Governor LePage and Trade Center Leading Maine Delegation to Iceland and United Kingdom

AUGUSTA, Maine – Governor Paul R. LePage departed Maine Monday for a six-day trade mission to Iceland and United Kingdom, coordinated by the Maine International Trade Center (MITC). The mission, the third during the Governor’s administration, will take Maine’s delegation, including a contingent of Maine business leaders, to the cities of Reykjavik and London. Sixteen Maine businesses and educational institutions will be featured during the mission, which seeks to create linkages between Maine and the North Atlantic region.

“Maine is going to be well represented,” said Governor LePage. “I am very proud of the delegation we have put together. This is a

Teaching Kids To Be Resilient

Icelanders are a famously hearty lot. Norwegian Vikings trying to escape the rule and taxation of Norway’s king first inhabited the land that is now Iceland in the 9th century. So they had pluck from the start. But you simply have to be resilient to survive in such frozen, forbidding territory.

Margrét Pála (PopTech 2012) is a groundbreaking educator from that rugged country. Starting back in 1989 she was first somewhat infamous, and later more famous, for developing her own rigorous pedagogical model for educating young Icelandic kids. Pála emphasizes resilience, in part, because it is a key component to surviving and thriving in a challenging world.

It's all very Icelandic, and her ideas can seem a bit rugged to the uninitiated. But that makes sense, given that since the Vikings arrived on that isolated island in the North Atlantic, Iceland's history has been marked by wrenching poverty, volcanic eruptions, poor farming conditions, avalanches that wiped out entire villages, and repeated economic collapses.

"We are hard-wired in our resilience," Pála said in her 2012 PopTech talk, which is now available online. "'We have seen it worse,' we always say."

In practice, this means emphasizing decision-making and creativity. Rather than traditional toys, classrooms are populated with open-ended, natural materials that require children to improvise. Exercises include instructions about breaking norms and rules: "Go through the window," Pála exclaims. "Why are you always using the door?" And her kids get a bit of tough love. "Go out with your bare feet," she says to them. "Maybe it hurts a little bit. That's great."

Classrooms are also segregated by sex, children are required to wear uniforms to encourage discipline, and the curriculum includes exercises in jumping off cushions to help very young children learn the value of a little courage in life. That's something every Icelander has needed since at least the 9th century.

Boeing, Icelandair Announce Commitment for 12 737 MAXs -Icelandic carrier to purchase both 737 MAX 8s and 9s

REYKJAVIK, Iceland -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Icelandair announced a commitment today for 12 737 MAXs, valued at more than $1.2 billion at list prices. The commitment by the Icelandic carrier includes 737 MAX 8s and 9s. Boeing looks forward to working with Icelandair to finalize the details, at which time the order will be posted as a firm order to the Boeing Orders & Deliveries website.

"This commitment is the result of our research into what aircraft manufacturers have on offer to help us strengthen and grow our fleet and our network towards the future," said Bjorgolfur Johannsson, Icelandair Group president and CEO. "We have had a successful relationship with Boeing for decades and we are pleased to continue our cooperation for years to come."

The 737 MAX is a new-engine variant of the world's best-selling airplane and builds on the strengths of today's Next-Generation 737. The 737 MAX incorporates the latest-technology CFM International LEAP-