There is something about Shrove-Tuesday which I find really appealing. It's a no pressure type of festival and this year it will be even more so with the help of Abra-Ca-Debora "a cook with the magic touch and who has lots of kitchen tricks up her sleeve".
All you need to do is to think about which topping you are going to use with your Abra-ca-Debora pancakes. Mine will definitely be caramelised bananas.
And now for the rules. Good luck.
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Each entry will be verified.
Update : Proud - this post won the Spice Trail Challenge themed my body is a temple -see round up here loads more healthy recipes.
#No Meat Monday or Meat Free Monday are initiatives part of a movement going back to early 2000 which aims at gently limiting our meat consumption on a regular basis. It's also a way of introducing vegetarian recipes in our diet or for vegetarian an opportunity to be exposed and explore different ingredients.
This recipe makes use of chestnuts, quinoa and pomegranate seeds. Three delicious ingredients which are often overlooked as they are unusual. What I call "curious ingredients"
Personally, I love chestnuts. A little bit annoying that they make a brief appearance at Christmas time only. I'd like to see more of them on menus. Of course, there is a "little" inconvenient: they are difficult to prepare. But where there is a will... there is a call for vacuum-packed chestnuts.
Quinoa which I associate with Gwyneth Paltrow's because there was a lot of nauseating hype around the tiny nutty tasting grain when she promoted her cook-book. For that totally irrational reason and for a while, I refused to try out quinoa, a silly thing to do as it's really full of flavour. This pulse is slightly expensive but it's really worth a try.
Pomegranate a favourite in Middle-Eastern cuisine always peps up recipes. Once the fruit is opened the seeds can be used in salads or as snacks. Which leads me to this recipe found in Morrison's magazine and adapted.
It originally uses 2 butternut squashes which is quite a lot, one only was plenty for 2 people but I kept all the other ingredients the same so it's packed with flavours. You might be left with extra stuffing, note that it's delicious on its own, warm it up the next day, that's lunch taken care of.
Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. Scoop the seeds out of the squash and score the flesh. Place cut side up on a baking tray, drizzle with half the oil and season. Cook for 40-45 minutes.
Put the quinoa into a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and stir into the onion mix with the nuts and all but 1 tbsp of the seeds.
Once the squash are done, scoop out the flesh leaving just the shell. Chop the flesh and add to the quinoa mixture, then spoon back into the shells and bake for 10 minutes. To serve, scatter with the remaining seeds and coriander.
This month the theme is challenge is Temple Food… as in my body is a temple. I think this recipe will fit right in.


VASA Project - Online Workshops, Talks and Exhibitions in Photography, New Media, Sound Art and Visual Studies "
Los Angeles photographer Sam Davis' work is an exploration of science fiction, technology and nostalgia. Davis plays and toys with these elements by invoking the iconography of the atomic age commingled with 19th century photographic technology. Ever-present is the specter of chronology. His images evoke a sense of false nostalgia for an age that is both familiar and yet unknown. Viewing Davis' work culminates in a sense of loss as well as a sense of being an outsider – we feel late to the party that has yet to exist.
© Copyright 2011 by Liz Murphy Thomas. All rights reserved.


Q: Which top 3 technology areas will be most critical for driving/enabling your company's business strategy in the second half of 2018?
TEKsystems Take: TEKsystems believes it is logical that a high percentage of respondents identified enabling technology (such as security, cloud and big data/analytics) as critical for driving business strategy for the remainder of 2018. These areas are also key to spurring digital transformation efforts.
While artificial intelligence (AI), IoT and blockchain have the potential to transform how business is run, many of these business-driven initiatives centered around next-gen technologies are still in the planning or early phases of adoption. This clarifies that companies are still in the process of creating strong foundation for scale through three key pillars: cloud, data and security. As such, these technologies are not considered critical for driving business strategy for the second half of the year, or until enterprise IT can demonstrate that a secure, stable, scalable environment is in place to deliver these services.
The relatively high percentage of organizations focusing on DevOps and cloud computing initiatives provides further clarity that IT organizations are taking transformative steps to meet the agility and velocity demands of their business partners.
Q: What is the biggest barrier to successfully executing on key technology initiatives?
TEKsystems Take: Having the right skills/competencies and working through resource management issues (e.g., budgets) are to be expected for those organizations with a consistent goal of maximizing technology's impact. Enterprise IT must be agile and flexible enough to deliver on digital transformation goals focused on speed to market for critical consumer-facing applications.
The most significant challenge facing IT organizations today is their ability to is to maintain legacy IT systems and services (technical debt) while still attempting to deliver next generation, scalable technology solutions.
Q: What are the expected business use cases or outcomes given the technology areas you consider most critical for driving business strategy through the end of 2018?
TEKsystems Take: Most of the expected business use cases and outcomes listed here are considered critical for driving business strategy in 2018. However, an interesting paradigm shows up here; core IT business functions like improving customer service, reducing costs, increasing customer satisfaction and strengthening security/risk management are actually inhibitors to business partners looking to drive release velocity and digital transformation efforts. IT teams are more likely to support traditional IT functions such as security, legacy platform management and maintenance activities.
The shift to cloud enablement and DevOps/CICD programs is setting the foundation for increased agility, faster feature and function release, and an organization's ability to scale. Newer technologies like AI, IoT and blockchain are most likely to be used to unlock new revenue streams or create new products and services once foundational platforms are in place.
Q: How confident are you in your IT department's ability to satisfy and support each of the following in 2018?
TEKsystems Take: TEKsystems notes that, generally speaking, levels of confidence for core IT and line-of-business demands remain steady, one to two percent shifts notwithstanding. Enterprise IT seems to have settled into a pattern of focusing on actionable items regarding established technology that supports ongoing digital transformation efforts. As the business works through the desired goals and outcomes regarding newer, emerging technology and its impact, enterprise IT will shift to developing, refining and implementing those technology solutions while at the same time continuing to manage legacy platforms and services.
Interestingly, when it comes to new initiatives, there is a three percent increase in those indicating a lack of confidence in enterprise IT's ability to satisfy and support those initiatives. This is perhaps further proof of the challenges facing IT as it juggles the management of business-driven initiatives focused on digital transformation efforts, legacy systems and the always-present need for high levels of enterprise security.
This study clearly shows that IT departments are in a constant, internal struggle to balance the business needs of velocity and agility against traditional IT goals of security and operational sustainability. From a budget and resource skill set perspective, they are struggling to meet both of these core objectives simultaneously. The high demand/low capacity market for advanced skills across Cloud, DevOps, CICD, Big Data, Analytics, etc. is exacerbating this issue. While security remains supreme, the overarching focus on automation is promoting new concepts like Security-as-Code and DevSecOps, and IT organizations are beginning to adopt automation models that are more in line with cloud computing and code based solutions to meet business velocity demand.
TEKsystems also observed that organizations have latched on to two core constructs; Agile ways of working and automation. Many early adopters of these significant organizational changes have had mixed results at best. While cloud computing and DevOps have become key drivers to bridge the chasm between business and IT goals, the evolution of both concepts is still ongoing and will be for the foreseeable future. Similar phenomena, such as "Agile to Nowhere" and "Automation without Purpose," are prevalent in many enterprise development and IT groups, which presents additional conflict between IT and business executives as predicted ROI is not being realized.
With regard to emerging technologies like IoT, Machine Learning (MI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), enterprise businesses are quickly realizing that data is king in predicting trends, understanding customer behaviors and ultimately driving new revenue opportunities. In most large organizations, data is distributed, unaligned and not being leveraged in a manner conducive to driving measurable value to the business. While business sponsors understand the value consolidated, actionable data can provide, IT and security groups must remain overly cautious and pragmatic about centralizing and providing access to data repositories and information. As the research shows, this is likely a core reason these topics still have relatively low sponsorship across IT organizations today.
TEKsystems believes that enterprise IT must do a better job demonstrating value to the business for next gen programs and projects. Security, sustainability and supportability are not mutually exclusive to enabling faster software releases for critical consumer facing applications. Significant upfront planning can save countless man hours on the backend of automation and data based solutions, especially in this limited talent, high demand environment.
About the Survey: The TEKsystems 2018 Forecast Reality Checkis designed to measure the current impact of market conditions on IT initiatives, hiring, salaries and skill needs. These data are also comparable, where appropriate, to what was originally reported in TEKsystems' 2018 Annual IT Forecast. As part of this year's effort, IT leaders were also surveyed on their opinions on key areas for the remainder of the year. The survey reflects the perceptions of nearly 250 IT leaders (CIOs, IT VPs, IT directors, IT managers) in industries including IT, healthcare, manufacturing and banking/finance, as well as more than a dozen other industries across the United States.


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Home Armenian Genocide Turkish Intellectuals Who Have Recognized The Armenian Genocide Ayşe Berktay
Turkish Intellectuals Who Have Recognized The Armenian Genocide Ayşe Berktay
ACA-PAC Announces Pasadena Endorsements
By Hambersom Aghbashian
Ayşe Berktay is a translator, scholar, author, cultural and women's rights activist. Her publications include "History and Society: New Perspectives, 2008", and "The Ottoman Empire and the World Around with Suraiya Faroqhi"; moreover, she is the editor of "Women and Men in the 75th Year of the Turkish Republic". Her translations include "The Imperial Harm: Gender and Power in the Ottoman Empire, 1520-1656" by Leslie Penn Pierce; and "The Ottoman Empire, 1700-1922 ,New Approaches to European History" by Donald Quataert.
Over the past decade, Ayşe conducted work at the History Trust, where she was part of the Prime Minister's Advisory Board on Human Rights. In Dec. 2009 Ayşe became a member of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), which has 36 elected representatives in the Turkish Parliament. In March 2010 she was elected to the BDP Istanbul Province Executive, where she worked in the Press Committee, then in Oct. 2010 she was elected to the BDP Central Women's Committee, Foreign Relations Office. Ayşe Berktay was arrested on October 3, 2011, and seized personal papers and materials. Eventually, she was charged under Turkey's anti-terror legislation of "membership in an illegal organization". She was released from Prison in Istanbul on Dec. 20, 2013 and still faces a lengthy trial process, where she could face up to 15 years in prison. (1)
In December 2008, two hundred prominent Turkish intellectuals released an apology for the "great catastrophe of 1915". This was a clear reference to the Armenian Genocide, a term still too sensitive to use so openly. The signatories also announced a website related to this apology, and called on others to visit the site and sign the apology as well. The complete, brief text of the apology says "My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to and the denial of the Great Catastrophe that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected to in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers and sisters. I apologize to them." Ayşe Berktay was one of the Turkish intellectual who has signed the petition. (2)
Ayşe Berktay was one of the Turkish intellectuals who signed a petition against Denialist Exhibit in Denmark, an exhibition which was planned by the Turkish embassy to support their point of view concerning the Armenian Genocide ." Don't Stand Against Turkey's Democratization and Confrontation with its History!" was the message to the Royal Library of Denmark who has given the Turkish government the opportunity to present an "alternative exhibit" in response to the Armenian Genocide exhibition.(3)
In the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the members of the 24 April Commemorating Armenian Genocide Platform came together in front of the historical Haydarpaşa Railhead to commemorate the Armenian intellectuals who were put in trains from Haydarpaşa Railhead in 1915 and sent to death. The citizens left red carnations on the placards writing in both English and Armenian reading "We are remembering the victims of Armenian genocide" and they carried the photos of Armenian intellectuals. The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Central Executive Board (MYK) member Garo Paylan, Author Ayşe Berktay, Academiscian Fatmagül Berktay, Human Rights Association (İHD) İstanbul Branch Head Ümit Efe, İHD executives, Armenians coming from Diaspora; and lots of citizens joined in the commemoration activity.(4)
1- http://www.pen.org/defending-writers/ay%C5%9Fe-berktay
2- http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/200_prominent_Turks_apologize_for_great_catastrophe_
3- http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/The_Armenian_Genocide_and_the_Scandinavian_Respon
4- http://www.diclehaber.com/en/news/content/view/398100?page=11&from=314584322
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Amazon to Open Logistics Tech Center in Minneapolis
By Adriana Pop
DevelopmentMidwestMinneapolis-St PaulNews More OfficeTechnology
The new Amazon office will bring 100 high-tech jobs to downtown Minneapolis.
Minneapolis–Amazon is planning to expand its supply chain infrastructure with the opening of a new technology development center in downtown Minneapolis. The project is expected to create 100 high-paying IT jobs.
The company has a strong presence in Minnesota, where it employs hundreds of people, and is currently in the process of hiring an additional 1,000 full-time employees for its new Shakopee, Minn., fulfillment center.
The upcoming positions will include roles such as software development engineers and managers who will be tasked with developing and innovating technology solutions that enhance Amazon's operations.
"Amazon is always looking for the best and brightest software engineers to join our team," Dave Glick, vice president of operations technology for Amazon, said in prepared remarks. "The commitment to education, growth of the local high-tech industry and caliber of technical talent in Minneapolis make it an ideal place for our expansion. We're excited to create new technology jobs in Minneapolis and look forward to growing our operations technology team to help us develop cutting-edge software applications that fuel Amazon's rapidly growing operations, fulfillment and delivery capabilities."
As part of its Minneapolis expansion, Amazon will be donating $10,000 to Code Savvy to fund the nonprofit's Technovation [MN] program. The program aims to push young women into technology entrepreneurship by helping participants build problem-solving apps and create business plans. Amazon employees at the new office will also be offering mentoring support to Code Savvy.
In another recent announcement, the online retailer has unveiled its plans for [email protected], an approximately 2,700-square-foot staffed pickup location near the Texas Tech University campus, which is scheduled to open this fall.
Since 2015, Amazon has opened similar locations at the following universities: Purdue University; University of Massachusetts Amherst; University of California, Berkeley; University of Pennsylvania; The University of Texas at Austin; University of California, Davis; as well as in the college communities of University of California, Santa Barbara, and University of Cincinnati. Amazon is planning to open additional staffed pickup locations in 2016, which include The Georgia Institute of Technology and California State University, Long Beach, as well as University of Akron and University of Connecticut.
Image courtesy of Álvaro Ibáñez via Wikipedia Commons


text:
The Work Must Still Be Done
Oct 6, 2020 Oct 7, 2020
The Mighty Shed's Cult Division partnered with community arts organization, Kindred Arts, to kick off the national tour of the new-era monument, All Power to All People, by Hank Willis Thomas, with a socially-distant celebration in Atlanta.
At approximately 25 feet high, All Power to All People stands as a symbol of community, strength, perseverance, comradeship, equal justice & belonging. Conceived by conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas, it is a larger than life steel sculpture of the iconic Afro Pick.
In these times, we need symbols that inspire hope about what our tomorrow can be. We at Cult Division, believe this installation reflects the true diversity of America while acting as a beacon for change and a catalyst for conversation.
Cult Division's Creative Director, Chris Williams, said, "Sometimes an idea or opportunity strikes a chord, and you feel compelled to do what you can to push the message forward and spread the word."
The opportunity to celebrate All Power to All People as a vision of what future monuments of America's diverse culture could look like was no questions asked, absolute no brainer for the team. We believe in the inclusion and advancement of people of color in all creative fields and projects like this matter, no matter the return.
We also believe the work needs to be done, and it needs to be done by the right people. Our team in the Atlanta office, located in a historical neighborhood once home to the civil rights movement, has spent the past 4 years working closely to build relationships with key community leaders the perfect partners to support this project.
Through virtual panels and on-site (distanced) programming, we engaged with Atlanta's civic organizations, social entrepreneurs, and artists to shine a light on local efforts that are making waves to impact a larger global cause.
Kindred Arts is bringing this iconic installation to cities across the country to stimulate and inspire community conversation and change.
Follow along on Instagram @allpower20 as the tour makes way to its final destination in Washington, D.C.!
Client: Kindred Arts
Agency: The Mighty Shed // Cult Division
The Mighty Shed is an independent agency collective of world-class experts who shape the white space for brands to grow with integrity and purpose, nationally and globally. When you partner with us you get a think tank combined with a creative skunk-works unburdened by bureaucracy and fully focused on what matters most – growing brands by building brand equity that maximizes perceived value and increases profit margins.
The agency has offices in Birmingham, England; Atlanta, Georgia; NYC, New York; Charleston, SC; and Seattle, WA.
Learn more about us. Download
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Welcome to The Mighty Shed. We're an independent agency collective of world-class experts focused on growing brands by building brand equity to maximize perceived value and increase profit margins. Learn more about our work in the download below.


text:
\section{The Model Dynamics}

Forward price dynamics in commodities markets are often more complex than in traditional financial markets because the usual spot versus forward arbitrage cannot be implemented. The usual expression for a fair forward price in financial markets is

\begin{equation}
F(t,T) = S(t) e^{(R-Q) (T-t)}
\end{equation}

where $F(t,T)$ is the forward price for settlement at time $T$, as seen at calendar time $t$; $S(t)$ is the asset spot price at $t$, $R$ is the denominated currency discount rate, and $Q$ is the asset yield.

This expression holds only when two conditions are met: the asset can be stored, and the asset can be borrowed and shorted - both at a capacity comparable to the size of the market. This is the case for financial markets like equities, foreign exchange, and precious metals, but fails to hold for most physical commodity market such as oil, natural gas, and electricity.

If those conditions do hold then forward prices for different settlement dates tend to move with close to 100\% correlation, because any market forward price that deviated from the fair forward price would be arbitraged back into line. If these two conditions fail to hold, however, then forward prices can move relative to each other with less than a 100\% correlation since arbitrage does not force them to move together.

Models for commodity price evolution typically fall into two categories: models of the spot price and convenience yield $Q$ (for example \cite{schwartz} and \cite{JEHandJR}) and models of the forward prices themselves (for example \cite{gabillon} and \cite{zolotko}). Since commodity markets usually trade in forward price terms, through futures markets and over-the-counter forward transactions, the latter category of model - called ``forward curve" models - is often more intuitive for derivatives traders. Forward curve models are similar to interest rate models like the LIBOR Market Model \cite{rebonato}.

In addition to decorrelation of moves in forward prices, the absence of the two conditions required to implement the spot versus forward arbitrage also means that the risk neutral drift of the commodity spot price is not forced to be equal to the difference in two interest rates, and the risk neutral drift can have a more complicated structure. In particular, commodity markets exhibit mean reversion in spot prices \cite{geman}, and that real-world mean reversion can bleed into risk neutral pricing. Mean reversion in spot prices means that the instantaneous volatility of forward prices with longer settlement times tends to be smaller than instantaneous volatility of forward prices with shorter settlement times (the Samuelson effect, see \cite{samuelson}).

Decorrelation of forward price moves and mean reversion are two important dynamics to incorporate in any model of commodity forward price evolution. For example, the Gabillon model \cite{gabillon} is a two-factor forward curve model that incorporates both dynamics, and leads to lognormally-distributed forward prices with a term structure of implied volatility that can closely match at-the-money market option prices. A lognormal distribution of forward prices gives implied volatilities that are constant as a function of strike for a given expiration date, however, and real commodity markets exhibit significant implied volatility skew and smile.

The model defined in this paper adds one-factor stochastic volatility to the modeled dynamics, following a similar approach to the well known Heston stochastic volatility model, which generalizes a spot price model with stochastic volatility \cite{heston}. This generalization lets us model market implied volatility skew and smile in addition to the volatility term structure.

\section{The Model Definition}

Our model for evolution of a forward price $F(t,T)$ is given by the set of stochastic differential equations

\begin{eqnarray}
\frac{dF(t,T)}{F(t,T)} &=& \sqrt{v(t)} \sigma \left( e^{-\beta_1 (T-t)} dz_1(t) + R e^{-\beta_2 (T-t)} dz_2(t) \right) \nonumber \\
dv(t) &=& \beta (1 - v(t)) dt + \alpha \sqrt{v(t)} dz_3(t) \nonumber \\
E[dz_1(t) dz_2(t)] &=& \rho dt \nonumber \\
E[dz_1(t) dz_3(t)] &=& \rho_1 dt \nonumber \\
E[dz_2(t) dz_3(t)] &=& \rho_2 dt
\end{eqnarray}

That is: forward prices across the forward curve (all different values of $T$ for a given calendar time $t$) are driven by only two Brownian motions, and the impact of each Brownian motion shock is different for different values of $T$, leading to an instantaneous volatility that tends to decline with $T$ due to the constant mean reversions $\beta_1$ and $\beta_2$ that model the observed Samuelson effect.

The two forward curve shocks are correlated with a constant correlation $\rho$, and that lack of perfect correlation means that moves in forwards for different values of $T$ are not 100\%, allowing us to model the observed decorrelation of forward price moves.

Finally, the instantaneous volatility of all forward prices is scaled by the Heston factor $v(t)$, which is unitless and is order 1. We further specify the initial condition of $v(0) = 1$, so that volatility term structure is mostly specified through the constant model parameters $\sigma$, $\beta_1$, $\beta_2$, $R$, and $\rho$. The constant mean reversion speed of the volatility factor, $\beta$, and the constant volatility of volatility parameter $\alpha$, define the term structure of implied volatility smile. The correlation of volatility factor with first forward curve factor $\rho_1$, and with second forward curve factor $\rho_2$, define the term structure of implied volatility skew.

\section{Vanilla and Early Exercise Option Pricing}

``Vanilla" European options are ones where the expiration time $t_e$ of the option matches the settlement time of the underlying forward contract $T$. An ``early exercise" option is also a European option on a forward settling at time $T$, but the option expires at an earlier time $t_e \le T$, exercising into the underlying forward contract when in the money at $t_e$. Since vanilla options are a subset of early exercise options, in this section we derive pricing for early exercise options.

The approach is similar to that for pricing vanilla options under the original Heston model \cite{heston}: first we calculate the characteristic function of the log-forward price on the expiration time; then we integrate a function including that characteristic function to calculate an option price.

Unlike the standard Heston model, the characteristic function cannot be calculated in closed form: one numerical integration is required. Since we need another numerical integration to get an option price, this method imples a two-dimensional numerical integration to price early exercise options, rather than a one-dimensional numerical integration for the original Heston model. A two-dimensional numerical integration is still significantly more computationally efficient than other numerical techniques for pricing options, such as backward induction through a finite difference grid or Monte Carlo simulation.

We start by changing variable to $x(t,T) = \ln \left(F(t,T)/F(0,T) \right)$. Then

\begin{equation}
dx = -\frac{v(t)}{2} \sigma^2_F(t,T) dt + \sqrt{v(t)} \sigma \left( e^{-\beta_1 (T-t)} dz_1(t) + R e^{-\beta_2 (T-t)} dz_2(t) \right)
\end{equation}

where $\sigma^2_F(t,T)$ is the determinstic part of the instantaneous volatility:

\begin{equation}
\sigma^2_F(t,T) = \sigma^2 \left( e^{-2 \beta_1 (T-t)} + R^2 e^{-2 \beta_2 (T-t)} + 2 \rho R e^{-(\beta_1 + \beta_2) (T-t)} \right)
\end{equation}

We define the characteristic function $f$ as

\begin{equation}
f(x(t,T), v(t); \theta) = E[e^{i \theta x(t_e,T)}]
\end{equation}

where the expectation $E[...]$ is under the risk neutral measure, $t$ is the current calendar time, $t_e$ is the expiration time of the early exercise option, and $T$ is the settlement date of the underlying forward.

Since we are considering only one settlement time $T$ in the pricing of early exercise options, going forward in this section we will drop the $T$ from $x(t,T)$ and write it simply as $x(t)$.

If we apply Ito's Lemma to $f$ and set its drift to zero (because $f$ is a martingale in the risk neutral measure) we get a partial differential equation that $f$ satisfies:

\begin{eqnarray}
\frac{v \sigma^2_F(t,T)}{2} (\frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial x^2} - \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}) + \beta (1-v) \frac{\partial f}{\partial v} + \frac{\alpha^2 v}{2} \frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial v^2}  \nonumber \\
+ \sigma \alpha v (e^{-\beta_1 (T-t)} \rho_1 + R e^{-\beta_2 (T-t)} \rho_2) \frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial x \partial v} + \frac{\partial f}{\partial t} = 0
\end{eqnarray}

The next step is to try a solution of the form

\begin{equation}
f(x(t), v(t); \theta) = e^{i \theta x(t) + A(t) + B(t) v(t)}
\end{equation}

where $A$ and $B$ are functions only of calendar time $t$. Also, we change the calendar time variable to $\tau = t_e - t$, so that the boundary condition at $\tau=0$ is $A = B = 0$.

In the usual way this reduces the partial differential equation to a pair of ordinary differential equations:

\begin{eqnarray}
\frac{dA}{d\tau} &=& \beta B \nonumber \\
\frac{dB}{d\tau} &=& -\frac{1}{2} (\theta^2 + i \theta) \sigma^2_F(t,T) - \beta B + \frac{\alpha^2}{2} B^2  \nonumber \\
&+& i \theta B \alpha \sigma (e^{-\beta_1 \tau} e^{-\beta_1 (T-t_e)} \rho_1 + R e^{-\beta_2 \tau} e^{-\beta_2 (T-t_e)} \rho_2)
\end{eqnarray}

Unlike the standard Heston model we know of no closed form solution to this pair of ordinary differential equations; instead they can be numerically integrated using standard numerical techniques for integrating first-order ordinary differential equations. Along with the initial conditions $A(\tau=0) = B(\tau=0) = 0$, we can calculate $A$ and $B$ for any $\tau$, and thereby calculate the characteristic function $f$.

The next step is to calculate a vanilla option price from the characteristic function. As usual, the call price $C(K)$ for strike $K$ is given by

\begin{equation}
C(K) = D(T) (F(0,T) - \frac{K}{2} - \frac{K}{\pi} \int_{\theta=0}^\infty {\Re[\frac{f(\theta) e^{-i \theta \ln K/F(0,T)}}{\theta^2 + i \theta}]})
\end{equation}

where $D(T)$ is the discount factor to settlement time $T$. Put prices can be calculated from call prices using put/call parity, of course, as these are European options.

Figure \ref{fig:atmvsexp} shows at-the-money forward implied volatility as a function of time to expiration - the term structure of volatility - for vanilla options, where $t_e=T$. Note how the implied volatility decays with time to expiration because of the Samuelson effect, as represented in this model with the two mean reversion strengths $\beta_1$ and $\beta_2$. In this example the model parameters were $\sigma = 0.4$, $\beta_1 = 0.1$, $\beta_2 = 1$, $R = 0.5$, $\rho = -0.3$, $\beta = 0.5$, $\alpha=1$, $\rho_1 = 0.3$, and $\rho_2 = 0.3$. Note that in practice $\alpha \approx 1$ is a representative scale for the value of $\alpha$ in many commodity markets.

\begin{figure}
	\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{atmvsexp.jpg}
	\caption{At-the-money forward implied volatility for vanilla options as a function of expiration time. These are vanilla options so $t_e = T$. The y-axis shows percentage implied volatility and the x-axis shows time to expiration in years.}
	\label{fig:atmvsexp}
\end{figure}

Figure \ref{fig:volvsstrike} shows vanilla option implied volatility as a function of option strike price (with forward = 1) for a fixed time to expiration of $t_e=T=1$ (other parameters as in the previous example) which shows how the model creates implied volatility skew.

\begin{figure}
	\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{volvsstrike.jpg}
	\caption{Vanilla implied volatility vs strike for a representative set of parameters. The y-axis shows percentage implied volatility and the x-axis shows option strike price (where the forward is equal to 1).}
	\label{fig:volvsstrike}
\end{figure}

\section{Monte Carlo Simulation}

Many exotic derivatives depend on more than one forward price: that is, on $F(t,T)$ for a range of calendar times $t$ and settlement times $T$. For example, an average price option depends on daily forward price fixings during its life: one fixing for each business day (corresponding to $t$ values), and typically for the ``prompt" futures contract (nearest to settlement on the fixing date), which defines the settlement times $T$ for each fixing time $t$. That might mean dozens or even hundreds of separate forward curve dependencies.

In the lognormal two factor model, two separate stochastic factors can be simulated in a Monte Carlo simulation; given the values of those two factors at calendar time $t$, the forward price $F(t,T)$ can be calculated for any value of $T$. This dimensionality reduction (from the full set of market values of $T$ to the two stochastic factors) leads to effective numerical pricing of many derivatives.

The same is not true for this stochastic volatility extension. With $x(t,T) = \ln \frac{F(t,T)}{F(0,T)}$,

\begin{equation}
dx(t,T) = -\frac{1}{2} v(t) \sigma^2_F(t,T) dt + \sqrt{v(t)} \sigma \left( e^{-\beta_1 (T-t)} dz_1(t) + R e^{-\beta_2 (T-t)} dz_2(t) \right)
\end{equation}

If we define factors $u_1(t)$ and $u_2(t)$ as

\begin{equation}
du_i(t) = \sqrt{v(t)} e^{\beta_i t} dz_i(t)
\end{equation}

then we can write

\begin{equation}
dx(t,T) = -\frac{1}{2} v(t) \sigma^2_F(t,T) dt + \sigma \left( e^{-\beta_1 T} du_1(t) + R e^{-\beta_2 T} du_2(t) \right)
\end{equation}

As $x(0,T) = 0$ by construction we can integrate this to

\begin{equation}
x(t,T) = -\frac{1}{2} \int_{s=0}^t {v(s) \sigma^2_F(s,T) ds} + \sigma \left( e^{-\beta_1 T} u_1(t) + R e^{-\beta_2 T} u_2(t) \right)
\end{equation}

In the lognormal limit, where $v(t)=1$ always, the value of $x(t,T)$ is specified only by the two factor values $u_1(t)$ and $u_2(t)$. In the general case, however, the integrated drift term is no longer deterministic: it depends on the path of $v(t)$. Worse, that drift term depends on the settlement time $T$, so that a separate drift term is needed for each value of $T$.

If the payoff being priced depends on just one value of $T$ this is not a problem; that drift term can be calculated as an additional variable per Monte Carlo path, along with the two factors $u_1$ and $u_2$ and the Heston volatility factor $v$.

This is a computational problem for Monte Carlo simulation, however, if the derivative price depends on forwards for $N \gg 1$ values of $T$, because then we need to simulate $N$ separate drift terms on each path. For large $N$ that can become computationally inefficient or too memory intensive for practical use.

We solve this problem with an approximation for the drift term. Define $I(t,T)$ as

\begin{equation}
I(t,T) = \int_{s=0}^t {v(s) \sigma^2_F(s,T) ds} = \int_{s=0}^t {\sigma^2_F(s,T) ds} + \int_{s=0}^t {w(s) \sigma^2_F(s,T) ds}
\end{equation}

where $w(t) = v(t) - 1$. The first term is deterministic, so does not suffer the problem mentioned above. The second term, however, does suffer this problem, however, and here is where the approximation comes in: we approximate $I(t,T)$ as

\begin{equation}
I(t,T) \approx \int_{s=0}^t {\sigma^2_F(s,T) ds} + k(t,T) \int_{s=0}^t {w(s) ds}
\end{equation}

We choose $k(t,T)$ as a determinstic function such that the variance of $I(t,T)$ under the approximation matches the true variance. If this approximation is sufficiently accurate, we can run a Monte Carlo simulation and track just one extra path variable, the integrated Heston factor $\int_{s=0}^t {w(s) ds}$, and with that, the Heston volatility variable $v(t)$ and the two regular factors $u_1(t)$ and $u_2(t)$, we can calculate any forward price $F(t,T)$.

If we match variances we can write

\begin{equation}
Var(\int_{s=0}^t {w(s) \sigma^2_F(s,T) ds}) = Var(k(t,T) \int_{s=0}^t {w(s) ds})
\end{equation}

so that

\begin{equation}
k^2(t,T) = \frac{2 \int_{s_2=0}^t \int_{s_1=0}^{s_1} \sigma^2_F(s_1,T) \sigma^2_F(s_2,T) E[w(s_1) w(s_2)] ds_1 ds_2}{2 \int_{s_2=0}^t \int_{s_1=0}^{s_1} E[w(s_1) w(s_2)]}
\end{equation}

To calculate this we need to calculate $J(s_1,s_2) = E[w(s_1) w(s_2)]$ for $s_1 \le s_2$:

\begin{eqnarray}
J(s_1, s_2) &=& E[w(s_1) w(s_2)] = E[w(s_1)^2] + \int_{s=s_1}^{s_2} w(s_1) dw(s) \nonumber \\
            &=& E[w(s_1)^2] - \beta \int_{s_1}^{s_2} J(s_1, s) ds
\end{eqnarray}

Then

\begin{equation}
\frac{\partial J}{\partial s_2} = -\beta J(s_1, s_2)
\end{equation}

so

\begin{equation}
J(s_1, s_2) = c e^{-\beta (s_2 - s_1)}
\end{equation}

for some constant $c$. We know that $J(s_1, s_1) = E[w(s_1)^2]$, and from the standard Heston model we know

\begin{equation}
E[w(t)^2] = \frac{\alpha^2}{2 \beta} (1 - e^{-2 \beta t})
\end{equation}

so

\begin{equation}
J(s_1, s_2) = E[w(s_1) w(s_2)] = \frac{\alpha^2}{2 \beta} (1 - e^{-2 \beta s_1}) e^{-\beta (s_2 - s_1)}
\end{equation}

We can then evaluate the expression for this ``drift factor" $k(t,T)$ by evaluating the two integrals. The resulting form is quite complex but is still closed form, and is given in appendix A.

With this expression for the drift factor we can run Monte Carlo simulations for pricing many derivatives by simulating the two factors $u_1(t)$ and $u_2(t)$; the Heston volatility factor $v(t)$; and the integrated Heston factor $(\int_{s=0}^t {w(s) ds}$. With that information, at any point on a Monte Carlo path, we can calculate any forward price $F(t,T)$.

\section{Validating the Drift Approximation}

The approximation is exact in two limits:

\begin{itemize}
	\item Volatility of volatility is zero. In this case $w(t) = v(t) - 1$ is always zero and the second term in $I(t,T)$ above is always zero.
	\item $\sigma_F(t,T)$ is a constant - that is, if both $\beta_1$ and $\beta_2$ are zero, or if $\beta_1$ is zero and $R=0$.
\end{itemize}

The approximation is most extreme when there is significant volatility of volatility and significant term structure of $\sigma_F(t,T)$.

To test the size of approximation error in the case where it is expected to be largest, we first compare the expected value of the simulated forward between the factor-based Monte Carlo simulation above and an approximation-free simulation of the single forward price, using the same Monte Carlo paths and seed to minimize the difference in simulated forwards (the difference goes to zero in the two limits above). The forward is the best metric of approximation error since the approximation affects the risk neutral drift; if the approximation fails, the simulation will give an incorrect expected forward.

The test used parameters $t_e = 1$, $T = 2$, $\sigma = 0.6$, $\beta_1 = 0.01$, $\beta_2 = 1$, $R = 0.5$, $\rho = -0.3$, $\beta = 0$, $\rho_1 = 0.3$, and $\rho_2 = 0.3$. The market forward price was 1. We used 100 time steps and 100,000 paths in the Monte Carlo simulation. Values of $\alpha$ ranged from 0 to 3, which gave ATMF implied volatilities ranging from 57.

Figure \ref{fig:simerror} shows the approximation error in basis points (one basis point is $10^{-4}$ of the forward) for these extreme parameters as a function of $\alpha$, the volatility of volatility, running from 0 to 3. Figure \ref{fig:stderr} shows the standard error on the simulated forward.

\begin{figure}
	\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{sim_error.jpg}
	\caption{Approximation error in the simulated forward with extreme market and model parameters. The y-axis shows the basis point difference in the simulated forward, and the x-axis shows the value of $\alpha$.}
	\label{fig:simerror}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}
	\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{stderr.jpg}
	\caption{Standard error on the expected value of the forward in the Monte Carlo simulation with extreme market and model parameters. The y-axis shows the standard error in basis points, and the x-axis shows the value of $\alpha$.}
	\label{fig:stderr}
\end{figure}

Note that the approximation error in the simulated forward is very small, reaching 1bp only in the most extreme market conditions where simulation error is similarly much larger and dominates the approximation error. For example, the standard error on the forward price with 100,000 paths for $\alpha=3$ is 78bp, 72 times larger than the approximation error.

The second test is for at-the-money implied volatility calculated under the two flavors of Monte Carlo simulation. Using the same parameters as in the first test, Figure \ref{fig:volerror} shows the approximation error in percentage volatility as a function of $\alpha$. Figure \ref{fig:volstderr} shows the standard error on the simulated implied volatility for the same range of $\alpha$.

Again, the approximation error is very small: maximally 0.0015\% in magnitude, versus a standard error from the simulation of around 0.14\%. The approximation error is insignificantly small for at-the-money implied volatility calculations, and hence vanilla option price calculations. The implied volatility level ranged from 30\% to 40\% across the range of $\alpha$ values with these parameters.

\begin{figure}
	\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{volerror.jpg}
	\caption{Approximation error in the simulated at-the-money implied volatility with extreme market and model parameters. The y-axis shows the implied volatility difference in percent, and the x-axis shows the value of $\alpha$.}
	\label{fig:volerror}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}
	\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{volstderr.jpg}
	\caption{Standard error on the expected value of the at-the-money implied volatility in the Monte Carlo simulation with extreme market and model parameters. The y-axis shows the standard error in percentage volatility, and the x-axis shows the value of $\alpha$.}
	\label{fig:volstderr}
\end{figure}

The final test is for out-of-the-money volatilities, where we use the same parameters as the at-the-money volatility test but use a strike of 1.4 times the forward - roughly one standard deviation out-of-the-money with a one-year expiration at roughly 40\% volatility. Figure \ref{fig:otmerror} shows the approximation error in percentage volatility as a function of $\alpha$. Figure \ref{fig:otmstderr} shows the standard error on the simulated implied volatility for the same range of $\alpha$.

As before, the approximation error is tiny - maximally 0.007\% - compared to the standard error on the implied volatility of 0.2-0.5\%.

\begin{figure}
	\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{otmerror.jpg}
	\caption{Approximation error in the simulated out-of-the-money implied volatility with extreme market and model parameters, for a strike 1.4 times the forward. The y-axis shows the implied volatility difference in percent, and the x-axis shows the value of $\alpha$.}
	\label{fig:otmerror}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}
	\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{otmstderr.jpg}
	\caption{Standard error on the expected value of the out-of-the-money implied volatility in the Monte Carlo simulation with extreme market and model parameters, for a strike 1.4 times the forward. The y-axis shows the standard error in percentage volatility, and the x-axis shows the value of $\alpha$.}
	\label{fig:otmstderr}
\end{figure}

The parameters used in these tests are relatively extreme, and approximation errors in more practical use cases will be even lower.

\section{Conclusions and Future Work}

We introduced a new model for the evolution of commodity forward prices in the context of pricing derivatives which includes mean reversion of commodity spot prices, decorrelation of moves across the forward curve, and implied volatility skew and smile.

We included a recipe for efficiently calculating vanilla and early exercise option prices with a double numerical integration, which allows for relatively fast on-the-fly best fit of the model parameters to traded option prices. We also included an algorithm for pricing derivatives with a factor-based Monte Carlo simulation, under an approximation that avoids having to explicitly simulate integrated drift factors for forwards for every settlement date included in the payoff. The approximation error was validated as very small for practical cases.

Several areas for future work suggest themselves:

\begin{itemize}
	\item Adding deterministic time dependency to $\sigma$. As it stands, with constant model parameters, the model will not be able to exactly fit at-the-money implied volatility for all traded expirations. The usual approach for getting an exact fit is to let $\sigma$ be a piecewise-constant function of calendar time $t$ or settlement time $T$ (normally $\sigma(t)$ for non-seasonal markets like crude oil, and $\sigma(T)$ for seasonal markets like electricity and natural gas).
	\item Adding deterministic time dependency to $\alpha$, $\rho_1$, and/or $\rho_2$. While constant values of $\alpha$, $\beta$, $\rho_1$, and $\rho_2$ can give rise to fairly generic smile and skew term structures, it is in general not possible to calibrate the model to reproduce market levels of implied volatility smile and skew for all traded expiration tenors with so few parameters. Letting the parameters be piecewise-constant functions of $t$ or $T$ allows for an exact calibration.
	\item Adding a second volatility factor. Some derivative prices are sensitive to correlation of moves of implied volatility across different expiration tenors, and that correlation is 100\% in this model because there is only one stochastic factor. Adding a second factor would give some control over that volatility correlation term structure.
\end{itemize}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


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It is a haven for working artists and a gathering place for urban and suburban residents. Its purpose: to support the careers of fine artists, cultivate emerging arts patrons, and promote a sense of culture and community.
Through arts programming, strategic partnerships, and unique cultural events, we work to invigorate those neighborhoods so their residents and families can live rich, connected lives.


A few weeks ago we went to Cades Cove, a beautiful spot in the Smoky Mountains that is encircled by the mountains. There are some beautiful views from within the cove, and many old cabins/homes are still there from when the park was created in the early 1900's. If you go this time of the year though when the leaves are turning, it can take you a few hours to circle around the cove b/c it's a one-way road and you are at the mercy of the person in front of you! If they stop to look at something or drive slowly, you just have to wait.
One of the many homes still standing. They just don't build 'em like they used to!
Fields behind an old Methodist Church and cemetery. This is a view up the mountainside.
We drove straight across the cove (shortcut--kids were getting antsy!) and got this view! Becky and some of the kids saw the black bears wandering around--I had my eyes on the road (mostly, sometimes on the view).
What a blessing to be so close to such a beautiful area, and that this area is a National Park! In fact, I believe it's the only FREE national park--so come visit us sometime!


text:
Generac Introduces the New MBE Energy Storage System
The new hybrid solution improves fuel efficiency for more runtime
Generac Power Systems, Inc.
WAUKESHA, Wis., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Generac Mobile, a leading manufacturer of mobile light towers, generators, heaters, pumps and dust suppression solutions, today introduced the new MBE30 Energy Storage System, a portable power supply that can be paired with a diesel generator to create a hybrid system that can save fuel, reduce emissions, and lower sound levels. The system helps to reduce total diesel generator running hours and cut fuel consumption, enabling the generator to work at its maximum efficiency for shorter durations while storing energy in a high-capacity battery backup.
Generac's MBE30
When the battery is charged and demand for power is low, the energy stored in the battery set is used to supply the load. When the battery runs low or the load increases, the generator is automatically started to supply additional power to the load and it recharges the batteries. The entire process results in improved fuel economy, lower CO2 emissions, fewer running hours on the generating set and a longer working life for the generator itself with reduced servicing costs. The unit can be programmed to operate on battery power only, producing zero noise for jobsites with nighttime noise restrictions.
"The MBE30 is a more efficient, more robust and more resilient solution while being both easy to use and easy to integrate with existing mobile generators," said Aaron LaCroix, senior product manager at Generac Mobile. "This hybrid energy solution is a leading-edge product that maintains our position as innovators and industry leaders."
The MBE30 can also be fully charged and then used on its own for short-term or low-power periods, eliminating the need for a generator. The unit can also provide power during peak loading, enabling it to be paired with a smaller diesel generator. A smaller generator can then run more efficiently reducing fuel consumption and operating costs.
The MBE30 is offered either with lead-acid OPzV-S GEL (to 90kWh) or Li-Ion NMC (to 120kWh) battery technology. The unit will be available in 2022.
About Generac
Generac Power Systems, Inc. (NYSE: GNRC) is a leading energy technology company that provides advanced power grid software solutions, backup and prime power systems for home and industrial applications, solar + battery storage solutions, virtual power plant platforms and engine- and battery-powered tools and equipment. Founded in 1959, Generac introduced the first affordable backup generator and later created the category of automatic home standby generator - a market in which nearly eight of ten generators sold is a Generac. The company is committed to sustainable, cleaner energy products poised to revolutionize the 21st century electrical grid.
Contact: Jessica Sharpee
SOURCE Generac Power Systems, Inc.
http://www.generac.com
Generac Power Systems to Further Expand Operations in South...
Generac Introduces Most Powerful Air-Cooled Home Standby Generator...


text:
Cork Crafts - Wexford Milliner
A Wexford milliner who has designed a hat that stays on your head in the windiest of weather, will showcase her designs at the 25th City Hall Crafts and Design Fair in Cork from November 24-27.
This year's 25th Anniversary Fair promises to be a bumper celebration of an event that traditionally heralds the start of the Christmas season in Cork.
Mad4Hats by Patsy Flood O'Connor are all handmade in her workshop in New Ross with locally sourced materials, including felts that are knitted and dyed by hand.
Patsy's designs are heavily influenced by her surroundings, drawing on inspiration from stone walls, mosses, leaves, seashells and flowers.
"A hat will change your whole appearance. It gives you a sense of confidence and elegance and if you're having a bad hair day, it will help cover it up," says Patsy who trained as a milliner in London.
Patsy is confident that she has designed a hat that will stay on your head in the windiest of weather because she has extensively road-tested it on the windy beaches of the county.
Over €150,000 per day will be spent at the biggest crafts fair outside Dublin, which will feature over 60 of the best contemporary crafts and artisan food producers from all over Ireland.
Fairgoers in search of an original Christmas idea can be guaranteed a haven of quality wares both for gifts and the home this festival season.
"The City Hall Crafts and Design Fair gives a vital economic stimulus to the crafts and design industry in the Munster region with an estimated spend in excess of €150,000 per day," said Festival organiser Patrick O'Sullivan.
"Shoppers will find a wide range of crafts, artisan-made goods, food and drink, designer handcrafted outfits and accessories at the Fair.
"This year we have a lot of new content with many first-time exhibitors showcasing the best of new crafts and food from around the country."
Among the range of exhibitors showcasing individual and original pieces this year will be Cobh artist and jeweller Barbara Hall, Wexford's bespoke hardwood furniture designers Bevel Furniture and award-winning jewellery creator Blaithin Ennis, Tipperary artisan food producer Florrie Purcell, and West Cork artist Annabel Langrish.
Julie and Owen McLoughlin of Jando Design have created a range of prints specially for the City Hall Crafts Fair which will feature some favourite local landmarks such as Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral, The Old Head of Kinsale Lighthouse and Cork City Gaol.
The 25th City Hall Crafts and Design Fair takes place at the City Hall, Cork from November 24-27. Full details and booking can be found at www.cityhallcraftsfair.ie.
For media information contact Darren Hughes, MediaConsult, darren@mediaconsult.ie, 086 293 7037.


We love a good peanut brittle. We know, we're a little biased. A classic Virginia peanut brittle recipe is the perfect complement to any holiday but we're spicing things �... If you�re not familiar with toffee, peanut brittle is a crunchy, sweet sheet of caramelized sugar and butter, with a hint of baking soda to make it airy. That sheet is also packed with raw redskin peanuts , lending their nutty, buttery flavor.
Peanut brittle is a wonderful balancing act. It's crunchy, with just a bit of give, and each bite brings a mixture of salty and sweet, with little bits of peanut scattered throughout. This old-school candy is easy to make � how to make a boat out of a plastic bottle Never make peanut brittle this way. Too much time. Always use the microwave (for over 30 years). So much easier and faster. No candy thermometer necessary (I have the process downpat and know exactly how long to cook it in a certain bowl). My family loves it.
Working quickly, stir in butter. Pour mixture over peanuts in pans. Tap pans gently on bench. Set aside for 3 hours or until firm. Using a mallet or the back of a large metal spoon, break brittle into pieces. how to make butter with marijuana Prepare another cooking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silipat mat (where the brittle will cool), and another separate piece of parchment paper (to press out the brittle when done) In a medium sized pot on the stove, add the cane sugar, brown rice syrup, honey, salt and stick of butter.
I make this once a year, and once a year, I suddenly have long lost friends who track me down. This Clean Eating Peanut Brittle Recipe is absolutely perfect for the season. This Clean Eating Peanut Brittle Recipe is absolutely perfect for the season.
I like the involved process of making REAL peanut brittle, NOT making it in the microwave. Cooking is an adventure and I love taking on projects like this. Thanks so much for a great recipe with pictures!
Quick tips for maple peanut brittle When making peanut brittle, be sure to use a good candy thermometer . Have all of the brittle recipe ingredients ready ahead of time.


Old shed made into new PLAYHOUSE!
I should have taken some "before" pictures, but it was just too gross. I cropped this from a picture we took of the snowy yard last year. Many gallons of paint, a little bit of carpentry, and many hours of naptime over the past months have been spent on this project.
I left some hints in earlier posts at what we had transformed it into. I think it is nothing short of miraculous! How many kids have wrap around porches?
There is still lots left to do, but I have been dying to blog about it and I think we got to a pretty good point this week. Shutters and a door to keep the leaves and rain out is next on my list.
Petunia even comes for visits. She would never step paw in here when it was a shed full of junk. She has good taste.
The furniture and the tea set came from my mom and it works perfectly. Here the proud homeowner is being very patient with this photo shoot, but really wanting me to sit with her for tea.
She has gotten quite good at serving tea. Slurping noises included.


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This summer I got the opportunity to serve down in Apalachicola, Florida with a group from my Auburn church home, First Baptist Opelika! Putting those two months into words is challenging, so I'm gonna share some lowlights, highlights and different things the Lord taught me!
So lowlight: I won't pretend like there weren't any! I'll focus on the main one. It was a difficult transition filled with anxiety and distrust. After moving back to Birmingham after my first year at Auburn, then leaving again 1 month later for Florida, it almost felt like jet lag. My mind was unsettled. I'm a big planner and I like for things to happen on a schedule. But the first couple of weeks in Apalach involved less structure than I'm used to, and I had to give up my selfish need for plans. Though I let it be a stressful process, I finally learned to trust the Lord's plan over my own and to trust that even if I don't have any plan at all- He STILL has a plan for the day that is unwavering! He wants us to trust Him so much that there is no hint of worry or anxiety in us. That's why Matthew 6:34 says, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." He commands us not to worry, therefore it is a sin to worry! I had to learn that the hard way, and God continues to teach me and remind me of this all the time!
And highlights!: Ok so there are INCREDIBLE things to report from this summer. For one, God was so incredibly faithful to give me a job! I had been praying to get a job at the Piggly Wiggly in town and God answered that loud and clear the first day in Apalach by getting me hired at that exact place! So for 2 months I was a cashier at the grocery store! That is a whole other story full of wonderful, funny, and interesting stories of interactions and embarrassing things I did, like pretending to sing karaoke to my coworkers with the cashier microphone thinking there were no customers watching (I was wrong..!!).
One miracle our team got to experience was that a man we befriended gave his life to Christ! It was such an encouraging thing to witness the light come on in his life that was evident in the way he carried himself and spoke after he became a disciple of Christ!
Another highlight was that the Lord taught me so much about Himself which revealed who I am in Him more fully. He gives me my identity and it is something that nothing else can give. In Him I am free, redeemed, righteous, lavished with never-ending love, mercy, and grace, and on top of all that, I'm given eternal life-all for FREE! He showed me what it means to find identity in HIM alone; not in friends, family, values, morality, comfort, appearance. Those are all good things, but not when I form my life around them or look to them for acceptance and identity! They will only fail me if I try to place my worth in them. Friends disappoint, family isn't perfect, values and morality can make me forget faith, comfort wavers, and appearance is dictated by magazines and people's opinions. So I'm very thankful that my identity rests in my unwavering, faithful, perfect God.
And finally, I got to know some wonderful wonderful people. Both in the group I was with and the locals in Apalach. I was with a group of about 15 other college students. 2 of which were our senior leaders and the others were either rising sophomores like me or juniors. We spent several hours each morning together, reading the Bible, sharing our hearts, and praying for each other and for the unreached. It was one of those experiences I will never forget, actually. It felt like true community- like how it will be when all of Christ's followers will live in Heaven together in perfect unity with each other and with God Himself. I grew to love each person on the trip as I got to know their hearts. Even the people in Apalach touched my heart. Whether my coworkers, the students in the youth group we got to know, or our neighbors across the street, everyone was friendly and receptive to us college students taking over their small town.
I look back on this summer with a thankful heart. The Lord led me to go, and He blessed my time there greatly- through the waters, the rivers, and the fires of day-to-day life. God is faithful and trustworthy and I am excited to see how He will use what He taught me to draw me closer to Him this semester!
Lauren and I as cashiers at the Pig!
Enjoyed time with my boyfriend, Leo, and some other friends for a weekend!
And my amazing parents came to see me for a weekend as well; letting me stay with them in a hotel for a change of scenery!
Here's a bunch of the group- 4th of July celebration!
We met up with the other team in Port St. Joe for a nice meal with our Auburn pastor, Trace!
Oh Wow! What a wonderful share! I am so thankful that your summer was so rich and full of God and His blessings! Please keep writing!


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I would like to tell you a few stories which I hope you find interesting; perhaps even enlightening. Let's take "Karl". Karl was elderly man of around 70 years of age. He was a plumber by trade and spent his days walking the streets of his small town in search of his next job, which would hopefully earn him enough to pay for his and his wife's next meal, not to mention the rent! Years of a hard work and poor health care had left its mark on Karl. His back was bad, as were his hands and knees. He walked the dirty and smelly streets from sun up until sun down hawking his skills. His clothes were threadbare but always clean, well, for a plumber that is, and his shoes were well-worn hand-me-downs---third time.
But still, Karl was never bitter. He had a loving wife who took in laundry, which she did by hand every day. She also did some mending. On good days, she may get a job cleaning house for a few days while the regular maid was off on holiday. Then one day, Karl came home, extra tired but very proud of himself. He had had a good day---three jobs and the promise of a fourth! Outside the rundown and rat infested hovel which he called home stood his landlord. He stared at Karl with a look of hatred, curiosity, and more than a little trepidation. There had been visitors that day; very special visitors. Upstairs, waiting just inside their door of their apartment stood his wife. She greeted him with tears and a letter. Karl took it and with a quick glance handed it back. Karl couldn't read, but his wife could, a little. The letter, which was very official looking, instructed Karl and his wife to be waiting outside their apartment building promptly at 8:00 AM the next morning. They were to bring just enough clothes for a few days. Their key should be handed over to their landlord for safekeeping. Karl would not be needing his tools.
The purpose of the trip wasn't given, but rumors were that they're going to a special center for evaluation; perhaps to even see a doctor (his wife had been complaining about a bad tooth anyway and maybe someone would be kind enough to look at his hands which were so important in his line of work). Some said it's a resort they were going to, but who would send them---two old miserable wretches to a resort? It must be to a doctor. Maybe he could find some work there too, after all, even doctors have occasional plumbing problems! So the next morning, Karl and his wife waited patiently outside as instructed; having given their landlord their key...and his promise to look after everything (not that there was that much to look after). They didn't have to wait very long...
"Walther" as we will call him was a good man of about 20 years old, though he was what some would call "slow". His mother was an
older woman, way past her prime when she unexpectedly became pregnant and his father, a housepainter, was no "spring chicken" either. Walther was her fifth child; her third son. Walther always seemed different. As a child he could never keep up with other children his age. Often, he would sit in the corner by himself silently rocking himself, or he would go off alone while other kids played. Occasionally, he would sit in the kitchen looking longingly out the window and watching as the others played. They teased him unmercifully, and not just about being slow but about how he looked too. Walther was a different turned child, and a lonely one too.
One day during a routine office visit to the doctor, Walther's mother was told by their doctor that there was now a special place for children like Walther. There are doctors and nurses on site, so he would get good medical care, along with three healthy meals a day and even snacks like oranges or apples. He could be with other children that were like him; it would be an opportunity for him to make friends, and it was free. All that was needed was his referral to a specialist, another doctor; someone from one of the new government health agencies, and of course, the permission of her and her husband.
It wasn't a hard decision to make. Life had been hard, and not just since Walther came along. The economy has been doing badly and there just hasn't enough work to go around, and costs of taking care of Walther's special needs, well that too has been a burden on the family. Besides, the facility the doctor mentioned wasn't that far away and the family could visit every few weeks, and he would finally have friends. Oh, how the boy longed for a friend. So, a few weeks later arrangements were made for Walther. It was a sad trip, but it held so much promise, especially for Walther.
The family visited every few weeks just like they promised to do. Walther was always so happy to see them; happier still to introduce his parents to his latest new friend (although he often introduced them to the same individuals each time, he was happy...truly happy for perhaps the first time in his life). Then, about six months later, his parents received a rather unexpected letter from the government doctor at the special facility. Good news they hoped about Walther's treatments. He seemed to be making such good progress...
Seventy years ago, the notorious death camp at Auschwitz was liberated. It was January 27th, 1945. The liberation was at the hands of Soviet troops advancing from the east. It would prove to be the opening chapter of a unimaginable horror; a blight on not just the German People, or the Nazis, but on all humanity which still echoes today. Some six million Jews, perhaps more, died in these camps---by gas, execution, exhaustion, injection, disease, and starvation. They were experimented on like guinea pigs, and without the benefit of sedatives. They were allowed to feel nothing but raw pain. What most people don't realize today is the Allied leadership, including Roosevelt and Churchill, had known about these camps years earlier through various intelligence reports and smuggled photographs but chose to do nothing.
Prior to the war, the Nazi government shipped hundreds of Jews to both America and South America as a means of "cleansing" Germany, only to be rejected at the behest of the US government. They were returned to Germany where death greeted them at the ports. The Nazi Government has also repeatedly proposed finding them a possible new homeland outside of Europe; places like Ethiopia (Abyssinia), British Rhodesia, and especially French Madagascar were discussed. However, each of these proposals were rejected by the English and French. Meanwhile, Stalin had murdered tens of thousands of his own people, including fellow Slavs, Jews, and gypsies before the war even started.
There's also another story which most people don't know about. In addition to the six million Jews who perished, approximately five million gays, Slavs, political and religious dissenters, and gypsies--mostly Romani---were also murdered. In terms of percentage, the Romani gypsies lost a larger percentage of population than the Jews. But percentages only mattered to the Nazis who kept detailed records of every soul taken--from name and ages to location to the value of gold recovered from items such as jewelry or teeth, or in the amount of reusable leather recovered from luggage, wallets, purses or shoes. Badly needed resources were diverted from the war effort to expedite the delivery of these "undesirables" to concentration and extermination camps. The "Final Solution" was nothing if not efficient.
During the remaining months of the war, which ended in May, 1945, the Allies would push through Germany and occupied lands to liberate others held in these factories of death. For many it would be too little too late. For those that survived, life would begin again, albeit slowly; it would never be as they knew it before. Too many wounds. Too many memories. The once thriving Yiddish culture, with all it sounds and flavors, had all but ceased to exist. Only a remnant would continue to flourish in places like Chicago, Philadelphia, or New York. Of course, there was a certain irony. Had it not been for the persecution of the Jews, there would have been no international push for the creation of a Jewish homeland, but that's another story. As for the gypsies, without a public advocate, they were largely forgotten and faded quietly into the background of history and familiar ways. The others too gradually reintegrated back into society. Those not being able to bear the memories or face those who just a short time before had turned a blind eye to their suffering, simply chose to immigrate and start life anew. At the time of Stalin's death, he was preparing a new purge, which included members of the Jewish population under Russian control. By the time of his death in 1953, Stalin had murdered an estimated 20 million people.
Though the world pledged never to allow something like this to ever happen again, it has; many times over. It's happened in Bosnia, throughout Africa, parts of Asia, and it is currently happening in the Middle East to groups like the Kurds and Syrian Christians, and as before, the world has done little except for the occasional self-righteous admonishment. It has never ceased to amaze me the lengths humanity will go to in order to appease its gods in the name of "love" or "compassion" or racial purity; how many people must be sacrificed before their god is satisfied? Of course, in truth, it's rarely about a god or religion. Those are just handy tools. No less dangerous in the wrong hands than a gun. Ultimately is and has always been about power, wealth, and control. I can't help wondering when humanity will finally grow up. John Kennedy once said "Mankind must put an end to war, war would put an end to mankind".
As for Karl and Walther, Karl and his wife were taken to Auschwitz where the elderly couple were separated and murdered the same day
they arrived. For the Nazis, they were too old to be of any value. Many were murdered using a form of gas call Zykon B which was manufactured by the Bayer Corporation. The letter Walther's parent's received from the government doctor who had befriended them and their mentally handicapped son, read that Walther suffered an seizure and died unexpectedly. In reality, he was euthanized along with his new friends. Apparently, the Nazis didn't believed his life was worth living either. The program to murder those with inheritable disabilities, mental illnesses (which was classified as including so-called "deviant" or non-conforming behavior, depression, homosexuality) or the mentality handicapped was known as Action T4 and funded in large part by the Rockefeller Foundation. Approximately 270, 273 individuals died in this fashion. Not all were murdered however. Some 400,000 were sterilized for reasons like chronic depression or epilepsy. Finally, I would like to point out something else about Karl and Walther. They were relatives of mine, and there were others. I've added two links below which tell the story of two other relatives who faced the Holocaust---the Shoah as the Jews refer to it. One managed to survived. One did not.
We continue to turn a blind eye to what's happening around us. We're too wrapped in our video games and so-called "reality TV" to notice. We're always "to busy" to be involved in our children, our communities or even to vote. We've lost our democratic republic. In its place now stands an oligarchy. What will it take to get us to stop and look up?
Malchen Berlin
http://www.stolpersteine-hamburg.de/en.php?MAIN_ID=7&BIO_ID=1416
The Doctor's House (in German)
https://www.sprockhoevel.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Texte_Stadtarchiv/Das_Doktorhaus_in_Hasslinghausen.pdf
First They Came
In keeping with the topic, I would like to share one of my favorate poems about political apathy. It was written by Lutheran Pastor Martin Niemoller (1892-1984) who was but one of the voices who spoke out against the rise of rise of evil which he saw slowly rising all around him. For speaking out, Pastor Niemoller was arrested in 1937 and sent to first to Sachsenhausen Consentration Camp and then later to Dachau where he was held until being liberated in 1945.
First they came for the Socialist and I did not speak out-
because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists and I did not speak out-
because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out-
because I was not a Jew.
They they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.
Labels: Action T4, Auschwitz, Concentration Camps, Corporations, eugenics, fascism, Gays, Genocide, Gypsies, Holocaust, Jews, mentally ill, Religion, religious extremism, Romani, Shoah, Terrorism, WWII, Yiddish, Zykon B


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COVID-19 Advice from CEDIA
The Coronavirus pandemic makes this an extraordinary time for all of us. We believe that we have a responsibility to share information and experiences to help you and your business through it. So, that's what we're going to try and do. In this episode, the first in a series of COVID-19 special shows, Matt Nimmons, Managing Director of CEDIA EMEA talks to us about the funding and support that home integration businesses can access to help them survive the current lockdown. The Integrated Home is a Wildwood and Alfi Media production. ...
European Insights
We're bringing a definitively European flavour to proceedings for the very first time with an episode recorded at Integrated Systems Europe 2020 in Amsterdam. In the RAI, we're joined by two CEDIA award-winning companies as Michael Sherman from leading French company, Henri, and Sergio Rojas from Madrid's Smart Business share their views with us on the home integration business in Europe. We also learn about the stand-out technologies for integrators at ISE and look forward to 2021 when the show moves to Barcelona. The Integrated Home is supported by Meridian Audio, AWE, Sony and Integrated Systems Europe and is a Wildwood and Alfi Media production. ...
Anatomy of a Project
In this episode we're taking an in-depth look at one particular project in Notting Hill, London with the help of Alan Waxman from prime developer, Landmass, and Luke Crutcher from integrator, Living Home Tech. How does technology fit within a new-build scheme? What part does it play in the overall design and how can it add value from a developer's perspective? How does the integrator approach such a brief? What are the factors they consider in the delivery of a successful project? And what are the installation challenges they have to overcome? All these questions and more are covered in this detail-rich conversation. Thanks to pod partners Meridian Audio, AWE, Sony and Integrated Systems Europe for their support in making the series possible. ...
Retail Plus Installation or Installation Only?
We're in Kent to talk with two businesses who have taken quite different paths in the industry. Potters Home Digital are an established company who began life as a retailer and have added installation successfully to their business. Micarta are a new and focused integration firm, born from the ashes of Challenge Control. In conversation with directors from each company, Alex Jones and Gavin Baker, we find out what's working for them and how they're growing and sustaining a business in home integration. We'll also be learning plenty about the market in Kent. How similar is work here to business in London and the commuter belt counties? Where are the opportunities? And, what are the advantages for a local business that's tuned in to its community? Gavin reveals what makes him tick in our Hot Seat Q&A. This episode is recorded in the Lilford Gallery in Canterbury. Thanks to pod partners Meridian Audio, AWE, Sony and Integrated Systems Europe for their support in making the series possible. ...
Change and Diversity
In this episode, we explore the changing nature of the home integration industry in the company of Sohan Perera from Link Media Systems and Henry Shephard from Cornflake. Where has the industry come from, where is it now and where is it going? How does this evolution affect how integrators do business? And, what are the implications for the value that the industry places on the services it provides? We'll also be looking at the challenges of dealing with customers from different nationalities and age profiles. It's a diverse market we serve, so what approaches work best for customer groups from diverse backgrounds? Meanwhile, in our Hot Seat Q&A, we find out who Sohan would invite to his industry come dine with me. This episode is recorded in the Media Room at the Cambridgeshire HQ of Meridian Audio. Thanks to pod partners Meridian, AWE, Sony and Integrated Systems Europe for their support in making this show possible. ...
Working With Architects and Designers
Educating the design build community is one of the core components of CEDIA's three-year strategy. In this episode, we're joined by Alex Josling from Seven Integration and Tas Kyriacou of IDS to find out how they connect with these audiences. What's the attraction of working with design build professionals? What are the challenges and what resources are out there to help you get in front of them and be successful? Both Alex and Tas tell us about their visit to the Smart Home Summit in London. Where are DIY and retail brands at in terms of their smart home thinking and what role is there in their world for home technology integrators? Alex also puts Tas under the spotlight in our Hot Seat Q&A to find out what he'd be doing if he weren't an integrator, amongst other things. This episode is recorded in the Performance Cinema at AWE's Alexander House HQ. Thanks to pod partners Meridian, AWE and Sony for their support in making this show possible. ...


Short dress in a patterned crêpe weave with a wrapover with a frill trim down the front and to the hem. Seam at the waist with ties at the sides and long puff sleeves with narrow buttoned cuffs. Unlined.


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Ask Allie: Emotional Abuse in Sapphic Relationships
Sarah Rutledge Fischer
Is a Memphis native who now lives in Fairhope, Ala. She pens the Allie column and writes other stories. She leads her local chapter of Prism United, and is also an artist and art teacher.
by Sarah Rutledge Fischer (she/they)
Dear Allie,
My friend is in trouble, but none of our other friends see it. I don't know what to do. "Jane," had a long-distance girlfriend, "Anne," who moved cross-country to be with her about six months ago. Typical U-haul stuff, but we were happy for them. The thing is, since Anne moved in, things have changed.
Jane has always been confident and full of energy, but lately, she's just nervous and tired. I never see her outside of work anymore, and even at work it feels like she's avoiding me. If I ask what they've been up to lately, she always seems to dodge the question. The other day, I convinced her to go for a walk, and she showed me how she's working to change her stride because Anne had helped her realize she had been walking without purpose, which made people think she wasn't capable. I didn't know what to say.
Our friends say I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. They say nothing is wrong, and people often change in relationships. But I don't think that's it. I feel like my friend is disappearing. How can I make our friends see it? And what can I do to help?
Not A Molehill
Dear N.A.M.,
Seeing danger that others can't or won't see can make us question our own judgment, but your friend's sudden change in personality is a very good reason for concern. There could be another explanation, but the changes you describe in Jane—sudden loss of confidence, change in social participation, reluctance to talk about her partner, and changes to core aspects of herself in response to her partner's criticism—are clear warning signs that she could be in an emotionally abusive relationship.
Emotional abuse is less discussed in our culture than abuse that includes physical violence, but it can be extremely harmful. Emotional abuse is non-physical behavior meant to control, isolate, or frighten a victim. The abuse—which can look like constant criticism, gaslighting, isolation from friends and family, and more—strips away a person's sense of self and creates a psychological dependency on the abuser.
In the LGBTQ community, many struggle to acknowledge emotional abuse. The continued fight for our relationships to be seen as legitimate creates a reluctance to acknowledge when they are also flawed. Women in relationships with women face additional challenges; stereotypes about being more emotional and prone to "catfights" or "dyke drama" can hide and normalize abusive patterns. On top of that, many of us, raised in homophobic environments, still hold subconscious beliefs that we don't deserve healthy, supportive partners.
As for your friends, they may struggle to see the problem for the above reasons, but be compassionate. They may also be navigating their own history. Adults who have experienced emotional abuse can struggle to recognize or acknowledge abuse experienced by others. If your friends are dismissive of your concerns about Jane, consider that they may have a history they are not yet ready to confront. Don't push them. Seek support elsewhere.
Now, let's talk about what you can do to help Jane. You should start by educating yourself. The ample resources available on the National Domestic Violence Hotline website, thehotline.org, are a good place to begin.
Also, before you talk to Jane, check your intentions. You may have the impulse to rescue her, but you must not make choices or decisions for her. What she needs is your unconditional support. Emotional abuse disempowers; empower her by supporting her choices and decisions, whatever they are.
If Jane is not ready to confront the situation or find a way out, don't walk away. Abusers maintain control by isolating partners from family and friends. Be respectful of boundaries, but let Jane know that you are there for her.
If she is ready to open up, listen without judgment. Help her access resources (use your phone or computer if she thinks she's being monitored) and offer to help create a safety plan. Acknowledge that what she is going through is difficult and remember that your role is not to fix but to support.
No matter where she is in the difficult process of escaping abuse, she needs your friendship. That should get you started.
To submit your own question, email Allie at Allie@focusmidsouth.com. Focus Mid-South reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity.
If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline's website, thehotline.org, contains extensive resources for both people living with abuse and those who know and love them. They also provide access to judgement free advocates ready to offer care and support 24 hours a day through the following channels:
By phone: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233); TTY 1-800-787-3224
By chat: at thehotline.org
By text: send "START" to 88788
For people between the ages of 13 and 26, the National Domestic Violence Hotline operates a special project love is respect, loveisrespect.org, which offers resources specifically for young people navigating abuse and intimate partner violence. They can also be reached 24 hours a day:
By phone: 1-800-331-9474; TTY 1-800-787-3224
By chat: at loveisrespect.org
By text: send "LOVEIS" to 22522
Remembering Vincent Astor
Crafting Love, Pride, & Art: An Interview with Alex and Kelly Carpenter
Artful Healing
Ask Allie, Dear Allie


BPDM stocks a wide variety of Inline Bottom Labelers. Bottom Labelers are used to do the opposite of the Top Labeler by placing the labels onto the bottom of a product.
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Q: Updating CORS Policy Origins During RunTime on All Servers I am trying to update the CORS Policy Origins during runtime. However, It is only updating on one server and not on all the servers. My web application is hosted on 4 servers and I want to update it on all 4 servers.
Here is the Startup.cs Code:
 // Configure CORS
            services.AddCors(c =>
            {
                c.AddPolicy("CorsPolicy", options => options
                .SetIsOriginAllowedToAllowWildcardSubdomains()
                .WithOrigins(origins)
                .AllowAnyMethod()
                .AllowAnyHeader()
                .AllowCredentials()
                );
            });

Code To Update the Origins During runtime :
public class CorsPolicyAccessor : ICorsPolicyAccessor
    {
        private readonly ICorsPolicyProvider _cors;
        private readonly string _corsPolicy;

        public CorsPolicyAccessor(ICorsPolicyProvider cors)
        {
            _corsPolicy = "CorsPolicy";
            _cors = cors;
        }

        public async Task<CorsPolicy> GetPolicy(HttpContext context)
        {
            return await _cors.GetPolicyAsync(context,_corsPolicy);
        }

        public async Task AddDomainToPolicy(string origin, HttpContext context)
        {
            //_cors.GetPolicyAsync(context, _corsPolicy);
            (await _cors.GetPolicyAsync(context, _corsPolicy)).Origins.Add(origin);
        }

I have tried searching a lot and have tried corsoptions as wel. But No Luck yet.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Whether at home, or in the bush, tending an open fire is an antidote to modernity. For convenience sake, turning on a switch to pump hot air is handy but you know that it's heat for cheats and just not the same. It's not the sort of heat your skin can absorb and that warms you from the inside like a bowl of hot porridge or mug of soup. Lighting a fire is like a ceremony that honors a more natural pace of life. You can't click your fingers at a fireplace: fire on demand! You must be mindful of your own comfort and that of your family or guests.
There are needs, too, that prevent you from taking a fire for granted. You must have a full wood basket, a well-stacked woodpile, and dry sticks at hand. It's a bonus to know how to lay a fire for optimum warmth. And you will also need patience enough to wait until the room is warmed before taking off your coat when you get home from work. And, yes, a wood fire is messy, but this will serve to remind you that few good things in life come with minimal effort from you. A central fireplace can vie with the telly or computer for spatial attention. And if it wins over the batteries and the electric cords of entertainment, you will find that conversations are made or books are read in front of fires.


We are proud to announce that iMerit has won not one, but two awards in the last days. Both awards are delivered by technology thought leaders and recognize iMerit's cutting-edge, 'human-in-the-loop' approach to solving AI's challenges.
Do we need a standardized data taxonomy for self-driving vehicles?
Our guest post is by Brandon Van Volkenburgh, a leading expert in progressive technologies including cloud computing, blockchain, and machine learning. Brandon has played an integral role in the creation of innovative CrowdReason products such as TotalPropertyTax and MetaTasker.
iMerit was proud to celebrate our 5th anniversary earlier this week in an emotional event held in Kolkata. iMerit's sister company, the Anudip Foundation was also celebrating their 10th anniversary. While reflection on the great work that the teams at both organizations accomplish was the main theme of the celebration, there were undertones of emotion fueled by the social impact stories heard throughout the day.