St. Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day) is observed in Wales, where it is traditionally known in Welsh as Gŵyl San Steffan.It aligns with the Christian feast day commemorating Saint Stephen, and historically featured unique Welsh customs — now avoided– such as “holming” (beating late risers or servants with holly branches for good luck) or associations with wren-related traditions similar to those in Ireland.
Ballymaloe Cookery School is situated on a 100-acre organic farm in County Kerry. It produces the freshest vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy products, all of which are used in the kitchen every day. We teach a diverse range of cooking styles but the fundamental message we pass on to our students is the importance of putting time and effort into sourcing the highest-quality ingredients.
In non soccer, non portal, non athletic news, our family just grew by one 😀 we gained a future son in law!!! So happy for Madison and Dylan. #weddingplanspic.twitter.com/3DNx0tNr5D
Congrats to my son for graduating with Honors from Eastern Michigan – don’t blink time flies – so so proud of what he’s accomplished & love him to pieces 💙🎉🥳 pic.twitter.com/qAj2ndRVwA
We need a reality dating show called “Average SEC Couples” that’s just 15 Average Joe’s from the South wooing 15 gorgeous women with generational wealth. pic.twitter.com/hhNGYUPw3S
Since I’m making happy announcements, Anne and I are expecting our first grandchild (a grandson we’re told) in February. We’re very proud of and happy for our oldest son Aedan and his wife Addy. Thanks be to God! pic.twitter.com/3xFXGYaes0
💙Last middle school dance💙
Time is flying, but I’ve loved every moment of this phase — shopping for his unique style, the cologne hunts, the late-night talks, and watching him chase what he loves. Keep being authentically you, GT!💥 pic.twitter.com/glH8AHyid4
One week postpartum with the sweetest baby ever. I am blessed beyond measure to have had my 5th successful home birth and a very smooth recovery. God is so good! pic.twitter.com/bWBqAtOUkj
A South African man who recently picked up an abandoned baby in Mpumalanga suburb of Emalahleni is now applying for court permission to adopt the boy and get him a birth certificate
Ten years after our wedding, our triplets have finally arrived… Thank you to everyone who sent us congratulations. These are our most precious treasures. #fblifestylepic.twitter.com/AXKOj7vL7Q
The body of 8-year-old Mystic camper Virginia Hollis was found along the Guadalupe River earlier this week, more than a week after the July 4 floods in Texas.
Yesterday, this angel’s favorite horse followed her casket through the streets to bid her farewell. 😭 pic.twitter.com/T8f8O6n4q3
After 15 years of marriage, the first child is actually twins! 🥳Maybe no one will say it, but we want to share this joy anyway. 🌹 pic.twitter.com/T60zPJZ0tT
He was with me almost every day for 12 years. The best living creature I’ve ever known including humans.
He protected children and loved his job out here.
I hope I can be half the man this dog was to our world. I buried him last evening in his beloved woods.
A heartfelt surprise for her best friend on graduation day.. She didn’t expect it because they hadn’t seen each other in so long, ever since her friend moved to another citypic.twitter.com/3pxswYFVNt
From couple matching to couple chief-ing!!!thrilled and honored to serve as chief residents together at the program that shaped us. Grateful for the journey and excited for what’s ahead! #HUHpic.twitter.com/lClrJpGABW
20th March 2010
A couple – just married – choose to cycle from the church to their reception.
From my book ‘Cambridge – Town & Gown’. pic.twitter.com/Y9zzcUsHh4
We got him moved into the new house! His bride-to-be is helping him decorate and put things away and will be joining him there on their wedding night! Today, only a few tears were shed (out of his sight). We are beyond happy for them! @BrandonLansdownpic.twitter.com/NSNmzg8hyG
Naistenpäivän kunniaksi haluan jakaa, että minulla on onni ja siunaus odottaa omaa tytärtä. Toivon näyttäväni hänelle samanlaista naisen mallia kuin oma äitini on näyttänyt minulle. Nainen voi olla vahva ja lempeä, sitkeä ja kaunis, herkkä ja periksiantamaton. Nainen voi olla… pic.twitter.com/MivsLRh1wJ
Syracuse University. Kissing Bench: This bench on the Quad is steeped in tradition. Legend has it that if a couple kisses on the bench, they will eventually marry. Conversely, if a single person sits there alone, they risk staying single forever.
University of Idaho. Hello Walk and Kissing Rock: While not a bench, this area on campus features a large rock where students have historically kissed. It’s a romantic tradition for couples at the university.
It is so rare for people to see a normal, white family that lefties think it gives ”Third Reich vibes”. This really tells us that we need to make it less rare.
…”The Society has ruled on the acceptable dimensions of the Yorkshire pudding and is now issuing the definitive recipe. The judgement followed an enquiry from an Englishman living in the Rockies in the USA who emailed the RSC seeking scientific advice on the chemistry of the dish following a string of [altitude related] kitchen flops….”
Dinner recipe for Advent Sundays from the School of Hospitality Business Management at WSU’s Carson College of Business. Executive Chef Jamie Callison developed the recipe for Washington State Magazine’s November 2019 issue. He was assisted by Chef de Cuisine Jason Butcherite and Student Culinary Lead Justin Walker. Recipe features local honey and seasoning.
100 years ago, the Supreme Court made it clear in Pierce v. Society of Sisters: raising children is the responsibility of parents, not the government.
100 years later, the Trump Administration remains committed to protecting parental rights. pic.twitter.com/yduXdLShty
— Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) June 1, 2025
“…O chestnut tree;, great rooted blossomer, Are you the leaf, the blossom or the bold? O body swayed to music, O brightening glance, How can we know the dancer from the dance?”
We sweep through the world’s three major time zones; updating our understanding of the literature at the technical foundation of education community safety and sustainability in those time zones 24 times per day. We generally eschew “over-coding” web pages to sustain speed, revision cadence and richness of content as peak priority. We do not provide a search facility because of copyrights of publishers and time sensitivity of almost everything we do.
Our daily colloquia are typically doing sessions; with non-USA titles receiving priority until 16:00 UTC and all other titles thereafter. We assume policy objectives are established (Safer-Simpler-Lower-Cost, Longer-Lasting). Because we necessarily get into the weeds, and because much of the content is time-sensitive and copyright protected, we usually schedule a separate time slot to hammer on technical specifics so that our response to consultations are meaningful and contribute to the goals of the standards developing organization and to the goals of stewards of education community real assets — typically the largest real asset owned by any US state and about 50 percent of its annual budget.
1. Leviathan. We track noteworthy legislative proposals in the United States 118th Congress. Not many deal specifically with education community real assets since the relevant legislation is already under administrative control of various Executive Branch Departments such as the Department of Education.
We do not advocate in legislative activity at any level. We respond to public consultations but there it ends.
We track federal legislative action because it provides a stroboscopic view of the moment — the “national conversation”– in communities that are simultaneously a business and a culture. Even though more than 90 percent of such proposals are at the mercy of the party leadership the process does enlighten the strengths and weakness of a governance system run entirely through the counties on the periphery of Washington D.C. It is impossible to solve technical problems in facilities without sensitivity to the zietgeist that has accelerated in education communities everywhere.
Michigan Great Lake Quilt
Michigan can 100% water and feed itself. Agriculture is its second-largest industry.
The word “panettone” has its origins in Italian and can be traced back to the Latin language. The root of “panettone” comes from the Italian word “pane,” which means bread. The diminutive suffix “-etto” is added to “pane” to indicate a smaller or sweetened version of the bread. The word “panettone” can be loosely translated as “small bread” or “sweet bread.”
“Still Life with Panettone, Sweets and Lemons” | Eugenio De Giacomi (1852-1917)
Traditional Ingredients: Panettone is made from a rich, sweet dough that typically includes ingredients such as flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and candied fruits. It may also contain raisins or other dried fruits.
Signature Dome Shape: Panettone is known for its distinctive dome shape. The dough is left to rise several times, and the final proofing is done in a cylindrical paper mold, giving it its characteristic tall and round appearance.
Regional Variations: While panettone is closely associated with Milan, various regions in Italy have their own versions of Christmas bread. For example, in Southern Italy, there’s a similar sweet bread called “Pandoro,” which is often shaped like an eight-pointed star.
Artisanal and Commercial Production: Panettone can be found in both artisanal bakeries, where traditional methods are often employed, and in commercial production where large-scale quantities are produced for widespread consumption. Artisanal panettone is often prized for its attention to quality and flavor.
We examine the proposals for the 2028 National Electrical Safety Code; including our own. The 2026 National Electrical Code where sit on CMP-15 overseeing health care facility electrical issues should be released any day now. We have one proposal on the agenda of the International Code Council’s Group B Committee Action Hearings in Cleveland in October. Balloting on the next IEEE Gold Book on reliability should begin.
FERC Open Meetings | (Note that these ~60 minute sessions meet Sunshine Act requirements. Our interest lies one or two levels deeper into the technicals underlying the administrivia)
Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan
First Draft Proposals contain most of our proposals — and most new (original) content. We will keep the transcripts linked below but will migrate them to a new page starting 2025:
N.B. We are in the process of migrating electric power system research to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers bibliographic format.
Recap of the May meetings of the Industrial & Commercial Power Systems Conference in Las Vegas. The conference ended the day before the beginning of the 3-day Memorial Day weekend in the United States so we’re pressed for time; given all that happened.
We can use our last meeting’s agenda to refresh the status of the issues.
We typically break down our discussion into the topics listed below:
Codes & Standards:
While IAS/I&CPS has directed votes on the NEC; Mike is the only I&CPS member who is actually submitting proposals and responses to codes and standards developers to the more dominant SDO’s — International Code Council, ASHRAE International, UL, ASTM International, IEC & ISO. Mike maintains his offer to train the next generation of “code writers and vote getters”
Performance-based building premises feeder design has been proposed for the better part of ten NEC revision cycles. The objective of these proposals is to reduce material, labor and energy waste owed to the branch and feeder sizing rules that are prescriptive in Articles 210-235. Our work in service and lighting branch circuit design has been largely successful. A great deal of building interior power chain involves feeders — the network upstream from branch circuit panels but down stream from building service panel.
Our history of advocating for developing this approach, inspired by the NFPA 101 Guide to Alternative Approaches to Life Safety, and recounted in recent proposals for installing performance-based electrical feeder design into the International Building Code, appears in the link below:
Access to this draft paper for presentation at any conference that will receive it — NFPA, ICC or IEEE (or even ASHRAE) will be available for review at the link below:
NFPA 110 Definitions of Public Utility v. Merchant Utility
NFPA 72 “Definition of Dormitory Suite” and related proposals
Buildings:
Renovation economics, Smart contracts in electrical construction. UMich leadership in aluminum wiring statements in the NEC should be used to reduce wiring costs.
This paper details primary considerations in estimating the life cycle of a campus medium voltage distribution grid. Some colleges and universities are selling their entire power grid to private companies. Mike has been following these transactions but cannot do it alone.
Variable Architecture Multi-Island Microgrids
District energy:
Generator stator winding failures and implications upon insurance premiums. David Shipp and Sergio Panetta. Mike suggests more coverage of retro-fit and lapsed life cycle technicals for insurance companies setting premiums.
Reliability:
Bob Arno’s leadership in updating the Gold Book.
Mike will expand the sample set in Table 10-35, page 293 from the <75 data points in the 1975 survey to >1000 data points. Bob will set up meeting with Peyton at US Army Corps of Engineers.
Reliability of merchant utility distribution systems remains pretty much a local matter. The 2023 Edition of the NESC shows modest improvement in the vocabulary of reliability concepts. For the 2028 Edition Mike submitted several proposals to at least reference IEEE titles in the distribution reliability domain. It seems odd (at least to Mike) that the NESC committees do not even reference IEEE technical literature such as Bob’s Gold Book which has been active for decades. Mike will continue to propose changes in other standards catalogs — such as ASTM, ASHRAE and ICC — which may be more responsive to best practice assertions. Ultimately, improvements will require state public utility commission regulations — and we support increases in tariffs so that utilities can afford these improvements.
Mike needs help from IEEE Piscataway on standard WordPress theme limitations for the data collection platform.
Mike will update the campus power outage database.
Healthcare:
Giuseppe Parise’s recent work in Italian power grid to its hospitals, given its elevated earthquake risk. Mike’s review of Giuseppe’s paper:
Mike and David Shipp will prepare a position paper for the Harvard Healthcare Management Journal on reliability advantages of impedance grounding for the larger systems.
The Internet of Bodies
Forensics:
Giuseppe’s session was noteworthy for illuminating the similarity and differences between the Italian and US legal system in handling electrotechnology issues.
Mike will restock the committee’s library of lawsuits transactions.
Ports:
Giuseppe updates on the energy and security issues of international ports. Mike limits his time in this committee even though the State of Michigan has the most fresh water international ports in the world.
A PROPOSED GUIDE FOR THE ENERGY PLAN AND ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF A PORT
Other:
Proposals to the 2028 National Electrical Safety Code: Accepted Best Practice, exterior switchgear guarding, scope expansion into ICC and ASHRAE catalog,
Apparently both the Dot Standards and the Color Books will continue parallel development. Only the Gold Book is being updated; led by Bob Arno. Mike admitted confusion but reminded everyone that any references to IEEE best practice literature in the NFPA catalog, was installed Mike himself (who would like some backup help)
Mike assured Christel Hunter (General Cable) that his proposals for reducing the 180 VA per-outlet requirements, and the performance-base design allowance for building interior feeders do not violate the results of the Neher-McGrath calculation used for conductor sizing. All insulation and conducting material thermal limits are unaffected.
Other informal discussions centered on the rising cost of copper wiring and the implications for the global electrotechnical transformation involving the build out of quantum computing and autonomous vehicles. Few expressed optimism that government ambitions for the same could be met in any practical way.
Are students avoiding use of Chat GPT for energy conservation reasons? Mike will be breaking out this topic for a dedicated standards inquiry session:
Makowiec is a poppy seed roll evolving from East European baking tradition that is commonly served during the Christmas season. It is a sweet pastry filled with a mixture of ground poppy seeds, honey, nuts, and sometimes raisins. The roll is often braided or shaped into a log and can be dusted with powdered sugar.
‘Makowiec’ (poppy seed cake), photo: Zbigniew Lewczak/Getty Images
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwBpic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
