Rishi Singh, founder and CEO at Sapient.ai, speaks with SE radio’s Kanchan Shringi about using generative AI to help developers automate test code generation. They start by identifying key problems that developers are looking for in an automated test-generation solution. The discussion explores the capabilities and limitations of today’s large language models in achieving that goal, and then delves into how Sapient.ai has built wrappers around LLMs in an effort to improve the quality of the generated tests. Rishi also suggests how to validate the generated tests and outlines his vision of the future for this rapidly evolving area. Brought to you by IEEE Computer Society and IEEE Software magazine. This episode is sponsored by WorkOS.

Ines Montani, co-founder and CEO of Explosion, speaks with host Jeremy Jung about solving problems using natural language processing (NLP). They cover generative vs predictive tasks, creating a pipeline and breaking down problems, labeling examples for training, fine-tuning models, using LLMs to label data and build prototypes, and the spaCy NLP library.

Shannon Selbert, co-founder of Soren and developer of Oban, and Parker Selbert, creator of the Oban background job framework, chief architect at dscout, and co-founder of Soren, speak with SE Radio host Gavin Henry about robust job processing in Elixir. They explore the reliability, consistency, and observability in relation to job processing, to understand how Oban, Elixir, and PostgreSQL deliver them.

The Selberts describe why Oban was created, its history, which parts of the Elixir ecosystem they use, and why this would not be possible without PostgreSQL and Elixir. They discuss the lessons learned in the 5 years since the first release, as well as use cases, job throughput, the hardest problem to solve so far, workers, queues, CRON, distributed architectures, retry algorithms, just-once methodologies, the reliability the beam brings, consistency across nodes, how PostgreSQL is vital, telemetry data, best use cases for Oban, and the most common issues that new users face. Brought to you by IEEE Computer Society and IEEE Software magazine.

Marcelo Trylesinski, a senior software engineer at Pydantic and a maintainer of open-source Python tools including Starlette and Uvicorn, joins host Gregory M. Kapfhammer to talk about FastAPI. Their conversation focuses on the design and implementation of FastAPI and how programmers can use it to create web-based APIs. They also explore how to create and deploy a FastAPI implemented in the Python programming language. Brought to you by IEEE Computer Society and IEEE Software magazine.

If you need to load an RSS feed with the PHP programming language, the open source library SimplePie greatly simplifies the process of pulling in items from a feed to present on a website, store in a database or do something else coooool with the data. There's a full installation guide for SimplePie but you can skip it with just three steps:

1. Download SimplePie 1.5.
2. Copy the file autoloader.php and the folder library to a folder that's accessible from your PHP code.
3. Make note of this folder; you'll be using require_once() to load autoloader.php from that location.

SimplePie has been designed to work the same regardless a feed's format. It supports RSS 2.0, RSS 1.0, Atom and the earlier versions of RSS. Additionally it can read feed elements from nine namespaces.

Here's PHP code that loads feed items from the news site Techdirt and displays them in HTML:

// load the SimplePie library
require_once('/var/www/libraries/simplepie-1.5/autoloader.php');

// load the feed
$feed = new SimplePie();
$feed->set_feed_url('https://www.techdirt.com/feed/');
$feed->init();
$feed->handle_content_type();

// create the output
$html_output = '';
foreach ($feed->get_items() as $item) {
  $html_output .= '<p><a href="' . $item->get_link() . '">' . $item->get_title() . '</a></p>';
  $html_output .= $item->get_description();
  $html_output .= '<p>By ' . $item->get_author(0)->get_name() . ', ' . $item->get_date();
}

// display the output
ECHO <<<END
$html_output
END;


The API documentation for SimplePie_Item lists the functions that can extract data from each feed item. The versatility of the library is demonstrated by get_authors(), which can retrieve an item's authorship information whether it was in the RSS author element, Dublin Core creator, iTunes author, or Atom author.

SimplePie supports caching so that a feed isn't downloaded every time code is executed. The addition of these lines turns on caching, specifies the location of a cache folder and sets the time to use a cached version to four hours (14,400 seconds):

$feed->set_cache_location('/var/www/cache/');
$feed->set_cache_duration(14400);
$feed->enable_cache();

SimplePie was created by RSS Advisory Board member Ryan Parman, Geoffrey Sneddon and Ryan McCue. The project is currently maintained on GitHub by Malcom Blaney.

There are a lot of libraries for processing XML data with Java that can be used to read RSS feeds. One of the best is the open source library XOM created by the computer book author Elliotte Rusty Harold.

As he wrote one of his 20 books about Java and XML, Harold got so frustrated with the available Java libraries for XML that he created his own. XOM, which stands for XML Object Model, was designed to be easy to learn while still being strict about XML, requiring documents that are well-formed and utilize namespaces in complete adherence to the specification. (At the RSS Advisory Board, talk of following a spec is our love language.)

XOM was introduced in 2002 and is currently up to version 1.3.9, though all versions have remained compatible since 1.0. To use XOM, download the class library in one of the packages available on the XOM homepage. You can avoid needing any further configuration by choosing one of the options that includes third-party JAR files in the download. This allows XOM to use an included SAX parser under the hood to process XML.

Here's Java code that loads items from The Guardian's RSS 2.0 feed containing articles by Ben Hammersley, displaying them as HTML output:

// create an XML builder and load the feed using a URL
Builder bob = new Builder();
Document doc = bob.build("https://www.theguardian.com/profile/benhammersley/rss");
// load the root element and channel
Element rss = doc.getRootElement();
Element channel = rss.getFirstChildElement("channel");
// load all items in the channel
Elements items = channel.getChildElements("item");
for (Element item : items) {
  // load elements of the item
  String title = item.getFirstChildElement("title").getValue();
  String author = item.getFirstChildElement("creator",
    "http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/").getValue();
  String description = item.getFirstChildElement("description").getValue();
  // display the output
  System.out.println(">h2>" + title + ">/h2>");
  System.out.println(">p>>b>By " + author + ">/b>>/p>");
  System.out.println(">p>" + description + ">/p>");

All of the classes used in this code are in the top-level package nu.xom, which has comprehensive JavaDoc describing their use. Like all Java code this is a little long-winded, but Harold's class names do a good job of explaining what they do. A Builder uses its build() method with a URL as the argument to load a feed into a Document over the web. There are also other build methods to load a feed from a file, reader, input stream, or string.

Elements can be retrieved by their names such as "title", "link" or "description". An element with only one child of a specific type can be retrieved using the getFirstChildElement() method with the name as the argument:

Element linkElement = item.getFirstChildElement("link");

An element containing multiple children of the same type uses getChildElements() instead:

Elements enclosures = item.getChildElements("enclosure");
if (enclosures.size() > 1) {
  System.out.println("I'm pretty sure an item should only include one enclosure");
}

If an element is in a namespace, there must be a second argument providing the namespace URI. Like many RSS feeds, the ones from The Guardian use a dc:creator element from Dublin Core to credit the item's author. That namespace has the URI "http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/".

If the element specified in getFirstChildElement() or getChild Elements() is not present, those methods return null. You may need to check for this when adapting the code to load other RSS feeds.

If the name Ben Hammersley sounds familiar, he coined the term "podcasting" in his February 2004 article for The Guardian about the new phenomenon of delivering audio files in RSS feeds.

After a 2021 leak at the U.S. military’s Red Hill fuel storage facility poisoned thousands, activists, Native Hawaiians, and affected military families have become unlikely allies in the fight for accountability.

Social housing as a concept is gaining popularity. Now, the state of New York is considering a bill to make it a reality.

A housing rights organizer analyzes the solutions being proposed this election year to address the high cost of home buying and renting.

Billionaires have long leveraged the housing market for money. But a new report outlines how to regulate the market so people—not hedge funds—can buy homes.

Switzerland’s “No Blame” approach eschews punishment, instead focusing on empathy, tolerance, and respect.

New research shows the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from private jets between 2019 and 2023.

Digitization Intern (Madison--onsite)

GE and EDF signed an exclusive agreement for EDF to acquire part of GE Steam Power’s nuclear power business.

Everyone agrees Winter Storm Uri was a wake-up call. While the ERCOT grid operated successfully through Winter Storm Landon, some work remains to ensure the grid doesn’t snooze during the next major winter weather event.

New Lesson Plans Entry: 'Discussing the future of HR' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

Electrical systems normally use current and voltage transformers for protection and measurement purposes. They represent the power system’s eyes and ears, and it’s essential to fully understand how they work, how to make the correct specification and most importantly, the... Read more

The post What steps should be taken to avoid choosing the incorrect current and voltage transformers? appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

Flexibility, utilisation value and energy saving are the three main requirements for utility buildings (administration, office and public buildings, schools, hospitals, etc.). Apart from recouping investment costs, so-called life-cycle costs are also becoming increasingly important. These are made up of... Read more

The post Potential Energy Savings In Utility Buildings Using EIB appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

In order to create a consistent and technically correct single line or wiring diagram, more than basic knowledge about the engineering field in question is required. Besides electrical installation and equipment, the design engineers should be familiar with electrical symbols... Read more

The post Eight common mistakes in reading and creating single line and wiring diagrams appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

You should know that single-phase motors are rarely rated above 5 kW. Fractional-kilowatt motors, most of which are single-phase, account for 80−90% of the total number of motors manufactured and for 20−30% of the total commercial value. A typical modern... Read more

The post The most used types of single-phase motors in the world appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

Film: 21st Century Literacy are surveying teachers who use film to help them teach. Eligible teachers who complete the survey by 15 July will go into a free prize draw to win an iPad 2.

For the last sixty years, gas-insulated substation (GIS) has been used in applications related to substations all over the world, and this use of the technology is becoming an increasingly common asset for those who make use of substations. GIS... Read more

The post Choosing between AIS and GIS substation design: Factors you MUST take into consideration appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

In this episode of Ask Annissa, Annissa Coy offers two practical ideas to a restoration business owner struggling to bring money in the door one year after opening. In his heartfelt plea for advice on quickly finding jobs, he asks, “If you were in my shoes, what would you do?”

In this episode of Ask Annissa! Annissa talks about licensing and regulation in the restoration industry

Indictment says members of the Bloods used threats of violence against other restoration firms and insurance adjusters. 

Higher prices, increase in natural disasters drive up losses.

Nationwide survey finds majority are pessimistic about the economy going forward.

Introducing "Business News You Can Use" – your go-to source for industry insights and education helping you to stay in the know with valuable tips and strategies.

We delve into the challenges insurance company’s face when categorizing the different levels of water intrusion and the importance of why this is a big issue if done incorrectly.

Ben Gergis tells us just how lucrative franchising within the restoration industry can be.

Seth Vander Woude shares tips on scaling up your restoration, remediation, or cleaning business.

Just in time for 2025 planning, KnowHow and the R.I.A. reveal their “Cost of Doing Business” Study, an extensive look at all facets of successfully running a restoration business, examining the best (and worst) factors to move your company forward today!

Over the past decade, the restoration industry has witnessed a significant shift from large franchises to a more diverse mix of independent companies. 

Discover how Clemson’s head football coach Dabo Swinney leads with integrity, values team-first mentality, and builds a culture of accountability—principles that can transform your business leadership approach and drive long-term success.

PuroClean has been named one of the most profitable franchises of 2024 by Franchise Business Review, recognized for its strong financial performance and high franchisee satisfaction.

Learn how this initiative provides veterans with a 25% discount on franchising fees and opportunities to thrive in a growing industry, backed by the expertise and passion of Frank Torre and his commitment to service.

The FLIR MR176 visually guides you to the precise spot that moisture may be hiding for further testing and investigation. 

Contec® Citric Acid Disinfectant is the low odor botanical that’s ideal for restoration jobs. 

Hisense has bolstered its 2024-2025 UST line-up with the PL2, a cost effective single-laser model that brings many of the desirable features of its higher end offering at an attractive $2,499 price point.

131-24 : Holidays and Early Closings 2024-2025

Josh Bachman shares his inspiration on gaining a new perspective on how to experience everyday surroundings.

We get a sneak peek of Howard Partridge's Full Day Workshop that he’s presenting at the fall Experience Convention and Trade Show.

Learn how to boost your training ROI by focusing on impact-driven strategies that strengthen workforce performance and align with business goals in the fast-paced restoration industry.

Senior Research Associate Stephen Hoskins CREA The issues facing a growing silver population are gaining ground. Singapore’s baby boomers are now exiting the workforce. Would those approaching retirement have enough resources to maintain their current standard of living? Would future policy changes in healthcare, housing and pension impact their retirement adequacy? Facing a rapidly ageing population, Singapore is presented with urgent policy challenges. Yet there is very little data on the economic, health and family circumstances of older Singaporeans. In response, the Centre for Research on the Economics of Ageing, or CREA, at the Singapore Management University has been collecting monthly data on a panel of Singaporeans aged between 50 and 70 years, resulting in the Singapore Life Panel®, or SLP. SMU’s Prof Bryce Hool and Prof Rhema Vaithianathan detail the methodology by which the SLP was constructed, in a published paper titled High-Frequency Internet Survey of a Probability Sample of Older Singaporeans: The Singapore Life Panel®. In this podcast, Stephen Hoskins, Senior Research Associate at CREA introduces the SLP and how it yields rich and remarkable insights to Singapore’s ageing situation. Additional Info High-frequency Internet survey of a probability sample of older Singaporeans: The Singapore Life Panel - by Rhema Vaithianathan, Bryce Hool, Michael D. Hurd, Susann Rohwedder

Dr Tania Nagpaul Youth at-risk typically refers to those who may be seriously anti-social, homeless, who may have dropped out of school, taken to substance abuse or engaged in illegal activities. The factors that place these young people at risk in the first place, such as poverty, family dysfunction and disturbed neighbourhoods, are often not factored into the equation. Dr Tania Nagpaul and Ms Chen Jinwen from the Lien Centre for Social Innovation at SMU have published a study which used the Self-determination Theory offered by Deci and Ryan in a past research as a lens to better understand the needs of youth-at-risk and their fulfilment from the vantage points of both social service professionals and youth themselves. In this podcast, Dr Tania Nagpaul discusses the key findings of this research and how it generates a nuanced understanding of the needs of youth in Singapore. Additional Info Self-determination theory as a framework for understanding needs of youth at-risk: Perspectives of social service professionals and the youth themselves - by Tania Nagpaul, Jinwen Chen

Assistant Professor of Humanities Aidan Wong from SMU’s School of Social Sciences has researched on the areas of development and sustainability, in particular on electronic waste, informal labour and economic development. In recent years, he has published a paper on ‘Waste’, Value and Informal Labour: The Regional E-Waste Recycling Production Network in Malaysia and Singapore” and is seeking to update it. In this podcast, Assistant Professor Wong discusses the value of electronic waste recycling and sustainability in Singapore.

Assistant Professor Richard Crowley from SMU’s School of Accountancy examines financial accounting using both archival and analytical methods for his research. Much of his archival work deals with large sets of unstructured data using high-powered computing algorithms to address accounting issues that are otherwise infeasible to approach. He has recently written two research articles on using a machine learning technique to assess the content of companies’ disclosures. In this podcast, he discusses how fraud and misreporting can be detected by studying a company’s financial statement using a machine learning technique, and shares how companies disclose financial information on Twitter, and how feedback from investors and others can influence this.

Assistant Professor of Humanities Orlando Woods from SMU’s School of Social Sciences has a keen research interest in areas including religion, cities and urban landscapes, digital technologies, space, and social and cultural geography. He has published a research paper on the role of Christianity in migrant integration in Singapore, and has received a grant from the Singapore Ministry of Education to conduct further research on this subject. Titled ‘New Religious Pluralism in Singapore: Migration, Integration and Difference”, the study seeks to better understand new types of socio-cultural diversity in Singapore. In this podcast, Assistant Professor Woods discusses the role of whether religion enables or dis-enables migrant integration into Singapore.

The variety and delivery of cloud services have been improving over the years. More and more businesses have started to adopt these services to reduce upfront and ongoing costs and enhance business efficiency. However, there remain many considerations and deployment possibilities which a business must take into account before deciding to take up cloud services. In this podcast, Assistant Professor Ouh Eng Lieh from the SMU School of Information Systems discusses his ongoing service profitability research on the factors and considerations that enable consumers to make informed decisions on cloud services adoption.

Financial literacy in Singapore has not been analysed in much detail, despite the fact that this is one of the world’s most rapidly aging nations. In this podcast, Professor of Finance Benedict Koh from the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, discusses the key findings of his research jointly conducted with Olivia Mitchell from the University of Pennsylvania and Susann Rohwedder, Senior Economist at the RAND Corporation and Associate Director of the RAND Center for the Study of Aging. Using a unique new data-set and nationally representative survey - the Singapore Life Panel, they conducted an analysis of older Singaporeans’ financial literacy. Here, Professor Koh discusses his key findings, including: Do older Singaporeans score better on financial knowledge compared to their counterparts in the United States? What are the empirical linkages between financial literacy and retirement preparedness in Singapore? And is financial literacy positively associated with greater wealth and diversity of portfolios?