title
stringlengths 1
200
⌀ | text
stringlengths 10
100k
| url
stringlengths 32
885
| authors
stringlengths 2
392
| timestamp
stringlengths 19
32
⌀ | tags
stringlengths 6
263
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Importance of Struggle | The Importance of Struggle
Most of us naturally avoid struggle; or worse, attempt to vanquish it in search of peace, and ease. This is both self-destructive and un-human. Here’s why.
The face of a life lived. © Anthony Fieldman 2016
Without struggle, there is no gain, or transformation. Without struggle, our actions cannot coalesce, to harness the future. Without struggle, life is bland, and rudderless. Without struggle, we remain unprepared to meet the day’s — or life’s — challenges, and whatever magic we may have inside of us, it remains bottled up, untapped.
Struggle is central to our life force, and beauty. Without it, the world is a dull gray.
And yet: most of us are given to naturally avoiding struggle; or worse, spending our lives in an attempt to vanquish it, in search of peace, and ease.
Just look at all the useless sh*t we invent and buy in order to make life easier.
While intuitively all of this may seems sensible, it’s not helpful. Here are some thoughts about why, and reasons to embrace internal and external struggle.
Struggle Empowers Us
There is nothing more empowering than struggle, met. In fact, knowing you have overcome something daunting, difficult, or horrific makes you psychologically and emotionally stronger. King; Gandhi; Yousafzai; McCain; Hawking; Fox… our history is full of true heroes who struggled to overcome prevailing limits, and advanced our collective humanity in the process.
Terry Fox during the cross-Canada run that ultimately took his life.
Every perceptual limit that we survive and surpass opens a new world of possibility to us. That’s because most limits exist only in our minds. We are too often our own biggest critics. We fear the unknown, and more often than not assume the worst — not the best — possible outcome. Regardless, once these imaginary obstacles are surmounted, the struggle we went through — whether that’s our own mindset, or a form of physiological or intellectual learning — helps us to realize that we are better equipped to meet the world’s challenges than we feared or knew. With that knowledge, our ability to aim our actions toward that which is most personally fulfilling to us improves.
Said another way, the more struggles we overcome, the closer we get to living the life we are meant to, because we find ourselves in the driver’s seat of our own journey.
Struggles Forge the Deepest Bonds
There is nothing — in my experience — that cements a friendship more than shared struggle. I have lasting relationships with people forged by no more than something powerfully difficult that we went through, together. Something funny happens when you emerge from a common trial. There is a significant intimacy that comes from this. The more difficult the trial, the deeper the bond — one that permeates all of your future interactions.
It’s as though when someone sees us at our most vulnerable, the psychological urge to protect ourselves from one another suddenly vanishes. In a short period, your fellow ‘traveler(s)’ go from being “other” to “intimate”.
The author knocking down physical AND metaphorical walls in Berlin, Nov. 1989 © Timm Overwelland 1989
Militaries capitalize on this. Soldiers who share a tour of duty often refer to themselves as “brothers” evermore, not because they necessarily share a background, but because of their shared experiences — their struggles.
Struggles Help us Feel Accomplished
When something — money, opportunity, assistance — is given to us, the ‘boost’ that comes with it may be truly valuable, which itself is reason enough for gratitude. With that said, when we have done nothing to earn its presence in our lives, its value is limited. The Taoist proverb by Lao Tzu, “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime,” comes to mind. When, on the other hand, our own actions have led to its procurement, additional dimensions of value emerge. Not only do we learn from it and feel empowered. We further develop an appreciation for its costs (not only financial, but in effort), which serves to increase its value to us, including the sense of accomplishment. In my own life, I will always admire something I build — or help build — with my own hands, every time I see or use it, more than I will if someone else has done it for me, and I simply paid for it.
Whether it’s a goal you set years ago, then worked hard to achieve, an emotional breakthrough that came from diligent self-care, a relationship that simply deepened after ages of nurturing it, or a physical artifact — a garden, a tool shed, a great meal, a painting, a manuscript — that you made with your own hands, these are the raw materials that lead to feelings of accomplishment.
It works for the recipient of such things, as well. Every parent (or friend or partner) prefers a hand-made or hand-written card, or gift, over one that’s purchased. It’s the effort if took to produce it that counts, because it makes us feel more valued. Many of us keep these things forever. Why? Something made by hand — not an assembly line — reaches deeper. Every effort, however modest, is a form of struggle over an easier alternative. And for its creator, the act becomes also more meaningful, as does the satisfaction of knowing we have the ability to manifest things of value for others. These are their own rewards.
Struggle Keeps Us Grounded
Not every struggle has a Hollywood ending. Some overcome us. Others wipe us out, physically, financially or emotionally. And some struggles end up not being worth the cost to us, per se, whether or not we thought they would when we began our odysseys. This is great news. Not only does this teach us that not everything leads to success, or is worth our energy (“Pick your battles,” as mom always says) but losing a battle delivers its own reward.
It humanizes us.
North Americans in particular are suckers for the conceit of the lone hero, overcoming impossible odds in just 90–120 minutes of film, or fewer minutes of television, to emerge from the fray, victorious. Europeans mostly roll their eyes at this concept. Their films more often end in unrequited love (anything British!), sudden death (Goddard, anyone?) or internal struggle (most Russian films; hello, Tarkovsky!).
A still from the movie Stalker—Andrei Tarkovsky, 1979
Beyond movies — which are, after all, just representative of prevailing psyches and national narratives — failure is not only a great teacher from which we learn what not to do, as well as the value of our struggles; it is also, critically, a reminder that we are neither perfect nor omnipotent. That is, we are human; and a solid dose of humility is a wonderful thing.
When we demand success of ourselves, we are setting ourselves up for disempowerment. Demanding expectations is decidedly negative. When there’s no room for anything but success, our (false!) feelings of self-worth are at risk. This is very different from choice. We can choose to do something because we want to. When we feel we must, it is no longer choice. Choices are open-ended, without preconceived results. Choices are healthy. Expectations seed self-hate. Dr. Theodore Rubin wrote a powerful book on this subject, titled Compassion and Self-Hate.
The only route to deep-seated wellbeing, ironically, is through utter self-acceptance, without stipulation. That applies to the parts we love about ourselves, and equally to those we don’t. It’s when we accept the parts that we don’t yet love — this is self-compassion — that we can engage constructively with our acts.
In this context, struggles are choices borne of personal interest — the discovery of our inner landscapes, through outward exploration — instead of in response to some dictum or fairy tale idea of what it is to be human, or live a good life.
We Grow Regardless of Outcome
Struggles are their own reward. When we bump up against the limits of our capacity, we learn more about ourselves as an outcome of this process of self-discovery. This, in turn, builds capacity, regardless of direct results. We may think that the underlying reason we as a species continually seek or accept challenges is the specter of reward — of outcome. It’s not so. We may think that busting our humps is all about securing our futures or those of our children — whatever economic or ethical form these take — but again, it’s not so. Underlying all of this — the ‘stated’ cause for our efforts — is something deeper. We engage in living battles because it is only through effort and adversity — struggle — that our inner gardens flourish.
Through our struggles, we grow.
So to avoid struggle — to avoid giving in to the messiness, the unknown, the difficulties, the discomfort, the pain and the stress of it all — is to engage in the greatest act of self-subterfuge, or self-hate, of all. It is to rob us, in great measure, of the highest expression of our humanity: open-ended and full-tilt engagement with our world.
Struggles build perspective. Our trials allow us to act with increasing fidelity in our own lives. Feeding our inner gardens allows us to act, in turn, with power in the world. We don’t have to be Thomas Edison and create 10,000 substandard light bulbs before illuminating the night. We don’t have to sit in meditation for decades before finally reaching samadhi, or enlightenment. We don’t have to cure cancer, or put a man on the moon, or even win a battle, whether it’s for “the fate of democracy”, the right to vote, or control over the damned TV remote. These things are surely important. They may not be equally consequential, but even the remote, whose lessons include picking our battles, giving and relationships, has meaning.
But just as Sir Isaac Newton said, “If I can see a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants,” it’s not the outcome that matters, or the size of the trial, but rather the quality of our engagement with the world that matters. That’s because as Newton intuited, we are all part of a continuity of human activity that started long before we were born and will continue long after we’re gone. What we do to contribute while we are here is as important as the consequences attached to those acts are unknowable.
But no single act is extraneous. This is now called the Butterfly Effect, and if you’re interested in a deeper dive on the subject, I wrote about it here.
Tiger swallowtail © Anthony Fieldman 2010
Our personal journey begins with a single step. Our lives are no more than a continual series of these. There is no guarantee of outcome or of destination. There is only the journey. When we act bravely, by engaging in struggles — not necessarily with others, but certainly with our own limits — we open doors and expand our worlds, and those of the people with whom we interact, or who stand to benefit from the things we internalize of the lessons we learned in the process.
To struggle is, simply, to live.
Why would you avoid that? | https://medium.com/curious/the-importance-of-struggle-e0a71e46365e | ['Anthony Fieldman'] | 2020-12-22 07:37:09.413000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Mental Health', 'Inspiration', 'Self Improvement', 'Life'] |
5 Practical Ways I Read 52 Books in 1 Year | This time of the year is when people will start making their New Years Resolution and goals for 2019. I wanted to share how I achieved one of my goals last year and hopefully it will help you to achieve yours as well.
Although this article is mainly about reading books on a more consistent basis, you can apply this framework to almost any goal you want to achieve such as exercising regularly or having a more balanced diet.
But Firstly, The Problem with Goals
However, I wanted to begin this reflection with interrogating the problem of setting goals. Don’t get me wrong, goals are fantastic in providing an initial north star and general direction but they are limited.
What I mean by this is that only setting an intention to achieve a goal is not enough.
You need to design a system to help achieve that goal. Setting a goal without an appropriate system, is like having a cup with a hole in it. It defeats the purpose of the cup.
Think of Olympic athletes who all have the same goal of winning a gold medal. What distinguishes the winners and losers is not the goals they set (since they all have the same goal of winning gold) but rather the systems they design related to training, recovery and nutrition. The best athletes often have the best systems.
With a system you can take away the need for sustained motivation and having strong will-power, which we all know is finite, fragile and a rapidly diminishing resource (especially after the initial burst of New Years inspiration wears off) .
After reading James Clear’s ‘Atomic Habits’, here are 5 systems I employed to be able to read more and make it a daily habit:
1. Make reading Easy
I made sure that I carried around a book with me everywhere I went. And by everywhere I mean everywhere. Doctors appointments, shopping, running daily errands and yes, I even on occasion brought my book to the gym (only when I regrettably found myself on a stairmaster or treadmill). The many small and ‘incidental’ pockets of time I found throughout my day accumulates to a couple of hours spent reading over the course of a day or even a week.
I also utilised my time spent in transit, especially on public transport. Working in Melbourne’s CBD means I have roughly 1.5 hours of travelling time between my front door and the office each day. Instead of mindlessly daydreaming out the window I made sure that I redefined my ‘commute’ time to ‘reading’ time (although daydreaming is beneficial for creativity sometimes).
By reducing the amount of friction and barriers associated with reading, you’ll be able to maximise the time spent reading with minimal changes to your daily lifestyle or routine.
2. Make reading Satisfying
What gets measured often gets done. I set daily reading goals so I would be able to engage the in-built reward systems we all have as humans. Much like the feeling of beating your Personal Best at the gym, by setting reading targets — say 40 pages per day — and achieving them helped me keep on track to reading a book a week.
I created a checklist where I would physically tick off my daily reading targets, which enabled me to reap the feeling of a ‘reader’s high’ (to continue the gym analogy) and keep me motivated to read on a more consistent basis. I was really surprised how far consistent daily reading took me in being able to reach my reading goals.
By setting tangible and unambiguous daily reading goals, you’ll be able to make reading more rewarding whilst also keeping yourself accountable and on track.
3. Make reading Attractive
There are many well documented benefits and incentives to read (such as improved vocabulary and general knowledge). But you need to find one that suits you and it may not necessarily be conventional.
For instance, I personally felt that by constantly reading a variety of different books from different genres (politics, business, evolutionary psychology but never the same genre or author sequentially) enabled me to constantly engage the child-like curiosity I have for knowledge, learning and interesting ideas. I also utilised the element of serendipity and spontaneity when choosing which books to read.
Often, I would go into a book store with no expectation of finding a book and walk out with something I am really interested to read. Exposing myself to a variety of different books kept me constantly engaged and motivated to keep reading.
By knowing what incentives work for you (such as joining a book club or rewarding yourself with a fancy brunch) will make reading more attractive and will increase the likelihood of reading becoming a daily habit.
4. Make reading Obvious
This is the most important step in making reading a habit. What I found really effective was designating specific times in the day to read without fail.
In my circumstances, I allocated 5:00am — 6:00am to read every morning. This may sound a little crazy but hear me out. At this hour of the morning I know that I won’t be interrupted by any phone calls, messages or social media notifications because no one else is awake and there is also no expectation that I will need to respond to them.
By reading in the morning I was also guaranteeing that I would almost always achieve my daily reading goal of 40 pages a day. By making my reading habit obvious meant that no matter what happened during the day (unexpected increase in workload, emergency or incurring significant delays) would not impact on achieving my daily reading target.
You may find that the best time for you to read is before bed or after work. But the main point of making reading obvious is that no matter what time you pick, you need to be able to guarantee that you will read during this time without fail.
5. Replace screen time with book time -
The biggest barrier I hear to not being able to read consistently is that people don’t have the time. This is an excuse that I also told myself in the past as well.
But on a weekly average, I use my phone and other devices (for non-work purposes) for roughly 3.5 hours a day. I can almost bet you that most of my screen time usage was not for productive purposes. I decided that if I could minimise the amount of time spent on my phone by at least 30%, it would give me an extra hour a day to read on top of my morning and incident reading habits.
I almost certainly had enough time to read everyday, I just needed to know how to reallocate my time to align with my goals (and make the necessary sacrifices in order to delay gratification).
Summary:
In combination, these daily systems enabled me to read 52 books, but they can be applied to almost any goal you set out to achieve.
However, setting any goal requires sacrifice that leads to long-term behaviour and identity change. This means you don’t want to just read books but you want to become a reader, you don’t want to run, you want to become a runner.
To paraphrase James Clear, you don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall according to the level of the systems you design.
Design a system or systems that are purposeful, deliberate and orientated towards your goals and you can achieve even your most ambitious goals.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
To end with, here are the top 5 books I read in 2018 that I would recommend:
Sapiens — Yuval Noah Harari Atomic Habits — James Clear 80/20 Principle — Richard Koch Mindset — Carol Dweck 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — Stephen Covey
Bonus Tip: How do I remember what I’ve read?
Another useful tip to remember the information you have just read is to apply it straight away. Here are 4 systems I designed: | https://medium.com/curious/5-practical-ways-i-read-52-book-in-1-year-a2c5122dd0c8 | ['Michael Lim'] | 2020-08-29 09:28:23.289000+00:00 | ['Books', 'Goals', 'How To', 'Reading', 'Readinglist'] |
Battling the “Fuck It” mindset | “Instant gratification takes too long”
— Carrie Fisher, Postcards from the Edge
At the start of every new year, everyone is makes resolutions and plans and promises.
Most of us know at least one person that spent the holidays eating too much, drinking too much, and washing it all down with leftover Halloween candy but, once the ball drops, vows to live on a diet of lettuce and lemon water while also running fifteen miles per day and saving ninety percent of their income.
It’s natural to want to mock this person, but I’d bet that we’ve all been there at least in some capacity. While we know what the smart choices are we’ve purposefully made the bad ones. We ordered the burger instead of the salad at lunch. We hit the ATM and kept the night alive instead of going home. We ate out for dinner instead of cooking at home. We spent our money or put it towards a vacation instead of retirement.
The worst part? We know better.
We know that these decisions are detrimental to our long-term health and happiness, but we do them because they make us feel better right now. Yes, sacrifices today will often lead to a better, healthier tomorrow. But today is now, so why wait? The problem, of course, is that you’re eventually left with no more tomorrows and a pile of misused yesterdays.
There has been a ton of data, research, and writing on this subject, most notably the “Marshmallow Test,” and there are entire industries like personal finance advice and diet programs that pull in billions of dollars annually because we can’t seem to stop ourselves from ourselves.
I call it “fuck it” effect.
And I am not too proud to admit that it has had me in its clutches countless times.
My favorite restaurateur just opened a new spot that is outside of my price range? Fuck it, let’s put it on the credit card.
We just left the bar and are hungry? Fuck it, let’s hit the diner and have some greasy food.
I need to buy a new book to read on a trip? Fuck it, let’s buy ten.
Problem? Fuck it, we’ll figure it out tomorrow.
Some of this is poor planning and some of it is the result of capricious youth, but there’s also some of it that can be a result of our emotional state.
If you’re still in the office at midnight or studying at 2 a.m. or have been up with the baby since four o’clock in the morning, you may need something to get you through, regardless of the downsides. You know it’s not the best decision, but it may be difficult not to treat yourself, particularly since you’ve already been sacrificing for so long.
And in a world full of stress, fear, and uncertainty, sometimes wings and fries just make us happier than apples and strawberries.
For now. Tomorrow, we will probably feel differently.
And that’s when the cycle begins again. | https://medium.com/the-passion-of-christopher-pierznik-books-rhymes/battling-the-fuck-it-mindset-4716eed7fc02 | ['Christopher Pierznik'] | 2018-07-19 13:39:15.930000+00:00 | ['Happiness', 'Maturity', 'Life', 'Psychology', 'Success'] |
Why We Hate It When Authors Write Themselves Into Books We Love | Great writers are those who help us to view our world differently, challenge our ideas and our opinions. They enable us to appreciate things we never have before and to come up with novel ways of putting together old knowledge to form something completely new. Their description elicit images of what we haven’t seen before but now have the ability to imagine through the way the use language. They give us a blanket of familiarity in which to wrap ourselves as well as the chance to travel to far off places we may never have the chance to visit in real life but feel that we have after reading their work.
The best books cast a spell over us. They let us get lost in the world of suspended disbelief and invite us to forget that this world we’ve now become invested in and the characters we have grown attached to are all made up by the author. Being lost can sometimes feel so perfect. It holds the capability of choosing which world we want to be a part of while muting the one we really live in, even if only for a short while.
As I read a great book, I have the need to process everything. to think about and rework what I read. I personalize the way I view the characters which helps me empathize with them. I rework the details of the story’s narrative into something that makes sense to me when I express it to myself. The effect of a book that has touched me in someway continues long after I have closed it’s cover. It gives me something to contemplate and consider, something to examine or relate to during unpredictable moments.
Sometimes a wonderful book will give me the words to define something that I haven’t been able to before, things I had a sense of but couldn’t express either to myself or to others. At times I’ll find a passage in a book that helps me cope better with the realities of my life when I am forced to return to it after putting the volume down. The better a book is, the that more it will hold me in its grasp, making me late for just about everything else as I swear this it really the last chapter.
All of this becomes less likely and far harder to accomplish, however, when the writer takes the liberty of writing themselves into their novel. I think a big part of this is that we want to believe we came upon all of these discoveries ourselves. When an author inserts themselves into the story, it has a tendency to break the trance, preventing us from escaping our more stressful or mundane real life, and seems to suggest that there is no magic in the real world. Sometimes it can feel cruel.
When the author is there with us in the story and interacts with the characters directly, we can feel like all of our discoveries weren’t truly ours at all. We view everything we have come to know about what happens in the book as nothing more than the author’s construction, seeing whatever we feel we learned, as belonging to them. It seems as if it’s all just what they intended for us to see and to comprehend which they merely taught to us largely without our involvement. The author’s presence can detract from our ability to view a story from our own point of view based on our unique way of perceiving things.
Without the author’s presence we relate to what occurs in a novel based on our own perception. In part, this is dictated by what we choose to attend to which is influenced by our individual interests, attractions, history, background, experiences, relationships and beliefs about how the world works. We can’t perceive what we don’t take note of. The various elements of a novel will resonate differently for each of us and there may be some things certain people notice that others don’t, which has to do with what we find meaningful.
This is not to say we shouldn’t appreciate the craft of storytelling, the composition of a skillfully imparted plot, that is artfully paced and told through three dimensional characters. But the individual aspects we pay particular attention to, those which resonate with us which we use to create our version of the story within the author’s, are based on who we are not who they are.
In this way, we construct our own understanding of the book along with a host of other things that are off the page. This gives the novel added “legs,” such that it becomes increasingly relatable to us in terms of our lives, our dreams and fantasies, our successes and failures, our beliefs, our relationships and our general world view. The author has provided the framework for all of this to happen and by stepping away from their story, shows that they trust us to take it where we will. They share their work with us by letting the story become ours ours as well. One way they do this is by not looking over our shoulder, waiting to correct our course when we deviate from their intent or view of the stories meaning.
An author writes with a purpose in mind, and chooses to tell a specific story in a particular way through the stories characters, selected literary devices and techniques. In this way they are already in the tale even if not as an actual character. Like the reader, what the author imparts is determined by their own preferences, perceptions, world view, and understanding of how people interact. When they feel the need to take it a step farther, however, by jumping into the book themselves their influence can feel a bit too much for us.
We may even come to see this feigned transparency as a bluff which serves some sort of meta literary function for the author. So, along with resenting them for hijacking our perceptions, we may also feel annoyed by the sense that they aren’t even doing it honestly but only as a part of the technique they use to construct the prose.
When they fully place themselves there within the pages, it can feel heavy handed and even, at times, manipulative. When an author tears down the wall of illusion that stands between them and us, the sudden transparency can feel like when the curtain is pulled open exposing the wizard in the land of Oz with the same result. The magic needed to fully transport us somewhere else, disappears.
This leaves us with a novel which though perhaps brilliantly written from a technique standpoint, lacks the power of transformation. This power is generated through our effort to uncover the meaning of the story and the characters through which it unfolds such that we come to our own understanding of the work in a way that is individually meaningful to us. To do this, we must be left to our own devices, without the author holding our hand by traveling into the novel with us. | https://nataliefrank.medium.com/why-we-hate-it-when-authors-write-themselves-into-books-we-love-d94acd5971fa | ['Natalie Frank'] | 2019-01-16 19:11:21.129000+00:00 | ['Novel', 'Fiction', 'Fiction Writing', 'Writing', 'Reading'] |
Submission Guidelines | Submission Guidelines
Last updated 13 August 2020
Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash
Created on 14 June 2020
Last Edit 13 August 2020
So you want to be a writer and submit to ‘Share The Love’? That’s cool, we would love to have you on board. Before you do though, read through these guidelines to make sure that we are suited to each other.
What we accept
Our aim is to share the love of poetry and fiction. All kinds of poetry are accepted as long as they meet the guidelines and we also accept flash fiction, micro fiction, and short stories.
We do not accept non-fiction stories. If you have written a piece about something in the news, a political view or dare I say it a How-To article, I’m very sorry that isn’t for us. Unless of course, it’s in a poem form.
How to submit
As you are reading this you may have a poem that you want to submit to us. Here are some basic rules that will help you get your story accepted.
Please be aware, our editors are all volunteers and have families and full-time jobs. It can take up to three days for your piece to be checked however, we will try our best to check as soon as possible.
Ensure that the story falls into the categories listed above in ‘What we accept’. If it’s a non-fiction story we won’t accept it. Tags: Please make sure that your story is tagged correctly. The first tag works with our navigation strip, so if it’s going in poetry then your first tag is ‘Poetry’. If you are responding to one of our prompts, then your first tag will be ‘STLPrompt’. This ensures your prompt poem doesn’t get lost on our main page. Formatting: We all love to see readable pieces. If your formatting is all over the place this won’t help us appreciate it. Use soft returns in between lines (Shift_Return) and hard returns (Return) in between stanzas, verses, or paragraphs. All pieces must have a title, subtitle and image in that order. Images: All stories must contain a suitable image. These must be correctly marked up with a link or copyright information. Images can be suggestive, but cannot be pornographic. Please use free image sources such as Unsplash, Pixabay or Pexels. Images that are not public domain may be removed. Your own images may be used but credit them as ‘Author photo’ or ‘Photo taken by [insert credit here]’ Grammar and Spelling: This is really important to us and our readers, so please make sure you proofread your work before submitting it. Our editors will read your pieces and if they find anything, they will send you a private note to help you correct it, but will not correct/edit for you. Abusive: We reserve the right to refuse any piece which is sexist, racist, targets individuals, targets organisations or businesses, refers to paedophilia, sexual abuse, or pieces that are deemed by our editors to be offensive. We do not accept stories that have been previously published on Medium. Please make sure that you only submit a draft. This ensures that your poem starts its life at the top of our list. If it has been published, then it will slip in between those of the same date.
Want to be a writer?
We love writers who want to share their work on our publication. STL will only publish 1 piece per author per day. If you submit more than 1 piece these will be carried over to the following day.
To become a new writer please respond to this post or email [email protected] with a link to your medium profile. Our editors will have a look at what you have produced and be in touch.
Fiction
Our fiction sections are Micro-Fiction (300 words or less), Flash-Fiction (1000 words or less), and Short-Stories (1000 to 1500 words). Note we cap our word count at 1500 words. Please make sure if you submit to these you use the standard Medium tags. | https://medium.com/share-the-love/submission-guidelines-e5b5d780323f | ['Martin Rushton'] | 2020-08-13 07:22:10.420000+00:00 | ['Sharethelove', 'Submission', 'Writing', 'Submission Guidelines', 'Médium'] |
Visualizing the Chaos of Cancer, One Tool at a Time | From BWA-MEM & Lumpy to Sniffles & NGMLR
Initially, the team had started out using BWA-MEM to map the PacBio reads with Lumpy for variant-calling, worked with those variant calls for a long time, then realized they were missing real structural variants. The problem was Lumpy would not split a read more than once, but PacBio reads often split multiple times! As Maria showed using her Ribbon tool, there can be 2-hop or even 3-hop fusions, so a single long read can be split multiple times.
Figure 4B from Nattestad et al. showing a single 15kb read (black, bottom) that hops from KLHDC2 through CEP112 to ZHX2 then SNTB1, making this a “3-hop” fusion gene. Iso-Seq data confirms this 3-hop fusion gene is transcribed into RNA.
Fritz Sedlazeck then joined the Schatz lab. I remember seeing him at ASHG 2015 and hear him talk about problems with trying to map PacBio reads that split multiple times. Shortly after, he developed Sniffles.
It was also at this time when Maria discovered the “HER2 story”. She still remembers manually tracking down the from-s and to-s of each long read for each HER2 copy and jotting them down on a piece of paper, before finally writing SplitThreader to automate the process.
When Fritz’s lab mate Philipp Rescheneder joined the lab for the summer, Maria & Fritz were toiling over BWA-MEM aligning straight through large structural variants despite the sudden onset of super-high error rates. No amount of tweaking the BWA-MEM gap penalty settings would make the aligner recognize large variants in a sea of small sequence errors. Traditionally, alignments have used either linear or affine gaps. Affine gaps use a gap open and gap extend penalty, which is problematic when trying to differentiate real SVs (long continuous gap) from small, 2–5 bp indel sequencing errors. During one coffee break, Maria recalled seeing a convex gap penalty in a particular implementation of Smith-Waterman and brought it up. Philipp implemented a more efficient heuristic version of that convex gap, which became the foundation for the NGMLR aligner.
Supplementary Figure 1.2 from the NGMLR paper, showing the difference between affine gaps and convex gaps. Using affine gaps, alignment1 and alignment2 have the same score. Using convex gaps, alignment 1, which shows a cleaner structural variation signal (deletion of TAAGCAAACA) while allowing small deletion (sequencing) errors.
With all the new tools in place, they finally settled on a long-read SV calling strategy: align using NGMLR, call variants with Sniffles, and visualize the results using Ribbon and SplitThreader.
So what did they find? | https://medium.com/pacbio/visualizing-the-chaos-of-cancer-one-tool-at-a-time-a9e083f8bc31 | ['Liz T'] | 2018-10-30 21:43:26.786000+00:00 | ['Biotechnology', 'Women In Tech', 'Cancer', 'Genetics', 'Bioinformatics'] |
Principles of visual design | Principles of visual design
These elements are inherently present in any good layout design
In my last article in the design series, I talked about seven principles of design in general, whether it be a hardware product, a service, an experience, or a software UI. In this one, I am going a step further to emphasize the design principles that are essential for a good ‘visual’ design on a digital or printed platform. Let me start with the famous gestalt principle:
“the whole is other than the sum of the parts — Kurt Koffka”.
In other words, an organized whole is perceived as greater than the sum of its parts. Gestalt means form or shape in German. It is a group of visual perception principles developed by German psychologists in the 1920s.
These things sound very simple to understand and they are! But it creates confusion and takes time to master once you start practicing them in combination. Let’s try to understand them through examples.
Proximity, similarity, and continuity
It is all about showing visual spaces to show the relationship between and among the content. Just group similar things together. The elements of the design that are not grouped together, show the lack of relationship. This makes the user’s eyes less strained to understand and filter information if she is in a hurry or quick browsing mode.
Reification and Closure
People can recognize objects even when there are parts of them are missing. This is reification. Closure forces us to see a white square instead of four broken circles in the image in the next topic. Our brain matches what we see with familiar patterns stored in our memory and fills in the gaps.
Figure-ground relationship and relative size
As the name suggests, there is always a layout or ground and there is always a figure over it. The trick is we can interchange the figure and grounds to show the items that we wish. In the second and third images below, some will see the two faces whereas some will see the thin vase. The figure and ground changes as per the viewer. The relative size of the vase or rather the distance between the faces affects the perception. The increasing distance starts enhancing more on the vase instead of faces.
White space
White spaces are not exactly the white-color spaces. They are just the space on the canvas where there is no element. The white spaces, sometimes also called negative spaces, helps designers stress important information and segregate different kinds of information at the same time. White space is one of the most important and key design principles. We will see that ‘how’ towards the end of this article through a video. In the picture below (contrast section), we can see how white spaces declutter the element and give the layout, room to breathe.
Alignment
We have seen the importance of alignment in all facets of our life. Whether, it be architectural structures, clothing, room arrangement, food display, hardware design, or a layout design that we are talking about here. Alignment gives your design a serene look and improves the readability of the page. This also helps logically group the text to emphasize the hierarchy of the elements. The most important and easy way to follow this rule is to be consistent. Equal spaces from each side like done in the image below(contrast section).
Contrast
It means differentiating one item from another. It can be done in multiple ways other than just using contrasting colors. It can be done using completely dissimilar text, using dissimilar sizes, and of course by using contrasting colors. It is mainly done to catch the reader’s eye or create a focus on something important like done with the ‘buy’ button below.
Hierarchy
This is the arrangement of elements (mainly text) in a fashion to catch the reader’s eye on the main elements first and then the less important one and then the lesser important than before. You can easily see that in the above image how the designer has guided the user/reader to read the main heading first and if you think that if of any use for you then continue reading the details or go to the next one.
Repetition
It is a great saying by Muhammad Ali:
It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.
Repetition is another way to become consistent. We can use a color palette to use the colors at all places on our layout. We can also use a particular header or text styles to create a similar type of content. This also makes the reader’s life easier in comprehending the content on your layout.
Summary
To summarize, I would say that the use of white spaces or negative spaces is one of the most important skills to acquire since that drives all other principles that we see here. The video above emphasizes the point in an easily understandable manner. | https://uxdesign.cc/principles-of-visual-design-fb49004f5a67 | ['Deepak Singh'] | 2020-12-27 20:37:54.953000+00:00 | ['Gestalt Principles', 'Design', 'UX', 'UI', 'Visual Design'] |
SyriaTel Customer Churn Analysis | For my third project at the Flatiron School, I chose to analyze the dataset on customer churn for a telecommunications company, SyriaTel. The objective was to build a classifier to determine if a customer would ‘soon’ leave SyriaTel, and to determine if there were predictable patterns.
The data provided no time information but rather had a ‘Churn’ feature which indicated whether the customer churned or not. The project was a binary classification task.
I posed three questions to answer with my classifier.
What features of the dataset are primary determinants of customer churn and to what extent?
2. What are the ways that these findings can be interpreted and how can SyriaTel implement cost-effective solutions?
3. Will these solutions be feasible in reducing the customer churn rate by at least 7%?
By beginning with a business understanding, I learned that an acceptable amount of customer churn is around 7% annually. However, the dataset indicated that SyriaTel had a customer churn of about 15%. There was no indication of the time period, but I proceeded with the assumption that this churn occurred over the duration of a year.
The nature of this problem is framed by the fact that losing current customers is less expensive than gaining new customers. Therefore, it is much better to retain the customers that you currently have rather than to acquire new customers. Since solving this problem meant that SyriaTel could save money, I knew that the proposed business changes also needed to be taken under economic consideration, because if they were expensive then what was the point?
Building a Classifier
On a quest to build a classifier to service SyriaTel’s needs in the best way possible, I took into consideration which metric would make the most sense. I determined that incorrectly classifying a false negative would be worse than a false positive because a false negative would mean that the reality of a customer canceling would have been overlooked. The occurrence of the false-negative occurring is referred to as a type two error. In order to rank my classifiers on how well they minimized false negatives, I used the measurement of recall.
I moved through many models in order to maximize recall:
Logistic Regression
K-Nearest Neighbors
Decision Tree
Bagging + Decision Tree
Gradient Boost
Adaboost
Random Forest
XGBoost
XGBoost + GridSearchCV
XGBoost with GridSearchCV performed the best with a test recall of 76.24% after tuning the model. I was able to see which features were contributing to churn, but I wanted more information.
SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations)
After building a decent classifier, I took a leap outside of my familiar tools by using SHAP to explore to what extent each feature affected customer churn. This enabled me to identify meaningful insights and recommend changes to the SyriaTel business model.
Reading the graph below: When you see the red points for a feature, it indicates a high feature value. If the feature has a tail going to the right, it means that those values are causing an impact on model output that is pushing customer churn from zero (not churning) to one (customer churn).
As I observed features by SHAP values, I learned the following:
Contributors of High Customer Churn: Value of One
High total number of day minutes
High number of customer service calls
Customers who have an international plan
High number of night minutes
High number of international minutes
Contributors of Low Customer Churn: Value of Zero
Customers with a voicemail plan
Customers with higher number of voicemails
High number of international calls
Findings
Within the dataset, it was evident that the SyriaTel business model was to charge customers based on the number of minutes that they used. However, it is evident that within the contributors of high customer churn, all of the factors are leading to a higher bill that is deterring the customer from continuing their phone plan.
Recommendation for SyriaTel
My recommendation for SyriaTel was to create a flat monthly fee for its users so that they would be more likely to stay with the company. By calculating the average charge per user, I found that it is about $60. For this business model to work for both SyriaTel and their customers, the best solution would be for them to charge a monthly fee to the demographic of customers who are charged $40 or less monthly and a higher tier plan for the users who use their phones more.
Conclusion and Further Work
In conclusion, for SyriaTel to get their customer churn to an adequate level, they would need to decrease their customer churn by 7.49% which is 247 customers. If they were to simply focus on the customers who were likely to churn before they were able to by using the classifier, they would be able to predict 75% of potential churns. From their 15% of churns that would happen with no action, they would be able to predict 10% of the customers that would soon churn. If they took action to retain their customers and succeeded with 8 of 10, they would reduce their overall churn by 8%, which would put their churn in an adequate range.
Going forward after improving their business model, customer churn would indicate other undesirable factors from a customer perspective. When customers leave, they are going to the competition. It is unlikely that someone with a high cell phone bill just decides to not have a phone at all. Understanding churn factors will not only allow SyriaTel to understand why their customers are leaving, but also why their customers are leaving for their competitors. Overall, this will lead to the opportunity for SyriaTel to sharpen their attractiveness in the eyes of their customers by competing in the market well. | https://towardsdatascience.com/syriatel-customer-churn-analysis-1e708ab2d2fe | ['Jaklyn Soler'] | 2020-12-28 15:44:10.529000+00:00 | ['Data Science', 'Shap', 'Customer Churn', 'Python', 'Binary Classification'] |
Finding the Whole Child in Education Reform | By CHRISTOPHER NYE
Big challenges lie ahead — fixing the economy so that it more equitably serves everyone, not just those with the wealth and power; rebuilding democracy so that it is no longer hijacked by lobbyists and corporations; and redirecting cultural life away from decadent diversions and violence but toward higher purpose. Addressing these and other challenges like global warming will demand more than competent workers and participating citizens. It will demand people with a broader vision and a higher and evolving humanity.
An excellent article not long ago in Community Works Journal by Hector Vila addresses this demand from the point of view of teachers and their responsibilities within the broader culture. In what follows I use a different perspective that I believe complements what Dr. Vila had to say.
Think about those, now children, who will be called upon one day to supply solutions in these three spheres. The problems are daunting and will take decades to resolve, but don’t we owe it to those who are now young and in our charge to equip them to handle the world we leave in their care? We can begin immediately to instill the qualities needed to create a new vision and a vibrant society.
How can this be accomplished?
Imagine with me a school where students spend so much time outside and doing projects in the community and in their school garden that it is as if the walls of the building do not exist. There is an ebb and flow, where community members with valuable real life experience to share frequently come into the school, and students, wanting to learn about the society and nature around them, can often be found out beyond the classroom. No one can miss that these young people are fully engaged, that they appreciate the opportunities and nurturing afforded them. A psychological climate of mutual support, what in Finnish schools is called “pedagogical love,” supports all these relationships.
Empowered teachers, who feel the school in which they teach is their school rather than merely a place of employment, can do this. They set the tone. More than that, to a considerable extent they are able to set the school’s direction and expectations for children, rather than having these mandated by administrators at a distance, especially in Washington, who wield carrots and sticks, tests and sanctions, to insure compliance. The teachers are encouraged to be innovators. They work hard and enjoy what they do.
At the weekly assembly, called the loya jirga in this imagined school, much singing can be heard, and students share the results of their creative work and projects they have researched. They perform skits, stories, and songs as well as storyboards and paintings. These presentations involve two principles of the school — first, that that older students work with and help nurture the growth of younger ones in order to create a community of learners. Second, not just the brain but the heartfelt creative talents of the hands and body become important in the acquisition of knowledge. Head, heart, and hands work together in the project-based learning one finds in every classroom. Place-based education links learning with nature and the local community.
When teachers look at students in this school, they look through a different lens. Instead of being a data collectors, they see each child’s emergent and future potential. Relying on their knowledge of a whole child drawn from having taught him or her for at least two years in a multi-age classroom or through a looping arrangement, as well as authentic assessment, teachers can foster growth in multiple levels and areas.
The lens or paradigm used by educators here is key. It focuses not on deficiencies but on the gifts and latent potential in each individual student. When young people feel affirmed in this way, the dividends in student motivation can be remarkable. This calls to mind what psychologist Wayne Dyer says — simple but profound: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
What kind of a paradigm will optimize the potential of each individual child?
The Economic Model
The prevailing paradigm could be called an economic one. We want schools that will produce workers capable of competing in the international marketplace. Justifiably upset that job applicants typically have inadequate basic skills, the business community has used its formidable power and resources to write the script for how schools must change. Make them accountable the way factory employees are. Use quantitative measures to insure quality control. Guarantee compliance by disempowering unions and privatizing management. Like the Darwinian struggle that the economy mimics, competition between students, between teachers, and between schools is encouraged: let the market sort out winners and losers. If a school is a loser, cut your losses and close it.
Of course the parallel with business does not work completely. In a business you can reject defective materials you receive from suppliers; you can also fire non-performing employees. In a public school all children are entitled to a free education. None are turned away. More important, this economic paradigm ignores the fact that in the cultural domain, where education belongs–i.e. the realm of ideas, arts, and individual creativity–this system based on accountability and compliance smothers the human spirit and the very qualities you want to encourage. The results bear this out: out-of-control testing, teaching to the test, narrowing and standardizing curriculum, time and resources spent on data management that formerly went into teaching, the migration of the most creative teachers out of the profession because they are stifled and forced to teach from a script, and teachers treated like technicians rather than professionals, and for-profit corporations running schools — to name a few of the symptoms.
This paradigm’s central weakness is that it loses sight of the child and the need to nurture individual talents. Businesses focus on making a profit, and the correlate in the economic paradigm for education is: cost-effective schooling that produces measurable skills needed for the economic system.
The Political Model
What we may call the political model significantly improves on the kind of thinking enshrined in No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. Some very perceptive and progressive people embrace this democratic approach, and for good reasons. It gives more power to teachers; schools are run more democratically; kids are given a role in running the school and gain confidence; parents become involved. One of the best things about this model is that it incorporates listening to kids and responding to their needs and curiosities. This in turn strengthens their willingness to take initiative, be active in the community, and be creative. This is the idea behind the Institute for Democratic Education in America (IDEA). Examples include Mission Hill School in Boston, The Met in Providence, and Brooklyn Free School.
Some adherents to this democratic paradigm feel this is the only way, but that ignores other models and elements that work extremely well yet do not attempt to make the school a functioning democracy. Listening to kids is one thing, critics of this approach say; giving them the power to determine what they are going to learn, when and how, is asking them to operate beyond their capacities and is a mistake. But the fact is, children in these schools seem to flourish, and they learn to take initiative, negotiate, and develop social skills that can be truly amazing.
A Cultural Model
Let’s look at a third paradigm. The Whole Child Model grows from a different center than these other two. It emerges from the potential latent in each individual child, and it resembles the school we imagined at the outset. It’s primary aim is not to prepare a productive worker, or a participating citizen, but rather both of these and a mature person who is capable of leading a fulfilled, satisfying and purposeful life, one that optimizes the talents and uniqueness that child brought to this lifetime. A friend named Lynn Stoddard captures this in his holistic approach to learning that he calls Educating for Human Greatness. Instead of focusing narrowly on math scores and English proficiency, he works on the qualities his research has told him parents want most for their children, qualities like a love of learning, self-confidence, initiative, creativity, and social skills including teamwork. Engender qualities like these, he argues, and children will see that basic skills are necessary to exercise the higher order skills. Put children to work on a project of reclaiming and redesigning a park now full of litter and discarded drug paraphernalia, and watch them discover how important literacy and math skills are. Motivation is built in.
As stated above, the political model is an improvement over the economic model because it is child-affirming, rather than child-measuring. But the whole child or cultural model goes further in the child-affirming direction. This can be approached different ways. In a conventional public school almost any form of project-based learning can be child-affirming if the teacher serves more as coach than instructor and constantly looks for ways to draw out the unique talents of individual children. Some seem to learn through alternative learning styles, perhaps through making or creating things; others are quick to grasp concepts or rise to a mathematical challenge. In a project that calls for all these elements, a team can learn how to support one another with their differing talents. Even in a Waldorf school, where typically a faculty council runs the school and the students have no role in governance, child affirmation takes different forms. Teachers stay with a class for multiple grades and really get to know each child. Instead of buying textbooks, students create their own. And in the morning the teacher stands at the door and shakes hands and makes eye contact with each student upon arrival. In some independent schools with smaller classes, and in the youngest grades for some public schools, teachers do home visits in order to orient the family and child as to what to expect when they first come to class. This also affords the teacher an opportunity to gain a picture of the child’s environment.
In contrast to this child-affirming emphasis on the individual child’s potential strengths and abilities, our contemporary educational practice tends to focus on deficiencies and considers only one intelligence of real value — the cognitive-intellectual or left-brain. The entire impulse that resulted in No Child Left Behind spun out of a perception that we had to make up for inadequacies; we had to prepare more competitive workers and catch up with other nations. The whole child model instead tries to focus on strengths, and use those to motivate growth and draw in other areas that need strengthening. This isn’t radical; it’s a best practice many experienced teachers use: engage a child’s interests to teach new content. But national and state directives and scripted lessons in a test-and-sanction environment do not allow for much of this.
At the website www.EducateTheWholeChild.org we propose a framework for whole child education. It involves engaging students whenever possible on five different levels. Not identical with Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences, these levels nevertheless make use of brain science’s discovery that material can be learned and retained better, the more parts of the brain become involved. Thus a student working on a project that requires multi-level activity and initiative is bound to do better. The five areas are:
cognitive-intellectual activity, associated with the left brain creative-intuitive activity (the arts), associated with the right brain structured physical movement and unstructured, self-directed play handwork, making things that can be useful engagement with nature and community.
Teachers who have worked with service learning or run projects beyond school walls, know that when students are active in the fifth area, it is easy to engage them in the other four. Moreover, the tangible service in one’s own place or community adds a purposeful dimension to learning, one where students build self-esteem because they can see they are contributing. Moreover, community members become stakeholders in the children’s education.
Gardens, even on a vacant lot next to an urban school, provide tremendous opportunities to challenge children on several levels. In the winter, students plan, calculating how much room is available, the number and cost of seeds. In spring they plant and tend the seedlings. Drawing the young plants as they emerge builds powers of observation and artistic skill. In late spring the students will be challenged to come up with a plan for getting their vegetables through the vacation so there is something to harvest when school begins again. Then in late summer into fall as they are astounded by the way the tiny seeds have transformed and produced seeds of their own, students can learn meal preparation with food they have harvested. In late fall they dry and prepare seeds for next year’s crop. They create a cookbook with recipes they have researched or created. Other writing activities can be introduced along the way. And finally, reflecting and writing about the gardening experience can form a basis for next season’s plans.
Summing up, we can look at the economic model for education and see what it aims to produce: workers, competent in math and English. While this is a worthwhile goal, it fails to address the need to help young people develop their full potential as human beings. By aiming higher, much more could be accomplished. We can see what the political model aims to produce: citizens, responsible, thoughtful, voting, in some cases ready to serve the general good. This is also worthwhile, for the qualities of responsible citizenship also make one a good worker and a better person.
The cultural model when rooted in a whole child approach has a different aim — to produce a fully integrated person, versatile and able to do all of the above, able to address big challenges. Moreover, one hopes this person, who has been educated to have multiple, integrated intelligences, will be able to make a marriage work, raise a successful family, take initiative, value creativity, care about others, become a lifelong learner, and above all balance outer demands with inner capacities so that life becomes not a chore but a journey. That is the ideal, and a profoundly useful one. Ideals help us navigate through conditions we cannot anticipate or control. They make possible purposeful and integrated lives. Whole child education should become our paradigm and our educational ideal.
About the Author
Christopher Nye leads Educate the Whole Child, an initiative to change the prevailing paradigm from accountability to nurturing the whole child. He holds a Ph.D. in American Studies, has been a college professor and administrator, a poet and editor. He successfully introduced service learning to his campus and engaged college students as mentors in after-school programs at elementary schools.
CWI Institutes are Transformative Professional Development. learn more
© copyright 1995–2019, Community Works Institute (CWI)
All rights reserved. CWI is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to engaging students and teachers with their local communities through integrated learning projects. We work with educators and schools across the U.S. and internationally.
email us about supporting your school or organization.
CONTENT USE POLICY All materials contained in this web site remain the sole and exclusive property of CWI, or the author as designated by arrangement. We strongly encourage re-publication, but we do ask that you properly credit, and then share your re-publication link with us directly. contact us | https://medium.com/communityworksjournal/finding-the-whole-child-in-education-reform-721a4240db5b | ['Joe Brooks'] | 2019-06-06 00:43:03.026000+00:00 | ['Schools', 'Sustainability', 'Teaching', 'Learning', 'Education'] |
Coronavirus Disproportionately Hurts Minorities. So Could Contact Tracing. | This story is part of a series on the possible impacts of Apple and Google’s contact-tracing technology. You can read the others here.
Apple and Google announced a partnership last week to track the spread of the coronavirus using “contact tracing” software. The ambitious effort harnesses Bluetooth technology and smartphones to alert someone if they’ve been near an infected individual.
Though Apple and Google have promised the feature will be “opt-in,” in practice, businesses could require that people use it. Civil liberties advocates are already considering the consequences of what is essentially a surveillance tool.
Just as minorities have been disproportionately harmed by the coronavirus — Black Americans are dying at drastically higher rates — these communities may also be harmed by the significant privacy implications of contact tracing tools.
The long-standing effects of such technology could be something akin to the domestic surveillance programs that emerged after the September 11 attacks and persist today, experts say. Under the Patriot Act, a sweeping set of reforms that allowed the United States government to spy on regular Americans, policing powers were expanded at the expense of personal privacy. The normalization of surveillance during a pandemic, even in the form of mobile contact tracing, could have unintended societal effects. One could imagine cases of profiling if such data allows communities experiencing an outbreak to be identified, for example.
Contact tracing tools could also be the start of a slippery slope toward further surveillance measures that uniquely impact poor people — individuals already subject to large amounts of data collection through public-benefits and welfare programs, and therefore more easily targeted by data-driven surveillance. “Low-income communities are among the most surveilled communities in America,” wrote Kaveh Waddell in The Atlantic. Immigrants at the U.S. border have also been forced to surrender their most private data — their DNA.
Private employers may force workers to use contact tracing apps as a company safety measure, building on announcements from Amazon and Walmart to screen the temperature of some employees. In this way, too, marginalized communities would be disproportionately impacted by the surveillance. Black Americans are overrepresented in “nine of the ten lowest-paid, high-contact essential services,” according to a recent McKinsey report.
“My fear is that [the coronavirus] will be used as an excuse to expand the reach of surveillance beyond its initial purposes,” said Margaret Hu, a cyber-surveillance researcher and law professor at Washington and Lee University.
Apple and Google have promised information will be anonymized and decentralized, and that unlike GPS-enabled systems, location data won’t be collected. Instead, randomized beacons — or unique keys — will be broadcast and logged by people’s devices. If someone is diagnosed with Covid-19 and submits that information to the app, people they’ve recently crossed paths with can be notified.
Come May, APIs released by the companies will be available to public health authorities who can develop contact tracing apps for iOS and Android systems, which run on nearly every phone in the world. In a second phase of the proposed plan, Apple and Google will eventually bake this feature into their underlying platforms. While it’s not entirely clear what this will result in, presumably it means that some contract tracing functionality will be available to users without downloading an additional app.
Some people fear Apple and Google could eventually allow contact tracing data to be used for purposes outside the scope of monitoring Covid-19 exposure — to single out the coronavirus “hot zones,” for instance. “When and if society decides that this sort of surveillance is acceptable (and, critically, builds up the other components — like testing — of an effective response) the technology will be ready,” writes technology analyst Ben Thompson.
Surveillance that is normalized during times of crisis tends to persist even after the event has passed. In 2002, for instance, President George W. Bush enacted the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS), or Muslim registry, which required thousands of noncitizens from primarily Muslim-majority countries to submit biometric data, undergo interrogation, and regularly consult with immigration officials. The system was allegedly created as an anti-terrorism measure, but it sowed fear among Muslim communities. While it was eventually dismantled in 2016 by President Obama ahead of President Trump’s inauguration, the Trump administration has suggested a similar program using NSEERS as a framework.
“Do those powers have a shelf life limit? Will they end when the pandemic ends? The war on terror has not ended,” said Paromita Shah, executive director of Just Futures Law, a grassroots organization that advocates against the criminalization and deportation of immigrants.
Shah is even worried about data that remains solely within the custody of health officials. Apple and Google are letting governments decide who qualifies as a “public health authority” and can, therefore, develop a contact tracing app. According to TechCrunch, in a recent press call, Apple said that app data would be processed on a user’s device but “‘relayed’ through servers run by the health organizations across the world.”
“The tech giants said that because the data is decentralized, it’s far more difficult for governments to conduct surveillance,” TechCrunch reported. More difficult may not mean impossible, of course, nor is it assured that this data will be unhackable.
Meanwhile, the line between public and private services has become increasingly porous amid the crisis. Palantir, for example, the data-mining company best known for tracking undocumented immigrants for ICE, is now assisting the United Kingdom’s National Health Service in modeling the potential spread of the coronavirus.
“Governments around the world are demanding extraordinary new surveillance powers intended to contain the virus’ spread, often in partnership with corporations that hold vast stores of consumers’ personal data,” warned the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital privacy nonprofit group.
The potential public health benefits of contact tracing are obvious. If deployed through software updates, and the system reaches critical mass, it may prove more useful than similar programs in countries like Singapore where only one in six people opted in. As Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and White House advisor, put it to Vanity Fair on Wednesday, “from a pure public health standpoint, it absolutely makes sense.” But even Fauci, who said he had not discussed contact tracing with Google and Apple, acknowledged that such a program has a cost: “Boy, I gotta tell you the civil liberties-type pushback on that would be considerable,” he told the magazine.
In the absence of a meaningful federal response to the pandemic, Silicon Valley is filling a power vacuum with privatized solutions to a public health crisis. And as we interrogate the validity of programs such as mobile contact tracing, we shouldn’t ignore their capacity to become permanent fixtures of a surveillance apparatus.
“This isn’t to say that I’m not about making sure that everyone is safe and healthy and has access to good medical care,” Shah said of technological health tools. “But we know these inequities exist, and yet we think the data is going to bring us to a different place?” | https://onezero.medium.com/coronavirus-disproportionately-hurts-minorities-so-could-contact-tracing-b0e6263bb47b | ['Sarah Emerson'] | 2020-04-17 05:31:00.889000+00:00 | ['Apple Google Collab', 'Contact Tracing', 'Equality', 'Coronavirus', 'Surveillance'] |
The Loudest Sound Ever Recorded | The Loudest Sound Ever Recorded
It was heard nearly 3,000 miles away and the shock wave circled the globe three times
Throughout the day on August 27th, 1883, people around the Pacific would look up to the sky and scratch their heads. Their eyes saw blue skies, fluffy white clouds and no signs of rain and yet they heard thunder. In Australia, people remarked that the army or navy must have been doing drills out of sight because the sound of cannon fire and gunfire could be heard intermittently in places such as Perth. Men on ships looked around frantically for signs of storm or foe but saw nothing.
What had been mistaken for thunder and cannon calls was the distant rumble of the loudest sound ever recorded making its way around the globe.
Sound and Fury
Depiction of the sky after the eruption of Krakatoa. (Public domain)
This remarkable sound was created by the ancient volcano Krakatoa. On August 27th, the mountain blew itself to pieces in one of the most violent geologic events in Earth’s history. What had been an island mountain rising over 2,600 feet above the waves of the Indonesian islands was reduced to nothing.
The combination of the powerful explosions that ripped through the volcano and the subsequent collapse of the rock into an undersea magma chamber resulted in the loudest sound ever recorded.
It clocked in at 310 decibels.
Frightening Context
Credit: OSHA (osha.gov)
The loudest sound ever created by humans, not by natural causes, was said to be the atomic bomb blasts over Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Those clocked in at around 250 decibels. NASA’s highest recorded decibel reading was 204 and that was the first stage of the Saturn V rocket.
310 decibels is loud enough to kill you. Ear drums rupture between 150 and 160 decibels. That means Krakatoa was exponentially higher on the decibel scale as a sound high enough to cause your ear drums to literally explode. A sound exponentially louder than anything likely to have been heard in thousands, perhaps millions of years.
The explosion was loud enough that this level of noise was recorded many miles away from the site of the blast. A sound of 174 decibels was recorded by barometers 100 miles from Krakatoa. That meant anyone within an 100 mile radius of Krakatoa had a chance of being literally deafened by this sound.
100 mile radius for context (Own creation)
Miles away farther still, the sound was recorded at the same level as an uncovered shotgun blast near your head.
And all the way in Australia, some 2,800 miles distant, an ocean away, it was reported as far off rifle or cannon fire.
That is roughly the same distance between Los Angeles and New York City. Imagine being on the street in Manhattan and hearing something that was occurring in downtown Los Angeles. It’s almost unbelievable. Almost.
Circling The Globe
Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash
Luckily, this event happened in a modern enough time that barometers and other atmospheric pressure sensors were prevalent all over the world. From heavy industry to ships at sea, the resulting shock wave was felt by all. In fact, all sound is is your eardrum detecting and interpreting aerial shock waves.
This sound was so loud that the shock wave was recorded moving around the globe. It circled the globe not once, not twice, but three times before petering out.
The force of the blast was so great, it was reported that an island less than ten miles from the volcano was devoid of all life. Three thousand natives were reportedly killed, most likely due to the force of the shock wave alone.
The sound alone killed them.
On this day, 137 years ago, the most destructive and terrible sound ever recorded was let loose by an unprecedented blast and circled the globe. Nature’s fury was on full display, a fury that humans have only dreamed of matching in their darkest dreams. | https://medium.com/exploring-history/the-loudest-sound-ever-recorded-c1927ef0de4d | ['Grant Piper'] | 2020-08-31 17:56:26.897000+00:00 | ['History', 'Science', 'World', 'This Day In History', 'Nature'] |
The Art of Re-Balancing Life and Priorities | Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
After my last relationship, I suddenly realized how much time I had in my day. To minimize some of those feelings of loneliness that inevitably pop up after a relationship ends, I re-focused my energy on activities that would elevate me as a person.
I came up with a strict publishing schedule, took on more freelance clients, started a new digital product for my business, worked out for approximately 2 hours per day, committed myself to read 1 book per week, and took on a writing practice every day.
My schedule was flooded from morning to evening with self-development activities, which were in addition to my pre-existing routine (ie. meditation, reading articles from various blogs, journaling, etc.). In retrospect, I can admit that it was a lot, but I was filling an empty void in my life.
This was also in the midst of COVID19 when I wasn’t able to see many friends or engage in social activities I normally would, which left me with an abundance of “me” time. I was out for an evening walk with my sister one night, and she said, “Em, you don’t have to spend all of your time on activities that are self-development focused; you can permit yourself to unwind. It’s okay to just watch a few episodes with RuPaul without updating your tax spreadsheet on the second screen simultaneously.”
Although I did agree with her sentiment, I also enjoyed pouring myself into activities where I was actively learning. I got a high off it and I really started to see the needle move in my work, finances, and physique. I started to see some success with my writing on Medium and even got a bit of publicity from one of my articles, which lead to a write-up by NBC. | https://medium.com/live-your-life-on-purpose/the-art-of-re-balancing-life-and-priorities-e21e201b75da | ['Emily Rudow'] | 2020-11-20 20:02:28.271000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Self Development', 'Mental Health', 'Self Improvement', 'Self Love'] |
https://medium.com/the-ascent/quiet-people-in-meetings-are-incredible-7bb05ef9acd1 Tim Denning: As a typically quiet person in meetings, I wholeheartedly agree. | Knowing when not to talk is an art.
Tim Denning:
It’s all bullshit. The meeting is a waste of time. No resolution is reached.
But it’s not all bad. Meetings have taught me one valuable lesson: watch the quiet people. | https://mgs.medium.com/quiet-people-change-the-world-because-they-hear-things-others-dont-d4477f7ccdff | ['M.G. Siegler'] | 2020-11-18 00:09:02.228000+00:00 | ['Life', 'Meetings', 'Work', 'Productivity'] |
Meet Camille Brunel, French Author and Animal Advocate | In 2016, went vegan. His first novel “La guérilla des animaux” (The Animal Guerrilla) was published in 2018. It’s a book that a reader will hardly put aside due to its breathtaking pace and its radical main character. The protagonist Isaac is a ferocious, radical vegan activist who undertakes an odyssey around the world to save wild animals in their natural habitats, while purposely killing hundreds and thousands of humans he considers harmful to animal wildlife.
The novel which Camille had been writing over several years was a surprising success for him as a relative newcomer: It has been sold almost 2.500 times, much more than he had expected.
Ironically, soon after the publication of his first novel, radical animal activists attacked butcher shops all over France and mostly destroyed shop windows — it was as if the dystopian way in which Camille’s fictional person carries out his activism had, on a smaller scale, become reality.
Regarding the state of our planet, Camille has a pessimist outlook similar to the one of his character Isaac: The mass extinction of animals and plants as well as global warming are alarming him. Nevertheless, the writer remains hopeful that people will realize the magnitude of the global crisis affecting all species. Numerous readers of his first novel have contacted him and told him it inspired them to follow a vegetarian or plant-based diet — or that they have even become activists.
Camille Brunel’s new novel “Les Métamorphoses” (plural of the word metamorphosis) will be published on August 27, amidst the corona pandemic. Guess what it’s about even though it has been written in the summer of 2019: a global pandemic. The female main character Isis observes the gradual transformation of all her human friends and relatives into animals and has to live with it. The French author wanted to show what an unexpected pandemic would do to peoples’ lives and didn’t expect a worldwide pandemic to affect humanity even before the publication of his novel.
“My strategy [as a writer] is to prepare humanity for the worst-case scenario.”
When COVID-19 hit his home country in March of 2020, Camille picked up his manuscript again and included elements from the actual lock-down situation which he experienced.
Another driving force for his literature is to refute the idea that animals obey their instincts more than humans do. “Every animal is a non-human person” was a crucial realization for him. “Every one of them has emotions, feelings, memory and the ability to communicate.”
The cover of Camille Brunel’s new novel for young adults
“I prefer to speak about the animal advocacy movement instead of the vegan movement. […] The word ‘veganism’ makes people think of a lifestyle. To me, animal activism is a matter of justice — combat for equality.”
His second publication of the year, planned for September 16, is called “Après nous, les animaux” (After us the animals), a novel for young adults in which all humans have died out. The title refers to the French expression “Après nous, le déluge” (After us the flood) meaning “complete indifference to what may happen when one is gone” (definition from the Oxford Dictionary). The scene is set several decades in the future, in 2086, where the only remaining animals on earth are stranded on the Mexican coast. Camille wanted to depict an imaginary world without humans, in which animals are the focal point of the storyline. | https://medium.com/illumination-curated/portait-of-camille-brunel-22309ad10b50 | ['Annika Wappelhorst'] | 2020-09-07 12:24:23.852000+00:00 | ['France', 'Authors', 'Portraits', 'Animals', 'Vegan'] |
Why Millennial Men Don’t Go to Therapy | Why Millennial Men Don’t Go to Therapy
The most depressed generation won’t get help despite having more access than ever before
About eight years ago, Eugene was in the midst of transferring colleges when he noticed how his mood sagged, seemingly at random times, triggered by the smallest things. He had spent the previous two years at a California State University “smoking, drinking and playing computer games” before realizing that he was treading water and wasting time. He felt envy toward friends who had a career path, but also contempt for other students who were either coasting or were just plain dumb.
Eventually, Eugene dropped out of school, aiming to transfer to a more prestigious private university. But over the next few months, daily routines like pulling himself out of bed and getting dressed loomed over him with daunting effect. “I just didn’t feel great,” he says. “Everything looked bad, and I couldn’t shake it. Then you wake up one day and think things like, Why don’t I just fucking kill myself? That made me step back, and wonder what was really wrong.”
It took conversations with a therapist for Eugene to realize that changing schools was more of a bandage than a solution to his slump. Sometimes he’d lay awake at night, wondering if a millennial hitting his prime in a post-recession economy could ever achieve real, lasting success — or what that success even looked like. He also mulled over his new diagnosis of chronic depression, which needed to be managed with medication and more talk therapy.
Eugene, a Korean-American, felt especially lucky that his mother was “very liberal” about accepting his struggles. “What’s really harmful in my case is that we as Asian-Americans are taught that it’s not mental illness, it’s just a normative challenge in life. And in Eastern Asian culture, the idea of functional mental illness isn’t really a thing. It’s called ‘get over it,’” he says.
“At the same time,” he muses, “how do I fix this problem? It’s a product of culture.”
It’s a question the entire millennial generation, defined roughly as those born between the early 1980s and early 2000s (currently 18 to 35 years of age), is grappling with. Search the web for information on millennials and mental health and the headlines flow forth: “A Generation on Edge”; “Why Millennials Are Struggling with Mental Health at Work”; “Millennials are Facing a Mental Health Crisis, and It Was Entirely Preventable”; “Millennials and How They’re Helping Destigmatize Mental Illness”; and even “How Memes Taught Millennials to Talk About Mental Health.”
More formal research paints a similar picture, especially for millennials navigating the muddy waters of college. Between 2009 and 2015, enrollment in U.S. colleges grew an average of 6 percent, but saw a roughly 30 percent increase in the number of students visiting counseling centers, according to the Center of Collegiate Mental Health. Last year, a major survey of 63,000 students at 92 schools found that almost 40 percent of respondents felt so depressed that it was “difficult to function”; 61 percent said they felt at least one instance of “overwhelming anxiety” in the prior year, per the American College Health Association.
A patchwork of issues is contributing to the generation’s anxiety, though it’s hard to pinpoint the driving force. Is it a fast-paced modern lifestyle? Shifts in parenting styles? The peaks and valleys of an unpredictable economy? Anxieties about student debt and not being able to afford a home? Being the first generation to grow up with the internet and the toxic culture of social media? A debilitating addiction to avocado toast, rosé or all things pink?
On one hand, there’s nothing new about young adults struggling: The expert consensus suggests that this age group is hit with higher rates of stress and self-questioning in every generation, not just millennials. But the difference here is that there’s also growing evidence that millennials are suffering from higher-than-usual rates of mental health disorders, with some major factors unique to the culture and lifestyle of the 2000s, according to Morley Winograd, author of Millennial Momentum: How a New Generation Is Remaking America and a professor at the University of Southern California.
“The ‘snowflake’ insult is a creation of Fox News and the like, but because of the way millennials were raised, with support and attention from helicopter parents who have worked to build kids’ self-esteem, they haven’t encountered as many difficulties in life, broadly speaking. This doesn’t make them any less resilient. Remember, the GI generation was called ‘mama’s boys’ at the start of World War II,” he explains.
Regarding resiliency, a study released in January surveyed 40,000 American, Canadian and British college students and found that millennials are suffering from “multidimensional perfectionism” in multiple channels of their lives, setting unrealistically high expectations and being hurt when they fall short. Researchers say the findings (published in the journal Psychological Bulletin) correlate with increasing rates of anxiety, depression and eating disorders in millennials, too.
“Millennials tend to be more isolationist,” says Reef Karim, who has seen a swell of young people walk through the doors of his Beverly Hills outpatient clinic The Control Center, where he and the staff help treat mental health and addiction issues. “They’re idealistic at the same time, but as much as they feel like they want to connect more through volunteerism, activism and social media, they tend to have less emotional armor. As great as social media is, in many ways, it’s almost preying on the vulnerabilities of some people in terms of creating perfectionistic behavior. And young people feel overburdened.”
For millennial men in particular, a major challenge is understanding that they’re suffering from disorders in the first place — and finding someone who can help shoulder the burden of their struggles. A major British study found that the odds of male “friendlessness” nearly triple between the early 20s and late middle age, with married men especially reporting that they don’t have a close friend to turn to for support outside of the home.
Meanwhile, professional therapists could fill an empty space for men who need to talk about what’s bothering them, but men are often reluctant to buy into the premise that a stranger can, or should, be trusted to fix their problems, Karim says. “The women we see tend to come in on their own accord, thinking, Hey, there’s something going on with me, so I’m gonna do an intake and see if I need help. Whereas a lot of the men are coming in because of their spouse, girlfriend or mom,” Karim says. “Someone else is generally convincing them to go. We definitely see a stigma playing out.”
Part of the problem is that parents often don’t talk to boys about mental-health struggles, and have difficulty with their own understanding of mental illness. A survey by the charity Age U.K. found that 70 percent of adults 55 years or older believe it’s harder for older people to discuss the topic because anxiety and depression weren’t recognized as illnesses when they were growing up. In fact, three-quarters of respondents said they were raised with a “stiff upper lip” attitude, and 22 percent said they feel talking about mental illness would only make it worse.
That silence definitely impacted Nick Muellerleile, 29, who struggled through high school and college before realizing that his lack of happiness and energy wasn’t a phase. Eventually, he booked an appointment with a psychiatrist. The diagnosis — clinical depression — surprised him at first. Then, as he walked through memories from years past, it clicked. He cringes while recalling some of the manic Facebook statuses he posted on his page as a younger man (“I thought I was keeping it together, but people must’ve known”) and surviving for so many years under the sagging weight of consistent unhappiness.
Talking about it, however, didn’t feel like much of an option. Only a chance encounter with some paperwork led him to open up to his parents: His father was sorting through bills when he noticed a medical charge for Muellerleile, who admitted it was from his psychiatrist. “He came across the room, shook his head, and told me, ‘Me too.’ It made things click in place, when I realized there’s a family history, but any time before that would’ve been a better time to tell me,” Muellerleile says. “He hadn’t been open about it at all. Looking back, I realized he had several pill bottles that I never bothered to investigate.”
Shawn, a 29-year-old in Seattle, also struggled to find a support system when he first began navigating big swells of anxiety about three years ago. He had coped with the feeling as a teen, but this was different — a strange and unsettling obsession over his future self, one that didn’t make any sense. He was secure in the fact that he is, by every account, a straight cisgender man. Yet like a shadow in the corner of his eye, Shawn couldn’t shake the sensation that one day he’d wake up, realize he was transgender and lose his hypothetical family and life. At work, at home, at play, the premonition lingered.
After several months of holding it in, Shawn began seeing a mental-health counselor for the first time and received a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. Today, he lives with the understanding that his episodes can be managed. Finding consistent support from his social circle, however, proved more elusive, even though Shawn tried to practice being more open to his male friends in particular. “I’ve been lucky to have some super receptive male friends, but others, I can’t tell if they’re uninterested or if they feel gross talking about it,” he says. “I think the issues revolve around my identity as a man. I’ve never had any doubts about my maleness. But the question of man-ness is…”
He gathers his thoughts.
“I enjoy things and experience emotions that are described in society as feminine, but they’re big parts of my personality,” he continues. “If I suppress those things, does that make me more of a man?”
A major social debate among millennials about gender, including the idea that it isn’t a binary decided solely by our sex birth, is changing the way we define what a man is, and what, if any, traits are “masculine.” But “manhood” remains an elusive goal that men feel pressure to achieve, however they define it, with research suggesting that the inability to capture it leads to aggressive and stress-ridden responses.
Satya Doyle Byock, a Portland, Ore.-based psychotherapist who exclusively treats millennials at her practice Quarter-Life Counseling, has seen a heavy current of disillusionment in her patients, including men who feel lost in their careers and personal lives. Some may seek help after feeling suicidal thoughts or a panic attack, but many more choose to co-exist with a simmering unease they can’t ignore.
“The mid-life crisis, what used to happen in the late 30s or 40s, is happening earlier for young people today,” she explains. “The breakdown often has to do with the question of one’s ‘unlived life,’ and young people are coming to the conclusion that something about society doesn’t work. The problems might be in dating, binge drinking, anxiety or depression, but those things usually have a larger question underneath them.”
One of Byock’s theories is that while older generations often used religious services or intimate community gatherings to reflect on their lives, many of those meditative spaces have been removed from modern life. “Even churches are more like mega-churches now, not for quiet thought,” she says. “It’s created a gaping hole where young people need something to find nourishment.”
They’re not finding it at the office either. Specifically, work-life balance has become harder for a cohort of millennials who matured into the workforce during the dregs of the Great Recession, with shiny college degrees in hand but few employers to court them. More than 50 percent of college students graduated with a job offer in hand in 2007. That number fell to less than 20 percent two years later. And those who did get jobs saw lower starting salaries, with a 2010 study showing that a 1 percent increase in unemployment in a given year meant a 6 to 8 percent drop in starting salary for a college graduate, impacting lifetime savings and benefits. “This cohort of millennials that graduated amid the recession, in the worst of the job market, we’ve got this idea to work so much harder to make up all that was lost,” says Muellerleile.
There’s at least some solace in the fact that millennials are seeing this experience reflected in pop culture. TV shows as diverse as This Is Us, BoJack Horseman, You’re the Worst and even Saturday Night Live have rendered mental-health crises in a stark, heartbreaking and cathartic fashion.
And depression memes are a major currency on social media, with relatable punchlines that poke fun at the hardship. Plus, an increase in resources on campuses and in some workplaces has made it easier to find convenient venues for help. Even the pharmaceutical industry has jumped on an awareness boost, marketing more medications that make it easier to manage moderate and severe disorders.
Yet the question of whether this shift has encouraged more millennial men in particular to seek and stick with professional help remains up in the air. Byock stresses that both men and women are negatively impacted by their interpretation of traditional gender roles, but says, “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done to normalize emotional work for men and women, but definitely more men. We’ve trained society to think women are more emotionally equipped, but we’re also training our boys to lack emotional language. Men and boys have a deep desire to be emotionally intimate, but they don’t have permission. The women in their lives might not think they can go to those intimate places because of how they’ve been trained to think about men.”
The early history of psychotherapy and mental institutions in America created and perpetuated these stigmas. Over the course of the mid- and late-19th century, men committed thousands of women who they deemed “crazy,” with research showing that they were diagnosed as insane for minor faults like “religious excitement,” or inexplicably, “suppressed menstruation.” The power imbalance lasted into the 20th century, and contributed to many men viewing psychotherapy as a sign of weakness.
Cultural differences impact the way people view emotional intimacy and mental health counseling, too, pushing some men even further from the help they need. African-American men, for instance, are 20 percent more likely to report serious psychological distress than white men, but consistently more apprehensive about seeking professional help, according to the nonprofit Mental Health America. Asian Americans also suffer from stigmas about treating mental health issues, despite elevated rates of suicidal ideation — nearly 19 percent of Asian-American high school students report considering suicide, with almost 11 percent actually attempting it, which is significantly more than white students (15.5 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively).
That’s a big factor in why Eugene didn’t want his real name used for this story. “I don’t want my mom to deal with the shame of her son’s mental health being in a fucking feature story,” he says with a short laugh. It also explains why, despite preventative mental health being covered by insurance more than ever in the U.S., men still choose to cope on their own. Case in point: A 2016 study found that women are more likely to accept clinical treatment for mental disorders — and to see greater improvement at the end of their treatment — than male clients. “You feel these kinds of rules that you’re a man, so you need to be able to get through these problems yourself. Especially in America, we value independence and overcoming adversity, even though it really takes a village in reality,” Eugene says.
Today, Eugene admits he’s “pretty shitty” about seeing his therapist on a regular basis, but he’s accepted that when things go south, at least there’s a person he can — and should — call. Otherwise: “You don’t wanna look like something is off, so you keep it to yourself,” he muses. “There’s still a shame and a silence. That’s what somehow needs to change.”
Eddie Kim is a staff writer at MEL. He last attempted to fight a robot faster than Floyd Mayweather.
Most popular stories on MEL: | https://medium.com/mel-magazine/why-millennial-men-dont-go-to-therapy-e6c377a78be3 | ['Eddie Kim'] | 2018-05-14 22:36:07.397000+00:00 | ['Mental Health', 'Pyschology', 'Therapy', 'Millennials', 'Depression'] |
A Caffeine Withdrawal Timeline | My Timeline
Two weeks before quitting:
I started tapering down my caffeine use two weeks before quitting entirely. My first step was to eliminate all the soda from my diet, leaving just coffee. This step went remarkably smoothly.
Even though I had been drinking four or more sodas most days, I didn’t miss them anywhere near as much as I expected to. There were a few times that I went to the fridge, forgetting that there were no sodas there. But, I didn’t have intense cravings.
Over the following week I still drank between 3 and 4 cups of coffee a day, and my sleep already started getting much better.
Four days before quitting:
With four days to go before quitting, I reduced my coffee to two cups a day, followed by one cup a day for the final two days.
It was during this period that I started to experience the first symptoms of withdrawal. I got mild headaches, and felt a tiny bit of confusion. Neither were serious enough to interfere with my daily life.
I did start getting much more intense cravings during the last two days. Each of those days I had my one cup of coffee as soon as I woke up, and I spent much of the rest of the day thinking about another. On the very last day, it took a lot of effort to talk myself out of having a second cup.
My first day caffeine free:
My first day caffeine free went easier than expected. I had a headache for much of the day, but taking ibuprofen was enough to make it manageable.
I also felt dehydrated for much of the day, and made sure to drink tons of water.
I actually craved coffee less on this day than on the previous days. I think it can be easier to cut something out completely than to limit myself to just a little.
Days 2 and 3
The following two days were really just more of the same. A bad headache, some confusion, and feeling dehydrated despite drinking a lot of water.
Day 4
On my fourth day caffeine free, my headache and confusion had disappeared.
This was also the first day where I started to really notice my anxiety improving. This day was definitely my turning point where I started to feel really great about having quit caffeine.
Days 5 through 13
Although my sleep had initially gotten better while tapering, it suddenly got much worse again around day five. Fortunately, it’s slowly gotten better ever since. The trouble sleeping is the only remaining withdrawal symptom that I experienced past day four.
Despite my trouble sleeping, my energy levels during the day feel pretty normal. I worried that I’d constantly feel groggy without caffeine, but I haven’t experienced that at all.
Meanwhile, my anxiety levels have still remained incredibly low. I’ve struggled with anxiety for much of my life, and I really don’t remember the last time that I had a stretch with so little worrying.
Overall, the withdrawal process wasn’t bad at all. Two weeks out, I’m feeling great and I’m extremely glad I made the decision to quit caffeine. | https://medium.com/mental-health-and-addictions-community/a-caffeine-withdrawal-timeline-a10812f923df | ['Benya Clark'] | 2020-01-14 22:54:37.840000+00:00 | ['Addiction', 'Mental Health', 'Diet', 'Lifestyle', 'Anxiety'] |
Idea Blood | Photo by Chaozzy Lin on Unsplash
A spatter a flowering
but not on cement
Just on breaking something with
gray matter
Grab the tweezers & rush up
to the bathroom
afterwards to lay the
sheet down on the floor
in case the idea blood goes too far
On the whimsy of the second
instance in which you called
me something I cannot repeat
I begin to forget
though I’m twisted & hating this
While I’m sure
there is a picture of me that
I will like
somewhere but you’re still not
the one finding it
or the one taking your clothes off
in my room
Finding the sacrifice all over
again
we concern ourselves with finding
the one who stabbed
this idea
You can say it never happened
but you can try something
sometime & sometimes
there is an utter failure to find
the thing that I like here | https://medium.com/scrittura/idea-blood-bbb50edac722 | ['J.D. Harms'] | 2019-11-09 15:31:26.741000+00:00 | ['Image', 'Writing', 'Editing', 'Poetry', 'Violence'] |
The Latest: Moderna’s vaccine is *thisclose* | Dear Reader,
I’m thrilled to end the week with more exciting news: The United States will likely have a second approved Covid-19 vaccine very soon. A panel of medical experts advising the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted in favor of approving Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use yesterday. The FDA is expected to follow that advice any moment now.
Here are three stories on the Moderna vaccine:
💉 A Second Covid-19 Vaccine Is Slated for Approval. How Does It Differ From the First One?
💉 Does the Moderna Vaccine Prevent Transmission?
💉 What to Know About Serious Adverse Effects and Deaths in the Moderna Vaccine Data
This emergency approval would greatly increase the number of people who can be vaccinated against Covid-19. It couldn’t come at a better time — the U.S. is continuing to battle rising cases and hospitalizations. Thank goodness for science.
Follow our Medium Coronavirus Blog for regular updates, and read some of the essential stories we’ve curated below.
Be well,
Alexandra Sifferlin
Editor, Medium Coronavirus Blog
Was this email forwarded to you by a friend? Sign up to receive regular updates from our Coronavirus Team in your inbox.
Sign up here 📩
What we’re talking about on the Blog:
Consider using Covid-19 exposure apps. As my colleague Yasmin Tayag reports, apps that tell you when you’ve been exposed to someone with Covid-19 could be very helpful — if people use them. While contact tracing is supposed to help identify people at risk for Covid-19, there’s no way to locate strangers people come in contact with at places like the grocery store or bank. Bluetooth-based apps allow phones to communicate with other phones they come into contact with; if one user has logged a positive test result, the other will be notified. Many people avoid the apps’ use for privacy reasons, but Tayag offers a compelling case for embracing them. Read her take here.
What the descendants of a Tuskegee Syphilis Study survivor have to say about Covid-19. ZORA editor Morgan Jerkins spoke with two descendants of one of the 600 Black men who were unknowingly a part of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, a United States Public Health Service (USPHS) project that left hundreds of men untreated for the disease and misled about the purpose of the study. The interview, in Jerkins’ words, is to “bridge the gap between the past and present and underscore the nuances across Black American anxieties, the legacy of experimentation on marginalized people, and the current global pandemic.” Read the full interview, which includes insights on the Covid-19 vaccine.
A fast vaccine can still be a good vaccine. Chana Davis, PhD, a genetics scientist, has written a thorough piece explaining the Covid-19 vaccine timeline and why a fast vaccine does not mean a risky vaccine. “Covid-19 vaccines are required to clear all the same hurdles as past vaccines in order to gain regulatory approval,” she writes. “Their compressed timelines do not reflect less rigorous testing; they reflect the fact that Covid-19 vaccine development was an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ global priority.” Read her full explainer.
A few more smart reads:
When Can We Stop Wearing Masks?
A Vaccine Has Arrived and the U.S. Is Still Screwing Up
Is Germany Losing the Fight Against the Winter Surge?
Covid Casualties That Will Haunt Us Forever
4 Stories for Understanding the Latest Covid-19 Science
After Receiving the Covid Vaccine Tuesday, Here’s One Issue to Consider | https://coronavirus.medium.com/the-latest-modernas-vaccine-is-thisclose-4b8a390f4d6d | ['Alexandra Sifferlin'] | 2020-12-18 15:29:59.841000+00:00 | ['Covid 19', 'Coronavirus'] |
Magical Waters | Magical Waters
An Unexpected Love Journey of the Mind
Photo by Jordan Heath on Unsplash
Submerged, my body warm and gently swaying with the rise and fall of the water, a cleansing ritual have left my mind, emotions and heart open. I am raw. A January illness and depression have diminished my frame and my bones strain against the porcelain. Folding washcloths, I pad my derriere in fear my hard-fired clay bones will crack under the pressure. Floating, I drift in and out of my emotions and murky thoughts. I flick the tub stopper with my toe. Like a switch, memories of my nephew Eddie burst through me and he is four again.
Stationed off the coast of Dubai, my sister Liz was serving on a medical ship during the Gulf War. Three years older than me, our lives were similar and yet very different. We grew up in a small upstate New York country town and spent our time strategizing how to not get stuck there. A military career provided this and the opportunities for training, travel, and financial stability, making it a top option. Prior, the persuasion of traditional marriage and family led to my sister’s pregnancy, divorce, and single motherhood soon after.
I guided her throughout her pregnancy and delivery of a lanky, black-haired, and walnut-skinned boy. When the war began Eddie became mine and I, his sub-mother, a single mother as she had been. Born deaf, Eddie and I learned sign language together and composed our own private communication. Physically unbalanced from his hearing disability, gravity battled him to walk and when achieved, it was affectionately labeled the “duck walk.” Feet pointing outward in a v-shape, he clomped heel to toe to propel himself forward. On sunny days we walked to strengthen his legs and collected objects from the ground, mostly garbage and cigarette butts filled his pockets.
Our days concluded with his long bath that would last close to an hour. The ritual was to let the water drain until every drop had found its way to the duct from beneath his slight form. I watched him, eyes closed, plumed black eyelashes glistening, the water lowering and his body softly descending until it laid flat upon the tub floor. Smiling, he opened his eyes, and emitting from his face was pure rapture as I wrapped him in a towel. Floating liberating him from the unseen force.
Gurgling, I rouse to the decreasing water exposing my skin and the sensation of the cool air pricking its surface, carving out the space around and within me. Sinking, my protruding bones — shoulder blades, backbone, and tailbone — press hard against the bottom. Lower and lower, releasing my head and the sound in my ears. Like a finger, the water traces the edges of my skin, a sensation of being cross-sectioned, sliced, filleted. My weightlessness dissolved, Eddie’s smile and the memory of his rite fill me. Opening my eyes, my body fully exposed, the last of the water pooling in the deep channels of my groin. I stand, wrap myself in a towel, tears marking my cheeks, now understanding the floating, the need to be released. | https://medium.com/inspired-writer/magical-waters-a783ce2f6faa | ['Lee Labier'] | 2020-12-01 20:24:22.202000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Meditation', 'Nonfiction', 'Self', 'Family'] |
March 10: The Tibetan National Uprising Day | March 10: The Tibetan National Uprising Day
How a story of a minority among minority is a global concern
I think I am speaking for the majority of Tibetans — or at least to me when I say that March 10 of every year, brings me a generational pain — a pain of my grandfather who starved to death in a prison for being a Tibetan, a pain of my mother who was looted of all her property and was forced to beg for food, and my own story of family separation. I think there’s not a single Tibetan family who does not share a story like mine or even worse.
On March 10,1959, thousands of Tibetans took to the streets in opposition to the illegal occupation of Tibet by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC used their military forces to kill 87,000 civilians that day. Seven days after the protest, His Holiness the Dalai Lama escaped to India. Since then March 10 has been known as Tibetan National Uprising Day.
Photo by Simon Fitall on Unsplash
Every year, on March 10, Tibetans in New York rally around Time Square, the Chinese Embassy, and they end with a candlelight vigil in Jackson Heights, Queens. We wave our bright national flag, wear our traditional dresses, and chant slogans such as Human rights in Tibet, United Nation Stand Up for Tibet, and many others. In those moments of our peaceful, yet the heightened intensity of soaking in this collective energy of solidarity, resilience, and pain — it’s not uncommon to see protesters cry. I have on multiple occasions. For many Tibetans and its supporters, this isn’t their first or 10th time, we have commemorated March 10 for 60 years now.
For many Tibetans and its supporters, this isn’t their first or 10th time, we have commemorated March 10 for 60 years now.
The reason I called Tibet: A story of a minority among minority is that Tibetans within Tibet are a minority — and Tibetans across the globe are a minority too. In 2016, the National Bureau of Statistics of China reported the population of Tibet to be 3,310,000 with an area of 1.22 million sq km. Tibet also called as Xizang in Chinese is considered among the other minority ethnic groups such as Uyghurs(Xinjiang in Chinese). About 122,078 Tibetans live in exile across Asia, Europe, North America, and other places. To give you a perspective, New York has approximately 19,542,209 residents according to Census Bureau.
The reason I called Tibet: A story of a minority among minority is that Tibetans within Tibet are a minority — and Tibetans across the globe is a minority too
One might ask: you guys are a minority; I get it but what do I have to do with it? The answer is one word: Environment. Tibet is the largest source of freshwater in Asia, serving over a billion lives from the 46,000 glaciers. Hence, Tibet is also called “Asia’s water tower” and “the third pole.”The uninhibited exploitation of natural resources including mining, and damming major downstream rivers such as Mekong river and Brahmaputra tributaries has caused rising concern among environmentalists. In fueling the economic power by mining, around 1.5–2 million Tibetan nomads were deprived of their century-old livelihood, forcing them to flee to India to escape financial hardship. The implications of disrupting the ecosystem in Tibet, expand not only within Asia but also Europe, North America, and Australia. Tibet has been cited as a “large contributor to the rise of global sea levels”. There’s also scientific speculation whether “Tibetan Glacial Ice Core May Hold Clues About Climate Change.”
One might ask: you guys are a minority; I get it but what do I have to do with it? The answer is one word: Environment.
His Holiness, the Dalai Lama had asserted his environmental stance saying, “This is not a question of one nation or two nations. This is a question of humanity. Our world is our home”.
Source: Freetibet.org
Aside from the environmental issue, the story of Tibet, broadly speaking has two versions of “truth”: Tibetans like me and a large number of non-Tibetans across the world, and the second one, is through the lens of the Chinese in China. A writer name Peter Hessler has published an article on The Atlantic, titled Tibet Through Chinese Eyes. In his article he wrote, “ From the Chinese perspective, Tibet has always been a part of China. This is, of course, a simplistic and inaccurate view, but Tibetan history is so muddled that one can see in it what one wishes. The Chinese can ignore some periods and point to others; they can cite the year 1792, when the Qing Emperor sent a Chinese army to help the Tibetans drive out the invading Nepalese, or explain that from 1728 to 1912 there were Qing ambans, imperial administrators, stationed in Lhasa.”
The Chinese-born writer Jianglin Li explained on The New York Times, “the roots of Tibetan unrest in China’s occupation of Tibet”. She says, “ Like everyone in China, I was raised on the party line. I never thought to question it until I came to the U.S. for graduate study in 1988 and discovered how differently people here think of Tibet.”
Probably, the strongest justification offered by PRC for their annexation of Tibet was that it was materially backward with 95% of the Tibetan population being “serfs” in a feudal system. American anthropologists like Franz Michael and Beatrice Miller, who extensively researched on Tibet pre-1959 believe that the word, “serf” is a politically motivated term. They explained that the word “commoner” or “subject” are a more accurate representation of Tibetan before the annexation than the word “serf.” They said, “ because of ample evidence that a large number of Tibetans were able to moderate their obligations to their lords by paying off some of their dues, and so could move from place to place.”
Another scholar, W. M Coleman also added that in reality, the Tibetans had more freedom than appears in the documents, and that “Tibetans could equally well be described simply as peasants with particular kinds of debts and taxation responsibilities, rather than using a politically and morally loaded term such as serf. “
So is it true that Chairman Mao, a founder of the PRC out of the goodness of his heart wanted to “liberate” Tibetan “serfs” –the same man who sits in the history of mankind as “the greatest mass murderer “?
After 60 years of occupation, how liberated are Tibetans today?
Over 100 Tibetans self-immolated as of December 10, 2018. A publication called Storm in the Grasslands: Self-immolations in Tibet and Chinese policy reported the motivation of self-immolators. Based on their statements and the last conversation, they reject the current state of repressive policies set against fellow Tibetans, protection of Tibetan cultural identity, freedom of self-determination, and to allow the return of the Dalai Lama.
All in all, it’s up to you whether my story of a minority among minority moves you to think or act in any shape or form.
Meanwhile, I will be on the street on March 10, 2019 with my fellow pro-justice, and pro-environmentalist fighters. I hope you can join us too. | https://health-cyberpolicy.medium.com/march-10-the-tibetan-national-uprising-day-9e63ed7bb216 | ['Rinzin Wangmo'] | 2019-12-23 04:29:18.967000+00:00 | ['Politics', 'Protest', 'Tibet', 'Environment', 'Uighurs'] |
e-Suites. Una idea innovadora para viajar mientras trabajas. | Sign up for Design news
By UX Planet
Get the latest news from the world of UX design Take a look | https://uxplanet.org/e-suites-la-mejor-forma-de-viajar-mientras-trabajas-2cf47044d8d6 | ['Silvia Rodriguez Iza'] | 2020-09-29 09:55:03.113000+00:00 | ['UI', 'UX', 'Lean UX', 'Startup', 'Español'] |
Falling Into Place | “How do I style :hover when using Styled Components?” and bonus: “How do I style a different object/multiple objects on hover?” 💅
So this was a question I wanted an answer to literally 2 minutes before it was our time to demo last week. Lucky me it was so easy to apply! 😅 You basically add it to your existing component styling by writing &:hover + {}, which means apply this styling to current component, but only when its :hovered. And the bonus function? How to style multiple div-buttons. (If you hover the button-wrapper, target all objects within that, and modify them too!)
▸ Read more on it 👉 here.
“… and media queries?”
Media queries are as easy as above mentioned technique. It’s basically the same.
▸ Read more 👉 here.
“How do I take an objects own height/width into consideration when positioning it?”
I wanted to put a fixed button at top: 50%, minus half of its own height to center it completely. Turns out you can’t get the objects own height measurement in css, but what you can do is work around it with transform: translate X or Y, depending on direction. [TranslateY(-50%)] moves your item up 50% of its height, in other words, centering it vertically. Meaning you don’t need to mess around with [top: calc(50% - xxx px)].
▸ Read full discussion on StackOverflow 👉 here.
“How do I animate/fade in/out conditionally rendered components?”
This seems to be among the harder things to style when working with React. A library called React Spring has a lot of options on how to work with animations in general, and useTransition is one of them. Working with it seems a little messy, but these links below have I found helpful. 😊
▸ Read React Spring’s documentation on useTransition 👉 here.
▸ Read css-tricks guide on it 👉 here.
▸ Play around in Css-tricks’s sandbox 👉 here.
“How do I delay content so that my loading animation will be seen for a bit longer?”
Just came across this nifty hook called useTimeout, which lets you set a delay of your choice to any function simply by writing a snippet pretty much identical to useEffect, and add a variable value at the end to setup the delay.
▸ Read more 👉 here. (Bonus: In the same post you can read about useInterval — how to execute a function on set interval 🤩) | https://medium.com/swlh/falling-into-place-9a0c29c17c21 | ['Karin Nordkvist'] | 2020-12-09 16:50:36.637000+00:00 | ['React', 'Redux Thunk', 'API', 'CSS', 'Redux'] |
Lohanthony, Soft Conversion Therapy, and Alana Chen’s Suicide | Christian conversion therapy started hardcore
As LGBTQ acceptance became more and more ordinary in the latter part of the twentieth century, conservative Christian institutions responded by offering techniques to help LGBTQ people of faith reconcile spiritual dissonance by turning themselves straight. By the late 1980s and early 90s, Christian “reparative” or conversion therapy had become very popular, with leaders like Alan Chambers claiming a combination of spiritual counseling and psychological techniques had proven highly effective.
By that time, however, mental health professional associations in North America were already warning that conversion therapy was ineffective and intensely harmful. Predictably, therefore, the rise of the Christian conversion therapy movement led to tragic outcomes. Many LGBTQ Christians suffered intense harm, with extreme negative mental health outcomes running a gamut from depressive disorders to high rates of suicide.
In recent years, that “hard” conversion therapy movement has largely collapsed, its strongest proponents coming out as gay and admitting they were never able to change their own attractions or anyone else’s. Many high-profile leaders have apologized and now live openly with same-sex partners.
Softer forms of conversion therapy take over
The conservative-Christian response to the ex-gay collapse has not been to surrender and welcome LGBTQ people into the fold. Instead, many churches have rebranded their change efforts into softer forms of conversion therapy that make less explicit promises. One such soft movement, founded in part by minister and author Ed Shaw, calls itself “Christian Celibacy.”
But while Shaw and others promise spiritual joy and fulfillment to celibate LGBTQ people, actual results have been shown to be as negative and dangerous as hard conversion therapy. Depressive disorders and suicide risk remain high.
Celibacy and mental health among LGBTQ people
When Lohanthony brought the term Christian Celibacy into the mainstream, announcing to his million-plus subscribers that he is rejecting his sexual orientation in favor of a life without sex or romance, he linked being gay to negative outcomes like drug and alcohol abuse, sex addiction, and obsessions with money and public attention:
It’s no coincidence that through pursuing my same-sex attraction I was also addicted to alcohol, I was also addicted to weed, I was also trying hallucinogenics, I was also addicted to money, I was also addicted to views, I was addicted to attention.
In linking negative behaviors with being gay, Quintal echoed many of the false claims of the Christian Celibacy movement. Actual evidence, however, suggests that LGBTQ youth who enjoy family and social acceptance are as likely to be mentally healthy as their peers.
But what about explicit claims that Christian Celibacy often leads to happiness and fulfillment for people wired to form romantic attachments with people of the same gender? Evidence suggests those claims are wrong. Indeed, the opposite appears to be true.
What happens if the cross falls and crushes me?
One peer-reviewed study published in an APA journal found great peril waiting for lesbians and gay men in the so-called “Christian Celibacy” movement. For most of the LGBTQ participants in the study, attempting celibacy resulted in dissonance and “substantial” challenges that harmed their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
The APA paper, titled “What happens if the cross falls and crushes me,” concludes that the celibacy movement is misleading, rarely delivers the outcomes counselors promise, and often leads to depression and suicidal ideation.
Alana Chen: celibacy leads to suicide
Alana Chen was a teenager with a secret. She once wrote in her journal that she had a story to tell nobody would listen to. She was a lesbian who yearned to spend her life in a loving relationship with a woman. She was also a faithful Catholic who yearned to follow the teachings of her church.
Her dissonance led to her undoing.
Alana didn’t come out to her family, but as a teenager she confessed her same-sex attractions to her parish priest, who began a process of religious counseling Alana’s family knew nothing about. He asked her to keep it a secret from them, saying he was afraid they might accept her sexual orientation.
Alana and her family later described the counseling, which eventually involved many different practitioners, as conversion therapy — although the counselors involved reject that terminology. Everyone involved in the case, from a group of nuns who counseled her on celibacy, to a popular “hipster” priest who instructed her not to take communion until she conquered same-sex attraction, say they believed they were working in Alana’s best interest.
They taught her that a life of celibacy would be more joyful and rewarding than a life of “sin.”
Alana’s mental health problems first broke into the open in 2016, years after she began trying to suppress her sexuality. She revealed suicidal thoughts to her family and was admitted into a psychiatric hospital for treatment.
That’s when she told her mother she had spent years in secret counseling to suppress her strong desires for a life of human love and romantic companionship.
Alana’s mother was shocked and outraged. She says she would never have let Alana enter any form of conversion therapy if she’d known about it. She places the blame for her daughter’s depression and suicidal urges squarely on the counseling, saying Alana believed “she could never have a relationship with a woman, and it was killing her.”
The celibacy counseling eventually did kill Alana.
Her body was found at Gross Reservoir in Boulder County, Colorado on Dec. 9, 2019. She was 24 years old, and according to the National Catholic Reporter, her suicide “has focused attention on how religious institutions tackle sexuality in counseling sessions,” especially when the counseling teaches that homosexuality is wrong or sinful.
Despite negative outcomes , soft conversion therapy continues
Lohanthony’s recent endorsement of the Christian Celibacy movement is likely to win it even more converts. But like other forms of soft conversion therapy, Christian Celibacy offers a false promise to LGBTQ people.
For decades, religious leaders have been promising transgender and gay people that spiritual practices and psychological counseling can change who they are and lead to lives of joy. For decades, those promises have proven harmful for the vast majority of people who’ve bought into them.
Celibacy cannot “fix” what is not broken
Human beings almost universally crave romantic, sexually intimate relationships. We’re wired for it, created for it if you prefer the language of faith.
Christians have traditionally regarded celibacy as a rare spiritual gift reserved for a small minority of especially strong or blessed people. Imposing celibacy on the unwilling or unable has never been part of Christian tradition.
Imposing or encouraging celibacy on all LGBTQ Christians runs counter not only to the human condition but to ancient faith traditions that recognize the potential for harm. LGBTQ people are not broken. We’re ordinary human beings blessed with ordinary yearning for human intimacy.
Many Christians have come to understand that it’s not possible to “fix” what God has created. Many Christians have come to understand that trying to change the nature of LGBTQ people is harmful and counter to God’s plans.
Soft forms of conversion therapy like Christian Celibacy do great harm to a great number of people. I hope one day Anthony Quintal comes to understand that and apologizes for hurting people, the same way Alan Chambers has apologized.
In the meantime, Christian LGBTQ people and allies can help by working hard to spread the positive message that to be LGBTQ is to be fully and naturally human. Living and loving as we are leads to full and natural joy, just as God intends. | https://medium.com/james-finn/lohanthony-soft-conversion-therapy-and-alana-chens-suicide-6b58bd6755ca | ['James Finn'] | 2020-09-01 21:53:22.795000+00:00 | ['LGBTQ', 'Mental Health', 'Christianity', 'Equality', 'Religion'] |
Are We Biased Against Artificial Intelligence? | Imagine walking into a coffee shop, bar or a restaurant. You vaguely remember your last visit, and you definitely don’t remember what you ordered last time.
One of the staff members walks up to you and welcomes you by your name, asks whether you would like the same drink as you ordered last time, and offers you your preferred seat by the window.
You feel important. You rave about the customer service of this place and probably plan to visit soon.
What if, the staff member was a robot? Won’t you feel creepy that your information was stored in some hidden place? Won’t you feel an invasion of your privacy?
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
Why do we mistrust intelligent machines?
We don’t yet have robots roaming among us, but we have artificial intelligence infiltrating our lives through our smartphones and smart devices, more than we care to perceive
On the one hand, every tech giant serving us a Siri, Alexa or Cortana is assuring the highest level of privacy, while on the other, we are being bombarded with movies or TV shows scaring us of the impending doomsday where robots will take over the world. The shows are too numerous to list, but goes back decades. We can’t forget Skynet (Terminator, 1984), The Machines (The Matrix, 1999), or the HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968).
Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay
News of Alexa laughing randomly, spread chills throughout the world, and Facebook had to shut down AI robots after they started talking to each other. None of this reinforces our trust of machines.
Most of us encountered an imaginary villainous AI in cinemas, way before we interacted with actual AI such as Siri or Alexa on our smartphones.
The current generation will be better off but the onslaught of content showing AI taking over the world continues to be propagated on every streaming service out there, which ironically use AI to recommend these contents to you.
We must face our fears if we want to get the most out of technology — and we must conquer those fears if we want to get the best out of humanity — Gary Kasparov (watch the TED Talk)
Should we blindly trust machines?
Of course not. But we need to be careful about biases, which are often unconscious.
Conditioned biases imprinted in our minds over time, become unconscious.
Such unconscious biases play out every day as we interact with people around us. Discrimination often stems from such biases which are formed by years of conditioning.
Awareness is all we can strive for
Unconscious biases are hard to deal with because they are unconscious (obviously). All we can do is to become aware of the conditioning that is going on for decades and apply our judgement to the situation at hand.
Many people complain that they don’t understand modern technology and yet, they use it every day. Wouldn’t it be better to be armed with knowledge and make an informed decision about your privacy?
Electricity was modern technology in the 1880s
In 1882, Edison Electric Illuminating Company of New York introduced electric lights to parts of Manhattan. It took almost 50 years before electricity reached most households in the western world.
We don’t need to understand synchronous machines to use electricity safely. We know how to turn a light bulb or an appliance on or off, but we also know how dangerous electricity can be. As children, we learnt that we shouldn’t poke our fingers into a power socket. We also don’t go about pouring water on our bread toaster or dipping our hairdryers into our bathtubs.
Image by Bruno /Germany from Pixabay
AI is here to stay
We will all encounter AIs more and more in our daily lives. Sometimes directly (AI assistants) and sometimes indirectly (AI resume screening).
Here are some AIs we frequently interact with:
AI Assistants Social media feeds Internet searches Recommendations on streaming services such as Netflix Recommendations on online shopping sites such as Amazon
If we want to live in the modern world and enjoy the wonders of technology and entertainment, we don’t have much choice but to accept intelligent machines around us.
Soon we will have self-driving cars, and drones will deliver our online orders, whether we like it or not. | https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/are-we-biased-against-artificial-intelligence-7e0e265275c | ['Sudipto Chanda'] | 2020-10-30 07:52:11.966000+00:00 | ['Fear', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Intelligence', 'Unconcious Bias', 'Social Media'] |
How to Set the Default Configuration Properties for a Micronaut Library | How to Set the Default Configuration Properties for a Micronaut Library Vladimír Oraný Follow Feb 10 · 4 min read
Micronaut is a very extensible framework which allows you to easily create new libraries. Generally speaking, you can create a set of beans which will be injected into your application and ship them as a separate JAR. The problem may arise when you are also using configurations and you want to preset some default values. There is one recommended way — use default values in the configuration class. If you for any reason can't use this approach I will show you two other approaches — each of them must be used with caution.
Setting Default Values in Configuration Object
Setting default values in the configuration class or interface is the recommended way. If you use plain classes then you can simply set the default value as a default value of the fields.
@ConfigurationProperties("simple.two")
public class SimpleConfigurationTwo {
public String getFoo() {
return foo;
}
public void setFoo(String foo) {
this.foo = foo;
}
public String getBar() {
return bar;
}
public void setBar(String bar) {
this.bar = bar;
}
@NotBlank
private String foo = "FOO2";
private String bar;
}
There is a new option in Micronaut 1.3.x to create immutable configurations using interfaces. In that case, you need to use @Bindable annotation to set the default values.
@ConfigurationProperties("simple.one")
public interface SimpleConfigurationOne {
@NotBlank
@Bindable(defaultValue = "FOO1")
String getFoo();
String getBar();
}
You can override the defaults in your application.yml file: | https://medium.com/agorapulse-stories/how-to-set-the-default-configuration-properties-for-a-micronaut-library-8a7914ea2050 | ['Vladimír Oraný'] | 2020-02-10 13:02:32.547000+00:00 | ['Micronaut', 'Tech', 'Groovy', 'Java'] |
The Hoax that Inspired AI: The Mechanical Turk | Artificial Intelligence. These two words spark a variety of emotions in today’s culture. For many, they flicker fear: fear of lost jobs, greater dependence on technology, and even fears spurred by science-fiction films imagining a future of robot overlords. Some members of the population view artificial intelligence with hopeful anticipation. They envision a world of greater relaxation spent pursuing projects of cultural and artistic significance free from the more mundane aspects of life on earth. Whichever vision you prefer, AI has changed daily life and appears to be shaping life for generations to come.
Despite the plethora of views, most remain unaware of the hoax that inspired AI over 200 years ago.
As with all great stories, ours will begin in an 18th century palace. Empress Maria Theresa, ruler of Austria, appreciated a good magician. On frequent occasions, she invited only the best and brightest of the trade to entertain in her court. It was in Austria’s Schonbrunn Palace, in 1770, that yet another illusionist awed his observers. Yet, one audience member wasn’t impressed. Baron Wolfgang von Kempelen, an inventor specializing in physics, hydraulics, and mechanics, knew he could do better and he told the Empress so. Empress Maria gave the Baron six months to invent a device that could top any magician’s act (Garfinkel and Grunspan 36). Kempelen took the challenge, creating a device he claimed could beat any of the best human chess masters in the world (Garfinkel and Grunspan 36).
As a modern observer, let’s take a step back. Machines that play chess are not uncommon to us, but the year was 1770, and digital computers of complex operation had not yet been invented.
When Baron Wolfgang introduced his device, he convinced the world that the device could play chess and respond to an unpredictable human using only mechanical means.
His contraption used a variety of gears, pulleys, hydraulics, and a simple crank (“Meet the Mechanical Turk…”).
The device involved a desk of sorts, behind which sat a wooden man in oriential dress. Under the desk was housed all of the mechanics. Kempelen went to great lengths to illustrate that his device was true to his claim. He always began a performance by opening small doors in the desk showing the opponent his device’s inner workings, convincing them it was in fact operated solely by mechanical means (Walter, “The Mechanical Turk…”). Baron Wolfgang called his device the Automaton Chess Player (Eschner, “Debunking the Mechanical…”), later it came to be known as the “Mechanical Turk.”
Truth be told, the device impressed the Empress and baffled nearly every opponent it played.
The Mechanical Turk was good, almost too good.
Kempelen and its later owner, Johann Nepomuk Mälzel (Fourtane, “The Turk…”), took the Chess Player on a worldwide tour where it beat US ambassador Benjamin Franklin and poet Edgar Allen Poe (Garfinkel and Grunspan 36). Even Napoleon Bonaparte played the Mechanical Turk. He attempted a number of illegal moves and the Turk responded by moving the pieces back to their original locations. Eventually, the Turk had enough of Napoleon’s cheats and swept every piece from the board (Garfinkel and Grunspan 36).
The technology Kempelen claimed to have invented, “a thinking machine,” was unbelievable. As confused as many were, most refused to believe that the Mechanical Turk was truly operating by itself. Many believed that the device was operated by a human, but nobody could figure out how it was operated. A variety of theories abounded. Some believed that it was operated by thin wires and strong magnets from a distance, a trained monkey, or even evil spirits (“The Mechanical Turk: AI…”). Edgar Allen Poe personally believed that it worked via a small human who crawled into the body of the wooden Turk (Eschner, “Debunking the Mechanical…”).
Although the real operation of the Chess Player was a marvel of hidden engineering, it was indeed a hoax. A human operator was hidden inside the device. The Museum of Hoaxes reports on the real “magic:”
A series of sliding panels and a rolling chair allowed the automaton’s operator to hide while the interior of the machine was being displayed. The operator then controlled the Turk by means of a ‘pantograph’ device that synchronized his arm movements with those of the wooden Turk. Magnetic chess pieces allowed him to know what pieces were being moved on the board above his head (Museum of Hoaxes as quoted in Eschner, “Debunking the Mechanical…”).
After befuddling and confounding many around the world over the course of 84 years, the Mechanical Turk was lost during a fire in the Chinese Museum of Philadelphia in 1854 (Fourtane, “The Turk…”).
Although the chess playing Mechanical Turk was a hoax and an illusion, many were inspired by the idea.
Edgar Allen Poe was inspired to write his own hoax and detective stories, “most famously the Balloon-Hoax of 1844, in which he wrote a series of fictionalized newspaper articles about a three-day trans-Atlantic balloon flight” (Eschner, “Debunking the Mechanical…”).
One man, Charles Babbage, was also inspired by the Turk. Babbage was an early computer scientist, creating the Analytical Engine which was really the first general purpose computer (Walter, “The Mechanical Turk…”). Although quick to call the device a hoax — after he was beaten twice by the Mechanical Turk — he envisioned a future where a real device could beat a human chess player (Walter, “The Mechanical Turk…”).
His dream saw reality in 1997 when IBM’s Deep Blue computer beat world-chess master Garry Kasparov (Greenemeier, “20 Years after…”).
The Mechanical Turk wasn’t artificial intelligence, but it sparked the thought for the first time. What if a device could mimic human thought? What would that device do? How would that device function? These are questions still being answered today.
In 2005 Amazon honored the legacy of the Mechanical Turk, by naming its new service after the device that sparked artificial intelligence (Schwartz, “Untold History…”). As Amazon grew, it realized it needed mundane tasks completed that, strangely, could not be completed by a computer. Just like the Turk was operated by a human appearing as a mechanical device, Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (or mTurk for short) is using humans to accomplish tasks by mimicking the appearance of a computer. Amazon Founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, calls it “artificial artificial intelligence” (Schwartz, “Untold History…”). Human operators, any human on the Internet, can be paid to accomplish tasks via mTurk. To learn more about mTurk, visit Amazon’s website. However, if you think you’ve found a sweet new gig online, consider reading The Atlantic’s 2018 article.
The future of AI is still very much uncharted, but the research looks promising.
Already, AI is creating new kinds of data that offer life-altering insights into health and life on earth. AI is making cars and roads safer and allowing humans greater time to relax and pursue projects of interest and worldwide benefit. Given AI’s impact on our world and its promise for the future, we’ll be revisiting this topic significantly on our journey through the history of computers.
The Mechanical Turk was an elaborate hoax, yet it sparked inspiration for a new kind of technology that is still altering our world and lives. The Mechanical Turk is the eleventh major milestone in the history of computing.
More on the History of Computers: | https://medium.com/tech-is-a-tool/the-hoax-that-inspired-ai-the-mechanical-turk-2914ba2063bf | ['Benjamin Rhodes'] | 2020-06-06 13:31:01.164000+00:00 | ['Computer History', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Technology', 'History', 'Machine Learning'] |
Arturo Alva-Moreno Was World Trade Center Victim #2,754. Or Was He? | Arturo Alva-Moreno Was World Trade Center Victim #2,754. Or Was He?
His daughter is certain he died at the World Trade Center. But as far as the government is concerned, he never even existed
H er father said he worked at the top of the Tower, midway between the ground and the sky. So he must have been in there, somewhere, when the plane hit and the Tower vanished on September 11, 2001.
He wasn’t supposed to be there. Not really. He was an undocumented immigrant. He had no work permit. His papers were forged. But he was definitely there, right at the top. She was sure of it. Where else could he be?
She was 27 when her 47-year-old father died on live television. First, she scanned the screen for a third plane. Then she watched the Tower burn and buckle and break into pieces. There he went at 9:28:22 a.m. There went Arturo Alva-Moreno.
“At first, I thought it was a TV movie,” Laura Ariadne Alva Corrilla tells me. “Then I burst into tears. I lived with my husband in Mexico City. I turned to him and screamed, ‘My dad’s in there!’ I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”
Arturo had told her he washed dishes at Windows on the World, the fancy restaurant at One World Trade Center, up on the 106th floor. He made a few bucks an hour, but he sent cash to Mexico whenever he could. Then he’d call his family and bore them with tales from the Tower: Stories of men in suits and women with briefcases, and how he’d scrape their plates clean.
“Once he said, ‘You should see the steaks over here!’” Laura remembers. “In Mexico, the steaks are as thin as paper. In America, they’re thick and delicious and served with cooked vegetables.”
The cash stopped in the second week of September 2001, and there were no more stories from the restaurant at the top of the world. But there was another phone call. The man on the line was from the Mexican Consulate, the one opposite the Chrysler Building. Someone had found Arturo’s wallet in the rubble, hidden beneath the twisted metal and scattered debris. The call confirmed what Laura already knew: Her father died in the World Trade Center. “The man from the consulate described the wallet and the photos he kept inside,” she says. “There were pictures of my brothers, and one of me playing the piano.”
She says the rest happened quickly: The consulate allegedly contacted the New York City Police Department, who allegedly contacted the medical examiner’s office, who added Arturo’s name to the death toll. There was no body, but Arturo was definitely dead. The U.S. government told Laura so.
Arturo’s name is called at Ground Zero | Video credit: C-SPAN / Mayor of the City of New York
His name was read out on the six-month anniversary, and on the first, and on the second. Arturo Alva-Moreno, they said at every memorial ceremony. Arturo Alva-Moreno of Mexico City. For those first two years, he was everywhere: on CBS and FOX and ABC and Univision; on the news ticker in Times Square; on the commemorative banner at U2’s Super Bowl halftime show.
Then he was gone.
The chief medical examiner’s office couldn’t confirm Arturo’s death, or if he even lived in New York. They wanted proof — work records, an address, an identification card — but Laura didn’t have any. So the authorities removed his name from the roll call of the dead, and the media never mentioned him again.
This was the second time Laura had lost her father, and it hurt just as much the first. “It was absurd, really absurd,” she says. “They asked me if dad had a U.S. bank account and a Social Security number. But an illegal immigrant wouldn’t have those things. It was one obstacle after another.”
Arturo’s wallet? The consulate didn’t have it. Or the police department. “The only piece of evidence that existed just disappeared,” Laura says. “Somebody lost it, just like that.” (The Mexican Consulate didn’t respond to MEL’s request for comment. The New York Police Department said they wouldn’t have any record of a conversation about the wallet if it happened, and suggested MEL contact the medical examiner’s office, who have not responded as of press time.)
Laura could no longer prove Arturo was the person she said he was: an American hero, not through citizenship or accomplishment or greatness, but in death. “He deserves recognition,” she says. “He served the people of New York for years.”
Arturo in Mexico City | Photo credit: Laura Alva
“Sure, dad wasn’t supposed to be in the U.S.,” she continues. “But he didn’t hurt anyone. And he didn’t deserve to die like that. He was a good, hardworking man who loved his family very much. We were going to see him once he got his green card.”
Laura remains certain her father died in that plume of smoke. This she knows for sure. It’s the unknowns, however, that gnaw and fester and keep her awake at night. She doesn’t know how long it took. How painful it was. If he was thinking about her. Or if America even cares.
Hermosillo, Mexico, sits three time zones and a constellation away from Manhattan. On a dusty side street in the northland, a little up from the 24-hour liquor place, Daniel Padilla’s law practice spans the second floor of a concrete chunk. He checks his email every morning, wondering if the answer has come — the solution to a head-scratcher that plagues him: Where is Arturo Alva-Moreno?
Padilla, 46, remembers the call from Washington, D.C. It came after the man fell, the Towers sank, the embers cooled, and the streets were swept clean. The Department of Justice needed his help — “16 Mexicans were reported dead, but they only discovered 15 bodies,” he recalls.
And so, the conundrum of Victim Zero was born.
“Many Mexicans worked in the U.S. under a false name or with a fake ID, which made it difficult for their loved ones to claim them,” Padilla explains. They — the undocumented — worked menial jobs, had no Social Security numbers, got paid in cash, sacrificed their identities. Arturo was part of this underground labor force — one of the invisible, careful not to leave a paper trail. Now, the feds wanted proof he lived in New York — “A document with his name on it, or a witness,” Padilla remembers — or his family wouldn’t receive a death certificate.
Laura thinks Arturo left Mexico City in 1994, but it’s unclear how he crossed the border or which path he took north. “His family said he lived in Paramount, California, then moved to New York sometime before his death,” Padilla says. Nobody had an address for him, either: “Apparently, he lodged with a guy from El Salvador, but they didn’t know his name.”
Padilla was handed a Gordian knot that tangled with every tug. Determined to untie it, he got on a 2,600-mile flight. All he needed was a pay stub or a utility bill or a receipt. Evidence for the Department of Justice. For Laura.
“I’d never been to New York, but Arturo’s family needed my help,” he says, later telling me that he took on the case pro bono.
Padilla went to One Police Plaza, the police department’s headquarters, where he met a detective who, like him, sought something — anything — that belonged to the 16th Mexican. “I asked him if he’d found any of Arturo’s stuff in the rubble. He hadn’t. The police discovered thousands of things, but there was nothing with his name.”
Next, Padilla tracked down some survivors. Windows on the World was located in the North Tower, the taller tower, the second one to fall. Seventy-nine employees worked there on 9/11: dishwashers, pot cleaners and napkin folders. A few of them got out before the Tower came down.
Surely somebody remembers Arturo, Padilla thought.
He showed the survivors a photo of Arturo. It resembled the “I Want You…” poster, the one that recruited U.S. troops.
Photo credit: Laura Alva
Arturo wears a Yankee Doodle hat. Tufts of hair shoot out from beneath the brim. His ears are big. His eyebrows are thick. His goatee is thicker. He is staring. His fingers are outside of the frame, but perhaps he’s pointing.
The survivors stared back at the man in the hat. No one recognized him. No one had seen him before. “No one!” Padilla says.
He contacted Verizon, “who confirmed that the Alva family’s home phone never received a single call from New York. Not one.” He met with a Mexican consular officer, “who said that the family’s first attorney quit.” He talked to Asociación Tepeyac in Midtown, a nonprofit that helps the undocumented find work: “Nobody knew Arturo.”
Padilla (right) outside One Police Plaza, New York City | Photo credit: Daniel Padilla
Padilla chews over the few clues. “Maybe Arturo was living under a different name like many other illegal immigrants,” he says. “But maybe he didn’t live in New York. Maybe he didn’t die in the 9/11 attacks. Who knows! The family’s payment from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund could’ve reached $7 million. Can you believe that?”
He wonders if Arturo seized an opportunity — the ultimate opportunity — to disappear; if he exploited an American tragedy. “Many people I talked to in New York thought he was alive and living in California,” Padilla says. “I was thinking of searching for him, but I need time and money to do that.”
He searches the internet instead, on social networks and community forums. There’s nothing; Arturo doesn’t exist online. “If I ever find him, I’d turn him over to the police for trying to trick the U.S. government.”
Arturo now exists in a strange limbo. He isn’t an official 9/11 victim or a missing person. He’s just there — somewhere — neither dead nor alive, his current status not recognized by any government.
“The case is officially closed,” Padilla says, but it bubbles up every September before it drowns again. Last September, he thought about Laura: “We both pushed this case, and she seemed like she was suffering the whole time. Maybe she really believes her dad died in the Trade Center.”
Padilla and Kenneth Feinberg, former head of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund | Photo credit: Daniel Padilla
Padilla returned to New York last May and visited the 9/11 Memorial, where the names of the 2,753 Trade Center victims are inscribed in a shimmery bronze. He scanned the monument for Arturo Alva-Moreno: #2,754.
Christopher Allingham… Anna Allison… Janet Marie Alonso…
“He wasn’t there,” he says.
“I’m glad of that.”
Frank Warren collects people’s secrets. Strangers scribble them down on postcards, on scraps of paper, on boxes of Corn Flakes, on empty Starbucks cups and send them to his home in Maryland. He posts them on his blog, PostSecret — a sort of internet confessional where anonymous sinners seek repentance. “I lied about my dad raping me,” reads one. “I came back to L.A. to be with your brother, not you,” reads another.
Guilt, shame, deceit, lust, disgust — all of it ends up in Warren’s mailbox.
Warren tells me about his biggest secret, printed on a thin slice of pasteboard, uncrinkled, less than a quarter of a centimeter thick. “I received it a few years after 9/11,” he tells me. A murky silhouette of the Trade Center is on the front. The North Tower swirls with smoke. The South Tower is about to crumble. A message is written across the top in a pointy font:
Everyone who knew me before 9/11 believes I’m dead.
Photo credit: PostSecret
“The postcard seemed to open up a world of possibility,” says Warren, who shared it on his blog in 2005. “People have been fascinated by it ever since.” Perhaps because it reads like a declaration — a proclamation — from the 9/11 victim who wasn’t there, who never was: “I’ve been told by crisis workers that, in rare cases, people use disasters to restart their lives.”
The internet tried to decipher the riddle. Some armchair detectives thought Sneha Anne Philip, a physician from Battery Park City, sent it. Her family believed she ran into the Trade Center to help the injured, but the NYPD wasn’t so sure. They claimed Philip led a double life and that she intentionally disappeared. The case went to the New York Supreme Court. The family won. Philip became official victim no. 2,751.
Others thought the postcard was from Fernando Jimenez Molinar. He left Mexico at 16, worked at a pizza place downtown, called his mother every week. Then he stopped calling. The city didn’t issue a death certificate, and Molinar still isn’t an official victim.
The postcard might be a hoax, another 9/11 sham, like the Tourist Guy or the Wingdings Prophecies. But that doesn’t stop the fascination. “I don’t have any theories about the sender,” Warren says. “But maybe it’s not uncommon for us to wonder about escaping a bad marriage or a financial collapse.”
Warren won’t reveal the postmark. Or if there is anything written on the back. “No,” he says sharply. He is committed to protecting the anonymity of his senders.
So the speculation continues.
“Arturo was on my list of victims from the beginning,” says Kenneth Womack, author of The Restaurant at the End of the World, a novel about the final hours at Windows on the World. He finds it odd that Arturo’s name isn’t on the 9/11 Memorial: “Sneha Anne Philip and Juan Lafuente [a Cuban immigrant who worked eight blocks north of the trade center] are memorialized in spite of the hazy nature of their 9/11 stories.”
Womack has met the restaurant’s surviving staff members — the near-misses, the should’ve-been-theres. Some called in sick; others were late. These workers spoke of long hours and low pay, but “Windows was known as an immigrant-friendly establishment,” he says. Of the 70-plus employees on duty on 9/11, “55 hailed from countries other than the U.S.”
National September 11 Memorial | Photo credit: Andrew Bartram
In the days after 9/11, the families of the Trade Center dead made the pilgrimage to Ground Zero. They spoke Spanish, Portuguese, Filipino, Bengali, Korean. They struggled to be heard. “Not only were they relegated to a second-class status, but immigrant relatives found it difficult to prove their loved ones died in the attacks,” Womack says. Paychecks, tax slips, employment contracts — without these documents, mothers and fathers and sons and daughters were ignored: “The lack of a paper trail created a roadblock when they tried to collect benefits.”
Without a sliver of evidence to support her assertion, Laura watched as, one by one, the 9/11 Memorial exalted all the other dead restaurant workers. A few of them — Antonio Javier Alvarez, Antonio Melendez, Leobardo Lopez Pascual — were Mexican nationals who’d fled the country for one reason or another, just like her father.
In 2011, Womack pointed out the omission to the memorial’s board of directors, who said it had nothing to do with them; the medical examiner’s office decided who was a legitimate victim. “By my account, 179 people died at Windows on the World,” he says.
DNA might solve this mystery. At the medical examiner’s office on East 26th Street, vacuum-sealed plastic pouches bulge with bone fragments, scooped from lower Manhattan’s streets when the Towers collapsed. Forensic scientists analyze saliva swabs, blood splotches, wisps of hair. They name the nameless. Families wait for 9/11’s lost bodies to come home.
It could take a while — there are more than 1,000 unidentified victims — but perhaps, one day, Laura will get her father back, too.
“If my dad were alive, it would be the best news in the world,” Laura says. “But he’s not. Dad wouldn’t abandon his children and his wife. If he were living in California, someone would’ve found him by now, right? His name and photo were all over the media. It’s absurd.”
In 2004, Norberto Terrazas, an attorney with the Mexican Consulate in New York, said there might have been a mistake. Perhaps someone gave Laura incorrect information about a wallet. He also stated that the Alva family initially reported Arturo missing.
But Laura denies this happened: “If the government wants to clarify anything, I’m always available. I didn’t commit any crime. I didn’t fraudulently report my dad missing. Nope, the consulate called me. They told me he died in the World Trade Center. They told me they found his wallet. They described the photos inside!”
Laura has no grave to visit. No place to mourn. So a candle flickers beside Arturo’s “ashes,” a mixture of scorched steel and shattered cement collected from the streets at Ground Zero. When she first visited New York, the mayor’s office gave her a wooden urn and a shiny plaque and one of those miniature American flags. So there Arturo sits on her shelf at home, next to the Star-Spangled Banner. “The terrorists snatched him from me,” she says. “That day will stay with me forever.”
Laura still lives in Mexico City. Her two daughters never met their grandfather, so she tells them about the good times — before the plane struck; before the hole in the skyline; before the hijackers. “I remember when I fell over as a kid, dad would make the sign of the crucifix on my forehead with his spit. He told me it would take away the pain.”
“Whenever I feel sad,” she continues, “I imagine dad signing my forehead with a crucifix. That makes me feel good.”
Kirk Pepi is a writer in the United Kingdom. He recently wrote about Brian Shaffer—a guy who walked into a bar and was never seen again.
Stranger things on MEL: | https://medium.com/mel-magazine/arturo-alva-moreno-was-9-11-victim-2-754-or-was-he-987ab8e4a6f0 | ['Kirk Pepi'] | 2018-03-03 15:45:29.494000+00:00 | ['New York', 'Immigration', 'Mexico', 'September 11', 'Longform'] |
Why I’ve Stopped Pursuing Happiness | Image: Pixabay
Why I’ve Stopped Pursuing Happiness
Science and a survey reveal the pursuits that really matter
One year ago, on Jan. 1, 2019, I resolved to explore, understand and write about happiness: what it is, what it means, and what we can do about it. I went in with an open mind, hoping to figure out who has happiness and why, and how the rest of us can go out and get some. My wife warned me the premise was faulty. Turns out she was right. The caveats are as clear as the conclusions:
I found few convincing scientific studies, new or old, that really say much definitive about what happiness really is, let alone how to become happier. The project was a failure. Well… not totally. By expanding the scope of the quest to look at well-being more broadly, and doing a survey of readers, I learned, indirectly, quite a bit about “happiness” and the things that go into it. And that’s why I’m no longer pursuing it. A sampling of cold, hard facts:
What readers say
Meanwhile, I conducted an anonymous online survey, inviting readers to weigh in on their own level of happiness. The non-scientific survey, taken by 247 people, was presented this way:
“Recent events aside, please rank how well each statement describes your general state of mind over the past year (1 = strongly disagree. 5 = strongly agree).” The first statement was “I’m a happy person,” then there were 26 others about health, friends, family, beliefs, activities and pursuits. The results have been split into three groups, based on how people ranked themselves on the “I’m a happy person” statement:
Happy (4 or 5) — 74.9% of respondents
So-So (3) — 19.4% of respondents
Unhappy (1 or 2) — 5.7% of respondents
The survey should not be viewed as definitive, but it reveals an interesting pattern: Friends, family, health and purpose (having things to do) all seem to matter in supporting overall self-described happiness.
An optional, open-ended survey question asked, “What one thing most brings you happiness?” Among the happiest people (those rating their happiness as a 5) who responded to the question, 78% cited some version of relationships—with family, friends or loved ones.
Disclosure: This survey is not scientific. It was self-selecting (thus may not represent the population at large), involved self-reporting (rather than objective measures), and had a relatively small number of respondents. Further, results from any survey like this can vary significantly based on how questions or statements are framed. Finally, I’m not a professional pollster nor statistician.
What’s not working
During the year, I found some sobering trends. Happiness among Americans has been declining since the turn of the millennium, and the United States is now only the 19th happiest country in the world, according to the annual World Happiness Report, released in March. Among the reasons: pursuit of the wrong things.
“This year’s report provides sobering evidence of how addictions are causing considerable unhappiness and depression in the US,” said Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network. “Addictions come in many forms, from substance abuse to gambling to digital media. The compulsive pursuit of substance abuse and addictive behaviors is causing severe unhappiness.”
Social media plays a role in reduced happiness, the researchers say, but it’s by no means the only cause. Yet with that in mind, I wrote about the joy and angst of Facebook, how hard it can be to quit, and how it messes with peoples’ heads. Among the research findings cited: People who are most addicted to Facebook tend to have feelings of envy and project idealized versions of themselves, and they’re more prone to depression and loneliness, and they even tend to report more symptoms of physical illnesses.
The current climate of extreme partisanship isn’t fostering a lot of happiness, either. In September I wrote that 38% of Americans say they’re stressed out by politics, and among a few of them the stress is so bad it’s making them physically ill.
Loneliness is also creating a growing drag on well-being. One-third of Americans age 50 to 80 are lonely some or most of the time. Meanwhile, 29.2% of college students said they felt lonely at some point in the previous two weeks, while 22.4% said they felt hopeless.
That’s not to say we should expect to never be sad or lonely. In fact, a 2017 study the journal Depression and Anxiety suggests modern social pressures to “just be happy” can have the opposite effect. “Rather than being the by-product of a life well-lived, feeling happy has become a goal in itself,” says study team member Brock Bastian, an associate professor in psychology at the University of Melbourne and author of the book “The Other Side of Happiness.”
“Smiling faces beam at us from social media and happiness gurus flog their latest emotional quick fixes, reinforcing the message that we should aim to maximize our positive emotions and avoid our negative ones,” Bastian says. “Feeling at times sad, disappointed, envious, lonely — that isn’t maladaptive, it’s human.”
What might work
All in all, there still seems to be a lot of happy people around, assuming one accepts everyone’s individual definition of the concept. And yet a lot of people say they are unhappy, and there’s no reason to doubt them. It all seems linked to multiple factors centered around physical and mental well-being, purpose, family and friendships (though nobody has yet determined direct cause-and-effect of any of these factors).
Perhaps most important: What we pursue really matters.
Research finds that the pursuit of happiness, as an overarching goal, sets us up for disappointment. It’s like aiming to be famous instead of perfecting your art, or gunning for fortune rather than finding meaning in your work.
“People who pursue happiness by seeking out pleasant experiences as part of their everyday lives are happier,” writes Lahnna Catalino, PhD, who studies the relationship between emotions and well-being at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. “In stark contrast, people who strive to feel good every possible moment, as if it were possible to will oneself to be happy, appear to be following a recipe for unhappiness.”
Other research finds people who resolve to do specific, concrete, prosocial things, such as increasing their recycling efforts or making someone smile (as opposed to vague goals like saving the planet or improving relationships) are happier.
What we can try to pursue, then, are good health, good work, good friends, good family relations (no matter how difficult!) goodwill, a little time in nature, and a bunch of other “good” things, and then try oh-so-hard to more fully recognize, cherish and be grateful for any satisfaction, joy, amusement or contentment that comes our way.
Aristotle said, “Happiness is a state of activity.” I didn’t quite understand that 12 months ago, but I get it now. And I wish you lots of it. | https://medium.com/luminate/why-ive-stopped-pursuing-happiness-7babc6b340ac | ['Robert Roy Britt'] | 2019-12-30 15:12:51.594000+00:00 | ['Happiness', 'Life', 'Family', 'Wellbeing', 'Science'] |
Python Packaging & Executables on Windows | I recently began developing on, and for Windows, and while I continue to develop my skills in Powershell and C#, I rely on my go-to language for most day-to-day automation, Python. I found that there were many marked differences between the experience of writing system programs for Unix-like systems, and for Windows, most of which I won’t go into in this post, but to highlight one that recently resulted in a little bit of poking around, writing Python packages and installing executable scripts via pip on Windows required becoming a bit more familiar with this part of the Python ecosystem.
Your typical Python package has a structure like:
Project
-> setup.py
-> package_name/__init__.py
-> package_name/package.py
-> bin/package_name
where, once your module is build, the script in bin imports it, and is, itself, installed to your PATH per your setup.py which might look like this:
from setuptools import setup setup(name='package_name', version='0.1', ... packages=['package_name'], scripts=['bin/package_name'], install_requires=[ ... ], zip_safe=False)
and on Unix-like systems, this would be all that is required, you might not even bother with an entry_points dictionary for less complex packages with a handful of single functions, and most other routing for functions might happen from a CLI tool package like argparse .
However, when you build a package like this on Windows, you can, of course, execute the installed script, referencing the PATH to that script, but it won’t be interpretted correctly as a Python script as-is:
PS C:\Users\you\src> package_name
Program 'package_name' failed to run: No application is associated with the specified file for this operationAt line:1 char:1
+ wslrun
+ ~~~~~~.
At line:1 char:1
+ ~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [], ApplicationFailedException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandFailed
or executing the path to the script directly, i.e.:
C:\Python38\Scripts\package_name
A correct, and commonly executable method of doing this without creating aliases, etc. is using the entry_points option I mentioned a moment ago, where you notate a command and map to a function. One limitation is that these entry point console scripts do not allow you to define arguments, however, you can handle them, all the same.
Let’s assume bin\package_name had something like:
import package_name import sys, getopt, os try: opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:],"hi:o:", ["path =",""]) except getopt.GetoptError: print("-p 'path'") sys.exit(2) for opt, arg in opts: if opt in ("-p", "--path"): path= arg print(package_name.main(path))
in it, in order to handle arguments to route user input to some function in your package_name/main.py file that’s imported at the beginning of this script.
To handle this, both, more correctly for Windows, and in a more condensed fashion, this behavior can be moved to your main script, like so:
def main(): try: opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:],"hi:o:", ["path =",""]) except getopt.GetoptError: print("-p 'path'") sys.exit(2) for opt, arg in opts: if opt in ("-p", "--path"): path= arg print(main(path))
with the following caveats:
main() should not accept arguments, either, so you’ll need a package like argparse (I used optparse here, but anything passed from sys.argv[1:] — all positional arguments from the first on- can be read by your package when we update the command in setup.py in a moment) You’ll no longer need a line like if __name__=="__main__": in the package script (unless you want it, but for this use case, it’s not really necessary) Your setup.py will need to be updated.
In your setup.py to create this mapping, you’ll need to remove the line:
# scripts=['bin/package_name'],
or comment it out (as I did above), and add:
entry_points = { "console_scripts": [ "command_name = package_name:main", ] },
So, when you proceed to build the package:
pip install -e .
You can then run a command like this in PowerShell to see where the executable was dropped:
PS C:\Users\you\src> Get-Command command_name.exe
CommandType Name Version Source
----------- ---- ------- ------
Application command_name.exe 0.0.0.0 C:\Users\you\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38\Scripts\command_name.exe
where command_name is whatever you named the command in the setup.py file, and you can proceed to use your command by calling it:
PS C:\Users\you\src> command_name.exe --path whatever.txt
Additional Resources
Some excellent reading if you’re new to Python packaging in general:
python-packaging
Hitchhiker’s Guide to Python Packaging
Python Apps the Right Way | https://jmarhee.medium.com/python-packaging-executables-on-windows-c61de9829092 | ['Joseph D. Marhee'] | 2020-03-04 07:57:46.420000+00:00 | ['Python Programming', 'System Administration', 'Programming', 'Windows', 'Python'] |
The Heart Breaker | I would have never said this, not even to my mom.
Love is something unique, secretive, heartbreaking; yet, so moving. I had never fallen in love before. Deep in my mind, I thought I was destined to be that rich uncle that drinks martinis at family gatherings.
Well, I might as well argue for a missing olive. However, one day everything changed.
It was the summer of 2019. The day was hot, humid, sunny, and toasty. I entered the subway station in a rush, the train was 5 minutes away.
That day, I was planning on going to the Tribeca Greenmarket in Manhattan.
I swiped my Metro card, $15 left, and I ran to the train; the door barely missed the back of my shoe. I immediately looked for a seat like a barn owl looking for a meal. I ended up sitting at the end of the compartment in a lonely orange seat.
Once I sat, I looked up and saw the most beautiful man.
It was like seeing the model from the Giorgio Armani ads in all it’s glory; I just hope that he didn’t see me drool.
Right now, I could care less about him; let’s call him Scott instead.
Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash
Scott was around 6 feet tall, with a lean muscle build. He had dark blue eyes that resembled the night sky, with black hair that reminded me of the ocean.
His shirt was slightly raised, just enough to see the abs.
I tried not to look at him, acting as if I was reading the ads on the wall behind him. Honestly, I just couldn’t keep my eyes off him.
Soon, we were looking at each other.
I would not want to say love at first sight. However, that’s what I felt. | https://medium.com/hello-love/the-heart-breaker-712478dbddcd | [] | 2020-12-28 14:06:04.164000+00:00 | ['Romance', 'Love', 'Self-awareness', 'Humor', 'Relationships'] |
Access Key Rotation: Converting a PoC to Production-Ready Code | Photo by Chris Ried on Unsplash
This follows on from my previous article Automating secret rotation in AWS. If you haven’t already, you can read that article here.
In software development, a Proof of Concept (PoC) is a great way to validate your idea, by building a small project based around a simple use-case. However, once you have completed the PoC, you need to decide what to do next.
Does the PoC meet the initial use-case? Is it worth spending any more time on the idea? Is there a better solution?
You have to consider all of these questions to ensure the feature you are going to spend time and effort on will deliver the value you expect to your users. In our case, we reviewed the PoC and found that it was a feature we wanted to develop further, but this, unfortunately, wasn’t as simple as just deploying the code from the PoC into Production and walking away happy.
In my previous article, I explained how we built the Proof of Concept to see if it would be possible to automate the rotation of our access tokens and secret keys. When we set up the use-case for this PoC, we were trying to rotate one secret value used in one CloudFormation stack. However, in a production environment, the use-case would be much more complicated than this. We could feasibly have a situation where we need to rotate six secret values, used by over a hundred CloudFormation stacks. In this scenario, our PoC would fail straight away, and I will quickly summarise the process to explain why:
We update a secret value in Secrets Manager A CloudWatch Event then triggers a Step Function The Step Function first finds all the CloudFormation stacks, which need to be updated, and then update them one by one, by removing and then recreating the resources in the stack
Updating two values shortly after each other, using the above process fails because the Step Functions run simultaneously and as a result, try to update the same CloudFormation stacks at the same time as each other. As a result, the CloudFormation stacks ended up in a failed state, because the second Step Function would be attempting to delete resources which had already been removed by the first Step Function.
The easiest way to solve this problem was to wait in between updating each secret value to ensure the Step Function had updated all of the CloudFormation stacks successfully. However, this defeated the purpose of what we were ultimately trying to achieve by having an automated solution. What we needed was a way to ensure only one Step Function would be running at once. To accomplish this, we decided to use an SQS queue to control when a Step Function was triggered. The new process would be as follows:
We update a secret value in Secrets Manager A CloudWatch Event then add a ticket to the queue A Lambda function checks the SQS queue for tickets A Lambda function picks up the ticket and checks to see if a Step Function is currently running. One of two things will then happen: a) If no Step Function is running the Lambda function will trigger one. b) If a Step Function is running, the ticket will be left in the SQS queue and be picked up on the next check
By adding a queue into the process, it meant we had complete confidence that, no matter how many times a secret value was updated, only one Step Function would run at once.
Now we had a feature which, following thorough testing, was ready to be deployed to our Production environment. However, this is not the end of the development for this feature. In software development, you should always try and embrace the idea of Inspect and Adapt. So let’s break down what I mean by this.
Inspect
Inspecting is all about gathering feedback from your users. Finding out what works well, what doesn’t, and what is missing. We want to ensure that with everything we do, we are delivering value to our users and to do this; we must get their feedback.
Adapt
Adapting is all about taking that feedback and using it to develop improvements to the product.
In the case of our Secret Key Rotation tool, through user feedback, we have identified three areas to improve:
Currently, if a stack fails to update the entire process will exit and reset itself. For example, if stack 50 of 65 fails to update the next time the Step Function runs all 65 stacks will need to be updated again. By improving the logic of the Step Function, we could skip stack 50 and continue to update the remaining CloudFormation stacks. Stack 50 could then be updated manually by the user, which would save time. We could generate a report detailing if any CloudFormation stacks failed to update. Therefore, saving the user from having to go through logs to find which stack failed. We should include the ability to send the report directly to a user, via platforms like Slack. With this update, the user could change a value in Secrets Manager and then carry on with their work. They would no longer need to keep checking back to ensure the process has executed successfully
Now, we could have held off deploying this product to Production until we had implemented these three updates. However, by releasing when we did, we were able to gather user feedback to see which improvement is most important. Once the next update is released, we will again go through the process of Inspect and Adapt to see how we can next deliver the most value to our users.
Software development is all about releasing little and often so that we can quickly realise value and generate user feedback. We use this feedback to help us make the right changes to our product maximise the experience of our users.
We are looking into the possibility of open-sourcing this project in the future, so if you would be interested in this or any of our other open-source projects please have a look at our Github page: https://github.com/peak-ai | https://medium.com/peak-product/access-key-rotation-converting-a-poc-to-production-ready-code-fb5982708ebf | ['Chris Newton'] | 2020-06-22 12:55:29.347000+00:00 | ['Infrastructure', 'DevOps', 'Automation', 'AWS', 'Software Development'] |
Advice (From Someone Who Hires) on Getting Your First Software Engineering Job | Advice (From Someone Who Hires) on Getting Your First Software Engineering Job
Dos and don’ts from my experience interviewing 100+ developers and hiring a few
Photo by ThisIsEngineering from Pexels
Getting your first development job is hard. But you can do it, regardless of your background.
I’ve personally hired former bartenders, personal trainers, and non-STEM grads. I’ve also hired mechanical engineers. Your education doesn’t matter.
People occasionally ask me for advice on getting their first gig. This is what I tell them. | https://medium.com/better-programming/advice-from-someone-who-hires-on-getting-your-first-software-engineering-job-81a328dd302b | ['Chris I.'] | 2020-07-02 17:54:27.902000+00:00 | ['Software Engineering', 'Programming', 'Software Development', 'Interview', 'Coding'] |
When no UI means good UX — 5 tips to implement a no User Interface product | While I was enjoying a well appreciated family break in Charleston, I bumped into a weird object that made me think.
Here is the suspect:
Charleston parking spot meter
Ok so what’s the particularity here? Well, aside from the fact that they use an old device and updated it by removing the handle at the bottom (very confusing as you read all the messages and when it says “Insert coin — Turn handle to right as far as possible after each coin” you can’t find the said handle…), they upgraded the old school meter with credit card payment!
Yes, really. It took me a bit of time to actually process all the information and it’s only after I’ve put some coins (without turning the handle, duh!) that I realized I could have paid by credit card.
Ok so here the User Experience is definitely improvable but I want to talk about something else.
The beauty of this object is the fact that you don’t need an app, you don’t need a flow to guide you step by step (see the horrible UX of the Washington, DC ticket train machine I was talking about on my article “When you’ll design for the Apple Watch, think “when” and not “what””), you don’t have multiple buttons — you actually have zero button. This is a perfect example of no interface.
That’s what got me excited. Here you only see one tear and the credit card icon with an arrow. No doubt on what to do. You just swipe you card and you paid your parking spot. Boom!
This let me thinking about invisible products and services that we will design in the near future and I wanted to share a few starting point to implement a no User Interface product:
1. Pick a platform that already exists.
Digit and Magic are good examples of how you can design a service without designing an actual app. They use the already implemented and well used text-message platform to interact with their customers. Are they still designing a product? Yes they do as the users feel something and get value of using their service. They actually design a User Experience, in the original sense of it. As another example, Square Cash embraced the emails as their first use to send money to someone.
2. Build on top of an existing community
I see this being the next generation of product design. Handy is doing this right now by partnering with Airbnb for example: you can book a Handy cleaning service for your Airbnb listing, directly from Airbnb. You never interact with Handy but, still, you benefit from their service. Some news websites are also going on this direction as they might soon directly host articles on Facebook. The down of this, of course, is that you are depending of the community. So, always have a plan B!
3. Understand the users pain and need
This is the crucial part. The hard part is not building a solution: you need to, first, understand the pain point you want to solve. That’s where User Experience skills are essential in a product with no interface. You need the best people on this task. User interviews, user research, prototyping,… At the beginning of your project, 95% of your budget (money + time) should be in UX. Keep the last 5% for coffee. You’ll need it.
4. Fake it until you make it
Try and try again. Get the concentrated version of your product by testing it over and over again with some users. That’s what they did at FlyCleaners, the laundry service: getting the feedback from their users really help them to build the huge success they have now. You can listen to one of their founders, David Salama, on the podcast interview I had with him last week. Get feedback by watching people using your service. Hire some UX designers that are good at this but, also, do it yourself. Even if you are the CEO. Make everyone on your team conduct some usabilty testing. Getting the feeling of who is going to use your product is crucial. Specifically when your product will live only on your users’ experience, feeling and emotion.
5. Think out of the box
The Apple Watch interaction is so different from what we experienced in the past. The haptic vibration is almost an organic interaction and it even brings a comfort versus the noise notifications we are used to. Wired published an interesting article about the haptic touch of the new Macbook. When you don’t see the UI, you can still feel the UX.
This article was included on the issue #7 of my curated publication “Design for startups: “Tips and tricks about No User Interface products”“.
Don’t forget to sign up for it to receive new tips and tricks on your inbox.
“Design for startups” is my curated publication that helps you design when you are not a designer. Tips, tools and interesting articles for startups.
Originally published at www.sophiemasure.com. | https://medium.com/design-for-startups/why-your-next-product-won-t-be-a-product-when-no-ui-means-good-ux-f55b8acd0922 | ['Max Masure'] | 2015-10-28 13:46:29.127000+00:00 | ['Design', 'UI', 'UX'] |
Here Are The Most Controversial AI Moments of 2020 | Here Are The Most Controversial AI Moments of 2020
List of Artificial Intelligence Controversies
Artificial intelligence has been the buzzword in 2020 and with the benefits of this technology evident around us; AI has had its own share of controversies. From algorithms¹ unfairly discriminating women in hiring and students complaining about unrealistic grades, there is no doubt that AI has evolved in 2020 and as 2021 beckons, it is time to take stock of what the year has been. With GPT3, deepfakes, and facial recognition making headlines in 2020, there are many arguments surrounding privacy and regulations.
Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash
In this article, I will explore the following controversial AI incidents in 2020 and explore the future prospects of artificial intelligence² and how 2021 is shaping up:
-Facial recognition
-Deepfakes
- AI-based grading system
- NeurIPS Reviews
- GPT 3
Facial Recognition
Clearview AI provides organizations, predominantly law enforcement agencies, with a database that is able to match images of faces with over three billion other facial pictures scraped from social media sites.
The company has recently been hit with a series of reprisals from social media platforms, who have taken a hostile stance in response to Clearview AI’s operations. In January, Twitter sent a cease letter and requested the deletion of all collected data Clearview AI³ had harvested from its platform. YouTube and Facebook followed up with similar actions in February.
Clearview AI claims that they have a First Amendment right to public information, and defends its practice on the basis of assisting law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime. Law enforcement agencies themselves are exempt from the EU’s #GDPR.
Clearview has received multiple cease-and-desist orders from Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and other companies over its practices, but it is not clear if the company has deleted any of the photos it’s used to build its database as directed by those cease-and-desist orders. In addition to the lawsuit in Illinois, Clearview is also facing legal action from California, New York, and Vermont.
Deepfakes
Deepfakes supplant people’s faces onto existing bodies. While many look near-genuine, the technology still hasn’t reached its potential. Still, experts have noted its misuse in pornography and politics.
The start of 2020 came with a clear shift in response to deepfake technology⁴, when Facebook announced a ban on manipulated videos and images on their platforms. Facebook said it would remove AI-edited content likely to mislead people, but added the ban does not include parody. Lawmakers, however, are skeptical as to whether the ban goes far enough to address the root problem: the ongoing spread of disinformation.
The speed and ease with which #deepfakes can be made and deployed, have many worried about misuse in the near future, especially with an election on the horizon for the U.S. Many in America, including military leaders, have also weighed in with worries about the speed and ease with which the tech can be used. These concerns are heightened by the knowledge that deepfake technology is improving and becoming more accessible.
Microsoft announced the release of technologies to combat online disinformation on their official blog. One of these technologies was the Microsoft Video Authenticator, which analyzes photo or video to provide a confidence score as to whether the media is fake. It has performed well on deepfake examples from the above mentioned Deepfake Detection Challenge dataset.
AI-Based Grading System
The UK exam regulation department chose to start using an AI grading system in place of the A-level examination for university entrance, which was canceled. The U.K. has since dropped it after parents and students complained that it was unethical and biased against disadvantaged students.
Thousands of A-level students were given a grade that was lower than their teacher predicted, though, sparking a nation-wide backlash and protests on the streets of London. Now, the government has buckled and announced that it’s abandoning the formula and giving everyone their predicted grades instead.
Photo by Philippe Bout on Unsplash
The backlash to Ofqual’s algorithm⁵ was only matched by its complexity. The non-ministerial government department started with a historical grade distribution. Then, Ofqual looked at how results shift between the qualification in question and students’ previous achievements.
The number of downgrades wasn’t the only problem, though. The reliance on historical data meant that students were partly shackled by the grades awarded to previous year groups. They were also at a disadvantage if they went to a larger school, because their teacher’s predicted grade carried less weight.
At a time when society is examining how technology is reinforcing its race and class issues, many realized that the system, regardless of Ofqual’s intentions, had a systemic bias that would reward learners who went to private institutions and penalize poorer students who attended larger schools and colleges across the UK.
NeurIPS Reviews
This year, the thirty-fourth annual conference on Neural Information Processing Systems, NeurIPS 2020⁶ is going to be held virtually from 6th to 12th December. The paper submissions for this year is 38% more than last year. Additionally, 1,903 papers were accepted, compared to 1,428 in 2019.
The review period of the papers began in July, and in August, the popular #artificialintelligence conference, NeurIPS has sent out the paper reviews for this year’s conference. This has brought the popular machine-learning event once again amid the controversies as it has been claimed that the reviews of the papers are terrible such as either they are not clear, or the sentences were incomplete by the reviewers, among others.
This is not the first time that controversies have scarred the reputation of the conference. In other words, it can be said that controversies are not a new thing for this popular #machinelearning conference. In 2018, the organizers of the Neural Information Systems Processing conference had changed the event’s name from NIPS to NeurIPS after heading into a controversy about whether “NIPS” is an offensive name or not.
GPT 3
OpenAI released its latest language model in June, surpassing its predecessor GPT-2 with 175 billion parameters. It has raised many concerns about poor generalization, unrealistic expectations, and the ability to write human-like texts for nefarious purposes. Elon Musk, an OpenAI founder, also criticized OpenAI’s decision to give exclusive access to Microsoft.
Many advanced Transformer-based models have evolved to achieve human-level performance on a number of natural language tasks. Authors say the Transformer architecture-based approach behind many language model advances in recent years is limited by a need for task-specific data sets and fine-tuning. Instead, GPT-3⁷ is an autoregressive model trained with unsupervised machine learning and focuses on few-shot learning, which supplies a demonstration of a task at inference runtime.
Scaling up language models greatly improves task-agnostic, few-shot performance, sometimes even reaching competitiveness with prior state-of-the-art fine-tuning approaches. For all tasks, GPT-3 is applied without any gradient updates or fine-tuning, with tasks and few-shot demonstrations specified purely via text interaction with the model
On NLP tasks, #GPT3 achieves promising results in the zero-shot and one-shot settings, and in the few-shot setting is sometimes competitive with or even occasionally surpasses state-of-the-art.
Future Prospects
The important question is what will happen if the quest for strong AI succeeds and an AI system becomes better than humans at all cognitive tasks. Designing smarter AI systems⁸ is itself a cognitive task. Such a system could potentially undergo recursive self-improvement, triggering an intelligence explosion leaving human intellect far behind.
By inventing revolutionary new technologies, such a #superintelligence might help us eradicate war, disease, and poverty, and so the creation of strong AI might be the biggest event in human history. Some experts have expressed concern, though, that it might also be the last, unless we learn to align the goals of the AI with ours before it becomes super intelligent.
Works Cited
¹Algorithms, ²Artificial Intelligence, ³Clearview AI, ⁴Deepfake Technology, ⁵Ofqual’s Algorithm, ⁶NeurIPS 2020, ⁷GPT-3, ⁸Smarter AI Systems
More from David Yakobovitch:
Listen to the HumAIn Podcast | Subscribe to my newsletter | https://medium.com/towards-artificial-intelligence/here-are-the-most-controversial-ai-moments-of-2020-df795d1e6248 | ['David Yakobovitch'] | 2020-11-30 19:01:05.559000+00:00 | ['Technology', 'News', 'Artificial Intelligence'] |
EdTech Broadening Access to Future Jobs | Creative deployment of technology can help teachers make their resources go further in preparing students for new roles emerging in the digital economy.
Education is changing faster than ever, with new ideas, technologies and demands constantly emerging. As Artificial Intelligence continues to automate aspects and functions of various jobs, or even eliminate traditional roles altogether, different subjects and skills will be in demand or even become essential in the performance of future jobs.
Identifying what these are, and making them accessible to students — regardless of their social and economic background or geographical location — is a monumental challenge that can only be overcome by making full use of technology.
Creative Skills for a Digital Economy
The digital economy will create more roles that require a combination of technical, interpersonal and creative skills, and building the foundation for this begins with studying a very broad range of subjects in school.
The argument for broadening the scope of what merits inclusion in the curriculum is simple yet compelling; nowadays most of us have access to the world’s knowledge via the supercomputers — i.e. smartphones — that we carry around in our pockets, yet these mountains of data are not valuable in isolation. It is the ability to creatively and proactively extract actionable insights from data — and to execute effectively on these — that will become invaluable in the digital economy jobs being created now, and for those which will be created in future.
“Breadth of understanding is often as important as depth of knowledge. Business leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs now need fluency in a broad range of subjects, and these go far beyond what has traditionally been taught at school and universities,” says John Ingram, CEO of Pamoja Education.
In order to thrive in the digital age, he argues that workers must equip themselves with a range of modular skills including areas such as coding and engineering, all the way through to language skills, sales, networking, marketing, design, and even social media influencing. This is effectively the only approach which makes sense in a world where project-based work will become ever more prevalent, and clearly delineated job titles are likely to be eliminated altogether. Fluid and flexible skillsets, coupled with an equally elastic approach, will be essential for the professional survival kit of professionals entering the workforce in the next few decades.
Tackling the Opportunity Gap
Paradoxically, however, in spite of the fact that creative skills are an essential part of building the next generation’s professional profile, arts and creative subjects seem to be on the decline. A Recent Edge Foundation report found that in the last decade GCSE entries in creative subjects have fallen by 20%. This might be due to the additional budgetary and logistics pressures faced by schools in countries like the United Kingdom, where teacher numbers are dwindling. Schools faced with difficult choices often have to prioritize their resources, and the number and quality of specialist subjects on offer is often the first casualty. Yet Ingram believes that this is an area where technology can play an important role, helping to bridge the gap between limited resources on the one hand, and greater learning demands on the other:
“There’s no substitute for classroom teaching, but while schools struggle to find the staff to teach a full range of subjects, we should be exploring the technologies that can allow students to take courses they’d otherwise have to miss out on. Even when schools are well resourced and offer a good range of subjects, there are still often more niche subjects such as Film Studies they cannot cover which could otherwise allow students to follow their passions, stretch themselves, and grow as individuals.”Ingram explains.
So even though most education experts agree that face-to-face teaching cannot — and should not — be altogether replaced by tech-based alternatives, it is literally impossible to square the that circle without integrating technology into long-term strategies for delivering learning outcomes. In practice this means that while it isn’t feasible for schools to maintain the capacity on site to deliver every niche subject that students might want to study, they will now be able to do so.
Making Teaching Resources Go Further with Technology
“Having offered IB courses online to schools across the world for over a decade,we’ve found that online learning can broaden pupils’ digital and collaborative skills, encouraging them to carry out research, co-ordinate group work and discuss material in an online community,” continues Ingram.
Indeed, research has shown that these features benefit students’ wider education by encouraging them to take ownership of their learning process, helping prepare them for their university careers where they’ll need to study independently. That proactive mind-set then ideally carries through to the approach that those pupils will adopt in the workplace, collating and leveraging information towards accomplishing strategic tasks, projects and goals.
At its heart, education is about opportunity, and online learning can potentially make crucial opportunities available to those who would not normally have access to them. This is why it is crucial that educators see technology not as a threat, but as a tool for enhancing their own pedagogical capacity.
The next few years will mark an exponential disruptive shift towards automation, and that will present a threat to new and existing professionals across a wide range of industries. Yet if we equip our young people with modular skills by enabling them to pursue a broad range of creative interests from early schooling onwards, we will maximize their chances of not only weathering this inevitable disruption, but of thriving in it.
Tech Trends’ Virtual Reality Consultancy services offers support for companies looking to enhance brand strategy with immersive technologies such as Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality | https://medium.com/edtech-trends/edtech-broadening-access-to-future-jobs-70db94567e78 | ['Alice Bonasio'] | 2019-04-29 20:07:17.628000+00:00 | ['Tech', 'Edtech', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Technology', 'Education'] |
Circular Economy and new year’s resolutions: 6 Things to Start Today | Over the past year, I’ve picked up a sudden and intense interest with what is called “Circular Economy” (in a broad sense, that is including its link to Social and Solidarity Economy, as well as its connections to our well-being and health.)
As part of our mission in Bpifrance Le Hub — where we focus on fostering the French start-up economy — we have released a mapping of 200+ start-ups that form the backbone of the start-up activity in this area. The mapping itself as well as a few explaining notions can be found here.
This article is a supplement to this work, where I share a more personal perspective on this matter, and my suggested short list of pragmatic actions a relative beginner such as me could initiate today.
N.B.: most of the material I’m referring to is written in French, however I have no doubt that a live translation service will do the trick.
Stop buying new things for a while — Take on the “Rien de neuf” challenge
If you read the above-mentioned article or a similar one, you are familiar with the macro-drivers of the circular economy, such as use of second-hand products, more systematic approach to repairing used goods, sorting and recycling of trash, etc.
The “rien de neuf[Nothing New]” challenge is based on the idea that, if you need a bike for instance, there are probably millions of them you can use (sitting in a garage, basement, dumpster) — with maybe a little repair or dust off needed, before you get into the trouble of extracting a few more kilograms of aluminium, copper, rubber, plastic, etc., plus the associated manufacturing and transportation effort, to eventually create a brand-new bike.
Thus, the challenge motivates you to put circular levers to action and provides a platform to track and calculate your impact (leveraging the work of the ADEME national agency for input on how much resources a Tee-shirt costs).
Maybe this year, on top of the traditional quit-smoking and exercise-more resolutions, the “Rien de neuf” challenge can bring a refreshing perspective!
Dig up and recycle that one box full of old Electronic devices and wires
Electronic and Wires are so prevalent and so cheap in our modern world that we forget that you need to move 10+ tons of land to extract 1 kilogram of copper. Same goes for aluminum or rare-earth elements that make up large portions of our electronic devices. At the same time the networks and facilities that allow an almost complete recycling (95%+) of these materials are already up and running. So, there is really no reason to hold on to these obsolete devices. If you suspect that some (cameras, phones) might still be usable by someone, visit one of the many reconditioning websites to see if they are eligible — you might even make a revenue out of it.
Apart from that, go to your nearest collection point (most likely a retailing store) and drop off the whole box — remember that every charger that you recycle is another 1t of land that a Caterpillar truck will not need to shake up.
Streamline your closet — Save a cotton bulb
So now we know that the cotton industry is among the most polluting and damaging activity there is (ecologically, ethically in particular — here is a quick and powerful explanation why). Unfortunately, our society has grown into believing that clothes such as tee-shirts are the ultimate commoditized products that you can wipe your feet on: it is ok to have a bunch of them sitting at the bottom of your closet, and ultimately ok to use this ugly shaped commercial tee-shirts to mop the floor and dump it in the trash. It is also ok to print out 200 tee-shirts for literally any commercial event or occasion (those are the one sitting at the bottom of your closet). Secondly, we are somehow convinced that we must update our wardrobe every year, if not every quarter. While I don’t subscribe to this imperative, I understand that this may be part of the pleasure of life to experiment new looks and so on. In any case there is a simple way to combine these opposing imperatives: make sure that for every new piece of clothing you buy, you release one back into the world — for someone else to wear if appropriate, or at least to give its fabric a second life. Remembering also, if you need a repair, that tailors have been around for 200+ thousand years .
Get your animal-based protein consumption straight (No one said: “stop eating meat”)
Somewhere along my process I’ve come across one of these apps that asks you a bunch of questions on your life and gives you a quantitative picture on your impact to the planet (here if you want to try)
On the food section particularly, my survey brought up something I didn’t expect, namely how the dairy products put a burden on my footprint. I was already expecting that meat (and red meat in particular) would be very resource-intensive; however, it is relatively easy to identify when you’re having a big juicy steak, and maybe decide to cut back. | https://medium.com/tech-away/circular-economy-and-new-years-resolutions-6-things-to-start-today-a10668cadeca | ['Bruno Jean'] | 2019-01-25 08:50:06.747000+00:00 | ['Recycling', 'Environment', 'Circulareconomy', 'Bpifrance Le Hub'] |
My Autistic Experience with Nagata Kabi | Nagata Kabi is a very atypical manga artist. For one thing, she publishes her work on Pixiv and other social media platforms, outside of the world of demographic-oriented anthology magazines that spawn most of the manga which makes it over to the West. Nagata’s work is also unusual in that it’s autobiographical, a genre experimented with by some of manga’s pioneers (such as Shigeru Mizuki’s war memoirs) but mostly pushed out of the commercial space. While most manga is published in black and white, she includes splashes of colour, mostly pink.
But even without these commercial caveats, Nagata’s work would still be distinctive. She writes from a brutally honest, marginal perspective. She’s a young, socially-maladjusted woman who struggles to adapt to the world of work and social relations. Nagata is frank about her mental illness as well as her homosexuality, two subjects which are still taboo in Japan. Instead of discussing these issues issues moralistically, Nagata delves deep into her own psyche and thought process.
Autobiographical comics are, however, a long tradition in North American alternative comics, going back to the pioneering work of Justin Green and continued into the 1980s and 90s by people like Harvey Pekar, Art Spiegelman, Joe Matt and Julie Doucet. There are still people doing autobiographical comics in North America, and good ones, but I think of Nagata as the unlikely heir to this tradition: creating unvarnished tell-all stories that express the secret, unflattering desires and feelings that readers might relate to but not want to admit to.
Much of the Western reception for Nagata’s first memoir, My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness, focused on its depiction of Nagata’s lesbianism. It was often paired with the first volume of My Brother’s Husband, the manga which confirmed that Anderson Cooper loves musclebound Canadian men. But whereas My Brother’s Husband is largely about the question of tolerance for homosexuality, Nagata’s real concern is on the other two nouns: experience and loneliness.
Nagata’s follow-up work, thus far released in two volumes in English, continues this focus, as signaled by the title My Solo Exchange Diary. In essence, she revives a childhood tradition of writing pen-pal letters to herself: an expression of fundamental loneliness, of crafting an ersatz version of the relationships you wish you had. We return briefly to the lesbian escort agency from the previous volume, but the story deals chiefly with Nagata’s strained relationship with her family, who she moves in and out with.
I’m not someone who generally reads books to relate to them — I prefer a kind of baroque formal remove. But these books strike me to the core. Like Nagata, I’ve spent my adult life shuttling between tiny one-occupant apartments and parents’ spare bedrooms. I’ve always found human interaction somewhat baffling. As a teenager, I was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, which is now just called being on the autism spectrum — although I don’t like to think of myself as autistic or disabled. I’ve also had my own struggles with depression since adolescence.
I spend a lot of time by myself, and a lot of time in my own head. Like Nagata, I’m well aware of the toxicity of my own thought processes, but find myself helplessly beholden to them. I share this disconnect she feels with other people, and the way she finds others’ thoughts and feelings utterly opaque — even friends and family.
The push-pull relationship Nagata has with her parents was also familiar to me. Her in-text persona moves in and out with her parents, torn between the desire for independence and the longing for their approval and affection. This is also a struggle I’ve had, although financial and cultural differences change the character of it somewhat. Maybe being autistic, or being depressed, or both, is constantly feeling uncomfortable with the social categories and requirements of being either a child or adult.
A casual reading of My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness could lead one to think that Nagata’s coming to grips with her own sexuality resolved her issues with anxiety and depression. What’s so valuable about My Solo Exchange Diary is that it shows how mental health is an ongoing, perhaps unending struggle. Nagata experiences some of her worst problems, including a bout of depressive alcoholism that leads to her hospitalization, after she “comes out” and has some romantic success.
The kind of celebrity confessionals we see around World Mental Health Day and similar awareness-based holidays always ring hollow to me. What do I care if Howie Mandel has depression? The rich and famous telling me it gets better doesn’t help people like me for whom it empathetically isn’t. If anything, it makes my own struggles feel alien to me, like they too have been taken over by the media like so much else. The cutesy mental health stuff you see on Twitter doesn’t appeal to me either — a cartoon character saying “you’re great and you’re going to be okay” just makes me think “if they knew me, they’d never say that.” But somehow, when Nagata Kabi shows how she struggles despite having success as a manga artist, it feels real and convincing to me.
But then again, what is the use of identification? Nagata’s work doesn’t offer me a solution to my problems — she doesn’t even have a solution to hers. Even if we’re of similar age, the gap between a white straight Canadian guy who charitably calls himself a freelance writer and a Japanese lesbian manga artist means I can’t exactly retrace her steps. (Somehow I think that visiting an escort agency wouldn’t be seen as positive a solution for me, although Chester Brown might disagree.) So what good does reading these comics and going “I feel that” do?
In the end, it does make me happier — or at least less lonely. I feel less alien, less like my thought processes are fundamentally wrong. I gain a bit of a vocabulary for talking about that strange inner circuitry. And maybe that’s all art can aspire to. | https://projectrob.medium.com/my-autistic-experience-with-nagata-kabi-7ce20ec59e97 | ['Rob Hutton'] | 2019-11-15 12:39:34.198000+00:00 | ['Comics', 'Manga', 'Mental Health', 'Autism'] |
The environmental case for a Trump impeachment inquiry | These are just two examples of Trump’s Cabinet members and top officials who have abused their office for personal gain. Although Pruitt and Zinke are gone (replaced by other industry shills), Trump — who has set the tone for this self-dealing from the very top — has still not been held accountable.
Obstruction of justice
“Obstruction of justice” is trying to influence or impede a judicial, congressional or agency proceeding in a dishonest way to gain an improper advantage. The Mueller report outlines several instances where Trump has tried to undermine the special prosecutor and the FBI in doing their job of investigation and prosecution. But the Trump administration is also undermining environmental agencies in doing their jobs of environmental investigation and prosecution.
Environmental enforcement includes monitoring, conducting investigations and inspections and bringing civil and criminal actions against polluters and other violators. But under the Trump EPA, which is led by a former fossil fuel lobbyist, enforcement has fallen dramatically. The agency is conducting 60 percent fewer inspections than average, and the Trump EPA refers a dramatically low number of environmental cases to the Justice Department for civil and criminal prosecution. Similarly, the Trump Food and Drug Administration is pursuing similarly low levels of enforcement.
We believe that an impeachment inquiry is urgently needed because Trump poses a much more grave and fundamental threat to our ability to fight for the planet.
Friends of the Earth and our members fight hard to win strong environmental laws, and we expect that our environmental agencies will uphold these laws, not obstruct the implementation of them. Trump administration officials are failing to prosecuting environmental criminals who pollute our air and water and harm public health, and rewarding their fossil fuel donors and (former or future) employers in the process. In January, Congress’s Government Accountability Office began investigation of the agency’s low numbers. It is time for Congress to not only investigate the Trump EPA, but to deepen its investigation of Trump himself.
Congress must act
When faced with such grave threats to our constitutional democracy, Congress is our only hope for recourse and has a solemn duty to act. The Mueller report provides ample evidence for beginning an impeachment inquiry and was essentially a referral to Congress to initiate such proceedings. If Congress does not have the courage to stand up to such fundamental threats to our democracy, we cannot expect they will stand up to polluters or take on the challenge of climate change.
We need Congress to protect our elections, our representative democracy, a free press, the rule of law and our governmental system of checks and balances. What this means for FOE and FOE Action on a daily basis is the ability to elect environmental champions into office, to empower activists to speak up with their elected officials, to pass strong environmental policies and litigate to uphold environmental laws. These are the bedrock ways we and millions of others fight to protect our planet every day.
We need Congress to do their job so we can continue doing ours. | https://foe-us.medium.com/the-environmental-case-for-a-trump-impeachment-inquiry-e95324031acc | ['Friends Of The Earth'] | 2019-07-24 21:40:07.644000+00:00 | ['Environment', 'Trump', 'Politics', 'Impeachment', 'America'] |
Bleeding Edge Series: Explainable AI is the key to Social Acceptance of Artificial Intelligence | Systems that rely upon artificial intelligence to make decisions are often black boxes that produce values which are interpreted to signify a certain meaning. There is often no explanation of how the system arrived at these values. This lack of explanation may not be an issue for problems such as predicting film revenue from reviews, but it will be an impediment to the adoption of such systems in highly regulated domains such as healthcare, finance, and the military.
Explanations of how decisions are arrived at, may reduce the accusations of bias, and therefore may reduce the possibility of legal action against private and government organisations.
There may be specific business reasons why organisations may wish to have explanations from their machine learning models. However, the academic community has deduced a number of general cases where explanations may be needed for inferences from complex machine learning methods.
The main general cases are: Explain to justify, Explain to control, Explain to improve and Explain to discover.
Adadi and Berrada state that Explain to justify is typically for decisions or inferences that need to comply with legislation or regulation. Whereas Explain to control is to determine what the weaknesses of the model are.
Explain to improve is a strategy where the explanations about the relationships between inputs and outputs can be used to improve the model, and finally, Explain to discover is a technique that uses explanations to discover new information.
This blog post will cover in a high-level manner why explainability is important to the 2nd wave adoption of Artificial Intelligence and some of the major techniques to derive explanations from black boxes.
Interpretability v Explainability
Interpretability and Explainability are often used as synonyms within the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) communities. But they are descriptions of slightly different phenomena. There are a number of definitions of interpretability with the mainstream definitions being “ Interpretability is the degree to which a human can understand the cause of a decision “, and “ Interpretability is the degree to which a human can consistently predict the model’s result”.
In short, a reasonably trained human will be able within a certain degree of error to predict the output of a model if a parameter or feature that was changed in the input. If this is the case, then the human will have an idea of how the system comes to a decision or an output value. Simple models, such as Naive Bayes classifier lend themselves to be interpreted by a human. A Naive Bayes classifier is based upon Bayes Rule and is simple enough to be set as a question on undergraduate exams, and therefore can be counted as an interpretable model.
The more complex models such as Deep Neural Networks are considered to be a black box where the model produced by the Neural Network is complex, and the aforementioned reasonably trained human is likely not to be able to predict the outcome of changing the input parameters.
Explainability, conversely, “ is the extent where the feature values of an instance are related to its model prediction in such a way that humans understand” or more simplistically, “ Why is this happening?”. Explanations may be as simple as highlighting important words in a sentence which determined its classification. An example of this phenomenon can be found here.
The linked example demonstrates the differences in the manner that two individual classifiers came to a decision. The Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classify the text into the same categories, but the CNN uses less, but more relevant words. The SVM uses words such as “is”, that most humans would not associate with the space category that the first paragraph was assigned to.
This example demonstrates that a model such as a CNN may not be interpretable, but still may offer explanations of how the model comes to a classification. Explainability not only offers some confidence to decision makers when accepting outputs from AI dependent systems, but it also offers some indications of the robustness of the underlying AI. For example, Adversarial Attacks can fool image classification systems to interpret a stop sign as a speed limit sign.
Explainable AI techniques can help make AI systems more robust against this type of attack.
Interpretation Methods
The most complete survey paper in this area is the research conducted by Adadi and Berrada, and they stated that there are two types of interpretability: global and local. Global interpretability “ facilitates the understanding of the whole logic of a model and follows the entire reasoning leading to all the different possible outcomes” whereas “ local interpretability explains the reasons for a specific decision or single prediction means that interpretability is occurring locally”.
Adadi and Berrada contend that global interpretability is required when a clear picture of the whole reasoning process is needed by decision makers. They state that this level of interpretability would be required for population-level problems such as identify “drug consumption trends”. Their paper lists a number of techniques such as GIRP through which global interpretability can be achieved.
Local interpretability is required when there is a requirement for an interpretation of a single inference. Again Adadi and Berrada provide a comprehensive list of techniques that can be used to provide that single interpretation, the most well-known of which is Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanation (LIME), which is made available as a Python library by its authors.
Explanation Methods
Machine learning techniques can have explainability as part of their design. Adadi and Berrada provide a list of learners that were designed to be explainable such as Bayesian Rule Lists and Sparse Linear Models.
Feature importance is one method of many that can be used. In the academic literature, there are a number of various techniques. Guidotti et al have produced a survey article of explainable methods for black box systems. For brevity, this post will cover Sensitivity Analysis and Partial Dependence Plots.
Sensitivity Analysis
Sensitivity analysis “ is the study of how the uncertainty in the output of a mathematical model or system (numerical or otherwise) can be divided and allocated to different sources of uncertainty in its input” and it can be used to “i ncrease understanding of the relationship between input and output variables in a system or model”.
This technique was used by Shu and Zhu. Their technique perturbed the input of the training data and measured the results of the output of the system. This approach allows the authors to estimate the sensitivity of the model to the input parameters to the outputs produced. From these results, it is therefore possible to estimate the relationship between inputs and outputs.
Partial Dependent Plot
This technique is a visualisation technique that “ shows the marginal effect one or two features have on the predicted outcome of a machine learning model”, and its aims are arguably the same as sensitivity analysis because they both try to infer the relationship between inputs and outputs, and from that infer a general model. Partial Dependence plots are available in major machine learning libraries such as scikit-learn. Examples are shown in the following diagram.
The plots estimate the dependency of the output variable: house price, with various features, such as House Age (HouseAge). The plots, in particular, median income, demonstrate the relationship between the input feature and the output variable.
The Future?
Interpretation and explanation roughly speaking try either directly or indirectly to achieve the same goal, which is to change machine learning from alchemy, where a magical black box produces inferences, which the uninitiated should trust unreservedly, to a system that provides reasons why it came to its decisions. This area is, without a doubt, the future of machine learning and artificial intelligent systems.
The dystopia of science fiction’s view of AI is unlikely to come true because systems can be held to account and the sudden homicidal tendencies of fictional future systems such as HAL should be avoided because human operators will be informed of its malicious intent.
In the real world, the advent of explainable AI is likely to speed the adoption of AI systems in mature and highly regulated industries where decision-makers can be assured that the decisions are made by a robust system that can offer explanations for its inferences. Poor or weak inferences can be rejected. Explainable AI will also ease the acceptance of AI making moral decisions such as end of life care and job termination. | https://medium.com/skim-technologies/bleeding-edge-series-explainable-ai-is-the-key-to-social-acceptance-of-artificial-intelligence-93df8a60976 | ['Brett Drury'] | 2019-07-03 10:30:11.903000+00:00 | ['Future Technology', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Explainable Ai', 'Technology', 'Machine Learning'] |
MongoDB Java Driver for Polymorphism | When using MongoDB with a strong OOP language like Java, it’s a no brainer to want to hack the MongoDB Java Driver to serialize data to different sub-classes of model classes given different shapes of data, because MongoDB doesn’t have a strict schema restriction for a collection, which makes it a perfect match to store data models with polymorphism or inheritance into the same collection. This post will explore into how can we adapt polymorphism to MongoDB Java Driver.
Example
The post will use invoice line items as an example to demonstrate how to achieve polymorphism in MongoDB.
For line item, it always comes with a SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) representing the type of products. When we store line items into a collection, line items with different SKUs might have different shapes. For different SKUs, we might want to store different extra information about the product. For example, if it’s a T-shirt, we’d like to include the size info for the specific item, and we also want to include the expiration date if the item is food. To represent them in Java code, we can either use inheritance or composition. We can achieve both with MongoDB Java Driver, but before we jumping into those 2 directions, I’ll first introduce some common setups for both directions.
Setup
We first need to have a MongoCollection object to access the collection.
Main.java
public class Main {
public static void main() {
MongoCollection<LineItem> collection =
MongoClients.create("mongodb://localhost:27017")
.getDatabase("testdb")
.getCollection("lineItems", LineItem.class)
.withCodecRegistry(getCodecRegistry());
}
}
Note that we need to provide a CodecRegistry object, the getCodecRegistry will look like the following:
Main.java
protected static CodecRegistry getCodecRegistry() {
return fromRegistries(MongoClientSettings.getDefaultCodecRegistry(),
fromProviders(PojoCodecProvider.builder()
.conventions(DEFAULT_CONVENTIONS)
.register(getClassesToRegister())
.automatic(true).build()));
}
The code snippet does the following things:
Set the conventions to use DEFAULT_CONVENTIONS . The DEFAULT_CONVENTIONS has 3 different conventions — we will need 2 of them here: CLASS_AND_PROPERTY_CONVENTION and ANNOTATION_CONVENTION . More documentation for each convention can be found on their respective documentation page: CLASS_AND_PROPERTY_CONVENTION and ANNOTATION_CONVENTION Register other classes that could be used while encoding a LineItem object. It has different implication for inheritance and composition style, so getClassesToRegister will be elaborated for both of them respectively later.
Polymorphism from Inheritance
For inheritance style, the concrete class will contain detailed info for different types respectively. I’ll make the assumption that all different line items will have their special info, thus the following code:
LineItem.java
@BsonDiscriminator(key = "sku")
abstract public class BaseLineItem<T> {
@BsonId
protected ObjectId _id;
@BsonProperty("sku")
protected String sku;
@BsonProperty("quantity")
protected double quantity;
@BsonProperty
protected String unit;
@BsonProperty("info")
protected T info;
public BaseLineItem() {
}
public double getQuantity() {
return quantity;
}
public ObjectId getId() {
return _id;
}
public String getSku() {
return sku;
}
public String getUnit() {
return unit;
}
public T getInfo() {
return info;
}
public void setInfo(T info) {
this.info = info;
}
public void setId(ObjectId _id) {
this._id = _id;
}
public void setQuantity(double quantity) {
this.quantity = quantity;
}
public void setSku(String sku) {
this.sku = sku;
}
public void setUnit(String unit) {
this.unit = unit;
}
}
A few things to note here:
As the base class for line item, @BsonDiscriminator(key = “sku”) needs to be set to let MongoDB Java Driver to know that the sku field will be used to differentiate which sub-class to use. All the fields needs to be saved in the database should be annotated with BsonProperty , and the id field needs to be annotated with BsonId . We also need to define the setters and getters for those fields. An empty constructor needs to be provided; Note that we can’t use BaseLineItem directly for encoding even it’s not abstract . The reason is that the driver can’t use a class with generic for codec. more detail, see the official doc. This actually makes sense, because for a class with generic, it’s easy to insert it into database, but it will have trouble loading the data from the database because the driver doesn’t know which class to use. To address this, we can make sub-class of BaseLineItem without generic, which the driver will happily accept.
MilkLineItem.java
@BsonDiscriminator(key = "sku", value = "MILK")
public class MilkLineItem extends BaseLineItem<MilkInfo> {
public MilkLineItem() {}
public MilkLineItem(ObjectId _id,
String sku,
double quantity,
String unit,
MilkInfo info) {
super(_id, sku, quantity, unit, info);
}
}
Things to note:
@BsonDiscriminator(key = “sku”, value = “MILK”) is provided here, letting the driver know that only when the sku equals MILK this sub-class will be used. An empty constructor is also needed here.
MilkInfo.java
public class MilkInfo {
@BsonProperty
Date expirationDate;
public MilkInfo() {}
public MilkInfo(Date date) {this.expirationDate = date;}
public Date getExpirationDate() {
return expirationDate;
}
public void setExpirationDate(Date expirationDate) {
this.expirationDate = expirationDate;
}
}
We mentioned earlier that we will need to register other classes needs to be used by the driver. Here, we need to register MilkLineItem because the driver needs to know what classes to use when the discriminator key — sku, has its value equals MILK .
we will add the following:
Main.java
protected static Class<?>[] getSubClasses() {
return new Class<?>[]{MilkLineItem.class};
}
We can test the code by adding the following lines to the main method:
Main.java
collection.insertOne(new MilkLineItem(new ObjectId(), "MILK", 11, "HOUR", new MilkInfo(new Date()))); BaseLineItem first = document.find().first();
System.out.println("line item quantity: " + first.getQuantity());
In mongoDB, we will see the following document:
{
"_id" : ObjectId("5fcdc455aef85552c266f37d"),
"sku" : "MILK",
"info" : {
"expirationDate" : ISODate("2020-12-07T05:57:41.610Z")
},
"quantity" : 11,
"unit" : "LITER"
}
Polymorphism from Composition
With composition style, we also assume that all the line items will have their specialized info. And since we use composition, we will use LineItem class directly to represent all the variations.
@BsonDiscriminator
public class LineItem {
@BsonId
protected ObjectId _id;
@BsonProperty("sku")
protected String sku;
@BsonProperty("quantity")
protected double quantity;
@BsonProperty
protected String unit;
@BsonProperty(value = "info", useDiscriminator = true)
protected Info info;
public LineItem() {
}
public LineItem(ObjectId _id, String sku,
double quantity, String unit, Info info) {
this._id = _id;
this.sku = sku;
this.quantity = quantity;
this.unit = unit;
this.info = info;
}
public double getQuantity() {
return quantity;
}
public ObjectId getId() {
return _id;
}
public String getSku() {
return sku;
}
public String getUnit() {
return unit;
}
public Info getInfo() {
return info;
}
public void setInfo(Info info) {
this.info = info;
}
public void setId(ObjectId _id) {
this._id = _id;
}
public void setQuantity(double quantity) {
this.quantity = quantity;
}
public void setSku(String sku) {
this.sku = sku;
}
public void setUnit(String unit) {
this.unit = unit;
}
}
Note:
We still have to note 2 and 3 listed for BaseLineItem in previous section Instead of @BsonDiscriminator(key=”sku”) , we simply put @BsonDiscriminator , which means that we will store a special field _t in the database, and the value will the full class name with it’s package path.
Info.java
@BsonDiscriminator
public interface Info {
}
MilkInfo.java
@BsonDiscriminator
public class MilkInfo implements Info {
@BsonProperty
Date expirationDate;
public MilkInfo() {}
public MilkInfo(Date date) {this.expirationDate = date;}
public Date getExpirationDate() {
return expirationDate;
}
public void setExpirationDate(Date expirationDate) {
this.expirationDate = expirationDate;
}
}
With composition style, as Info sub-classes are the ones holding BsonDiscriminator , the concrete Info classes needs to be registered, so we need to add the following to the main class:
Main.java
protected static Class<?>[] getSubClasses() {
return new Class<?>[]{MilkInfo.class, TShirtInfo.class};
}
Again we can add the following code to the main method to test it works:
Main.java
document.insertOne(new LineItem(new ObjectId(), "MILK", 11, "LITER", new MilkInfo(new Date())));
LineItem first = document.find().first();
System.out.println("line item quantity: " + first.getQuantity());
In the database, the document looks a bit different from that when using inheritance:
> db.lineItems.find().pretty()
{
"_id" : ObjectId("5fcdc76699b6323dcfc1882d"),
"_t" : "src.model.billing.LineItem",
"info" : {
"_t" : "src.model.metrics.MilkInfo",
"expirationDate" : ISODate("2020-12-07T06:10:46.108Z")
},
"quantity" : 11,
"sku" : "MILK",
"unit" : "LITER"
}
Conclusion
That’s all you have to know when using MongoDB with Java to support Polymorphism. I’ll update later with a repo with sample code. | https://zx77.medium.com/mongodb-java-driver-for-polymorphism-8d8a9e28ec24 | [] | 2020-12-07 16:16:50.085000+00:00 | ['Inheritance', 'Java', 'Mongodb Tutorial', 'Mongodb', 'Polymorphism'] |
React DOM | React Elements JSX | React is defined as a Javascript library for building user interfaces.React work with DOM. DOM is “Document Object Model”The DOM API can be used to change a document structure, style, and content.
If someone asked you to give one reason why React is worth learning, this outcomes-based UI language is it. I call this language “the React language”.
JSX In Depth
JSX stands for JavaScript XML
React.createElement(component, props, ...children)
we write code in JSX :
<MyButton color="blue" shadowSize={2}>
Click Me
</MyButton>
and it works on compile like:
React.createElement(
MyButton,
{color: 'blue', shadowSize: 2},
'Click Me'
)
Component in JSX
User-Defined Components Must Be Capitalized
When an element type starts with a lowercase letter, it refers to a built-in component like <div> or <span> and results in a string 'div' or 'span' passed to React.createElement . Types that start with a capital letter like <Foo /> compile to React.createElement(Foo) and correspond to a component defined or imported in your JavaScript file.
Props in JSX
You can pass any JavaScript expression as a prop, by surrounding it with {} .
If we already have props as an object, and you want to pass it in JSX, you can use ... as a “spread” operator to pass the whole props object. These two components are equivalent:
Children in JSX
The middle of the opening and the closing tag has children props. <MyComponent>foo</MyComponent>
JavaScript Expressions as Children
You can pass any JavaScript expression as children, by enclosing it within {} . For example, these expressions are equivalent:
<MyComponent>{'foo'}</MyComponent>
Ignore in children
Booleans, Null, and Undefined Are Ignored
false , null , undefined , and true are valid children. They simply don’t render. These JSX expressions will all render to the same thing:
<div />
<div></div>
<div>{false}</div>
<div>{null}</div>
<div>{undefined}</div>
<div>{true}</div>
React and others | https://nimur.medium.com/react-dom-react-elements-jsx-f7eeb8258f18 | ['Nimur Hasan'] | 2020-11-04 15:50:07.865000+00:00 | ['Jsx', 'React', 'React Dom', 'Developernaim20'] |
New Nordic Sustainability | By Dorothee Sarah Spehar
Scandinavian fashion and design have been going strong in fame and sales for several years now. Copenhagen based brands as Ganni, who recently opened a shop in SoHo Manhattan, are the fashion dream of every woman who wants to indulge in the carefree and romantic style of Danish girls on a bike. Acne on the other hand is a fashion staple, with it’s sleek and timeless forms the manifestation of Swedish coolness and practicality.
Now, both brands embraced a shift from a conventional fashion brand to emphasizing the relevance of sustainability in their brand DNA. Ganni designated a whole team in their Copenhagen headquarters to material innovation and curates an Instagram account to their constant strive for improvement, while Acne became a member of the Fair Wear Foundation. So, what is it that makes Scandinavian brands so strong in combining visuals with values without any compromise on the sexiness of the brand?
Impressions from MAHLA Copenhagen and Pssbl
A deep connection between those countries and the nature around them and the awareness for collective responsibility, is surely what drives creative minds to an uncompromising vision of responsible fashion. In a society of equality, the idea of creating items that are based on exploitative accounts just seems wrong. The privilege of being located in a wealthy country and seeing the positive impact your business decisions can have on communities and the environment surely motivates a lot of younger labels to already implement a certain level of ethics and consciousness to their designs.
In a society of equality, the idea of creating items that are based on exploitative accounts just seems wrong.
Earlier this year, Copenhagen Fashion Week introduced a sustainability requirement for brands attending the show schedule and aims to reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions by 50% over the next years. Considering that about 241,000 tons or enough to power Times Square for 58 years have usually been emitted per year by fashion people and clothing collections moving around the planet for fashion weeks, that is a big deal!
With a whole new reality of hybrid shows and digital formats, the event has the best chances to become a blueprint for other fashion destinations who will follow the conscious change post-COVID. With DS AGENCY and our newly launched sales format onlyafew, I will be attending the Copenhagen Fashion Week next week. In a year when I am still surprised to travel to a fashion destination at all, I sure wonder how the future of the business will look like and if we shouldn’t just cancel the idea of fashion weeks altogether. However, large platforms like Fashion Weeks can also educate the public about sustainable fashion and as that is what I am all about, I can’t wait to host the first ecological and social conscious multi-brand exhibition at REVOLVER this season. | https://medium.com/never-fear/new-nordic-sustainability-891b2e36b590 | ['Domi Perek'] | 2020-08-27 16:52:30.459000+00:00 | ['Sustainability', 'Fashion', 'Blogger', 'Growth', 'Success'] |
Intro to Scraping Basketball Reference data | A short tutorial on how to scrape data from https://www.basketball-reference.com/ (or any other sports-reference.com site) with python
Photo by Edgar Chaparro on Unsplash
Sports-Reference.com is precisely where sports fandom and data science converge. It’s a massive, structured warehouse of clean sports data. Thus, it’s often the starting blocks for academic data science projects.
From a sports-reference site, like basketball-reference.com, it’s easy to grab one table. You don’t need to do it programmatically, you can copy and paste or even “export to CSV”. For example, you can get last season’s NBA standings from this page: https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2020_standings.html
But, that’s not much data. What if you want to aggregate data from multiple pages to draw meaningful conclusions about teams’ standings over 5, 10, or 50 years? (Or in my case, does tanking help a team reach the finals?) Well, you can do that with python and three libraries.
To show this, I will outline two examples: | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/intro-to-scraping-basketball-reference-data-8adcaa79664a | ['Michael Odonnell'] | 2020-12-15 16:39:25.211000+00:00 | ['Web Scraping', 'Sports Statistics', 'Python', 'NBA', 'Data Science'] |
NASA’s top 5 greatest missions | Apollo
Born as a political tactic during the Cold War to show the nation’s technological superiority, the Apollo program would become NASA’s greatest and most famous mission, achieving the impossible by putting a man on the Moon.
Named after the most loved of all the Greek gods, the Apollo program consisted of 17 missions which ran from 1961 to 1972.
Apollo 1 ended in a major tragedy when a fire broke out during a simulation phase and three astronauts lost their lives. Apollo missions 2–6 were unmanned test flights, while Apollo 7 became the first crewed mission of the program designed to test command and lunar modules.
Apollo 8 was the first manned spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit and to orbit the Moon. Landing on it became just a matter of time.
Apollo 9 and 10 were again crewed test flights, but Apollo 11 became the most famous of all space missions — the first to land a human on an extraterrestrial body.
Apollo 11 was launched from Cape Canaveral on July 16, 1969 and touched down on our only satellite 4 days later. Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin walked on the Moon, while Michael Collins stayed in the command module.
The astronauts took photographs, collected samples and returned safely back home on July 24. They left behind a plaque that reads:
“Here men from the planet Earth first set foot on the Moon July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.”
Five of the subsequent six Apollo missions were successful in landing a crew on the Moon, except for Apollo 13 which failed the landing but still managed to return home safely after an explosion on the ship.
Apollo 15 and Apollo 16 crew were the first to drive a car on the Moon, while the last mission — Apollo 17 — was the longest one. The astronauts stayed on our satellite for more than three days and performed three extensive moonwalks.
In three short years, the Apollo program landed 12 men on the Moon and remains the only mission to have achieved this. Humanity has never returned to the Moon afterward, nor has it managed to land on any other object beyond our beloved planet. | https://medium.com/illumination-curated/nasas-top-5-greatest-missions-6d66bdf78b07 | ['Ziva Fajfar'] | 2020-10-26 03:59:47.462000+00:00 | ['Space', 'Astronomy', 'Science', 'NASA', 'Solar System'] |
I Started Buying Books Instead Of Video Games — It Changed Everything | Why You Should Buy Books Instead Of Video Games
The theory is simple.
Buy books instead of video games — especially if you’re young! Take all the money you would’ve spent on video games and, in the words of Patrick Star, PUSH IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
That somewhere else being your local book store, hopefully.
Really quick before I keep going here..
Buying books is never a waste of money. I don’t care if you buy a book and it’s a massive disappointment. If you bought a few other ones, chances are one of them is going to explode with awesomeness.
Take my latest purchase, for instance. I bought a book called Quit Like A Millionaire recently by Bryce Leung and Kristy Shen.
The information in this book will probably help me make tens of thousands of dollars. Actually, to be honest, hundreds of thousands. I don’t know why I lied to you just then.
It’s a book about investing, that’s why. It’s not because I’m some genius. It’s because I’m young and I have the next 30 years to buy stuff and sit on it — which I’ll gladly do.
This one book that cost me $20 to buy will help make me tens of thousands of dollars after decades of investing.
I bought it on Sunday. Finished it yesterday. I bought two other books with it — one of which was a complete waste of money. In total I spent about $50, but it doesn’t matter. Why? Because one of those books was already a smash hit and will help me make that $50 back multiple times over.
Buy books, everyone. | https://medium.com/curious/i-started-buying-books-instead-of-video-games-it-changed-everything-4316809f9333 | ['Tom Kuegler'] | 2020-10-07 08:42:41.869000+00:00 | ['Finance', 'Money', 'Self', 'Productivity', 'Education'] |
The Seen and The Unseen Part 4 Trigonometric Series | Naïve Implementation
Cosine Function
Before writing a naïve implementation I want to see how the series progresses as the no.of terms increase.
The value of the series is oscillating between positive and negative that’s because of (-1) that’s being multiplied at every iteration. The values in red are the 5ᵗʰ term rounded off till the third decimal, they are not necessarily zero.
I’ll be using the same terminating condition I was using for the exponential function. I will stop the loop once the value of the series stops changing.
Instead of finding -1^n, I could just do i = i + 2 and alternate the sign to find the cos value.
2. Sine Function
Similarly, sine can be implemented as:
The sine and cosine functions are basically the same, the sine function consists of all the odd powered terms and cosine consists of all the even powered terms. Sine and Cosine can be calculated using one function alone.
Here is a function that calculates both sine and cosine
Using the indicator i = 0 for cosine and i = 1 for sine
Now I’ll test this function for correctness.
The average runtime for this function is: | https://medium.com/algoasylum/the-seen-and-the-unseen-part-4-6b40fd7f03a2 | ['Shweta Barge'] | 2020-07-22 08:55:53.216000+00:00 | ['Software Development', 'Programming Tips', 'Python', 'Towards Data Science', 'Data Visualization'] |
Docker en desarrollo : Episodio 3 | in In Fitness And In Health | https://medium.com/sinaptia/docker-en-desarrollo-episodio-3-59f33a5cee8a | [] | 2020-02-09 21:06:08.028000+00:00 | ['App Development', 'Español', 'Development', 'Backend Development', 'Docker'] |
COVID-19 Leads to a Drop in Average Food Prices | COVID-19 Leads to a Drop in Average Food Prices
In addition to tracking the virus, data visualization can help us measure the impact COVID-19 has had on everyday life
The coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the global population on a daily basis. The response to the virus requires restricting movement, interaction, and gatherings everywhere around the world. In the United Kingdom, the spread of COVID-19 began on January 31. As time has passed, the number of cases and deaths in the country have increased swiftly, with a total of 31,587 deaths as of May 10.
The virus has taken a toll on over half the British adult populations’ mental well-being and continues to affect people everyday. Financial troubles, high levels of anxiety and worrying about friends and family are some of the social difficulties faced by people, the ONS has recently reported. The virus is continually changing people’s lives in more ways than we can count.
After analysing and reporting on park mobility around the world a couple weeks ago, I continued to search for more data showcasing the different ways in which the virus has impacted human population. With a keen interest in food as well as running a food blog on a daily basis, I was curious about how food prices were reacting to the current circumstances and began looking for data to support it.
My findings highlighted one factor impacting the entire UK population: food prices. The Guardian referred to the British population as “the nation of stockpilers” in February of this year, as panic buying and shortages on products (remember #toiletrollcrisis?) took over grocery stores in the UK. Following the changes in shopping activity, I wanted to look at how the prices of food reacted to these changes. Over the last few months, the Office for National Statistics has continued to release their monthly CPI figures on average food prices in the UK. The CPI average food price datasets include prices of items sold in grocery stores and chains around the country.
I compiled the food price datasets between October 2019 and March 2020 to highlight the changes since the spread of COVID-19 in the UK. The data is available on products sold in grocery stores ranging from bread, milk, and meat, to vegan sausages and frozen pizzas, each one showing the average price of the product in the UK. I analysed the six datasets and realised that the sample size varied from month to month, with minor differences of one or two products. This meant that visualising the impact on individual products would be impossible due to missing data. However, I chose to calculate and record the mean food price for each respective month given the basket of goods to conclude changes between food price averages in a fair manner. Furthermore, I went on to visualise my dataset in R using the libraries Tidyverse and Ggplot2. I created and imported a new dataset containing mean food prices for each month, illustrating a fall in average food prices between January 2020 and February 2020, just as the impact of COVID-19 began affecting the country [shown below].
The graph below is also available in an interactive version using the R package Plotly. | https://medium.com/nightingale/covid-19-leads-to-a-drop-in-average-food-prices-in-the-uk-a6605a31cb0f | ['Ekta Khanchandani'] | 2020-05-14 16:18:14.625000+00:00 | ['Covid 19', 'Food Prices', 'Food', 'Food Data', 'Coronavirus'] |
The Power Of Feedback — How Visual Comments Can Improve User Experience | You are in the market cashing out on the register. You are handling the stuff you bought but the cashier is not looking at you, smiling or saying anything. The feeling is quite unpleasant. How would you feel if you did not receive even a single feedback after the shopping? Would you ever go to the same register again? Would you go to the same market if all the cashiers were the same? Let’s switch up the scenario. You are in the market cashing out on the register. You are handling the stuff you bought and the cashier suddenly smiles and asks how you are. The cashier is so pleasant and kind that you wish to stay in the market. Would you go to the same register again? Would you go to the same market if all the cashiers were the same?
In a previous example the market is used as a metaphor for a product, while the cashier presents the experience you get while using the service it offers.
One of the most important factors that determines market’s attendance is the feedback it provides. The difference between good and a bad experience leis in small details that are usually skipped when designing a market itself. If skipped the market may be avoided.
The usage of visual comments may be trivial, but it is usually excused. Not long time ago I was trying to Register my new device on Samsung’s website. After the registration nothing happened. I got no feedback and was quite confused. Just to be sure that everything is all right, I registered the device one more time.
Lack of information can confuse and make users avoid the website on unconscious level.
Feedback is used to present if completed action is positive or not. Feedback is fulfilling the experience by providing users with a feeling of control.
www.dribbble.com
Conclusion
Feedback makes communication easier and helps with understanding the process. Never let users guess. Visually display the state of the elements and provide both sided interaction.
Always be a good cashier. | https://medium.com/dayone-a-new-perspective/the-power-of-feedback-how-visual-elements-can-improve-experience-718e543a9d9c | ['Aleksandar Pleško'] | 2017-10-16 08:38:48.427000+00:00 | ['Feedback', 'Design', 'UX Design', 'User Experience', 'UX'] |
‘Six of Crows’ Book Review | ‘Six of Crows’ Book Review
A story about a band of loveable crims and a heist that’ll go down in history
Photo by Tyler Quiring on Unsplash
It took me an age to get into Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo — my own fault, really, for having a baby whose needs come before the devouring of a good book (babies are selfish like that). Plus, I tried reading it straight after finishing ‘The Shadow and Bone Trilogy’, which is not recommended because although set within the Grishaverse (the same fantasy world), the stories are worlds apart.
Shadow and Bone is pretty typical (albeit quite good) YA Fantasy that follows the path of a Chosen One trope with romantic elements thrown in.
Six of Crows is a crafty, complex YA Fantasy that has a plot more akin to Oceans Eleven (I’m going with the 2001 version here since I haven’t seen the original — I know, I know, shame on me). And yes, it does include a side of some well-written romance, but that’s not the main drawcard.
A team of characters work towards a plan to pull off the biggest heist in history to receive a massive reward that will pay off all their debts and still leave them among the wealthiest in Ketterdam.
The clever mastermind of it all, Kaz Brekker, reminds me of a cheeky Robin Hood, or a loveable rogue like Han Solo— hell, I’ve even had Ned Kelly come to mind.
What’s so great about this husky-voiced, brusque, secretive, brutal character who’s also known as Dirtyhands? He’s not only quick-witted and always two steps ahead of everyone, he’s also got plenty of flaws, and he makes mistakes — what’s that? He’s human! Kaz suffers from PTSD and as a result wears gloves because he has a phobia of touching or being touched (haphephobia). And he’s a baddie essentially fighting against bigger baddies. What’s not to love?
The story is told from five main POVs and all characters have complexities and goals, and they all show growth as the story progresses. That’s no mean feat, so props to Bardugo for bringing it all together so well.
So, who are the members of Kaz’s crew?
Inej, ‘The Wraith’ who was basically a Cirque du Soleil performer turned collector of secrets for Kaz (plus she’s pretty badass with all her knife-wielding); Jesper, gun-obsessed sharpshooter who never misses a shot (he also brings the funnies); Nina, a powerful Grisha Heartrender who’s strong, loud, confident, and unashamedly female (not to be forgotten: her skills in flirting her way out of anything); Matthias, a Fjerdan soldier who hunts Grisha and wants no part in the whole thing, but gets wrapped up in it anyway (his conflicted feelings for Nina add some great love/hate tension); and Wylan, the shy son of a rich mercher who’s got some secrets of his own (no POVs for Wylan in Six of Crows, but he’s a main character, nonetheless).
Let me just say, the banter is spot on. It’s funny without being constant and over-the-top. Made all the better when stoic, reluctant (or perhaps I should say, forced) team member Matthias joins in and manages to be hilarious without swaying from his personality.
All the elements work together perfectly to create a high-action, entertaining read that’s full of twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I ended up enjoying it so much, I’d label it one of my favourite reads of recent years.
On that note, just take a risk and read the damn book: | https://medium.com/short-b-read/six-of-crows-book-review-572dba7479e4 | ['Melissa-Jane Nguyen'] | 2020-10-05 02:34:10.285000+00:00 | ['Fiction', 'Book Review', 'Fantasy', 'Reading', 'Books'] |
The Top 40 Questions From Spring Boot Interviews | Top 40 Questions for Spring Framework:
1. What are the benefits of Spring?
Lightweight: Spring is lightweight in resource use, with the basic Spring Framework only costing 2MB of storage.
Spring is lightweight in resource use, with the basic Spring Framework only costing 2MB of storage. Scalable: Spring’s transaction management interface can scale to either a local transaction on a single database to global transactions using the JTA module
Spring’s transaction management interface can scale to either a local transaction on a single database to global transactions using the JTA module Exception Handling: Exception handling is easy thanks to plentiful API resources for handling exceptions in each module.
Exception handling is easy thanks to plentiful API resources for handling exceptions in each module. Layered Architecture: Allows you to use the parts of the program you need and discard the rest.
Allows you to use the parts of the program you need and discard the rest. POJO Enabled: Plain Old Java Object Programming allows you continuous testability and integration.
Plain Old Java Object Programming allows you continuous testability and integration. Open-source: Free for everyone and has no vendor lock-in.
Free for everyone and has no vendor lock-in. Inversion of control (IOC): Achieves loose coupling via IOC by allowing objects to give their dependencies to other objects rather without dependent objects.
Achieves loose coupling via IOC by allowing objects to give their dependencies to other objects rather without dependent objects. Aspect oriented (AOP): Spring supports Aspect-oriented programming, a paradigm that separates application business logic from system services.
2. What is the configuration file for Spring?
The configuration file for Spring is an XML file that contains the class information for a project. They describe the configuration of each class, how they’re introduced to other classes, and dependencies across the program.
3. What are the different modules of Spring Framework?
There are around 20 modules in total and are divided into the layers of Core Container, Data Access/Integration, Web, AOP (Aspect Oriented Programming), Instrumentation, and Test.
Core Container: The core of the Spring Framework contains four modules.
Spring Core
Spring Bean
SpEL (Spring Expression Language)
Spring Context
Data Access/Integration: Supports database interactions with five modules.
JDBC (Java DataBase Connectivity)
ORM (Object Relational Mapping)
OXM (Object XML Mappers)
JMS (Java Messaging Service)
Transaction
Web: Adds support for creating a web application using 4 modules.
Web
Web — MVC
Web — Socket
Web — Portlet
Aspect-Oriented Programming: This layer allows you to decouple code using Advice and Pointcut functions.
Instrumentation: This layer adds support for class instrumentation and classloader implementations.
Test: Adds support for testing using Junit and TestNG.
Miscellaneous: Two modules exist outside of these layer categories.
Aspects: Allows Spring to integrate with Aspect.
Allows Spring to integrate with Aspect. Messaging: Adds support for STOMP, an annotation programming model, and allows you to route STOMP messages from WebSocket clients.
4. What are the different components of a Spring application?
Spring applications contain five components:
Interface: Defines program functions.
Defines program functions. Bean class: Contains properties, setter and getter methods for accessing the bean, and specific functions, etc.
Contains properties, setter and getter methods for accessing the bean, and specific functions, etc. Spring Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP): Includes cross-cutting concerns functionality, which is not supported in Object-Oriented Programming.
Includes cross-cutting concerns functionality, which is not supported in Object-Oriented Programming. Bean Configuration File: Contains the information of classes, how to configure them, and defines their relationships.
Contains the information of classes, how to configure them, and defines their relationships. User program: Calls functions across the program
5. What is dependency injection?
Dependency injection (DI) is a concept that defines how multiple classes should be connected. This is one example of Inversion of Control. You don’t need to connect services and components explicitly in code when using dependency injection. Instead, you describe the services needed by each component in an XML configuration file and allow the IOC container to connect them automatically.
6. What is a Spring IoC container?
An IoC container creates, configures, and connects objects while also managing their lifecycle. The container gets instructions on these areas from configuration metadata given by the user.
7. What are the types of IoC?
BeanFactory Container: This factory class contains a prepackaged collection of beans that instantiate when called by clients. This is the most basic container to support DI.
This factory class contains a prepackaged collection of beans that instantiate when called by clients. This is the most basic container to support DI. ApplicationContext Container: Built on top of the BeanFactory Container, this container provides additional enterprise-focused functionalities. For example, ApplicationContext containers grant the ability to resolve textual messages and publish application events.
8. What is Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP)?
AOP is a programming technique that allows programmers to modularize behavior that is used across the typical divisions of responsibility found in Object-Oriented Programming. The core AOP construct of aspects are behaviors applicable across classes. Extracting these behaviors from individual beans to aspects allows them to be reused easily.
9. What are Spring beans?
Beans are objects created from configuration metadata when it is passed to the IOC container. They form the foundation of all Spring programs. The IOC container instantiates, configures, connects, and manages each bean.
10. What are the common implementations of the ApplicationContext?
Three of the most popular containers are:
FileSystemXmlApplicationContext: Causes the constructor to load bean definitions from an XML configuration file. Must be pointed to with a full file path.
Causes the constructor to load bean definitions from an XML configuration file. Must be pointed to with a full file path. ClassPathXmlApplicationContext: This container does the same as the above but does not require a full file path. Instead, you set the CLASSPATH property and allow the container to find the XML at that CLASSPATH .
This container does the same as the above but does not require a full file path. Instead, you set the property and allow the container to find the at that . WebXmlApplicationContext: Loads all bean definitions to a web application from an XML file.
11. What is the difference between BeanFactory and ApplicationContext?
The BeanFactory is a basic, space-efficient container with limited functionality. It is best used for simple tasks or when using low-resource machines.
The ApplicationContext is an advanced, more intensive container with an extended interface and additional capabilities like AOP. This container is best used when you need more functionality than the BeanFactory and have ample resources available on the machine.
12. How do you add a bean in a Spring application?
We must annotate a method: @Bean annotation. When JavaConfig encounters this method, it will execute that method and register the return value as a bean within a BeanFactory.
package io.educative;
public class User {
private String name;
private String address;
public String getName() {
return name;
}
public void setName(String name) {
this.name = name;
}
public String getAddress() {
return address;
}
public void setAddress(String address) {
this.address = address;
}
}
13. What bean scopes does Spring support?
Spring supports five scopes for beans:
Singleton: Scopes a bean definition to be restricted to a single instance per Spring IoC container
Scopes a bean definition to be restricted to a single instance per Spring IoC container Prototype: Scopes a single bean to enable any number of instances.
Scopes a single bean to enable any number of instances. Request: Scopes a bean definition to a single HTTP request within an ApplicationContext
Scopes a bean definition to a single HTTP request within an ApplicationContext Session: Scopes a bean definition to an HTTP session within an ApplicationContext
Scopes a bean definition to an HTTP session within an ApplicationContext Global-session: Scopes a bean definition to a Global HTTP
14. What are the steps of the Bean lifecycle?
There are seven steps to the Bean lifecycle:
Instantiate: The bean is instantiated by the Spring container using the bean’s definition found in the XML configuration file. Populate properties: Spring populates all the defined properties from the XML file using dependency injection. Set Bean Name: Spring passes the bean’s identifier to the setBeanName() method if the bean uses the BeanNameAware interface. Set Bean factory: Spring passes the beanfactory to the setBeanFactory() method if the bean is configured to use the BeanFactoryAware interface. Pre Initialization: Spring calls any BeanPostProcessors associated with the bean using the postProcessorBeforeInitialization() method. Initialization: The bean is then initialized. Any special initialization process specified in the init-method is followed. Post Initialization: All defined postProcessAfterInitialization() methods are called. Now the bean is complete. Beans that implement DisposableBean will be deleted using the destroy() after their job is finished.
15. Explain inner beans in Spring
An inner bean is used as a property of another bean. Inner beans can be defined in the configuration XML file under either the <property> or <constructor-arg> elements. All inner beans are always scoped as prototype and don’t have identifiers.
16. What is bean auto wiring?
This is a Spring capability that allows the Spring container to automatically set dependency relationships between collaborating beans by looking at the BeanFactory. Auto wiring can be set to define these relationships using the beans’ names or type or even class constructors.
17. How can you inject a Java Collection in Spring?
Java collections can be injected in four different ways:
<list> : Helps you wire sets of values like lists while allowing duplicates.
Helps you wire sets of values like lists while allowing duplicates. <set> : Helps you wire a set of values while avoiding duplicates.
Helps you wire a set of values while avoiding duplicates. <map> : Allows you to inject a collection of key-value pairs of any data type.
Allows you to inject a collection of key-value pairs of any data type. <props> : Allows you to inject a collection of key-value pairs with both keys and values of type String .
18. What is a Joinpoint?
Joinpoints represent any point in a program where an action is taken. Examples of a joinpoint include when handling an exception or a method is executed. When using AOP, only method executions are joinpoints.
19. What is an Advice in Spring?
An Advice is the action taken at a given joinpoint. AOP uses an Advice as an interceptor before the method’s execution is complete.
20. What are the types of advice for a Spring Framework?
Before: These are advices that execute before the joinpoint methods. They’re marked using the @Before annotation mark.
These are advices that execute before the joinpoint methods. They’re marked using the annotation mark. After returning: These execute after the joinpoint’s method completes executing without issue. They’re marked using the @AfterReturning annotation mark.
These execute after the joinpoint’s method completes executing without issue. They’re marked using the annotation mark. After throwing: These execute only if the joinpoint method ends by throwing an exception. They’re marked using the @AfterThrowing annotation mark.
These execute only if the joinpoint method ends by throwing an exception. They’re marked using the annotation mark. After: These execute after a joinpoint method, regardless of how it completes. They’re marked using the @After annotation mark.
These execute after a joinpoint method, regardless of how it completes. They’re marked using the annotation mark. Around: These execute before and after a joinpoint and are marked using the @Around annotation mark.
21. What is Weaving?
Weaving in Spring is the process of linking elements to other application types or objects to create advised objects. This is done at runtime.
22. Describe Spring DAO support
Data Access Object (DAO) support is a set of tools that make it easier to work with data access technologies like Hibernate and JDO with improved consistency. It also catches technology-specific errors automatically. Together these make DAOs easier to work with and allows you to switch between persistence technologies without error.
23. What is the JDBC? Which classes are present in the Spring JDBC API?
JDBC stands for Java Database Connectivity. It is an application programming interface in Java used to define how a program may access a database. The JDBC API contains:
JdbcTemplate
NamedParameterJdbcTemplate
SimpleJdbcCall
SimpleJdbcInsert
SimpleJdbcTemplate
24. What is the Spring Model-View-Controller (MVC) framework?
The Spring MVC framework provides model-view-controller architecture and pre-made components used to develop loosely coupled web applications. Using MVC, you can separate different aspects of the program like a business, input, and UI logics while still having a loose coupling between each. This allows for greater flexibility in your web applications.
25. What are the parts of Spring MVC framework?
The three main parts of MVC are:
DispatcherServlet: This part of MVC manages all the HTTP requests and responses that interact with the program. The DispatcherServlet first receives relevant handler mapping from the configuration file and then passes off the request to the controller. The DispatcherServlet is the most important part of the Spring Web MVC framework.
This part of MVC manages all the HTTP requests and responses that interact with the program. The first receives relevant handler mapping from the configuration file and then passes off the request to the controller. The is the most important part of the Spring Web MVC framework. WebApplicationContext: This acts as an extension of the plain ApplicationContext with extra features necessary for web applications. It can uniquely resolve themes and automatically decide which servlet it is associated with.
This acts as an extension of the plain ApplicationContext with extra features necessary for web applications. It can uniquely resolve themes and automatically decide which servlet it is associated with. Controllers: These are beans within the DispatcherServlet that act as filters between user input and application response. Controllers take user input, decide if it should be transformed into either a View or a Model, and finally returns the transformed input to the View Resolver for review.
26. What are the different parts of the DispatcherServlet?
Handler Mapping: An interface that defines the mapping between handler and request objects. Can be used to create a custom mapping strategy. Controller: Determines the app’s response to user input by sorting input requests by their desired outcome. Input is either immediately returned with a View or is transformed into a Model before being passed to the view-resolver. View-Resolver: Takes and renders Models from the controller by mapping between View names and actual Views.
27. How can annotation wiring be turned on in Spring?
To allow annotation wiring, include <context:annotation-config/> in your XML configuration file:
<beans
//...
xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
//...
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context
http://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-context-2.5.xsd">
//...
<context:annotation-config /> //annotation wiring enabled here
//...
</beans>
28. What is the Spring Boot?
Spring Boot is an open-source Java framework used to create microservices. It is a project built on top of Spring to simplify the task of deploying Java applications. Its two major components are the Spring Framework and Embedded HTTP Servers. Spring Boot is used to:
Simplify the process of developing production-ready Spring applications
Avoid XML configuration in Spring
configuration in Spring Reduce development time by decreasing the number of needed import statements
Provide an opinionated development approach
These are often used to get Spring applications running quickly.
29. What is Reactive Programming?
Reactive Programming is a programming paradigm that relies on programmed actions trigger on events rather than based on the chronological order of the code. Reactive programs make efficient use of computer resources and scale well with just a few threads. Its non-sequential form allows you to avoid stack blocking and maintain responsiveness.
30. What is Spring Webflux?
Webflux is a reactive web framework that serves as an alternative to MVC. Webflux provides better scalability and prevents stack blocking.
Source: Prabu Subra on Medium
31. What is the difference between the WebClient and Webtestclient?
The WebClient is a component from the Web Reactive framework that makes it easier to build reactive and non-blocking web applications.
The Webtestclient is a version of this client with all the same features but is disconnected from live environments. The test client doesn’t need an HTTP server live environment to work, making it a good test environment for new applications. It can connect to any server over an HTTP connection or sync directly with WebFlux to apply mock HTTP requests and generate response objects.
32. Can Spring Boot allow Spring MVC or Spring WebFlux in the same application?
Boot allows both in the same application but can only apply one at a time. WebFlux is a non-blocking framework while MVC is a blocking framework, making them incompatible together.
33. Can Spring 5 Integrate with the Jdk9 Modularity?
Yes, Spring 5 can integrate with Jdk9. Here’s how you can do it:
Create a new class
package com.hello;
public class HelloWorld {
public String sayHello(){
return "HelloWorld";
}
}
Create a new module
module com.hello {
export com.hello;
}
Create a new Java Project
module com.hello.client {
requires com.hello;
}
Test the new module
public class HelloWorldClient {
public static void main(String[] args){
HelloWorld helloWorld = new HelloWorld();
log.info(helloWorld.sayHello());
}
}
34. What is a Proxy in Spring?
A Proxy is an object created after applying advice to a target object. Proxies are used to perform meta-programming operations like intercepting an object call or altering an object’s property.
35. When is the target object and proxy object the same?
This is a “gotcha” question used to test if you know how different object types interact. The target and proxy objects are the same when dealing with client objects.
36. How can configuration metadata be provided to the Spring container?
XML-Based Configuration: This type of configuration stores all of a program’s bean definitions and dependencies in an XML file. These files are imported by providing a full file path, like on line 1 below.
<bean id="bean1" class="io.Educative.firstSpring.Bean1">
<property name="name" value="Educative"></property>
</bean>
Annotation-Based Configuration: You can instead create annotations on a class, method, or field in a bean to position it within a component class.
<beans>
<context:annotation-config/>
<!-- bean definitions go here -->
</beans>
Java-Based Configuration: This type of configuration allows you to skip <bean> syntax and instead use the @Bean tag to achieve the same thing. You can also create configuration classes with the @Configuration tag, allowing you to create dependencies between beans by calling other @Bean classes.
@Configuration
public class BeanConfig
{
@Bean
public Bean1 myBean()
{ return new Bean1(); }
}
37. What are the possible exceptions that can be thrown by Spring DAO classes?
DataAccessResourceFailureException
CleanUpFailureDataAccessException
InvalidDataAccessApiUsageException
InvalidDataAccessResourceUsageException
UncategorizedDataAccessException
DataIntegrityViolationException
DeadLockLoserDatAccessException
OptimisticLockingFailureEexception
IncorrectUpdateSemanticsDataAccessException
TypeMismatchDataAccessException
ObjectRetrievalFailureException
DataRetrievalFailureException
38. What are the ways Hibernate can be accessed using Spring?
Hibernate ORM is an object-relational mapping framework for Java. It is used with Spring to map object-oriented domain models to a relational database. Hibernate can be accessed in Spring in the following two ways:
First, extend HibernateDAOSupport and then apply an AOP Interceptor node Use Inversion of Control with Hibernate Template and Callback structures
39. Point out the difference between concern and cross-cutting concern in Spring AOP?
A concern is the target functionality we’re trying to implement into a particular module of our application.
A cross-cutting concern is a concern that is used across the entire application rather than just in a particular module.
Data logging is a good example of a cross-cutting concern as logging is useful and desired regardless of what module it is in.
40. What are the types of transaction management available in Spring?
Declarative transaction management: This type manages transactions using annotations or XML configurations to separate transaction management from the program’s business code. While easy to maintain, this style is more restricted in its capabilities.
Programmatic transaction management: This type manages transactions with specifically made programs. The customization of these programs allows for more flexible management but introduces more room for error in the process. | https://medium.com/better-programming/the-top-40-questions-from-spring-boot-interviews-50660eaf74a | ['The Educative Team'] | 2020-09-09 16:22:23.810000+00:00 | ['Coding Interview', 'Programming', 'Spring Boot', 'Java', 'Spring'] |
Practical tips for creating equitable designs | If you are someone who totally understands why we need to shift our practice, but you are stuck on how exactly we do this, this article is for you. I have outlined the following tips under categories ranked from most important to least. I have also offered some examples so you have a better idea of what it can look like.
Like all of us, I am still learning, and especially because I am a white person I am committed to doing so publicly in order to demonstrate how important this learning is. I think it’s too easy for those of us who identify with dominant cultures to think it’s not “our” business to discuss these topics, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Inequity is a problem that exists because of dominance — as a white person, I remain committed to fully engaging in and even initiating these conversations, however imperfectly. I fully admit that I don’t know everything when it comes to this topic and I seek to share what I have learned as someone who has been deeply committed to equity over the long term. I invite you to leave comments with your own questions and experiences.
Focus on the process
Listen to feedback from people who are often oppressed and excluded.
Listening to this feedback requires both asking for it and also then being willing to do things differently because of what you heard. This won’t be easy if you pride yourself on being an expert, as you may have to acknowledge how much you really have to learn.
If you think this sounds simple enough, ask yourself how many projects you’ve worked on where this was included as a critical part of the process. For me, it’s been too few. What this has often meant is that the decision-makers don’t get this feedback until after production is complete, and this creates a lose-lose situation: There may be harm caused to people (this harm is often repetitive and therefore re-traumatizing), and decision-makers don’t have the opportunity to make changes that would reduce such harm before potential criticism reaches a higher volume (this embarrassment can lead to the project being subsequently hidden and essentially moot).
This is why this is the single most important tip here, one that essentially can eliminate all those that follow. There are more tips about asking for and receiving feedback in another article I’ve written here.
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
Collaborate with difference.
Naturally, a prerequisite for this is appreciating difference and understanding that the goal is not to have one standard set of rules for anything, including how to best design or visualize data! Our diversity is our strength in every way, and this can be applied to our everyday professional work too.
Recognize your own individual social locations, and then identify what locations are different from yours. Now this is important for it will feel so incredibly uncomfortable: reach outside of spaces in which you know you belong to connect with people who are different. (Also, remember that our intersections are so complex that chances are that no matter how different someone may appear to be, you have something in common with them.)
If you are someone with a location that is dominant in our culture (white, male, cisgendered, able bodied, middle to upper class, etc.), please be mindful of the power dynamics in your collaborations and of the share of the load and of the recognition that’s being carried by various involved parties. Please don’t ask people who are oppressed to educate you about oppression, to listen to or care for your complicated feelings, or to engage in vulnerable conversations with you — allow them to do these things only if they want and choose to.
Lastly, consider that there are varying degrees of “collaboration,” from informing to consulting to involving to empowering, and significant shifts happen the more we move from the former to the latter.
Give credit where it’s due.
Whether people are offering you their thoughts on your design drafts, contributing data sets, helping craft language, or something else, this is part of the labor that goes into the work, so it needs to be named.
In my opinion, data stories especially are always the result of many hands, so they are less private property and more public domain. Ask yourself how this perspective might change your relationship to them and their expression.
One more thing on process: Shifting culture is a long game, period. So give yourself credit for being willing to jump into the messiness of it all and to change your own behaviors without any guarantees of success.
Mind the story
Always consider who might be harmed by the story being told.
The stories we tell, including and perhaps especially data stories, can affect a person’s safety, privacy, livelihood, health, and relationships. For example, one of my colleagues was working with data about employee demographics and attitudes, and because most employees were white and straight they had to be careful about how they talked about the data so that those who were BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ wouldn’t be targeted for expressing their contrary opinions in an apparently-anonymous survey.
We may not always be able to see the harm, which is why the aforementioned practices are so critical. A few common examples I have found in my work are:
Discussion of changing demographics with an implication that it’s a change to be concerned about. For example, the fact that this study looked at attitudes about increasing diversity I think says a lot. Discussion of systemic harms in a way that makes it seem like they are individual failures. Two common examples are gang violence and rates of type 2 diabetes. Discussion of policies or practices that disproportionately affect or impact certain populations without mentioning that that is the case. Yes, it’s harmful to not name harms, which I’ll discuss further shortly. COVID-19 rates are a very timely example of this.
Often what is needed to minimize harm is more than data, which never speaks for itself. By offering plenty of contexts, including by using qualitative data if at all possible, we can help audiences build a clearer understanding. Furthermore, sometimes including alternative or conflicting viewpoints helps audiences get that it’s a complex issue with multiple narratives.
For example, one project I worked on was helping people understand data related to LGBQ youth and substance use. My client responsibly included both language and data to explain that these youth experienced worse outcomes because of a variety of factors including less access to resources, lack of protective factors like a sense of belonging at school and trusting relationships, and struggles with mental health.
Use direct, plain language and avoid words that judge, minimize, misrepresent, are insensitive to, and exclude differences.
This includes being multilingual if appropriate. At the very least, don’t use jargon if you can avoid it (here’s a helpful tool).
Another common and very regrettable error I’ve seen in my work is people avoiding or “sugar coating” words instead of directly mentioning race, systemic racism, systemic oppression, white supremacy culture, etc.
For example, the dashboard shown here talks about social determinants of health (SDOH), but there is no mention of racism. This not only keeps people from understanding fully SDOH and how systemic racism shows up in people’s daily lives but consequently this lack of understanding doesn’t move people toward the development of solutions that address racism directly. (Side note: it’s very telling to me that the term SDOH has existed since 2005, if not before, and yet it’s taken until just last week for the AMA to acknowledge racism as a SDOH.)
Words like “underrepresented,” “underserved,” “marginalized,” “minority,” and “non-white” are deficit-based and belittling, and words/phrases like “Blacks” and “Hispanics,” “Latinx,” and even “People of Color” can be too reductive. The word “diverse” is often entirely misused: it means there’s a wide range of differences and should not be used to refer to people who are different from what might be considered “normal” or dominant.
As of this writing, the preference of the communities referenced is either “BIPOC” (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) or the actual names of the nationalities, ethnicities, or other specific identities that the referenced people themselves claim (each of these should be capitalized too).
Also, let’s use them/they instead of he/him or she/her whenever possible. It’s easy, not confusing, and inclusive of the many gender identities people claim. Pay attention when referencing people with disabilities too.
The power of language is so easily underestimated, and, as any good editor or writer will tell you, having a variety of readers throughout the iterative process is invaluable. It all comes back to the process!
Include clear calls to action that lead to a positive impact.
This is another seemingly simple practice that is often overlooked or side-stepped. Including these calls creates many wins, though: Audiences are left not merely able to know better but also to do better, their actions contribute to real tangible change, and the creators of the work know they didn’t merely add to the noise we are all overwhelmed by, they took a stand and sent a powerful signal. Again, let’s use our power as designers and data storytellers consciously!
Don’t forget design details
Consider visual hierarchy: Are certain stories and experiences being more emphasized?
I recently noticed a social media post about health equity leaders who’d received an award — a large photo of a white woman recipient was at the top and smaller photos of three women of color were side-by-side underneath (shown at left).
One project I played a part in included a visual hierarchy of users, and I found it troubling that the wealthy white man persona was positioned at the top.
Chances are that in both of these cases the creators’ implicit biases influenced them, but these sorts of subtle design decisions reinforce existing messages, however unconscious they may be.
When it comes to ordering labels in legends, the same rules apply. Start with the people most relevant or impacted rather than dominant groups.
Use colors appropriate for color blindness as well as race and culture.
There are many free online tools (some examples are here and here) that can help you check whether the colors you are using are accessible for those with visual impairments, but there are surprisingly fewer resources that address the racial implications of color. If there is a racial component to the data (and there very often is), I suggest using a palette with blues and/or secondary colors (oranges, purples, and greens) and avoiding colors associated with skin tones as well as reds which generally connote danger.
Conscientious use of color helps reduce the likelihood that audiences’ own implicit biases will affect how they connect with and understand the data. So, please avoid “standard” patterns like pinks for women and blues for men too.
Also be aware of the cultural implications of colors, especially if audiences are multicultural. For example, in Chinese culture red signifies fortune, but in the Middle East it connotes evil and danger.
Think about the accessibility of your design for people with varying physical and mental abilities.
Are people with low vision or dyslexia able to use assistive technology like text-to-speech software, for example? Be sure to use graphics and illustrations in ways that help anyone focus and avoid distracting or moving content if possible.
Use images very intentionally
Use photos or drawings of people to help audiences connect with lived experiences and avoid any imagery that enforces stereotypes.
Hint: run-of-the-mill stock images might not cut it. You might have to look further and farther (or better yet, hire/pay a photographer or illustrator who is BIPOC) to find imagery that speaks to the experiences at hand and, importantly, in a way that does not reinforce power dynamics. One organization I worked for included images of Black people only on the marketing materials that targeted low-income families — this is a major no-no.
The key thing is to make a point to use this imagery along with any data visualizations as it can help emphasize the people behind the numbers. One report I helped design neglected to do this, and I was left feeling that for all the thorough research and focus on precise language, the overarching messages about inequities fell a bit flat because the report seemed to be more about percents than about real life people.
I know as professionals we tend to be big-time thinkers, but if we look at our own lives I think we can admit that our hearts generally change before our minds do. So we culture shifters need to consider how we can use design to appeal to people’s values and needs, especially those related to connection, cooperation, community, kindness, fairness, and integrity.
Photo by Gemma Chua-Tran on Unsplash
Use visuals that are inclusive and non-binary.
If you use any imagery, photos or icons for general purposes be sure they represent a diversity of races, genders, generations, abilities, family compositions, etc. to make sure every viewer feels included.
I think the best icons for gender-neutral people are limited to head and shoulder outlines in an appropriate solid color.
Do not use symbols or styles from, or otherwise reference, cultures without deeply understanding them.
This is known as cultural appropriation, the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of aesthetics of oppressed people by dominant groups.
A client I once worked with preferred using their brand colors that connected to their cultural identity, which I happily obliged, but if they had been wanting to reference another culture’s colors, I’d have had a conversation with them about ethics (yes, I do that with my clients).
If you ever aren’t completely sure and want to know if you’re out of line, you will need to, circling back to item number one, ask for feedback.
Focusing on process makes it easier to mind the story, double check the details, and ensure images intentionally include. If you want to dive deeper, I highly recommend the resources created by the people mentioned in this related article.
If, like me, you are a designer who wants to live in a more equitable, fair and just society, then making sure your creations are helping everyone envision and create this society is as important as any other design decisions you make.
All earnings paid to the author for this article will be donated to Data for Black Lives. | https://uxdesign.cc/practical-tips-for-creating-equitable-designs-4c616fdddf33 | ['Lydia Hooper'] | 2020-12-03 12:00:42.249000+00:00 | ['Social Justice', 'Design', 'UX', 'Data Visualization', 'Ethics'] |
Historical Viz Digest: Issue 4 | Chart illustrating the 4 basic types of intelligence, from the article “Graphicacy” by W.G.V. Balchin in 1972 (link)
One evening on our #-topics-in-data-viz slack channel, we began discussing the term graphicacy in relation to data visualization literacy. I decided to roll up my sleeves to learn what it was all about.
In 1972, a professor by the name of W.G.V. Balchin wrote an article for Geography magazine about “Graphicacy” — described as “the educated counterpart of the visual-spatial aspect of human intelligence and communication. Graphicacy is seen as fundamental in education along with literacy, articulacy, and numeracy. Since maps, diagrams, photographs, and other spatial documents are the tools of graphicacy as well as the basis of geography it is argued that geography should rank with English and mathematics as a foundation school subject.”
Professor W.G.V. Balchin
Balchin’s graphicacy idea was aimed at getting cartographers to shift towards data and away from photography. As you likely noticed, he mixes his term “graphicacy” with other comparable skills such as literacy and numeracy.
I found a charming obituary for Balchin, who in his earnest pursuits of expanding the ideas, methods, and tools of geography, “used his great intellectual stature to advance it in many ways”. The obituary paints a very human portrait of an enthusiast who spent his life generally researching, writing, and speaking about his domain without much personal recognition. It also provides some extra perspective on graphicacy: | https://medium.com/nightingale/dvs-historic-datavisualization-may2019-6885f80780d5 | ['Jason Forrest'] | 2019-07-04 14:09:26.619000+00:00 | ['Dvhistory', 'Design', 'Data Science', 'Data', 'Data Visualization'] |
List: Continuing Training Courses For NYC Taxi Drivers | ◊
1. Red Lights Are Optional
Prerequisites: Feigning Colorblindness and Yellow Means “Speed Up.”
Why should everyone else’s safety and traffic laws stop you from earning more? In this class, you will learn the concepts of ignoring the fundamentals of traffic lights and common decency with strategies on how to do so in practice.
◊
2. Refusing to Go To Brooklyn Or Queens
Prerequisites: Bridges and Tunnels — A Last Resort, Staten Island Doesn’t Exist
Building on the dangers of leaving the island of Manhattan from the previous class, this five week course focuses on real world ways to turn down a passenger who just wants to drunkenly make it home at 3AM. Because why should their safety matter to you? You’re not getting a fare back to the city.
◊
3. Intro To Honking
For drivers in their first six months. Learn the ins and outs of ignoring the “No Honking. $350 Penalty Signs” as well as the ideal times to lay on the horn (typically between 1AM and 5AM, or while driving by someone on the phone). We’ll analyze different kinds of honks from the “Hot Girl Alert” to the “That Wall Better Move Out Of My Way.”
Note: Horns will not be provided but may be purchased for $200 or rented for $50/day.
◊
4. Making Girls Traveling Alone Feel Uncomfortable
Prerequisite: Refusing to Pick Up Men, Old People and Black People
So, you drove by all the people who you can’t hit on and have a cute girl in the back seat — now what? Improve your skills in attempting to bring home this lady. Topics include: Asking which apartment she lives in when you drop her off, pulling over in a sketchy neighborhood and joining her in the backseat, telling her you have another kind of tip you’d rather give her.
◊
5. Spying On Couples In The Backseat
Prerequisite: Making Girls Traveling Alone Feel Uncomfortable
You’re right, it is ridiculous that watching porn on your cell phone is against the law. Who makes these laws anyways? Turns out, you’re in luck. The wasted couple you just picked up is ready to get their freak on in your backseat. As such, it’s your right, nay, your duty to sneak glances back in the rearview mirror and looks as you pretend to need to change lanes. She’s pretty cute. Good thing you have a photographic memory. Learn the tips and tricks to not get caught.
◊
6. Pretending Your Credit Card Machine Is Broken
Prerequisite: Taxes, What’s The Point?
In the intro level course, we learned that you weren’t born here, so why should you pay taxes? You shouldn’t. That’s why. Building on the high level concepts learned there, this class features practical advice for pretending the credit card machine doesn’t work, but only after you’ve arrived at your destination. Practice with real New Yorkers and for extra credit you can learn to give incorrect change.
◊
7. Lane Lines Mean Nothing and Sidewalks Are Open Lanes
Prerequisite: Never Stay In One Lane
Public safety is none of your concern — the only thing you need to worry about is getting more fares. Learn to straddle the lane line, the art of constantly weaving while avoiding motion sickness and lose any respect for human life. If you’re not driving on the sidewalk, you’re sitting in traffic and losing money.
◊
8. Cleaning Up Vomit
Prerequisite: Things That Aren’t Your Job
Note: Course title may be deceptive. Rather than learn to clean up someone’s puke that may be a result of a few drinks or your expert NYC taxi driving skills, learn the lost art of not giving a fuck. Once the next fare in the cab and the meter is on, it’s too late.
◊
9. Uber
Topics include: Sideswiping their cars, talking shit about them to your customers, and how to use it to get home when your car breaks down because being a passenger in NYC taxis is the most terrifying thing on earth.
◊ | https://medium.com/endless/list-continuing-training-courses-for-nyc-taxi-drivers-8264635968a1 | ['Brent Goldman'] | 2015-06-09 05:40:14.087000+00:00 | ['New York', 'Humor', 'Comedy'] |
How I turned my summer into a cryptocurrency investing course | Disclaimer: This is not investment advice, I am not an expert.
At the beginning of the summer I had a major issue.
I just accepted a new job and between the work hours, the commute, meals, and a workout I was left with at most an hour of free time a day during the work week.
This was a major problem because I’m a learning addict. I need to be mastering something outside of work or I start to stagnate. But an hour a day didn’t seem like it was going to be enough to get anywhere on any subject.
So I asked myself “How can I best leverage an hour a day?”
I did what I always do when faced with a tough problem, I made a list.
My scribblings about trying to figure out how to spend the summer
So which one did I pick?
I was leaning towards learning Spanish, but then I had three friends message me about cryptocurrency. All of them said this was something I needed to look into. After a half hour of reading about cryptocurrencies I knew I had found my project for the summer.
Diving in
At first, the reading was exciting. Cryptocurrency, a revolution in electronic money transfer that could easily snowball into something as world-changing as the internet.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading through the different business plans each cryptocurrency had. Each one had their own strategy to secure their place in the market. I thought it was fascinating to see a currency have a business plan.
My first obstacle, the blockchain
I hit my first wall when learning about the blockchain. The blockchain is one of the most important technologies underlying how cryptocurrencies work. Unfortunately, I found learning about the blockchain boring and confusing. It was the last thing I wanted to be reading about after a tough day at work.
I started to lose interest in cryptocurrency. My once productive hour started to get whittled down by Facebook, emails and other distractions. I had to do something to get myself back on track, but how could I make the blockchain interesting?
I decided I would make some stakes.
I found a reputable online cryptocurrency exchange, typed in my credit card number and bought 100 dollars worth of Litecoin (a cryptocurrency).
At the time I didn’t even know how to transfer the cryptocurrency back into U.S. dollars. For all I knew I just sent my money into the oblivion.
But, now I was an investor.
I felt more connected to the subject, it was the breath of fresh air I needed. The next day I sat down and read as feverishly as an ivy league researcher.
I decided to make a class out of it
I was impressed by how much of an impact investing had on my motivation so I decided to take it a step further. I decided to turn this little adventure of mine into a class.
I refined the subject from cryptocurrency to cryptocurrency investing and decided the cost of the class would be 5000 dollars.
I would throw 5000 dollars into the cryptocurrency market assuming I would lose it all. I figured the knowledge I would gain from learning about investing and cryptocurrency would be worth much more than the 5000 dollar cost.
Why 5000 dollars?
It was around the cost of a class on investing at a top university It was 90% of the savings I would make over the summer. I wanted it to be a large enough amount that I would have an emotional connection to the money. I wanted to see how I would react when I started losing it.
*I don’t recommend anyone else invest such a large portion of their savings.
What did my course look like:
Read and take notes on a classic investing book. [ June 1st to June 14th] Obtain a high-level understanding of what cryptocurrencies are and what their future applications might be [June 15th to June 26th] Pick up to three cryptocurrencies to invest in [ June 27th to July 11th] Develop a buying and selling strategy [July 12th to July 13th] Invest and see what happens [July 14th — Sept. 1st]
1) Read and take notes on a classic investing book
I only had enough time in my course for one book on traditional investing so I had to be very picky about it.
After asking mentors, friends, and the internet, the most commonly cited book was “The Intelligent Investor” by Benjamin Graham. I decided this would be the book for my course.
While parts of the book were a little dated (it came out in 1949) I found the core principals helpful.
Do your research into a company and only invest when you are confident they have a high chance of long-term success. Don’t let the market scare you, rely on the research you did. Stick to a formula, don’t arbitrarily buy and sell.
2) Obtain an overview of what cryptocurrencies are and what their future applications might be
I used a combination of podcasts, YouTube videos, and websites to educate myself about the cryptocurrency space. I cheated a little bit on my hour rule and listened to the podcasts during my commute.
My main takeaways were that cryptocurrencies are a cheaper, more secure and more versatile way to digitally transfer money.
There is a lot more to be said on this subject that I’ll write about in a separate piece. I’ve included all the resources I used at the end of this article in case anyone wants to jump into the subject.
3) Research and pick up to three cryptocurrencies to invest in
I didn’t want to invest in more than three cryptocurrencies because I felt that even three was spreading my focus too thin.
As per Benjamin Graham’s advice I wanted to have a deep understanding of each cryptocurrency(or company) I was investing in. This would take a lot of time and time was something I didn’t have much of.
After doing light research into ten different cryptocurrencies I decided I liked Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple. So I started to dig deeper into these three currencies. I looked at:
How strong is their team
What is their long-term strategy
Who is backing them
I was happy with what I found and confident that these three currencies had a high chance of long-term success. So now all I had to do was figure out a plan of action.
4) Develop a buying and selling strategy
I wanted to keep my buying and selling strategy simple so I gave myself three rules:
Don’t buy when it is at an all-time high Don’t sell for a loss, meaning I would either earn a profit or lose everything if the currency disappeared Sell when my investment went up by 35%
I picked the 35% target because it seemed unreachable for a two-month investment.
5) Invest and see what happens
I had my cryptocurrencies of choice and I had my buying and selling strategy, now all that was left was to invest.
In mid-July, I started to put my money into the market.
I invested 2000 dollars into Ethereum on July 14th at ~ $203/ether
I invested 2000 dollars into Ripple on July 14th at ~$0.19/ripple
I invested 1000 dollars into Bitcoin on July 14th at ~$2300/bitcoin
Then the real life portion of the course started
The first few moments after the money left my bank account were good. I felt like a success for committing to a big plan, but then panic set in.
I always thought the mental side of investing was overplayed. I’m a logical, easy going individual, I didn’t think fluctuations in market price would affect me. Plus I had even planned to lose all the money I invested. Losing or earning money wasn’t going to corrupt me.
Well, I was wrong.
My life exploded
After my money went into the market, the hour a day I allotted for my cryptocurrency investing course became insufficient. My life quickly became ruled by my investments.
I developed an awful habit of checking the price charts every ten minutes. If the investments were doing well I’d get a hit of dopamine and feel great. If my investments were doing bad I would freak out and start pouring over market analysis after market analysis.
I forgot everything I learned in “The Intelligent Investor”. I let the market play with my emotions.
I reached a breaking point at the end of July. After staying up late for the third night in a row reading about cryptocurrency news and price predictions, I slept through my morning alarm. I wound up waking up late and missing an important meeting at work.
After a myriad of apologies to the vice presidents of the company, I was ready to end my course.
I told myself “This isn’t worth my job”
How I got my life back on track
I sat with that thought the whole day. Then I looked at the problem as if I was really taking a university class.
If I got a bad grade in a class would I drop it? No! I would figure out why I got the bad grade and then develop a strategy so it didn’t happen again.
I decided I could do it, it was OK that I failed, failure is how you learn.
I reminded myself why I was taking the course, to learn, not to make money. I knew that I was going to need more than willpower to stop myself from looking at the price charts and market analysis thought. So I found two tools that I would depend on.
Tool number one: Blockfolio
Blockfolio is a phone app that lets you set price targets for your cryptocurrency investments. I set it so I would only get alerted if my investments ever hit their targets. This way I had no good reason to convince myself that I needed to check the price charts.
Tool number two: A bet with my friend
I gave a friend 50 dollars and told him if I read one more market analysis to burn the money in front of my face. It was the honor system so I could always just lie to him about it, but I knew I would feel like a scumbag if I did and no one likes feeling like a scumbag.
The week following my break down was tough. I wanted to check how my investments were doing constantly. I kept reassuring myself that Blockfolio would notify me if anything major happened.
One day I even sat with “Ethereum price analysis” typed into google for 5 minutes. My mouse sat there hovering over the search button, but I wouldn’t let myself click. I didn’t want to to have 50 dollars burned in front of my face.
After the initial week, it got much easier and then near the end of August, my phone started buzzing off the table.
So how did my investments fair?
On August 6th, while I was furiously typing away at a report my phone came to life.
It said:
“Bitcoin is above 3105”
$3105 was my 35% price target! I didn’t know what to do, I told myself I would sell when it hit 35% but I couldn’t bring my self to sell. I was so high on the fact that I hit what I thought was an impossible target that I thought I could do anything. So I said, well if it hit 35%, 45% shouldn’t be much of a stretch.
Then on August 9th my phone buzzed again
“ Ethereum is above 274”
and again
“Bitcoin is above 3,335”
$3,335! An all-time high for bitcoin! (at least back then it was), the confidence I had three days earlier started to melt away. Would the price keep going up, or would the whole market collapse. Did I invest in a scam and was the carpet about to be pulled out from underneath me?
I was letting the market control my emotions again, so I took a long walk and thought.
I had confidence that all three cryptocurrencies I picked had a future, but I only had three weeks left of my course. How could I best play these last three weeks?
I looked at my three investments and saw Bitcoin and Ethereum jumping up but Ripple staying relatively calm.
I reasoned that the jump in Bitcoin and Ethereum would bring new investors to the market. These new investors might be interested in ripple just like I was. I also knew other investors had to be afraid that the bitcoin price might crash because of its quick rise.
I thought other investors might want to hedge their bets against a bitcoin crash by moving money out of bitcoin and into other currencies. Ripple had a high chance of being one of those other currencies.
So I put all my investments and earnings into ripple.
On August 10, I invested all of my Bitcoin and Ethereum ($4150 worth) into ripple at ~0.18 dollars/ripple
So now I had $6150 invested in ripple. I set an alert on Blockfolio for 0.24 dollars/ripple ( 35% increase) and did my best to forgot about the whole thing.
Unfortunately, news kept popping up about Bitcoin reaching all new heights. It made me feel like an idiot for not keeping my money in Bitcoin. Why did I switch it all over to ripple I should have put it in Bitcoin.
Frustrated I called a close friend and mentor to tell him about my stupid investment decisions. After I told him what a moron I was, he gave me the best piece of investment advice I’ve ever received.
He said “ Joe, this is one of the biggest problems with investing, everybody is trying to buy at the feet and sell at the head. The thing is, you never know when you are at either. Instead, aim for buying at the knees and selling at the shoulders. Don’t beat yourself up if it goes higher, be happy with what you made. If you get greedy and try to go for the head those investments will ruin your life.”
I stopped stressing about missing out on bitcoins rise in price and instead was happy with how well I was doing at this investment course. I wasn’t calling every shot perfectly but so far I had turned 3000 into 4150 in less than a month, I should be proud of that.
Then on August 24th while I was in a meeting my phone went off
“Ripple is above 0.24”
By the time I got out of the meeting the price had already hit 0.27. Part of me wanted to hold on for longer, but I remembered my friend’s advice, aim for the shoulders, not the head. I sold it all right then and there.
My initial 2000 dollar investment grew to 2,842 dollars and my 4150 investment had grown to 6,225.
I still had 7 days left in my investment course but under the mantra of “don’t be greedy,” I decided to keep it out of the market. I spent the last week reflecting on the experience.
In total my 5000 investment turned into 9,064 dollars. Not too shabby for a month and a half. At the same time, people are currently seeing 1000% plus returns in this market so I shouldn’t get too full of myself. I still have a long way to go. | https://medium.com/swlh/how-i-turned-my-summer-into-a-cryptocurrency-investing-course-168c8f1e5917 | ['Joe Robbins'] | 2020-02-26 22:58:13.883000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Personal Development', 'Life', 'Cryptocurrency', 'Productivity'] |
Learn How To Compile a C++ Program | Learn How To Compile a C++ Program
A series of articles exploring issues I’ve encountered using C++
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
One of the hardest things I found when first learning C++, outside of learning about pointers and memory management, was how to successfully compile code using third-party libraries.
As a game developer, you rely a lot on libraries for aspects of your game, such as rendering and physics, and it can be surprisingly tricky to successfully compile an empty project with these libraries included.
I struggled because I simply didn’t understand how C++ programs were built and distributed over the internet. I didn’t understand how my source code was turned into an executable or library, nor did I understand how to compile platform-independent code.
This meant that I simply did not know how to incorporate a library into my code, or I’d be banging my head against a wall trying to resolve errors that occurred when trying to compile. In reality, this shouldn’t be the difficult part of building your game.
This knowledge isn’t something that I have found to be taught. The focus is mostly on problem-solving and C++ syntax and yet, if you want to do any serious game programming in C++ without writing everything from scratch, this knowledge is required.
Therefore, I want to write a series of articles exploring many of the issues I have discussed. This first article will look at learning how to compile a C++ program. | https://medium.com/better-programming/learn-how-to-compile-a-c-program-382c4c690bdc | ['Drew Campbell'] | 2020-01-04 10:44:47.604000+00:00 | ['Software Engineering', 'Game Development', 'Programming', 'Software Development', 'Coding'] |
The Big “O” | For years sex has been an area of interest for me (isn’t it for everyone?!). More specifically, orgasms. I get the point of actual sex, practically speaking, for procreation of course. However, a woman does not need to have an orgasm to get pregnant, so why is it there. Pleasure? Sure, that sounds good. But surely, there must be more . . .
pixabay.com
After years of research in my practice, on my own, and from others who have boldly entered this area of interest, there indeed are many reasons this lovely phenomenon exists. Do let me explain.
First of all, when a man has an orgasm — on his own, or with a partner — a flood of testosterone pulses through his bloodstream. This creates great feelings of wellness, power to conquer the world (kill the lion, get a job, bring home dinner) and bonds him to his partner if it happens in their presence. This bonding moment is important for good feelings toward the other, even if circumstances make things difficult.
When a woman has an orgasm — on her own or with a partner — a flood of oxytocin moves through her bloodstream. This is a very good thing. It also creates feelings of wellness and happiness, but did you know it also regulates hormones (great for PMS and menopause) and it helps increase bone density? Yes, amongst many other health benefits. I knew it! More than just pleasure, it is good for our bodies. Also like the men, if this happens for women in the presence of their partner, it is a bonding chemical that makes you feel glad you are together, and also covers a multitude of sins! Yep, who cares if the dishes got done or not. I really like you, and that doesn’t really matter. Today, anyway.
I have been preaching this in my practice for years, but what brings it to the forefront today is a film I saw at the DOXA Film Festival. Sacred Water is filmed in Rwanda and is focused on a female tradition in their culture called kunyaza, a practice that is centred on female ejaculation. They have a whole story that is the basis for the myth and its importance in their culture. It expresses a reverence for women and their bodies, as well as the connection to happiness and longevity in their relationships.
What I loved about this film is not only the confirmation of what I have been educating others on, but the openness in the culture to discuss the issue. In Sacred Water a Rwandan radio host talks about it on her program, takes calls from listeners on the subject, and travels to villages and schools to spread the word.
What I am disillusioned about in our own culture is the absence of this information. At best, sex education is about birth control and how to avoid STI’s. That is great, but what about pleasure? What about the health benefits? What about the benefits to couples? What about the fact that an orgasm and female ejaculation exists for women at all?? I would say that most young men and even some women don’t even know that this exists, or how to find it. Quite frankly, that is just very sad. Imagine growing up in a culture where there is not only a myth about its existence and its importance, but open conversation about how to do it? What a lovely idea. | https://medium.com/mind-your-madness/the-big-o-de02253f1cf8 | ['Jennifer Hammersmark'] | 2018-02-08 01:54:13.975000+00:00 | ['Mental Health', 'Orgasm', 'Sex', 'Social Issues', 'Rwanda'] |
The Shells — Part 3. The next three weeks were filled with… | The next three weeks were filled with denial, paranoia, and anticipation. Sam sat at his cubicle, staring at his computer screen. His mind was always on the hooded ones, the shells, and what it all meant. He wanted desperately to search the internet for answers, although based on how Aaron advised him to not alert anyone of him being real, he thought it would be best if there were no search history to track. The libraries were all he had.
A few blocks from work was the New York Public Library. He had been spending nights and weekends there, reading and researching anything that he thought would give him insights. At first, he didn’t know where to start. What was he even looking for? There wouldn’t be any books talking about freezing, shells, or real people. If anything, it would be old stories, perhaps religious? That is where he started.
After the first week, he had found nothing that hinted at what Aaron started to describe. If only he could search online. He wasn’t sure how to go about being anonymous on the internet. While Sam was proficient with the software needed for him to perform his role at his company, he was not comfortable beyond that. Searching for some tutorials of being anonymous online led him into a complexity of concepts. He didn’t trust himself to do it correctly. He would have to stick to the library.
In the next two weeks, he had come across old stories of doppelgängers and the Greek fascination with bio-techne, or life crafted through the art of science. Nothing was giving him any insights. Then it hit him as he was passing by the fiction section. Could shells write complex narratives? Aaron had said they were emulations of life. It couldn’t be that. Writers and artists would be easily identified with real if that was the case. Shells had to be able to write fiction as well.
He continued thinking about that for several days. If there were real writers, the safest place for them to hide the truth would be in fiction. Now the challenge was identifying the real from the shells. What were the tells? It wouldn’t be easy. They were hiding, yet risking discovery to guide people.
In the last week, he had read many authors, scanning for signs of someone real. His apartment became filled with stacks of papers, used highlighters, and Netflix continually playing in the background. Writers, filmmakers, musicians, somewhere in all of them were hidden truths. He was still working on mapping who was real and who was not, and he was hoping that Aaron would give him hints when they met.
It had to happen any day now. The last three weeks passed slower than at any time in Sam’s life. But soon, he would have answers. He just had to make it through work and hopefully into the freeze.
“Sam, I need to see you in my office,” beckoned Rick, his manager. Sam’s monitor had timed out during his deep rumination. How long was Rick standing over his shoulder?
“Now,” he demanded.
“Alright, coming,” responded Sam, emerging from his daze.
They walked to the end of the cubicles and into a windowless office. Rick motioned for him to shut the door behind him. Sam complied and sat in front of his desk.
“I wanted to check with you. You’ve seemed a bit,” Rick paused, “off, recently.”
Sam panicked internally. He was not expecting this. Honestly, he hadn’t been focusing on his work and had slacked in the last three weeks. The work was always finished on time, but he was sure his quality was down significantly.
“It’s been a rough few weeks for me,” he stalled, trying to think of a quick excuse.
“It’s coming to the end of the year, and it is about that time to do a review. I had high hopes for you, Sam, but your performance has been slipping. I can look past this and focus on your prior performance in my assessment, but you have to give me a reason to think this isn’t the new normal.”
Sam’s mind raced. He found one. “I’ve been on a new medication, and it’s been messing with my sleep. My doctor says that I’ll adjust after the first few weeks. I think I am coming around now. I can assure you, this is not the new normal for me.”
Rick stared at Sam, his eyes gazing straight through him. He didn’t buy it. He must know. The stare continued. Sam looked away, uncomfortable, and gazed at the clock behind Rick’s head. It had just hit 3pm. Rick’s face continued to remain expressionless with blank eyes. Was he frozen? Did the freeze start?
“Rick,” Sam said softly. Nothing.
“Rick!” He yelled. Still nothing.
Sam stood up and stepped to the side of the desk. Rick’s eyes continued to gaze into the wall where Sam was just sitting. It happened again, earlier than last time. He turned and walked out of the office and into the open area. The office was usually quiet and soulless, but right now, it was even more — dead. He turned to Karen’s desk. She had the same blank stare as Rick.
“Hello! Anyone there?!” He shouted. There was no response. He looked at his watch and set his timer for two hours and thirty minutes; half an hour to buffer a safe return. He rushed to his cube and unzipped his bag, grabbing the white coat. He turned and rushed to the elevator, down to the lobby, and out into a frozen world. | https://medium.com/beyond-the-river/the-shells-part-3-1f92466230da | ['Drunk Plato'] | 2020-02-25 14:31:01.329000+00:00 | ['Short Story', 'Fiction', 'Dystopia', 'SciFi', 'Psychology'] |
How Not To Apply To An Accelerator (part 8) | This is part 8 of my “self-defense essay”. If you missed the prior installments, start here with The #EpicNovelFail
Accelerator Application Best Practices:
Read the entire application before starting to answer the questions
Copy the questions to Word and compose your answers offline.
Don’t make us look outside the application.
Review your answers to make sure that you are actually answering the question…
… with actual data and metrics …
… citing sources where needed …
… but without wasting time on the obvious (to us) …
… nor repeating yourself.
Then edit down your answers to make them as concise as possible.
Sleep on it and then review your entire application with all attached material from start to finish to make sure it flows and that you haven’t missed anything big.
Good luck! | https://medium.com/dreamit-perspectives/how-not-to-apply-to-an-accelerator-part-8-ef9e53da0075 | ['Andrew Ackerman'] | 2016-12-08 18:53:50.637000+00:00 | ['Startup', 'Accelerator'] |
Feedback | I spend a considerable amount of time to curate good lit-y/arty links in a week, and I love doing it. But I want to do it right, which means I want to constantly keep improving the quality and variety of the links that I curate. For that I need your help. You could start helping me by two ways:
Fill up this 6 questions feedback survey:
2. Help me curate good links, by sending the good ones that you read in a week, here so:
And don’t ever forget, you are awesome!
If you want to get weekly list of links in your email inboxes please don’t forget to follow this publication :) | https://medium.com/lol-weekly-list-of-lit/feedback-1bac3551c04 | ['Arihant Verma'] | 2017-03-24 11:22:57.954000+00:00 | ['Lol', 'Stories', 'Storytelling', 'Feedback'] |
The Women That Protected Their Abusers Instead of Each Other | It has been almost a decade since I became so enthralled with that group of women.
My view of them is no longer the same. The glitter quickly faded and when I saw what was really happening I couldn’t pretend like everything was okay
T hat group of women, including myself were all being abused by our significant others.
We were being abused by the very men who told us we were beautiful and that they wanted to spend their lives with us. On the outside, they preached soulmates and treating others with love and respect. Behind closed doors, it was physical and psychological abuse.
The first time that my boyfriend at the time laid hands on me, I truly thought that I had gone insane. There wasn’t a single part of me that could comprehend how this person that had claimed to love me could do such a thing.
It wasn’t until months later when one of the girls, Anna burst into tears during a girl’s trip and revealed that her partner had choked her and thrown her body across the floor.
Immediately I was horrified. I looked at Kryshia and Lynn, expecting the same horror to be on their faces. Instead of horror, I saw that they were uncomfortable and awkward. I realized that this was not something that was supposed to be discussed. Since they remained silent I decided to say something.
I told Anna that she wasn’t alone. I told her that I had been abused as well. I held her as she cried while Kryshia and Lynn were silent, and I knew that I had broken some sort of unspoken code.
Now keep in mind, Kryshia and Lynn were also enduring abuse. Kryshia's partner was verbally abusive and Lynn had a controlling partner that monitored her every move. Yet none of that seemed to matter as their stone-cold silence hung in the air. | https://medium.com/fearless-she-wrote/the-women-that-protected-their-abusers-instead-of-each-other-e935826bbae5 | ['Carrie Wynn'] | 2020-11-12 14:03:03.553000+00:00 | ['Relationships', 'This Happened To Me', 'Mental Health', 'Women', 'Self'] |
Here’s the Morning Routine That Has Brought Me the Most Success | Here’s the Morning Routine That Has Brought Me the Most Success
5 key habits you can adopt as well.
Photo by Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash
For most of my life, my morning routine has been all over the place. In high school, I didn’t even have one. I rolled out of bed about 10 minutes before I had to leave for school, packed up my backpack, ate a quick breakfast of sugar cereal or a pre-packaged granola bar, and headed out the door.
It was a terrible routine that set me up for failure. I constantly forgot things I needed for the day at home, like my calculator or gym clothes, I had to rush to my first class, and I felt exhausted by third period because my sugary breakfast always caused that inevitable energy dip.
However, by the time I got to college, I quickly developed a more rigid morning routine. The routine ultimately helped me successfully juggle two very time consuming obligations — running cross-country and track at the division one level and keeping up with a tough engineering course load.
Then, after I graduated in December of 2019, I had to adjust my morning routine slightly to fit my new work from home schedule, boost productivity, and help me build my brand. Through a little bit of trial and error, I did exactly that. The following routine is the one I have used for almost a year now, and it helps me stay productive throughout the entire morning day after day.
Plus, it contains five key strategies that you can apply to your own morning routine for a productivity boost during those crucial first four hours of the work day. Let’s take a look at the entire routine from start to finish. | https://medium.com/curious/heres-the-morning-routine-that-has-brought-me-the-most-success-a737563795f5 | ['Alyssa Atkinson'] | 2020-12-27 13:49:38.575000+00:00 | ['Productivity', 'Work', 'Inspiration', 'Lifestyle', 'Life'] |
‘Show, don’t tell; stand with, not for’: A Review of Great Anarchists | Accessible, well-presented, and full of lessons. A review of Ruth Kinna’s take on the anarchist canon.
Unlike with Marxism’s venerated namesake, the great Karl Marx himself, it has always been difficult to pin down a canon of anarchist thinkers. There are no schools of thought that venerate Kropotkin, Goldman or Malatesta. This is, of course, very typical of anarchism’s “no gods no masters” approach to theory and practise. Nonetheless, it is always helpful to have some names at hand that someone may become acquainted with, and whose works can be read to introduce them to the basics of anarchist thought.
Although not claiming to define what the “anarchist canon” is, Dog Section Press’ most recent release (as of September 2020), Great Anarchists, certainly grapples with the subject. Written by the Ruth Kinna, a professor of Political Theory at Loughborough University, and illustrated by Clifford Harper, an illustrator and militant anarchist, their book offers a series of short, accessible biographies introducing the reader to the life and thought of so-called “great” figures to the likes of Peter Kropotkin, Lucy Parsons, Max Stiner and Errico Malatesta. This collection, or ‘theoretical toolbox’, has been presented not as dogma, but as an overview of the theory of past anarchists which we today can ‘use, amend and adapt’. This is made clear in the introduction:
‘Although these contexts were special, many of the issues the anarchists wrestled with still plague our lives. Anarchists developed a body of writing about power, domination, injustice and exploitation, education, prisons and a lot more besides.’
The message of Great Anarchist’s is this: we must not be confined by the specific historical circumstances of past anarchists, but we must neither forget the breadth of their words and actions, and the lessons we can learn from them. It is this breadth, in particular, that I like so much about the book. Kinna makes great use of the relatively short amount of pages, deftly choosing the “great anarchists” that not only allow her to cover a lot of ground, but which also allow her to cover subjects still applicable to us today. The title to this review, in fact, comes from a distillation of Errico Malatesta’s praxis (Italian anarchist, 1853–1932); an important set of principles that mattered as much today as they did in centuries past.
It is due to this variety of relevant topics that the reader can enjoy writings about: anarchism and its link (or lack thereof) to right-libertarianism; the movement from slavery to wage-slavery; sexism in anarchist circles; philosophy and dialectical materialism; the law and the prison system, and many such relevant subjects scattered amongst the various biographies. Giving the collection a little more flavour, also, is the inclusion of figures not typically found in anarchist reading lists. Oscar Wilde is the most obvious of these, especially when he replaces more well known and “standard” anarchists such as Emma Goldman or Rudolf Rocker. We, however, agree with Freedom Press’ review that such a choice is to Kinna and the book’s advantage. Rather than offering a strict definition of what makes someone an anarchist, the book sets the standard for a wider, more inclusive understanding of anarchism that can stretch beyond its typical confines. Another welcome inclusion is Max Stirner, whose thought is well worth understanding despite the fact that recent anarchists have, as emphasised by the book, ‘rejected him from anarchism’s history.’
What can also be appreciated in Great Anarchists is the honesty in which it approaches the negative sides of the “greats” of the anarchist canon. Those worried that it might ignore the prejudice of both Bakunin and Proudhon, for example, should not. The fact that Kinna is frank about both ‘Bakunin’s cultural stereotyping and anti-semitism’, and Proudhon’s ‘anti-semitism and anti-feminism’ is expected but still refreshing.
It is certainly true that everything said in Great Anarchists is excellent. The only flaw of the book comes rather in what was left unsaid. The anarchists chosen in Kinna’s work, for all their greatness, only offer a European and North-American perspective which is, bar Lucy Parsons, a white one. This restricts the applicability of the work to the European tradition, which, attempting as it does to lay out the “greats” of anarchist history, does not help anarchism’s image as an ideology dominated by eurocentrism. This, of course, could simply be down to the area of interest and expertise of the writer, and Great Anarchists by no means presents itself as a definitive list. The work certainly needs expanding, however, or at least given a sequel, if it is to provide us with a fuller and more relevant perspective on anarchism.
That being said, Great Anarchists is an absolutely fantastic introduction to the life and work of the figures included, and makes a great read for both new and old anarchists alike. Ruth Kinna’s writing is clear and to the point, and presents concepts and topics on a variety of subjects in a well-expressed and accessible way. Clifford Harper’s illustrations are a wonderful addition, and make the book as much of a work of art as it is a ‘theoretical toolbox’.
You may pick up the book directly from Dog Section Press’ site for £6. Buy it to support a great anarchist publisher, share it to help educate others, and use its lessons wisely in your fight for revolution. | https://medium.com/the-commoner/show-dont-tell-stand-with-not-for-a-review-of-great-anarchists-a65c062a7059 | ['Samuel Clarke'] | 2020-09-24 23:03:35.129000+00:00 | ['Politics', 'Books', 'Anarchism', 'Review', 'Socialism'] |
The Bet: A Masterful Bit of Story Telling by a Master Storyteller | SHORT STORY MONDAY
The Bet: A Masterful Bit of Story Telling by a Master Storyteller
“Don’t tell me the moon was shining; show me the glint of light on the broken glass.” ~Anton Chekhov
Painting by Nikolai E. Timkov. Oi on board. Photo by the author.
When I first became serious about writing as a calling I divided my energies between two courses of action: learning how to get published as a freelancer and learning how to write exceptional short fiction. It was Hemingway’s In Our Time that lit the fiction fuse, igniting in me a desire to learn how to write powerful prose.
Sherwood Wirt’s You Can Tell The World begins by urging fledgling writers to read the classics so that we can recognize great writing when we see it. You can’t produce significant work if you can’t tell the difference between excellence and pap. Thus, I set out to read the classics.
I’d long been drawn to European and South American writers, but the author who especially resonated with me at that time was Anton Chekhov, the witty Russian playwright and short story composer.
Photo by the Author
Chekhov produced volumes of short stories, was remarkably prolific considering he also worked full time as a doctor, a profession that put him in touch with people from all walks of life, often when they were their most vulnerable selves. It makes sense that this would be a rich resource for raw material in creating characters and situations.
In addition to being a master wordsmith, he was a keen observer of the daily drama of being human. Hence his stories overflow with insight, pathos and the comic.
And so it was that I went through a “Chekhov period” in which I sought to read as many volumes of his stories as I could find. I remember laughing out loud at times.
For the record, literary critics mark him as one of the most significant writers of the 19th century, and certainly on the “top ten” of any list of short story writers.
This story, The Bet, is one of my all time personal favorites. I’ve often said that if I ever assembled an anthology of short stories, this would be included in that book. What follows is the setup, with a link to the rest of the story below.
The Bet
It was a dark autumn night. The old banker was walking up and down his study and remembering how, fifteen years before, he had given a party one autumn evening. There had been many clever men there, and there had been interesting conversations. Among other things they had talked of capital punishment. The majority of the guests, among whom were many journalists and intellectual men, disapproved of the death penalty. They considered that form of punishment out of date, immoral, and unsuitable for Christian States. In the opinion of some of them the death penalty ought to be replaced everywhere by imprisonment for life. “I don’t agree with you,” said their host the banker. “I have not tried either the death penalty or imprisonment for life, but if one may judge a priori, the death penalty is more moral and more humane than imprisonment for life. Capital punishment kills a man at once, but lifelong imprisonment kills him slowly. Which executioner is the more humane, he who kills you in a few minutes or he who drags the life out of you in the course of many years?”
“Both are equally immoral,” observed one of the guests, “for they both have the same object — to take away life. The State is not God. It has not the right to take away what it cannot restore when it wants to.”
Illustration by the author.
Among the guests was a young lawyer, a young man of five-and-twenty. When he was asked his opinion, he said: “The death sentence and the life sentence are equally immoral, but if I had to choose between the death penalty and imprisonment for life, I would certainly choose the second. To live anyhow is better than not at all.”
A lively discussion arose. The banker, who was younger and more nervous in those days, was suddenly carried away by excitement; he struck the table with his fist and shouted at the young man: “It’s not true! I’ll bet you two million you wouldn’t stay in solitary confinement for five years.”
“If you mean that in earnest,” said the young man, “I’ll take the bet, but I would stay not five but fifteen years.”
“Fifteen? Done!” cried the banker. “Gentlemen, I stake two million!”
“Agreed! You stake your millions and I stake my freedom!” said the young man.
I urge you to finish the story here. It’s a quick read with a wonderful payoff. | https://medium.com/scrittura/the-bet-a-masterful-bit-of-story-telling-by-a-master-e2d7651f226a | ['Ed Newman'] | 2019-11-11 15:47:07.091000+00:00 | ['Short Story', 'Fiction', 'Life Lessons', 'Writing', 'Death Penalty'] |
Step by step guide to creating a Text-To-Voice-To-Text email assistant | The following steps of subsequently enabling APIs, creating service keys and credentials are unfortunately quite elaborate but follow on
2b. Create a Service Account Key
Create Service Account Key — Input
On the completion of this step, a key file with a .json extension is created. Download this service account key. This key is provided as required for authentication by your program
2c. Create OAuth2.0 Credential
This step is to get consent for your application to be able to access GMAIL. We will apply for ‘compose’ and ‘send’ email to be able to duly run our prototype
After this step, the credentials page will look as following i.e. with service account key and OAuth client id.
Final Credentials Page
Download the relevant credentials on to your computer in the folder where you will be storing the python scripts (anywhere is fine as long as you provide the correct path to the application)
2d. Activating text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and Gmail APIs
Finally, we activate the text-to-speech API, speech-to-text API, and the Gmail API. On the dashboard, you will see the ‘Enable APIs and Services’ Option.
Enable APIS on the dashboard
The easiest way to enable from the plethora of APIs & services is by searching (common, it’s Google what else would you do there). See the example below for searching text-to-speech and speech-to-text API.
Searching for APIS to enable
Once you have found the API, simply click on Enable (sample for Gmail below)
Enable Gmail API
Finally, we are ready to look into the program itself.
Step3: Running the Application
Now comes the easier part. Easy as in most of the code samples are available on the GCP tutorial site with an option to copy and lots of explanations too. The flip side is a lot of these links have many deep links that provides the user with all the API options. This results that the new user tends to get lost.
Here I describe to you the relevant portion to get the prototype up and running. After that, it is much easier to configure as per your specific requirements based on the documentation on the GCP site. I have provided the links of the GCP tutorials for each of the specific portion
The steps to run the prototype would be
Download the code from github into a specific folder
Copy the credentials (both service account key as well as OAuth key) into the same folder as the code
In Main.py replace the path of GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS to be exported
#Replace this with the correct file path of the service account key
os.environ['GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS'] = \
"/Users/name/Documents/GitHub/Python-Exercises/googleSpeechToText/GMAIL_gTtS_gStT_ServiceAccountKey.json"
In RaSmails.py replace the name of the OAuth2.0 file
#Replace this with correct file path of credentials .json
flow = InstalledAppFlow.from_client_secrets_file(
'oath2_credentials_mailreceiver349.json', SCOPES)
In terminal window activate the virtual environment (#conda activate — name p36)
Run the code as #python Main.py
A brief overview of the flow of code is:
Get Gmail service instance > Get snippets of latest 5 emails > Convert the latest snippet to audio > Play the audio file (latest email) > Record reply email > Convert the audio to text > Send out the reply email
The following links describe in detail the APIs being used
I hope you enjoyed this prototype. Happy to answer any questions. Let me know what you think | https://towardsdatascience.com/step-by-step-guide-to-creating-a-text-to-voice-to-text-email-assistant-ca62eaf96437 | ['Anirudh Lohia'] | 2020-06-07 20:54:50.252000+00:00 | ['Speech Recognition', 'Text To Speech', 'Python', 'Gmail Api', 'Google Cloud Platform'] |
Incorporating Artificial Intelligence Features To The Internet Of Things (IOT) | Incorporating Artificial Intelligence Features To The Internet Of Things (IOT) Amal_cp Follow Dec 28 · 4 min read
image by Amal_cp
The Internet of Things is getting smarter. Companies are incorporating artificial intelligence in particular, machine learning into their IoT applications. The key idea is finding insights in data.
With a wave of investment, a raft of new products, and a rising tide of enterprise deployments, artificial intelligence is making a splash in the Internet of Things (IoT). Companies crafting an IoT strategy, evaluating a potential new IoT project, or seeking to get more value from an existing IoT deployment may want to explore a role for AI.
How AI Helps IOT.
Artificial intelligence plays a growing role in IoT applications and deployments. Both investments and acquisitions in startups that merge AI and IoT have climbed over the past two years. Major vendors of IoT platform software now offer integrated AI capabilities such as machine learning-based analytics.
The value of AI in this context is its ability to quickly wring insights from data. Machine learning, an AI technology, brings the ability to automatically identify patterns and detect anomalies in the data that smart sensors and devices generate information such as temperature, pressure, humidity, air quality, vibration, and sound. Compared to traditional business intelligence tools which usually monitor for numeric thresholds to be crossed machine learning approaches can make operational predictions up to 20 times earlier and with greater accuracy.
Other AI technologies such as speech recognition and computer vision can help extract insight from data that used to require human review.
AI applications for IoT enable companies to avoid unplanned downtime, increase operating efficiency, spawn new products and services, and enhance risk management.
image by Amal_cp
Avoiding Unplanned Downtime.
In a number of sectors industrial manufacturing or offshore oil and gas, to name two unplanned downtime resulting from equipment breakdown can cost big money.
Predictive maintenance using analytics to predict equipment failure ahead of time in order to schedule orderly maintenance procedures can mitigate the damaging economics of unplanned downtime. Machine learning makes it possible to identify patterns in the constant streams of data from today’s machinery to predict equipment failure. In manufacturing, Deloitte finds predictive maintenance can reduce the time required to plan maintenance by 20–50 percent, increase equipment uptime and availability by 10–20 percent, and reduce overall maintenance costs by 5–10 percent.
Increases Operational Efficiency.
AI-powered IoT can also help improve operational efficiency. Just as machine learning can predict equipment failure, it can predict operating conditions and identify parameters to be adjusted on the fly to maintain ideal outcomes, by crunching constant streams of data to detect patterns invisible to the human eye and not apparent on simple gauges.
Machine learning often finds counterintuitive insights: A shipping fleet operator’s machine learning tools determined that cleaning their ships’ hulls more often an expensive, downtime-causing process actually increased the fleet’s overall profitability. The math went against shipping industry instincts: Hulls kept smooth through frequent cleaning improve fuel efficiency enough to vastly outweigh the increased cleaning costs.
Improved Products And Services.
Enhancing IoT with AI can also directly create new products and services. Natural language processing (NLP) is getting better and better at letting people speak with machines, rather than requiring a human operator. AI-controlled drones and robots which can go where humans can’t bring all-new opportunities for monitoring and inspection that simply didn’t exist before.
Fleet management for commercial vehicles is being reinvented through AI, which can monitor every measurable data point in a fleet of planes, trains, trucks or automobiles to find more efficient routing and scheduling, and reduce unplanned downtime. Cloudera claims its fleet management AI has cut downtime for fleet vehicles monitored by Navistar devices up to 40 percent.
Enhancing Risk Management.
A number of applications pairing IoT with AI are helping organizations better understand and predict a variety of risks as well as automate for rapid response, enabling them to better manage worker safety, financial loss, and cyber threats.
Applications already in use include detecting fraudulent behavior at bank ATMs, predicting auto driver insurance premiums based on their driving patterns, identifying potentially hazardous stress conditions for factory workers, and monitoring law enforcement surveillance data to identify likely crime scenes ahead of time.
Implications For Enterprises.
For enterprises across industries, AI is a natural complement to IoT deployments, enabling better offerings and operations to give a competitive edge in business performance.
Machine learning for predictive capabilities is now integrated with most major general-purpose and industrial IoT platforms, such as Microsoft Azure IoT, IBM Watson IoT, Amazon AWS IoT, GE Predix, and PTC Thing Worx.
A growing number of turnkey, bundled, or vertical IoT solutions take advantage of AI technologies, especially machine learning. It is often possible to use AI technology to wring more value from IoT deployments that were not designed with the use of AI in mind. IoT deployments generate huge, constant streams of data, which machine learning excels at examining to identify patterns that lead to greater value.
The Future Of IoT Is AI.
It may soon become rare to find an IoT implementation that does not make some use of AI. The International Data Corp. predicts that by 2022, AI will support “all effective” IoT efforts and without AI, data from the deployments will have “limited value.” If your company has plans for implementing IoT-based solutions, those plans should probably include AI as well. | https://medium.com/predict/incorporating-artificial-intelligence-features-to-the-internet-of-things-iot-60c9f9fe0df9 | [] | 2020-12-28 05:28:39.808000+00:00 | ['Artificial Intelligence', 'IoT', 'Ai And Iot', 'Internet of Things'] |
The 7 Most Important Software Design Patterns | For a comprehensive deep-dive into the subject of Software Design Patterns, check out Software Design Patterns: Best Practices for Developers, created by C.H. Afzal, a veteran software engineer with multiple years of experience at Netflix, Microsoft, and Oracle. Much of the below is summarized from his course.
Why Design Patterns?
Design Patterns have become an object of some controversy in the programming world in recent times, largely due to their perceived ‘over-use’ leading to code that can be harder to understand and manage.
It’s important to understand that Design Patterns were never meant to be hacked together shortcuts to be applied in a haphazard, ‘one-size-fits-all’ manner to your code. There is ultimately no substitute for genuine problem solving ability in software engineering.
The fact remains, however, that Design Patterns can be incredibly useful if used in the right situations and for the right reasons. When used strategically, they can make a programmer significantly more efficient by allowing them to avoid reinventing the proverbial wheel, instead using methods refined by others already. They also provide a useful common language to conceptualize repeated problems and solutions when discussing with others or managing code in larger teams.
That being said, an important caveat is to ensure that the how and the why behind each pattern is also understood by the developer.
Without further ado (in general order of importance, from most to least):
The Most Important Design Patterns
Singleton
The singleton pattern is used to limit creation of a class to only one object. This is beneficial when one (and only one) object is needed to coordinate actions across the system. There are several examples of where only a single instance of a class should exist, including caches, thread pools, and registries.
It’s trivial to initiate an object of a class — but how do we ensure that only one object ever gets created? The answer is to make the constructor ‘private’ to the class we intend to define as a singleton. That way, only the members of the class can access the private constructor and no one else.
Important consideration: It’s possible to subclass a singleton by making the constructor protected instead of private. This might be suitable under some circumstances. One approach taken in these scenarios is to create a register of singletons of the subclasses and the getInstance method can take in a parameter or use an environment variable to return the desired singleton. The registry then maintains a mapping of string names to singleton objects, which can be accessed as needed.
2. Factory Method
A normal factory produces goods; a software factory produces objects. And not just that — it does so without specifying the exact class of the object to be created. To accomplish this, objects are created by calling a factory method instead of calling a constructor.
Usually, object creation in Java takes place like so:
SomeClass someClassObject = new SomeClass();
The problem with the above approach is that the code using the SomeClass’s object, suddenly now becomes dependent on the concrete implementation of SomeClass. There’s nothing wrong with using new to create objects but it comes with the baggage of tightly coupling our code to the concrete implementation class, which can occasionally be problematic.
3. Strategy
The strategy pattern allows grouping related algorithms under an abstraction, which allows switching out one algorithm or policy for another without modifying the client. Instead of directly implementing a single algorithm, the code receives runtime instructions specifying which of the group of algorithms to run.
4. Observer
This pattern is a one-to-many dependency between objects so that when one object changes state, all its dependents are notified. This is typically done by calling one of their methods.
For the sake of simplicity, think about what happens when you follow someone on Twitter. You are essentially asking Twitter to send you (the observer) tweet updates of the person (the subject) you followed. The pattern consists of two actors, the observer who is interested in the updates and the subject who generates the updates.
A subject can have many observers and is a one to many relationship. However, an observer is free to subscribe to updates from other subjects too. You can subscribe to news feed from a Facebook page, which would be the subject and whenever the page has a new post, the subscriber would see the new post.
Key consideration: In case of many subjects and few observers, if each subject stores its observers separately, it’ll increase the storage costs as some subjects will be storing the same observer multiple times.
5. Builder
As the name implies, a builder pattern is used to build objects. Sometimes, the objects we create can be complex, made up of several sub-objects or require an elaborate construction process. The exercise of creating complex types can be simplified by using the builder pattern. A composite or an aggregate object is what a builder generally builds.
Key consideration: The builder pattern might seem similar to the ‘abstract factory’ pattern but one difference is that the builder pattern creates an object step by step whereas the abstract factory pattern returns the object in one go.
6. Adapter
This allows incompatible classes to work together by converting the interface of one class into another. Think of it as a sort of translator: when two heads of states who don’t speak a common language meet, usually an interpreter sits between the two and translates the conversation, thus enabling communication.
If you have two applications, with one spitting out output as XML with the other requiring JSON input, then you’ll need an adapter between the two to make them work seamlessly.
7. State
The state pattern encapsulates the various states a machine can be in, and allows an object to alter its behavior when its internal state changes. The machine or the context, as it is called in pattern-speak, can have actions taken on it that propel it into different states. Without the use of the pattern, the code becomes inflexible and littered with if-else conditionals.
Want to keep learning?
With Software Design Patterns: Best Practices for Developers you’ll have the chance to do more than just read the theory. You’ll be able to dive deep into real problems and understand practical solutions with real-life code examples.
The course is based on the popular book by the Gang of Four, but presented in an interactive, easy-to-digest format. You will master the 23 famous design patterns from the book interactively, learn the proper applications of the 3 key design pattern types (creational, structural, and behavioral), and learn to incorporate these design patterns into your own projects.
Check it out now. | https://medium.com/educative/the-7-most-important-software-design-patterns-d60e546afb0e | ['The Educative Team'] | 2019-09-16 17:19:28.581000+00:00 | ['Object Oriented', 'Programming', 'Software Development', 'Design Patterns', 'Coding'] |
Police, Amazon Ring, and Facial Recognition: A Modern Trilemma of Surveillance | Chicago’s police department has announced a new partnership with Amazon Ring — should it add facial recognition to its surveillance suite?
Source: Scraped data from Amazon Ring-Police partnerships
The 2nd largest police force in the country has added a controversial new tool to its arsenal. The Chicago Police Force announced on September 2, 2020 that it was partnering with Amazon Ring for a new neighborhood surveillance program. The CPD joins 1,694 police departments across the country that have created similar partnerships, hoping that Amazon can help these communities reduce crime and increase security.
However, state and local governments have had to navigate the uncharted waters of tech governance in policing, particularly around facial recognition. Although more than half of all Americans are in a facial recognition database, this space is currently not well regulated. Many fear that profiles will be created on them without their consent. This is particularly dangerous for black communities that already endure increased threats from police presence. All eyes turn to Chicago’s Chief Information Security Office to create a path forward that upholds privacy, transparency, safety, and equitable delivery of public services.
Context and Analysis
Ring smart doorbells are equipped with video camera surveillance. When Ring cameras detect motion, they start recording whatever is in view whether it’s a burglar, passerby, or Amazon delivery person. This video is sent to an app on the homeowner’s phone, which can then be shared publicly or privately with direct messages. Amazon has kept Ring as a separate entity since its acquisition of the company in 2018 for $1.2 billion. This is important, since Amazon’s Rekognition business line has facial recognition technology that could be coupled with Ring surveillance.
Amazon Ring-Police partnerships are on the rise. The first Ring-Police partnership was announced on March 22, 2018 with the Greenfield, Wisconsin Police Department. Since then, Amazon has received 5,915 requests for video surveillance footage from the 1,694 police departments. The Chicago Police department announced a partnership with Ring on September 2, 2020 and 5 police departments in neighboring regions also have partnerships. There are 180 Ring-Police partnerships across Illinois.
Racial tensions are also on the rise, especially in Chicago. As crime and homicides have increased 50% since January, up from 392 to 588 this year, the city’s police presence has intensified. Since the 2014 killing of Laquan McDonald in Chicago, race-focused protests have dominated the city almost continuously, with two incidents in Pilsen and Little Village in the last 6 months alone. Chicago’s CIO must keep these racial tensions in the foreground in order to equitably and appropriately navigate new police tools.
Source: Scraped data from Amazon Ring-Police partnerships
Several cities across America have banned facial recognition due to its untested governance and controls. San Francisco, Boston, and Portland are among dozens of cities that have banned this technology, citing risks of “biases against Black people, women, and older people.” Research from Joy Buolamwini at the MIT Media Lab has shown that facial recognition softwares have error rates of 34% in darker skinned women, often because the underlying databases that train the algorithms are 77% male and 83% white.
Stakeholders
The City of Chicago must consider 5 primary stakeholders and 4 secondary stakeholders as it considers implications for facial recognition software. First, governments must uphold their contracts with citizens to provide safety and public services. Second, police are the enforcement arm of the city and the government must ensure that police are properly equipped to defend and protect. Third, politicians want to champion wins and deliver on campaign promises to improve their cities. Fourth, criminals and burglars are stakeholders since they may have either been driven to crime as a last result or would benefit from seeing crime rise. Fifth, Amazon is a stakeholder since it wants to work more closely with local governments and receive funding for its services.
The secondary stakeholders must also be considered in making any economic decision. The Mayor’s office is just one part of larger complex of government services ranging from courts, to rehabilitation clinics, to prisons, all of which depend on proper social safeguards. Competitors are interested in seeing Amazon fail and taking over their position to win lucrative government contracts. Tax collectors and government budgeters will want to ensure that cities can pay for new policies. Lastly, neighborhoods value preserving their identity, their togetherness, and their security in ways that can often be quite different from the values of citizens.
Priorities
The Chicago CIO has a duty “to successfully transform digital services and build trust between residents and government.” The city has a long history of performing digital services. Danielle DeMerer, the city’s former CIO, said that “In 1999, Chicago was one of the first cities in the US to implement a 3–1–1 non-emergency management system to make it easier for residents to access city services and offload calls from the city’s 9–1–1 emergency management system.” The city’s emergency management system has once again become overloaded and new digital services are needed.
Priorities of Chicago City functions — source: Chicago Budget 2020
The CIO’s first priority is thus to improve government services through digital means. This includes reducing costs, increasing efficiency, improving access, and limiting waste through digital tools. In this case, the CIO must evaluate how it can improve emergency services by digitizing parts of the criminal justice process.
The CIO’s second priority is to uphold citizen privacy in any new initiative. Privacy at the core of user trust. Without privacy, citizens will lose trust in their governments and use of public services will break down. In this case, the CIO must ensure that citizens know how their data is being captured, used, and transferred and who has access to that information. Accidental release of private Ring footage would be horrific for the CIO’s office.
The CIO’s third priority is to uphold transparency in any new initiative. This means that the public must understand why a program is occurring, how it is being executed, and how it will impact people’s lives. Project transparency will often fall across multiple domains including legal, budgetary, and regulatory affairs. In this case, the CIO must show how the Chicago police department is encrypting, securing, and deleting Ring video footage against breaches as well as deploying facial recognition in videos.
The CIO’s final priority is to ensure equitable delivery of digital public services. One community, neighborhood, race, or socioeconomic cluster of people cannot receive unequal treatment under the law and digital services are no exception. As discussed in greater detail below, facial recognition has possibly much more pernicious effects for black citizens. In this case, the CIO must ensure that black Chicagoans or lower-income Chicagoans do not see negative externalities as a result of this digital policy.
While the CIO should focus on data security, the CIO does not have to focus as deeply on community security. This is the priority of the Mayor, the Chief of Police, and the Chicago Attorney General. The CIO’s responsibility is to improve government digital services.
Recommendation
This paper does not recommend that the Chicago CIO pursue a facial recognition partnership with Amazon-Ring. The risks of increasing racial bias, of creating irreversible cybersecurity threats, of creating a state of constant fear and surveillance is too great a burden for Chicago to bear. The Ring-CPD partnership is already in place, the city does not need to go further in building out facial recognition capabilities. The rationale below explains how this conclusion was reached.
Pros
Law enforcement officials argue that there are two pros to using facial recognition technology — improved efficiency and improved optionality.
Improved efficiency — The Department of Homeland Security has argued that facial recognition technology can help the government more quickly screen passengers at airports and process people at immigration checkpoints. This process is currently very manual, and often requires a federal agent holding up a picture of your face (either a passport or driver’s license) next to your face and looking back-and-forth to see if they are similar. In other cases, humans search through massive databases of profiles to find a match, making sure that an individual is not on a banned list. This tedious human process could be sped up and improved with machine capabilities, saving time and money.
Many police departments around Chicago also have Ring partnerships: Source
Improved optionality — In 2019, New York’s police commissioner James O’Neill wrote an Op-Ed in the New York Times arguing that “facial recognition makes you safer.” After explaining that he used to use ink-finger print cards and Polaroid cameras for mugshots, he goes on to say that facial recognition is just the next step in a long-line of evolution of police tools. “Technology has improved the profession beyond what the most imaginative officer could have conceived in those days. These innovations include facial recognition software, which has proved its worth as a crime-fighting resource since we adopted it in 2011… We use these methods solely to fill in missing or distorted data.”
Cons
Policymakers argue that there are two cons to using facial recognition technology — increased racial bias and increased cybersecurity and governance risk. A greater discussion of the cons of costs are outlined below.
Increased racial bias — Facial recognition technology has a racism problem. The National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST) analyzed 189 facial recognition algorithm from 99 developers using 18.3M images of 8.5M people were 10x to 100x more likely to misidentify African Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans compared to white faces. Deploying facial recognition technology with the Amazon-Ring cameras may exacerbated racial tensions that are already at a boiling point in Chicago. Police may wrongfully arrest more black Chicagoans and civilians may experience a greater culture of fear and suspicion, that often seems into xenophobia and racism, according to the ACLU.
— Facial recognition technology has a racism problem. The National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST) analyzed 189 facial recognition algorithm from 99 developers using 18.3M images of 8.5M people were 10x to 100x more likely to misidentify African Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans compared to white faces. Deploying facial recognition technology with the Amazon-Ring cameras may exacerbated racial tensions that are already at a boiling point in Chicago. Police may wrongfully arrest more black Chicagoans and civilians may experience a greater culture of fear and suspicion, that often seems into xenophobia and racism, according to the ACLU. Increased cybersecurity and governance risk — The threat assessment of biometric databases is incredibly high. While you can always change your password or pin if you are hacked, you can’t change your face, your fingerprint, or your iris. Facial recognition databases have been hacked in the past. In 2019, hackers stole photos of 100,000 travelers’ faces and license plates from a 3rd party surveillance company, Perceptics, that was working with the Customers and Border Protection agency. Even beyond the breach of privacy, this poses additional long-term risks since hackers can use these images to create fake identities of people online, spreading even more fear online.
Costs from implementing (or not implementing) facial recognition software in policing
Chicago Public Safety Budget, 2019–2020
The costs associated with not pursuing a facial recognition strategy emerge from 2 areas — the cost of lost efficiency and the cost of unsolved crimes.
In a small footnote in its November 2020 report, the Customs and Border Patrol has said that for Global Entry terminals, “Facial recognition transactions have reduced kiosk processing time, already short, by an astonishing 90 percent.” This rate of efficiency could save millions for the CPD.
The costs of unsolved crimes remains high, which could decrease with facial recognition. According to researchers at Iowa State, every murder costs society $17.3M, every rape costs society $448K, every armed robbery costs $335K, and every aggravated assult costs $145K. While these numbers are controversial, they may shed light on possible price savings for crime reduction. However, solving crimes also has a racial bias problem, which could be exacerbated by facial recognition. In evaluating 849 murders between January 2018 and July 2020, in Illinios, 47% of the cases were solved during those same 19 months when victims were white, 33% when the victim was Hispanic, but only 22% when the victim was black. Facial recognition may be good for solving white crimes, but not others.
The costs associated with pursuing a facial recognition strategy emerge from 3 areas — the cost of paying for the service, the cost of improving IT resiliency, and the increased costs of litigation.
The costs associated with paying for Amazon’s facial recognition software are remarkably low — the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Hillsboro Oregon pays just $7 per month for the service. Nevertheless, the 2020 police budget included $600,000 for “smart policing technologies”.
The costs associated with improving IT resiliency may be very high. In 2012, CPD requested $2 million to support real-time video-based face recognition. They also bought an exceptionally large amount of network hardware and spent $450,000 on enterprise-class database and computing infrastructure. The Chicago police department’s budget was $1.65B in 2019 and grew to $1.78B in 2020, with technology accounting for 21% of costs or $378M. Part of this budget increase went to encrypting new police radios, which was already the second time the police had to do this. More sophisticated technologies may prove to be even more expensive to encrypt and maintain sufficient IT protocols.
The costs of litigation are expected to be high, though many government lawsuits are still pending. In 2018, Chicago spent $113M on police misconduct lawsuits while Facebook had to pay $650M for its improper use of facial recognition software, which would account for 1/3 of the total CPD budget. The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (740 ILCS 14/1) passed in 2008 may cause significant legal challenges. In 2019, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that individuals do not need to show they suffered harm other than a violation of the law to bring a suit — “As a result, entities are at greater risk of liability for failure to follow legally required procedures for handling biometric information collected or stored in Illinois.”
Hypotheses to Test
While the recommendation for the CIO is not to implement facial recognition software, the CPD may want to test whether crime is reduced in similar cities across America that are using facial recognition. The map below highlights the regions where police departments are using facial recognition software.
This paper recommends evaluating the success of the Los Angeles police in using facial recognition software. LA is the next largest police department in America after Chicago and uses facial recognition software for crime identification. CPD can evaluate LA as a test-case to determine how effective facial recognition is in reducing crime. Amazon-Ring alone does not
The CIO may also want to conduct a survey with Chicagoans to evaluate their comfort with facial recognition. Surveys currently show that only 16% of Americans are comfortable with facial recognition software, but with crime on the rise in Chicago, this stat may jump higher.
Implementation
The CIO has few implementations steps because the recommendation is not to pursue facial recognition, however, the CIO will need to implement a communication plan for this decision. The CIO should work with the Mayor’s communication department and the CPD communication department to publicly announce that Chicago is not pursuing facial recognition. This is critical for creating trust with citizens, particularly as several cities and municipalities have clandestinely rolled out programs without full citizen awareness. The city should stress that it found that facial recognition can be “psychologically unhealthy”, has shown to promote racial bias, and requires new IT safeguards and governance before it can be safely implemented. | https://medium.com/swlh/police-amazon-ring-and-facial-recognition-a-modern-trilemma-of-surveillance-ba96a352920b | ['Jeremy B. Ney'] | 2020-12-08 18:06:53.830000+00:00 | ['Ring', 'Facial Recognition', 'Police', 'Amazon', 'Surveillance'] |
5 Ways to Be Kinder to Yourself in 2020 | Image by Shahariar Lenin from Pixabay
It’s that time of year again. A couple of weeks ago everyone made a bunch of New Year’s Resolutions. Three weeks in and most of them have been discarded and everyone is feeling crappy about it. We are often very hard on ourselves. Instead of making resolutions, we should try, instead, to be a little kinder to ourselves.
Ditch the Resolutions
Image by Linus Schütz from Pixabay
The entire concept of New Year’s resolutions is based on the assertion that we aren’t enough, didn’t do enough, and weren’t good enough in the previous year. So we resolve to be better, do better, and finally be enough by setting ridiculously hard to achieve goals, which we expect to attain within just a few weeks. These goals almost always involve body changes that will magically make us better people.
The goals aren’t the whole problem. We tend to try to make our goals by using extreme means that are not sustainable for long. It’s a recipe for failure, feelings of defeat, sadness and depression.
So forget the resolutions. Try looking for the positive instead of the negative in order to invoke change.
One way to do this is creating a 3 Good Things challenge for yourself. Keep a small notebook and pen beside your bed and just before you go to bed each night write down three good things that happened that day. It might be something as simple as noting that you didn’t hit snooze on the alarm and got up on time and weren’t running late, or something someone said that made you smile. Some days it might be harder to find the good things, but try. If you wore matching shoes, that’s good. Some of us have blundered there before. LOL.
The point is, starting a routine that has you habitually looking for positive and “good” things, might help you find positive ways to make the changes you want, or it might show you that you don’t need to make as many changes as you thought. If nothing else, it will likely give you a little bit of joy.
Discover Joyful Movement
Exercise is an ugly word that brings to mind stretching and pushing your body until you are tired and sore. Or at least, that’s what it signifies to me. I hate exercise. But I don’t hate being active. I love swimming, dancing, riding bikes, and playing volleyball. I hate walking on treadmills, running laps, doing situps, and any boring, repetitive movement that is supposed to be “good for me” but is really aimed at changing my body. Exercise makes me feel bad and like a failure afterward. Do you avoid “exercise” for similar reasons?
Fact is, you should move your body because you enjoy it and it makes your body feel good. So what do you enjoy doing? If you have mobility issues, talk to your doctor. There should be some ways to move your body even if it’s nothing more than turning on your favorite music and shaking your booty while sitting on the sofa. So, it’s more like shaking your arms and shoulders, but you get the point.
My favorite way to move my body is to dance around the house like a spastic 5 year old. It’s awesome. And it always leaves me feeling energized (if a little out of breath).
Whatever you choose to do, don’t do it because you hate your body or because you want to change your body. Whatever movement you choose, do it because it makes you happy, it’s fun, and because it makes your body feel better. Do it because you love your body.
Give Yourself a Break
Image by LUM3N from Pixabay
Are you harder on yourself than other people? Do you think harsh, unforgiving things about yourself that you would never say to someone else? Do you berate yourself for mistakes you would forgive in others? Do you have traits that you see as quirks in others but flaws in yourself? Does your self-talk resemble something you would discipline a child for saying to someone else?
We are often harshest with ourselves. Next time you catch yourself in the middle of negative self-talk, or make a mistake that makes you angry with yourself, stop, take a breath, and think what you would say to your best friend if she were the one you were talking to.
Okay, so if you talk to your bestie like I do mine, you might tell yourself to get an effing grip. But then you would give understanding and encouragement.
Take a Moment
Image by 9883074 from Pixabay
This one is easier said than done, I know. Especially for those mom’s out there. I know most of you are thinking “Easy to say by someone who doesn’t have kids at home”. It’s true, my stepson is an adult now and never lived with us full time. That doesn’t mean I don’t understand, quite well, the concept of not having time to yourself. We all have different obligations and responsibilities that tug on our time. Whether it’s kids, spouse, job or community responsibilities, women in general carry huge emotional loads. Finding a few minutes every day, or even every other day, to have some silent decompression time is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself. I take mine in the shower. It’s not very eco-friendly, and my water bill is higher because of it, but 5 extra minutes under the hot water with no one asking me for anything, no animals needing fed or cuddles, no emails or instant messages. It’s 100% me time. It clears my head and makes me more ready and able to deal with the world.
Even if it’s something as small as sitting in your car in the grocery store parking lot five extra minutes before doing the shopping, try to find a couple of minutes to just sit and breathe.
Eat the Cupcake
Image by HomeMaker from Pixabay
Okay, so if you have diabetes and eating the cupcake will put you into a coma, then maybe rethink the cupcake. But if there are no life & death reasons why you shouldn’t eat it, and you aren’t stealing it, and you want it, then by golly, eat it! Or the taco, or the apple, or the tofu stir-fry, or whatever.
Food is neither good nor bad. Though, what you do or don’t eat can make you physically feel either good or bad, it has absolutely ZERO moral value.
When we put moral value on food, then we give it the power to also hurt us emotionally. Denying yourself can make you feel sad and depressed. And if you are in the “denial” frame of mind, “slipping” and eating that super delicious taco can flood you with feelings of guilt, shame, and depression.
I’m not an expert in the Health At Every Size (HAES) movement or the intuitive eating concept by any means, but I believe both have immeasurable value.
Whether or not you subscribe to or pursue either theory, you can’t go wrong by just listening to your body, and feeding it and your spirit in the way that feels good and right to you both physically and emotionally. | https://medium.com/ample-room/5-ways-to-be-kinder-to-yourself-in-2020-993a01f8a80c | ['June Westerfield'] | 2020-01-21 18:31:02.363000+00:00 | ['Self-awareness', 'Self Improvement', 'Self Love'] |
Daringly Vulnerable Redefined by a Car Salesman. | Before I met this car salesman, the word “vulnerable” conjured up two images — share your deeply personal experiences. And have the guts to absorb the whimsical reactions of the world. A car salesman widened my view.
Photo by Jake Blucker on Unsplash
My wife and I were strolling through the car lot of a dealership. His first words — “Would any of the cars interest you?” Stereotypical start.
I turned around to see a middle-aged man eager to shake my hands. I reciprocated. My wife and I motioned our hands to a white SUV we gravitated towards. The Houston sun was blinding and we used our hands as blinders to peep through the tinted glass. “Let me get the keys,” is all he said and was gone in a jiffy.
The long walk to the office took him a while. In the interim, we paraded the huge lot and spot-checked more cars. When he returned, he handed us the keys. While surveying this vehicle, I chit chatted about two other cars we would like to explore.
He said, “let me get the keys for them.” And left again.
I was dumbfounded.
He did not ask for my driving license, there was no one else in sight in the blistering heat. I had never met him before that day.
Earlier, while loitering the lot, I had mentally psyched myself to expect every conceivable high-pressure tactics.
I never expected this complete antithesis — left in peace with a fully loaded, high value item with full rights to the ignition.
The thing that gets me the most — there was no drama. When he walked away, he acted as if it is normal thing to do. Not even a moment of hesitation.
We all have our perceptions of another human in the car dealership. I was no different. Yet this man did something daring — he had one faint moment to make a choice when I had the keys — he chose to be vulnerable.
Until that very moment, for me, the word “vulnerable” conjured up two images — share your deeply personal experiences. And have the guts to absorb the whimsical reactions of the world. Great names have led the way — Dr. Brene Brown through her heart felt TED talks opened up vistas to many of us.
The car salesman did none of that — did not shine light on a deep-seated secret, a heart-felt self awareness or an oops moment. He chose to be vulnerable through a simple human act with all the uncertainty, risk and exposure.
I was impressed by his audacity, uplifted by his trust and surprised by his gesture.
Best for last: The art of giving
Sometimes, a small act takes up the most room in our heart. What made the salesperson take the chance? If our roles we reversed, would I? Would you? On my drive home, I wondered.
My thoughts wandered to my mom’s best advice on giving –focus on what is of great value to others but less cost to you. The value part is crystal clear. His cost was somehow lower than most of us in his shoes.
How could that be? Something I read a long time ago flashed back.
“The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.”
Words attributed to the universal scientist and profound philosopher, Albert Einstein.
Now, I could feel the impact of those words and correlation between vulnerability and mindsets.
In the marvelous, simple act of a car salesman is a window into a mindset at the heart of his choice — choice to be daringly vulnerable and a choice to grant trust.
Karthik Rajan | https://karthrajan.medium.com/daringly-vulnerable-redefined-by-a-car-salesman-8d1671c9d213 | ['Karthik Rajan'] | 2019-04-26 04:20:35.034000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Inspiration', 'Stereotypes', 'Self', 'Trust'] |
The Psychology Principles Every UI/UX Designer Needs to Know | Psychology plays a big part in a user’s experience with an application. By understanding how our designs are perceived, we can make adjustments so that the apps we create are more effective in achieving the goals of the user.
To help you understand the perception of the user, I will introduce some design principles which I think are the most important, and also provide common examples of these principles in practice. Let’s start with the Von Restorff effect:
Von Restorff effect
The Von Restorff effect (also known as the isolation effect) predicts that when multiple similar objects are present, the one that differs from the rest is most likely to be remembered!
Does this ring any bells?
This is the main reason why all call-to-actions (CTAs) look different from the rest of the action buttons on a site or application!
Von Restorff Effect Example
We want users to be able to differentiate between a simple action button and a CTA, in order for them to have a clear understanding what the CTA does, whilst also remembering it throughout their use of the application or site. | https://uxplanet.org/the-psychology-principles-every-ui-ux-designer-needs-to-know-24116fd65778 | ['Thanasis Rigopoulos'] | 2017-07-08 10:22:10.892000+00:00 | ['UX', 'UI', 'User Experience', 'Design', 'User Interface'] |
Returning to Trees | Returning to Trees
A wander through the science and symbolism of majestic oaks, as we search for a way home to forests.
Along the country lane, a solitary row of oak trees arches towards the road as if to offer a safe passage to all who pass. The winter branches are bare and the rain-soaked wood is black against the grey sky. These oaks are exposed to the full force of storms, climate and petrol fumes. They also suffer the runoff from pesticides used on nearby farms.
As I pass the lane I feel a twinge of regret.
In the Devon landscape these isolated oaks appear not as Tolkien’s Ents, but as bronchial silhouettes. Perhaps like you, I have my own perspective on trees, familiar with those in my local environment. I associate them with breath, oxygen and life.
I now also recognise them as masterpieces of evolution.
Oak evolution had been taking place for at least 50 million years before our first apelike ancestors began walking upright on two legs. They radiated and expanded across Europe, North America and East Asia, leaving large numbers of co-occurring species in their wake, all with the potential to hybridise and exchange genes that would prove useful as they continued to colonise new territory.
As the last glacial period thawed, birch and pine, hazel, elm, oak and alder spread across all of Britain, forming an expansive wild wood. From the Neolithic age deforestation began in earnest when half of all forests were cleared for agriculture. Each succeeding era saw vast depletions of trees for timber and pasture land which continues today.
Not so long ago we hunted, cooked, feasted, and created new life under the leafy boughs and canopies of trees.
If a helicopter could fly over Britain just a thousand years ago the land would have looked like a mosaic of dense canopy and open ground. You would see ‘thin blue spirals of smoke rising here and there’ from the cottages; the oaks thriving near the outskirts where they could gain sufficient light.
Dwelling in the forests, we forged a sympathetic connection to oaks as we lived as part of a mutual ecosystem. As we started to migrate into the swelling farms and villages we brought with us the folkloric oak beliefs that for so long enabled us to live and cooperate as a species in their world.
To fell an old oak tree was almost unthinkable: medieval woodcutters feared the dreadful ‘shrieks and groans’ that came from the tree as it was about to fall. They were warned off by superstitions that misfortune would befall those who cut down ancient oak groves.
Destroying something so old and deep-rooted has never been taken lightly.
As the forest shared ever more of its resources with us, we grew confident in despoiling its ecosystem until we abandoned it for good. Now we can no longer hear the oak’s screams we have fewer qualms about cutting it down.
As we hurtle into a new planetary age of mass extinction, the oak trees reveal what it means to thrive as a species. In doing so they hold up a mirror to the human race, perhaps reflecting an uncomfortable truth.
We formed an emotional attachment to oaks, more than with any other tree. For thousands of years oaks stood as symbols of stoicism, strength and the wisdom of old age. This much is evident in the many spoken aphorisms that draw on their robustness and resilience. You could even say we lavish them with too much human compassion.
As far as trees go there isn’t anything especially outstanding about oaks. Their immune systems are strong, having evolved to ‘neutralise’ many of their natural enemies: viruses, bacteria, insects and fungi among other pathogens. Being resistant to disease and rot also contributes to the high value of oak wood as a building material.
The towns and villages emerged from postglacial forests and were constructed with oak timber. In the houses, dining tables, bookcases and floorboards were all made from oak: the wood being preferred for its durability, versatility and appearance.
As the timber ages it’s said to become stronger, but this is barely an aphorism. Rather, it becomes more beautiful as it acquires an antique charm.
Contrary to belief, oaks are not the longest surviving of all trees or the most robust. A bristlecone pine claims the record at around 4,867 years. Old Tjikko, a spruce in Sweden, is an estimated 9,550 years old!
The oldest oak in Britain is the Bowthorpe Oak at around 1000 years — an infant in comparison. Ebony wood is stronger than oak, ranking among various hardwoods in the African and Indian continents. And like us, oaks are also vulnerable to acute population decline by new and foreign viruses.
Yet oak trees carry a potent symbolic status that informs our understanding and beliefs about them. For some plant scientists our romantic ideas about oaks, and trees in general, could have unintended ecological consequences.
As the world wakes up to the climate emergency, rising numbers of people are taking a stance against the ongoing deforestation rapidly wiping out millions of species.
Evolutionary scientist, Dr. Thibault Leroy, and his colleagues, recently published an article on oak symbolism in the light of genomics. While pleased to observe a growing popular interest in trees and the protection of forests, Leroy has voiced his concern about a growing movement to resist felling any trees.
Leroy’s argument is that forests need to be sensibly managed so we can start replacing plastic products (made with fossil fuels) with sustainable wood-based solutions. He questions if an emergence of anthropomorphic nature writing might be fuelling romanticised ideas of trees that could compromise our ability to effectively solve the climate crisis.
One bestselling work has made quite a stir in the scientific community. In The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben presents the case that trees are ‘feeling and communicating’ creatures that live together like human families. In the forests, tree parents nurture their offspring and provide nutrients to ‘sick and struggling’ trees, comprising a social system.
Wohlleben’s anthropomorphic narrative is largely inspired by scientific findings that trees are connected to sprawling mycorrhizal networks that drive acts of reciprocity and mutual support. These discoveries were made by Suzanne Simard, Professor of Forest Ecology, who in her ground-breaking work also identified ‘mother trees as vital hubs’ performing a variety of functions that place them in the role of forest caregivers to saplings.
This new perspective of plant interdependence looks beyond natural selection as an unintentional chemical process. Instead, it probes the evolutionary mechanisms which engender cooperation, communication and kinship in nature.
Does Simard’s science and Wohlleben’s narrative imply trees in forests are more like human societies than previously thought? Well, there is an important distinction to be made. For humans, social cohesion is a complex emotional experience: something that is carried out intentionally as well as instinctually, and is largely due to our language skills. We know plants communicate through chemical signalling, but do they behave intentionally? Not as far as we know.
Within the plant science community Simard’s research is well-respected. Neither is there any empirical problem in likening human characteristics to trees. They compete and cooperate for survival just as we do — although they do so very differently.
It’s possible we have always ascribed human characteristics to trees, wanting to know them as feeling, communicating, and sentient beings in order to pay them respect — perhaps not to feel so alone — but in doing so we miss an opportunity to tap into something far richer and transformative in the light of modern science.
Oaks are an evolutionary success in terms of diversity and abundance. Dr Andrew Hipp, Senior Scientist in Plant Systematics, describes them as 435 species all working on solving the same problems, over and over in different ways.’ Of all the woody plant genera of North America, oaks have the highest number of species and most biomass. By their sheer diversity and ability to adapt, exchange genes, and migrate rapidly, they have come to dominate in a wide range of forest types. And, remarkably, they often share the same community: when you find one oak species in a forest, you commonly find at least one other as well.
But to call this a ‘success’ is perhaps to put too much of the human into the trees. They flourish through natural selection, migration, mating with their own kind and others, speciating, going extinct — all of which are natural events.
One can try to understand these processes in relation to the human experience, but even using anthropomorphic language we will struggle to relate to migrating without legs, radiating across continents, cross-pollinating in the wind and speciating over millennia. Like mathematics, understanding trees requires us to comprehend patterns and forces in nature that elude our senses and daily life experiences.
For biologists, using language to accurately describe an oak species is just as elusive. Oaks consist of so many converging characteristics it’s difficult to tell some species apart just by observation. In this sense there’s no such thing as a definitive oak species, but a kaleidoscope of oaks.
Trees aren’t like us at all. They’re not one but 60,000 species.
As humans we take pride in our large brains and talents for science and poetry. Having mastered tools and technology we think of ourselves as supremely successful and destined to last. But consider this: we once inhabited the Earth with other hominid species that shared many of our evolutionary challenges.
And now we are just one.
Alone, we face the problem of imminent extinction from a catastrophic event like the advent of a super virus. The complex and subtle diversity of tree evolution stands in stark contrast to our own.
In a very short time, human civilisation forged an alternative reality in conflict with the natural world. Deep in our conurbations we are a beleaguered species, addicted to gas, coal and oil. It seems the more efficient we become the more we compromise our natural environment.
Our vision is narrowed by an obsession with clock time. As a species in a hurry, we travel in the most linear way to arrive sooner rather than later.
When one thousand ancient woodlands are to be cleared to make way for the UK’s new High-Speed railway, bypassing the old oaks isn’t workable. A route which bends and detours like a snaking woodland stream adds several unbearable minutes onto the journey.
Our need to get places faster has presented us with a dilemma: the more efficiently we use the Earth’s resources the cheaper they become and the more we rely on them. Consumption levels continue to rise, as does climate chaos, creating a rebound effect.
Hominids have been failing to arrive at win-win situations with our own and other species.
As the last survivor of our kind we remain inescapably bound to forests, just as the shore is bound to the ocean. Trees were once everything to us: our keepers providing food and fuel and the timber we used to build ships, housing and so much more. Now that we know our reliance on fossil fuels is leading to catastrophe, we are searching for a way to return to trees.
If the life of oaks can teach us anything, it’s how we overthink the problem of survival. Shall we privatise this or that service so the strong can prosper? Or should everyone pay into a system that distributes the benefits evenly, ensuring the weak can also thrive? At every turn we are torn between the choice to either cooperate or compete.
Oak trees do not share our burden of having to make choices. They perform their evolutionary tasks with indifference to their suffering neighbours. As they also pay no attention to the myriad benefits they bestow on the animals and other plants they host.
By way of our mindset, we are locked into a contest with nature for finite resources. But with oaks there are no contradictions: different species live side by side in an understated unity.
The oak simply thrives, and, all things being equal, exists in the complex society of which it forms a magnificent part.
Curious for more? Sources and references for this article can be found here. | https://medium.com/snipette/returning-to-trees-caf24e532125 | ['Belatrix Bean'] | 2020-02-28 13:04:07.158000+00:00 | ['Ecology', 'Evolution', 'Trees', 'Plant Science', 'Science'] |
What Will It Take | Photo by Robin Harwick, 2016
What will it take for you to see
it is more than just a tree
What will it take for you to know
the knowledge you gain depends on what you sow
What will it take for you to see
I’m sure you won’t listen to me
For who am I? I have no degree
what I learn doesn’t come from a university
but from all that I see
Although your schools will give you status
Now is the time to Let US
…teach you
Let us teach you of things you don’t know
and the seed we plant will surely grow
What will it take for you to see
the hurt in my eyes is NOT for me
What will it take for you to know
each one you push down will not grow
What will it take for you to see
he is YOUR god and not for me
Stop fighting and hating then you will see
that there is more than one way to truly be free
©Robin Harwick
Note: Originally written in the 1990s, before I had any degrees. The sentiments are still valid. | https://robinharwick.medium.com/what-will-it-take-8e514479b86d | ['Robin Harwick'] | 2020-03-15 02:55:07.325000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Sustainability', 'Equality', 'Poetry', 'Freedom'] |
Stop Talking About Yourself | There are only two steps to engage in a great conversation with anyone — ask questions and listen to the answers with full attention.
The only time you can break this rule is during a job interview, where you need to sell your skills and talents. For every other interaction, have the confidence to refrain from talking about yourself altogether.
Now, that doesn’t mean you would refuse to answer questions the other person asks. The key here is to make the other person the protagonist of the conversation with you acting as the supporting cast. Listen with as much attention as you would to your childhood hero when you finally meet him.
Don’t worry that others will consider you stupid. Trust me — they won’t. Instead, they will remember the time with you as an interesting conversation and respect you more.
Stop the Story War
Often, instead of engaging in a conversation, we engage in a story war.
If the other person talks about that accident he had on a bicycle, we are ready with a significantly more interesting story to beat that. The incident could have happened to one of our friends or us. Sometimes, we don’t even let the other person finish their story, and we barge in with our own.
While we are busy formulating our story, we aren’t listening anyway. That’s a pretty poor quality of engagement to have in a conversation.
Decide not to participate in the battle of stories and let the other person win, while you wave a white flag.
Stop Pre-Listening
With people close to us, we hear what they are going to say even before they say it. We get into the ‘already, always listening’ situation.
We almost know what they are going to say based on past conditioning, and we get impatient. We complete their sentences or cut them mid-sentence.
What’s the point of life, if we are in such a hurry that we can’t even give this little time to listen to our loved ones?
Take a deep breath and let your loved ones get the time they deserve from you. Let them complete their sentences. Let them feel listened to.
There is one more benefit of following this advice — people reciprocate. The day you have something important to say, they will listen more attentively. When you drop the competition, they will do the same. Just remember to drop it forever.
Finally, Take the Time to Listen to Yourself
Go, take a walk in a park. Or wake up early and have tea with yourself. Give time to your internal dialog — remember not to let this become a worrying time.
If you do this on a regular basis, the urge to tell your story to others will be much reduced because you will have your own genius self to listen to all your amazing ideas. | https://medium.com/one-minute-life-hacks/stop-talking-about-yourself-3d67e60e1bd1 | ['Sudipto Chanda'] | 2020-11-30 16:29:47.991000+00:00 | ['Communication', 'Listening', 'Relationships', 'Engagement', 'Storytelling'] |
The Muslim world’s changing dynamics: Pakistan struggles to retain its footing | By James M. Dorsey
Increasing strains between Pakistan and its traditional Arab allies, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, is about more than Gulf states opportunistically targeting India’s far more lucrative market.
At the heart of the tensions, that potentially complicate Pakistan’s economic recovery, is also India’s ability to enhance Gulf states’ capacity to hedge their bets amid uncertainty about the continued US commitment to regional security.
India is a key member of the Quad that also includes the United States, Australia and Japan and could play a role in a future more multilateral regional security architecture in the Gulf.
Designed as the backbone of an Indo-Pacific strategy intended to counter China across a swath of maritime Asia, Gulf states are unlikely to pick sides but remain keen on ensuring that they maintain close ties with both sides of the widening divide.
The mounting strains with Pakistan are also the latest iteration of a global battle for Muslim religious soft power that pits Saudi Arabia and the UAE against Turkey, Iran, and Asian players like Indonesia’s Nahdlatul Ulama, the world’s largest Islamic movement.
A combination of geo- and domestic politics is complicating efforts by major Muslim-majority states in Asia to walk a middle line. Pakistan, home to the world’s largest Shiite Muslim minority, has reached out to Turkey while seeking to balance relations with its neighbour, Iran.
The pressure on Pakistan is multi-fold.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan charged recently that the United States and one other unidentified country were pressing him to establish diplomatic relations with Israel.
Pakistani and Israeli media named Saudi Arabia as the unidentified country. Representing the world’s second most populous Muslim nation, Pakistani recognition, following in the footsteps of the UAE and Bahrain, would be significant.
Pakistan twice in the last year signalled a widening rift with the kingdom.
Mr. Khan had planned to participate a year ago in an Islamic summit hosted by Malaysia and attended by Saudi Arabia’s detractors, Turkey, Iran and Qatar, but not the kingdom and a majority of Muslim states. The Pakistani prime minister cancelled his participation at the last moment under Saudi pressure.
More recently, Pakistan again challenged Saudi leadership of the Muslim world when Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi complained about lack of support of the Saudi-dominated Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for Pakistan in its conflict with India over Kashmir. The OIC groups the world’s 57 Muslim-majority nations. Mr. Qureshi suggested that his country would seek to rally support beyond the realm of the kingdom.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on a visit to Pakistan earlier this year, made a point of repeatedly reiterating his country’s support for Pakistan in the Kashmir dispute.
By openly challenging the kingdom, Mr. Qureshi was hitting Saudi Arabia where it hurts most as it seeks to repair its image tarnished by allegations of abuse of human rights, manoeuvres to get off on the right foot with incoming US President-elect Joe Biden’s administration, and fends off challenges to its leadership of the Muslim world.
Pakistan has not helped itself by recently failing to ensure that it would be removed from the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force, an international anti-money laundering and terrorism finance watchdog, despite progress in the country’s legal infrastructure and enforcement.
Grey listing causes reputational damage and makes foreign investors and international banks more cautious in their dealings with countries that have not been granted a clean bill of health.
Responding to Mr. Qureshi’s challenge, Saudi Arabia demanded that Pakistan repay a US$1 billion loan extended to help the South Asian nation ease its financial crisis. The kingdom has also dragged its feet on renewing a US$3.2 billion oil credit facility that expired in May.
In what Pakistan will interpret as UAE support for Saudi Arabia, the Emirates last week included Pakistan on its version of US President Donald J. Trump’s Muslim travel ban.
Inclusion on the list of 13 Muslim countries whose nationals will no longer be issued visas for travel to the UAE increases pressure on Pakistan, which relies heavily on exporting labour to generate remittances and alleviate unemployment.
Some Pakistanis fear that a potential improvement in Saudi-Turkish relations could see their country fall through geopolitical cracks.
In the first face-to-face meeting between senior Saudi and Turkish officials since the October 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, the two countries’ foreign ministers, Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Mevlut Cavusoglu, held bilateral talks this weekend, on the sidelines of an OIC conference in the African state of Niger.
“A strong Turkey-Saudi partnership benefits not only our countries but the whole region,” Mr. Cavusoglu tweeted after the meeting.
The meeting came days after Saudi King Salman telephoned Mr. Erdogan on the eve of a virtual summit hosted by the kingdom of the Group of 20 (G20) that brings together the world’s largest economies.
“The Muslim world is changing and alliances are shifting and entering new, unchartered territories,” said analyst Sahar Khan.
Added Imtiaz Ali, another analyst: “In the short term, Riyadh will continue exploiting Islamabad’s economic vulnerabilities… But in the longer term, Riyadh cannot ignore the rise of India in the region, and the two countries may become close allies — something that will mostly likely increase the strain on Pakistan-Saudi relations.”
A podcast version of this story is available on Soundcloud, Itunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spreaker, Pocket Casts, Tumblr, Podbean, Audecibel, and Castbox.
Dr. James M. Dorsey is an award-winning journalist and a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore and the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute | https://medium.com/the-turbulent-world-of-middle-east-soccer/the-muslim-worlds-changing-dynamics-pakistan-struggles-to-retain-its-footing-990da4da6c26 | ['James M. Dorsey'] | 2020-11-30 06:56:44.999000+00:00 | ['Biden', 'Pakistan', 'Middle East', 'Trump', 'Saudi Arabia'] |
Docker — Three Ways To Create Container Images and Their Use Cases | Creating efficient and small images are very important in docker. In this article, we will look at the ways to create them and their use cases
What are Images
What is a copy-on-write strategy?
What are we building
Three ways of Building Images
Use cases
Conclusion
What are images
The whole operating system of Linux is a filesystem. So, Images are nothing but a big tarball of a layered filesystem. If you look at the below diagram, Image is built with a bunch of immutable layers. Each layer consists of files and folders and each layer is built only with the changes corresponding to the previous layer.
Layered File System
The first layer is called a base layer and each layer is immutable that means once created, we can’t change the file system. It uses a copy-on-write strategy.
What is a copy-on-write strategy?
If you look at the above diagram, the base layer has three files and Layer 1 wants to change the files 2 and 3. So, it copies file2 and file3 from the base layer and writes any changes in layer 1. So, The top layer uses file2 and file3 from Layer 1 and file4 from the Layer2 instead of the base layer and layer1 respectively. But it uses file1 from base layer since there are no changes in top layers.
What are we building?
we are building a simple node js API which gives you the current time. we are using express lib for this. Let’s see how it looks from the docker images perspective.
Docker Layered system
Let’s see how we can build this image in three ways below.
Three ways of Building Images
There are three ways to create container images while working with docker. Let’s explore these methods
Interactively building Images
Using Dockerfile
Importing from a tarball
Interactively building images
Step 1
As we know every image starts from the base image, we need to pull the base image node with the command docker pull node:latest
docker pull node: latest
Step 2
Now we have a base image, Let’s build layers on top of this. Let’s run the container in an interactive mode with these commands.
// start a container in a detached mode
docker container run -dit --name node-express-server node //interact with the container with exec command
docker exec -it node-express-server /bin/bash
docker container in an interactive mode
we started a container with node image in a detached mode and started in an interactive mode with exec command.
Step 3
Now we can add files, folders and build layers in the running container. Let’s create a folder called /app under usr/src and create some files.
// make a directory
mkdir /usr/src/app // cd to that directory
cd /usr/src/app //create package.json
npm init //install express
npm install --save express //install vim to edit the file on command line
apt-get update
apt-get install -y vim // create a file here and put all the content here
// i for insert, esc for command mode, : and wq! after editing vi index.js // list all the files
ls
index.js
once you are done with this step, you should have all these files and index.js content like below
files and folders in the container
Step 4
Let’s test the container and commit these changes to save it as an image.
// run the index.js under /usr/src/app
node index.js // ctrl c and exit
exit // commit the container into an image
docker container commit node-express-server my-node-server //test it
docker images
docker commit and docker images commands
Step 5
Now we have an image called my-node-server , let’s run it as a container and test it whether it is working or not. We are running a container with port 3080 and with the default command node /usr/src/app/index.js.
// run the container with an image my-node-server
docker container run -dit --name current-time -p 3080:3080 my-node-server node /usr/src/app/index.js
running container
API works
Using Dockerfile
Let’s see how we can build the same image with the dockerfile. Dockerfile is used to automate the process of creating images. Once we have Dockerfile, you can build as many images as you can.
Let’s clone the repo from here for the example project. Here is the Dockerfile. Whatever we have done while building interactively, we are building the same with this Dockerfile.
Dockerfile
build the image from this Dockerfile with this command
git clone // clone the projectgit clone https://github.com/bbachi/node-express-server.git // cd into project
cd node-express-server // build the image
docker build -t my-node-server .
here is the output.
building image with Dockerfile
Now we can list the images and start the container as above. I don’t want to repeat the same step. You can follow the same steps as above:)
Importing from a tarball
Let’s understand how tarballs work. If we have an image, we can save it into a tarball with docker save command and we can import the same image from the tarball wherever we need with docker load command.
docker save and commands for tarball
Let’s see this in action and use the image that we built above. use docker save my-node-server > mynodeserver.tar. With this command, a tarball is created.
tarball created
Let’s remove the existing images and create an image from the tarball.
// list the existing images
docker images // remove the existing image
docker rmi my-node-server
deleting images
Now we removed the image. Let’s create an image from tarball with this command docker load < mynodeserver.tar and list images docker images
creating an image from a tarball
Use cases
Interactively building Images
If you want to play with images or practicing something or creating some POC, this method is useful
Using Dockerfile
This is a common method to create images in production or testing. Most of the time we use this method
Importing from a tarball
This is useful if you want to share images without any kind of central registry
Conclusion
Knowing different ways to create images are handy while developing, testing, deploying apps in docker. | https://medium.com/bb-tutorials-and-thoughts/docker-three-ways-to-create-container-images-and-their-use-cases-ee651c0aceef | ['Bhargav Bachina'] | 2019-05-20 02:34:41.374000+00:00 | ['Programming', 'Software Engineering', 'Web Development', 'DevOps', 'Docker'] |
The Facial Recognition Backlash Is Here | The Facial Recognition Backlash Is Here
But will the current bans last?
Photo: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images
OneZero’s General Intelligence is a roundup of the most important artificial intelligence and facial recognition news of the week.
The facial recognition industry has been quietly working alongside law enforcement, military organizations, and private companies for years, leveraging 40-year old partnerships originally centered around fingerprint databases.
But in 2020, the industry faced an unexpected reckoning.
February brought an explosive New York Times report on Clearview AI, a facial recognition company that had scraped billions of images from social media to create an all-encompassing database, and quietly gave it to thousands of police departments and companies across the world.
A ubiquitous facial recognition database weaponizing public social media profiles to create tools for law enforcement and private security was a splash of cold water for those who hadn’t yet understood what the facial recognition industry had become. Now the technology has never been easier to implement by corporations and law enforcement, and the ramifications of the technology have never been more serious.
Across the United States, bans on police use of facial recognition had started in 2019 with San Francisco. But in 2020 they proliferated, thanks to activist pressure from organizations like the ACLU, Fight For The Future, and AI Now. Portland, Oregon, instituted one of the strictest facial recognition laws in the world, and by far the most restrictive in the country, which prohibits private businesses from using the technology on their own premises. This means businesses like Walmart wouldn’t be able to use facial recognition to track customers in their stores.
“This is really about making sure that we are prioritizing our most vulnerable community members and community members of color,” Portland City Council Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said in Kate Kaye’s report earlier this year for OneZero.
Portland, Maine, also banned police use of the technology this year, alongside bans and temporary moratoriums in Madison, Wisconsin; Springfield, Massachusetts; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Jackson, Mississippi, and Boston. Even Los Angeles placed a limited facial recognition ban on its police department, which prevented it from using facial recognition that sources images from social media, like Clearview AI. The LAPD will still use countywide facial recognition software that references booking images, according to BuzzFeed News.
“This is really about making sure that we are prioritizing our most vulnerable community members and community members of color.”
While Massachusetts legislators passed a statewide ban on police use of the technology, Governor Charlie Baker has reportedly refused to sign the bill into law, claiming that facial recognition is a necessary tool for police. This comes after players of the Boston Celtics basketball team wrote an open letter to Baker, asking him to sign the bill.
“Baker’s rejection is deeply troubling because this technology supercharges racial profiling by police and has resulted in the wrongful arrests of innocent people,” the players wrote.
The players are referring to a case in Detroit, where Robert Julian-Borchak Williams was wrongfully arrested due to an error in the police’s facial recognition system.
The federal government has also taken notice of the rise of facial recognition, with renewed pressure from Congress to legislate the technology. Democrats introduced a bill that would ban federal agencies from using facial recognition, and withhold federal funds from municipalities unless they also enacted such bans. This bill came weeks before an updated report from the Government Accountability Office, which recommended facial recognition legislation to safeguard citizens’ privacy.
Even tech giants like IBM, Amazon, and Microsoft, which are some of the largest creators and proponents of the technology in the consumer space, have stopped selling the technology to police, and, in IBM’s case, canceled facial recognition development altogether.
Legal challenges filed in 2020 against Clearview AI and the use of facial recognition in schools are scheduled to be decided in 2021, according to a report from CNET’s Alfred Ng.
Clearview AI is facing lawsuits in Illinois, which has the country’s best protections against companies secretly collecting fingerprints, DNA, and facial images. These legal battles could set precedent for how facial recognition companies are allowed to collect data and act as a call to action for other states as well.
All of this movement to regulate and restrict the use of facial recognition flies in the face of the enormous corporate and governmental interest in being able to identify people in public and private spaces. Marketers have long pitched facial recognition and other identifying technologies as the ultimate tool for understanding customers. And police departments often sing the praises of being able to pick out the identity of a suspect from a photo or video.
That makes the activists’ progress in 2020 all the more impressive, and the stakes all the higher.
In 2021, Amazon’s self-imposed facial recognition moratorium is set to expire, opening up questions as to whether it will actually commit to stop its work with facial recognition or continue working with police, as it already has with its Ring smart doorbell. Microsoft and IBM have also sent letters to President-elect Biden, asking for national facial recognition laws.
Those laws could curb the use of the technology — or add cover for the use of facial recognition by law enforcement in ways we can hardly imagine. | https://onezero.medium.com/the-facial-recognition-backlash-15b5707444f3 | ['Dave Gershgorn'] | 2020-12-18 12:59:16.490000+00:00 | ['General Intelligence', 'Police', 'Facial Recognition', 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Surveillance'] |
The Ballad of Robert Clark | Of the many issues which face prison officials in the United States’ beleaguered penal system, the institutionalization of its detainees stands out as one of the most serious. The problem of inmates who have grown so comfortable with prison that they prefer life on the inside to the outside is one that needs to be addressed. I mean…let’s face it. How ya gonna keep a criminal from committing a crime when he’d rather live locked up than free?
Enter Robert Clark, a veritable poster boy for institutionalized inmates. Robert was 54 years old when I met him at MCC federal prison in downtown Manhattan, New York. Of those 54 years, Robert had spent 27 of them incarcerated. I don’t know the nature of all of Robert’s convictions. But mostly, they involved obtaining money to feed his heroin habit which by his own admission, was considerable and ongoing.
You would think that while incarcerated, there would be no drugs available and he could kick his addiction. But you’d be kidding yourself. There is no shortage of drugs in prison.
Or at least where I was. Robert got high every day on a combination of coffee and suboxone, a drug that is supposed to help people kick their opioid habit but in fact, helps prisoners keep it.
Robert came into the unit about a month after I did. With a marine haircut, bandy legs, a leaning gait, and no teeth, he resembled a bird more than a human being. I thought nothing of it. He was just one of many bizarre-looking inmates I didn’t really want to know.
But Robert moved into my tier. And then he drew a work assignment in the kitchen where I coincidentally had a job. There was no way I wasn’t going to get to know Rob.
Any interaction I’d had with Rob beforehand indicated to me that he was a boring drone with nothing to say of interest and several opinions typical of conspiracy-enthused inmates. There were only two prisoners I related to in my year at MCC. And he wasn’t one of them.
That is until I saw him work. Rather than dog it like most inmates and simply steal as much as they could while avoiding work as much as possible, Rob headed straight for the dishwashing area where traditionally, Hispanics toiled at the hottest and hardest job at the prison. For some reason, Rob wanted that job. And even though he spoke no Spanish, los hombres welcomed him because the son-of-a-bitch worked like ten immigrants.
Suddenly, I had a newfound respect for Rob. I was one of those inmates who figured any job worth doing was a job worth doing well. And Rob was doing his job well.
After a couple of days of Rob ingratiating himself with the dish crew, the pedophile who ran the warehouse observed to Rodriguez, our CO boss: “looks like you broke the color barrier at the dish machine, Rod!” Indeed he had. Or actually, Robert had broken it himself of his own volition.
Bizarrely, Robert and I became friends based on a mutual admiration for each others’ work ethic. But still, I had my reservations. Rob was also a huge thief. He’d steal anything that wasn’t nailed down and sell it upstairs in the unit. The officers knew he was walking off with half the kitchen and actually made light of it. Just so he worked his ass off, he could steal all he wanted. They had no problem with that.
One day while pondering his September 6th out date, Robert issued his timeless quote on being institutionalized: “I’m out in time for the cold weather. I’d better kick a cop in the shins so I have a place to stay warm this winter.”
The sad truth is that Rob had no place to go when he was released. Whatever family he had, had disowned him and as it turned out, he was allowed to crash at one of his fellow junkies’ residences. Essentially, the Feds didn’t know what to do with him. He was considered an incorrigible and institutionalized inmate with no hope of ever escaping the system for more than a few months.
Rob’s plan when he was freed was by his own admission: “score a fix and find some dirty pussy.” Hardly a formula for succeeding anywhere but behind bars!”
While MCC was considered an administrative and transient prison, there were many inmates who’d been locked up for over 5 or 10 years in the midst. No, they hadn’t been at MCC for all that time. But they’d been incarcerated for that period. Just at other prisons.
And what amazed me as much as any other bizarre reality of prison life was how many of those inmates looked very comfortable in their environment. Really, all they were missing was the companionship of women.
Otherwise, they appeared to be more than happy spending all day in their criminal element. The amount of noise, laughter, and general contentedness was alarming. Why leave when you’re getting all your needs taken care of by the government?
In fact, one guard confessed to me that the prison had had more than one inmate who didn’t want to leave on his release date, as strange as that may sound.
Personally, I was not a big fan of prison. As I said, there were only two inmates I could relate to on any intellectual level. And when they both left 4 months before my release, I was lost. But still, I could feel the pull of institutionalization.
My life was a major shit show the month before my self-surrender what with taking care of all the details of managing my money and keeping my apartment so that a year later when I emerged, I could continue my “normal” life. Prison felt secure. I had a bed, a job, and plenty of food. And none of those awful headaches I encountered the month before surrendering.
I have been out for a year now. And what with covid and probation, I still feel incarcerated in some way though thankfully, I no longer shit in front of my celly. But that year out hasn’t dimmed my recollection of incarceration and the myriad issues the Bureau of Prisons faces (and fails at) in managing and rehabilitating a system that confines many more US citizens than it really needs to.
The USA has only 5% of the world’s population, but 25% of its inmate population! But that’s an issue that needs to be addressed in another article.
For more stories about my prison “vacation,” with JEFFREY EPSTEIN and other suicidal inmates try these:
And you definitely don’t want to go to a prison dentist!
Incredibly, I spent hours alone with JEFFREY EPSTEIN before he killed himself, and was given PAUL MANAFORT as my celly when New York State shipped him into MCC to answer State charges. Here’s a comparison of the two personalities: | https://medium.com/doing-time/the-ballad-of-robert-clark-712d22f0ee62 | ['William', 'Dollar Bill'] | 2020-11-21 21:08:56.016000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Mental Health', 'Culture', 'Incarceration', 'Education'] |
Conceptualising the Modes of Work | I purposefully used the word “modes” rather than “levels” in order to avoid any assertion that these are some sort of ranking. There’s nothing wrong with operating in any of these modes so long as it works for you and aligns with the expectations of those who have expectations of you.
Personally, I’m most interested in working with people that operate in mode four and above. As much as I enjoy teaching, I find it more enriching to learn together. However, my current thinking is that building a company — at least one with any significant footprint — of only mode four and above is a rare and difficult feat. There are, however, many examples of this, and books like “An Everyone Culture” by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey offer an inspiring and insightful read containing case studies on some of these companies.
It would be a mistake to view these modes as having concrete boundaries. It is quite possible to operate in a transitional space between two modes and arguably that’s a great state to be in a lot of the time — it indicates you are evolving.
Everybody can (and does) evolve. Our experiences, environment and filters through which we interpret the world all play a role in how we grow and change over time. By using the modes of work as a conceptual guide, it is my hope that those interested in helping people to grow may have another tool at their disposal when it comes to taking the right action at the right time with the right people.
How exactly do we shift people from one mode to another is complicated to write about, and definitely too long for this piece. I do however have a theory that simply sharing the modes with others in a non-confronting or accusatory way, and discussing their own thoughts on what mode they think they are operating in, can serve as a spark for change. Awareness of the modes, even as an idea, can create an anchor point against which people can compare their own approach to work and decide whether or not they are satisfied or would prefer to switch modes. Someone that wants to evolve, and seeks help in doing so, is going to be a lot easier to assist than anyone you are “trying to help for their own good”.
Working with a passion to grow people can at times feel quite dejecting. When assessing your positive impact it can seem a lot easier to identify your failures than successes. I am grateful to Julian for sparking the idea to plot these modes out even for use as a personal retrospective tool. I have witnessed many people evolve through several modes while working with them — and that evolution is totally theirs to own and be proud of. Reflecting back on having been around to experience those evolutions are some of the fondest and most meaningful memories of my career. | https://medium.com/furtherance/conceptualising-the-modes-of-work-771fddaa4d54 | ['Joshua Hay'] | 2020-07-29 01:02:31.937000+00:00 | ['Self-awareness', 'Personal Growth', 'Leadership', 'Mental Models', 'Mentorship'] |
3 More Mental Errors That Mess With Your Decision-Making | Survivorship Bias: The Forgotten Failures
“Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates all dropped out of school and became billionaires! You don’t need school to succeed. Startup founders just need to stop wasting time in class, drop out, and get started.”
It’s entirely possible that Steve Jobs succeeded despite his path and not because of it. For every Jobs, Gates, and Zuckerberg, there are thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs with failed products, debt-heavy bank accounts, and half-finished degrees.
When we remember the winners and forget the losers, it becomes very complicated to say if a particular strategy leads to success.
This leads to survivorship bias: our tendency to focus on the winners in a particular area and try to learn from them while completely forgetting about the losers who are using the same strategy.
Almost every online news platform is filled with survivorship bias these days. Each time you read stories like “The Best Startup Advice Mark Zuckerberg Ever Received” or “10 Things Successful People Do Every Day” or “How Lionel Messi Trains in the Off-Season”, you’re seeing survivorship bias in action.
There might be thousands of soccer players who train in a very similar way to Lionel Messi but never made it to FC Barcelona. Nobody hears about the thousands of athletes who never make it to the top.
Lionel Messi. Source
We only hear from those who survive. As a result, we mistakenly overvalue their strategies and advice while ignoring the fact that the same strategies didn’t work for most people.
Survivorship bias isn’t just saying that a strategy may not work well for you, it’s also saying that we don’t actually know if the strategy works well at all.
People like Gates, Messi, and Zuckerberg are anomalies at one end of a distribution curve. While there is much to learn from them, it would be a mistake to expect the same results from doing the same things. | https://medium.com/the-innovation/3-more-mental-errors-that-mess-with-your-decision-making-e3308e851361 | ['Yannick Bikker'] | 2020-09-04 17:57:17.700000+00:00 | ['Life Lessons', 'Self Improvement', 'Life', 'Psychology', 'Decision Making'] |
7 Overlooked Signs You’re Living an Extraordinary Life | 1. You’ve made or kept a character commitment.
Friends used to describe me as a great starter but a poor finisher. I tended to drift from ambition to ambition, embarking on new ventures with unbridled excitement, only to lose interest at the first roadblock. But five years ago, I changed my approach to life.
It began when I reacquainted myself with my love of writing. To ensure I’d stick with my passion, I made a character commitment.
A pledge you make to yourself to do something every day, forever, that defines your character and individuality — character commitment.
In the last five years, I’ve made two of these commitments: writing and piano playing. Together, these two passions have brought me fulfillment and meaning.
Even if you’re not familiar with the term, you may have taken a similar path. If you’ve pledged to do something you love or something that produces some good in the world, and you’ve kept at, no matter the outward success, you deserve a trophy.
2. You’re slightly embarrassed at your past.
Think back to your life from ten or twenty years ago. Are you embarrassed by any of it? I was a passive-aggressive arrogant fool. I wish I could forget so much of it.
As recent as five years ago, I thought my writing rivaled the greatest writers in the English language. Now, I blush and cower in a dark closet whenever I glance at my old stuff. But that’s a good thing; it means I’ve improved.
If you’re prouder of your past than your present, then you haven’t recognized your mistakes, you haven’t gotten better at what you do, you haven’t grown as an individual.
If you look back on the old you and cringe at your immaturity, assholery, or undeserved arrogance, then congratulate yourself. You’ve grown up, matured, and bettered yourself. Some people never do.
3. You question your sacred beliefs.
You probably know family and friends who cling to outdated views long since proven untrue, yet they lack the maturity and courage to admit they’re wrong. An extraordinary person sees these situations as opportunities to grow. They accept that some of what they believe today will be superseded by what they learn tomorrow.
But as Kathryn Schulz wrote in her book Being Wrong, most folks don’t take that approach. She writes that we see errors as “evidence of our gravest social, intellectual, and moral failures.” So, instead of evaluating conflicting information, we refuse to consider it.
People who admit they’re wrong and give up ideas that fail the truth test show they possess open-mindedness and humility. If you’re one of those people, you’re part of the elite minority.
4. You’re a net-positive in your relationships.
When it comes to interpersonal relationships, we fall into one of three buckets. Some folks act as a drag on others, sapping people of energy, and infecting them with toxic negativity. After encountering one of them, you feel depleted, angry, and despondent all at the same time.
Most of us aspire to inject joy into our interactions and leave people in a better state than when they first encountered us.
In truth, we probably fall somewhere in the middle on most occasions. We may even have a few bad days. That comes with the territory of being human; you can’t be on your game all the time.
But if you can make others feel joy, inspired, or grateful some of the time while remaining neutral the rest of the time, you’re a net-positive. That makes you an asset to the world.
5. You take responsibility for most of your mistakes.
Nobody escapes life always saying the right words, taking the right actions, and thinking the kindest thoughts. That’s why we admire people who own up to their mistakes and do their best to clean up whatever mess lingers in their wake.
There have been times where I’ve screwed up and denied it, deflected blame, or defended my actions knowing I was in the wrong. As I’ve matured, I’ve become more attuned to the impact my mistakes have on others and myself. But it’s the act of taking responsibility that has made me a better person.
There’s no shame in screwing up; it’s how you respond to mistakes that define you. There’s a quote from the iconic movie, Wall Street that best sums up this thinking.
Bud Fox (played by Charlie Sheen) has just helped the feds nail the evil tycoon, Gordon Gecko. Fox is with his father on the way to the courthouse. His father says, “You told the truth and gave the money back. All things considered in this cockamamie world, you’re shooting par.”
6. You explore your curiosities.
Curiosity is the gap between what you know and what you want to know. Taking action to close that gap will fulfill you in a way that external reward never will.
All of us harbor curiosities that yearn for exploration. I suppressed mine for decades thinking there would be time later. I got lucky. Time worked in my favor.
But if I could do it all over again, I would have started 30 years ago, instead of 5 years ago. I can only imagine how much better a writer I’d be today or how much more adept I’d be banging away on the piano keys.
If you’ve dedicated a portion of your life to explore your curiosities, please congratulate yourself on a life well-lived.
7. You’ve given up on conditional happiness.
Perhaps it’s culture, human nature, or a combination of both. There’s an idea that to achieve happiness, you must meet specific outcomes in life.
I’ll be happy only when my income reaches $250,000.
I’ll be happy only when I get promoted to Vice President.
I’ll be happy only when I find a romantic partner.
The notion of conditional happiness is the shortest path to misery. Intellectually, you know that in your twenties. But to believe it and live it, you need to experience the disappointment that stems from valuing your worth based on life outcomes. For me, the realization came in my forties.
If you’ve accepted that contentment does not depend on getting that promotion, scoring that obscene income, or whatever targets you can’t seem to hit, you’re either past your 40th birthday or a really well-adjusted individual. | https://medium.com/curious/7-overlooked-signs-youre-living-an-extraordinary-life-9d4a24a77be0 | ['Barry Davret'] | 2020-08-22 00:43:26.663000+00:00 | ['Self Improvement', 'Life Lessons', 'Inspiration', 'Relationships', 'Psychology'] |
The 5 Types of Network Effects and How To Hack Them | Acquiring Customers
One of the most important responsibilities of any startup founder is acquiring customers. Without users and cash, the business dies. Network effects and “virality” are two of the most crucial strategies for organic growth.
And organic growth built the unicorns and tech behemoths of today. Few giants grow from paid acquisition — the costs are just too high. And as markets saturate, CAC rises.
This is not true with true network effects. Instead, as networks grow, all participants benefit and CAC remains constant, if not decreasing.
Look at Amazon. Onboarding initial buyers and sellers was hard. It was just a bookstore. Fast forward to today — to the Everything Store. Suddenly Amazon’s doing $136B/year and sellers everywhere are scrambling to get on board. Amazon doesn’t need to pay a dime.
And customers come, too. When Amazon has more options and better prices than Walmart — and delivers to your door — it isn’t even fair. Amazon’s flywheel fixes their initial capital challenges, increases margins, decreases CAC and drives LTV through the roof.
Source: PointofSale.com
The 5 Types of Network Effects
Not all businesses can leverage NFx. And even many that do have limits (which is why Airbnb’s a 100x better business than Uber).
There are five types of network effects, each with strengths and weaknesses. They are:
Marketplaces — aka Two-Sided Networks Channel partners — aka Three-Sided Networks Communications networks Content networks Local networks
1. Marketplaces — Two-sided networks
The first and most obvious type of network is a marketplace. Markets have existed since the dawn of time and grown exponentially in the internet era.
Markets just make sense. People have wants and needs — from your stomach to sex to survival, markets pop up around every conceivable human want and desire. These traditionally consist of buyers and sellers.
Historically, prior to the rise of cities, nomadic traders traveled between small settlements, continuously peddling their wares and pulling in a profit. Farmers bought tools, craftsmen bought meats, and traders traded in everything.
Notice the movement. Traders came to the people. This has not changed. As buyers aggregate, sellers somehow find their way.
Implication:
Because acquiring customers is so much harder than acquiring sellers, businesses need to spend the bulk of their resources focused on buyers. As the number and quality of buyers in a market increase, companies can start to focus more on sellers — specifically, quality control.
Look at Amazon and eBay. What is the primary difference, besides success?
Ebay’s auction platform encourages negotiation and lowball offers, hurting sellers and slowing the speed of transactions. This attracts low price and unattractive buyers.
Amazon does the exact opposite. They focus on seller quality, ensuring good customer experiences, which leads to more word of mouth.
Buyers don’t brag about eBay; sellers don’t either. But everyone and their mother talks about Amazon. That is because Amazon is fast, cheap and easy to use — everything eBay is not.
Source: The Motley Fool
Application:
Building a two-sided market? NPS is incredibly important (first for buyers, then for sellers). Onboard customers, make the process fast and seamless and suddenly you have a sharable marketplace.
Two-Sided marketplace examples:
Low-tech: shopping centers, farmer’s markets, brothels
Tech: Airbnb, Uber, Amazon
Strengths of marketplaces:
Nearly untouchable after critical mass Monopolistic pricing power to increase commissions Low maintenance and operating costs once established (unless, like Amazon, you own distribution) Huge valuation multiples due to the strength of the network
Weaknesses of marketplaces:
Very challenging to acquire customers/users Need to balance supply and demand Cash intensive to get started Revenue lags growth
2. Channel partners — Three-sided networks
Not all commerce is conducted via a platform. The reason? Acquiring customers in a nascent market is hard.
Because the business models and structures of marketplaces and channel partnerships are so different, most companies cannot do both well.
A real-world example: as an e-commerce/Amazon strategist, I’ve consulted for numerous public companies on their future and the world of Amazon. These corporates knew they needed to increase sales online, but they had a problem.
To sell on a marketplace meant alienating existing distributors (channel partners). If XYZ competes with their distributors, distributors suffer, and thus XYZ suffers. Can you kill the aging golden goose?
Perhaps the best example of the monopolistic power for this type of network is Microsoft. Microsoft owned the desktop and personal computing space. They built a vast network of suppliers and channel partners and then squeezed them. Companies could not afford to exclude Windows and Microsoft Office; users HAD to have it.
And because legacy systems and software were all built and reliant upon Windows, switching costs were prohibitively high. So Gates got to charge mafia money — pay the ransom or watch your business burn…
Most channel partnerships do no happen like this. That said, it is usually the responsibility of the brand to boost awareness — unless you pick your partners well. Take, for instance, bookkeeping. Few entrepreneurs know, like, or care about bookkeeping. They just need to get it done. So they find a bookkeeper who uses and recommends Xero.
Now the owner has two choices: find a new bookkeeper or use Xero. Inevitably, most buy in. That is how Xero became a ~$4.5B business from recommendations (aka channel partnerships or affiliate marketing).
Implications/application:
Channel partnerships do not work for every type of business. It really depends on the product and end customer. They can be massively lucrative and scalable when done right.
Channel partnerships require trust and demand generation — both of which can come from you or your partner. Here, the medium and product play a large role.
For instance, grocery stores get millions of pitches — they aren’t going to push your product. It is up to the brand to create demand and move inventory. If they can’t, shelf space goes to someone who can.
A great counter-example would be podcast marketing. Joe Rogan (the UFC guy with a massive podcast audience) singlehandedly turned the Fleshlight into a huge hit. The adult product was Joe’s first advertising partnership and the product hit it off, quickly connecting with Joe’s audience and outside the box approach — the company didn’t need to do a thing.
What type of channel partnership can your company leverage?
Channel partnership examples:
Low Tech: big box retail, QVC, catalogs
Tech: Microsoft, Xero, affiliate marketing
Strengths of channel partnerships:
Outsourced acquisition means lower capital expenditure Ability to scale sales quickly with established networks Low maintenance and operating costs once established Ability to focus more on core product
Weaknesses of channel partnerships:
A long sales cycle for onboarding channel partners Demand/trust component Lower margins Less direct contact with the end customer More dependent on partners, thus riskier
3. Communication networks
Successful social media companies warrant crazy valuations. Instagram sold for $1B before making a buck. Snap has yet to prove they can make money and are valued at ~$17B. And don’t forget the 500-pound gorilla in the room, Facebook’s evil empire.
Communication is one of the truest forms of network effects. For every new user, my value goes up. If ½ my friends are on and ½ are off, there are ONLY two options: onboard everyone or switch to something better.
Imagine if your cell phone could only make calls within your carrier’s network. Joe’s on T-Mobile, Mom and Dad have AT&T, Grandma’s got Verizon… you would need 3 different phones and 3 different plans.
The same is true for social. Everyone or no one. If you have to switch between apps and services, you are not going to stick around.
But with communication, the viral component is key. Add all your friends. Invite everyone on LinkedIn. Want to join Whatsapp?
The pressure to grow the network for my own personal reasons does the dirty work for them. Facebook isn’t spamming my friends, I am. And I — and billions like me — built a 2B+ person network worth $531B+.
The key to communications networks is onboarding — as quickly as possible. Networks that leverage users’ social proof scale. Networks that pay to acquire customers fail. It is that simple.
Implications/application:
Given these dynamics, it is no surprise that social networks are winner-take-all. And that justifies massive valuations and upfront investments.
In winner-take-all markets, monetizing too soon can be catastrophic. In social, the outdated VC mantra of “growth at all costs” actually makes sense. Any advertising, any monetization and you risk reduced NPS scores and lower virality (the two MOST important aspects of any communication network).
Communication Network Examples:
Low Tech: fax, mail, phone
Tech: Facebook, Whatsapp, Slack
Strengths of communication networks:
Viral growth as users onboard their networks Increasing value as # of users increases Low maintenance and operating costs once established Massive switching costs to leave the network
Weaknesses of communication networks:
Require lots of capital and runway to get started Need very strong NPS score to encourage sharing No direct monetization model Some networks get too big to control the noise
4. Content networks
Whereas communication networks involve two-sided, near real-time communication, content networks are much more one-sided. And as they say, content is king — and it lasts.
Content does for eyeballs and attention what markets do for commerce — it aggregates it. And content has long been a profitable business. Look at magazines and newspapers (pre-internet). These publications put out content, users subscribe (pay), and advertisers add tons of ads. The editors can sell ad space because readers are hooked and keep coming back for more.
And unlike communication networks, the one-sided nature of content allows it to scale easier. An article or video can have 100 or 100M views without much increase in base costs.
There are two keys to creating a killer content network: 1) the content and 2) the hook.
It is one thing to wow readers or viewers; it is another to get them coming back. But because advertising is such a weak monetization model, it means you need big volume and better have users coming back for more.
This is where the hook comes in. In television, it is the cliffhanger ending that makes you come back next week (or next episode, with Netflix). But blogs do this too. It is all about subscribing and remarketing again and again and again to drive the network.
Implications/application:
Content networks function inversely to marketplaces. Whereas marketplaces make money by initially aggregating buyers, content companies need creators. Without the first few landmark pieces, people get bored.
This is why organizations like Youtube or Netflix spend so heavily on content (empowering creators and creating content respectively). Evergreen content keeps producing, even after production ends.
And with all great content, people love sharing. How many of your friends recommended Game of Thrones, or House of Cards, or that horrible Gangnam Style video? People want to feel cool and know about things before their friends — look at any social feed.
Any content network that optimizes for quality and creativity can create a massive loyal following — as long as it effective remarkets and suggests additional content.
Content Network Examples:
Low Tech: newspaper, TV, radio
Tech: Youtube, Instagram, Medium
Strengths of content networks:
Evergreen content continually delivers Value (and potential customer base) increases as the amount of content grows Creators do much of early marketing for you Large switching costs for creators leave the network Low to no cost of content creation
Weaknesses of communication networks:
Onboarding creators or creating content is expensive/hard Need very strong NPS score to encourage sharing No direct monetization model Some networks get too big to control the noise
5. Local Networks
Last but not least, we have local networks. As technology and the internet have connected the world, these networks have struggled. That said they are still very relevant, especially the dynamics behind them.
Local networks will never die (unless VR ends reality). Look at humanity’s basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, sex/relationships. All of these are physical, tangible and heavily influence our daily lives.
And evolution bred society into humanity. We are social creatures. We are built to connect. Whether that is meeting for dinner, going to the game, a poker night, or a casual hookup, we tend to aggregate ourselves.
Think about sports? Almost every American has a TV. You could watch any game at home, whenever you wanted. So why do fans buy tickets? Why are sports pubs so popular?
No one likes drinking alone.
These dynamics are what make local networks so strong. Church groups, sports teams, the neighborhood pool… there are local networks all around us.
The problem with local networks is that they are small. For the most part, they are not VC fundable. But businesses based locally with nationwide scale can succeed.
Look at Meetup— local networks of everything under the sun, organized by location and interest — like the Reddit or real life.
Implications/application:
You build massive companies like this one piece at a time. Facebook was a local network before it was a communication network. The keys to growth: focus on one target customer in one location at one time.
A leaking ship eventually sinks. Networks that try to scale before perfecting the model need significantly more capital, and they usually still fail.
Franchisees are a perfect example of this model. McDonald's started small, perfected the experience, and slowly started to scale. Ray Kroc (not actually the founder) focused on each locale, perfecting the process and exciting the public. From there, the franchise spread as nationwide and then international demand exploded.
Local network examples:
Low Tech: restaurant, sports teams, church group
Tech: Meetup.com, Tinder, Nextdoor
Strengths of local networks:
Easy to interact with early adopters/customers Brand ambassadors help with much of marketing In-person events drive greater emotional attachments Every new city/expansion increases business defensibility
Weaknesses of communication networks: | https://medium.com/better-marketing/the-5-types-of-network-effects-and-how-to-hack-them-a5b54745eed2 | ['Matt Ward'] | 2019-12-18 23:06:51.272000+00:00 | ['Growth Hacking', 'Network Effect Hacks', 'Network Effects', 'Startup', 'Marketplaces'] |
Guess Who Just Achieved Quantum Supremacy | There were many doubts as to whether or not quantum computing could ever become a reality. The circuitry relies on tricky manipulation of ions and photons, or otherwise requires temperatures near absolute zero. It is, by all means and purposes, an immense test of mankind’s cleverness and aptitude for innovation. Yet just 3 days ago a machine in a provincial part of what is an ambitious and newly-empowered China has, for the second time in human history, shown quantum supremacy.
Quantum supremacy is a demonstration that a quantum computer can achieve something which would otherwise be impossible for a classical computer. The first instance of this occurred in 2019 when Google’s Sycamore processor was able to complete a calculation in just over 3 minutes; the same calculation would have taken a classical computer 10,000 years to complete. The claim was later disputed by rival company IBM, stating that it wouldn’t have taken one of their supercomputers more than 3 days — not 10,000 years — to get the same result. No one has yet come forward to dispute China’s newest claim to quantum supremacy, however. Its figures are even more astounding than those of Sycamore.
The Chinese quantum computing system, called Jiuzhang, completed in 200 seconds what they estimate one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers would have taken 2 billion years to solve. The supercomputer in question was China’s Sunway TaihuLight, the third fastest in the world. This puts Jiuzhang’s quantum advantage at 10¹⁴. The results were published Thursday, December 3rd.
With this estimate it is reasonable to say that no classical computer could have accomplished what Jiuzhang did on that remarkable autumn day. While Google’s quantum circuitry was based on incredibly cold superconducting loops, the Chinese team’s quantum circuits were created using photons (packets of light). These photons carried quantum data through optical circuits while their path was manipulated via mirrors. At the end of the process, the photon was read and this data contributed to the final calculation. This is the equivalent of one of Google’s 53 qubits (quantum bits) being read. The qubits, in this case, were photons. One of the best advantages of using photons over superconducting loops is that they can be kept at room temperature instead of at just a few degrees above absolute zero.
Jiuzhang was able to measure 43 photons. Image by Hansen Zhong.
Jiuzhang’s calculation was a solve for the boson-sampling problem — a result that, beyond just being a useful tool to achieve quantum advantage, can also someday serve a practical use in machine learning and quantum chemistry. However, unlike Google’s Sycamore processor, Jiuzhang was created with the boson-sampling problem already in mind. It was essentially built to do this specific calculation. It is non-programmable and, consequently, doesn’t yet have any practical uses. If it does one day achieve programmability then it could simulate molecules and help revolutionize several of the world’s top industries, as is the goal of all quantum computers.
But it’ll be a while before Jiuzhang, or any other quantum computer on Earth, demonstrates true practical or commercial applications. For that to happen we must go far beyond the double-digit numbers of qubits in today’s quantum computers. At least hundreds of qubits — and possibly millions — will be needed before these quantum machines can fulfill their true potential.
As I recently discussed in my more thorough article, China and the US are in a tense race to be the first to advance this new technology. Each country has security concerns in mind as quantum computers’ powerful processors threaten to break our internet’s current encryption. This means important financial records and government communications are vulnerable to cyberattacks. While the US has so far dominated the advancement of quantum computing, China has invested $10 billion into becoming the world’s center for quantum research. Right on track with its goal to reach supremacy by 2020, China is making good on its promise to compete fiercely against the EU and US.
But, researchers note, no matter which country achieves advanced quantum computing first, it will be a gift to mankind all the same. Those who have doubted this new generation of computers are confronted with the impressive results of two quantum processors flickering away — both in very different regions of the world, both attempting to revolutionize it. | https://medium.com/predict/guess-who-just-achieved-quantum-supremacy-bd1d9cd5d81c | ['Ella Alderson'] | 2020-12-06 20:54:02.405000+00:00 | ['Science', 'Technology', 'News', 'Politics', 'Tech'] |
4 Things Every Programmer Should Aspire to Be | What makes your career as a developer a great one.
Do you still ask yourself what you want to be when you grow up? Even if you’ve already grown into a full adult?
I do that daily. And as a junior developer, most of my answers are related to what type of programmer I aspire to be one day.
Every coder has different inspirations for the future, but I believe that the secret ingredient for a career made of gratification is made of just 4 principles.
Let’s see them in details.
Be Very Skilled On A Niche Of Technologies
You can’t master every discipline in the coding world. You probably won’t be the next master of self-driving cars, lunar module software engineer and top JavaScript developer all at once. Yet, you can still find something you’re truly passionate about and become a master of that, whether the discipline is mobile-development or writing code for the missions on Mars.
Mastering a set of skills is a beautiful thing, which can bring you a lot of satisfaction in the world of developers, from becoming a CTO or tech lead, to getting recognized as an authority in your field.
In going deep into something you are passionate about in this world, I’m sure you will find a renewed passion every day and a lot of career achievements along the way.
Speaking about coding for space programs: | https://medium.com/javascript-in-plain-english/4-things-every-programmer-should-aspire-to-be-7372a7ac7fbe | ['Piero Borrelli'] | 2020-12-05 06:32:59.035000+00:00 | ['Work', 'Programming', 'Software Engineering', 'Web Development', 'Technology'] |
Subscription Commerce Has Evolved and As a Result Come Out on Top | The subscription ecommerce market is growing fast. In 2019, there were about 3,170 subscription box programs, and about 25% of all shoppers received a subscription box regularly. With a large part of the global population in lockdown, many of these companies have experienced a further steady (and in some cases increased) growth during the last months.
Subscription boxes first became popular around 2010, thanks to beauty services like Birchbox and grooming supplier Harry’s. Over the past years, the market has exploded, creating hallmark success stories like Unilever’s $1 billion purchase of Dollar Shave Club in 2016. Last year, the total subscription ecommerce industry was estimated at $10 billion.
The subscription model offers benefits for all parties involved. Customers enjoy the convenience of auto-renewing high-value offers, and companies can scale with confidence because they can anticipate their revenue as the relationship with users deepen.
The industry is built to scale, and the COVID-19 pandemic has given companies a unique opportunity to innovate. The model is here to stay, although the most successful cases will depend on the ability to offer continued value to subscribers.
The Subscription Model
In 2018, over a hundred and fifty million square feet of retail storage space was closed, as consumer preferences shifted toward online shopping and brand royalty began a relative descent into obscurity. This prompted companies to reconsider their approaches and embrace ecommerce in order to reel in repeat customers.
The revenue for subscription companies is generated by users making monthly or yearly payments — and receiving monthly products that can only be used or accessed for a limited amount of time. This can include services in video streaming like Netflix, Disney or Amazon, meals and cooking ingredients like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh, and grooming products like Dollar Shave Club or Personalized Beauty Discovery.
Today, there are thousands of subscription boxes to choose from. The large majority of these initiatives also make at least some of their sales overseas. Determining the price of a subscription box is key. In 2019, most boxes were between $15 and $30. The Opulent Box, providing luxury jewelry for $25,000 a month, would clearly be an exception.
Keeping customers engaged in subscription models is vital. The proportion of users who decide to cancel, or “churn,” is one of the market’s biggest challenges. Slight changes in churn rates can have larger effects on recurring revenue, especially when lifetime users leave, and companies have to reacquire a customer.
Social media subscription models have done particularly well. In 2019, The Walt Disney Company acquired 21st Century Fox (which includes Fox film and TV studios, as well as the FX networks, National Geographic, and India TV star giant India) for $71 billion. The investment paid off. Last month, Disney+ reached 60.5 million global subscribers, surpassing its five-year streaming goal in just eight months. Hulu now has 35.5 million subscribers to its on-demand service, while ESPN+ has tripled its level from last year, reaching 8.5 million users. These numbers pale in comparison to Netflix and Amazon Prime, with 183 million (25 million added over the pandemic) and 150 million subscribers each, respectively.
Social media subscriptions have become so popular that other companies are also exploring the model. Twitter’s 2020 Q2 was the best in its entire history — growing 34% compared to the previous year. The platform is now apparently considering a subscription model that would involve charging users to use certain services.
The Future of the Subscription Market
The subscription box model is constantly reinventing itself. In addition to the now more familiar recipe and health and wellness products, there are now several sites offering books, craft kits, wine, board games, ramen, and much more.
Many see in subscription-based retail the future of shopping, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Major retailers like Nike, Nespresso, Majestic Wine, and Selfridges now offer subscription boxes too.
From a customer perspective, subscription boxes help people budget their regular purchases. They are not just convenient in terms of door-to-door delivery, but also save users time because they don’t need to make payment and enter their address every time they make a purchase.
One of the challenges subscription models face is to balance sustainability, in particular excess packaging. However, most customers buy not just a product, but a brand that speaks to their values, and most boxes are now made of cardboard or recycled materials.
In unprecedented times like these, the model provides a good way for companies to forecast their financials and adapt strategies more accurately, and an opportunity for customers to take on a journey of discovery. | https://yisela.medium.com/subscription-commerce-has-evolved-and-as-a-result-come-out-on-top-db36891313b1 | ['Yisela Alvarez Trentini'] | 2020-10-24 12:03:51.025000+00:00 | ['Startup', 'Engagement', 'Ecommerce', 'Subscription Boxes'] |
The Resolution That Standardized Time | In October 1884, forty one delegates representing twenty six nations converged on Washington DC with the goal of establishing an internationally recognized system of time zones and time tables in order to quell the growing discontent over the disparate local times.
The conference itself was being driven by the railroad companies which had already established plans to use the Greenwich Median as the basis of a new universal time specifically for the railroads. Not wanting to be outdone by the private sector, the nations met to establish their own rules regarding universal time.
The conference was chaired by Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers, a respected American veteran and decorated naval officer. Countries attended from all over the world including Europe, the Caribbean, East Asia and Africa.
The delegates were distinguished civil servants and men of science such as head surveyors, observatory directors, diplomats, engineers and railroad men.
The International Meridian Conference began on October 1st and ran for over three weeks until a resolution was agreed upon and passed.
The resolutions
After weeks of debating, these resolutions were adopted regarding universal time and its implementation worldwide.
These resolutions are quoted from Derek Howse’s book Greenwich Time which can be viewed here. Emphasis mine.
That it is the opinion of this Congress that it is desirable to adopt a single prime meridian for all nations, in place of the multiplicity of initial meridians which now exist. (This resolution was unanimously adopted.) That the Conference proposes to the Governments here represented the adoption of the meridian passing through the centre of the transit instrument at the Observatory of Greenwich as the initial meridian for longitude. (Ayes, 22; noes, 1; abstaining, 2.) That from this meridian longitude shall be counted in two directions up to 180 degrees, east longitude being plus and west longitude minus. (Ayes, 14; noes, 5; abstaining, 6.) That the Conference proposes the adoption of a universal day for all purposes for which it may be found convenient, and which shall not interfere with the use of local or standard time where desirable. (Ayes, 23; abstaining, 2.) That this universal day is to be a mean solar day; is to begin for all the world at the moment of mean midnight of the initial meridian, coinciding with the beginning of the civil day and date of that meridian; and is to be counted from zero up to twenty-four hours. (Ayes, 14; noes, 3; abstaining, 7.) That the Conference expresses the hope that as soon as may be practicable the astronomical and nautical days will be arranged everywhere to begin at midnight. That the Conference expresses the hope that the technical studies designed to regulate and extend the application of the decimal system to the division of angular space and of time shall be resumed, so as to permit the extension of this application to all cases in which it presents real advantages. (Ayes, 21; abstaining, 3.)
France’s objections and results
The place in which the prime meridian runs through setting global time. (Public domain)
Despite voting for the resolutions (the nation that voted nay in these cases was San Domingo), France vehemently opposed naming anything after something so inherently British. They opposed calling any international standard anything that was shaded by British culture — which included the term Greenwich Median and Greenwich Mean Time. They insisted on something neutral be put in place and, even after the resolutions were adopted, refused to implement the agreed upon time for decades following this conference.
France tried to make the nomenclature of the meridian neutral with a resolution of their own which read:
That the initial meridian should have a character of absolute neutrality. It should be chosen exclusively so as to secure to science and to international commerce all possible advantages, and especially should cut no great continent — neither Europe nor America.
It failed 3–21.
The failure to adopt France’s resolution of neutrality annoyed the French so much that they refused to initially adopt the new time tables. Paris used their own time until 1911 when legal disputes forced them to adopt the Greenwich Mean Time as their standard of time keeping. Even still, they refused to call it by its agreed upon name insisting on calling it universal time rather than Greenwich time.
Despite their objections, Greenwich Mean Time was slowly adopted as the global standard of time keeping from 1884 onward. It took time to win over local time keepers which had relied on themselves up until this point. Today, all time is kept on a universal time which stems from this unknown conference in 1884.
The French refused to, and have refused to, acknowledge Greenwich Mean Time as a proper name even to this day. They even legislated the use of the term out of existence in France.
After years of fussing, the French eventually got their wish. Today, the more neutral term Universal Standard Time is accepted over Greenwich Mean Time even though they are the same thing.
We take things like standard time zones, internationally kept clocks and universally agreed upon master time for granted. Back in the day, there was no such thing. The recent events of the International Meridian Conference highlights how young the modern world truly is and how many standardized things have been put into place over the last one hundred and fifty years. | https://medium.com/exploring-history/the-resolution-that-standardized-time-7fdd1814e73a | ['Grant Piper'] | 2020-10-22 09:02:13.466000+00:00 | ['History', 'This Day In History', 'Science', 'Time', 'World'] |
Microsoft Patent Describes Tracking Brain Activity to Mine Cryptocurrency | The patent suggests using body heat, fluids, or brainwaves to validate blockchain transactions and award users with digital currency such as Bitcoin.
By Adam Smith
A new patent application by Microsoft details a way to use bodily functions such as brain activity to mine cryptocurrency.
The application, entitled “Cryptocurrency System Using Body Activity Data,” explains how a “brain wave or body heat emitted from the user when the user performs the task provided by an information service provider, such as viewing an advertisement or using certain internet services, can be used in the mining process.”
By tracking brainwaves when someone watches an advert, Microsoft hopes to use the data generated as a “proof-of-work.” This is the validation of a transaction, or the completion of a task, in a blockchain system, and the way in which creation of currency is validated in a cryptocurrency model.
“Instead of massive computation work required by some conventional cryptocurrency systems, data generated based on the body activity of the user can be proof-of-work, and therefore, a user can solve the computationally difficult problem unconsciously,” the patent continues. In order to access this validation data, the human user would need to have a sensor attached to, or installed in, their body. Microsoft envisages users being rewarded for allowing their bodies to be monitored in this way by paying them in cryptocurrency for performing specific tasks.
As well as brain waves and heat, the patent also suggests using “body fluid flow” and “organ activity and movement” to track a range of tasks including using social media, search engines, email, visiting websites, or using chatbots. It remains to be seen what will happen with this patent; although it was published a month ago, it’s still to be granted. Even then, as The Register notes, large tech companies predominantly use patents as a means to defend against future copyright infringement, rather than directly turning them into products, so it is possible this will not see the light of day in the consumer space. | https://medium.com/pcmag-access/microsoft-patent-describes-tracking-brain-activity-to-mine-cryptocurrency-9c2062ef7d6b | [] | 2020-04-27 13:53:11.368000+00:00 | ['Cryptocurrency', 'Microsoft', 'Future Technology', 'Biotechnology', 'Technology'] |
The Secret to Writing Texts That Sell | There’s a ton of advice out there on how to write “selling texts.” What we are offering you is not just another scheme or a set of guidelines. We will tell you what works in practice, and why it does. It’s very simple, but it can be revelatory for you — just as it was for us.
Still, we do have to start with schemes and guidelines. This will help you understand which paragraph contains the information that makes sure your text sells. So let’s have some theory, but not too much: we don’t want to bore you.
A selling text is basically advertising copy built according to a specific algorithm. It showcases the advantages and benefits of the product (or service), helping the customer solve their problems and ease their pains. A selling text turns a random visitor into a client.
Selling text algorithm
Stop!
The headline grabs the reader’s attention and makes them want to learn more about the subject.
2. Emotions
The part of the text that contains the most important focus: the customer’s problem and “pain,” as well as ways of solving it. This should be presented in a way that triggers an emotional response.
3. Logic
Logically laid out reasons why your client needs to solve his or her problem.
4. Facts & proof
The part of the text that demonstrates and proves the necessity of purchasing the product or service.
5. Forestalling objections
The text that foresees and overturns any objections the client may potentially have.
6. Guarantees
A promise of excluding the risks.
7. Limited options
Restrictions such as “Discounts effective only through December 25,” “Stocks are limited,” and similar tricks telling the customers to hurry up.
8. Call to action
The final chord of the text instructing the client what exactly they have to do.
Selling text formula
The basic formula of the marketing copy has been unchanged since 1898. It’s the widely known AIDA model:
In theory, it looks nice and simple: you see, you desire, you buy. (Or you write a selling text, publish it, and wait for the customers to show up in droves.) Piece of cake, right? Not really: in practice, lots of people just go to the website, skim through your immaculately written text and… leave. So what’s wrong? And can you do anything about it?
Before you start calling all the marketing experts, copywriters and analysts, make sure you haven’t missed the most important thing.
Visualization
People naturally tend to “try on for size” everything they encounter in the world around them. If we can’t picture something, we ignore it, as it doesn’t really make a dent in our thinking and doesn’t affect us emotionally.
Reread your text carefully. Does your description of the offer plant an image in the reader’s mind? Can the reader picture him- or herself owning your product?
Here’s a good example. The same watch is offered by two similar online stores at the same price.
Here’s the first offer:
And here’s the second one:
The second store sells almost twice as many watches as the first one! Why? Because when a customer sees the hand wearing the watch he visualizes his own image, picturing the watch on his own hand. And it looks good! The same watch in the first photo doesn’t trigger these feelings. People still buy it, but mostly because they have already seen someone else wearing it or because they’ve encountered a more visual ad. But what if your product is new and not yet popular?
And no, this is not about adding a photo to your text. This is about the text itself. If you can make it graphic enough so that your customers can picture themselves enjoying your product, a high conversion rate is practically guaranteed. Like a smart salesman’s speech, a good selling text is full of vivid, convincing imagery. Listening to it or reading it, customers can literally see “before” and “after” pictures of themselves in their mind.
A visual image pushes people to make the decision.
Research by Wolfgang Köhler, one of the founders of Gestalt psychology, has shown that people form associations and images even if they don’t understand the gist of what they’re being told. We constantly create pictures in our minds. A selling text is a tool that helps customers see the right picture, one that’s desirable and attractive (or revolting, as the case may be).
Images form at the D level of the AIDA pyramid. Or they don’t. All the proclamations of “Hurry while stocks last,” “Time-tested quality,” “We care about you,” and so on will leave your audience cold and uninterested unless you manage to create an attractive image. Conversely, if you’ve been successful in creating a vivid image and the customers have “tried it on,” there’s a lot they’ll be willing to overlook in your text: typos, filler passages, and other assorted sins. Nothing will stop them from getting what they want if you’ve managed to implant a craving for it by using visualization.
Creating images
There are some selling propositions that don’t seem, at first glance, to be conducive to vivid imagery. For instance, a store that sells auto parts or components. But even in this case, it’s a good idea to use images. “Our bearings roll like cheese in butter” may sound ridiculous, but it’s much more effective than “Our bearings are the best.” Even a silly-sounding advertisement can be a memorable attention grabber.
Emotional language
To make someone interested and willing to go the distance, you must affect their emotions. An emotional response is instantaneous and intuitive, with logic and reasoning always lagging behind.
Only strong verbs, associations, and metaphors can carry an emotional charge. Adjectives are pointless filler that will only drag your text down.
Sensual language
This is a universal language that’s understood by nearly everyone. It’s based on associative thinking and can always be counted on to work unless you overdo it. A good example is the Woodbury Soap Company’s slogan: “Skin You Love to Touch.” Coupled with a touching picture of two young people locked in an embrace, it was a brilliant marketing ploy. Soap sales rose tenfold.
Sensual language should be used appropriately and sparingly because vulgarity doesn’t help sales. Vulgar language may attract 10 people but scare away 100.
Logical language
You might think it’s about being logical in your wording. While that’s an obvious requirement, it’s not what we mean here. A selling text should engage the reader logically. It should be logically convincing to make them do what you need them to do.
Target audience language
A selling text is written for a specific target group (core audience). And every group speaks its own language. Before you start writing your copy, take some time to study your audience, its problems, desires, ambitions, and customs. Otherwise, you will be neither heard nor understood, even if you follow all the rules for writing “texts that sell.” This also applies to the image you’re creating. If you know your target audience well, you won’t have any trouble creating an image that speaks to it directly. Keep in mind, for example, that a female audience is more emotional while a male audience is more logical. What’s exciting to young people may be shocking to the elderly. And so on. The image you’re creating should be based on marketing analysis, not on your writing ambitions. Only then will you get a gratifying response from your audience.
This is a key point, so beta testing would be a great idea at this stage. A well-chosen image gets you high conversion rates and vice versa. This is the most important part of copywriting.
You don’t need to be a good writer to write a selling text. But it’s essential to get a measure of your audience and offer it exactly what it wants. A selling text is not an end in itself or a collection of pretty words; it’s a tool for creating a bond with your specific target audience.
Highlighting advantages
Every target group has its own values, desires and ambitions, which means they have different motives for performing the desired action. A middle-aged conservative man will not be interested in things that fascinate a young and curious novelty seeker. So the text should highlight different advantages depending on the specific audience. Understanding your target audience’s values and desires helps you offer specific advantages to each group.
How to Improve Conversion Rate? Secrets of Neurolinguistics
Reviews
When choosing reviews of your product, it pays to follow the same visualization principle. Some people confuse emotional reviews with graphic ones. “Wow, these shoes are so cool!” is emotional — and also completely useless. “My feet don’t get tired in these shoes, even though I’m a courier and have to walk a lot” is much better. Here, we have a clear image that anyone can appreciate by imagining themselves wearing uncomfortable shoes. Graphic reviews always elicit a better response from users.
Be reasonable
Being reasonable means you don’t have to blindly follow the rules. Your business may be special. Textual visualization will be pointless if you need to describe the product’s technical specs. In this scenario, your audience expects concrete facts and numbers. So, describe the product’s features using logic and proof instead of pictures.
Creating mind images and pictures should be appropriate. In this case, a photograph of your product accompanied by a list of technical specs is the best image.
Text placement
When writing your selling text, remember it will be broken down into blocks and thus read in separate chunks. It’s essential to maintain a logical connection between the chunks/blocks to ensure uninterrupted flow of information.
Here’s a sample text placement in blocks:
Whatever template you use for your selling text, the copy itself must maintain internal logic, structure, and consistency. Namely:
Headline
A striking, attention-grabbing, informative headline should ideally showcase the advantages of your offer.
Lead
This is the introduction that contains triggers to instantly interest and intrigue the user.
Offer (main body of text)
An enticing offer with rich imagery. Reasoning and forestalling objections. Price, guarantees, incentives. This is typically a psychologically unified block visually divided into chunks.
Create an image that can be owned!
Limitations / Bonuses
The information that your offer is valid for a limited time only should encourage the customer to make the decision. Incentivizing bonuses, discounts, and giveaways should also go in this block.
Call to action
An explanation of what steps the user has to take to get what they want.
The layout problem
Unfortunately, a bad template, i.e. a poor website layout, can be very detrimental to the content. Always try to place the text in keeping with the optimal sequence, and make sure designers and developers are on the same page. Ideally, the content should be created before design and development, but this is not always viable in practice. So you’re forced to fit your text into an existing layout. Bad zoning hampers readability.
An unprofessional design does not take text readability into account, which can make even the best-written selling text a commercial failure. A text can be ruined if its logical structure is broken up to fit the design, if the font is unreadable, or if there are distracting design elements.
Summary | https://medium.com/outcrowd/the-secret-to-writing-texts-that-sell-a3600eca9425 | [] | 2020-10-15 08:04:41.068000+00:00 | ['UI', 'Internet Marketing', 'Selling', 'Marketing', 'Web Design'] |
User Experience Design Process | What is User Experience Design?
User Experience is the value that you provide to your user when he is using your product.
“User Experience Design (UXD or UED) is the process of enhancing user satisfaction with a product by improving the usability, accessibility, and pleasure provided in the interaction with the product.” — Wikipedia
Developing a user experience to the level of customer satisfaction is not a single person or team’s responsibility, instead it is a company’s vision.
Why User Experience Matters?
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” — Steve Jobs.
Great user experience design not only highlights and promotes your product, it has become a key part of building and growing customer confidence.
A great product or compelling content without an appealing user experience may affect the ability of an organization to achieve its business goals.
Best Approach to User Experience Design
Good user experience design is always part of product development process.
You interact with your users to build the unique combination of structure, content and user experience that will accomplish required goals in efficient ways.
“The primary factor of your success lies in the fact that you keep your user in center of your design process.”
This approach allows you to create designs that are clean, simple, intuitive, flexible and engaging, and provide a WOW experience to your users and thus differentiate you from your competitors.
User Experience Design Process
User experience design process is an iterative method that helps you continuously improve and polish your designs.
In the process, you go through different stages repeatedly while evaluating your designs on each stage.
Each stage involves relevant stakeholders in your organization that take part in the process to make your products highly efficient and usable.
The design process involves following six stages.
Stages of UX Design Process
Below is the detail that highlights stakeholders involved, activities being done and outcomes produced during each stage of the process.
1. Understand
Design solves a problem. In order to provide a solution, you first need to understand the problem.
“Before beginning the design work, let your Design team understand the requirements clearly.”
To analyze requirements, follow industry standard user research methods including contextual and individual interviews, while observing the users in real environment.
Conduct brainstorming sessions with clients and show them your existing products (if any) to get their feedback.
Business Manager is the role in an organization that works directly with clients and gets requirements from them. Design team can work closely with Business Manager to understand users and their needs.
This knowledge about user and his environment helps you to provide a clear direction to your design.
“To be a great designer, you need to look a little deeper into how people think and act.” — Paul Boag
Stakeholders
Design Team
Business Manager
Product Manager
Activities
Meet, talk, observe and understand users in their environment
Analyze requirements to understand and clarify them
Define user personas and use-cases
Outcomes
User Personas
User Stories
Use Cases, User Flows
Create User Personas
Define Use-cases and User Flow
2. Research
Research is the basic key step to design user experience.
“It took me a few seconds to draw it, but it took me 34 years to learn how to draw it in a few seconds” — Paula Scher
Design team does their research work to explore how the outer world is working on such features.
Sherif Amin, Product Designer called it as UX Competitive Analysis. He listed three purposes of this analysis:
“(i) Understand market competition (ii) Learn about your domain (iii) Get inspirations and ideas from your competitors”
Keep an eye on the latest UI trends, design principles and your existing user experience guidelines.
While doing research, start thinking about possible layouts and options to provide the desired experience.
Stakeholders
Design Team
Activities
Study of competitors’ approaches
Research on similar features in the world
Analysis of latest UI/UX trends, design principles and rules
Keep an eye on your own UX guidelines
Outcomes
A bunch of ideas and material on which you can build your actual design work
Collect Ideas Related to Required Feature
3. Sketch
This stage involves UI definition of required feature. Design team drives this activity which is based on the last two stages of the process.
Draw paper sketches, white board flows and wireframes to share your ideas with stakeholders.
This stage itself is an iterative process.
“Designing is not something that you just create and start using it. Draw and draft and redraw and redraft, thus creating an unmatched experience.”
Testing and evaluation of wireframes is part of this stage. Design team builds initial mockups and share with stakeholders to get their input.
Throughout the process, it is important to keep your goal in mind — make a usable design to achieve end user satisfaction.
Stakeholders
Design Team
Product Managers
Technical Experts
Activities
Generate ideas and work on basic sketches
Brainstorming sessions with stakeholders to get their feedback from technical perspective
Re-draw sketches and re-test them with stakeholders
Outcomes
Sketches
Wireframes, Mockups
User flows
Create Wireframes
4. Design
Now you have finalized layout and flow of the required interface with you, the next step is to work on final graphics.
Turn the initial mockups and wireframes to great-looking images with theme and styles applied to them.
Preparing and sharing of design specifications (principles, guidelines, colors, typography, iconography) to Development team is also part of this stage.
Stakeholders
Design Team
Product Managers
Business Manager
Technical Experts
Activities
Design UI images
Define final theme, specs, and guidelines required for implementation
Design icons to display on screens
Sessions with stakeholders to get their feedback from business and technical perspective
Outcomes
Design images
Detailed design specs like colors, theme, styles, guidelines
Icons
Design Images Followed by Theme and Style — Windows 8 Box app
5. Implement
Since technical people participate in early stages of the process, they can start implementation while Design phase is in progress.
Development team builds back end functionality first and connects it with UI when they get design artifacts.
It is better that Design team involves in this step to help development phase. While implementing, it is possible to raise the need of minor changes in design.
Stakeholders
Development team
Design Team
Activities
Implement back-end functionality and front interface
Outcomes
Developed UI with complete functionality and experience following the designed theme and style
Code and Implement Functionality
6. Evaluate
When product features are implemented, the end product is evaluated based on few factors:
Whether the system is usable?
Is it easy to use for end user?
Is it flexible and easy to change?
Does it provide the desired solution to user’s problems?
Does the product have the credibility that makes someone want to use it because of the experience it provides?
“Design team validates the product in terms of user flow and experience and identify areas where improvements are needed.”
Stakeholders
Design Team
Product Manager
Activities
Go through the flow and feel the experience
Perform a comparison of implementation and defined interface
Outcomes
User feedback
UI audit reports
Areas marked where improvement is required
Perform User Testing
After this last stage, the process will iterate itself and depending on the required changes, you may go to stage 2, 3 or 4.
The process goes on until the desired experience and customer satisfaction is achieved.
Get more understanding of UX design process and other related topics:
Conclusion
An amazing user experience can only be provided by following an iterative Design process.
All major stakeholders in your company contribute in the process by performing their tasks and duties. This is the only way you can retain your existing users and attract the new ones in this competitive world.
Thanks for reading. You can also read other related essays at uxdworld.com. | https://uxplanet.org/user-experience-design-process-d91df1a45916 | ['Saadia Minhas'] | 2020-08-07 04:59:51.147000+00:00 | ['UX', 'Design', 'UX Design', 'User Experience', 'Design Process'] |
Hello World Program in Python | What is Python?
Python is a very powerful programming language and can be used to write any piece of software. But you can also use it to do data science. Model your sales data, text mining on your latest Twitter feeds, or build the next movie recommendation engine. It’s all possible with Python. Python is open source, and there’s a bunch of programmers across the world that have written amazing extensions to Python, to help you achieve great things.
Python can be used in cases where the legacy analytical tools fail.
Before we start to learn the python program following is a list of some commands which can we will be mostly using while working with python:
For Linux / Mac
pwd: prints present working directory (folder) of the terminal
cd: It is used to change the directory (folder) from the terminal
cd… : used to go one directory back
cd<directory name >: used to go to child directory from the parent directory
ls: to print all the folders in the current folder
mkdir: to create a folder in the current directory
Terminal commands for windows
cd: prints present working directory (folder) of the terminal
cd: It is used to change the directory (folder) from the terminal
cd… : used to go one directory back
cd<directory name >: used to go to child directory from the parent directory
Is: to print all the folders in the current folder
dir: to create a folder in the current directory
Python Commands
To run a python file:
Go to terminal and navigate to the directory
Run python filename.py
To run jupyter notebook
Go to terminal and navigate to the directory
Run jupyter notebook
To install a package
Go to terminal and run
Pip install package-name OR
Conda install –c channel-name package-name
Writing a Hello World Program in Python
Hello World program in python so simple that it takes just one line of code to run this program using the commands explained above:
print(“Hello World”)
Yes, that’s it this is how a simple hello world program in python looks like.
the “print” is a function (For now consider. a function as a helper which helps you to accomplish some task without writing any code) which helps us to print anything on the screen, in our code, we are print “Hello World”
Now, to run this code go to the directory where you have saved the file (check the commands above)
and type
python <your file name>
You will see Hello World on the terminal screen. | https://medium.com/analytics-vidhya/hello-world-program-in-python-633231bc9a63 | ['Japneet Singh Chawla'] | 2020-10-18 13:17:33.231000+00:00 | ['Python Tutorials', 'Python Programming', 'Python'] |
二分搜尋法（Binary Search）完整教學（三）有相同值的情境 | 二分搜尋法（Binary Search）完整教學（三）
含有重複值的情境
在上一篇中我們留下了一個重大問題，是時候來討論了。
問題
如果 array 裡面有重複值，要尋找的 target 就可能有多個答案，那我們該回傳哪一個？可以看以下例子
跟以前一樣，解決問題的第一步，是給問題一個明確的定義。其實我們通常在意的，會是最前面一個，或是最後面一個，中間的通常不是那麼在意，或說，只要能找到最前與最後，中間也就不困難了。因此，我們定義出以下兩個新需求，並且要想辦法達成。
在 array 中，找到 >= target 的元素裡面，最小的那個的 index 在 array 中，找到 > target 的元素裡面，最小的那個的 index
仔細想想這兩個新定義的需求，第一個情境，當找到多個等於 target 的元素時，會取到最左邊的那個，而第二個情境，則會取到最右邊的下一個，如果想要最右邊就 -1 即可，為什麼要這樣定義，下面會解釋。至於找不到的狀況，則跟前篇文章做一樣的事，這裡不再贅述。參考以下圖解。
至於如何實作，答案其實與之前非常類似，想挑戰的朋友可以先不要往下看，試著自己動手調整看看，提示是：想清楚當 nums[mid] == target 時該做什麼即可。
解答
在 array 中，找到 >= target 的元素裡面，最小的那個的 index
int binary_search_left(vector<int> &nums, int target) {
int left = 0;
int right = nums.size() - 1;
while (left <= right) {
int mid = (left + right) / 2;
if (nums[mid] >= target) {
right = mid - 1;
} else if (nums[mid] < target) {
left = mid + 1;
}
}
return left;
} int main() {
vector<int> nums = {1,3,4,4,4,7,8}; cout << binary_search_left(nums, 3) << endl; // 1 <- 找到，回傳 index cout << binary_search_left(nums, 4) << endl; // 2 <- 找到，回傳最左邊的 index cout << binary_search_left(nums, 5) << endl; // 5 <- 找不到，但回傳 >= 他的裡面，最小的元素 index cout << binary_search_left(nums, 11) << endl; // 7 <- 同上，雖超出最大 index 範圍，卻是合理的
}
註：由於只剩兩種情境，第二個判斷式可以直接簡化成 else {…}，但在此為了方便閱讀理解，把詳細條件寫出來了。
有沒有發現，幾乎就只是拿掉 nums[mid] == target 時 return mid 的情境而已，因為關鍵就在於我們不要一找到就 return 結果，不然我們很可能就會 return 了中間某個點，而找不到最左邊的那一個。所以問題就剩下：
當 value 等於 target 的時候我們到底該做什麼 ?
答案也很簡單，因為我們現在要找最左邊，所以很自然的，當找到 nums[mid] == target 的時候，由於我們還不確定是否為最左，於是我們繼續把 right 的位置減小，讓 right = mid-1，最終，和之前一樣我們會走到 left == right 的那一刻，此時有兩種可能
left 與 right 都停留在我們要的，等於 target 的所有位置中，最左邊的那個 index，如下圖情境。
2. 再更左邊一格，如下圖情境。（假如一開始 nums 就只有 6 個元素）
但不論哪種情況，最終下一步 left 都會停在我們的答案上面（跟上篇一樣的道理，試著想清楚這點很重要），結束整個 binary search 並回傳答案。至於 left 與 right 都在右邊？不會有這個情境出現的，讀者們也可以自行想想為何如此。
現在來看看，另一個非常像的問題該怎麼辦
在 array 中，找到 > target 的元素裡面，最小的那個的 index
int binary_search_right(vector<int> &nums, int target) {
int left = 0;
int right = nums.size() - 1;
while (left <= right) {
int mid = (left + right) / 2;
if (nums[mid] > target) {
right = mid - 1;
} else if (nums[mid] <= target) {
left = mid + 1;
}
}
return left;
} int main() {
vector<int> nums = {1,3,4,4,4,7,8}; cout << binary_search_right(nums, 3) << endl; // 2 <- 找到，回傳最右邊的 index + 1 cout << binary_search_right(nums, 4) << endl; // 5 <- 找到，回傳最右邊的 index + 1 cout << binary_search_right(nums, 5) << endl; // 5 <- 找不到，但回傳 > 他的裡面，最小的元素 index cout << binary_search_right(nums, 11) << endl; // 7 <- 同上，雖超出最大 index 範圍，卻是合理的
}
非常小的改動即可完成，只是把第一個判斷情境的 >= 改成 > 而已。注意，因為他回傳的是最右邊的 index+1，所以即使元素只有一個，他回傳的 index 仍然是該位置 +1，實際使用時可以看狀況自行 -1 調整回原位，因為這樣程式碼寫起來比較方便，跟前面的問題可以清楚的對照比較，細節的證明也幾乎一樣，有興趣的可以自己想想看。另外，如果想做到直接輸出最右邊的位置（而不是最右邊 +1）也是做得到的，有興趣的也可以試試看當思考練習。 | https://medium.com/appworks-school/binary-search-%E9%82%A3%E4%BA%9B%E8%97%8F%E5%9C%A8%E7%B4%B0%E7%AF%80%E8%A3%A1%E7%9A%84%E9%AD%94%E9%AC%BC-%E4%B8%89-%E5%BE%88%E5%A4%9A%E7%9B%B8%E5%90%8C%E7%9A%84%E6%83%85%E5%A2%83-c2215d1b9dc7 | ['Ding-Chi Lin'] | 2020-11-19 13:19:04.140000+00:00 | ['Python', 'Binary Search', 'Programming', 'Software Development', 'Algorithms'] |
How I used pandas and datetime to improve accuracy in a traffic time series problem | How I used pandas and datetime to improve accuracy in a traffic time series problem Tracyrenee Follow Dec 23 · 5 min read
During the course of my studies in time series analysis, I have discovered that there are some time series datasets that perform better using the more traditional methods of machine learning because of the way the data is presented. For example, I have seen some datasets that, although time series, were depicted in such a way as to nullify the components of the series itself.
The dataset I am presenting in this post is an example of a data science problem where it is difficult to use models, such as Facebook Prophet, which are designed specifically to predict on time series problems.
I have selected a traffic dataset from Analytics Vidhya and the problem statement and link to the datasets can be found here: McKinsey Analytics Online Hackathon (analyticsvidhya.com)
The problem statement for this traffic problem reads as follows:
“You are working with the government to transform your city into a smart city. The vision is to convert it into a digital and intelligent city to improve the efficiency of services for the citizens. One of the problems faced by the government is traffic. You are a data scientist working to manage the traffic of the city better and to provide input on infrastructure planning for the future.
The government wants to implement a robust traffic system for the city by being prepared for traffic peaks. They want to understand the traffic patterns of the four junctions of the city. Traffic patterns on holidays, as well as on various other occasions during the year, differ from normal working days. This is important to take into account for your forecasting.
To predict traffic patterns in each of these four junctions for the next 4 months.
The sensors on each of these junctions were collecting data at different times, hence you will see traffic data from different time periods. To add to the complexity, some of the junctions have provided limited or sparse data requiring thoughtfulness when creating future projections. Depending upon the historical data of 20 months, the government is looking to you to deliver accurate traffic projections for the coming four months. Your algorithm will become the foundation of a larger transformation to make your city smart and intelligent.”
The program to solve this data science problem has been written as a .ipynb file in Google Colab because it is a free online Jupyter Notebook that can be accessed from computers that have internet access and Google connectivitivity.
The Python libraries are already installed on Google Colab, so I only needed to import the pre-installed libraries.
I then read in the datasets from my personal GitHub account, where I had stored them when I downloaded them from the Analytics Vidhya problem page:
I checked for any null values and in this instance there were none that needed to be imputed:
In the code below I used pandas and datetime to extract the hour, day of the week, week of the year, month, and year to categorise the data so that this information would be better utilised during the training of the model:
I then created the variables, ID_train and ID_test, which are used to store the data from train.ID and test.ID. Once these two variables had been created, I dropped the “ID” column from both train and test because they are not needed during the training process:
I put the time series data on a graph and there it can be seen visually how the time series data is not linear and therefore time series models will not give the best predictive results:
I defined the X, y and X_test variables, which need to be established so the data can be split and used during the modelling process. The target variable, y, contains the data from train.Vehicles, which was then dropped from the train dataset. The independent variables, housed in the train and test datasets, were used to develop the X and X_test variables by additionally dropping the DateTime column.
Once the X dataset had been developed from the train dataset, it was used as input to sklearn’s train_test_split() function to split the data into training and validation datasets.
I then used sklearn’s make_pipeline() function where StandardScaler() and the model were activated. I used BaggingRegressor() because I have had superior results from this ensemble model, achieving 99.11% accuracy:
I used the model to predict on the validation set and achieved 96.88% accuracy on the predictions made on this dataset:
I put the predictions made by the model onto a graph and visually compared the predictions against the validation target:
I then used the model to predict on the test set. I created a dataframe to house the predictions and converted this dataframe to a .csv file:
When I put the predictions on the solution checker I obtained a root mean square error, RMSE, of 9.14, which is a very respectable reading indeed. Because the predictions I obtained were of a high accuracy and low error, I also posted the code on the Analytics Vidhya website:
The code for this post can be found in its entirety in my personal GitHub account, the link being here: Traffic-Forecasting/TS_Traffic_Forecast_Bagging.ipynb at main · TracyRenee61/Traffic-Forecasting (github.com) | https://medium.com/ai-in-plain-english/how-i-used-pandas-and-datetime-to-improve-accuracy-in-a-traffic-time-series-problem-5fbaad9bb50d | [] | 2020-12-23 08:43:23.401000+00:00 | ['Time Series Analysis', 'Python', 'Artificial Analysis', 'Pandas', 'Datetime'] |
The Secret of Simple Code | Is there a shortcut to becoming a 10x developer? Is there some magical secret that — if you only knew it — would unlock a whole new world of software development mastery and productivity for you?
This is where the doubters are thinking “There are no shortcuts! Everybody needs to practice to get good!” And that’s true enough, but what are the experts of software productivity practicing, and is there one key thing that can make a huge difference?
Yes! There is!
But even if I share it with you — even if I give it away and spell it out for you in detail— it might take you 10 years to grow into and fully appreciate the simplicity of it.
At least, that’s what happened to me. It was spelled out to me in plain English by my high school programming teacher. I was walked step-by-step through the process of applying it using some example code. And it didn’t really sink in until 10 years later. But now, with the benefit of experience, it’s a lesson I appreciate profoundly, and even though I know it’s a lesson you can’t truly appreciate at first glance — I’m going to share it with you.
This secret is a key difference between average productivity and 10x productivity. Using the leverage that this secret provides, you can be orders of magnitude more efficient.
You can write code that is more reusable and less likely to break when new requirements are introduced and things change in the surrounding code.
The secret to being 10x more productive is to gain a mastery of abstraction. A lot of developers treat “abstraction” like it’s a dirty word. You’ll hear (otherwise good) advice like, “don’t abstract too early” or Zen of Python’s famous “explicit is better than implicit,” implying that concrete is better than abstract. And all of that is good advice — depending on context.
But modern apps use a huge amount of code. If you printed out the source code of modern top 10 applications, those stacks of paper would compete with the height of skyscrapers, and software costs a lot of money to maintain. The more code you create, the more it costs.
Abstraction is the Key to Simple Code
The right abstractions can make code more readable, adaptable, and maintainable by hiding details which are unimportant for the current context, and reducing the amount of code required to do the same work — often by orders of magnitude.
“Simplicity is about
subtracting the obvious
and adding the meaningful.” ~ John Maeda: The Laws of Simplicity
Abstraction is not a 1-way street. It’s really formed by two complementary concepts:
Generalization — Removing the repeated parts (the obvious) and hiding them behind an abstraction.
— Removing the repeated parts (the obvious) and hiding them behind an abstraction. Specialization — Applying the abstraction for a particular use-case, adding just what needs to be different (the meaningful).
Consider the following code:
There’s nothing inherently wrong with the code, but it contains a lot of details that may not be important for this particular application.
It includes details of the container/transport data structure being used (the array), meaning that it will only work with arrays. It contains a state shape dependency.
It includes the iteration logic, meaning that if you need other operations which also need to visit each element in the data structure, you’d need to repeat very similar iteration logic in that code, as well. It forces repetition which could violate DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself).
which could violate It includes an explicit assignment, rather than declaratively describing the operation to be performed. It’s verbose.
None of that is necessary. All of it can be hidden behind an abstraction. In this case, an abstraction that is so universal, it has transformed the way modern applications are built and reduced the number of explicit for-loops we need to write.
“If you touch one thing with deep awareness, you touch everything.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Using the map operation, we can reduce the code to a one-liner by removing the obvious (the parts we’re likely to repeat in similar code), and focusing on the meaningful (just the stuff that needs to be different for our use case:
Junior developers think they have to write a lot of code to produce a lot of value.
Senior developers understand the value of the code that nobody needed to write.
Imagine being the coder who popularized the use of the map operation in programming languages like JavaScript. Map abstracts away details such as the type of data you’re mapping over, the type of data structure containing the data, and the iteration logic required to enumerate each data node in the data structure. It’s improved the efficiency of every app I’ve built in the past decade.
Jeremy Ashkenas made several such operations popular in JavaScript, and paved the way for many of the great syntax shortcuts we take for granted now in JavaScript by pioneering their use in CoffeeScript. He made Underscore, which spawned Lodash (still the most popular functional programming utility belt in JavaScript), and Backbone, which popularized MVC architecture in JavaScript and set the stage for Angular and React.
John Resig made jQuery, which was so popular and influential, it formed the biggest collection of reusable, encapsulated JavaScript modules (jQuery plugins) until standard Node modules and ES6 modules appeared several years later. jQuery’s selector API was so influential it forms the basis of today’s DOM selection APIs. I still benefit on a nearly daily basis from jQuery’s selection API when I unit test React components.
The right abstractions are powerful levers that can impact productivity dramatically. Abstraction is not a dirty word. Modules, functions, variables, classes — all of these are forms of abstraction and the entire reason any of them exist is to make abstraction and composition of abstractions easier.
You can’t build complex software without abstractions. Even assembly language uses abstractions — names for instructions, variables for memory addresses, code points to jump to for subroutines (like function calls), etc. Modern software is a layer cake of useful abstractions, and those layers give you leverage.
“Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” ~ Archimedes
The key to simplicity: The secret we’re after — is how to reduce the mountain of code we’re producing — how to get a lot more done with a lot less. When you master that, you will be a 10x programmer. I guarantee it. | https://medium.com/javascript-scene/the-secret-of-simple-code-a2cacd8004dd | ['Eric Elliott'] | 2020-08-27 20:04:15.930000+00:00 | ['JavaScript', 'Software Development', 'Technology', 'Software Engineering', 'Programming'] |
The Case for Using Covid-19 Exposure Notification Apps | The Case for Using Covid-19 Exposure Notification Apps
It isn’t too late for them to make a difference
Photo by Pocky Lee on Unsplash
Last week, I got a text from the New York State Department of Health inviting me to use the state’s contact tracing app. It was the first time I’d received an invitation, and my first thought was: After eight months of Covid-19, you’re asking me to use it now? Today, the case count in the U.S. reached 16.9 million, and over 307,000 Americans have died. Transmission is rampant in a majority of states. If an app notified me every time I had a close brush with someone who tested positive for Covid-19, would it even make a difference in helping stop the spread?
I asked Michael Reid, MD, MPH, who’s heading up the contact tracing programs for both San Francisco and California and is an assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco specializing in infectious disease. The short answer is that it’s not known for sure whether these apps help reduce transmission in the U.S.: Not enough people have adopted them, so there’s not enough data.
The long answer, though, suggests they may still play an important role in reducing transmission of Covid-19, especially once the country is ready to fully emerge from shutdown.
Reid began his explanation by clarifying that these apps are for “exposure notification,” not for contact tracing per se. “They function to complement existing contact tracing capabilities,” he says. “That’s a useful distinction to make so that one understands that they’re not replacing the need for human contact tracing.”
Human contact tracers — which the U.S. is woefully lacking, notes Reid — identify people who test positive for Covid-19 and interview those people to find out who they’ve had close contact with. Those people are then notified about their exposure and given instructions for self-quarantining. This is a tried and true public health method for reducing transmission of infectious disease, and it’s proven to be a powerful tool for controlling Covid-19 in countries like South Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and Taiwan.
But the contact tracing process has a gap that apps may help fill. When a person who tests positive for Covid-19 is interviewed by a contact tracer, they identify people who they already know, like household members and close friends and family. They can’t, however, identify people they interacted with who they don’t know, like the salesperson at the grocery, or a teller at the bank.
While working as a contact tracer, says Reid, he learned that most people don’t know who they acquired Covid-19 from, and a substantial number of cases also elicit very few contacts. Exposure notification apps can alert people if they’ve been exposed to a stranger with Covid-19 and give them “the agency to take matters into their own hands,” he says, by self-quarantining and contacting their local public health department, which can use that information to track outbreaks. These Bluetooth-based apps allow phones to communicate with other phones that they come into contact with; if one user has logged a positive test result, the other will be notified.
For this reason, explains Reid, apps could actually have even more utility in a situation like the one we’re in today, where there is more widespread transmission of the coronavirus — assuming enough people use them. “If we’re ever going to go back to work or be on school campuses, or on factory floors, then these kinds of tools could be a real asset to be able to determine who you’ve come into close contact with who you might not otherwise known.”
The big caveat, he notes, is that the most important public health interventions are still social distancing and mask-wearing.
Whether enough people will use exposure notification apps remains to be seen. A recent Reuters analysis estimated that about 6 million Americans had used the apps by mid-November and that nearly 50% of the U.S. population would have access to one of these apps by Christmas. In April, a modeling study from the University of Oxford showed that 60% of the population needs to adopt these apps to end transmission. There are numerous reasons why people may not have downloaded the apps (Nature explains them in-depth here). Privacy is one common concern; in a OneZero story published in April, my colleague Will Oremus questioned whether these “opt-in” public health apps would be treated as such by private entities like churches and schools, and another colleague, Sarah Emerson, raised concerns that marginalized groups would bear the consequences of widespread surveillance.
Reid didn’t seem too worried about the privacy issue, though. “Ironically, I think that’s a really peculiar conversation to be having, given that Google and Apple and other technology companies are scraping your data all of the time for information that they’re going to use to target you for new products that you’re going to buy,” he says. “The mechanics of exposure notification technology is such that [the data] is not being centrally housed in some department of public health data warehouse.”
After talking to Reid, two things became clear to me: First, the country needs more human contact tracers and can’t expect apps to make much of a dent in transmission on their own. Second, I should probably just download the app. At the very least, there appears to be minimal cost and risk to me, and doing so would add another layer of protection to myself and the people in my household, plus support the work of the human contact tracers as they scramble to identify where the virus is headed next.
And, looking ahead, it may very well be a tool I’ll encounter again in the future. If exposure notification apps are shown to be effective, “I think they’re going to play an important role when the next pandemic comes around,” says Reid. “And chances are it’ll come around sooner than the last one.” | https://coronavirus.medium.com/the-case-for-using-covid-19-exposure-notification-apps-813a9f799986 | ['Yasmin Tayag'] | 2020-12-17 18:54:03.644000+00:00 | ['Coronavirus', 'Covid 19', 'Technology', 'Public Health'] |
Life | Get this newsletter By signing up, you will create a Medium account if you don’t already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Check your inbox
Medium sent you an email at to complete your subscription. | https://medium.com/haiku-hub/life-914bf408bc85 | ['Vivienne Teh'] | 2020-04-29 18:44:55.365000+00:00 | ['Self-awareness', 'Poem', 'Life', 'Haiku', 'Poetry'] |
Find Yourself, But Don’t Lose Others In The Process | Find Yourself, But Don’t Lose Others In The Process
Your own private journey could be leaving others behind
‘Interior with an Easel’ (1912) by Vilhelm Hammershøi. Source Wikimedia Commons
You know what you prefer, don’t you? You like to retreat into your private cocoon for the comfort it gives, where it is calm, where life simplifies and your blood flows well, tiredness abating.
Empty rooms, simple spaces. Here the air is elegant, light-filled.
Your private territory is where others cannot follow; this is why it’s so reassuring, of course. It is also how your isolation grows.
It is true: nothing else quite compares to the gentle landscape of that pure-land, your wildgrass kingdom. Where else has such privacy, where else has such fertile plains?
But this is how the outside world is pushed into the distance. The love and affection you feel for others is a curtailed, kept hidden, secret, over-wintered.
Your authenticity is at stake, you say. Such thoughts seem to offer an antidote to the overall fragmentation. You have a propensity to leap between so many ideas of yourself and how you ought to fulfill them. Your mind is often diffused by the interruption of so many obligations. This is why you retreat.
The protean self — from the Greek sea-god Proteus: a constantly changing form, encouraged to fragment into new combinations as new possibilities arise. Mother-tongues are multiplied, futures are floated. Airline tickets, a smartphone buzzing, Time Out, Twitter, a suitcase on wheels, coffee cup, laptop, multiple income streams, unique selling point, opportunities strewn wherever there are words. Psychologists talk of a multiplicity of selves, of plural personas, of a polyphony of voices.
Your hunt for authenticity can be all-consuming. You worry that to be inauthentic is to be deceptive, apocryphal or feigned. You worry about this a lot, how inauthenticity disfigures the truth for other advantages.
Yet, when you retreat you also hide away, and so you are in danger of becoming exactly what you don’t want.
Then you feel injured by your isolation. Loved-ones wonder where you have been. You have betrayed yourself.
Consider this: You don’t need to abandon life to be who you are.
Take your time. Again. Take your time. When you are open, and when you love and love well, you are a fuller person. Give yourself the time to show it. Find yourself but be careful to not lose others in the process.
Take some time away from your work, remember your old heroes but don’t revere them too strongly. Dust off some buried memories and recall your original commitments. Look up from your books occasionally. You have the time, so there’s no need to rush.
This approach may make all the difference. | https://christopherpjones.medium.com/find-yourself-but-dont-lose-others-in-the-process-18c8c46e8120 | ['Christopher P Jones'] | 2019-07-21 18:39:32.153000+00:00 | ['Self-awareness', 'Authenticity', 'Love', 'Human Prompt', 'Self'] |
Q&A with Heidi Strom Moon, Product Manager, Slate | Q&A with Heidi Strom Moon, Product Manager, Slate
This week, The Idea caught up with Heidi about the evolution of Slate’s membership program, Slate Plus. Read on to learn about the benefits that have driven its success and Heidi’s learnings along the way. Subscribe to our newsletter on the business of media for more interviews and weekly news and analysis.
Tell me a bit about your path to Slate and your current role.
I got a degree in communication with the original idea of being a journalist. My first job out of college was as a copy editor on a feature desk for the Newport News Daily Press. I was there when newspapers and media companies were looking for people from within the newsroom to work on their websites. When we moved from the Newport News up to DC, I wound up staying on the digital side and worked at a few different agencies and at a nonprofit. I did all the different parts of managing and building and maintaining a website before CMS came along. This position at Slate was a cool way to bring all those threads together.
I’m a product manager on what we call the PIE team, which is our cross functional team that brings together product, research, engineering, UX and design. I primarily own the roadmap for our membership program, Slate Plus, as well as newsletters and commenting. That includes drawing out requirements in collaboration with people around the organization, documentation, writing ticket, sprint planning, and quality assurance. A big part of my job also is prioritizing requests and tickets that I’ve written against others and the overall roadmap for the PI team as a whole. In my previous agency life I did a lot of marketing work, so I play the role of a product marketer for Slate Plus, writing copy for house ads and email blasts. I also coordinate with an outside consultant on paid acquisition campaigns on Facebook and Google.
Can you provide a general overview of Slate Plus?
Slate Plus will turn six this year. It’s been very successful for us and we’ve learned a lot about what our readers and listeners come to us for. Probably our biggest group of members join because of our podcast benefit. Members get ad-free feeds and bonus content, including entire bonus episodes, like a special episode of Political Gabfest looking at South Carolina and Super Tuesday that we dropped over the weekend for members only. For all three seasons of Slow Burn, between six and eight primary episodes in the series were ad-supported, so anybody could listen to them; but for each one of those episodes, there was an entire bonus episode that was for members only.
Another big group is readers of our advice columns and in particular, Dear Prudence, who join to get more bonus content like extra questions and answers. We have a column called Dear Prudence Uncensored, which is a behind-the-scenes of a letter each week, and we have the Dear Prudence podcast.
We have a third bucket of members, which to some degree cross over with both of the previous two. These are people who just want to support our journalism.
Slate Plus has a variety of other perks, including discounts and early access to events. Where do ideas for these benefits come from, and how do you think about prioritizing which ones to include?
When we launched, we did a lot of competitor research to see what other membership and subscription plans out there were offering to try to give the broadest package of benefits to appeal to the most people. Over time, we’ve started to regularly conduct surveys. In fact, we just launched one yesterday for readers and members, and we ask: Why did you join? What was the benefit that made you sign up? If we took away a certain benefit, would you cancel? This way, we’re able to estimate the value of a benefit, which has helped us refine the offering over time. We’ve found that the benefits that are most important for most of our members are podcast-related perks and bonus content.
Have there been any interesting or surprising insights over the course of that research?
At the beginning, we thought that there would be more of an appetite for behind-the-scenes type content. It just didn’t have as big of an impact as say, the additional bonus advice content, so we phased it out over time to focus editorial efforts in the places that are most fruitful.
The other thing that surprised us in the beginning was the extent to which people would sign up just to support our journalism. In one of our first surveys, we didn’t even ask that as a reason for why people signed up since we were thinking so much about the specific package of benefits. A lot of people wrote in that it was just to support Slate, and in subsequent surveys, it’s always been one of the biggest reasons people have said they’ve joined. We’ve really started leaning into that messaging.
Can you speak to the community-oriented features like the private Facebook group? How successful are those?
Community hasn’t really been one of the main things that members have been looking for. We found that it waxes and wanes a little bit in usage, and when people do seek each other out, it’s in the comment threads. Those aren’t limited to Plus members, although a lot of members participate there. Having said that, members get early access to tickets for our live shows, and we often find Plus members meeting each other at those events.
What’s a recent initiative you’ve been working on related to Slate Plus?
One thing we’ve been working on is an initiative called Who Counts, which we launched in the fall. It pursues election coverage on the battles around voting rights and immigration. We’ve framed it as a reader supported-initiative to help us bring this additional journalism beyond what we normally cover in those areas, so we asked readers to support it by joining Slate Plus and asked Slate Plus members to support it by donating directly.
How are you thinking about newsletters and commenting?
We recently merged two of our daily newsletters into one because we found that it was a stronger play to just make one daily newsletter instead of having a couple compete against each other. We’ve launched a new newsletter for How to Do It, our sex advice column, and that’s been successful. We launched a parenting newsletter last year that’s also been really successful.
As for commenting, a lot of places have gotten out of it, but we still see value in it. We have a few people who spend a lot of time commenting so they’re super loyal and they spend a lot of time on the site. We have a dedicated moderating community manager resource who make sure that people are respectful. We have a team of volunteer moderators to help us with that to make sure that it remains a place where people are willing to participate and feel like there’s value in spending time.
What’s something interesting you’ve found in media recently from an organization other than your own?
The issue that is most important to me is the climate crisis. It’s been encouraging to see so much great journalism on it. I’ve noticed a couple of projects in the last six to 12 months. One is an ongoing series from the Washington Post called 2°C: Beyond the Limit, which shows climate change’s impact around the country with photo and data journalism. You can look up your specific county to see how much the temperature has risen and where you are within that 2°C budget that we’re trying not to exceed.
Another one that’s similar, but across the globe, is Norway’s NRK, which did one called Chasing Climate Change. Finally, the Audubon Society did a really cool Climate Action Guide with these beautiful, animated illustrations. It tells you what you can do, so it’s helpful, not just informative.
What is your first read in the morning?
The Washington Post.
What is the last podcast you listened to?
This morning’s episode of Scriptnotes.
What’s the last book you read?
Recursion by Blake Crouch.
What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current role, whether within or outside of media?
In a different timeline, I would still be a copy editor because I would be getting paid to improve spelling and grammar, one story at a time.
This Q&A was originally published in the March 9th edition of The Idea, and has been edited for length and clarity. For more Q&As with media movers and shakers, subscribe to The Idea, Atlantic Media’s weekly newsletter covering the latest trends and innovations in media. | https://medium.com/the-idea/q-a-with-heidi-moon-product-manager-loyalty-slat-5f22f85d730 | ['Saanya Jain'] | 2020-03-11 18:43:01.881000+00:00 | ['Who Counts', 'Media', 'Journalism', 'Subscriber Spotlight', 'Product Management'] |
Why “I Love You More Than You Know” Doesn’t Always Comfort You | First kiss, Christyl Rivers
Some of us, maybe all of us, have experienced an anguishing, unrequited love.
It happens when you have your first crush. It happens when you have a relationship with someone who just isn’t that “into you.”
It happens when you are in a long-term relationship — even a marriage — with someone who just drifts away. It happens even when there is a betrayal, and someone you love breaks your heart.
Sometimes, it just happens with “the one who got away.”
How do you know this is “The ONE?”
Once upon a time, I loved a man for years and years. He and I were both single when we met. At that time, though, I was still in my early twenties and painfully shy. I was insecure and vulnerable in ways that I had just not yet wrapped my head around. He was a bit more confident of himself, but was also young, and experimenting with love.
We were in those developmental years where we are just trying to learn who we are, what we want, and who, if anyone is “the one.”
For all these years, though we were friends, I had a painful crush on him. I’ll call him Jeff. I felt that if Jeff just gave me a chance, he would find that we were equals in character, intellect, creativity, socio-economic match, and so on. I thought, eventually, Jeff and I would see that in one another there was a soul mate there.
But Jeff never gave me that chance. He was in an on-again, off-again, relationship with a woman with whom he went to University. It was clear that he cared a great deal about her, but he did not want to settle down with her.
At the same time, in a scenario that is overly familiar to anyone who loved and lost, my bestie, Deb, (another woman who was also in unrequited love), and I would have long talks. In these fantasy sessions, we would hatch schemes try to invent plans that landed the boys we crushed so badly on. I now see these sessions as useless and heart-breaking. We never actually saw those boys, we just wasted lots of hours talking about them.
Meanwhile Jeff and his on again, off again, girlfriend were slowly bonding.
“Deb” I asked, “What does she have that I don’t have?” I would sigh uselessly.
“Jeff.” Deb would answer wryly.
At the time we would laugh that bittersweet laugh familiar to anyone who knows this feeling. But it revealed upon later review, that instead of getting the courage to let Jeff know my feelings, I wallowed in insecurity and heartbreak.
Because of this, and because I never knew for sure whether Jeff was “on” or “off” with his girlfriend, I held back and gave them space. Meanwhile, other available single men who were not at all so reserved courted me. I was more or less groomed by the smoothest of them.
For almost seven years of a cheating and even sometimes, beating, marriage, I let myself get sucked into a relationship that clearly was not “the one.”
How do you know this is the one? The answer is you don’t. You can’t find the one without having an opportunity to present your whole being.
The end of soul mates
During all this time, nearly a decade total, I loved and pined for Jeff.
One day, laundry day, we were out and about. He suddenly grabbed me passionately. He literally scooped me off the floor and into his arms. We shared our first kiss.
That day came and went.
He married his girlfriend. They adopted a child. They had everything I had always dreamed of, and more.
Despite all of this, Jeff would call me sometimes, and I maintained the role of “just friends.” We even hung out, once or twice. I was a struggling reporter, and he tired to give me emotional support about my writing. He also knew of the rumors of my husband’s affairs. I think he wanted to be there for me, but wanted clear boundaries about romance. The barriers were clear. We never violated them.
If you have been in love, and you can tell someone also wants to be with you, but can’t, you know this feeling too. We did not talk about it. We just looked at one another’s eyes and talked about other things. Mostly jokes. We used humor to diffuse every bit of the longing that would never see the light of day.
Without that light, if there is a soul mate in there, the spark will never get out.
For Jeff and I, this stage was the end of our soul mated, fate, if there had ever been one.
After my husband abandoned our marriage, I decided to have a new life. I moved back to Washington State, and I entered graduate school to study psychology.
“I love you more than you will ever know” He said.
Years after, I went to Denver on business and saw all the old engineering gang of geeks.
At a conference, between presentations, I somehow ended up talking with Jeff in the hotel lobby.
His words, “I love you more than you will ever know.” Stunned me. I honestly cannot remember a single other moment of that entire day.
Maybe you have had someone say this to you. At first it was a balm that soothed my heart. It was “love” after all, not past tense, not “loved.” Could he and I have been a couple after all?
Jeff died soon after. I never saw him again. As the years flew, I came to see that one soothing moment differently. All that time? He really did care, but couldn’t tell me? I could have told him my feelings and not been rejected?
Laundry day, I pondered. Did I not kiss him back passionately enough? To this day, no other man has literally swept me off my feet like that!
I came to question every past interaction. Every buried comment. Every unspoken vulnerability. Every hidden heartbeat of unrealized love.
Now I find, the words don’t comfort me as they once had. I have come to more emotional maturity. I realize that both of us in the old days were too afraid of rejection to have the courage it takes to make a real, solid relationship work.
If only he had TOLD me, I sigh.
If there is a universe where our love would have worked out, we will never know.
But this, I do know. If you want that universe, you and “The ONE” have to create it yourselves with bold actions and hesitant hearts that carefully, and cautiously, manifest that love into being.
Unless you let it out, love that is hidden in a locked-up heart will stay locked in, shrouded in a dark and quiet place.
It will stay with you forever. | https://christylrivers.medium.com/why-i-love-you-more-than-you-know-doesnt-always-comfort-you-e3b5005f165c | ['Christyl Rivers'] | 2020-05-08 19:42:57.637000+00:00 | ['Relationships', 'Love', 'Life Lessons', 'Psychology', 'Dating'] |
Ten things I learned from resigning from my 11 year job (with no job to go to) | Ten things I learned from resigning from my 11 year job (with no job to go to) JoJoBonetto Follow Nov 12, 2018 · 3 min read
It was 27 April 2017, and I took that train home from central London feeling overwhelmed but excited. The buck stopped with me now.
I had been working in Westminster when I decided I could not face another minute in the world of work. I needed time out but I was flat broke. It had become about survival, and the shocking realisation that there are fates worse than death. In the end, I had resigned with no financial buffer and a plan to freelance, temp and do anything else I could find to scratch a living.
Here is what I learned.
1. Never resign without savings as a safety net.
As soon as I quit my job I crashed, had virus after virus and no sick pay to fall back on. It was truly miserable.
2. Network, network, network.
Not just online, but in person. There is an entire world outside of the internet. Yes, I know this is hard to believe.
3. Invest in some merchandise.
I left postcards with eye catching images and slogans everywhere for my business, Virtual Confidential. People loved them.
4. Taking on salaried work is not failure.
I returned to salaried work on 20 August 2018. Prior to that I temped for three months. I realised I needed a stable income after my time out and there was no shame in that.
5. Keep regular hours.
I was good once I started, but the problem was starting in the first place. Be strict about your start time, lunchbreak and end time.
6. Keep a log of your earnings.
It can be motivating and demotivating but keep a record and every now and then, calculate your hourly rate. You need to know what you are actually earning.
7. Outsource.
I had a video done for my website wildbareraw.com on Fiverr. I loved it. It was short but made it look professional and showed investment.
8. Never stop learning.
While self employed I took on Counselling Training. I continued to keep my brain active and my knowledge fresh.
9. Never stop listening.
When customers give you feedback, listen. When potential customers message you, reply as quickly as you can with a considered response. Pay attention.
10. Take care of yourself.
Sleep, rest, relax and eat well. Being self employed is hard. Job hunting is stressful. Any life change will take its toll and all stress will affect you, good and bad. Take time for you. | https://medium.com/wild-bare-raw/ten-things-i-learned-from-resigning-from-my-11-year-job-with-no-job-to-go-to-4dd5c3230fe5 | [] | 2018-11-13 16:51:43.585000+00:00 | ['Work', 'Work Life Balance', 'Entrepreneurship', 'Self Improvement', 'Self'] |
Top 6 Data Analytics Tools in 2019 | When it comes to data analytics tools, we always have questions. What is the difference between so many data analysis tools? Which is better? Which one should I study?
Although this is a commonplace topic, it is really important, and I have been working hard to pursue the answer to this ultimate problem. If you go online to search for relevant information in this area, it is difficult to see a fair point of view. Because the reviewers who evaluate a certain data analytics tool may be from a different perspective, with some personal feelings.
Today, let us put aside these personal feelings. And I am trying to talk objectively with you about my personal views on data analysis tools on the market, for your reference.
I have chosen a total of 6 tools in three types. Next let me introduce them one by one.
1. Excel
With a variety of powerful features such as form creation, PivotTable, VBA, etc., Excel’s system is so large that no analytics tool can surpass it, ensuring that people can analyze data according to their needs.
However, some people may think that they are very proficient in computer programming languages, and disdain to use Excel as a tool because Excel can’t handle big data. But think about it, do the data we use in our daily life exceed the limit of big data? In my opinion, Excel is a versatile player. It works best for small data, and with plugins it can handle millions of data.
To sum up, based on the powerful features of Excel and its user scale, my opinion is that it is an indispensable tool. If you want to learn data analysis, Excel is definitely the first choice.
2. BI tools
Business intelligence is born for data analysis, and it is born at a very high starting point. The goal is to shorten the time from business data to business decisions and use data to influence decisions.
The product goal of Excel is not like this. Excel can do a lot of things. You can use Excel to draw a curriculum, make a questionnaire, or use it as a calculator, or even use it for drawing. If you master VBA, you can also make a small game. But these are not really data analysis functions.
But BI tools are specialized in data analysis.
Take the common BI tools such as Power BI, FineReport, and Tableau for example. You will find that they are designed according to the data analysis process. First, data processing, data cleaning, and then data modeling, finally data visualization that uses presentation of charts to identify problems and influence decision-making.
These are the only way for data analysis, and there are some pain points of employees in this process.
For example, the repetitive and low value-added work of cleaning data can be simplified with BI tools.
If the amount of data is large, the traditional tool Excel cannot complete the PivotTable.
If we use Excel to do graphical displays, it will take a lot of time to edit the chart, including color and font settings.
These pain points are where BI tools can bring us change and value.
Now let’s compare the three popular BI tools on the market: Power BI, FineReport, and Tableau.
The core essence of Tableau is actually the PivotTable and PivotChart of Excel. It can be said that Tableau is keenly aware of this feature of Excel. It entered the BI market earlier and carried forward this core value.
From the perspective of development history and current market feedback, Tableau is better at visualization. I don’t think this is because of how cool its charts are, but its design, color, and user interface give us a simple and fresh feeling.
This is indeed like Tableau’s own propaganda, investing a lot of academic energy to study what kind of charts people like, how to give users the ultimate experience in operation and visual. As Tableau advertises, their team puts a lot of academic energy into researching what kind of charts people like, and how to give users the ultimate experiencein terms of operation and vision.
In addition, Tableau has added data cleaning function and more intelligent analysis functions. This is also a predictable product development advantage for Tableau.
The advantage of Power BI lies in its business model and data analysis capabilities.
Power BI was previously a plug-in for Excel, and its development was not ideal. So it got out of Excel and developed into a BI tool. As a latecomer, Power BI has iterative updates every month and catches up very fast.
Power BI currently has three licensing methods: Power BI Free, Power BI Pro, and Power BI Premium. Just like Tableau, the features of its free version are not complete. But they are almost enough for personal use. And the data analysis of Power BI is powerful. Its PowerPivot and DAX language allow me to implement complex advanced analysis in a way similar to writing formulas in Excel.
What makes FineReport unique is that its self-service data analysis is very suitable for business users. With a simple drag and drop operation, you can design various styles of reports with FineReport and easily build a data decision analysis system.
From FineReport
FineReport can directly connect to all kinds of databases, and it is convenient and quick to customize various styles to make weekly, monthly, and annual reports. Its format is similar to the interface of Excel. The features include report creation, report permission assignment, report management, data entry, etc.
In addition, the visualization function of FineReport is also very prominent, providing a variety of dashboard templates and a number of self-developed visual plug-in libraries.
In terms of price, the personal version of FineReport is completely free and all features are open.
3. R & Python
R and Python are the third type of tools I want to talk about. Although softwarelike Excel and BI tools have been designed with the utmost effort to consider the most application scenarios of data analysis, they are essentially customized. If the software doesn’t design a feature, or develop a button for a feature, chances are that you won’t be able to complete your work with them.
The programming language is different for this. It is very powerful and flexible. You can write code to do anything you want. For example, R and Python are the indispensable tools for data scientists. From a professional perspective, they are definitely powerful than Excel and BI tools.
So what are the application scenarios that R and Python can realize, while it is difficult for Excel and BI tools to achieve?
1) Professional statistical analysis
In terms of R language, it is best at statistical analysis, such as normal distribution, using algorithm to classify clusters, and regression analysis. This kind of analysis is like using data as an experiment. It can help us answer the following questions.
From Google
For example, the distribution of data is a normal distribution, a triangular distribution or other types of distribution? What is the discrete situation? Is it within the statistical controllable range we want to achieve? What is the magnitude of the effect of different parameters on the results? And there is also hypothetical simulation analysis. If a certain parameter changes, how much impact will it bring?
2) Individual predictive analysis
For example, we want to predict the behavior of a consumer. How long will he stay in our store? How much will he spend? We can find out his personal credit status and make a loan amount based on his online consumption record. Or we can push different items based on his browsing history on the web page. This also involves the current popular concepts of machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Conclusion
The above comparison illustrates the difference between several softwares. What I want to summarize is that what is real is reasonable. Excel, BI tools or programming languages have overlapping functions, but they are also complementary tools. The value of each depends on the kind of application being developed and situation at hand.
Before you choose a data analytics tool, you must first understand your own work: whether you will use the application scenarios I just mentioned. Or think about your career direction: whether it is toward the data science or business analysis.
You might also be interested in…
Guide to Financial Statement Analysis for Beginners
9 Data Visualization Tools That You Cannot Miss in 2019
Top 16 Types of Chart in Data Visualization
Top 10 Map Types in Data Visualization
A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Sales Dashboards | https://towardsdatascience.com/top-6-data-analytics-tools-in-2019-4df815ebf82c | ['Lewis Chou'] | 2019-09-23 14:23:04.072000+00:00 | ['Data Science', 'Data Analytics Tools', 'Business Intelligence', 'Data Analysis', 'Programming Languages'] |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.