated with data. We know this. If we are self-aware, we also know how this makes us feel.
Lately I have been a pretty dedicated social media addict.
I can say with confidence that scrolling facebook, instagram, and pinterest on an everlasting loop is not improving my quality of life whatsoever. Yet, I still find myself doing it.
While social media can have its place in our world, I personally find that the more I am "plugged in," the more disconnected I feel– with myself, with others, with the world, etc.
I refuse to be dependent on artificial life online for my experience of the world… even for a limited period of time.
So, I am going on a social media fast.
I do this fairly regularly. Usually, when I find myself sucked into the virtual world more than I would like, I start to feel lousy and I decide that it's time to quit.
The timing could not be better for this media fast!
I have exactly one month before leaving this place and embarking on a new chapter in my life by moving to Austin and beginning my "big girl" job.
Because I am so far ahead in my schoolwork, I really have very little left to do to finish out the semester. In short, I'm bored.
I would like to spend this time energizing, empowering, and preparing myself for this new adventure. Zoning out in front of youtube definitely does not assist in this goal.
I am excited to spend this month with myself: journaling, reading, creating, catching up on my favorite tv series, spending time outside, playing with Leben, and cleaning out for the move.
I don't know how willing I am to set particular goals for this month; the perfectionist in me wants to set a to-do list of books to finish, seasons to get through, and numbers of trips to goodwill. I think it might be healthier to set myself a list of "OPTIONS" for how to spend my time.
Each day will involve a choice. Each day will end with a pleasant surprise, celebrating what little things I accomplished.
Spring is here, and I feel empowered to give myself this incubation period before blooming into my next adventure.
In case you're wondering, here are my (loose) rules for a media fast.
2. Create a lovely list of fun-sounding options for how to spend this time instead.
3. Create post-it notes of encouragement to place around the house.
4. Place approved items (books, journal, crocheting) in places where you'd normally media-binge: beside the couch, in the bathroom, beside your pillow, in your backpack/purse.
5. Make a plan of action for when you feel yourself needing a "scroll break." Decide already what questions to ask yourself, and have an encouraging mantra ready to recite.
6. Enjoy your new-found time! You'll finally have the extra hours you wish for every day.
A caveat I allow myself is that I am allowed to POST content on social media, but I don't allow myself to CONSUME the content that others produce.
This may sound silly, but as I'm trying to create more of a presence for myself online through my blog, instagram, and etsy shop, it is important that I continue posting with some consistency! These are important creative outlets for me. I want to honor the good that they do in my life!
When I want to post something, I will simply take the time to do so on my laptop. This extra step really helps me to eliminate the pairing I have of always reaching for my phone.
This is not a super-strict "giving up" scenario. I will not be posting about my absence on facebook, and I will not be putting up a "be back later" sign on my instagram. If you send me a message or tag me in something, I will eventually get around to seeing it.
All I am trying to do is to give myself a period of detox so that I can utilize social media in the capacity that I choose.
I just want to cut the tether and be free for a little while.
Finishing a dress I've been working on for a year, hopefully for wearing to my own college graduation.
Completing Smallville Season 10 for the first time and finding out how my favorite show of all time really ends.
Re-reading some of my favorite dystopian YA series.
Journaling my way through some lovely poetry.
Clearing out my living space of unwanted and unneeded things so that I can travel light.
If you ever decide to go on a media fast, for any reason, I would LOVE to hear about your experience. Any strategies you have, any struggles you've faced, and any victories you've celebrated would be welcome stories to me!


text:
Q&A: Why Latter-day Saints loom large in the history of religious freedom law
By Deseret News
Raising the Bar on Intimate Relationships
By Laura M. Brotherson LMFT, CST, CFLE
Praise for Jared W. Ludlow's New Book, Exploring the Apocrypha from a Latter-day Saint Perspective
By	Jeff Lindsay · July 2, 2018
Jared W. Ludlow's new book, Exploring the Apocrypha from a Latter-day Saint Perspective (Springville, UT: Cedar Fort, Inc., 2018) is a valuable resource for Latter-day Saints seeking to better understand an important part of the sacred texts of Christianity and Judaism. Though not part of our official canon, they have been a part of the canon in several other faiths and are included in a majority of the Bibles used by Christians around the world. For Latter-day Saints, according to a statement regarding the Apocrypha in Doctrine and Covenants 91, we are told that "There are many things contained therein that are true" (vs. 1) and that "whoso is enlightened by the Spirit shall obtain benefit therefrom" (vs. 5), in spite of the "interpolations by the hands of men" that are also at play (vs. 2).
Latter-day Saints, unfortunately, have tended to ignore the Apocrypha, but there is value that we should be extracting. Ludlow's book, in my opinion, is precisely the kind of guide that many of us need in order to know where the richest sources of value can be found and what the key lessons are that we can learn.
Ludlow begins with a helpful overview of what the Apocrypha is. The 183 chapters in that collection come from early Jewish writers well after the latest books in our current Old Testament were written (ca. 400 BC), with many dated to around the first and second centuries BC. These texts were circulated among Greek-speaking Jews as the Septuagint translation from Hebrew to Greek was conducted. Many appear to be original Greek compositions rather than translations from Hebrew or Aramaic to Greek. Ludlow groups them according to three categories and considers each text in this order:
Biblical Expansions
The Additions to the Book of Esther
Daniel Stories: Song of the Three Young Men, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon
First Book of Esdras (Greek form of the name Ezra)
Second Book of Esdras (the only Apocrypha text not from the Greek Septuagint but found in several Old Latin manuscripts)
Baruch and Letter of Jeremiah
Wisdom Literature
Ecclesiasticus or the Wisdom of Jesus ben Sirach
As Ludlow reviews each of the books of the Apocrypha, he thoroughly illustrates how "the Apocrypha can be a valuable tool for helping us understand the political, cultural, and religious background of Jesus Christ and his contemporaries" (p. 4) and how these texts provide teachings and stories relevant to Latter-day Saints.
Ludlow explains that as Jewish and Christian groups debated the value of these texts, they were given the label apocrypha, or "things that are hidden." It was a positive label for some and a negative label for others. The term is also applied to many other texts outside the Apocrypha that were falsely attributed to various prophets and apostles (generally known as the "Pseudepigrapha," a Greek term describing texts with a "false superscription"), but Ludlow only considers the closed set of books formally known as the Apocrypha.
Ludlow reviews the history of the debate over these books, where views have varied widely. The Catholic Church in the 1546 Council of Trent declared all the books to be deemed canonical except 2 Esdras and the Prayer of Manasseh. Protestants have generally rejected them but some such as Martin Luther saw value in some of the Apocrypha and portions have often been printed in Protestant Bibles.
Despite the Apocrypha's checkered canonical history, there can be no doubt that it has impacted Christian and Jewish cultures. In Jewish practice, Hanukkah has become a central festival and the Maccabees form a part of Jewish identity. In the Christian world, the Apocrypha has influenced poets, artists, hymn-writers, dramatists, composers, and even explorers such as Christopher Columbus, who used a passage in 2 Esdras about the earth being composed of six parts land to seek financial support for his journey westward. Even in early Christian sites like the catacombs of Rome, depictions of Apocrypha scenes have been found. (p. 12)
Ludlow devotes a chapter to reviewing the history of LDS views regarding the Apocrypha. The beginning of LDS inquiry into the Apocrypha comes from Joseph Smith, wondering if his inspired translation of the Bible should include the Apocrypha. The answer through revelation on March 9, 1833 is now printed in Section 91 of the Doctrine and Covenants:
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you concerning the Apocrypha—
There are many things contained therein that are true, and it is mostly
translated correctly;
2 There are many things contained therein that are not true, which are
interpolations by the hands of men.
3 Verily, I say unto you, that it is not needful that the Apocrypha
should be translated.
4 Therefore, whoso readeth it, let him understand, for the Spirit
manifesteth truth;
5 And whoso is enlightened by the Spirit shall obtain benefit therefrom;
6 And whoso receiveth not by the Spirit, cannot be benefited. Therefore
it is not needful that it should be translated. Amen.
Joseph made other statements that points to the value of the Apocrypha, and apparently respected them enough to include the Apocrypha in the "complete Bible" that was deposited in the Nauvoo Temple (p. 24). However, they don't seem to have influenced his sermons or teachings (p. 27), though a few other early LDS leaders occasionally used small portions from the Apocrypha.
Ludlow's review of the contents and highlights of each of the books of the Apocrypha provides valuable historical information that will help readers better appreciate the cultural, religious, and political setting as the New Testament begins. One can also sometimes see influence from the Apocrypha on New Testament writers, such as the Book of Judith's treatment on searching the depths of God and not knowing his mind, which appears to have influenced Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 2:6-7,12 (p. 133).
There are also occasional nuggets of particular interest to LDS readers, such as the Wisdom of Solomon's teaching on the Creation, praising God for his all-powerful hand "which created the world out of formless matter" (Wisdom of Solomon 11:17, see Ludlow p. 188), an acknowledgment that creation was not ex nihilo.
The Wisdom of Solomon also has brief references to the premortal existence (p. 193). Indeed, it was the final section on the Wisdom literature of the Apocrypha that I most keenly enjoyed, and I think many LDS readers will find particular value in those books and that portion of Ludlow, though the entire treatment is clear, interesting, and well suited for a broad LDS audience.
In his closing remarks, Ludlow nicely summarizes the nature of the diverse and complex texts he has treated:
The Apocrypha consists of a variety of texts making it both interesting and challenging. Comprising wisdom literature, apocalypses, tales, and scriptural expansions, the Apocrypha runs the gamut of ancient religious literature. Its eclectic collection is reflected in how each book of the Apocrypha is handled in this work; varied approaches are used in different chapters because of the diverse styles of the texts. Yet despite their diversity, the texts give us a glimpse into the world of Second Temple Judaism and its Hellenistic influence. These texts are also important to understanding the historical background to Jesus and the early Christians and the concerns and aspirations of early Jews and Christians. (p. 223)
I strongly recommend Ludlow's thoughtful work for any LDS reader interested in better understanding the broad body of treasured ancient texts encompassed in the Apocrypha.
DAVID M SORENSENJuly 4, 2018
The book does not contain the Apocrypha but it is not hard to find this as a separate book containing only the Apocrypha or even bound in some versions of the Bible. For example: on amazon.com I selected Kindle Store and searched for Apocrypha (31 pages of results).Here is the url: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=apocryphaExamples:Apocrypha, King James VersionJul 22, 2017 | Kindle eBook by King James Bible $2.99KJV ApocryphaSep 15, 2013 | Kindle eBook by Baker Books $6.99The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised Standard VersionJan 20, 2010 | Kindle eBook by Pheme Perkins and Michael D. Coogan $18.24NRSV Bible with the ApocryphaNov 22, 2011 | Kindle eBook by Harper Bibles $13.99 $ 13 99 Kindle EditionBest wishes.
Walt SmtihJuly 3, 2018
What is not clear from the review or from other comments about the book found elsewhere is - does the book contain the full text of the books of the Apocrypha or is it only background and commentary?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Large french antique oval mirror. Carved wood frame with fluting and gilded crosspieces. Mahogany stained wood (Okoume). Re-gilding to the patinated leaf. Antique laminated wood back.
Materials & techniques: Antique wood and gesso frame, gilding to the leaf, imitation gold metal leaf, modern mirror glass, fixing hook.


I will finally be able to have an accurate accounting of finances. My job will take half the time to complete now. I knew Lisa was knowledgeable , but I didn't know she could train me to do my job and help me make sense of all I am doing with accounting.


Rabbi Dr. Abraham's lobster video is a great lesson to us in a compact 90 seconds. The lesson: Times of stress are also times that are signals for growth.
Feeling stressed? Perhaps it's time for positive change.


text:
The year 2018 marks the centennial of the Armistice ending the First World War. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this world-altering historical event marked the dividing line between historical and modern America. The war drastically changed the world, thrusting the United States onto the global stage and exposing millions of Americans to foreign lands and modern warfare. Immediately after the war erupted in Europe in 1914, though their country remained neutral, Americans became involved in the war effort both individually and through organizations. After war had raged on "over there" for almost three years, the United States officially intervened in April 1917.
The National Museum of American History holds a variety of collections demonstrating the transformative history of World War I and of the United States' participation in it. Our objects and their stories help illuminate civilian participation, civil rights, volunteerism, women's military service, minority experiences, art and visual culture, medical technological development and new technologies of war and peace. On this site, we will be sharing the Museum's World War I collections, online exhibits and programming, and research. These will be updated regularly and augmented with additional content.
Women in World War I
Picturing World War I: America's First Official War Artists, 1918-1919
Bolling Crest Silks
World War I Laces
New Displays
Advertising War
John J. Pershing & World War I
Artist Soldiers: Artistic Expression in the First World War (in cooperation with NASM)
Uniformed Women in the Great War
Modern Medicine and the Great War
Poster Exhibition
World War I: Lessons and Legacies explores "the war to end all wars" and its lasting impact and far-reaching influence on American life. Educators, schools, and museums are invited to request this free poster exhibition, organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and the National Museum of American History, in cooperation with the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission.
Friday November 9, 2018 Stories of Service Social Media Day
Sunday November 11, 2018 Remembering World War I
Past Event 2017: Social Media Day
Past Event American History (After Hours): Women in WWI
Past Event Handi-hour at the Renwick Gallery: A special WWI-inspired crafting happy hour (May 17)
2017: Social Media Day
2018: Armistice 100th Anniversary
2018: Remembering World War I Program
The Price of Freedom: Americans at War
The Price of Freedom: Americans at War surveys the history of America's military from the French and Indian Wars to the present day, exploring ways in which wars have been defining episodes in American history.
On the Water: Stories from Maritime America
Marine transportation and waterborne commerce underlie American history like a strong and steady ocean current. Maritime trade established major cities, created connections between people and places, and opened the continent.
Before the advent of radio and motion pictures, art and illustration were the primary forms of mass communication. With the outbreak of World War I, governments, militaries, and service organizations hired artists and illustrators to depict the ravages of war and to rally patriotism.
Artist Soldiers
The First World War remade the world geopolitically and transformed how societies engage and relate to military conflict.
See more exhibitions
Letter about WWI French stitchery
General Pershing's World War I Victory Medal
cape, nurse, WWI
fatigue hat, wwi
See more from our collections
He? She? Or just plain Cher Ami? Solving a century-old pigeon mystery
This summer marks the centennial of a bird—possibly the most famous pigeon in history—going on display at the Smithsonian. A representative of Columba livia domestica, this bird is known as simply Cher Ami.
Kerr Eby and the First World War
"About the prints … I make no comment, save that they were made from the indelible impressions of war. They are not imaginary. I saw them." Kerr Eby wrote about his World War I etchings.
See more blog posts


text:
Q: Constraining the key in JSON schema I would like to put constraints the key in a JSON document, using JSON schema. For example, I may have a JSON document that looks like this:
{
    "id": 1,
    "name": "a green door",
    "price": 12.50,
    "tags": ["home", "green"]
}

I don't care about which particular keys are being used, but I'd like to enforce in the schema that no key is longer than a certain number of characters; let's say 4 characters for the sake of argument. The example above would then fail schema validation, because "price" is 5 characters long.
I know how to validate the length of the value -- here, I care about the key.

A: You can use patternProperties to restrict property names to those that match a regular expression. In the case of your example, it might look like this:
{ "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
  "type": "object",
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "patternProperties": {
    "^.{1,4}$": {}
  }
}

Note "additionalProperties": false is necessary as well.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Image: Penn State Harrisburg
Jeannine D. Peterson to deliver fall 2017 commencement address
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Jeannine D. Peterson, chief executive officer of Hamilton Health Center, a not-for-profit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, will deliver the keynote address at Penn State Harrisburg's fall commencement Saturday, Dec. 16. The college will confer more than 730 undergraduate and graduate degrees during the 9:30 a.m. ceremony at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Peterson was appointed CEO of Hamilton Health Center in 2000 after serving on the center's board of directors. She has been recognized locally and nationally as the visionary who led the organization out of financial insolvency to a highly effective, financially stable health center serving over 30,000 individuals annually. The center has experienced financial and patient growth each year over Peterson's 17-year history and is now the seventh largest FQHC in Pennsylvania, and the only one to successfully establish a state-of-art medical mall for low-income, diverse populations.
A native of Pittsburgh, Peterson relocated to Harrisburg for a position in state government and had a successful 22-year career with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that culminated with her appointment as deputy secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health by Gov. Robert P. Casey. In that position, she was responsible for public health programs including maternal-child health, communicable and preventive diseases, and substance abuse services.
Upon leaving state government, Peterson was recruited to work for a national consulting company, Johnson, Bassin, and Shaw, Inc. (JBS). She served as the deputy project director for a Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration Program, where she provided consulting services to state governments around the country. In the late 1990s, Peterson left JBS to start her own business with her husband, which continues to operate today.
Peterson continues to serve on numerous corporate boards including the Capital Region Economic Development Corporation, the United Way of the Capital Region, and the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers.
Peterson received her bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Michigan State University, and her master's degree in public administration with a concentration in health care administration from Penn State Harrisburg. She is also a graduate of the UCLA-Johnson & Johnson health care executive management program.
She has won numerous awards including the 2017 NAACP Community Leader Award, the 2015 YWCA Women of Distinction Legacy Award, the 2014 Chamber of Commerce/CREDC Athena Award, the 2013 Central Penn Business Journal Health Care Hero Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2012 Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2011 Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce Catalyst Award.
She is married to William Peterson and has one daughter, Kendra Peterson.
Prepare for the fall 2017 commencement ceremony
Forum spring 2022 speaker series to feature two Penn State Laureates
Penn State Harrisburg to hold fall 2021 commencement, Dec. 18
Penn State Harrisburg to hold Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 11
Penn State Harrisburg announces spring 2021 commencement speakers
Penn State students take home top prizes during fourth annual LION Tank pitch
2017 fall commencement


text:
"Trace's Temptation" by Dawn Sullivan
Trace's Temptation
(RARE Book 3)
by Dawn Sullivan
Trace's Temptation, the third book in Dawn Sullivan's RARE series, has just been released. Also available: Nico's Heart and Phoenix's Fate.
RARE: Rescue and Retrieval Extractions - they took on the missions that no one else wanted and did not stop until the job was done.
Trace has found his mate, but before he can claim her, he must eliminate the threat from his past. Returning to the place where all of his nightmares began, Trace must fight for his life and his future. Jade was stolen when she was a child and was held captive by the General for most of her life. She was rescued by RARE and reunited with the mother she thought she lost so long ago.
Jade spent the past 20 years hiding her true nature, allowing others to see only a sweet, gentle Omega wolf. After being set free, she is slowly allowing her true self to show. Jade has found her mate, but now must wait for his return. When she finds out Trace is in trouble, she vows to bring him home and nothing or no one will stand in her way.
RARE must once again do what they do best. Track down Trace and eliminate the evil that threatens them.
Jade's strength and determination are tested in the process. But her pull to Trace will not let her admit defeat. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, but will Jade survive if RARE can't make it to Trace in time?
Book Video
Watch the Trace's Tempation book video here.
Watch the "Meet RARE" video here.
"For you people who wonder if these books are any good, trust me they are. She isn't a one and done author or a flash in the pan. Dawn and her RARE series is here to stay! Go grab these books, read them and better yet ENJOY THEM! Great job Dawn, you have built a solid foundation and have a reason to be proud." ~ Kathy Brown-Rich
"I read this in one sitting and all I have to say is WOW. Dawn Sullivan has done it again. I was pulled into the story and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. Trace and Jade each have their own demons to deal with. For Trace it's his drug lord father. And for Jade it's the General. As Trace goes off to 'take care of' his father issues Jade tries to deal with her past and in doing so she finds herself. The action, romance, and over all chemistry between all of the characters in the RARE novels has for me made this series a hit and I can't wait for the rest of the books to come out." ~ Valerie Ewoldt
"Dawn has done it again this book picks up where Phoenix's ended. Trace is trying to take care of his dangerous past so he can have a future with his mate Jade. Jade is coming out of her shell now that she is away from the General and the things he has done to her, but she has a lot of things she is hiding about herself. You have to read this book Trace and Jade are so protective of each other and it is hot. So can't wait for more RARE books to come out love this team." ~ melissa
I have a wonderful, supportive husband and three beautiful children. I enjoy spending time with all of them which normally involves some baseball, shooting hoops, taking walks, watching movies, and of course reading.
My passion for reading began at a very young age and only grew over time. Whether I was bringing home a book from the library, or sneaking one of my mom's romance novels and reading by the light in the hallway when we were supposed to be sleeping, I always had a book.
I read several different genres and subgenres, but Paranormal Romance and Romantic Suspense have always been my favorites. I read anything by Katie Reus, Lora Leigh, J.R. Ward and Rebecca Zanetti.
I have always made up my own stories, and have just recently decided to start sharing them. I hope everyone enjoys reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.
Twitter @dawn_author
Labels: adult, Dawn Sullivan, fiction, new release, paranormal, RARE, romance, series, Trace's Temptation
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Belly Bandit® is a women-owned brand of solution-based maternity wear, and this year they're celebrating a whole decade in business. But none of it would have happened if it hadn't been for, in their own words, one "well-meaning dimwit".
He was a stock boy who offered to help get something off a shelf, because she – Lori Caden, one of the founders – was pregnant. Except she wasn't, not anymore.
Lori was struggling to regain her pre-baby body after delivering her first child, and the comment was hardly what she wanted to hear. But every cloud has a silver lining, as they say, and soon after the idea for Belly Bandit® was born.
It's the brainchild of three sisters, who each bring something different to the team. Lori focusses on marketing and PR. Kari handles the ecommerce and web design. And Jodi, crucially, has a background in product design that enabled them to bring their ideas to life.
Belly Bandit®'s main focus is on belly wraps, a modern alternative to the stomach binding that has been practised in various cultures for centuries. Instead of the traditional, long fabric strip, Belly Bandit® offers a Velcro-fastened piece that is easier to put on or remove, and more discreet under clothing.
They offer two main categories of belly wrap – ones for pregnancy and ones for after the birth. The Upsie Belly® and 2-in-1 Bandit™ maternity wraps are designed to help lift the bump, reducing back strain, alleviating pelvic pain, relieving pressure on the bladder, and making exercise more comfortable. Upsie Belly® also incorporates a hot/cold gel pack, for added soothing.
Post-partum, mothers can switch to one of their classic belly wraps, which instantly slim the waist and also aid the healing process by compressing the abdominal muscles back into place. Belly Bandit® recommend beginning use immediately after birth, and continuing for at least 6-10 weeks.
As for how long to wear it on a daily basis, you can decide what's comfortable. But they do say that the more wear the better the results, and have many customers who've kept theirs on 24/7 except for showering.
Notably, because lots of Belly Bandit®'s products are doctor-endorsed and offer actual health benefits, a number of them are covered by many healthcare insurance programs in the US. Full details are on their website.
But 10 years on from the launch of their Original Belly Wrap, there's more to Belly Bandit® than just abdominal binders. Had, or planning to have, a C-section? The belly wraps are still fine to wear. But based on feedback from Kari after her own unplanned caesarean, they also created targeted C-section briefs.
The C-Section & Postpartum Recovery Undies and C-Section Recovery Briefs protect the incision area, with fabric that's moisture-wicking and uses silver-infused yarn to prevent bacterial growth.
And following the success of their therapeutical-based products, the sisters have also introduced multiple other garments for new and expectant mothers.
Their Mother Tucker range, for example, offers a more standard style of shapewear – one that you can keep wearing long after your bundle of joy arrives. In fact, Jodi, Lori and Kari all say that the Mother Tucker leggings and tops are wardrobe staples for themselves!
They're loving their brand new Anti Panti® and Anti Thong too, absorbent underwear that discreetly deals with postpartum leaking. They're also made from the same, buttery-soft fabric as the matching wireless Anti Bra. Perfect for pregnancy – but you don't need to be expecting to appreciate comfy intimates!
And if you're breastfeeding, Belly Bandit® offer a range of nursing bras and tops. There's even a stylish jersey dress that you can wear throughout pregnancy, and then for nursing afterwards thanks to a thoughtfully-positioned zip.
But they're not stopping there! In celebration of its 10 year anniversary, the brand has yet more product launches planned. Next up? Athleisure wear. Jodi says they're always thinking about something new, so stay tuned for updates.


Non-stick BBQ Corn Grilling Basket with Wood Handle New 19.75" X 6.75"
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Southeast Ohio has lost too many good-paying jobs to states and foreign countries. Like you Don Jones believes it's time to bring jobs back to America and to Southeast Ohio. As a small businessman who trains students for careers in the agriculture industry, Don Jones has the experience we need to get our economy back on track. He will work to cut job-killing government regulations and invest in infrastructure and job training.
As a teacher, Don Jones is passionate about helping students prepare for their future. He knows the impact state mandates and lack of state funding have on our local schools. That's why he will fight to make sure our schools get their fair share of the state budget and reduce government mandates, including cutting time spent on state tests so students can spend more time getting the education they deserve.
As a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician, Don Jones has seen firsthand the impact drug epidemic is having on families and local communities. He will bring together state and local leaders – including law enforcement, first responders and addiction specialists – to develop meaningful solutions to this crisis. He supports funding for addiction treatment, tougher penalties for drug dealers and securing our borders to block the flow of illegal drugs.
Community involvement has always been important to Don. He served nine years as Chairman of the Harrison Soil and Water Conservation District. Currently, Don is serving in his ninth year as president of the Harrison County Agricultural Society, where he has served on the board for the past 17 years. He has chaired the South Central Power Foundation board since its inception in 2014. Don is also a member of the Harrison County Farm Bureau board where he has served in various capacities, and is on the Ohio FFA Board.
Don and his wife Amy raised their children to respect and value innocent life, God's most precious gift. We can trust Don to take those values to Columbus and protect the sanctity of life as our next state representative.


Banking sector in India is poised for further growth and expansion, with major public sector banks foraying into largely untapped rural and suburban markets. With more than 30% of Indians enjoying direct access to banking institutions, jobs for aspiring bankers are about to multiply. One of the leading online job portals is now showing new directions to banking job seekers in India who are looking for Banking careers.
If recent reports are to be believed, banking job sector in India is going to create 15-20 hundred thousand new jobs in a few years from now. Financial experts believe that the futuristic policies of RBI and government are going to create new possibilities for the people who are currently working in this sector as well as for those who are raring to grab employment opportunities offered by the sector. FreshersWorld.com, a leading job portal in India that millions of job seekers use for searching jobs and understanding key trends in various industry segments, has recently added scores of banking jobs to its database. In a bid to close the gap between banking sector key players and aspiring candidates, the e-job portal has also introduced a volley of new features in its service line.
Direct hiring in the sector is just one aspect of the continuing growth, whereas ancillary sectors are also creating lots of job opportunities for fresh graduates and mid-level professionals every day. Almost half of the lower and mid-level workforce in public sector banks are about to retire in the next two years. Banks will surely want to fill these positions with new recruits. Besides, private sector banks are also looking to open new branches in Tier-2, -3 and -4 cities. FreshersWorld.com, one of the most popular job search portals in India at this moment, is aiming at making banking job search easier for its current and future users.
Anyone looking to get more insights into key trends in banking sector and can receive employment news for other industry segments by registering on FreshersWorld.com. The site offers up-to-date information on banking recruitment, key statistics and much more that have been proved to be beneficial for banking sector job seekers.
Looking to get more information on positions open with leading banks in India? Simply visit www.freshersworld .com to get latest updates.


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Transphenoidal Surgery : The Optimal Approach to Chordoid Gliomas of the Third Ventricle?
J Korean Neurosurg Soc. 2018;61(6):774-776
J Korean Neurosurg SocJournal ArchiveJ Korean Neurosurg Soc. 2018;61(6)
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Publication date (electronic) : 2018 October 30
doi : https://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2017.0221
Rodrigo Carrasco-Moro, M.D.,1, Inés Castro-Dufourny, M.D., Ph.D.2, Ruth Prieto, M.D., Ph.D.3, José M. Pascual, M.D., Ph.D.4
1Department of Neurosurgery, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
2Department of Endocrinology, Sureste Hospital and Francisco de Vitoria University, Madrid, Spain
3Department of Neurosurgery, Puerta de Hierro University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
4Department of Neurosurgery, La Princesa University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
Address for reprints : Rodrigo Carrasco-Moro, M.D. Department of Neurosurgery, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Colmenar Rd, Km 9.100, Madrid 28034, Spain Tel : +34 91 336 87 73, E-mail : rocamo@gmail.com
Received 2017 August 2; Accepted 2017 August 30.
We have read in detail the interesting article entitled, "Expanded Endoscopic Transnasal Approach to the Chordoid Glioma of the Third Ventricle : The First Case Ever Reported", published in 2016 in the Journal of the Korean Neurosurgical Society [5]. Some years ago, we were involved in the treatment of a case of chordoid glioma (CG) of the third ventricle and became highly interested in the study of this very rare kind of tumor [1]. Since the first description of this entity in 1998, barely over 100 CGs have been reported on in the scientific literature, mostly as single case reports. Nevertheless, the accurate number of "hidden" CGs included in those articles dealing with the results of specific surgical approaches for third ventricle tumors of a heterogeneous nature has not been investigated yet. In 2008, three groups of experts in the endoscopic transphenoidal approach published their results after using this surgical corridor to remove cystic lesions of the sellar region in a multicenter study which included a single case of CG [3]. Driven by scientific curiosity, we contacted two of the authors of that paper (Professors Luigi M. Cavallo and John A. Jane Jr.) who kindly agreed to provide us with more detailed information about their patient.
He was a 48-year-old man with a one year history of declining vision and a recent episode of sudden, transitory loss of consciousness. The clinical examination revealed right-side optic atrophy and incomplete left-side homonymous hemianopsia; the endocrinological evaluation proved the presence of partial hypopituitarism, with conservation of both thyroid and posterior pituitary function. With a presumed diagnosis of craniopharyngioma, this third ventricular neoplasm found on the preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Fig. 1A and B) was totally removed through an endoscopically assisted transphenoidal route. The pathological features of the lesion were consistent with the diagnosis of CG. Following surgery, visual symptoms persisted and the patient developed panhypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus and somnolence, a clinical picture quite similar to that observed in the patient described in the article by Zeinalizadeh et al. [5]. In the latter report, however, no detailed information concerning the evolution of the patient's visual symptoms nor the account of his long-term follow-up clinical data are provided. Regrettably, the patient reported by Cavallo et al. [3] was found dead in the rehabilitation unit several weeks after his surgical procedure, his sudden demise being thought the probable consequence of pulmonary thromboembolism.
A and B : Preoperative T1-weighted, contrast-enhanced MRI; coronal (A) and mid-sagittal (B) scans showing a well-defined, polylobulated, solid-cystic mass centered at the anterior third ventricular area, causing a displacement of the pituitary stalk (white arrow in B) and the mamillary bodies (black arrow in B). C and D : Postoperative T1-weighted MRI –same sequence and scans– showing the anatomical defect at the region of the infundibulum, without identifiable median eminence-pituitary stalk structures. Notice the presence of postsurgical changes involving the right IIIv wall (white arrow in C) and the atrophy of the decompressed mamillary bodies (white arrow in D). MRI : magnetic resonance imaging.
The set of postoperative symptoms developed by both CG patients is consistent with the diagnosis of the infundibulotuberal syndrome together with a complete anterior pituitary insufficiency as a clinical expression of a hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction. Indeed, in both patients the postoperative midsagittal MRI scans showed the same anatomical defect or "breach" at the third ventricle f loor, spanning the median eminence and the proximal portion of the pituitary stalk (Fig 1C and D; and see Fig. 4 in reference 5). Such an anatomical defect should be considered the result of the surgical injury inflicted with the use of the transsphenoidal corridor chosen to remove the tumor, as CGs represent true third ventricle lesions which develop above an intact third ventricle floor.
CGs are usually described as pathologically benign, non-infiltrating neoplasms that, at least from a theoretical standpoint, could represent a model of a pure intraventricular mass that causes the displacement of the anatomical structures forming the boundaries of the anterior third ventricle, particularly the hypothalamus and the optic pathways, during its growth [2]. Therefore, the preoperative symptoms associated with CGs –which may include a variable combination of symptoms derived from hypothalamic dysfunction, including those specifically related to the dysfunction of the infundibulo-tuberal region– should alert practitioners, particularly neurosurgeons, to the strictly intra-third ventricle position of the tumor. In the case of CGs, these hypothalamic/infundibulotuberal disturbances are potentially reversible after tumoral debulking. Nevertheless, achieving the accurate radiological diagnosis of a CG preoperatively represents a fairly difficult task, given the very low incidence of these lesions and the lack of specific MRI signs. At least an exhaustive topographical assessment of every lesion growing around the anterior third ventricle should be carried out in order to confirm the integrity of the third ventricle boundaries, the essential information to plan the optimal surgical approach [4].
The optimal surgical approach to CGs has not yet been established and should be the subject of further studies including larger series of patients. Nevertheless, given the availability of third ventricle f loor-sparing surgical alternatives – which essentially include the trans-lamina terminalis, the transcallosal and the frontal-transcortical-transventricular corridors [1,2,4]–, the use of the transphenoidal approach is debatable in the specific case of CGs, as it seems to carry a higher risk of permanent pituitary and hypothalamic damage.
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in this study.
We would like to express our gratitude to Prof. John A. Jane Jr. who kindly provided us with the clinical details of the case herein reported.
1. Carrasco R, Pascual JM, Reina T, Nieto S, Linera J, Sola RG. Chordoid glioma of the third ventricle attached to the optic chiasm. Successful removal through a trans-lamina terminalis approach. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 110:828–833. 2008;
2. Castro-Dufourny I, Carrasco R, Pascual JM. Chordoid glioma: a new paradigm of hypothalamic dysfunction? Pituitary 20:393–394. 2017;
3. Cavallo LM, Prevedello D, Esposito F, Laws ER Jr, Dusick JR, Messina A, et al. The role of the endoscope in the transsphenoidal management of cystic lesions of the sellar region. Neurosurg Rev 31:55–64. 2008;
4. Pascual JM, Prieto R, Carrasco R, Barrios L. Displacement of mammillary bodies by craniopharyngiomas involving the third ventricle: surgical-MRI correlations and use in topographical diagnosis. J Neurosurg 119:381–405. 2013;
5. Zeinalizadeh M, Sadrehosseini SM, Tayebi Meybodi K, Sharifabadi AH. Expanded endoscopic transnasal approach to the chordoid glioma of the third ventricle : the first case ever reported. J Korean Neurosurg Soc 59:643–646. 2016;
Article information Continued
Copyright © 2018 The Korean Neurosurgical Society


On Saturday, FirstEnergy Solutions, an owner of unprofitable coal and nuclear plants, filed for bankruptcy. This news comes just a few days after the company called for emergency subsidies to avert an electric grid crisis. FirstEnergy called out one regional grid operator in particular, the PJM Interconnection, where their holdings happen to be concentrated. While PJM has experienced an extensive turnover of its generation fleet, the claims of a "crisis" are baseless.
FirstEnergy presented its claims in a benevolent fashion, calling for action to avert an emergency facing "65 million people living and working within the PJM footprint." However, PJM, PJM customers and PJM-specific experts adamantly disagree. Instead, this is a clear-cut case of badly executed rent-seeking behavior. But it does provide a great case study for markets in action.
To begin with, FirstEnergy's claims do not start with the correct framing of market evaluation. The company argues that its baseload plants are not compensated for their fuel security and fuel diversity benefits. But markets compensate for reliability services, not operational modes like "baseload" generation, nor do they provide explicit compensation for fuel diversity or fuel security.
Markets provide incentives for participant behavior consistent with the reliable and efficient operation of the system. This allows suppliers the flexibility to decide how to provide reliable service in a low-cost, value-maximizing manner. Generators have found creative ways to ensure fuel security, motivated by having the ability to produce power during times of system stress in order to capture high prices. Fuel diversity is a proxy slogan for benefits already remunerated in the marketplace, such as risk management and reliable performance.
Both the data and the experts contend that the grid is in transition, not crisis. Performance metrics have generally indicated improvements in grid reliability in PJM and beyond. Going forward, the amount of resources in reserve looks very robust (excessive, in fact, from a cost-benefit and customer perspective).
While PJM is not in a reliability crisis, it will be in a political one if rent-seekers have their way. Turnover in the PJM fleet is clearly a market-driven transition, which policymakers can either embrace in support of innovation and lower customer costs, or arrest at their expense. Policymakers should set their sights on evaluating performance metrics and the incentive structure of these markets – such as those driving resource entry and exit – rather than trying to second-guess if markets picked politically preferred investments.
Evaluating PJM's markets should begin with PJM's independent market monitor, whose sole job is to audit the performance and rules in PJM's system. The monitor's comments in regulatory filings and in an interview with the R Street Institute indicate PJM markets work well overall and bring customers the benefits of competition, but face new challenges in the form of out-of-market interventions. The monitor emphasizes, "subsidies are contagious. Competition in the markets could be replaced by competition to receive subsidies… the subsidy model is fundamentally inconsistent with the PJM market design." To be clear, subsidies, especially for mature technologies, result in higher charges to customers.
In contrast, the monitor clarifies that "central planners do not succeed and have a poor track record of beating the market." Still the monitor finds shortcomings in PJM's markets and provides a list of recommendations to improve market rules. The monitor stresses these be addressed through continued improvements in market design.
PJM, as with any market, is imperfect. Unlike FirstEnergy's claims, a credible argument against PJM's market design would focus on the three-year "lock-in" period of capacity payments for new resources only, as this may cause premature retirement of existing generators who receive no such benefit. This creates an investment risk asymmetry that puts these existing resources at a relative disadvantage. This is an issue of economic efficiency, not reliability or resilience, and warrants market reform through the right regulatory channels, not emergency actions.
If anything, PJM's market design favors so-called "baseload" resources through a capacity market with an annual product tied to strong performance incentives. This benefits resources that can operate 24/7/365 and misvalues the reliability of resources that are available for shorter durations or certain seasons only. A more efficient system is what Texas uses – sole reliance on real-time prices for delivered energy (not potential or capacity) that compensate for reliable performance when and where the grid needs it. Ironically, Texas has the best-performing electricity system and is the least baseload-friendly.
Many electricity issues have a range for reasonable debate. For example, calls to bailout nuclear plants to avoid short-term air pollution increases have varying degrees of merit. The R Street Institute thinks this is a poor idea because it harms customers and actually undermines the engine of long-term emissions cuts, but acknowledges potential near-term emissions benefits.
FirstEnergy's grid emergency arguments, on the other hand, are a complete ruse. There's simply no credible evidence to support their claims. The only emergency is the company's finances –– made evident by their declaration of bankruptcy this weekend –– because they positioned themselves poorly for the age of inexpensive natural gas.
Grid initiatives concerning reliability and resilience should be customer-backed, not led by rent-seeking interests. The latter have called for a paternalistic intervention from the government on behalf of customer interests, despite sophisticated customer groups opposing them. In contrast, new technologies actually create a case for an electricity agenda that empowers customers and lessens the role for government. Policymakers should trust experts and customers as the dialogue on grid reliability and resilience evolves, and reject the hollow alarmism of rent-seekers.


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Asian Economies Seek better Cryptocurrency Regulations
To stay up to date in the business world, Asian economies such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan are currently navigating the cryptosphere to determine the best way to regulate the industry while promoting innovation and growth.
According to Singapore's The Business Times, the Southeast Asian region is quickly becoming a hub of innovation and digital transformation, where the crypto industry has seen immense growth. With mobile connectivity at a whopping 141 percent in the region, interest in digital assets has risen continuously
However, many nations still lack regulatory frameworks and clear direction from their respective governments. The good news is that several administrations have demonstrated their willingness to collaborate with stakeholders in digital markets to understand the growing ecosystem.
Hong Kong, for example, is showing robust regulation to keep up with developments in the industry. Though the area is part of China, cryptocurrency is legal in Hong Kong and administrators have been inviting towards developers and investors.
Meanwhile, regulators in Singapore have also been proactively encouraging developers in the crypto and blockchain industry to break new ground with the technology. The Business Times revealed that lawmakers have been citing existing laws related to assets and investment in cases involving digital assets. However, the administration has been more strict towards fundraising, with a Security Token Offering (STO) recently being blocked.
In Japan, new regulations regarding cryptocurrency and blockchain have been proposed for consideration, with the aim of providing more protection to customers investing in digital assets. However, tech firms in the country are at an advantage, as Japanese law has given permission for the industry to be self-regulated.
Source: www.businesstimes.com.sg
About Asia Blockchain Review
Asia Blockchain Review is the largest initiative for media and community building in Asia for blockchain technology. It aims to connect all blockchain enthusiasts on a regional scale and facilitate the technological foundation of blockchain through a range of group discussions, technical workshops, conferences, and consulting programs.
Our goal is to cultivate and encourage a collaborative community for our members to gather, share their experiences and endeavors in the blockchain space, and brainstorm the potential uses of blockchain technology.
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Bird and Lime scooters sit parked in front of a building on April 17, 2018, in San Francisco.
(CNN) - Lime has pulled part of its electric scooter fleet from the streets after learning that some of its vehicles' batteries could catch fire.
It's an embarrassing setback for the billion-dollar startup whose scooters are available for rent in dozens of cities around the world, including through Uber's app.
In a blog post Tuesday, Lime said batteries made by Segway Ninebot — the company behind Segway scooters — can smolder and in some cases catch fire. Lime used the batteries in early versions of its vehicles.
The startup said it removed the affected scooters in Los Angeles, San Diego and the Lake Tahoe area, the three places where they were in service.
"Immediately upon learning of the defect, we worked with Segway Ninebot to create a software program to detect the potentially affected batteries," Lime said. "We then worked independently to create an even more thorough software program to ensure that no potentially faulty scooters remained in circulation."
The issue affected 0.01% of its total fleet, according to the company. But its battery problems don't end there.
Another version of its scooters "may also be vulnerable to battery failure, which we are currently investigating," it said.
In July, Uber invested in Lime as part of a $335 million funding round for the scooter startup. The deal gave users of Uber's app the ability to find Lime scooters. Uber branding was also added to the scooters.
The electric scooter industry has already had a roller-coaster year. Cities across the United States moved aggressively to rein in, and even shut down, companies like Lime and Bird Rides when hundreds of scooters filled their streets and cluttered their sidewalks seemingly overnight earlier this year.
But some cities later softened their stance as they realized scooters can play an integral role in easing congestion, reducing pollution and bolstering public transit.
The scooter startups' success in getting people to use their vehicles has attracted investors. The July funding round valued Lime at $1.1 billion. Its rival Bird Rides has been valued at $2.2 billion.
Segway Ninebot wasn't immediately available for comment late Tuesday on the battery problems reported by Lime.


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Williams Group unveils £41m TraffordCity BMW, MINI, Jaguar and Land Rover dealership development
27/04/2018 in Car Dealer News
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Williams Group has unveiled its plans for a £41 million multi-site car retail development in Manchester - featuring BMW, Mini, Jaguar and Land Rover showrooms.
The Manchester-based retail group is set to lead the automotive presence in the new Peel Land and Property's evolving TraffordCity development with its plans for the new showrooms, which will create 20 jobs within the business.
Williams Group said in a statement that the high-profile location, which comprises of a 14.3-acre plot adjacent to the intu Trafford Centre and opposite EventCity, had been selected because it met its exacting requirements for a prominent site to accommodate its retail centre with landscaped parking and grounds, allowing it to set "new standards in vehicle retail and service for customers".
Plans for the site include a three-storey glass fronted, 10-car BMW and Mini showroom and an ARCH concept JLR facility featuring an 18-car dual branded showroom with a drive-through service area.
Nick Cook, Williams Group managing director, said: "As a family-owned business, we are underlining our commitment to the region by relocating to this flagship 14-acre site where we will retail and service cars from the finest retail centres in the North West.
"One of the great advantages of TraffordCity will be ease of access for our customers wanting to enjoy the renowned Williams' experience.
"They will also have access to the exceptional retail and leisure offering of intu Trafford Centre and its flagship stores including John Lewis which is adjacent to this site."
The Williams Group dealerships will bring a new addition to the Barton Dock Road route into TraffordCity, which is also home to "the largest event space in the north of England", EventCity, a new Holiday Inn Express and many family attractions, Williams Group said.
A new Metrolink tram station is also set to be located opposite the Williams' development with the new line due to be completed in 2020.
Williams Group plan to relocate its current showrooms from Upper Brook Street and Birchall Way in Manchester to TraffordCity and anticipate work starting in the early summer of 2018 with completion within one year.
James Whittaker, Peel Land and Property Group Development Director, said: "We're delighted that Williams has agreed to invest and build such a high standard showroom and servicing facility at TraffordCity.
"BMW, MINI, Jaguar and Land Rover are exactly the kind of aspirational brands we wanted to attract to activate this part of TraffordCity, which is going through some fundamental improvements including the development of the new Trafford Park Metrolink line."
Williams BMW Motorcycles will remain at its location on Chester Road, Manchester, with Williams Select, the firm's used car business retailing non-franchise brands, relocating from Upper Brook Street to the vacated site of Williams MINI Manchester on Chester Road.
Williams Group currently employs a total of 812 employees with 240 relocating to the TraffordCity site. A further 20 new jobs will be created by the move.
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Stephen Connor - 21/06/2018 16:10
As a Williams customer I sincerely hope they start to deliver on there promise of exceptional customer service as stated in your artical. All I ever get is "he is busy at the moment, he will call you back shortly" only to be left waitng days with out response. Buyer beware.......you do not get what they say!!!!!!! Fact
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I was recently involved in a very complicated real estate deal that involved four top real estate agents. We all had to read and study various documents before we came together to discuss.
In our discussion, it was clear that all of us had scanned the various documents and picked up an understanding of parts of the document, but not all of it. All bullet points were read and discussed but the details were clearly not. In my opinion, this is exactly why good real estate attorneys are necessary, as they are trained to review such important details that real estate agents tend to overlook or misunderstand.
Real estate agents, like all great salespeople, have a certain skillset that sets them apart from the pack. However, it's important to understand their weaknesses as well.
Abe to develop proposals and solutions "on their feet"
Are always "on the go"
In today's larger firms, individual sales efforts have been replaced by collaborative sales teams. Collaborative teams can mix and match strengths and weaknesses to create a more effective sales approach, while also allowing these firms to have better control over the client. However, organizations such as Salesforce, are beginning to understand that these teams fail in the same ways that individual top salespeople can perform.
Many companies don't provide professional sales training. And those that do, most of the time the training is incomplete, outdated, and/or focuses on the wrong things. That's why enterprises like Salesforce are working hard to partner with colleges and universities to incorporate sales training into classes. In the past, sales have never been a part of a college's curriculum. Schools have always regarded sales as a skill that wasn't "teachable" and therefore not a profession to educate. Yet, the top firms are asking for sales training because the employee pool lacks qualified candidates.
The fact is that the great salespeople were naturally gifted with the ability to sell. These skills can be enhanced through education, but the basic skills are built into salespeople from birth.
Those who "fall" into a sales position may be good at building strong relationships, but they also may lack the "sales DNA" – a skillset that supports successful sales outcomes. If you have salespeople, and you have repeatedly had to coach them on the same issues, it's more than likely sales DNA that is causing the problem, not a skill gap.
Corporate America wants to streamline sales efforts and has ignored the very nature of what great salespeople are all about. They have ignored a study of salespeople's strengths and weaknesses and have tried to change the way the sales process is performed.
All of us in sales and those that rely on sales must grasp each of their salespeople's strengths and weaknesses to create environments where each of us can excel. In today's world, we need great salespeople more than ever and with a pool of qualified candidates quickly declining, those who have the sales DNA can truly "knock it out of the park."
Hans Hansson is President of Starboard Real Estate Services. Hans has been an active broker for over 32 years in the San Francisco Bay Area and specializes in office leasing and investments. If you have any questions or comments please email hans@starboardnet.com or call him at (415) 765-6897. You may also check out his website, www.hanshansson.com.


Joyce Van Dyke provided this photograph taken of her and her five sisters in 1954. The sisters were children of Ernest and Allie Vandenberg, and had five brothers, Joe, Andrew, Harald Harry and John. The family lived in Meadow Lake Township, Barnes County, on the western edge of the county near Ypsilanti.
Van Dyke said her parents moved to Meadow Lake Township in 1907, and were married there, moving to North Dakota from Orange City in northwest Iowa, and each spring her father walked 1,500 miles behind the walking plow, breaking sod so he could plant seeds. Her father lived on the farm for 60 years. The children all attended Radtke Country School and the North Marion Country Church.
Her father was born in Sexbierum, Netherlands, in 1886, and moved to the U.S. with his parents when he was 1-1/2.
Photos can be of people, events or places in Barnes County from 10, 20, 30 years ago, or even older. Please submit photographs by email to treditor@times-online.com, or drop them by our office at 146 Third Street NE.


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Learn techniques to help breastfeeding get off to a good start. Even if you have breastfed before this class offers information and strategies, which will help with baby's first days of feeding, avoiding or coping with common challenges including sleepy babies, engorgement, pumping and storage of breast milk and addressing the emotional and physical needs of the mother. We will also discuss how others can help support the mother in order to promote successful breastfeeding. Learn the basics of caring for your baby including diapering, dressing, bathing, bedtime, immunizations, newborn appearance, characteristics, development, crying, temperament, breastfeeding for optimal health and soothing techniques. Other topics that will be discussed include safety, illness, how to baby proof your home and more. Support person encouraged to attend.
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Labor, Birth, Breastfeeding and Baby Care Preparation Series - Choose from a 5-week, 3-day or 4-day Accelerated series.
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Keeping an Eye on the Eurozone
At GlaxoSmithKline, group treasurer Sarah-Jane Chilver-Stainer issued a record-breaking dollar bond issue and reorganized the treasury team.
By Rebecca Brace | May 23, 2012 at 05:15 AM
It's fair to say that Sarah-Jane Chilver-Stainer is a high achiever. When she spoke to Treasury & Risk earlier this month, she had just completed a record-breaking dollar bond issue for GlaxoSmithKline, the London-based pharmaceutical and healthcare company. The $5 billion issue, which attracted $15 billion in demand, included three-, five- and 10-year notes with coupons of 0.75%, 1.5% and 2.85%, respectively—the lowest coupons ever achieved on U.S. dollar bonds sold by a UK company.
For Chilver-Stainer, the transaction was just the latest in a series of accomplishments at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), which had $44.2 billion in 2011 revenue and employs more than 97,000 around the world. GSK's group treasurer and senior vice president recently set up a new pension risk management team and took on responsibility for the company's insurance activities. She completed a major reorganization of the treasury team at the beginning of the year and recently established an in-house bank.
Aside from these projects, Chilver-Stainer points out the importance of keeping the nuts and bolts of treasury on track, such as managing the company's $23 billion debt portfolio and its $9.5 billion investment portfolio. She joined SmithKline Beecham, one of GSK's predecessor companies, in 1995 and held a number of treasury roles before she was appointed to her current position in 2008. Today Chilver-Stainer manages a centralized treasury team covering GSK's activities in more than 100 countries. Her areas of responsibility include corporate finance, the global treasury consultancy, cash management and the new pension team, as well as her insurance responsibilities.
Democrats Unveil a Corporate Minimum Tax
Laura Davison | October 26, 2021
Companies would owe 15% minimum, regardless of deductions. Democrats hope to gain an extra $400 billion in revenue.


How wonderful to celebrate Chinese New Year and the Western Valentine's Day in Singapore!
For a couple of decades, I know this country of wonder.
It is impressive: it keeps growing, keeps changing, like a child who never stops to learn and change.
I'm so lucky to be here in this season and share my love.
I'll blend myself into this colorful world and center of Asia.
I love to keep coming back to Singapore -- enjoy the bright lights and be charmed by the energy.
Good morning Singapore, I admire you!
Good afternoon Singapore, may this be the best year ever!
Good bye Singapore, for now.
I surely will come back to visit you.


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Q: Android WebRTC Custom Capturer I have compiled the webRTC Demo app. I see that capturing the frames is done by the VideoCaptureAndroid.java file that is tightly coupled with the native code.
I need to add a functionality of pushing my own frames to the webRTC library to send on the video channel.
I'm ok with writing it in C++, or with NDK or Java. But I just can't figure out how to do it.


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MotoGP, Mir working on the front tyre, "because it cost me the victory"
"In the last race the front tyre was a bit destroyed on the left side. At the moment Nakagami is the one with the best confidence, but all the riders are very fast and this surprises me a lot."
Submitted by Giorgio Burreddu on Fri, 23/10/2020 - 18:42
Joan Mir is going at the limit, then whatever will be, will be, but for this second Aragon race the Spanish rider is all fired up. The Suzukis are pushing hard, and he is searching for the right wind.
"I feel great with the bike, in the last race the problem was the front tyre which was a bit destroyed on the left side, because our setup do not work properly".
Work is underway to make amends for the problems of a week ago. Mir knows that when you are in the game, everything has to work perfectly.
"The setting led us to use the front tyre more and we are working on this to understand why it is important that this problem does not occur again. Also because this cost us the battle for the victory in the last race ".
Like all the other riders, Mir says it's all about the details. Everything must be a perfectly oiled machine and talent is not enough. We even saw it today.
"All the riders are very fast. I am very surprised at this. It will be interesting to see how it will be in the race. At the moment Nakagami is the one with the best confidence. But we're quite close too. We are practicing with the tyres, usually I don't like mediums ".
What matters is that Mir does not want to lose this title…
"I'm in a completely different situation than in the past few years."
Many observers have indicated Mir as the rider to beat for this Spanish race, as well as for the world championship. And that could throw Mir into hyperspace, right up to the title. From now on until the race, however, a lot of things will have to be revised and evaluated.
"I think the package we have is pretty good. I'm not worried about the power, tomorrow we will have more ".
Suzuki is still working to find the best pace, there is a lot to do, says Mir.
"We worked a lot today. We collected a lot of information, but I don't know what the decision will be and what the correct setting will be to work tomorrow. "
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Opening dates of the championship and pre-season tests have been changed. Will start on May 29th-31st in Oulton Park. Other ten confirmed.
BSB, Glenn Irwin and Ryo Mizuno with Honda Racing UK in 2021
Havier Beltran's team has announced its line-up, with youngster Ryo Mizuno alongside Glenn Irwin with the aim of going for the title
Colin Edwards' Texas Tornado Boot Camp Returns For 2021
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America's craziest race: King of the Baggers becomes a championship
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F1 calendar changes, MotoGP expected to change as well
The possibility of a Losail 2, followed by a race at Portimao to replace the Austin GP in Texas, has resurfaced
OFFICIAL: Adrian Fernandez to race with Max Biaggi's team in 2021
The 16-year-old Spaniard will take over from Alonso Lopez and team up with Romano Fenati on the Husqvarna
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2021 MotoGP calendar: counter-moves being prepared for possible defections
Dorna working much better than Liberty Media in F1: only Argentina and Texas are in doubt, but replacements are ready. Superbike calendar planned to avoid creating problems with all non-European...
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To understand the silence, you need to think about the costs. And how much the contract of 'Magic Marc', an affair for the lawyers and insurance companies is worth. But he might return at Jerez, or...
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Lawson's interview and his declarations about Agostini have rekindled the old misunderstandings between the two. Like that time Ago found out that Eddie, already in Honda, was still eating Yamaha...
Off the track, Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi: from the 2008 'wall' to teamwork at Sepang
GPone MotoGP, Bar Sport at Sepang with Carlo Pernat


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Detail is in the planning for Peel Ports' Liverpool2 development
£9.7m Terminal operating system running flat out to eradicate bugs ahead of opening
Neil Hodgson
Tony Jones, senior supervisor vessel planning, with Caroline Clark, business and automation process manager
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Months before the £300m Liverpool2 port facility opens to vessels, the in-river terminal is working flat out handling some of the world's largest ships – on screen at least.
A £9.7m terminal operating system (TOS) is allowing owner Peel Ports to use computers to run multiple scenarios to test the system to the full.
It can plan how many quayside cranes can work per vessel, even how close they can work alongside each other, to offload and load hundreds of containers to tight schedules to meet tidal windows.
The Navis N4 TOS can also plan and oversee the movements of driverless cranes to ensure the best use of time and quayside routes, by pre-planning the exact location of containers on the kilometre-long quayside.
Port of Liverpool business and automation process manager Caroline Clark said: "There are thousands of parameters the system goes through and thousands of calculations to know where to put a box. A human could not do the same amount of calculations. We macro manage and the system micro manages."
Navis was first used in the Royal Seaforth Container Terminal (RSCT) last year after Caroline and Tony Jones, senior supervisor vessel planning, spent 18 months running the same scenario tests to ensure the TOS was up to the job.
When Liverpool2 opens this summer it will be the first time anywhere in the world the system will control fully automated systems, on Liverpool2, and manual systems at RSCT simultaneously, said Caroline.
Senior IT product manager Paul Elliott is working on the 'emulation' of work on Liverpool2 and has so far overseen 3,000 test cases, leading to the automation of 60% of the work.
Navis can test an eight hour shift at six times normal speed to discover any bugs. He explained: "The system can experiment with handling cargoes in advance. We are stress testing so we know the system can work to its limits and cope with it."
The need for an ultra-efficient TOS is illustrated when Martin Bottoms, deputy senior manager container terminal operations, reveals the huge increase in activity at the port: "In 1998, during a four week period, we handled 29 vessels and 14,000 containers manually. Last week, we handled 19 vessels and 10,000 containers using satellite and GPS systems."
The system is vital to improve productivity and achieve continuous improvements by matching containers to vessels to reduce container movements. Mr Bottoms said this will lead to each crane handling an extra one or two containers per hour, which would be an impressive achievement.
Caroline Clark added: "Our yard density is bigger than last year, and the year before that, but this allows us to move things around in the same time instead of going slower as the density gets bigger."
Port director David Huck said the TOS is the most advanced of its kind operating in any port: "The key with this TOS is we have the tools that allow us to emulate cargo flow. For example, if we have a vessel with 3,000 boxes on we can go through all the different scenarios of a day in the life of a port.
"We need to hit the ground running and customer service has to be as good as it can be from day one. Using simulation we can deliver the big plan earlier. The more we can do offline the better."
He said Peel's ports in Dublin, Glasgow and Manchester will also use the same system, with Liverpool the hub: "If we're operating the same platform it makes life easier. The system is used quite widely in our industry, but we will be unique in the UK integrating all our ports."


Y St. Andrew's Church attempts to be a blessing to the community in which God has called it to serve. We carry out our community service in a variety of ways. The obvious ways are through weddings, baptisms and funerals, but we are also involved in the community in other ways as well.
We support the Valley CIDS (Christians in Derbyshire Schools) project by helping to staff the local Lighthouse charity shop. We also support the shop with our prayers, giving and donations. Valley CIDS are also involved in some of our activities.
Our Church hall is used regularly by a variety of local groups.
In addition to this we have Church members who give of their time voluntarily to serve the community in many capacities such as Parish Councillors, School Governors, and in the Women's Institute etc.
As a Church 10% of our annual income is given away to national and local charitable concerns. We support local homeless projects by providing practical help such as home start-up packs, toiletries and Christmas gifts. We run a food bank, distributing help where it is most needed.
We regularly send mission teams out to Romania. We support this work financially, practically and through prayer. For more information see the Romania page. Some photos of our Romania trips are on the Gallery page.
Messy Play has developed over a period of time, to enable families to meet together for craft fun and stories in a relaxed environment and to share a hot meal. Out of Messy Play, Messy Tots has evolved meeting the needs of families with younger children.
We run a foodbank for anyone in need, and have recently started up a lunch club.
The Mission statement of the Church is "To know Christ and to make Him known", and everything we do is centered on this mission statement. One way we have done this is through Alpha; a simple, friendly, fun way to learn about the basics of the Christian faith. More information about this can be obtained on our Alpha page.
St. Andrew's is proud of its community involvement and regularly seeks God's guidance as to how we may further be involved in this precious area.


It's become something of a tradition here that I search through old family photos at the weekend and post one that's just a little bit weird or unusual.
I'm quite lucky that my father was keen on photography (according to his brother he would "photograph the pavement") from quite an early age and used colour slide film when it was still very expensive compared to black & white prints. As a result I have quite a collection of old photos, both as slides and prints and scanned, stretching back through his life and into the generation before that.
When I was looking through these old photos this morning with my younger daughter, she asked whether she and her sister would have photographs of themselves available when they grow up. This got me thinking that it's probably more of challenge than ever before keeping family photos available for decades or even longer. Nearly everyone uses digital cameras and I have the impression that only the geeks backup data regularly. As an example, my brother in law keeps all his pictures of his son on his iPhone because their computer is "rubbish". From that starting point it's only a single point of failure to losing all those childhood memories.
I'm somewhat obsessive about backing up date — especially family photos — but even they may not be available forever. Will Adobe DNG files or Canon CR2 files be readable decades from now? Just how much care and effort will actually be needed to be able to pass on those digital memories to the next generation? I reckon most people won't even bother trying.