In 2005 in Louisville, Kentucky, a volunteer discovered that many elementary school children relied on school meals and faced hunger over the weekend. While the organization serves children of every background and partners with public schools nationwide, its name reflects a simple faith-inspired conviction: caring for one’s neighbor through practical acts of compassion.
Local volunteers, congregations, civic groups and businesses work together to place child-friendly food into students’ backpacks each Friday, helping ensure they return to school on Monday nourished, ready to learn and reminded that their community has not forgotten them.
In 2012 the Royal Oak Rotary Club launched a branch in Michigan Oakland County Michigan.
“If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.” — Leviticus 5:1
To what degree does the endless and, frankly shameless, on-air fundraising by an organization with widely tolerated bias constitute de facto political fundraising for the Democratic Party? In Southeastern Michigan — in less than a 50 mile region — you can hear the same NPR “content” from six different universities: Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Toledo, Detroit, East Lansing, and Flint.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher was a no-show at the House Oversight Subcommittee Hearing
Related:
This is a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC’s Equal Time rule.
The purpose of the rule is to avoid exactly this type of biased and partisan conduct – a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to exert its influence for one candidate on the eve of an election.… https://t.co/LliZF0po9t
National Public Radio follows guidelines and best practices when conducting fundraising campaigns, but they’re not so much strict “rules” as they are principles and standards upheld by NPR and its member stations. Here are some common practices and considerations:
Transparency: NPR and its member stations are typically transparent about their funding needs and where the money goes. They often provide detailed breakdowns of their budgets and expenses.
Ethical Solicitation: Fundraising efforts should be conducted ethically and in accordance with NPR’s values. This means avoiding misleading tactics and being honest about the need for funding.
Listener Support: NPR often emphasizes the importance of listener support in funding their programming. They encourage individuals to contribute at various levels, often with incentives like member benefits.
Corporate Sponsorship: NPR also receives funding from corporate sponsors, “but they are careful to maintain editorial independence.” Sponsored content is clearly labeled, and NPR maintains strict guidelines to ensure that sponsors do not influence editorial decisions.
Member Stations: NPR member stations across the country conduct their own fundraising campaigns, often in conjunction with national NPR campaigns. These stations rely heavily on listener support and may have their own guidelines and practices.
Regulatory Compliance: NPR and its member stations must comply with relevant laws and regulations governing fundraising, including those related to nonprofit organizations and broadcasting.
Stewardship: NPR and its member stations typically prioritize stewardship of donor funds, ensuring that donations are used effectively and efficiently to support their mission and programming.
While there may not be hard and fast rules for NPR fundraising, adherence to these principles helps maintain trust with listeners and supporters.
To become a National Public Radio (NPR) member station or broadcaster, certain criteria must be met. NPR is a mission-driven organization that partners with independently owned and operated public radio stations across the United States to deliver its programming. Here are the typical criteria for becoming an NPR member station:
Nonprofit Status: NPR member stations must be nonprofit organizations, often affiliated with universities, community organizations, or governmental bodies.
Broadcast License: Stations must hold a valid broadcast license issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States. This license authorizes the station to broadcast on a specific frequency within a designated geographic area.
Commitment to NPR’s Mission: Member stations are expected to share NPR’s mission of providing high-quality, non-commercial programming that serves the public interest. This includes delivering news, cultural content, and educational programming to their local communities.
Financial Stability: Stations must demonstrate financial stability and viability to ensure they can fulfill their commitments to NPR and their local communities over the long term.
Technical Requirements: Stations must meet certain technical requirements to ensure they can receive and broadcast NPR programming effectively. This includes having appropriate transmission equipment and meeting FCC regulations for broadcast quality and coverage.
Membership Dues: Member stations are required to pay annual membership dues to NPR, which help support NPR’s operations and programming.
Compliance with NPR Policies: Stations must adhere to NPR’s policies and guidelines regarding programming standards, ethics, and editorial independence.
Community Engagement: NPR values stations that are actively engaged with their local communities, including through outreach, events, and partnerships with local organizations.
Programming Commitment: Member stations are expected to broadcast a significant portion of NPR programming, including flagship shows like “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered,” as well as other NPR-produced content.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: NPR values diversity in its member stations and encourages stations to reflect the diversity of their communities in their programming and staffing.
Overall, becoming an NPR member station involves a combination of legal, financial, technical, and cultural considerations, all aimed at supporting NPR’s mission of providing high-quality public radio programming to audiences across the United States.
A significant portion of NPR member stations are associated with universities or colleges. These stations are often operated by the educational institution’s media departments or affiliated broadcasting organizations. They serve as valuable training grounds for students studying journalism, communications, broadcasting, and related fields.
While the exact number of NPR member stations associated with universities or colleges may vary over time, it’s safe to say that a substantial portion of the network falls into this category. Many universities and colleges across the United States operate their own radio stations, and a portion of these stations choose to affiliate with NPR to access its programming and resources.
National Public Radio (NPR) member stations are permitted to transmit from facilities supported by federally funded colleges or universities, as many are licensed as noncommercial educational (NCE) stations under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). These stations, often operated by or affiliated with public colleges and universities, meet FCC requirements for NCE licenses, which allow them to broadcast educational and cultural programming without commercial advertisements.
Key Points:NCE Licensing: NPR member stations are typically licensed as NCE stations, which can be owned or operated by nonprofit entities, including public colleges and universities. These institutions often receive federal funding, and their facilities (e.g., campus buildings or transmission equipment) can be used for broadcasting.
Funding Structure: Stations affiliated with colleges or universities may receive funding from the institution, listener contributions, corporate underwriting, and federal grants via the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Federal funding, while a small portion (e.g., ~10% of public radio revenue), is often channeled through CPB to support station operations.
Examples: Many NPR member stations, such as WBEZ (operated by Chicago Public Media but affiliated with educational institutions) or KUT (operated by the University of Texas), transmit from university-supported facilities. Approximately half of NPR’s member stations are affiliated with colleges, sometimes operating directly from campus facilities.
FCC Regulations: The FCC allows NCE stations to broadcast from such facilities as long as they adhere to noncommercial guidelines, prohibiting promotional advertisements for for-profit entities while permitting donor acknowledgments.
Impact of Federal Funding Cuts: Recent reductions in federal funding for public media, as reported in 2025, may strain these stations, particularly those reliant on university support, as budget-strapped institutions face additional financial pressures.
There are no explicit FCC restrictions preventing NPR stations from using federally funded college or university facilities, provided they comply with NCE regulations.
US Department of Agriculture | § 58.2825 United States Standard for ice cream.
Southern ice cream often differs from ice cream in other regions of the U.S. in several ways, reflecting regional tastes, ingredients, and traditions:
Flavors and Ingredients:
Pecans and Pralines: Southern ice cream frequently incorporates pecans and pralines, which are popular in the region.
Peaches: Georgia is known for its peaches, so peach-flavored ice cream is a Southern staple.
Sweet Tea and Bourbon: These flavors are inspired by Southern beverages and can be found in ice creams.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk ice cream has a tangy flavor and is a nod to traditional Southern cooking.
Style and Texture:
Custard Base: Southern ice cream often uses a custard base, which includes egg yolks, giving it a richer and creamier texture compared to the typical Philadelphia-style ice cream that uses a simpler cream and sugar base.
Churned at Home: Traditional Southern ice cream is often made using hand-cranked ice cream makers, producing a different texture and incorporating more air, which can make it lighter and fluffier.
Historical Influence:
Cultural Heritage: The South’s diverse cultural heritage influences its ice cream, with recipes passed down through generations and reflecting African American, Native American, and European influences.
Popular Brands and Shops:
Regional Brands: Brands like Blue Bell, which originated in Texas, are particularly popular in the South and known for their classic Southern flavors.
Local Shops: Small, local ice cream parlors in the South often offer unique, homemade flavors that highlight regional ingredients and traditions.
These differences highlight the South’s rich culinary traditions and how they extend even to sweet treats like ice cream.
The choice of red, white, and blue in national flags often carries historical, cultural, and political significance. Here are some reasons why various nations have chosen these colors:
Historical Connections:
United States: The colors were chosen for their flag in 1777 and have been interpreted to symbolize valor (red), purity (white), and justice (blue). The colors were influenced by the British Union Jack.
France: The Tricolour flag adopted during the French Revolution represents liberty (blue), equality (white), and fraternity (red).
United Kingdom: The Union Jack combines elements from the flags of England (red and white), Scotland (blue and white), and Ireland (red and white).
Cultural and Political Significance:
Russia: The flag’s colors were adopted from the Dutch flag, symbolizing pan-Slavism (red for bravery, blue for faithfulness, and white for honesty).
Netherlands: The Dutch flag’s colors (originally derived from the Prince’s Flag) have historical roots, symbolizing the struggle for independence and liberty.
Czech Republic and Slovakia: Both countries use red, white, and blue to represent their Slavic heritage.
Influence and Inspiration:
Chile, Costa Rica, and Panama: These countries were influenced by the colors and symbolism of other flags (e.g., the French and American flags) during their independence movements.
Australia and New Zealand: Both countries incorporate the Union Jack in their flags, reflecting their colonial history with the United Kingdom.
Symbolism:
Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia: The colors are traditional pan-Slavic colors, representing freedom and national unity.
Iceland and Norway: The colors reflect their historical and cultural ties to other Scandinavian countries.
The exact reasons can vary, but often the colors reflect a mix of historical alliances, cultural heritage, and political ideals.
A dessert popular in the United Kingdom, where rhubarb has been cultivated since the 1600s, and the leaf stalks eaten since the 1700s. Besides diced rhubarb, it almost always contains a large amount of sugar to balance the intense tartness of the plant. The pie is usually prepared with a bottom pie crust and a variety of styles of upper crust.
In the United States, often a lattice-style upper crust is used.  This pie is a traditional dessert in the United States. It is part of New England cuisine.  Rhubarb has long been a popular choice for pies in the Great Plains region and the Michigan Great Lakes Region, where fruits were not always readily available in the spring
The Oxford Union Debating Society, founded in 1823, is one of the world’s most prestigious debating societies, affiliated with the University of Oxford. It has hosted numerous influential speakers and debates, including historical figures like Winston Churchill and Malcolm X. Over the years, it has played a vital role in shaping public discourse and fostering critical thinking among students. The society’s iconic debating chamber and rich tradition of lively debates have made it an enduring institution in the world of debate and public speaking.
“In an era of cancellation and defenestration we sometimes forget that we both cannot go on like this and that we have been here before. We know this because our greatest writers and artists have addressed this question in their own times.
When Roger [Scrouton] was going through his own battle with the shallows I often thought of Shakespeare’s rarely performed but great play Timon of Athens. Timon has the whole world before him. He is surrounded by friends and admirers. He is generous to all. Yet he falls on hard times and when he does absolutely everybody deserts him. He is left with nothing and nobody, and risks being filled with despair and rage. It does not help that he is shadowed by the cynical philosopher Apemantus, who has warned him that just such a desertion might occur.”
While there isn’t a universally standardized pizza that everyone agrees upon, certain types of pizza have become iconic and widely recognized. Some of these include:
Margherita Pizza: This classic pizza features tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. It’s named after Queen Margherita of Italy.
Pepperoni Pizza: Topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and slices of pepperoni (a cured pork and beef sausage).
Margarita Pizza: Similar to the Margherita, but without the basil. It typically has tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and sometimes a drizzle of olive oil.
Neapolitan Pizza: This style originated in Naples, Italy. It has a thin, soft, and chewy crust with simple and fresh ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil.
New York Style Pizza: Characterized by its large, foldable slices with a thin and flexible crust. It’s often topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza: Known for its thick crust, this pizza has layers of cheese, toppings, and tomato sauce. It’s baked in a deep pan, resulting in a substantial and hearty pizza.
Sicilian Pizza: Square-shaped and thick-crusted, Sicilian pizza is often topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and various toppings.
California Pizza: Often associated with innovative and non-traditional toppings, California-style pizza might include ingredients like barbecue chicken, goat cheese, arugula, and more.
North Dakota doesn’t have one iconic, universally recognized “official” pizza style that the whole country talks about. The state is more known for hearty, loaded, comfort-food pizzas that reflect Midwestern tastes — generous toppings, practical portions, and creative local twists. Pizza here often leans toward heavily topped pies (think “the more toppings, the better”), with locals frequently praising places that pile on ingredients rather than keeping things minimalist.
Overall, North Dakota pizza is more about satisfying, no-fuss, topping-heavy eats that pair perfectly with cold winters than about rigid “style” rules.
Beer was discovered accidentally as a result of grains being left in water and undergoing fermentation. The process of making beer involves converting the starches in grains (such as barley or wheat) into sugars, which are then fermented by yeast to produce alcohol. It was often consumed as a safer alternative to water, which could be contaminated with disease-causing pathogens.Â
Beer was also used in religious ceremonies and was considered a valuable commodity for trade.  Over time, beer-making techniques spread throughout the world, and different regions developed their own unique styles of beer; now supported by artificial intelligence algorithms that analyze chemical compounds to identify specific flavor and aroma profiles for more nuanced flavors.
Abstract:Â The art of brewing beer has a long tradition that dates back to the very dawn of civilization. While the brewing process has been automated to a great extent, the creation of new beer recipes remains the result of creativity and human expertise with only minor support from software to validate chemical constraints. We collected a dataset of 157,000 publicly available recipes from all over the world and created a transformer-based model to support the creative process in brewing by suggesting new beer recipe templates. As a proof of concept, we crafted the IPA “Deeper” along a recipe generated by our model. Over 100 international newspapers and radio stations have reported on the first AI-crafted beer from Switzerland over the past few months. For the first time, this paper reveals the underlying pipeline architecture of eight transformer networks trained end-to-end that made this remarkable success possible.
The NPADC is a team competition for law students to develop skills in drafting patent applications, focusing on U.S. patent law. Teams receive a hypothetical invention statement, conduct prior art searches, draft specifications and claims, and present their work to judges, including patent examiners and practitioners. For 2025, the invention was an extra-uterine system for supporting premature fetuses, indicating the complexity of tasks involved
There is no publicly available timetable for the 2027 National Patent Application Drafting Competition (NPADC) from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as of the latest available information. The USPTO typically releases detailed schedules for the NPADC closer to the competition year, often in the fall of the preceding year (e.g., October or November 2025 for the 2026 competition).
After months of hard work, the top five teams met at USPTO headquarters today for the final round of the 2025 National Patent Application Drafting Competition. 🏆 And the winners are … ⬇️
Thomas Jefferson was the leader in founding the United States Patent Office. Jefferson was a strong supporter of the patent system and believed that it was essential for promoting innovation and progress in the United States. As the first Secretary of State Jefferson was responsible for implementing the country’s patent system.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the United States Constitution reads as follows:
“The Congress shall have Power To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.”
In 1790, Jefferson drafted the first Patent Act, which established the procedures for applying for and granting patents. The act also created the United States Patent Office as a government agency to oversee the patent system. Jefferson appointed the first Patent Board, which was responsible for reviewing patent applications and making recommendations to the Secretary of State.
Jefferson was deeply involved in the early development of the Patent Office and was instrumental in shaping its policies and procedures. He believed that the patent system should be accessible to all inventors, regardless of their social or economic status, and he worked to streamline the patent application process to make it more efficient and user-friendly.
In recognition of his contributions to the development of the patent system, Jefferson is often referred to as the “Father of American Innovation.”
This clause grants Congress the authority to establish a system of patents and copyrights to protect the intellectual property of inventors and authors. The purpose of this system is to encourage innovation and creativity by providing inventors and authors with a temporary monopoly on their creations, allowing them to profit from their work and invest in future projects. The clause also emphasizes the importance of promoting the progress of science and the useful arts, reflecting the belief of the founders that the development of new technologies and inventions was essential for the growth and prosperity of the United States.
Over the years, the Patent Office has played a crucial role in the development of the United States as a technological leader, granting patents for inventions ranging from the telephone and the light bulb to the airplane and the computer. Today, the Patent Office is part of the United States Department of Commerce and is responsible for examining patent applications and issuing patents to inventors and companies.
Congratulations to the winners of this year’s National Patent Application Drafting Competition – Khailee, Bree, Rita, and Maria from @gwlaw, and thank you to all participants! Learn more about the competition: https://t.co/gB64fnXaM6pic.twitter.com/FWqak6Mr1m
From creating a race car safety device that protects drivers from injury to revolutionizing chemotherapy, Spartans have contributed to more than 3,300 inventions. #SpartansWillpic.twitter.com/dchCs0BFBx
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
