September 6 is an “unofficial holiday” celebrating Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (the “906” area code). Northern Michigan University is in Marquette, right in the heart of the UP, so the day is a big local pride thing on and around campus.
Pasties are the classic UP food: handheld meat-and-vegetable pies brought by Cornish miners in the 1800s and now a Yooper staple. One of the most common ways people are told to celebrate 906 Day is simply to eat a pasty (along with things like playing cribbage or swimming in Lake Superior). Local shops often run 906-themed specials, such as a pasty + sides for $9.06.
NMU has its own pasty history that ties into this culture. In 1978, as part of Homecoming, the university baked what it billed as the world’s largest pasty (unofficial Guinness record): 12 feet by 6 feet, over 1,000 pounds of filling, baked for six hours, and served to more than 2,000 students. The school still highlights it on its achievements page.
So the connection is cultural rather than one single official NMU event: 906 Day = UP pride day in Marquette, pasties = the food that represents the UP, and NMU sits in the middle of both.
ICYMI:
Northern Michigan University has genuine institutional pasty history. NMU says its students produced the “world’s largest pasty” during Homecoming in 1978: 250 lb beef, 400 lb potatoes, 75 lb carrots, 25 lb onions and 250 lb of dough. It reportedly fed more than 2,000 students.
More importantly for your dinner-post purposes, an NMU history piece explicitly says NMU and Michigan Tech dining operations have long served pasties to students.
Michigan Technological University is even better documented. Michigan Tech has published the actual Cornish pasty recipe used by Dining Services—skirt steak, potato, onion and rutabaga—and its 2026 Alumni Reunion included a Pasty Dinner in the Memorial Union Ballroom.
There’s even a third Michigan angle: University of Michigan‘s U.P. Scholars program holds a 906 Day celebration where U.P. students gather over pasties. In one documented year they brought in pasties for more than 130 students.
“The Dressmaking Factory” 1914 | Charles Ginnar @TateFire Safety | Fashion
“Millworker” belongs to a later and subtler tradition of “labor music”. There is no strike, no marching line and scarcely a villain. Taylor locates the conflict inside the worker herself: her hands remain at the machine while her mind wanders backward through family, farm and memory.
The complaint is not simply that the work is hard. It is that a human life can disappear into work that asks too little of the human being. Taylor tells us that millwork is not especially hard. That’s what separates this song from so much earlier, angrier industrial laments. The injury is monotony, lost possibility and time for a ‘young girl who ought to stand a better chance’.
We first posted this prospect in May 2022, months before generative artificial intelligence displaced blockchain as the principal technological anxiety of the education industry.
Blockchain has not disappeared; its ambitions have narrowed toward credentials, records and decentralized governance while artificial intelligence has raised the larger question of what the university—and perhaps the teacher—is for.
Blockchain threatened the university’s machinery.
AI threatens to interrogate its purpose.
The blockchain proposition asked: Do we still need a centralized institution to maintain records, confer credentials, distribute money and establish trust?
The AI proposition asks something considerably more uncomfortable: What are students paying the institution and faculty to do when machines can teach, explain, translate, draft, assess, search and increasingly conduct portions of research?
15 February 2025
Gm! 🟧
🎨Focus on the art not the noise 🙌
PORDALS, pushes the boundaries of minimalism and narrative through a micro-to-macro approach, the smallest unit of measurement for digital color is a pixel. Inscriptions magnify the canvas to a visible size on Bitcoin. We create… pic.twitter.com/wsWNEqfZBq
Blockchain is a decentralized, immutable, and transparent digital ledger that securely records and verifies transactions across multiple computers or nodes. It operates through a network of participants who collectively validate and store each transaction, creating a chain of interconnected blocks. Each block contains a unique cryptographic hash that links it to the previous block, ensuring data integrity.
The distributed nature of blockchain eliminates the need for intermediaries, increases security, and fosters trust among participants. It has applications beyond cryptocurrencies, enabling efficient and reliable solutions in various industries such as finance, supply chain management, healthcare, education and accreditation.
John Domingue | TEDxOpenUniversity:
“I believe that with blockchain technology we can create a radically new type of university: a DAO University. A DAO is a Decentralised Autonomous Organisation which operates with no central control and no humans in the loop and are based on Smart Contracts: pieces of computer code on a blockchain which can represent and enact financial and legal contracts. ”
Miguel de Cervantes (Don Quixote): “Ladran Sancho, señal que cabalgamos”
“Let the dogs bark Sancho, it is a sign that we’re moving forward.”
Blockchain is built so that the system keeps the data across several nodes that form a consensus on the exact position of the data. This storage method is different from the cloud, where data remains in one location and is easily accessible to an individual as a whole.
We find relatively few public consultations presented by accredited standards developers in the human resource domain; surprising because human resources are the largest cost center in nearly every industry. Alas, manufacturers, insurance and conformance companies remain the strongest voices; the “wicked problem” we describe in our ABOUT.
Even before the circumstances of the pandemic inspired a revisit of large government politics and cultural mashing in education communities in the United States we could hear the first footfalls of disruption when ANSI catalyzed the creation of a related entity in 2014, described in the link below:
The proper business of the education industry overall — and the ~$500 billion facility segment we track — is preparing the workforce everywhere to contribute to national economic priorities. There is a strong cultural component in the human resource domain — i.e. branding — the topic of another post. For now, we simply suggest that much of the economic activity of education communities is devoted to building a cohort (or guild) that creates an emotional bond that hastens learning and a continual desire to self-educate to remain part of the cohort.
At the moment, the WORKCRED program at this point in its development, appears to provides guidance to conformance and compliance organizations among its members. The user-interest in the education facility industry, at least dependent on a skilled workforce as any economic sector, and welcomed to participate. We identify the initiative here and will keep a weather-eye out for commenting opportunities on draft consensus products emerging from it. The link below should provide a more detailed overview of the program until a “commentable consensus product” suitable for incorporation by reference into legislation is released.
Of course, there will be cultural competition among the guardians of the cohort.
Organizations with their own credentialing enterprises for skilled trades, ICT, software engineering, etc. — are encouraged to communicate directly with the WORKCRED staff (CLICK HERE).
“All the months are crude experiments, out of which the perfect September is made” — Virginia Woolf
§
“Daybreak” | Maxfield Parrish 1922
Our use of the term “Educational Settlements” captures the self-contained energy of these places — kindergartens, classrooms, quads, dining halls, dorms, and nearby squares buzzing with student life amid broader higher-ed shifts like the “demographic cliff” (declining traditional enrollments), AI integration, skills-focused curricula, and financial pressures. (Related: Agora)
“…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.
Standards exist to sustain the ordinary rhythms of civilization. Behind every meal, classroom, laboratory, concert, hospital, farm, playing field and family home stands a network of standards that quietly enables daily life. Our work is to understand, improve and explain those standards in service to the educational settlements they support. ANSI Standards Action
Standards help make the world’s biggest sporting event safer and more competitive. For a brief history of #football to modern safety standards like ASTM’s performance specification for #soccer goals or standards for turf testing, read “Kicking Safety Up a Notch at the World Cup.”…
— National Institute of Standards and Technology (@NIST) July 9, 2026
ANSI ADA 1119-2025 covers a system for coding tooth developmental stages, improving clarity, consistency & interoperability in dental data. From pediatric #Dentistry, #Orthodontics, and forensic use, this standard improves data quality. @AmerDentalAssnhttps://t.co/ckytZLBprh
— National Institute of Standards and Technology (@NIST) June 12, 2026
You can view a list of all draft @NIST cybersecurity and privacy publications that are open for public comment on the Computer Security Resource Center. Your thoughtful reviews and comments are greatly appreciated and help us improve our publications. https://t.co/uOC96rxHpHpic.twitter.com/3iJoKqshN6
A NIST researcher has a goal—create a viable alternative to mammograms that is pain-free, highly accurate, and can save even more lives than mammograms do. It’s possible within our lifetimes.
ANSI invites high school and college students to explore the impact of #Standards on society through the 2025–2026 Student Paper Competition. Students are encouraged to research and write about how standards shape industries, innovation, safety, and daily life.
Young professionals (including students!): make sure to sign up for the @YPC social during AIM. It will be a great time to meet other like-minded professionals in the industry. https://t.co/VIIPLLI1LEpic.twitter.com/weAjRSGJGO
Cold #beer. Hot coffee. Spicy food. Learn how sensory scientists evaluate aroma, mouthfeel, flavors, and more in the things you use and enjoy every day. Join our guest Ali Schultz @newbelgiumbeer as we discuss sensory science on ASTM’s podcast. Listen where you get your… pic.twitter.com/hOHuoRaK9O
Smart meters generate thousands of data points each year. How do utilities keep that data consistent? ANSI C12.19-2021 defines standardized data tables for utility end devices—supporting interoperability and #SmartGrid communication. @NEMAupdateshttps://t.co/xsejQGX5gT
Find all the latest ASTM standards, books, journals, technical reports, related products, and more in our interactive catalog. Use the smart navigation to find exactly what you need and order online.https://t.co/7wUF6nw0OB#ASTMpic.twitter.com/T4lr76V29Q
Based on ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, this course covers the theory and principles of the standard. It is intended to bridge the gap between the design practitioner’s knowledge of the built environment and its thermal relationship… pic.twitter.com/4aCsGGUVSK
APRIL 30TH DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: KATHERINE & BRYANT MATHER #SCHOLARSHIP. Available to fulltime undergraduate students completing their sophomore year of college (or later), or graduate students who are pursuing degrees especializing in cement or #concrete materials… pic.twitter.com/wQLaQqJrVj
— National Institute of Standards and Technology (@NIST) March 22, 2026
The odds of picking a perfect 64-team #MarchMadness bracket are 1 in 9.2 quintillion! Like the tournament’s history, #Basketball‘s journey is full of unforgettable moments. From peach baskets to global icons, learn how standards play a key role in the game.…
Students! It’s not too soon to start working on your applications for the Bioprocess Startup and Fountain Wars competitions! Deadline is April 15. https://t.co/lMxIVgjb54pic.twitter.com/3Mi8pcUd1x
Born in Liscannor, Ireland in 1840, submarine inventor John Phillip Holland’s designs were adopted by the U.S. Navy in 1900. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! pic.twitter.com/X4ModlH2uD
— National Institute of Standards and Technology (@NIST) March 14, 2026
Risk has always been a part of human society in general and the business world in particular. Standards to create a common language and approach to enterprise risk management aim to minimize those risks. https://t.co/R6acA2tLtx#riskmanagementpic.twitter.com/79c4FtI9mC
— ASTM Student Fans (@ASTMStudentFans) March 2, 2026
Acoustics matter more than we think—and Erik Miller-Klein wants us to listen up. In this video Erik highlights that 39% of building occupants say poor acoustics hurt their ability to work. Yet, less than 10% of U.S. projects involve acoustical designers. Erik challenges us to… pic.twitter.com/Bej3bIg7jx
Last week, the USPTO welcomed our U.K. partners to America’s Innovation Agency and participated in the U.S. – U.K. IP Working Group at the Chamber of Commerce—a bi-annual, industry-led forum hosted with the BritishAmerican Business. pic.twitter.com/dwDD3MlC6t
3.4 billion people. No plumbing. No electricity. Less than $0.05 per person per day.
That’s the scale—and the solution—behind ISO 30500, an international standard for non-sewered sanitation systems developed through global collaboration, led by ANSI and @AssociationAsn.
In honor of NIST’s 125th anniversary this year, anonymous donors commissioned a musical piece from composer @AlexCapMX to honor NIST and its contributions to science.
— National Institute of Standards and Technology (@NIST) March 4, 2026
📣 NSAI is seeking new members for our standards committees
We are establishing new technical committees on Light Gauge Steel, Mass Engineered Timber, and the National Annex for Eurocode 5 (structural fire design).
Dearest gentle reader… 💐 A bit of legal tea: “BRIDGERTON” is a federally registered trademark, protecting the name and entertainment services behind @Netflix’s hit series, so audiences know the true source of the romance, rivalry, and scandal. pic.twitter.com/xdy04zoxPu
Calling all artists! @DeptVetAffairs and the Veterans Day National Committee are now accepting submissions for the 2026 Veterans Day Poster Contest, with the winning design shared at VA facilities across the country. pic.twitter.com/nZBRqD0hkB
America’s research influence is eroding as China rapidly gains ground.
Per @Clarivate, the share of Highly Cited Researchers based in the U.S. has fallen from 53% to 37% since 2014, while China’s share rose significantly.https://t.co/4r5DWvWyQ5
At a recent USPTO Hour, America’ Branding Agency dives into how name, image, likeness (NIL) connects with branding and trademarks – on the field, off the field, and everywhere between.
Scientists have designed experiments to show that atomic clocks tick faster when moving and slower in stronger gravity. Now, a generation of precise clocks is allowing physicists to push such measurements to new extremes.
— National Institute of Standards and Technology (@NIST) February 25, 2026
This #NationalEngineersWeek, we celebrate the innovators transforming ideas into reality. We are proud to support the next generation of leaders through research funding, student scholarships, & industry innovation.
What’s your big idea?
Submit to #ASCE2027’s Call for Content – OPEN NOW through March 4, 2026 – for an opportunity to share it during the new flagship event for infrastructure professionals: https://t.co/wF0bm1HprT. pic.twitter.com/XM2OTGQHBJ
We’re throwing it back this month to our longest-selling SRM: limestone! Developed in 1910, this material was originally used by the construction industry to assess the components of its building materials. And its purpose hasn’t changed much since then. pic.twitter.com/MB5CtY4CCi
— National Institute of Standards and Technology (@NIST) February 23, 2026
From walkable skate-shoes to more comfortable fits, stronger curved blades, and balance-driven designs, patents have been sharpening ice skates for more than a century. ⛸️ pic.twitter.com/ITzdKfqanY
A person dines out ~3 times/month and orders take-out ~4.5 times/month. To assure that we can safely enjoy our meals from a commercial kitchen, NSF/ANSI 4-2025 provides #FoodProtection and #Sanitation requirements for commercial food equipment. @NSF_Intlhttps://t.co/5JkDMgWwIm
Vad är en standard? Syftet med standarder är att skapa enhetliga och transparenta rutiner som vi kan enas kring. Det ligger ju i allas intresse att höja kvaliteten, undvika missförstånd och slippa uppfinna hjulet på nytt varje gång. https://t.co/zKhgPXPdpWpic.twitter.com/oKejdKSm47
— Svenska institutet för standarder, SIS (@svenskstandard) July 15, 2019
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
You’re like a standard reference material,
Reliable and true. pic.twitter.com/ensl7oc2iG
— National Institute of Standards and Technology (@NIST) February 14, 2026
From Lupercalia to love letters 💌 Valentine’s Day has evolved over centuries. Today, standards assure that the chocolates, cards, and flowers we exchange are safe, reliable, and responsibly produced. #ValentinesDay#ConsumerSafety❤️🌹🍫 https://t.co/r7KMB0eUPt
As fans tune in to the #WinterOlympics, a reminder that inventions like U.S. Pat. 5,784,809 improved snowboard boot flexibility and comfort, while U.S. Pat, 6,523,851 enabled touring bindings for uphill climbs and downhill runs, helping athletes shred with confidence. 🏂 pic.twitter.com/4TLDVbjvoc
Following an industry-wide job task analysis, the Healthcare Facility Design Professional (HFDP) Certification exam content outline will be updated starting March 1.
Apply by Feb. 28 to receive a 50% discount and sit for the HFDP exam March 1 – 31.
Following an industry-wide job task analysis, the Healthcare Facility Design Professional (HFDP) Certification exam content outline will be updated starting March 1.
Apply by Feb. 28 to receive a 50% discount and sit for the HFDP exam March 1 – 31.
Hut-hut-hike! 🏈 The NFL logo, Vince Lombardi Trophy design, and the terms “Super Bowl” and “Super Sunday” are all federally registered trademarks that help tell fans who’s bringing them “The Big Game.” pic.twitter.com/gJDxdqqm7J
The newly revised ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025 sets the benchmark for occupational and educational #Eye and #Face protection. 🥽 The 2025 edition provides clearer guidance on performance, testing, and marking, which helps organizations select the right protection for specific hazards and… pic.twitter.com/tkMa03s4bO
— National Institute of Standards and Technology (@NIST) February 6, 2026
The newly revised ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025 sets the benchmark for occupational and educational #Eye and #Face protection. 🥽 The 2025 edition provides clearer guidance on performance, testing, and marking, which helps organizations select the right protection for specific hazards and… pic.twitter.com/tkMa03s4bO
APPA members kept the collaborative learning going at this year’s offered courses:💡 Institute for Facilities Management, 🎒 Leadership Academy, and 💻 T3. pic.twitter.com/g8SzfMfQFH
— APPA – Leadership in Educational Facilities (@APPA_facilities) February 5, 2026
SAE Scholarships are dedicated to developing the future engineering workforce. Apply today for one (or more!) of the many scholarships we offer. Applications will be accepted all of February. Don’t delay! https://t.co/lv8eD79Ib8pic.twitter.com/M9Ge7ZLC1w
First invented by television producer Tony Verna in 1963, instant replay technology helps ensure fans see the biggest moments of the big game. Although he did not receive one for instant replay, Verna sought patents for similar inventions later in life. pic.twitter.com/hR7LwRXSI4
Last week, CEN and CENELEC took part in Open Source Week, engaging with the vibrant and diverse open source ecosystem. Our colleagues Amirifar Nooshin and Yannis Chourmouziadis participated in the Open Source Policy Summit where they had constructive discussions.#TrustStandardspic.twitter.com/MxwGDFzvZ1
ASHRAE is honored to welcome and host so many esteemed VIP guests at the Leadership Luncheon. This group truly represents ASHRAE’s continued commitment to collaboration with organizations throughout the built environment.#MyASHRAEpic.twitter.com/DCl8QIiS28
Winter storms are on the way; #Corrosion is a major concern. From bridges, and utility equipment, winter’s salty conditions can hasten #Rust & degradation. ASTM B117-26 helps evaluate materials meant to withstand harsh, corrosive environments. @ASTMIntlhttps://t.co/qAzr3TTMXR
ASHRAE announces nominees for the 2026-27 Slate of Officers and Directors. Members will vote on the nominees via electronic ballot in May, including who will serve as ASHRAE President for the 2026-27 Society year. To see the full list of nominees, visit https://t.co/lJdqfCz264.… pic.twitter.com/UJnF0nC2bY
Preservation of old standards may be useful. In converting material into an ASTM standard, form, style, terminology are areas that require particular attention. Here, we address the rationale for offering these versions of standards, steps taken to make them conform to ASTM… pic.twitter.com/ZT1LWgxqLX
I scream. You scream. We all scream for ICE CREAM CONES.🍦On this day in 1924, Carl R. Taylor patented an ice cream cone rolling machine (No. 1,481,813), automating the process of shaping flat wafers into perfectly formed cones. pic.twitter.com/adaBY2f3xV
🗣️ “AI chatbots with hallucinate around 27% of the time, so we need to ensure employees have the AI literacy required to critically consider the output AI delivers” Laura Bishop PhD, BSI AI and Cybersecurity Sector Lead#BSI#TrustInAI#AIGovernance#AIStrategpic.twitter.com/0MyIpozyiR
Great turnout at the X12 standing Meeting. Especially, given the difficult weather across the country. A wonderful spread of food, as well. Great to see everyone and certainly appreciate the participation. pic.twitter.com/XlbODYcY40
Congrats to Scott Osborn, PE, retired professor, biological and agricultural engineering, University of Arkansas, for being named an ASABE Fellow! Osborn was selected for in teaching the next generation of engineers, invention and innovation in systems. https://t.co/UFTWhIrS2ipic.twitter.com/Q95ufpymMI
The 2026 ASHRAE HVAC&R Student Paper Competition concluded on January 22nd with presentations from four finalists. The four-person judging panel selected Felix Ekuful as the winner of the 2026 competition. His research focus is on developing advanced control strategies to improve… pic.twitter.com/RDbLiLopIK
NSAI has launched the public consultation for S.R. 66:2015 +A1:202X Standard Recommendation providing guidance to wastewater treatment products in conformance with the EN 12566 series of standards.
Just about every airspeed sensor in the United States can trace its calibration back, either directly or indirectly via calibration laboratories, to a wind tunnel on NIST’s Gaithersburg, Maryland, campus.
🤝Full house for the biannual Technical Body Officers Seminar focusing on key aspects of the standardization system, this day was again a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices with peers, strengthening our collective technical leadership. #TrustStandardspic.twitter.com/K2wujDboS7
If you design or operate health care facilities, Standard 170 sets the minimum.
ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170 defines the minimum ventilation requirements for health care facilities and is developed in partnership with FGI and ASHE for adoption by code-enforcing agencies.
“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
— Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, trans. Constance Garnett
“In 1964, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a 17-year-old girl gave birth to a son. The school administrators had told her she couldn’t finish high school. She pushed back anyway.
Her name was Jacklyn Gise. And the baby she was determined to raise would one day become one of the most… pic.twitter.com/O1NYzRh1Gr
On Friday this group Facetimed me. This is their yearly get together. They tell me that they “are connected for life.” When you commit to something bigger than yourself you don’t just give yourself a better chance to win, the bonds you build are for life. pic.twitter.com/mSc4BECrb3
I can confirm that @GreenPlusAnE spent part of his wedding reception discussing entitlement reform. And the new Mrs. Greene is possibly the most elegant Tocqueville scholar in existence. https://t.co/XRfnxJ027G
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.
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:
Construction keeps on rocking and rolling on our campus. Soon, music will be filling the halls of the Surack-Sweetwater Music Industry Building. pic.twitter.com/us9Ppj7fNO
— Purdue University Fort Wayne (@purduefw) June 4, 2026
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
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