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RSS Enclosure Support in Micro.Blog

An effort is underway to examine how feed publishers and feed consumers are handling the lack of clarity in the RSS 2.0 specification about whether an item can contain more than one enclosure. The RSS Best Practices Profile recommends that a feed item should contain no more than one enclosure "for best support in the widest number of aggregators," advice worth testing against current usage.

The artisanal small-batch blogging service Micro.blog is a platform for sharing short posts like Twitter, but in a way designed to be less viral, more low key and less prone to provocation, attention seeking and clout chasing. There are no follower counts, public likes or trending topics. Founder Manton Reese explained why in his book Indie Microblogging:

Big social networks like Instagram are designed to amplify accounts that gain traction, whether they are fake or not.

Micro.blog limits search and avoids public likes and reposts so that the snowball starts small and stays small. Instead of going viral and becoming a major problem, fake accounts can be spotted early and shut down if necessary.

Since being funded by a Kickstarter campaign in 2017 that hit its goal in one day, Micro.blog has attracted a dedicated following. One of the options available to premium subscribers is to host a podcast. An audio button appears below the post editing window to choose a media file.

Choosing a podcast file to add to a post

Micro.blog sites have a primary RSS feed and a separate podcast feed. The latter contains enclosure elements. Because the Micro.blog editing window does not allow more than one podcast to be added to a post, the RSS item for a post contains only one enclosure:

<item>
  <title>RSS Enclosure Test</title>
  <link>https://rcade.micro.blog/2023/07/02/rss-enclosure-test.html</link>
  <pubDate>Sun, 02 Jul 2023 21:39:52 -0400</pubDate>
  <guid isPermaLink="true">https://rcade.micro.blog/2023/07/02/rss-enclosure-test.html</guid>
  <description><p>I’m trying out Micro.blog’s support for podcasting to see how it handles enclosures in RSS feeds. This MP3 was released by David Byrne under Creative Commons Sampling Plus:</p> <p><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/sampling+/1.0/.">creativecommons.org/licenses/…</a></p> <audio controls="controls" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/67258/2023/my-fair-lady-david-byrne.mp3" preload="metadata"> </description>
  <itunes:subtitle><p>I’m trying out Micro.blog’s support for podcasting to see how it handles enclosures in RSS feeds. This MP3 was released by David Byrne under Creative Commons Sampling Plus:</p> <p><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/sampling+/1.0/.">creativecommons.org/licenses/…</a></p> <audio controls="controls" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/67258/2023/my-fair-lady-david-byrne.mp3" preload="metadata"> </itunes:subtitle>
  <itunes:summary><p>I’m trying out Micro.blog’s support for podcasting to see how it handles enclosures in RSS feeds. This MP3 was released by David Byrne under Creative Commons Sampling Plus:</p> <p><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/sampling+/1.0/.">creativecommons.org/licenses/…</a></p> <audio controls="controls" src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/67258/2023/my-fair-lady-david-byrne.mp3" preload="metadata"> </itunes:summary>
  <enclosure url="https://rcade.micro.blog/uploads/2023/my-fair-lady-david-byrne.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" length="3394751"/>  <itunes:duration>212</itunes:duration>
</item>

Micro.blog's commitment to being small extends to podcasts, where its Wavelength app for iPhone can be used to record, edit and publish a short-form podcast.








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Keeping Brazil’s Black History in Its Tech “Future”

Rio de Janeiro’s Port Zone was once the largest slave port in the Americas. As developers work to “revitalize” the area, Black activists are fighting to retain the remnants of the district’s historical significance.




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Making Childcare Sustainable for Parents and Providers

To highlight the unsustainable costs of child care for parents and providers, Community Change Action marked "Day Without Child Care" for the third year in a row.




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Rooting for Black Land Ownership

Exploring the history of land theft in the U.S., Brea Baker argues that the Black reparations and Indigenous Landback movements are stronger together.




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Setting a Black Economic Agenda

After conducting the largest-ever survey of Black Americans, Black to the Future has released a detailed Black economic agenda.



  • Economy
  • Racial Justice
  • Wealth and inequality
  • Black Futures Lab
  • YES! Presents: Rising Up with Sonali
  • 2023 Black Census
  • Black to the Future Action Fund

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USDA Will Compensate Black Farmers for Discrimination

The National Black Farmers Association just won a historic $2.2 billion in reparations from the U.S. government.






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Protecting Black Pregnant People’s Health—and Data

Birth workers serving Black pregnant people maintain the holistic methods—and data privacy—that distinguish doula care from the medical-industrial complex.




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Raw Milk Institute | The voice of responsible leadership for the growing raw milk market.

I've contributed... won't you?




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Subway Map Visualization jQuery Plugin &raquo; TechBubble

that's kinda nuts




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'Incredibly special' - Mary Earps makes history as new waxwork is revealed

Nope you're not seeing double! Take a look at the new wax figure of Mary Earps at Madame Tussauds.




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Benicia Public Library

Intern (Youth Services) (Benicia--onsite)




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The problem of induced voltages in control cables in high voltage substations

Cabling in power substations is very important due to the fact that they are the longest parts of a system and therefore act as efficient antennas that pickup and or radiate noise. In HV substations, there are different kinds of conductors... Read more

The post The problem of induced voltages in control cables in high voltage substations appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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Dos, don’ts and precautions in wiring cables and conductors inside low-voltage switchboard

To be clear from the very beginning of this article, there is no standard model for wiring low voltage switchboards and panelboards. However, for the wide variety of installations and ranges of power ratings, there are local work practices, regulations... Read more

The post Dos, don’ts and precautions in wiring cables and conductors inside low-voltage switchboard appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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Parameters of generators, transformers, lines and cables for vars, voltage and loads control

For a power system to operate efficiently and securely, the importance of the correct and coordinated provision and control of reactive power cannot be overemphasised. It is necessary to examine reactive power requirements under both steady-state and dynamic conditions. Although... Read more

The post Parameters of generators, transformers, lines and cables for vars, voltage and loads control appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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Twelve high voltage cable construction techniques used worldwide

This technical article discusses twelve different methods for laying high voltage cables. Out of the ten, four are deemed conventional and eight are deemed progressive. Many various utilities and companies all across the globe are making use of them, though... Read more

The post Twelve high voltage cable construction techniques used worldwide appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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Largest US public power company launches new nuclear program

The largest public power company in the U.S. is launching a program to develop and fund new small modular nuclear reactors as part of its strategy to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.




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Duke Energy aims to double renewable energy capacity by 2030, phase out coal by 2035

The utility's five-year capital plan totals $63 billion, 80% of which will support investments in grid modernization and zero or lower-carbon emitting generation.




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Blended Learning and Career and Technology Education - Part I: The Definition


In this four-part series, I’ll define blended learning, discuss the models of blended learning, the implications for career and technical education, and how the Curriculum, Assessment, and Digital Delivery (CADD) areas of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education can assist in the implementation of blended learning.

Technology has created a personalized access to the world where we can connect and learn… where we can create and share.  Almost every aspect of our lives have been changed by technology, except... education.

Over the last few years, I’ve entered into blended learning discussions with various people, including educators, and I’m always surprised at their perception of blended learning.  Many believe blended learning occurs when any type of computer-based learning takes place within the classroom.  In many instances, I would define what is occurring as technology-rich instruction, but there is a difference.

Blended learning is the combination of online learning and brick and mortar schools with teachers who enable students to learn at their own pace.  Why is this important?  Because many students learn in different ways and this allows each student to optimize their learning.  Quite simply, the purpose of blended learning is to take the best of traditional education and blend it with the power of online learning which allows for a more personalized and interactive learning experience.  Each teacher has the opportunity to review data, in the moment, and determine where the student is at and to form instruction for the next period or the next day.  Blended learning also puts the student in charge of their own learning which, to me, is a very valuable lesson in itself.

According to the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Education, blended learning “goes beyond one-to-one computers and high-tech gadgets. Blended learning involves leveraging the Internet to afford each student a more personalized learning experience, including increased student control over the time, place, path, and/or pace of learning.

The definition of blended learning is a formal education program in which a student learns:


at least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace;




at least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home;




and the modalities along each student’s learning path within a course or subject are connected to provide an integrated learning experience.”

See more at: http://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended-learning/#sthash.AWqDXtoh.dpuf

The key difference between blended learning and other forms of education is on its emphasis on personalized learning.  The International Association for Online Learning (iNACOL) defines personalized learning as, “Tailoring learning for each student’s strengths, needs and interests–including enabling student voice and choice in what, how, when and where they learn–to provide flexibility and supports to ensure mastery of the highest standards possible.” As you can see, the two definitions overlap, but blending learning adds online learning and leveraging the internet to personalize an individual’s learning experience.

Next- Blended Learning and Career and Technology Education - Part II: Blended Learning Models




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Blended Learning and Career and Technology Education - Part II: Blended Learning Models


In this four-part series, I’ll define blended learning, discuss the models of blended learning, the implications for career and technical education, and how the Curriculum, Assessment, and Digital Delivery (CADD) areas of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education can assist in the implementation of blended learning.

As I mentioned in the first post in this series, technology has created a personalized access to the world where we can connect and learn… where we can create and share.  Almost every aspect of our lives have been changed by technology, except... education.

I believe blended learning can have a profound effect upon career and technology education in many instructional ways which will be discussed in the next post.  There are certain elements of blended learning that already occur in CTE and some may be doing an excellent job as I write this, but I’m not aware of research that helps decide if one model works better with any certain occupational area (if you know of any research in this area, PLEASE SHARE!!).

The Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Education defines blended learning as “a formal education program in which the student learns:

(1) at least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace;

(2) at least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home;

(3) and the modalities along each student’s learning path within a course or subject are connected to provide an integrated learning experience.”

The Models 

The majority of blended-learning programs resemble one of four models: Rotation, Flex, A La Carte, and Enriched Virtual. The Rotation model includes four sub-models: Station Rotation, Lab Rotation, Flipped Classroom, and Individual Rotation.

1. Rotation model — a course or subject in which students rotate on a fixed schedule or at the teacher’s discretion between learning modalities, at least one of which is online learning. Other modalities might include activities such as small-group or full-class instruction, group projects, individual tutoring, and pencil-and-paper assignments. The students learn mostly on the brick-and-mortar campus, except for any homework assignments.

a. Station Rotation — a course or subject in which students experience the Rotation model within a contained classroom or group of classrooms. The Station Rotation model differs from the Individual Rotation model because students rotate through all of the stations, not only those on their custom schedules.

b. Lab Rotation – a course or subject in which students rotate to a computer lab for the online-learning station.

c. Flipped Classroom – a course or subject in which students participate in online learning off-site in place of traditional homework and then attend the brick-and-mortar school for face-to-face, teacher-guided practice or projects. The primary delivery of content and instruction is online, which differentiates a Flipped Classroom from students who are merely doing homework practice online at night.

d. Individual Rotation – a course or subject in which each student has an individualized playlist and does not necessarily rotate to each available station or modality. An algorithm or teacher(s) sets individual student schedules.

2. Flex model — a course or subject in which online learning is the backbone of student learning, even if it directs students to offline activities at times. Students move on an individually customized, fluid schedule among learning modalities. The teacher of record is on-site, and students learn mostly on the brick-and-mortar campus, except for any homework assignments. The teacher of record or other adults provide face-to-face support on a flexible and adaptive as-needed basis through activities such as small-group instruction, group projects, and individual tutoring. Some implementations have substantial face-to-face support, whereas others have minimal support. For example, some Flex models may have face-to-face certified teachers who supplement the online learning on a daily basis, whereas others may provide little face-to-face enrichment. Still others may have different staffing combinations. These variations are useful modifiers to describe a particular Flex model.

3. A La Carte model — a course that a student takes entirely online to accompany other experiences that the student is having at a brick-and-mortar school or learning center. The teacher of record for the A La Carte course is the online teacher. Students may take the A La Carte course either on the brick-and-mortar campus or off-site. This differs from full-time online learning because it is not a whole-school experience. Students take some courses A La Carte and others face-to-face at a brick-and-mortar campus.

4. Enriched Virtual model — a course or subject in which students have required face-to-face learning sessions with their teacher of record and then are free to complete their remaining coursework remote from the face-to-face teacher. Online learning is the backbone of student learning when the students are located remotely. The same person generally serves as both the online and face-to-face teacher. Many Enriched Virtual programs began as full-time online schools and then developed blended programs to provide students with brick-and-mortar school experiences. The Enriched Virtual model differs from the Flipped Classroom because in Enriched Virtual programs, students seldom meet face-to-face with their teachers every weekday. It differs from a fully online course because face-to-face learning sessions are more than optional office hours or social events; they are required.



Next- Blended Learning and Career and Technology Education - Part III: Blended Learning Implications for CTE




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Blended Learning and Career and Technology Education - Part III: Implications for Career and Technical Education


In this four-part series, I’ll define blended learning, discuss the models of blended learning, the implications for career and technical education, and how the Curriculum, Assessment, and Digital Delivery (CADD) areas of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education can assist in the implementation of blended learning.

Here are several ways that blended learning can have a profound effect upon career and technology education:

Personalized instruction – Blended learning allows for a more personalized and interactive learning experience by putting the student in charge of their own learning.  Taking the best of traditional education and blending it with the power of online learning will provide the teacher an opportunity to review data, in the moment, determine where the student is at and to form instruction for the next period or the next day.

Increased monitoring – The use of a student information, assessment, and gradebook systems that link to the LMS provides instant feedback on assignments and assessments.  This allows the instructor to spend time reviewing student data, adjust instruction, and provide additional classroom or individual instruction. 

Open entry/Open exit – Blended learning fits nicely with competency-based learning and the concept of open entry/open exit.  Personalized instruction and increased monitoring will allow the instructor to more accurately determine when tasks and competencies are achieved.

Increased enrollments – Depending on the blended learning model and the CTE program being offered, enrollments could potentially be increased.

Increased performance gains – “The Rise of K–12 Blended Learning - Profiles of emerging models” by Heather Staker profiles 40 educational entities. Not every school reported gains and some thought it was too early to verify results, but many posted positive gains when compared to the traditional classrooms within the same district.  For example:

“School of One - Students in summer 2009 acquired new math skills at a rate estimated to be
seven times faster than peers. Students in spring 2010 showed gains that, when
annualized, would equate to 1/2 to 2/3 of an additional year of gain. Students in
spring 2010 showed significant gains across all academic quartiles.”

Other potential benefits from this study include increased retention rates, an increase in teacher/parent contacts, increased course completion rates, a strengthening of curriculum offerings, and lower instructional costs.

As you can see, blended learning can have the potential to benefit the student, the instructor, and the parents in a careertech setting.  Again, I’m not aware of any research that helps decide if one model works better with any certain occupational area (if you know of any research in this area, PLEASE SHARE!!).




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Blended Learning and Career and Technology Education - Part IV: Implementing Blended Learning With Resources from the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education



In this four-part series, I’ll define blended learning, discuss the models of blended learning, the implications for career and technical education, and how the Curriculum, Assessment, and Digital Delivery (CADD) areas of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education can assist in the implementation of blended learning.

Photo courtesy of the Clayton Christensen Institute
Blended learning is a shift to an online instructional delivery for a portion of the day to make students, teachers, and schools more productive, both academically and financially.  We all know there’s no single right approach to building the “perfect” model for blended learning as communities have different resources, classrooms, computers, schedules, and many other unique needs.  A school doesn’t always have the resources or the expertise to select and purchase a learning management system (LMS), design lessons, or write assessments, but there are available resources.

Did you know that the Curriculum, Assessment, and Digital Delivery areas of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education can assist in the implementation of blended learning?  The National Technology Plan acknowledges the challenges of raising college and career-ready standards without a significant investment of new funding so check out our online catalog and search the following links for additional information and see how we can assist you in blending digital and teacher led instruction to personalize learning for each student.



















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Guidelines for selecting the proper Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) for motor applications

This article addresses the Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) concept in several aspects that matter the most in selecting the proper VFD for applications. One of the important factors is the control type required for a given application since it is... Read more

The post Guidelines for selecting the proper Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) for motor applications appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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Inside Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) Panel: Configuration, Schematics and Troubleshooting

Proper analysis of the VFD’s power and control circuit diagrams is essential for successful troubleshooting. But before starting any analysis, you must know how your system connected through VFD works and how it breathes. You must also know all components... Read more

The post Inside Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) Panel: Configuration, Schematics and Troubleshooting appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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EN61800-3 (IEC1800-3) – Adjustable speed electrical power drive systems

The countries of the European Economic Area (EEA) have agreed on common minimum regulatory requirements in order to ensure the free movement of products within the EEA. The CE marking indicates that the product works in conformity with the directives... Read more

The post EN61800-3 (IEC1800-3) – Adjustable speed electrical power drive systems appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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Low voltage ride through in grid connected hybrid renewable energy systems

Researches so far shows that, by 2020, around 20% of the total energy production worldwide will be generated from renewable energy. But the major problem with the standalone system is that the sources are not continuous. This intermittent nature of... Read more

The post Low voltage ride through in grid connected hybrid renewable energy systems appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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Soft starter for potable water well pump (wiring diagram, troubleshooting example)

This article will analyze a real example of an electrical switchboard for a potable water well pump, containing a soft starter as one of the major components. Besides the explanation of the wiring diagram and working logic, some technical problems... Read more

The post Soft starter for potable water well pump (wiring diagram, troubleshooting example) appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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Design engineering and the black start of a power plant

A black start refers to the ability of a power plant to restart itself using its own resources in the event of a complete shutdown and isolation from external power sources. Initiating a black start at an industrial plant might... Read more

The post Design engineering and the black start of a power plant appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.





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Should We Blame Supplier For Voltage Dips and Transients?

Voltage dips and transients are usually blamed on the supplier, but this is often unfair. There are many potential on-site causes; for example, starting of heavy loads may cause voltage dips and switching of inductive loads will generate transients. Let’s... Read more

The post Should We Blame Supplier For Voltage Dips and Transients? appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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Emergency breaking, stop and isolation intended to eliminate danger as quickly as possible

As their name indicates, emergency operations are intended to eliminate, as quickly as possible, a danger that occurs unexpectedly. The emergency break is designed to cut off the electrical power, whereas the emergency stop takes account of the danger of... Read more

The post Emergency breaking, stop and isolation intended to eliminate danger as quickly as possible appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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Automated, but hackable. Is power grid in your country safe from cyberattacks?

Yes, many of today’s power grids are very sophisticated and automated. Every single event and piece of equipment is tracked, controlled, measured, and protected. But things aren’t as bright as it seems. As we can see, it turns out that... Read more

The post Automated, but hackable. Is power grid in your country safe from cyberattacks? appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.




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How to Train Your Dragon disc download now available

Teachers can now download Film Education's popular How to Train Your Dragon CD-ROM activities aimed at Primary Literacy.